;;;Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith 36481 Published by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Salt Lake City, Utah Your comments and suggestions about this book would be appreciated. Please submit them to Curriculum Development, 50 East North Temple Street, Room 2420, Salt Lake City, UT 84150-3220 USA. E-mail: cur-development@ldschurch.org Please list your name, address, ward, and stake. Be sure to give the title of the book. Then offer your comments and suggestions about the book's strengths and areas of potential improvement. Copyright 2007 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved Printed in the United States of America English approval: 8/00 ;;;Contents Title Page Introduction vii Historical Summary xiv The Life and Ministry of Joseph Smith 1 1 The First Vision: The Father and the Son Appear to Joseph Smith 27 2 God the Eternal Father 37 3 Jesus Christ, the Divine Redeemer of the World 45 4 The Book of Mormon: Keystone of Our Religion 57 5 Repentance 69 6 The Mission of John the Baptist 79 7 Baptism and the Gift of the Holy Ghost 89 8 The Everlasting Priesthood 101 9 Gifts of the Spirit 115 10 Prayer and Personal Revelation 125 11 The Organization and Destiny of the True and Living Church 135 12 Proclaim Glad Tidings to All the World 149 13 Obedience: "When the Lord Commands, Do It" 159 14 Words of Hope and Consolation at the Time of Death 171 15 Establishing the Cause of Zion 183 16 Revelation and the Living Prophet 193 17 The Great Plan of Salvation 207 18 Beyond the Veil: Life in the Eternities 217 19 Stand Fast through the Storms of Life 227 20 A Heart Full of Love and Faith: The Prophet's Letters to His Family 239 21 The Second Coming and the Millennium 249 22 Gaining Knowledge of Eternal Truths 261 23 "How Good and How Pleasant It Is . . . to Dwell Together in Unity" 271 24 Leading in the Lord's Way 281 25 Truths from the Savior's Parables in Matthew 13 293 26 Elijah and the Restoration of the Sealing Keys 307 27 Beware the Bitter Fruits of Apostasy 315 28 Missionary Service: A Holy Calling, a Glorious Work 327 29 Living with Others in Peace and Harmony 339 30 Valiant in the Cause of Christ 349 31 "God Shall Be with You Forever and Ever": The Prophet in Liberty Jail 359 32 Responding to Persecution with Faith and Courage 369 33 The Spiritual Gifts of Healing, Tongues, Prophecy, and Discerning of Spirits 379 34 The Power of Forgiving 391 35 Redemption for the Dead 401 36 Receiving the Ordinances and Blessings of the Temple 413 37 Charity, the Pure Love of Christ 423 38 The Wentworth Letter 435 39 Relief Society: Divine Organization of Women 449 40 How Glorious Are Faithful, Just, and True Friends 459 41 Becoming Saviors on Mount Zion 469 42 Family: The Sweetest Union for Time and for Eternity 479 43 "He Was a Prophet of God": Contemporaries of Joseph Smith Testify of His Prophetic Mission 493 44 The Restoration of All Things: The Dispensation of the Fulness of Times 507 45 Joseph Smith's Feelings about His Prophetic Mission 517 46 The Martyrdom: The Prophet Seals His Testimony with His Blood 529 47 "Praise to the Man": Latter-day Prophets Bear Witness of the Prophet Joseph Smith 541 Appendix: Sources Used in This Book 558 List of Visuals 565 Index 568 ;;;Introduction The First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles have established the Teachings of Presidents of the Church series to help you deepen your understanding of the restored gospel and draw closer to the Lord through the teachings of latter-day Presidents of the Church. As the Church adds volumes to this series, you will build a collection of gospel reference books for your home. The volumes in this series are designed to be used both for personal study and for quorum and class instruction. This book features the teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, who was called of God to open the dispensation of the fulness of times in these latter days. Between his vision of the Father and the Son in the spring of 1820 and his martyrdom in June 1844, he established The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and brought forth the fulness of the gospel, never again to be taken from the earth. Personal Study As you study the teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, seek the inspiration of the Spirit. Remember Nephi's promise: "He that diligently seeketh shall find; and the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto them, by the power of the Holy Ghost" (1 Nephi 10:19). Begin your study with prayer, and continue to pray and ponder in your heart as you read. At the end of each chapter, you will find questions and scripture references that will help you understand and apply Joseph Smith's teachings. Consider reviewing them before you read the chapter. Also consider the following suggestions: -- Look for key words and phrases. If you find a word you do not understand, use a dictionary or another source to better understand its meaning. Write a note in the margin to help you remember what you have learned about the word. -- Think about the meaning of Joseph Smith's teachings. You may want to mark phrases and sentences that teach particular gospel principles or touch your mind and heart, or you may want to write your thoughts and feelings in the margins. -- Reflect on experiences you have had that relate to the Prophet's teachings. -- Ponder how Joseph Smith's teachings apply to you. Think about how the teachings relate to concerns or questions you have. Decide what you will do as a result of what you have learned. Teaching from This Book This book can be used to teach at home or at church. The following suggestions will help you. Focus on Joseph Smith's Words and the Scriptures The Lord has commanded that we teach "none other things than that which the prophets and apostles have written, and that which is taught [us] by the Comforter through the prayer of faith" (D&C 52:9). He also declared that "the elders, priests and teachers of this church shall teach the principles of my gospel, which are in the Bible and the Book of Mormon, in the which is the fulness of the gospel" (D&C 42:12). Your assignment is to help others understand the Prophet Joseph Smith's teachings and the scriptures. Do not set this book aside or prepare lessons from other materials. Dedicate a significant portion of the lesson to reading Joseph Smith's teachings in this book and discussing their meaning and application. Encourage participants to bring this book to church so that they will be better prepared to participate in class discussions. Seek the Guidance of the Holy Ghost As you pray for help and prepare diligently, the Holy Ghost will guide your efforts. He will help you emphasize the portions of each chapter that will encourage others to understand and apply the gospel. When you teach, pray in your heart that the power of the Spirit will accompany your words and the class discussions. Nephi said, "When a man speaketh by the power of the Holy Ghost the power of the Holy Ghost carrieth it unto the hearts of the children of men" (2 Nephi 33:1; see also D&C 50:13-22). Prepare to Teach The chapters in this book have been organized to help you prepare to teach. The "From the Life of Joseph Smith" section in each chapter provides information about Joseph Smith's life and early Church history that can be used in introducing and teaching the lesson. The "Teachings of Joseph Smith" section is divided into several subsections, with headings that summarize the main points in the chapter. These headings can serve as an outline from which you can teach. The final section, "Suggestions for Study and Teaching," provides questions and scriptures that relate to the teachings. You will be more effective in your teaching when you do the following: 1. Study the chapter. Read the chapter to become confident in your understanding of Joseph Smith's teachings. You will teach with greater sincerity and power when his words have influenced you personally (see D&C 11:21). As you read, keep in mind the needs of those you teach. You may want to mark doctrines and principles in the chapter that you feel will help them. 2. Decide which portions to use. Each chapter contains more than you will be able to teach in one lesson. Rather than try to cover the entire chapter, prayerfully select doctrines and principles that you feel will be most helpful for those you teach. For example, you could choose to focus on one or two subsections and a few questions that will help the participants discuss the principles in the sections you have chosen. 3. Decide how to introduce the lesson. To spark interest at the beginning of the lesson, you might share a personal experience or ask participants to read a story from the beginning of the chapter or look at a picture in the chapter. Then you could ask, "What does this story (or picture) teach about the main topic of the chapter?" Other options for beginning a lesson include reading a scripture or a quotation from the chapter or singing a hymn. Another helpful idea is to let participants know what the main points of the lesson will be. You may also want to remind participants of the previous lesson from this book by asking them to recall events, people, principles, or doctrines that were discussed. 4. Decide how to encourage discussion. This is where you should spend most of the lesson time because participants learn doctrines and principles best when they participate in the discussion of them. Review the suggestions for conducting edifying discussions on pages xi-xii of this book. You might use questions from "Suggestions for Study and Teaching" at the end of the chapter. You might also prepare some of your own questions using the following suggestions: -- Ask questions that help participants look for facts, events, doctrines, and principles. These types of questions help participants focus on specific truths you wish to emphasize and become familiar with specific information in the Prophet's teachings. For example, after identifying a specific quotation, you could ask, "What are some of the key words or phrases in this quotation?" or "What is the topic of this quotation?" -- Ask questions that help participants think about the doctrines and principles that Joseph Smith taught. These types of questions encourage participants to examine and share their thoughts and feelings about Joseph Smith's teachings. For example, "Why do you think this teaching is important?" or "What thoughts or feelings do you have about this quotation?" or "What does this teaching mean to you?" -- Ask questions that encourage participants to compare what they learn from the Prophet's teachings to their own thoughts, feelings, and experiences. For example, "What experiences have you had that relate to what the Prophet Joseph Smith said?" -- Ask questions that help participants apply what is being taught to their own lives. These questions help participants think about ways they can live according to Joseph Smith's teachings. For example, "What is Joseph Smith encouraging us to do? In what ways can we apply what he said?" Remind participants that they will learn not only from what is said, but also from revelation directly to them (see D&C 121:26). 5. Decide how to conclude the lesson. You may choose to quickly summarize the lesson or ask one or two participants to do so. As prompted by the Spirit, testify of the teachings you have discussed. You may also want to invite others to share their testimonies. Encourage those you teach to follow the promptings they have received from the Holy Ghost. As you prepare to teach, you may want to look for ideas in Teaching, No Greater Call (36123), part B, chapters 14, 16, 28, and 29; or in the Teaching Guidebook (34595). Conduct Edifying Discussions The following suggestions will help you encourage and conduct edifying discussions: -- Seek the guidance of the Holy Ghost. He may prompt you to ask certain questions or to include certain people in the discussion. -- Help participants focus on Joseph Smith's teachings. Have them read his words to generate discussion and to answer questions. If the discussion begins to stray from the topic or becomes speculative or contentious, redirect the discussion by referring back to an event, doctrine, or principle in the chapter. -- As appropriate, share experiences that relate to the teachings in the chapter. -- Encourage participants to share their thoughts, ask questions, and teach one another (see D&C 88:122). For example, you could ask them to comment on what others have said, or you could direct one question to several participants. -- Do not be afraid of silence after you ask a question. Often those you teach need time to think or to look in their books before they share ideas, testimonies, and experiences. -- Listen sincerely, and seek to understand everyone's comments. Express gratitude for their participation. -- When participants share several ideas, consider listing the ideas on the chalkboard or asking someone else to do so. -- Look for different ways to include participants in the discussion. For example, you might have them discuss questions in small groups or with the person sitting next to them. -- Consider contacting one or two participants in advance. Ask them to come to class ready to answer one of the questions you have prepared. -- Use a hymn, especially a hymn of the Restoration, to reinforce the discussion of a gospel truth. Singing a hymn is also an effective way to introduce or conclude a lesson. -- Do not end a good discussion just because you want to cover all the material you have prepared. What matters most is that participants feel the influence of the Spirit and grow in their commitment to live the gospel. Teachings for Our Day This book deals with teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith that have application to our day. For example, this book does not discuss such topics as the Prophet's teachings regarding the law of consecration as applied to stewardship of property. The Lord withdrew this law from the Church because the Saints were not prepared to live it (see D&C 119, section heading). This book also does not discuss plural marriage. The doctrines and principles relating to plural marriage were revealed to Joseph Smith as early as 1831. The Prophet taught the doctrine of plural marriage, and a number of such marriages were performed during his lifetime. Over the next several decades, under the direction of the Church Presidents who succeeded Joseph Smith, a significant number of Church members entered into plural marriages. In 1890, President Wilford Woodruff issued the Manifesto, which discontinued plural marriage in the Church (see Official Declaration 1). The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints no longer practices plural marriage. Information about Sources Quoted in This Book The teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith presented in this book have been taken from several categories of source materials: the Prophet's sermons, articles prepared for publication by the Prophet or under his direction, the Prophet's letters and journals, recorded recollections of those who heard the Prophet speak, and some of the Prophet's teachings and writings that were later canonized in the scriptures. Many of Joseph Smith's teachings have been quoted from the History of the Church. For further information about these sources, see the appendix. A number of unpublished sources are quoted in this work. Spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and grammar have been standardized where necessary to improve readability. Paragraph divisions have also been inserted or altered to improve readability. Where the quotations come from published source materials, the sources have been quoted without alteration, unless otherwise noted. All material within square brackets has been added by the editors of this book, unless otherwise noted. "Joseph Smith, the Prophet and Seer of the Lord, has done more, save Jesus only, for the salvation of men in this world, than any other man that ever lived in it. . . . He lived great, and he died great in the eyes of God and his people" (D&C 135:3). Historical Summary The following chronology provides a brief historical framework for the teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith presented in this book. 1805, December 23: Born in Sharon, Windsor County, Vermont, the fifth child of eleven in the family of Joseph Smith Sr. and Lucy Mack Smith. ca. 1813: (age 7) Contracts typhoid fever; complications require surgery on his left leg. At this time, the Smith family was living in West Lebanon, New Hampshire, one of several places to which the family moved between 1808 and 1816 in search of opportunities for work. 1816: (age 10) Moves with his family to the village of Palmyra, New York. ca. 1818-19: (age 12 or 13) Moves with his family from the village of Palmyra to a log home in Palmyra Township, New York. 1820, early spring: (age 14) Prays in the woods near his home. Visited by God the Father and Jesus Christ. Asks which sect he should join. The Savior tells him that they are all wrong and he should join none of them. 1823, September 21-22: (age 17) Visited by Moroni, who tells him of the Lord's work on the earth in the last days and of the Book of Mormon. Sees the gold plates, which are buried in a nearby hill, but is forbidden to take them at that time. 1825: (age 19) Moves with his family from the log home to a newly built frame home on their farm in Manchester Township, New York. 1827, January 18: (age 21) Marries Emma Hale of Harmony, Pennsylvania; they are married in South Bainbridge, New York. 1827, September 22: Obtains the plates from Moroni, after having met with Moroni on September 22 each year since 1823. 1827, December: (age 22) Moves to Harmony, Pennsylvania, to escape from mobs in Palmyra and Manchester who are trying to steal the plates. Shortly thereafter, begins translating the Book of Mormon. 1828, February: Martin Harris shows a copy of some characters from the gold plates to noted scholars, including Charles Anthon and Samuel L. Mitchill in New York City. 1828, June-July: 116 manuscript pages of the translation of the Book of Mormon are lost while in the possession of Martin Harris. 1829, April 5: (age 23) Oliver Cowdery arrives in Harmony to serve as scribe for the Book of Mormon; translation resumes on April 7. 1829, May 15: With Oliver Cowdery, receives the Aaronic Priesthood from John the Baptist. Joseph and Oliver baptize one another in the Susquehanna River. 1829, May-June: With Oliver Cowdery, receives the Melchizedek Priesthood from the ancient Apostles Peter, James, and John near the Susquehanna River between Harmony, Pennsylvania, and Colesville, New York. 1829, June: Completes the translation of the Book of Mormon at the Peter Whitmer Sr. farm in Fayette Township, New York. The Three Witnesses see the plates and the angel Moroni in Fayette; the Eight Witnesses see and handle the plates in Palmyra Township. 1830, March 26: (age 24) The first printed copies of the Book of Mormon become available to the public at Egbert B. Grandin's bookstore in Palmyra. 1830, April 6: Formally organizes the Church at the home of Peter Whitmer Sr. in Fayette (see D&C 20:1). At first the official name of the Church is the Church of Christ. On May 3, 1834, the name is changed to The Church of the Latter Day Saints. On April 26, 1838, the name is changed by revelation to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (see D&C 115:4). 1830, June: At the Lord's command, begins an inspired revision of the Bible, now known as the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible. 1830, June 9: Holds the first conference of the Church in Fayette. 1830, September: Moves from Harmony, Pennsylvania, to Fayette, New York. Between December 1827 and this time, Joseph and Emma lived in Harmony, but Joseph traveled periodically to Manchester, Fayette, and Palmyra to work on matters pertaining to the Book of Mormon translation, arrange for the publication of the Book of Mormon, organize the Church, preside over the Church's first conference, and attend to other Church duties. 1830, September: Receives a revelation that missionaries are to "go unto the Lamanites" to preach the gospel (D&C 28:8; see also 30:5-6; 32:1-3). In October, four elders depart on a mission to teach in Indian territory west of the state of Missouri. 1830, December: (age 25) Receives a revelation that the Saints are to gather to Ohio (see D&C 37). 1831, early February: After traveling more than 250 miles from New York, arrives in Kirtland, Ohio. 1831, July 20: In Independence, Jackson County, Missouri, receives a revelation identifying Independence as the "center place" of Zion (see D&C 57:1-3). 1831, August 2: Presides as Sidney Rigdon dedicates Jackson County, Missouri, as the land of Zion. 1831, August 3: Dedicates a temple site in Independence. 1832, January 25: (age 26) Sustained as the President of the High Priesthood in Amherst, Ohio. 1832, March 8: Organizes the First Presidency, with Sidney Rigdon and Jesse Gause as counselors, in Kirtland. On March 18, 1833, Frederick G. Williams replaces Jesse Gause. 1832, December 27-28: (age 27) Receives a commandment to build a temple in Kirtland (see D&C 88:119-20). 1833, January: Begins the School of the Prophets. 1833, July 2: Completes his initial work on the inspired translation of the Bible, now known as the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible. From this work came the book of Moses and Joseph Smith-Matthew, now contained in the Pearl of Great Price. 1833, July 20: A mob destroys the press in Independence, Missouri, on which the Book of Commandments is being printed, as well as most of the printed pages. In September 1835 the revelations from the Book of Commandments, as well as other revelations, are published in Kirtland in the first edition of the Doctrine and Covenants. 1833, July 23: Cornerstones are laid for the Kirtland Temple. 1833, December 18: Joseph Smith Sr. is ordained Patriarch to the Church. 1834, May-July: (age 28) Leads Zion's Camp from Kirtland, Ohio, to Clay County, Missouri, to bring relief to Saints expelled from their homes in Jackson County, Missouri. Returns to Kirtland after receiving a revelation that the Saints must "wait for a little season for the redemption of Zion" (D&C 105:9). 1835, February 14: (age 29) Organizes the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. 1835, February 28: Organizes a Quorum of the Seventy. 1835, July: Obtains Egyptian papyri containing writings of Abraham. 1836, March 27: (age 30) Dedicates the Kirtland Temple (see D&C 109). 1836, April 3: Jesus Christ appears to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery in the Kirtland Temple and accepts the temple. Moses, Elias, and Elijah also appear and commit priesthood keys to Joseph and Oliver. (See D&C 110.) 1837, June: (age 31) Sends elders from Kirtland and Upper Canada to serve as missionaries in England, the first mission outside of North America. 1838, January 12: (age 32) Leaves Kirtland for Far West, Missouri, to escape mob violence. 1838, March 14: Arrives in Far West and establishes Church headquarters there. 1838, April 27: Initiates the writing of his history, published serially as the "History of Joseph Smith" in Church periodicals beginning in 1842; later republished as History of the Church. 1838, October 27: Missouri governor Lilburn W. Boggs issues the infamous "Extermination Order." This order and severe persecution cause the Saints to leave Missouri for Illinois during the winter and spring of 1838-39. 1838, December 1: Imprisoned with other Church leaders in Liberty, Missouri. 1839, March 20: (age 33) From Liberty Jail, writes an epistle to the Saints, portions of which are later canonized in Doctrine and Covenants 121, 122, and 123. 1839, mid-April: While being transferred on a change of venue from Gallatin to Columbia, Missouri, is allowed by his guards to escape. 1839, April 22: Rejoins his family in Quincy, Illinois. 1839, May 10: Moves with his family into a small log house in Commerce, Illinois. Later renames the city Nauvoo. 1839, November 29: Visits Martin Van Buren, the president of the United States, in Washington, D.C., seeking redress for Missouri injustices. While there, he also petitions the United States Congress for help. 1840, August 15: (age 34) Publicly announces the doctrine of baptism for the dead at a funeral in Nauvoo. Baptisms for the dead are first performed in the Mississippi River and local streams. 1840, September: In an address by the First Presidency to the Church, announces that the time has come to begin building a temple in Nauvoo. 1841, February 4: (age 35) Elected lieutenant general of the newly organized Nauvoo Legion, a unit of the Illinois state militia. 1841, April 6: Cornerstones are laid for the Nauvoo Temple. 1841, November 21: The first baptisms for the dead in the Nauvoo Temple are performed in a wooden font built and dedicated before the rest of the temple is completed. 1842, February-October: (age 36) Serves as editor of the Times and Seasons, the Church periodical in Nauvoo. 1842, March 1: Publishes the Wentworth Letter in the Times and Seasons; in March and May, also publishes the book of Abraham in the Times and Seasons. 1842, March 17: Organizes the Female Relief Society of Nauvoo, with Emma Smith as president. 1842, May 4: Administers the first endowment ordinances in an upper room of his Red Brick Store. 1842, May 19: Elected mayor of Nauvoo. 1843, July 12: (age 37) Records a revelation on the new and everlasting covenant, including the eternal nature of the marriage covenant (see D&C 132). 1844, January 29: (age 38) Announces his candidacy for the presidency of the United States of America. 1844, March: In a meeting with the Twelve Apostles and others, charges the Twelve to govern the Church in the event of his death, explaining that he has conferred upon them all the ordinances, authority, and keys necessary to do so. 1844, June 27: Martyred with his brother Hyrum at the jail in Carthage, Illinois. 1844, June 29: Buried with Hyrum in Nauvoo, Illinois. ;;;The Life and Ministry of Joseph Smith "Joseph Smith, the Prophet and Seer of the Lord, has done more, save Jesus only, for the salvation of men in this world, than any other man that ever lived in it" (D&C 135:3). This astonishing declaration describes a man who was called of God at the age of 14 and lived only to the age of 38. Between Joseph Smith's birth in Vermont in December 1805 and his tragic death in Illinois in June 1844, marvelous things occurred. God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, appeared to him, teaching him more about the nature of God than had been known for centuries. Ancient prophets and apostles bestowed sacred priesthood power upon Joseph, making him a new, authorized witness of God in this last dispensation. An incomparable outpouring of knowledge and doctrine was revealed through the Prophet, including the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price. Through him, the Lord's true Church was organized once again upon the earth. Today, the work that commenced with Joseph Smith moves forward throughout the world. Of the Prophet Joseph Smith, President Wilford Woodruff testified: "He was a prophet of God, and he laid the foundation of the greatest work and dispensation that has ever been established on the earth."1 Ancestry and Childhood Joseph Smith was a sixth-generation American, his ancestors having emigrated from England to America in the 1600s. The Prophet's ancestors typified the characteristics often associated with the early generations of Americans: they believed in God's directing care over them, they had a strong work ethic, and they diligently served their families and their country. Joseph Smith's parents, Joseph Smith Sr. and Lucy Mack Smith, married in 1796 in Tunbridge, Vermont. They were a hardworking and God-fearing couple who started their married life under favorable financial circumstances. Unfortunately, Joseph Smith Sr. lost his first farming homestead and suffered a number of financial reverses in subsequent years. The Smith family was forced to move several times as their father tried to make a living by farming the wooded hills of New England, hiring out to work on other farms, operating a mercantile business, or teaching school. Joseph Smith Jr. was born on December 23, 1805, in Sharon, Vermont, the fifth of eleven children. He was named after his father. The children in the Smith family were, in order of birth: an unnamed son (who died shortly after birth), Alvin, Hyrum, Sophronia, Joseph, Samuel, Ephraim (who lived less than two weeks), William, Katharine, Don Carlos, and Lucy.2 Evidence of the Prophet's extraordinary character emerged early in his life. The Smiths were living in West Lebanon, New Hampshire, when a deadly epidemic of typhoid fever attacked many in the community, including all the Smith children. While the other children recovered without complication, Joseph, who was about seven years old, developed a serious infection in his left leg. Dr. Nathan Smith of Dartmouth Medical School at nearby Hanover, New Hampshire, agreed to perform a new surgical procedure to try to save the boy's leg. As Dr. Smith and his colleagues prepared to operate, Joseph asked his mother to leave the room so she would not have to witness his suffering. Refusing liquor to dull the pain and relying only on his father's reassuring embrace, Joseph bravely endured as the surgeon bored into and chipped away part of his leg bone. The surgery was successful, although Joseph walked the next several years with crutches and showed signs of a slight limp the rest of his life. In 1816, after facing repeated crop failures, Joseph Smith Sr. moved his family from Norwich, Vermont, to Palmyra, New York, hoping to find a more prosperous situation. "Being in indigent circumstances," recalled the Prophet in later years, "[we] were obliged to labor hard for the support of a large family . . . , and as it required the exertions of all that were able to render any assistance for the support of the family, therefore we were deprived of the benefit of an education. Suffice it to say, I was merely instructed in reading, writing, and the ground rules of arithmetic."3 The First Vision Joseph Smith wrote of his early training: "I was born . . . of goodly parents who spared no pains to instruct me in the Christian religion."4 But, like many other Christians, Joseph's parents recognized that some of the gospel principles taught by Jesus and His Apostles were absent from contemporary churches. In the Palmyra area in 1820, several different Christian denominations were trying to win converts. Joseph's mother, two of his brothers, and his older sister joined the local Presbyterian church, but Joseph, along with his father and his brother Alvin, held back. Though only a boy, Joseph was deeply concerned about his own standing before God and about the confusion among the various religious groups. During his study of the scriptures, 14-year-old Joseph became impressed by a passage from the book of James: "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him" (James 1:5). Inspired by this promise from the Lord, Joseph went into the woods near his home to pray on a spring day in 1820. Kneeling down, he offered up the desires of his heart to God. Immediately he was seized upon by the powers of darkness, which entirely overcame him and made him fear that he would be destroyed. Then, in response to his fervent prayer, the heavens were opened and he was delivered from his unseen enemy. In a pillar of light brighter than the sun, he saw two Personages standing above him in the air. One spoke, calling the boy by name, and said, "This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!" (Joseph Smith--History 1:17). In this glorious manifestation, God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, appeared in person to young Joseph. Joseph conversed with the Savior, who told him to join none of the churches of his day, for "they were all wrong" and "all their creeds were an abomination in his sight; . . . they teach for doctrines the commandments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof" (Joseph Smith--History 1:19). Joseph was also promised "that the fullness of the Gospel should at some future time be made known unto [him]."5 After centuries of darkness, the word of God and the reality of God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, had been revealed to the world through this youthful and pure vessel. The Visits of Moroni Three years passed, during which Joseph Smith's declaration that he had seen God was treated with scorn and derision by others in his community. The young Prophet, now 17 years of age, wondered what awaited him. On the evening of September 21, 1823, he prayed earnestly for direction and for forgiveness of his youthful "sins and follies" (Joseph Smith--History 1:29). In answer to his prayer, light filled his attic bedroom, and a heavenly messenger named Moroni appeared. "[He] proclaimed himself to be an angel of God," Joseph recalled, "sent to bring the joyful tidings that the covenant which God made with ancient Israel was at hand to be fulfilled, that the preparatory work for the second coming of the Messiah was speedily to commence; that the time was at hand for the Gospel in all its fullness to be preached in power, unto all nations that a people might be prepared for the Millennial reign. I was informed that I was chosen to be an instrument in the hands of God to bring about some of His purposes in this glorious dispensation."6 Moroni also told Joseph that a compilation of ancient writings, engraved on gold plates by ancient prophets, was buried in a nearby hill. This sacred record described a people whom God had led from Jerusalem to the Western Hemisphere 600 years before Jesus's birth. Moroni was the last prophet among these people and had buried the record, which God had promised to bring forth in the latter days. Joseph Smith was to translate this sacred work into English. For the next four years, Joseph was to meet Moroni at the hill each September 22 to receive further knowledge and instructions. He would need these years of preparation and personal refinement in order to translate the ancient record. He had to be equal to the task of bringing forth a work whose purpose was to convince "Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God, manifesting himself unto all nations" (title page of the Book of Mormon). Establishing God's Kingdom on Earth Translation of the Book of Mormon Begins While he waited to receive the gold plates, Joseph Smith helped provide for his family's temporal needs. In 1825 he went to Harmony, Pennsylvania, to work for Josiah Stowell. There he boarded with the family of Isaac and Elizabeth Hale and met their daughter Emma, a tall, dark-haired schoolteacher. On January 18, 1827, Joseph and Emma were married in South Bainbridge, New York. Although their marriage would be tested by the deaths of children, financial difficulties, and Joseph's frequent absences from home in fulfillment of his duties, Joseph and Emma always loved one another deeply. On September 22, 1827, four years after he first saw the plates, Joseph was at last entrusted with them. But once the plates were in his keeping, a local mob made repeated and strenuous efforts to steal them. To avoid this persecution, in December 1827 Joseph and Emma returned to Harmony, where Emma's parents lived. Once established there, Joseph began the translation of the plates. In early 1828, Martin Harris, a prosperous farmer from Palmyra, received a testimony of the Lord's latter-day work and traveled to Harmony to help Joseph with the translation. By June of that year, Joseph's work on the translation had resulted in 116 pages of manuscript. Martin repeatedly asked the Prophet for permission to take the manuscript to his home in Palmyra to show to certain family members. The Prophet petitioned the Lord and was told no, but he asked the Lord two more times and finally Martin was allowed to take the manuscript. While the manuscript was in Palmyra, it was lost, never to be recovered. The Lord took the Urim and Thummim and the plates from the Prophet for a time, leaving him humbled and repentant. In a revelation from the Lord, Joseph learned that he must always fear God more than men (see D&C 3). Thereafter, though he was only 22 years old, his life was marked by complete dedication to following every command of the Lord. On April 5, 1829, Oliver Cowdery, a schoolteacher a year younger than Joseph, arrived at Joseph's home in Harmony. In answer to prayer, he had received a testimony of the truthfulness of the Prophet's work. Two days later, the work of translation began again, with Joseph dictating and Oliver writing. Restoration of the Priesthood of God As Joseph and Oliver worked on the translation of the Book of Mormon, they read the account of the Savior's visit to the ancient Nephites. As a result, they decided to seek guidance from the Lord about baptism. On May 15, they went to the banks of the Susquehanna River, near Joseph's home in Harmony, to pray. To their amazement, a heavenly being visited them, announcing himself as John the Baptist. He conferred upon them the Aaronic Priesthood and instructed them to baptize and ordain each other. Later, as promised by John the Baptist, the ancient Apostles Peter, James, and John also appeared to Joseph and Oliver and bestowed upon them the Melchizedek Priesthood and ordained them Apostles. Before these visitations, Joseph and Oliver had possessed knowledge and faith. But after the appearances of the heavenly messengers, they also had authority--the priesthood power and authority of God necessary to establish His Church and to perform the ordinances of salvation. Publication of the Book of Mormon and Organization of the Church During April and May of 1829, the Prophet's work of translation at his home in Harmony was increasingly interrupted by persecution. As a result, Joseph and Oliver moved temporarily to Fayette Township, New York, to finish the translation at the home of Peter Whitmer Sr. The translation was completed in June, less than three months after Oliver began serving as the Prophet's scribe. By August, Joseph had contracted with publisher E. B. Grandin of Palmyra to print the volume. Martin Harris mortgaged his farm to Mr. Grandin to ensure payment of the printing costs, and he later sold 151 acres of his farm to pay off the mortgage. The Book of Mormon was available for sale to the public in Grandin's bookstore on March 26, 1830. On April 6, 1830, just eleven days after the Book of Mormon was advertised for sale, a group of about 60 people assembled in the log home of Peter Whitmer Sr. in Fayette, New York. There Joseph Smith formally organized the Church, later designated by revelation as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (see D&C 115:4). It was a joyous occasion, with a great outpouring of the Spirit. The sacrament was administered, believers were baptized, the gift of the Holy Ghost was bestowed, and men were ordained to the priesthood. In a revelation received during the meeting, the Lord designated Joseph Smith as the leader of the Church: "a seer, a translator, a prophet, an apostle of Jesus Christ, an elder of the church through the will of God the Father, and the grace of your Lord Jesus Christ" (D&C 21:1). The Church of Jesus Christ was once again established on the earth. Kirtland, Ohio: Expansion of the Church As Church members enthusiastically shared the truth they had found, the infant Church grew rapidly. Soon branches were established in the New York towns of Fayette, Manchester, and Colesville. In September 1830, shortly after Joseph and Emma Smith moved from Harmony, Pennsylvania, to Fayette, the Lord revealed to the Prophet that missionaries should "go unto the Lamanites" living on the western edge of Missouri (D&C 28:8). The journey of the missionaries took them through the Kirtland, Ohio, area, where they met a religious group searching for the truth and converted some 130 of them, including Sidney Rigdon, who later became a member of the First Presidency. The group of Saints in Kirtland grew to several hundred as members shared the gospel with those around them. As the Church grew in New York, opposition to the Church grew as well. In December 1830, the Prophet received a revelation instructing Church members to "go to the Ohio" (D&C 37:1), more than 250 miles away. In the next few months, the great majority of the New York Saints sold their property, often at great loss, and made the sacrifices necessary to gather to Kirtland, Ohio. Joseph and Emma Smith were among the first to start for Ohio, arriving in Kirtland about February 1, 1831. Two Gathering Places for the Saints In June of 1831, while the Church was growing strong in Kirtland, the Lord directed the Prophet and other Church leaders to travel to Missouri. There He would reveal to them "the land of [their] inheritance" (see D&C 52:3-5, 42-43). During June and July 1831, the Prophet and others traveled the nearly 900 miles from Kirtland to Jackson County, Missouri, which was on the western fringe of American settlement. Shortly after he arrived, the Prophet received a revelation from the Lord stating that "the land of Missouri . . . is the land which I have appointed and consecrated for the gathering of the saints. Wherefore, this is the land of promise, and the place for the city of Zion. . . . The place which is now called Independence is the center place; and a spot for the temple is lying westward" (D&C 57:1-3). In fulfillment of prophecies made by ancient biblical prophets, 25-year-old Joseph Smith began to lay the foundation of the city of Zion in America. In August 1831, he presided over the dedication of the land as a gathering place and dedicated a temple site. A short time later, the Prophet returned to Ohio, where he encouraged some of the faithful to gather to Missouri. Hundreds of Saints endured the rigors of 19th-century travel on the American frontier and made their way to their new home in Missouri. From 1831 to 1838, Church members lived in both Ohio and Missouri. The Prophet, members of the Quorum of the Twelve, and many Church members lived in Kirtland, while other members of the Church gathered to Missouri and were led by their priesthood leaders there, under the direction of the Prophet. Church leaders corresponded by letter and frequently traveled between Kirtland and Missouri. Continuing Revelation While he lived in the Kirtland area, the Prophet received many revelations from the Lord concerning the latter-day restoration of the gospel. In November 1831, Church leaders decided to publish many of the revelations in a compilation to be known as the Book of Commandments. The book was to be printed in Independence, Missouri. But in July 1833, mobs destroyed the press and many of the printed sheets. Except for a few copies of the book that were saved, the Book of Commandments never became available to the membership of the Church. In 1835 the revelations intended for the Book of Commandments, as well as many other revelations, were published in Kirtland as the Doctrine and Covenants. While living in the Kirtland area, the Prophet also continued his work on the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible, a work he had begun in 1830, as commanded by the Lord. Many plain and precious things had been lost from the Bible over the centuries, and the Prophet was guided by the Spirit to make corrections to the text of the King James Version of the Bible and to restore information that had been lost. This work led to the restoration of important gospel truths, including many revelations now included in the Doctrine and Covenants. Although the Prophet intended to publish his revision of the Bible, pressing matters, including persecution, kept him from publishing it in its entirety in his lifetime. As part of his inspired revision of the Bible, Joseph Smith received the revelation that is now the book of Moses and an inspired translation of Matthew 24, which is now called Joseph Smith--Matthew. In 1835, the Prophet began translating the book of Abraham from ancient Egyptian papyri that the Church had purchased. All of these translations later became part of the Pearl of Great Price. Among the revelations the Prophet received in Kirtland were those that established the general governance of the Church. Under the direction of the Lord, Joseph Smith organized the First Presidency in 1832.7 He organized the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and a Quorum of the Seventy in 1835. A stake was organized in Kirtland in 1834. During this period, he also established Aaronic and Melchizedek Priesthood quorums to minister to the needs of local Church members. The First Temple in This Dispensation As one of the most important parts of the Restoration, the Lord revealed to Joseph Smith the need for holy temples. In December 1832, the Lord commanded the Saints to begin building a temple in Kirtland, Ohio. Although many Church members lacked adequate housing, employment, and food, they responded enthusiastically to the Lord's command, the Prophet working alongside them. On March 27, 1836, Joseph Smith dedicated the temple amid a pentecostal outpouring of the Spirit. A week later, on April 3, 1836, some of the most significant events in religious history occurred. The Lord Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery in the temple, declaring, "I have accepted this house, and my name shall be here; and I will manifest myself to my people in mercy in this house" (D&C 110:7). Three messengers from Old Testament dispensations--Moses, Elias, and Elijah--also appeared. They restored priesthood keys and authority long lost to the earth. The Prophet Joseph Smith now had the authority to gather Israel from the four parts of the earth and to seal families together for time and all eternity. (See D&C 110:11-16.) This restoration of priesthood keys followed the Lord's pattern of giving to the Prophet "line upon line, precept upon precept; here a little, and there a little" (D&C 128:21) until the fulness of Jesus Christ's gospel was restored to the earth. Preaching the Everlasting Gospel Throughout the Prophet's ministry, the Lord directed him to send missionaries to "preach the gospel to every creature" (D&C 68:8). The Prophet himself felt the burden of this charge and left his home and family many times to proclaim the gospel. In the early years of the Church, missionaries were called to preach in various parts of the United States and Canada. Then, in the summer of 1837, the Prophet was inspired to send elders to England. The Prophet directed Heber C. Kimball, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve, to lead a small group of missionaries in this great undertaking. Leaving his family almost destitute, Elder Kimball departed with faith that the Lord would guide him. Within a year, approximately 2,000 people had joined the Church in England. Joseph Smith subsequently sent members of the Twelve to Great Britain to serve from 1839 to 1841, and this mission was also remarkably successful. By 1841, more than 6,000 people had embraced the gospel. Many of these emigrated to America, revitalizing and fortifying the Church during very difficult times. Leaving Kirtland The Saints in Kirtland had suffered persecution almost from the time they arrived there, but opposition intensified in 1837 and 1838. "In relation to the kingdom of God," the Prophet said, "the devil always sets up his kingdom at the very same time in opposition to God."8 The Prophet felt the brunt of the hostility, both from enemies outside the Church and from apostates who had turned against him. He was unjustly accused of many crimes, harassed in court in dozens of unfounded criminal and civil cases, and forced to hide from those who sought his life. But he stood faithful and courageous in the midst of almost constant trouble and opposition. Finally, the persecution in the Kirtland area became intolerable. In January 1838, the Prophet and his family were forced to leave Kirtland and take refuge in Far West, Missouri. By the end of the year, most of the Saints in Kirtland had followed him, leaving behind their homes and their beloved temple. The Saints in Missouri Expulsion from Jackson County and the March of Zion's Camp While the Saints in Kirtland were striving to strengthen the Church in their area, many other Church members were doing the same in Jackson County, Missouri. Latter-day Saints began settling in the county in the summer of 1831. Two years later, they numbered some 1,200 Saints, or about one-third of the population there. The arrival of so many Saints troubled the longtime settlers in the area. The Missourians feared loss of political control to the newcomers, who were mostly from the northern part of the United States and did not support the southern practice of slavery. The Missourians were also suspicious of unique Latter-day Saint doctrines--such as belief in the Book of Mormon, new revelation, and the gathering to Zion--and they resented Latter-day Saints for trading primarily among themselves. Mobs and the local militia soon began harassing the Saints and, in November 1833, drove them from Jackson County. Most of the Saints fled north across the Missouri River into Clay County, Missouri. Joseph Smith was deeply concerned about the plight of the Missouri Saints. In August 1833 he wrote from Kirtland to Church leaders in Missouri: "Brethren, if I were with you I should take an active part in your sufferings, and although nature shrinks, yet my spirit would not let me forsake you unto death, God helping me. Oh, be of good cheer, for our redemption draweth near. O God, save my brethren in Zion."9 In February 1834, Joseph Smith received a revelation directing him to lead an expedition from Kirtland to Missouri to assist the suffering Saints and help restore them to their lands in Jackson County (see D&C 103). In response to the Lord's command, the Prophet organized a group called Zion's Camp for the march to Missouri. In May and June of 1834, the group, which eventually included more than 200 members, made its way westward across Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Missouri. They were beset by many difficulties, including an outbreak of cholera. On June 22, 1834, when the expedition neared Jackson County, the Prophet received a revelation disbanding the camp. However, the Lord promised that Zion would be redeemed in His own time. (See D&C 105:9-14.) After organizing a stake in Clay County with David Whitmer as president, the Prophet returned to Ohio. Although Zion's Camp did not recover the properties of the Saints, it provided invaluable training for future leaders of the Church, for the participants learned principles of righteous leadership from the example and teachings of the Prophet. In a meeting of the members of Zion's Camp and other Church members held in Kirtland on February 14, 1835, the Prophet organized the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Two weeks later, he organized a Quorum of the Seventy. Nine of the members of the Quorum of the Twelve and all of the members of the Quorum of the Seventy had been part of Zion's Camp. Settlement in Northern Missouri Large numbers of Church members continued to live in Clay County, Missouri, until1836, when the residents of that county said they could no longer provide a place of refuge. The Saints therefore began moving into northern Missouri, most of them settling in Caldwell County, a new county organized by the state legislature to accommodate the displaced Latter-day Saints. In 1838 they were joined by a large body of Saints who had been forced to abandon Kirtland. The Prophet and his family arrived that March in Far West, the thriving Latter-day Saint settlement in Caldwell County, and established Church headquarters there. In April the Lord directed Joseph Smith to build a temple in Far West (see D&C 115:7-16). Unfortunately, peace was short-lived for the Saints in northern Missouri. In the fall of 1838, mobs and militia again harassed and attacked Latter-day Saints. When Church members retaliated and defended themselves, Joseph Smith and other Church leaders were arrested on charges of treason. In November they were imprisoned in Independence and then in Richmond, Missouri; and on December 1, they were taken to the jail in Liberty, Missouri. That winter, the Prophet and his companions languished under inhumane conditions. They were confined to the jail's dungeon--a dark, cold, and unsanitary cellar--and given food so bad that they could not eat until driven to it by hunger. The Prophet described his condition and that of the Saints as "a trial of our faith equal to that of Abraham."10 While the Prophet was imprisoned, thousands of Latter-day Saints, including the Prophet's own family, were forced from their Missouri homes during the winter and spring of 1838-39. On March 7, 1839, Emma wrote to Joseph from Quincy, Illinois: "No one but God knows the reflections of my mind and the feelings of my heart when I left our house and home and almost all of everything that we possessed excepting our little children, and took my journey out of the state of Missouri, leaving you shut up in that lonesome prison."11 Under the direction of Brigham Young and other Church leaders, the Saints were led eastward to Illinois. The Nauvoo Years Beloved Leader of His People In April 1839, the Prophet and his companions were transferred on a change of venue from Liberty Jail to Gallatin, Missouri. While the prisoners were being transferred yet again, from Gallatin to Columbia, Missouri, the guards allowed them to escape their unjust confinement. They made their way to Quincy, Illinois, where the main body of the Church had assembled after fleeing from Missouri. Soon, under the Prophet's direction, most of the Saints began to settle 50 miles north at Commerce, Illinois, a village on a bend of the Mississippi River. Joseph renamed the city Nauvoo, and in the following years members and new converts flocked to Nauvoo from the United States, Canada, and Great Britain, making it one of the most populated areas in Illinois. Joseph and Emma settled near the river in a small log home, which served as the Prophet's office in the early days of Nauvoo. He farmed for a living and later ran a general store. But because his Church and civic duties demanded much of his time, the Prophet often found it difficult to provide for the temporal needs of his family. In October 1841 his personal possessions were listed as "old Charley (a horse) given him in Kirtland, two pet deer, two old turkeys and four young ones, the old cow given him by a brother in Missouri, his old Major (a dog), . . . and a little household furniture."12 In late August 1843 the Prophet and his family moved across the street to a newly constructed two-story home called the Mansion House. Joseph and Emma now had four living children. They had buried six beloved children over the years, and one more child would be born after Joseph's death. The eleven children in the family of Joseph and Emma Smith were: Alvin, born in 1828, who died shortly after birth; twins Thadeus and Louisa, born in 1831, who died shortly after birth; adopted twins Joseph and Julia, born to John and Julia Murdock in 1831 and taken in by Joseph and Emma after Sister Murdock died in childbirth (11-month-old Joseph died in 1832)13; Joseph III, born in 1832; Frederick, born in 1836; Alexander, born in 1838; Don Carlos, born in 1840, who died at the age of 14 months; a son born in 1842, who died the same day he was born; and David, born in 1844, almost five months after his father was martyred. Throughout his ministry, the Prophet loved to be among the Saints. Of the city of Nauvoo and its inhabitants he said, "This is the loveliest place and the best people under the heavens."14 In return, the Saints loved him and felt that he was their friend, often calling him "Brother Joseph." One convert observed, "There was a personal magnetism about him which drew all people who became acquainted with him to him."15 "He does not pretend to be a man without failings and follies," one Nauvoo resident wrote. "He is a man that you could not help liking; . . . neither is he puffed up with his greatness as many suppose, but on the contrary is familiar with any decent man."16 William Clayton, an English convert, wrote home from Nauvoo about the Prophet, saying, "Truly I wish I was such a man."17 The Prophet delivered many discourses in Nauvoo, and Church members loved to hear him, for he taught the revealed truths of the gospel with power. Angus M. Cannon recalled: "I never heard him speak when it did not electrify my whole being and make my whole soul glorify the Lord."18 Brigham Young declared: "I never did let an opportunity pass of getting with the Prophet Joseph and of hearing him speak in public or in private, so that I might draw understanding from the fountain from which he spoke, that I might have it and bring it forth when it was needed. . . . Such moments were more precious to me than all the wealth of the world."19 Joseph Smith's leadership extended beyond his religious responsibilities. In Nauvoo, the Prophet was involved in civil, legal, business, educational, and military service. He wanted the city of Nauvoo to offer all the advantages and opportunities of cultural and civic progress to its citizens. In January 1844, in large measure because he was disappointed that state and federal officials failed to provide redress for the rights and property taken from the Saints in Missouri, Joseph Smith announced his candidacy for the presidency of the United States of America. Although most observers recognized that he had little chance of being elected, his candidacy drew public attention to the widespread violation of the constitutionally guaranteed rights of the Saints. All people, the Prophet once declared, "have equal rights to partake of the fruits of the great tree of our national liberty."20 Holiness to the Lord: Building a Temple to God in Nauvoo When the Saints had been forced to leave Kirtland, they had left behind the temple they had worked so hard to build. But they would once again have a holy temple in their midst, for the Lord commanded them to begin building a temple in Nauvoo. The work began in the fall of 1840, with the cornerstones being laid on April 6, 1841, in a ceremony presided over by the Prophet. The construction of the Nauvoo Temple was one of the most significant building projects in what was then western America. Building the temple required the Saints to make tremendous sacrifices, for with steady immigration into the developing city, Church members in general were poor. The Prophet began teaching the doctrine of baptism for the dead as early as August 15, 1840. Since the temple was in the early stages of construction, the Saints initially performed baptisms for the dead in local rivers and streams. In January 1841, the Lord revealed that this practice could continue only until baptisms could be performed in the temple (see D&C 124:29-31). During the summer and fall of 1841, the Saints built a temporary wooden baptismal font in the newly excavated basement of the temple. Baptisms for the dead were first performed in this font on November 21, 1841. In 1841 the first sealings of couples were performed, and in 1843 the Prophet dictated the revelation that describes the eternal nature of the marriage covenant (see D&C 132). The doctrines in this revelation had been known by the Prophet since 1831.21 As commanded by God, he also taught the doctrine of plural marriage. Because the temple would not be completed for some time, Joseph Smith chose to go forward with the temple endowment outside its sacred walls. On May 4, 1842, in the upper room of his Red Brick Store in Nauvoo, the Prophet administered the first endowments to a small group of brethren, including Brigham Young. The Prophet did not live to see the Nauvoo Temple completed. However, in 1845 and 1846, thousands of Saints received the temple endowment from Brigham Young and others who had received these blessings from the Prophet. Joseph Smith's Ministry Draws to a Close While the Saints initially enjoyed relative peace in Nauvoo, clouds of persecution increasingly billowed around the Prophet, and he sensed that his earthly mission was drawing to its close. At a memorable meeting in March 1844, the Prophet charged the Twelve to govern the Church after his death, explaining that they now had all the keys and authority necessary to do so. Wilford Woodruff, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve at that time, later declared: "I bear my testimony that in the early spring of 1844, in Nauvoo, the Prophet Joseph Smith called the Apostles together and he delivered unto them the ordinances of the church and kingdom of God. And all the keys and powers that God had bestowed upon him, he sealed upon our heads, and he told us we must round up our shoulders and bear off this kingdom, or we would be damned. . . . His face was as clear as amber, and he was covered with a power that I had never seen in any man in the flesh before."22 After the Prophet's death, responsibility for the Church and kingdom of God upon the earth would rest with the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. In June 1844 a charge of riot was brought against the Prophet. Though he was acquitted of this charge in Nauvoo, the governor of Illinois, Thomas Ford, insisted that Joseph submit to trial for the same charge in Carthage, Illinois, the seat of Hancock County. When the Prophet and his brother Hyrum arrived in Carthage, they were freed on bail for the original charge but were then charged with treason against the state of Illinois and incarcerated in the local jail. During the hot and sultry afternoon of June 27, 1844, a mob with blackened faces stormed the jail and murdered Joseph and Hyrum Smith. About three hours later, Willard Richards and John Taylor, who had been in the jail with the martyrs, sent a melancholy message to Nauvoo: "Carthage Jail, 8:05 o'clock, p.m., June 27th, 1844. Joseph and Hyrum are dead. . . . The job was done in an instant."23 At the age of 38, the Prophet Joseph Smith had sealed his testimony with his blood. His work in mortality completed, the Church and kingdom of God set in place for the last time on earth, Joseph Smith fell to the bullets of assassins. Of the Prophet Joseph Smith, the Lord Himself testified: "I did call upon [Joseph Smith] by mine angels, my ministering servants, and by mine own voice out of the heavens, to bring forth my work; which foundation he did lay, and was faithful; and I took him to myself. Many have marveled because of his death; but it was needful that he should seal his testimony with his blood, that he might be honored and the wicked might be condemned" (D&C 136:37-39). Joseph Smith, the great prophet, seer, and revelator of the latter days, was a valiant and obedient servant of the Most High. President Brigham Young attested: "I do not think that a man lives on the earth that knew him any better than I did; and I am bold to say that, Jesus Christ excepted, no better man ever lived or does live upon this earth. I am his witness."24 Notes 1. Wilford Woodruff, Deseret News: Semi-Weekly, Nov. 25, 1873, p. 1. 2. Because only nine of the eleven children of Joseph Smith Sr. and Lucy Mack Smith lived past infancy, family members generally referred to their family as consisting of nine children. Also, the name of Joseph's sister Katharine was spelled several ways during her lifetime, including Catherine. 3. Joseph Smith, History 1832, p. 1; Letter Book 1, 1829-35, Joseph Smith, Collection, Church Archives, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah. 4. Joseph Smith, History 1832, p. 1; Letter Book 1, 1829-35, Joseph Smith, Collection, Church Archives. 5. History of the Church, 4:536; from a letter from Joseph Smith written at the request of John Wentworth and George Barstow, Nauvoo, Illinois, published in Times and Seasons, Mar. 1, 1842, p. 707. 6. History of the Church, 4:536-37; from a letter from Joseph Smith written at the request of John Wentworth and George Barstow, Nauvoo, Illinois, published in Times and Seasons, Mar. 1, 1842, p. 707. 7. The original First Presidency was composed of Joseph Smith as President and Sidney Rigdon and Jesse Gause as counselors. Some months after Jesse Gause became a member of the First Presidency, he left the Church. On March 18, 1833, Frederick G. Williams was set apart as a counselor in the First Presidency. 8. History of the Church, 6:364; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on May 12, 1844, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Thomas Bullock. 9. Postscript written by Joseph Smith on a letter from Oliver Cowdery to Church leaders in Jackson County, Missouri, Aug. 10, 1833, Kirtland, Ohio, Church Archives. 10. History of the Church, 3:294; from a letter from Joseph Smith and others to Edward Partridge and the Church, Mar. 20, 1839, Liberty Jail, Liberty, Missouri. 11. Letter from Emma Smith to Joseph Smith, Mar. 7, 1839, Quincy, Illinois; in Letter Book 2, 1837-43, p. 37, Joseph Smith, Collection, Church Archives. 12. History of the Church, 4:437-38; punctuation modernized; from a letter from the Twelve Apostles to the "Brethren Scattered Abroad on the Continent of America," Oct. 12, 1841, Nauvoo, Illinois, published in Times and Seasons, Oct. 15, 1841, p. 569. 13. In May 1831, shortly after the deaths of their own newborn twins, Joseph and Emma Smith adopted the newborn twins of Church members John and Julia Murdock. The Murdock twins were named Joseph and Julia. Sister Murdock had died in childbirth, and Brother Murdock, who now had five motherless children, asked the Smiths to care for the twins. 14. History of the Church, 6:554; statement made by Joseph Smith on June 24, 1844, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Dan Jones. 15. Mary Isabella Horne, "Testimony of Sister M. Isabella Horne," Woman's Exponent, June 1910, p. 6. 16. Letter from George W. Taggart to his brothers in New Hampshire, Sept. 10, 1843, Nauvoo, Illinois; in Albert Taggart, Correspondence, 1842-48 and 1860, Church Archives. 17. Letter from William Clayton to Church members in Manchester, England, Dec. 10, 1840, Nauvoo, Illinois, Church Archives. 18. Angus M. Cannon, in "Joseph, the Prophet," Salt Lake Herald Church and Farm Supplement, Jan. 12, 1895, p. 212. 19. Brigham Young, Deseret News: Semi-Weekly, Sept. 15, 1868, p. 2. 20. History of the Church, 3:304; from a letter from Joseph Smith and others to Edward Partridge and the Church, Mar. 20, 1839, Liberty Jail, Liberty, Missouri. 21. See Doctrine and Covenants 132, section heading. 22. Wilford Woodruff, statement made on Mar. 12, 1897, in Salt Lake City, Utah; in Journal History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Mar. 12, 1897, p. 2. 23. History of the Church, 6:621-22; from a directive from Willard Richards and John Taylor, June 27, 1844, Carthage, Illinois. 24. Brigham Young, Deseret News, Aug. 27, 1862, p. 65. At the time of the First Vision, Joseph Smith was living with his family in a log home in Palmyra, New York. The Palmyra, New York, area. Many important events in early Church history occurred here, including the First Vision and the visits of Moroni to Joseph Smith. The Sacred Grove about 1907. In the spring of 1820, young Joseph Smith went to this grove of trees near his home to pray to the Lord for guidance. Emma Smith Replica of the Peter Whitmer Sr. home in Fayette, New York. This reconstructed home stands on the site where the Prophet formally organized the Church on April 6, 1830. Important sites in early Church history and the life of the Prophet Joseph Smith. WISCONSIN MICHIGAN CANADA VERMONT NEW YORK N. H. IOWA ILLINOIS INDIANA OHIO PENNSYLVANIA UNORGANIZED TERRITORY MISSOURI KENTUCKY VIRGINIA TENNESSEE NORTH CAROLINA ATLANTIC OCEAN Mississippi River Adam-ondi-Ahman Far West Liberty Richmond Independence Nauvoo Carthage Quincy Kirtland Hiram Sharon Palmyra Manchester Fayette Colesville Harmony New York City Philadelphia Washington, D.C. The Kirtland Temple about 1900. This temple was built at great sacrifice by the Saints but had to be abandoned after persecution drove them from Kirtland. Liberty Jail, where the Prophet Joseph Smith was imprisoned during the winter of 1838-39. The Mansion House in Nauvoo. The Prophet Joseph Smith and his family moved into this home in August 1843. The Nauvoo Temple in the mid-1840s. The temple was burned in 1848 after the Saints were forced to leave Nauvoo, and some of the walls were later destroyed by a tornado, leaving the remaining walls so weakened that they had to be razed. Carthage Jail, where the Prophet Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum were martyred on June 27, 1844. "I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me." ;;;Chapter 1 The First Vision: The Father and the Son Appear to Joseph Smith "I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other--This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!" From the Life of Joseph Smith Following the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, apostasy gradually became widespread. The Savior's Apostles were rejected and slain, His teachings were corrupted, and the priesthood of God was taken from the earth. The ancient prophet Amos had foretold a time of apostasy and spiritual darkness: "Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord: and they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it" (Amos 8:11-12). One of those seeking the word of the Lord that had been lost from the earth was Joseph Smith, a young man living in the rural township of Palmyra, New York, in 1820. Joseph was a strong and active young man with fair skin, light brown hair, and blue eyes, the fifth of eleven children in the family of Joseph Smith Sr. and Lucy Mack Smith. He worked long hours helping his father and older brothers fell trees and plant crops on his family's thickly wooded, hundred-acre farm. By his mother's account, he was "a remarkably quiet, well-disposed child,"1 who was "much more given to reflection and deep study" than any of his siblings.2 Young Joseph worked to help support his family and so was able to obtain only enough formal education to know the basics of reading, writing, and arithmetic. During this time, a spirit of religious fervor was sweeping through the region of western New York where the Smith family lived. The Smiths, like many others, attended the revivals of the Christian denominations in the area. While some of his family members joined with one of the churches, Joseph did not. He later wrote about this time: "My mind became seriously impressed with regard to the all important concerns for the welfare of my immortal soul, which led me to searching the scriptures, believing, as I was taught, that they contained the word of God. Thus applying myself to them and my intimate acquaintance with those of different denominations led me to marvel exceedingly, for I discovered that they did not adorn their profession by a holy walk and godly conversation agreeable to what I found contained in that sacred depository. This was a grief to my soul. . . . "I pondered many things in my heart concerning the situation of the world of mankind--the contentions and divisions, the wickedness and abominations, and the darkness which pervaded the minds of mankind. My mind became exceedingly distressed, for I became convicted of my sins, and by searching the scriptures I found that mankind did not come unto the Lord, but that they had apostatized from the true and living faith, and there was no society or denomination that built upon the gospel of Jesus Christ as recorded in the New Testament, and I felt to mourn for my own sins and for the sins of the world."3 Young Joseph Smith's search for truth led him into a grove of trees to ask God for the wisdom he needed. In answer to his prayer, Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ appeared to him, opening the way for the restoration of the gospel in the latter days. This marvelous event is recounted in Joseph Smith's simple yet eloquent words. Teachings of Joseph Smith Joseph Smith's search for truth teaches that scripture study and sincere prayer invite revelation. Joseph Smith--History 1:5, 7-13: "There was in the place where we lived an unusual excitement on the subject of religion. It commenced with the Methodists, but soon became general among all the sects in that region of country. Indeed, the whole district of country seemed affected by it, and great multitudes united themselves to the different religious parties, which created no small stir and division amongst the people, some crying, 'Lo, here!' and others, 'Lo, there!' Some were contending for the Methodist faith, some for the Presbyterian, and some for the Baptist. . . . "I was at this time in my fifteenth year. My father's family was proselyted to the Presbyterian faith, and four of them joined that church, namely, my mother, Lucy; my brothers Hyrum and Samuel Harrison; and my sister Sophronia. "During this time of great excitement my mind was called up to serious reflection and great uneasiness; but though my feelings were deep and often poignant, still I kept myself aloof from all these parties, though I attended their several meetings as often as occasion would permit. In process of time my mind became somewhat partial to the Methodist sect, and I felt some desire to be united with them; but so great were the confusion and strife among the different denominations, that it was impossible for a person young as I was, and so unacquainted with men and things, to come to any certain conclusion who was right and who was wrong. "My mind at times was greatly excited, the cry and tumult were so great and incessant. The Presbyterians were most decided against the Baptists and Methodists, and used all the powers of both reason and sophistry to prove their errors, or, at least, to make the people think they were in error. On the other hand, the Baptists and Methodists in their turn were equally zealous in endeavoring to establish their own tenets and disprove all others. "In the midst of this war of words and tumult of opinions, I often said to myself: What is to be done? Who of all these parties are right; or, are they all wrong together? If any one of them be right, which is it, and how shall I know it? "While I was laboring under the extreme difficulties caused by the contests of these parties of religionists, I was one day reading the Epistle of James, first chapter and fifth verse, which reads: If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. "Never did any passage of scripture come with more power to the heart of man than this did at this time to mine. It seemed to enter with great force into every feeling of my heart. I reflected on it again and again, knowing that if any person needed wisdom from God, I did; for how to act I did not know, and unless I could get more wisdom than I then had, I would never know; for the teachers of religion of the different sects understood the same passages of scripture so differently as to destroy all confidence in settling the question by an appeal to the Bible. "At length I came to the conclusion that I must either remain in darkness and confusion, or else I must do as James directs, that is, ask of God. I at length came to the determination to 'ask of God,' concluding that if he gave wisdom to them that lacked wisdom, and would give liberally, and not upbraid, I might venture."4 Joseph Smith was delivered from the power of the enemy of all righteousness. Joseph Smith--History 1:14-16: "So, in accordance with this, my determination to ask of God, I retired to the woods to make the attempt. It was on the morning of a beautiful, clear day, early in the spring of eighteen hundred and twenty. It was the first time in my life that I had made such an attempt, for amidst all my anxieties I had never as yet made the attempt to pray vocally. "After I had retired to the place where I had previously designed to go, having looked around me, and finding myself alone, I kneeled down and began to offer up the desires of my heart to God. I had scarcely done so, when immediately I was seized upon by some power which entirely overcame me, and had such an astonishing influence over me as to bind my tongue so that I could not speak. Thick darkness gathered around me, and it seemed to me for a time as if I were doomed to sudden destruction. "But, exerting all my powers to call upon God to deliver me out of the power of this enemy which had seized upon me, and at the very moment when I was ready to sink into despair and abandon myself to destruction--not to an imaginary ruin, but to the power of some actual being from the unseen world, who had such marvelous power as I had never before felt in any being--just at this moment of great alarm, I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me."5 Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph in answer to his humble prayer. Joseph Smith--History 1:17-20: "It no sooner appeared than I found myself delivered from the enemy which held me bound. When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other--This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him! "My object in going to inquire of the Lord was to know which of all the sects was right, that I might know which to join. No sooner, therefore, did I get possession of myself, so as to be able to speak, than I asked the Personages who stood above me in the light, which of all the sects was right (for at this time it had never entered into my heart that all were wrong)--and which I should join. "I was answered that I must join none of them, for they were all wrong; and the Personage who addressed me said that all their creeds were an abomination in his sight; that those professors were all corrupt; that: 'they draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, they teach for doctrines the commandments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof.' "He again forbade me to join with any of them; and many other things did he say unto me, which I cannot write at this time. When I came to myself again, I found myself lying on my back, looking up into heaven. When the light had departed, I had no strength; but soon recovering in some degree, I went home. And as I leaned up to the fireplace, mother inquired what the matter was. I replied, 'Never mind, all is well--I am well enough off.' I then said to my mother, 'I have learned for myself that Presbyterianism is not true.' It seems as though the adversary was aware, at a very early period of my life, that I was destined to prove a disturber and an annoyer of his kingdom; else why should the powers of darkness combine against me? Why the opposition and persecution that arose against me, almost in my infancy?"6 When our testimonies are strong, persecution cannot cause us to deny what we know to be true. Joseph Smith--History 1:21-26: "Some few days after I had this vision, I happened to be in company with one of the Methodist preachers, who was very active in the before mentioned religious excitement; and, conversing with him on the subject of religion, I took occasion to give him an account of the vision which I had had. I was greatly surprised at his behavior; he treated my communication not only lightly, but with great contempt, saying it was all of the devil, that there were no such things as visions or revelations in these days; that all such things had ceased with the apostles, and that there would never be any more of them. "I soon found, however, that my telling the story had excited a great deal of prejudice against me among professors of religion, and was the cause of great persecution, which continued to increase; and though I was an obscure boy, only between fourteen and fifteen years of age, and my circumstances in life such as to make a boy of no consequence in the world, yet men of high standing would take notice sufficient to excite the public mind against me, and create a bitter persecution; and this was common among all the sects--all united to persecute me. "It caused me serious reflection then, and often has since, how very strange it was that an obscure boy, of a little over fourteen years of age, and one, too, who was doomed to the necessity of obtaining a scanty maintenance by his daily labor, should be thought a character of sufficient importance to attract the attention of the great ones of the most popular sects of the day, and in a manner to create in them a spirit of the most bitter persecution and reviling. But strange or not, so it was, and it was often the cause of great sorrow to myself. "However, it was nevertheless a fact that I had beheld a vision. I have thought since, that I felt much like Paul, when he made his defense before King Agrippa, and related the account of the vision he had when he saw a light, and heard a voice; but still there were but few who believed him; some said he was dishonest, others said he was mad; and he was ridiculed and reviled. But all this did not destroy the reality of his vision. He had seen a vision, he knew he had, and all the persecution under heaven could not make it otherwise; and though they should persecute him unto death, yet he knew, and would know to his latest breath, that he had both seen a light and heard a voice speaking unto him, and all the world could not make him think or believe otherwise. "So it was with me. I had actually seen a light, and in the midst of that light I saw two Personages, and they did in reality speak to me; and though I was hated and persecuted for saying that I had seen a vision, yet it was true; and while they were persecuting me, reviling me, and speaking all manner of evil against me falsely for so saying, I was led to say in my heart: Why persecute me for telling the truth? I have actually seen a vision; and who am I that I can withstand God, or why does the world think to make me deny what I have actually seen? For I had seen a vision; I knew it, and I knew that God knew it, and I could not deny it, neither dared I do it; at least I knew that by so doing I would offend God, and come under condemnation. "I had now got my mind satisfied so far as the sectarian world was concerned--that it was not my duty to join with any of them, but to continue as I was until further directed. I had found the testimony of James to be true--that a man who lacked wisdom might ask of God, and obtain, and not be upbraided."7 Suggestions for Study and Teaching Consider these ideas as you study the chapter or as you prepare to teach. For additional help, see pages vii-xii. -- Review pages 27-31. Think about how Joseph Smith provides an example for us as we seek answers to our questions. As you study his account of the First Vision, what do you learn about reading the scriptures? about pondering? about prayer? -- Review page 32. Think about the truths Joseph Smith learned about God the Father and Jesus Christ when he received the First Vision. Why must each of us have a testimony of the First Vision? -- When Joseph told others of the First Vision, many people became prejudiced against him and persecuted him (page 33). Why do you think people reacted in this way? Ponder Joseph's response to the persecution (pages 33-34). How can we follow his example when we face persecution or other trials? -- When you first learned of the First Vision, what effect did the account have on you? What effect has it had on you since then? In what ways have you been strengthened as you have studied the account again in this chapter? Related Scriptures: Isaiah 29:13-14; Joel 2:28-29; Amos 3:7; Mormon 9:7-9 Notes 1. Lucy Mack Smith, "The History of Lucy Smith, Mother of the Prophet," 1845 manuscript, p. 72, Church Archives, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah. Lucy Mack Smith, the Prophet's mother, dictated her history, which includes much about the Prophet's life, to Martha Jane Knowlton Coray beginning in 1844 and continuing into 1845. Martha Coray referred to this early manuscript as "History rough manuscript." Later in 1845, Lucy Mack Smith, Martha Coray, and Martha's husband, Howard Coray, revised and expanded the earlier manuscript. The 1845 manuscript is titled "The History of Lucy Smith, Mother of the Prophet."This book quotes from the 1844-45 manuscript except in a few instances when the 1845 manuscript includes material that is not found in the 1844-45 manuscript. 2. Lucy Mack Smith, "The History of Lucy Smith, Mother of the Prophet," 1844-45 manuscript, book 4, p. 1, Church Archives. 3. Joseph Smith, History 1832, pp. 1-2; Letter Book 1, 1829-35, Joseph Smith, Collection, Church Archives. 4. Joseph Smith--History 1:5, 7-13. On several occasions the Prophet Joseph Smith wrote or dictated detailed accounts of the First Vision. Quotations in this chapter are from the First Vision account first published in 1842 in "History of Joseph Smith," Times and Seasons, Mar. 15, 1842, pp. 726-28; Apr. 1, 1842, pp. 748-49; and later included in the Pearl of Great Price and published in the History of the Church, vol. 1, pp. 1-8. This is the official scriptural account. The Prophet Joseph Smith prepared this account in 1838 and 1839 with the help of his scribes. 5. Joseph Smith--History 1:14-16. 6. Joseph Smith--History 1:17-20. 7. Joseph Smith--History 1:21-26. "Never did any passage of scripture come with more power to the heart of man than this did at this time to mine." ;;;Chapter 2 God the Eternal Father "The purposes of our God are great, His love unfathomable, His wisdom infinite, and His power unlimited; therefore, the Saints have cause to rejoice and be glad." From the Life of Joseph Smith Among Joseph Smith's progenitors were many who sought to know the true God in their day. Joseph's own parents were deeply spiritual, and although they did not find the full truth about God in the churches around them, they honored the Bible as God's word and made prayer a part of daily life. The Prophet's brother William recalled: "My father's religious habits were strictly pious and moral. . . . I was called upon to listen to prayers both night and morning. . . . My parents, father and mother, poured out their souls to God, the donor of all blessings, to keep and guard their children and keep them from sin and from all evil works. Such was the strict piety of my parents."1 William also said: "We always had family prayers since I can remember. I well remember father used to carry his spectacles in his vest pocket, . . . and when us boys saw him feel for his specs, we knew that was a signal to get ready for prayer, and if we did not notice it mother would say, 'William,' or whoever was the negligent one, 'get ready for prayer.' After the prayer we had a song we would sing; I remember part of it yet: 'Another day has passed and gone, We lay our garments by.' "2 This early spiritual training sank deep into young Joseph Smith's soul. When he became concerned about his eternal welfare and sought to know which church to join, he knew he could turn to God for answers: "I learned in the scriptures that God was the same yesterday, today, and forever, that he was no respecter to persons, for he was God. For I looked upon the sun, the glorious luminary of the earth, and also the moon rolling in [its] majesty through the heavens and also the stars shining in their courses; and the earth also upon which I stood, and the beast of the field and the fowls of heaven and the fish of the waters; and also man walking forth upon the face of the earth in majesty and in the strength of beauty, [with] power and intelligence in governing the things which are so exceedingly great and marvelous, even in the likeness of him who created them. "And when I considered upon these things my heart exclaimed, Well hath the wise man said it is a fool that saith in his heart there is no God [see Psalm 53:1]. My heart exclaimed, All these bear testimony and bespeak an omnipotent and omnipresent power, a Being who maketh laws and decreeth and bindeth all things in their bounds, who filleth eternity, who was and is and will be from all eternity to eternity. And when I considered all these things and that that Being seeketh such to worship him as worship him in spirit and in truth [see John 4:23], therefore I cried unto the Lord for mercy, for there was none else to whom I could go and obtain mercy."3 Joseph's faithful prayer for mercy and wisdom was answered with the First Vision. That vision gave the young Prophet far greater knowledge about God than any of the churches of his day possessed, knowledge that had been lost to the world for centuries. In the First Vision, Joseph learned for himself that the Father and the Son are individual beings, that Their power is greater than the power of evil, and that man is indeed fashioned in God's image--truths that are essential in understanding our actual relationship to our Father in Heaven. Other revelations about the nature of God followed, including many that are now in our latter-day scriptures. As God's chosen instrument in restoring gospel truth to the world, the Prophet testified of God throughout his ministry. "I am going to inquire after God," he declared, "for I want you all to know Him, and to be familiar with Him. . . . You will then know that I am His servant; for I speak as one having authority."4 Teachings of Joseph Smith God is the loving Father of all mankind and the source of all that is good. "While one portion of the human race is judging and condemning the other without mercy, the Great Parent of the universe looks upon the whole of the human family with a fatherly care and paternal regard; He views them as His offspring, and without any of those contracted feelings that influence the children of men, causes 'His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.' [Matthew 5:45.]"5 "We admit that God is the great source and fountain from whence proceeds all good; that He is perfect intelligence, and that His wisdom is alone sufficient to govern and regulate the mighty creations and worlds which shine and blaze with such magnificence and splendor over our heads, as though touched with His finger and moved by His Almighty word. . . . The heavens declare the glory of a God, and the firmament showeth His handiwork [see Psalm 19:1]; and a moment's reflection is sufficient to teach every man of common intelligence, that all these are not the mere productions of chance, nor could they be supported by any power less than an Almighty hand."6 "God sees the secret springs of human action, and knows the hearts of all living."7 "The purposes of our God are great, His love unfathomable, His wisdom infinite, and His power unlimited; therefore, the Saints have cause to rejoice and be glad, knowing that 'this God is our God forever and ever, and He will be our Guide until death.' [Psalm 48:14.]"8 When we comprehend the character of God, we comprehend ourselves and know how to approach Him. "There are but a very few beings in the world who understand rightly the character of God. The great majority of mankind do not comprehend anything, either that which is past, or that which is to come, as it respects their relationship to God. They do not know, neither do they understand the nature of that relationship; and consequently they know but little above the brute beast, or more than to eat, drink and sleep. This is all man knows about God or His existence, unless it is given by the inspiration of the Almighty. "If a man learns nothing more than to eat, drink and sleep, and does not comprehend any of the designs of God, the beast comprehends the same things. It eats, drinks, sleeps, and knows nothing more about God; yet it knows as much as we, unless we are able to comprehend by the inspiration of Almighty God. If men do not comprehend the character of God, they do not comprehend themselves. I want to go back to the beginning, and so lift your minds into more lofty spheres and a more exalted understanding than what the human mind generally aspires to. ". . . The scriptures inform us that 'This is life eternal that they might know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent.' [John 17:3.] "If any man does not know God, and inquires what kind of a being He is,--if he will search diligently his own heart--if the declaration of Jesus and the apostles be true, he will realize that he has not eternal life; for there can be eternal life on no other principle. "My first object is to find out the character of the only wise and true God, and what kind of a being He is. . . . "God Himself was once as we are now, and is an exalted man, and sits enthroned in yonder heavens! That is the great secret. If the veil were rent today, and the great God who holds this world in its orbit, and who upholds all worlds and all things by His power, was to make Himself visible,--I say, if you were to see Him today, you would see Him like a man in form--like yourselves in all the person, image, and very form as a man; for Adam was created in the very fashion, image and likeness of God, and received instruction from, and walked, talked and conversed with Him, as one man talks and communes with another. . . . ". . . Having a knowledge of God, we begin to know how to approach Him, and how to ask so as to receive an answer. When we understand the character of God, and know how to come to Him, He begins to unfold the heavens to us, and to tell us all about it. When we are ready to come to Him, He is ready to come to us."9 In the Godhead there are three separate and distinct personages. Articles of Faith 1:1: "We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost."10 Joseph Smith taught the following in April 1843, later recorded in Doctrine and Covenants 130:22: "The Father has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man's; the Son also; but the Holy Ghost has not a body of flesh and bones, but is a personage of Spirit. Were it not so, the Holy Ghost could not dwell in us."11 "I have always declared God to be a distinct personage, Jesus Christ a separate and distinct personage from God the Father, and that the Holy Ghost was a distinct personage and a Spirit: and these three constitute three distinct personages and three Gods."12 "That which is without body or parts is nothing. There is no other God in heaven but that God who has flesh and bones."13 The Godhead is in perfect unity, and God the Father presides. "There is much said about God and the Godhead. . . . The teachers of the day say that the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Ghost is God, and they are all in one body and one God. Jesus prayed that those that the Father had given him out of the world might be made one in them, as they were one [see John 17:11-23]. . . . "Peter and Stephen testify that they saw the Son of Man standing on the right hand of God. Any person that had seen the heavens opened knows that there are three personages in the heavens who hold the keys of power, and one presides over all."14 "Everlasting covenant was made between three personages before the organization of this earth and relates to their dispensation of things to men on the earth. These personages . . . are called God the first, the Creator; God the second, the Redeemer; and God the third, the Witness or Testator."15 "[It is] the province of the Father to preside as the Chief or President, Jesus as the Mediator, and the Holy Ghost as the Testator or Witness. The Son [has] a tabernacle and so [does] the Father, but the Holy Ghost is a personage of spirit without tabernacle."16 "The scripture says, 'I and my Father are one' [John 10:30], and again that the Father, Son and Holy Ghost are one, and these three agree in the same thing [see 1 John 5:7-8]. So did the Savior pray to the Father, 'I pray not for the world, but for those whom ye gave me out of the world, that we might be one,' or to say, be of one mind in the unity of the faith [see John 17:9, 11]. But everyone being a different or separate person, so are God and Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost separate persons, but they all agree in one or the selfsame thing."17 Suggestions for Study and Teaching Consider these ideas as you study the chapter or as you prepare to teach. For additional help, see pages vii-xii. -- Review pages 37-38, noting how young Joseph Smith saw evidence of an "omnipotent and omnipresent power" in the world around him. As you have observed the world around you, what have you seen that bears testimony of God? -- Review the first section of the chapter (page 39), looking for teachings that reveal the character of God. How can these teachings help us "rejoice and be glad"? -- Joseph Smith taught, "The Great Parent of the universe looks upon the whole of the human family with a fatherly care and paternal regard" (page 39). What are your thoughts and feelings as you ponder this statement? -- Read the paragraph that begins at the bottom of page 39 and also the next paragraph. Why is it impossible to comprehend ourselves if we do not comprehend the character of God? -- The Prophet Joseph Smith testified that God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost are "three distinct personages." He also taught that They are one (page 42). In what ways are the members of the Godhead one? (For some examples, see page 42.) -- In what ways can parents nurture children's love for their Heavenly Father? (For some examples, see page 37.) Related Scriptures: John 8:17-19; Hebrews 1:1-3; 12:9; Moses 1:3-6, 39 Notes 1. William Smith, Notes on Chambers' life of Joseph Smith, ca. 1875, Church Archives, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah. 2. William Smith, interview by E. C. Briggs and J. W. Peterson, Oct. or Nov. 1893, originally published in Zion's Ensign (periodical published by the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, now called Community of Christ); reprinted in Deseret Evening News, Jan. 20, 1894, p. 2; punctuation modernized. 3. Joseph Smith, History 1832, pp. 2-3; Letter Book 1, 1829-35, Joseph Smith, Collection, Church Archives. 4. History of the Church, 6:305; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on Apr. 7, 1844, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Wilford Woodruff, Willard Richards, Thomas Bullock, and William Clayton. 5. History of the Church, 4:595; from "Baptism for the Dead," an editorial published in Times and Seasons, Apr. 15, 1842, p. 759; Joseph Smith was the editor of the periodical. 6. History of the Church, 2:12, 14; paragraph divisions altered; from "The Elders of the Church in Kirtland, to Their Brethren Abroad," Jan. 22, 1834, published in Evening and Morning Star, Feb. 1834, p. 136; Mar. 1834, p. 142. 7. History of the Church, 1:317; from a letter from Joseph Smith to William W. Phelps, Jan. 11, 1833, Kirtland, Ohio; this letter is incorrectly dated Jan. 14, 1833, in History of the Church. 8. History of the Church, 4:185; from a letter from Joseph Smith and his counselors in the First Presidency to the Saints, Sept. 1840, Nauvoo, Illinois, published in Times and Seasons, Oct. 1840, p. 178. 9. History of the Church, 6:303-5, 308; capitalization modernized; paragraph divisions altered; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on Apr. 7, 1844, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Wilford Woodruff, Willard Richards, Thomas Bullock, and William Clayton; see also the appendix in this book, page 562, item 3. 10. Articles of Faith 1:1. 11. Doctrine and Covenants 130:22; instructions given by Joseph Smith on Apr. 2, 1843, in Ramus, Illinois. 12. History of the Church, 6:474; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on June 16, 1844, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Thomas Bullock. 13. Quoted by William Clayton, reporting an undated discourse given by Joseph Smith in Nauvoo, Illinois; in L. John Nuttall, "Extracts from William Clayton's Private Book," p. 7, Journals of L. John Nuttall, 1857-1904, L. Tom Perry Special Collections, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah; copy in Church Archives. 14. History of the Church, 5:426; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on June 11, 1843, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Wilford Woodruff and Willard Richards. 15. Quoted by William Clayton, reporting an undated discourse given by Joseph Smith in Nauvoo, Illinois; in L. John Nuttall, "Extracts from William Clayton's Private Book," pp. 10-11, Journals of L. John Nuttall, 1857-1904, L. Tom Perry Special Collections, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah; copy in Church Archives. 16. Quoted by William P. McIntire, reporting a discourse given by Joseph Smith in early 1841 in Nauvoo, Illinois; William Patterson McIntire, Notebook 1840-45, Church Archives. William McIntire made brief reports of several discourses given by Joseph Smith in Nauvoo in early 1841. This book quotes from four of these reports, none of which is dated. 17. Quoted by George Laub, in compilation of excerpts from Joseph Smith's discourses, ca. 1845; George Laub, Reminiscences and Journal Jan. 1845-Apr. 1857, pp. 29-30, Church Archives. In the First Vision, Joseph Smith learned for himself that the Father and the Son are individual beings and that man is fashioned in God's image--truths that are essential in understanding our actual relationship to our Father in Heaven. "Having a knowledge of God, we begin to know how to approach Him, and how to ask so as to receive an answer." ;;;Chapter 3 Jesus Christ, the Divine Redeemer of the World "Salvation could not come to the world without the mediation of Jesus Christ." From the Life of Joseph Smith Years before Joseph Smith was born, his paternal grandfather felt inspired that something would happen in his family that "would revolutionize the world."1 Joseph Smith's history records: "My grandfather, Asael Smith, long ago predicted that there would be a prophet raised up in his family, and my grandmother was fully satisfied that it was fulfilled in me. My grandfather Asael died in East Stockholm, St. Lawrence county, New York, after having received the Book of Mormon, and read it nearly through; and he declared that I was the very Prophet that he had long known would come in his family."2 As the Prophet of the Restoration, one of Joseph Smith's most important roles was to testify of Jesus Christ. He was blessed to enjoy a personal knowledge of the divinity of Jesus Christ and to understand His role as the Redeemer of the world. This knowledge began with the First Vision, in which young Joseph saw Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and heard the Father declare, "This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!" (Joseph Smith--History 1:17). In this sacred experience, Joseph was privileged to receive instruction from the Savior of the world. Nearly twelve years later, on February 16, 1832, the Prophet was translating the Bible, with Sidney Rigdon as his scribe, in the home of John Johnson in Hiram, Ohio. After the Prophet translated John 5:29, which describes the resurrection of those who are good and those who are evil, a vision was opened to Joseph and Sidney, and they saw and conversed with the Savior: "By the power of the Spirit our eyes were opened and our understandings were enlightened, so as to see and understand the things of God--even those things which were from the beginning before the world was, which were ordained of the Father, through his Only Begotten Son, who was in the bosom of the Father, even from the beginning; of whom we bear record; and the record which we bear is the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ, who is the Son, whom we saw and with whom we conversed in the heavenly vision. . . . "And we beheld the glory of the Son, on the right hand of the Father, and received of his fulness; and saw the holy angels, and them who are sanctified before his throne, worshiping God, and the Lamb, who worship him forever and ever. "And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he lives! "For we saw him, even on the right hand of God; and we heard the voice bearing record that he is the Only Begotten of the Father--that by him, and through him, and of him, the worlds are and were created, and the inhabitants thereof are begotten sons and daughters unto God" (D&C 76:12-14, 20-24). Joseph Smith saw the Savior again on April 3, 1836. The Prophet and Oliver Cowdery had retired to the west pulpit in the Kirtland Temple. They bowed themselves in solemn prayer, after which the Savior appeared before them. The Prophet declared: "The veil was taken from our minds, and the eyes of our understanding were opened. We saw the Lord standing upon the breastwork of the pulpit, before us; and under his feet was a paved work of pure gold, in color like amber. His eyes were as a flame of fire; the hair of his head was white like the pure snow; his countenance shone above the brightness of the sun; and his voice was as the sound of the rushing of great waters, even the voice of Jehovah, saying: I am the first and the last; I am he who liveth, I am he who was slain; I am your advocate with the Father" (D&C 110:1-4). From such experiences, the Prophet gained firsthand knowledge and became a special witness of the divinity of the Savior. Teachings of Joseph Smith In all dispensations, God's people have relied on the Atonement of Christ for the remission of their sins. "Salvation could not come to the world without the mediation of Jesus Christ."3 "God . . . prepared a sacrifice in the gift of His own Son, who should be sent in due time to prepare a way, or open a door through which man might enter into the Lord's presence, whence he had been cast out for disobedience. From time to time these glad tidings were sounded in the ears of men in different ages of the world down to the time of Messiah's coming. "By faith in this atonement or plan of redemption, Abel offered to God a sacrifice that was accepted, which was the firstlings of the flock. Cain offered of the fruit of the ground, and was not accepted, because he could not do it in faith; he could have no faith, or could not exercise faith contrary to the plan of heaven. It must be shedding the blood of the Only Begotten to atone for man, for this was the plan of redemption, and without the shedding of blood was no remission. And as the sacrifice was instituted for a type by which man was to discern the great Sacrifice which God had prepared, to offer a sacrifice contrary to that, no faith could be exercised, because redemption was not purchased in that way, nor the power of atonement instituted after that order; consequently Cain could have no faith; and whatsoever is not of faith, is sin. But Abel offered an acceptable sacrifice, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God Himself testifying of his gifts [see Hebrews 11:4]. "Certainly, the shedding of the blood of a beast could be beneficial to no man, except it was done in imitation, or as a type, or explanation of what was to be offered through the gift of God Himself--and this performance done with an eye looking forward in faith on the power of that great Sacrifice for a remission of sins. . . . ". . . We cannot believe that the ancients in all ages were so ignorant of the system of heaven as many suppose, since all that were ever saved, were saved through the power of this great plan of redemption, as much before the coming of Christ as since; if not, God has had different plans in operation (if we may so express it), to bring men back to dwell with Himself. And this we cannot believe, since there has been no change in the constitution of man since he fell; and the ordinance or institution of offering blood in sacrifice was only designed to be performed till Christ was offered up and shed His blood--as said before--that man might look forward in faith to that time. . . . "That the offering of sacrifice was only to point the mind forward to Christ, we infer from these remarkable words of Jesus to the Jews: 'Your Father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad' [John 8:56]. So, then, because the ancients offered sacrifice it did not hinder their hearing the Gospel; but served, as we said before, to open their eyes, and enable them to look forward to the time of the coming of the Savior, and rejoice in His redemption. . . . We conclude that whenever the Lord revealed Himself to men in ancient days, and commanded them to offer sacrifice to Him, that it was done that they might look forward in faith to the time of His coming, and rely upon the power of that atonement for a remission of their sins. And this they have done, thousands who have gone before us, whose garments are spotless, and who are, like Job, waiting with an assurance like his, that they will see Him in the latter day upon the earth, even in their flesh [see Job 19:25-26]. "We may conclude, that though there were different dispensations, yet all things which God communicated to His people were calculated to draw their minds to the great object, and to teach them to rely upon God alone as the author of their salvation, as contained in His law."4 Because Jesus Christ rose from the dead, all mankind will be resurrected. "The fundamental principles of our religion are the testimony of the Apostles and Prophets, concerning Jesus Christ, that He died, was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended into heaven; and all other things which pertain to our religion are only appendages to it. But in connection with these, we believe in the gift of the Holy Ghost, the power of faith, the enjoyment of the spiritual gifts according to the will of God, the restoration of the house of Israel, and the final triumph of truth."5 " 'As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive;' all shall be raised from the dead [1 Corinthians 15:22]. The Lamb of God hath brought to pass the resurrection, so that all shall rise from the dead."6 "God has appointed a day in which He will judge the world, and this He has given an assurance of in that He raised up His Son Jesus Christ from the dead--the point on which the hope of all who believe the inspired record is founded for their future happiness and enjoyment; because, 'If Christ be not risen,' said Paul to the Corinthians, 'your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ have perished' [1 Corinthians 15:17-18]. . . . "Christ Himself has assuredly risen from the dead; and if He has risen from the dead, He will, by His power, bring all men to stand before Him: for if He has risen from the dead the bands of the temporal death are broken that the grave has no victory. If then, the grave has no victory, those who keep the sayings of Jesus and obey His teachings have not only a promise of a resurrection from the dead, but an assurance of being admitted into His glorious kingdom; for, He Himself says, 'Where I am there also shall my servant be' [John 12:26]."7 "Those who have died in Jesus Christ may expect to enter into all that fruition of joy when they come forth, which they possessed or anticipated here. . . . I am glad I have the privilege of communicating to you some things which, if grasped closely, will be a help to you when earthquakes bellow, the clouds gather, the lightnings flash, and the storms are ready to burst upon you like peals of thunder. Lay hold of these things and let not your knees or joints tremble, nor your hearts faint; and then what can earthquakes, wars and tornadoes do? Nothing. All your losses will be made up to you in the resurrection, provided you continue faithful. By the vision of the Almighty I have seen it. . . . "God has revealed His Son from the heavens and the doctrine of the resurrection also; and we have a knowledge that those we bury here God will bring up again, clothed upon and quickened by the Spirit of the great God; and what mattereth it whether we lay them down, or we lay down with them, when we can keep them no longer? Let these truths sink down in our hearts, that we may even here begin to enjoy that which shall be in full hereafter."8 Through the Atonement of Christ and obedience to the gospel, we can become joint heirs with Jesus Christ. "I believe in the Divinity of Jesus Christ, and that He died for the sins of all men, who in Adam had fallen."9 Articles of Faith 1:3: "We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel."10 "After God had created the heavens and the earth, he came down and on the sixth day said, 'Let us make man in our own image.' In whose image? In the image of the Gods created they them, male and female, innocent, harmless, and spotless, bearing the same character and the same image as the Gods [see Genesis 1:26-27]. And when man fell he did not lose his image, but his character still retained the image of his Maker. Christ, who is the image of man, is also the express image of his Father's person [see Hebrews 1:3]. . . . Through the atonement of Christ and the resurrection, and obedience to the gospel, we shall again be conformed to the image of his Son, Jesus Christ [see Romans 8:29]; then we shall have attained to the image, glory, and character of God."11 "The Father of our spirits [provided] a sacrifice for His creatures, a plan of redemption, a power of atonement, a scheme of salvation, having as its great objects, the bringing of men back into the presence of the King of heaven, crowning them in the celestial glory, and making them heirs with the Son to that inheritance which is incorruptible, undefiled, and which fadeth not away."12 "The scripture says those who will obey the commandments shall be heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ. . . . 'The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God, and if children, then heirs of God, and joint heirs with Jesus Christ, if so be that we suffer with him in the flesh that we may be also glorified together.' [See Romans 8:16-17.]"13 "How consoling to the mourners when they are called to part with a husband, wife, father, mother, child, or dear relative, to know that, although the earthly tabernacle is laid down and dissolved, they shall rise again to dwell in everlasting burnings in immortal glory, not to sorrow, suffer, or die any more, but they shall be heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ."14 Jesus Christ is perfect, pure, and holy, and He has called us to be like Him. "Who, among all the Saints in these last days, can consider himself as good as our Lord? Who is as perfect? Who is as pure? Who is as holy as He was? Are they to be found? He never transgressed or broke a commandment or law of heaven--no deceit was in His mouth, neither was guile found in His heart. . . . Where is one like Christ? He cannot be found on earth."15 "The creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but Christ subjected the same in hope [see Romans 8:20]--all are subjected to vanity while they travel through the crooked paths and difficulties which surround them. Where is the man that is free from vanity? None ever were perfect but Jesus; and why was He perfect? Because He was the Son of God, and had the fullness of the Spirit, and greater power than any man."16 "When still a boy [Jesus Christ] had all the intelligence necessary to enable Him to rule and govern the kingdom of the Jews, and could reason with the wisest and most profound doctors of law and divinity, and make their theories and practice to appear like folly compared with the wisdom He possessed."17 "The commandments of our Lord, we hope are constantly revolving in your hearts, teaching you, not only His will in proclaiming His Gospel, but His meekness and perfect walk before all, even in those times of severe persecutions and abuse which were heaped upon Him by a wicked and adulterous generation. Remember, brethren, that He has called you unto holiness; and need we say, to be like Him in purity? How wise, how holy; how chaste, and how perfect, then, you ought to conduct yourselves in His sight; and remember, too, that His eyes are continually upon you."18 "When we reflect upon the holiness and perfections of our great Master, who has opened a way whereby we may come unto him, even by the sacrifice of himself, our hearts melt within us for his condescension. And when we reflect also, that he has called us to be perfect in all things, that we may be prepared to meet him in peace when he comes in his glory with all the holy angels, we feel to exhort our brethren with boldness, to be humble and prayerful, to walk indeed as children of the light and of the day, that they may have grace to withstand every temptation, and to overcome every evil in the worthy name of our Lord Jesus Christ. For be assured, brethren, that the day is truly near when the Master of the house will rise up and shut the door, and none but such as have on a wedding garment will be permitted to enjoy a seat at the marriage supper! [See Matthew 22:1-14.]"19 Suggestions for Study and Teaching Consider these ideas as you study the chapter or as you prepare to teach. For additional help, see pages vii-xii. -- Review the accounts of Joseph Smith's visions of the Savior (pages 45-47). What are your thoughts and feelings as you ponder these experiences? -- Anciently, animal sacrifices helped the Lord's people "open their eyes, and . . . look forward to the time of the coming of the Savior, and rejoice in His redemption" (page 49). What are some things that help you look to the Savior today? -- Read the paragraph that begins at the bottom of page 49. Note that in this statement, an appendage is something that is connected to something of greater importance, such as a branch that is connected to the trunk of a tree. Why do you think the testimonies of the apostles and prophets concerning the Savior's Atonement and Resurrection are the "fundamental principles of our religion"? How might you approach your service at home and in the Church if you remember that all other things are appendages to these principles? -- Review the Prophet Joseph's teachings about the resurrection (pages 49-51). What comfort do you receive from knowing that "all your losses will be made up to you in the resurrection, provided you continue faithful"? In what ways can a knowledge of the resurrection help us "begin to enjoy that which shall be in full hereafter"? -- As you review pages 52-53, ponder what the Savior has done so we can become joint heirs with Him. Consider ways you can show Him your gratitude for His atoning sacrifice. -- On pages 53-54, the Prophet Joseph Smith mentions many of the Savior's attributes. What other attributes do you think of when you ponder the life and mission of the Savior? Think about something you can do to become more like Him. Related Scriptures: Isaiah 53:1-12; 2 Nephi 9:5-26; D&C 20:21-29 Notes 1. Reported by George A. Smith, Deseret News, Aug. 12, 1857, p. 183. 2. History of the Church, 2:443; from "History of the Church" (manuscript), book B-1, addenda, p. 5, Church Archives, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah. 3. History of the Church, 5:555; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on Aug. 27, 1843, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Willard Richards and William Clayton. 4. History of the Church, 2:15-17; punctuation modernized; paragraph divisions altered; from "The Elders of the Church in Kirtland, to Their Brethren Abroad," Jan. 22, 1834, published in Evening and Morning Star, Mar. 1834, p. 143. 5. History of the Church, 3:30; from an editorial published in Elders' Journal, July 1838, p. 44; Joseph Smith was the editor of the periodical. 6. History of the Church, 6:366; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on May 12, 1844, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Thomas Bullock. 7. History of the Church, 2:18-19; paragraph divisions altered; from "The Elders of the Church in Kirtland, to Their Brethren Abroad," Jan. 22, 1834, published in Evening and Morning Star, Mar. 1834, p. 144. 8. History of the Church, 5:361-62; paragraph divisions altered; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on Apr. 16, 1843, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Wilford Woodruff and Willard Richards. 9. History of the Church, 4:78; from a letter from Matthew L. Davis to Mary Davis, Feb. 6, 1840, Washington, D.C., reporting a discourse given by Joseph Smith on Feb. 5, 1840, in Washington, D.C. 10. Articles of Faith 1:3. 11. Quoted by James Burgess, in compilation of excerpts from Joseph Smith's discourses; James Burgess, Journals, 1841-48, vol. 2, Church Archives. 12. History of the Church, 2:5; from "The Elders of the Church in Kirtland, to Their Brethren Abroad," Jan. 22, 1834, published in Evening and Morning Star, Feb. 1834, p. 135. 13. Quoted by George Laub, in compilation of excerpts from Joseph Smith's discourses, ca. 1845; George Laub, Reminiscences and Journal Jan. 1845-Apr. 1857, p. 31, Church Archives. 14. History of the Church, 6:306; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on Apr. 7, 1844, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Wilford Woodruff, Willard Richards, Thomas Bullock, and William Clayton. 15. History of the Church, 2:23; from "The Elders of the Church in Kirtland, to Their Brethren Abroad," Jan. 22, 1834, published in Evening and Morning Star, Apr. 1834, p. 152. 16. History of the Church, 4:358; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on May 16, 1841, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported in Times and Seasons, June 1, 1841, pp. 429-30. 17. History of the Church, 6:608; from instructions given by Joseph Smith on June 27, 1844, in Carthage Jail, Carthage, Illinois; reported by Cyrus H. Wheelock. 18. History of the Church, 2:13; from "The Elders of the Church in Kirtland, to Their Brethren Abroad," Jan. 22, 1834, published in Evening and Morning Star, Mar. 1834, p. 142. 19. Letter from Joseph Smith and high priests to the brethren in Geneseo, New York, Nov. 23, 1833, Kirtland, Ohio, Church Archives. The Savior appeared to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery in the Kirtland Temple. "The veil was taken from our minds," Joseph said, "and the eyes of our understanding were opened. We saw the Lord standing upon the breastwork of the pulpit." "The Lamb of God hath brought to pass the resurrection, so that all shall rise from the dead." "When we reflect upon the holiness and perfections of our great Master, . . . our hearts melt within us for his condescension." ;;;Chapter 4 The Book of Mormon: Keystone of Our Religion "I told the brethren that the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion." From the Life of Joseph Smith More than three years had passed since the morning in 1820 when Joseph Smith had prayed to know which church he should join. The young Prophet was now 17 years old, and he desired to know his standing before God and to receive forgiveness. On the night of September 21, 1823, Joseph retired to his attic bedroom in his family's log home in Palmyra, New York, but he stayed awake after the others in the room had gone to sleep, earnestly praying to know more about God's purposes for him. "I betook myself to prayer and supplication to Almighty God," he said, "for forgiveness of all my sins and follies, and also for a manifestation to me, that I might know of my state and standing before him; for I had full confidence in obtaining a divine manifestation, as I previously had one" (Joseph Smith--History 1:29). In answer to his prayer, Joseph saw a light appear in his room that grew brighter and brighter until the room was "lighter than at noonday." A heavenly messenger appeared at his bedside, standing in the air, wearing a robe of "exquisite whiteness." (Joseph Smith--History 1:30-31.) This messenger was Moroni, the last Nephite prophet, who centuries earlier had buried the plates upon which the Book of Mormon was written and who now held the keys pertaining to this sacred record (see D&C 27:5). He had been sent to tell Joseph that God had forgiven his sins1 and had a great work for him to do. As part of this work, Joseph was to go to a nearby hill, where a sacred record, written on gold plates, was deposited. This record was written by prophets who had lived anciently upon the American continent. By the gift and power of God, Joseph was to translate the record and bring it forth to the world. The next day, Joseph went to the hill where the Book of Mormon plates were buried. There he met Moroni and saw the plates, but was told that he would not receive them for four years. He was to begin an important period of preparation that would make him equal to the sacred task of translating the Book of Mormon. Joseph returned to the hill each September 22 for the next four years to receive further instructions from Moroni. (See Joseph Smith--History 1:33-54.) During these years, he also received "many visits from the angels of God unfolding the majesty and glory of the events that should transpire in the last days."2 This period of preparation also brought the blessing of marriage into the Prophet's life. In January 1827, he married Emma Hale, whom he had met while he was working in Harmony, Pennsylvania. Emma would be an important help to the Prophet throughout his ministry. On September 22, 1827, she went with him to the hill and waited nearby while Moroni delivered the plates into the Prophet's hands. With the sacred record in his possession, Joseph soon discovered why Moroni had warned him to protect the plates (see Joseph Smith--History 1:59-60). A local mob began harassing the Prophet, making repeated efforts to steal the plates. On a wintry day in December 1827, hoping to find a place to work in peace, Joseph and Emma left the Smith family home to seek refuge with Emma's parents in Harmony. There the Prophet began the work of translation. The following February, Martin Harris, a friend of the Smiths from Palmyra, was inspired to go to Harmony to help the Prophet. With Martin as his scribe, Joseph moved forward with the translation of the sacred record. The results of the Prophet's work would later be published as the Book of Mormon. This remarkable book, containing the fulness of the gospel, stands as a testimony of the truthfulness of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the prophetic mission of Joseph Smith. Teachings of Joseph Smith The Book of Mormon was translated by the gift and power of God. In response to the question, "How and where did you obtain the Book of Mormon?" Joseph Smith responded: "Moroni, who deposited the plates in a hill in Manchester, Ontario county, New York, being dead and raised again therefrom, appeared unto me, and told me where they were, and gave me directions how to obtain them. I obtained them, and the Urim and Thummim with them, by the means of which I translated the plates; and thus came the Book of Mormon."3 "I was [told by Moroni] where were deposited some plates on which were engraven an abridgment of the records of the ancient Prophets that had existed on this continent. . . . These records were engraven on plates which had the appearance of gold; each plate was six inches wide and eight inches long, and not quite so thick as common tin. They were filled with engravings, in Egyptian characters, and bound together in a volume as the leaves of a book, with three rings running through the whole. The volume was something near six inches in thickness, a part of which was sealed. The characters on the unsealed part were small, and beautifully engraved. The whole book exhibited many marks of antiquity in its construction, and much skill in the art of engraving. With the records was found a curious instrument, which the ancients called 'Urim and Thummim,' which consisted of two transparent stones set in the rim of a bow fastened to a breast plate. Through the medium of the Urim and Thummim I translated the record by the gift and power of God."4 "By the power of God I translated the Book of Mormon from hieroglyphics, the knowledge of which was lost to the world, in which wonderful event I stood alone, an unlearned youth, to combat the worldly wisdom and multiplied ignorance of eighteen centuries, with a new revelation."5 "I wish to mention here that the title-page of the Book of Mormon is a literal translation, taken from the very last leaf, on the left hand side of the collection or book of plates, which contained the record which has been translated, the language of the whole running the same as all Hebrew writing in general [that is, from right to left]; and that said title page is not by any means a modern composition, either of mine or of any other man who has lived or does live in this generation. . . . I give below that part of the title-page of the English version of the Book of Mormon, which is a genuine and literal translation of the title-page of the original Book of Mormon as recorded on the plates: " 'THE BOOK OF MORMON. " 'An account written by the hand of Mormon, upon Plates, taken from the Plates of Nephi. " 'Wherefore, it is an abridgment of the record of the people of Nephi, and also of the Lamanites--Written to the Lamanites, who are a remnant of the house of Israel; and also to Jew and Gentile--Written by way of commandment, and also by the spirit of prophecy and of revelation--Written and sealed up, and hid up unto the Lord, that they might not be destroyed--To come forth by the gift and power of God unto the interpretation thereof--Sealed by the hand of Moroni, and hid up unto the Lord, to come forth in due time by way of the Gentile--The interpretation thereof by the gift of God. " 'An abridgment taken from the Book of Ether also, which is a record of the people of Jared, who were scattered at the time the Lord confounded the language of the people, when they were building a tower to get to heaven--Which is to show unto the remnant of the house of Israel what great things the Lord hath done for their fathers; and that they may know the covenants of the Lord, that they are not cast off forever--And also to the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God, manifesting himself unto all nations--And now, if there are faults they are the mistakes of men; wherefore, condemn not the things of God, that ye may be found spotless at the judgment-seat of Christ.' "6 The wisdom of the Lord is greater than the cunning of the devil. By June 14, 1828, Joseph Smith's work on the translation of the Book of Mormon plates had resulted in 116 pages of manuscript. Then an incident occurred that taught the Prophet profound lessons about God's guiding hand in bringing forth this sacred record. The Prophet recorded: "Some time after Mr. Harris had begun to write for me, he began to importune me to give him liberty to carry the writings home and show them; and desired of me that I would inquire of the Lord, through the Urim and Thummim, if he might not do so. I did inquire, and the answer was that he must not. However, he was not satisfied with this answer, and desired that I should inquire again. I did so, and the answer was as before. Still he could not be contented, but insisted that I should inquire once more. "After much solicitation I again inquired of the Lord, and permission was granted him to have the writings on certain conditions; which were, that he show them only to his brother, Preserved Harris; his own wife; his father and his mother; and a Mrs. Cobb, a sister to his wife. In accordance with this last answer, I required of him that he should bind himself in a covenant to me in a most solemn manner that he would not do otherwise than had been directed. He did so. He bound himself as I required of him, took the writings, and went his way. Notwithstanding, however, the great restrictions which he had been laid under, and the solemnity of the covenant which he had made with me, he did show them to others, and by stratagem they got them away from him, and they never have been recovered unto this day."7 In the preface to the first edition of the Book of Mormon, the Prophet declared that God's purposes could not be frustrated by the loss of the 116 pages: "As many false reports have been circulated respecting the [Book of Mormon], and also many unlawful measures taken by evil designing persons to destroy me, and also the work, I would inform you that I translated, by the gift and power of God, and caused to be written, one hundred and sixteen pages, the which I took from the Book of Lehi, which was an account abridged from the plates of Lehi, by the hand of Mormon; which said account, some person or persons have stolen and kept from me, notwithstanding my utmost exertions to recover it again--and being commanded of the Lord that I should not translate the same over again, for Satan had put it into their hearts to tempt the Lord their God, by altering the words, that they did read contrary from that which I translated and caused to be written; and if I should bring forth the same words again, or, in other words, if I should translate the same over again, they would publish that which they had stolen, and Satan would stir up the hearts of this generation, that they might not receive this work: but behold, the Lord said unto me, I will not suffer that Satan shall accomplish his evil design in this thing: therefore thou shalt translate from the plates of Nephi, until ye come to that which ye have translated, which ye have retained; and behold ye shall publish it as the record of Nephi; and thus I will confound those who have altered my words. I will not suffer that they shall destroy my work; yea, I will shew unto them that my wisdom is greater than the cunning of the Devil. [See D&C 10:38-43.] "Wherefore, to be obedient unto the commandments of God, I have, through his grace and mercy, accomplished that which he hath commanded me respecting this thing."8 The Book of Mormon is the word of God. "I told the brethren that the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book."9 Articles of Faith 1:8: "We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God."10 "[The Book of Mormon] tells us that our Savior made His appearance upon this continent after His resurrection; that He planted the Gospel here in all its fulness, and richness, and power, and blessing; that they had Apostles, Prophets, Pastors, Teachers, and Evangelists, the same order, the same priesthood, the same ordinances, gifts, powers, and blessings, as were enjoyed on the eastern continent; that the people were cut off in consequence of their transgressions; that the last of their prophets who existed among them was commanded to write an abridgment of their prophecies, history, etc., and to hide it up in the earth, and that it should come forth and be united with the Bible for the accomplishment of the purposes of God in the last days."11 David Osborn was present when Joseph Smith preached in Far West, Missouri, in 1837. He recalled these words of the Prophet: "The Book of Mormon is true, just what it purports to be, and for this testimony I expect to give an account in the day of judgment."12 The scriptures cheer and comfort us and make us wise unto salvation. "Connected with the building up of the Kingdom, is the printing and circulation of the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, . . . and the new translation of the [Bible]. It is unnecessary to say anything respecting these works; those who have read them, and who have drunk of the stream of knowledge which they convey, know how to appreciate them; and although fools may have them in derision, yet they are calculated to make men wise unto salvation, and sweep away the cobwebs of superstition of ages, throw a light on the proceedings of Jehovah which have already been accomplished, and mark out the future in all its dreadful and glorious realities. Those who have tasted the benefit derived from a study of those works, will undoubtedly vie with each other in their zeal for sending them abroad throughout the world, that every son of Adam may enjoy the same privileges, and rejoice in the same truths."13 "[The latter-day scriptures are published] so that the honest in heart may be cheered and comforted and go on their way rejoicing, as their souls become exposed and their understanding enlightened by a knowledge of God's work through the fathers in former days, as well as what He is about to do in latter days to fulfill the words of the fathers."14 "We take the sacred writings into our hands, and admit that they were given by direct inspiration for the good of man. We believe that God condescended to speak from the heavens and declare His will concerning the human family, to give them just and holy laws, to regulate their conduct, and guide them in a direct way, that in due time He might take them to Himself, and make them joint heirs with His Son. "But when this fact is admitted, that the immediate will of heaven is contained in the Scriptures, are we not bound as rational creatures to live in accordance to all its precepts? Will the mere admission that this is the will of heaven ever benefit us if we do not comply with all its teachings? Do we not offer violence to the Supreme Intelligence of heaven when we admit the truth of its teachings, and do not obey them? Do we not descend below our own knowledge, and the better wisdom which heaven has endowed us with, by such a course of conduct? For these reasons, if we have direct revelations given us from heaven, surely those revelations were never given to be trifled with, without the trifler's incurring displeasure and vengeance upon his own head, if there is any justice in heaven; and that there is must be admitted by every individual who admits the truth and force of God's teachings, His blessings and cursings, as contained in the sacred volume. . . . ". . . He that can mark the power of Omnipotence, inscribed upon the heavens, can also see God's own handwriting in the sacred volume: and he who reads it oftenest will like it best, and he who is acquainted with it, will know the hand wherever he can see it; and when once discovered, it will not only receive an acknowledgment, but an obedience to all its heavenly precepts."15 "O ye Twelve! and all Saints! profit by this important Key--that in all your trials, troubles, temptations, afflictions, bonds, imprisonments and death, see to it, that you do not betray heaven; that you do not betray Jesus Christ; that you do not betray the brethren; that you do not betray the revelations of God, whether in the Bible, Book of Mormon, or Doctrine and Covenants, or any other that ever was or ever will be given and revealed unto man in this world or that which is to come."16 Suggestions for Study and Teaching Consider these ideas as you study the chapter or as you prepare to teach. For additional help, see pages vii-xii. -- Review the experiences Joseph Smith had between September 21, 1823, and September 22, 1827 (pages 57-59). How do you think these experiences prepared him to translate the gold plates? In what ways have you been prepared for callings from the Lord? -- Review the first full paragraph on page 62, noting the purposes of the Book of Mormon. In what ways have you seen these purposes fulfilled in your life and in the lives of others? -- As you ponder the Prophet's account of being commanded not to retranslate the 116 pages of manuscript that were lost (pages 62-63), what do you learn about God? How might an understanding of this account influence the decisions we make? -- Read the first paragraph on page 64. Note that in an arch made of stones, the keystone is placed at the top, holding all the other stones in place. In what ways is the Book of Mormon "the keystone of our religion"? How has the Book of Mormon helped you "get nearer to God"? -- Joseph Smith spoke of the blessings that come when we have "drunk of the stream of knowledge" in the scriptures and "tasted the benefit" of the word of God (pages 64-65). What do these expressions suggest to you about scripture study? What can we do to make our scripture study more meaningful? -- Read the paragraph beginning at the bottom of page 64. Why do you think that those who study the scriptures develop a zeal for sharing them with others? What can we do to share the Book of Mormon? What experiences have you had when you have shared the Book of Mormon or when someone has shared it with you? -- Read the last paragraph on page 65. What are some passages from the Book of Mormon that have "cheered and comforted" you? In what ways has the Book of Mormon enlightened your understanding? Related Scriptures: Ezekiel 37:15-17; introduction to the Book of Mormon; 1 Nephi 13:31-42; 2 Nephi 27:6-26; D&C 20:6-15; Joseph Smith--History 1:29-54 Notes 1. See Joseph Smith, History 1832, p. 4; Letter Book 1, 1829-35, Joseph Smith, Collection, Church Archives, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah. 2. History of the Church, 4:537; from a letter from Joseph Smith written at the request of John Wentworth and George Barstow, Nauvoo, Illinois, published in Times and Seasons, Mar. 1, 1842, p. 707. 3. History of the Church, 3:28; from an editorial published in Elders' Journal, July 1838, pp. 42-43; Joseph Smith was the editor of the periodical. 4. History of the Church, 4:537; punctuation modernized; paragraph divisions altered; from a letter from Joseph Smith written at the request of John Wentworth and George Barstow, Nauvoo, Illinois, published in Times and Seasons, Mar. 1, 1842, p. 707. 5. History of the Church, 6:74; from a letter from Joseph Smith to James Arlington Bennet, Nov. 13, 1843, Nauvoo, Illinois; James Bennet's last name is incorrectly spelled "Bennett" in History of the Church. 6. History of the Church, 1:71-72; bracketed words in original; from "History of the Church" (manuscript), book A-1, pp. 34-35, Church Archives. 7. History of the Church, 1:21; punctuation modernized; paragraph divisions altered; from "History of the Church" (manuscript), book A-1, pp. 9-10, Church Archives. 8. Preface to the first (1830) edition of the Book of Mormon; paragraph divisions altered. 9. History of the Church, 4:461; from instructions given by Joseph Smith on Nov. 28, 1841, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Wilford Woodruff. 10. Articles of Faith 1:8. 11. History of the Church, 4:538; punctuation modernized; from a letter from Joseph Smith written at the request of John Wentworth and George Barstow, Nauvoo, Illinois, published in Times and Seasons, Mar. 1, 1842, pp. 707-8. 12. Quoted by David Osborn, in "Recollections of the Prophet Joseph Smith," Juvenile Instructor, Mar. 15, 1892, p. 173. 13. History of the Church, 4:187; from a letter from Joseph Smith and his counselors in the First Presidency to the Saints, Sept. 1840, Nauvoo, Illinois, published in Times and Seasons, Oct. 1840, p. 179. 14. Letter from Joseph Smith to the Times and Seasons, about Mar. 1842, Nauvoo, Illinois; Miscellany, Joseph Smith, Collection, Church Archives; the letter was apparently not sent. 15. History of the Church, 2:11, 14; punctuation modernized; paragraph divisions altered; from "The Elders of the Church in Kirtland, to Their Brethren Abroad," Jan. 22, 1834, published in Evening and Morning Star, Feb. 1834, p. 136; Mar. 1834, p. 142. 16. History of the Church, 3:385; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on July 2, 1839, in Montrose, Iowa; reported by Wilford Woodruff and Willard Richards. Elder Richards's record of this discourse was based on records of the discourse made by others. Elder Richards also used the records of others when recording the Prophet's discourse given on June 27, 1839, and the two discourses dated "about July 1839." These discourses will be referred to throughout this book. Joseph Smith received the gold plates from Moroni on September 22, 1827. "I obtained them," the Prophet testified, "and the Urim and Thummim with them, by the means of which I translated the plates; and thus came the Book of Mormon." At left, the title page from the first edition of the Book of Mormon. The latter-day scriptures are published "so that the honest in heart may be cheered and comforted and go on their way rejoicing." ;;;Chapter 5 Repentance "Let us this very day begin anew, and now say, with all our hearts, we will forsake our sins and be righteous." From the Life of Joseph Smith On June 14, 1828, Martin Harris left Harmony, Pennsylvania, taking the first 116 manuscript pages translated from the gold plates to show to some of his family members in Palmyra, New York. The very next day, Joseph and Emma's first child was born, a son they named Alvin. The baby died that same day, and Emma's health declined until she was near death herself. The Prophet's mother later wrote: "For some time, [Emma] seemed to tremble upon the verge of the silent home of her infant. So uncertain seemed her fate for a season that in the space of two weeks her husband never slept one hour in undisturbed quiet. At the end of this time, his anxiety became so great about the manuscript that he determined, as his wife was now some better, that as soon as she had gained a little more strength he would make a trip to New York and see after the same."1 In July, at Emma's suggestion, the Prophet left Emma in her mother's care and traveled by stagecoach to his parents' home in Manchester Township, New York. The Prophet's trip covered about 125 miles and took two or three days to complete. Distraught about the loss of his firstborn son, worried about his wife, and gravely concerned about the manuscript, Joseph neither ate nor slept during the entire trip. A fellow traveler, the only other passenger on the stagecoach, observed the Prophet's weakened state and insisted on accompanying him for the 20-mile walk from the stagecoach station to the Smith home. For the last four miles of the walk, recalled the Prophet's mother, "the stranger was under the necessity of leading Joseph by his arm, for nature was too much exhausted to support him any longer and he would fall asleep as he stood upon his feet."2 Immediately upon reaching his parents' home, the Prophet sent for Martin Harris. Martin arrived at the Smith home in the early afternoon, downcast and forlorn. He did not have the manuscript, he said, and did not know where it was. Hearing this, Joseph exclaimed, "Oh! My God, my God. . . . All is lost, is lost. What shall I do? I have sinned. It is I that tempted the wrath of God by asking him for that which I had no right to ask. . . . How shall I appear before the Lord? Of what rebuke am I not worthy from the angel of the Most High?" As the day wore on, the Prophet paced back and forth in his parents' home in great distress, "weeping and grieving." The next day he left to return to Harmony, where, he said, "I commenced humbling myself in mighty prayer before the Lord . . . that if possible I might obtain mercy at his hands and be forgiven of all that I had done which was contrary to his will."3 The Lord severely chastised the Prophet for fearing man more than God, but assured him he could be forgiven. "Thou art Joseph," the Lord said, "and thou wast chosen to do the work of the Lord, but because of transgression, if thou art not aware thou wilt fall. But remember, God is merciful; therefore, repent of that which thou hast done which is contrary to the commandment which I gave you, and thou art still chosen, and art again called to the work" (D&C 3:9-10). For a time, the Lord took the Urim and Thummim and the plates from Joseph. But these things were soon restored to him. "The angel was rejoiced when he gave me back the Urim and Thummim," the Prophet recalled, "and said that God was pleased with my faithfulness and humility, and loved me for my penitence and diligence in prayer, in the which I had performed my duty so well as to . . . be able to enter upon the work of translation again."4 As Joseph moved forward in the great work before him, he was now fortified by the sweet feelings of receiving the Lord's forgiveness and a renewed determination to do His will. Teachings of Joseph Smith By repenting of our sins, we draw toward God and become more like Him. Wilford Woodruff, while serving as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve, recorded: "Joseph the Seer arose in the power of God; reproved and rebuked wickedness before the people, in the name of the Lord God. He wished to say a few words to suit the condition of the general mass, and then said: " 'I shall speak with authority of the Priesthood in the name of the Lord God. . . . Notwithstanding this congregation profess to be Saints, yet I stand in the midst of all [kinds of] characters and classes of men. If you wish to go where God is, you must be like God, or possess the principles which God possesses, for if we are not drawing towards God in principle, we are going from Him and drawing towards the devil. Yes, I am standing in the midst of all kinds of people. " 'Search your hearts, and see if you are like God. I have searched mine, and feel to repent of all my sins. " 'We have thieves among us, adulterers, liars, hypocrites. If God should speak from heaven, He would command you not to steal, not to commit adultery, not to covet, nor deceive, but be faithful over a few things. . . . Is not God good? Then you be good; if He is faithful, then you be faithful. Add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, and seek for every good thing. The Church must be cleansed, and I proclaim against all iniquity.' "5 "You must be innocent, or you cannot come up before God: if we would come before God, we must keep ourselves pure, as He is pure. The devil has great power to deceive; he will so transform things as to make one gape at those who are doing the will of God. . . . Iniquity must be purged out from the midst of the Saints; then the veil will be rent, and the blessings of heaven will flow down--they will roll down like the Mississippi river."6 "Let not any man publish his own righteousness, for others can see that for him; sooner let him confess his sins, and then he will be forgiven, and he will bring forth more fruit."7 "All hearts must repent and be pure, and God will regard them and bless them in a manner that they could not be blessed in any other way."8 It is the will of God that we forsake our sins and put away evil from among us. "Hear it, all ye ends of the earth--all ye priests, all ye sinners, and all men. Repent! Repent! Obey the gospel. Turn to God."9 "Let us this very day begin anew, and now say, with all our hearts, we will forsake our sins and be righteous."10 "The infidel will grasp at every straw for help until death stares him in the face, and then his infidelity takes its flight, for the realities of the eternal world are resting upon him in mighty power; and when every earthly support and prop fails him, he then sensibly feels the eternal truths of the immortality of the soul. We should take warning and not wait for the death-bed to repent; as we see the infant taken away by death, so may the youth and middle aged, as well as the infant be suddenly called into eternity. Let this, then, prove as a warning to all not to procrastinate repentance, or wait till a death-bed, for it is the will of God that man should repent and serve Him in health, and in the strength and power of his mind, in order to secure His blessing, and not wait until he is called to die."11 "The sacrament was administered to the Church [on March 1, 1835]. Previous to the administration, I spoke of the propriety of this institution in the Church, and urged the importance of doing it with acceptance before the Lord, and asked, How long do you suppose a man may partake of this ordinance unworthily, and the Lord not withdraw His Spirit from him? How long will he thus trifle with sacred things, and the Lord not give him over to the buffetings of Satan until the day of redemption! . . . Therefore our hearts ought to be humble, and we to repent of our sins, and put away evil from among us."12 "Repentance is a thing that cannot be trifled with every day. Daily transgression and daily repentance is not that which is pleasing in the sight of God."13 The Prophet Joseph Smith wrote the following to his brother William Smith after William became angry with him and treated him with contempt: "[I have spoken to you] for the express purpose of endeavoring to warn, exhort, admonish, and rescue you from falling into difficulties and sorrows, which I foresaw you plunging into, by giving way to that wicked spirit, which you call your passions, which you should curb and break down, and put under your feet; which if you do not, you never can be saved, in my view, in the Kingdom of God. God requires the will of His creatures to be swallowed up in His will."14 Our Heavenly Father is willing to forgive those who repent and return to Him with full purpose of heart. In 1835 Joseph Smith received a letter from Harvey Whitlock, who had apostatized from the Church and desired to return to full fellowship. The Prophet responded: "I have received your letter of the 28th of September, 1835, and I have read it twice, and it gave me sensations that are better imagined than described; let it suffice that I say that the very flood gates of my heart were broken up--I could not refrain from weeping. I thank God that it has entered into your heart to try to return to the Lord, and to this people, if it so be that He will have mercy upon you. I have inquired of the Lord concerning your case; these words came to me: "Revelation to Harvey Whitlock. " 'Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you--Let him who was my servant Harvey, return unto me, and unto the bosom of my Church, and forsake all the sins wherewith he has offended against me, and pursue from henceforth a virtuous and upright life, and remain under the direction of those whom I have appointed to be pillars and heads of my Church. And behold, saith the Lord your God, his sins shall be blotted out from under heaven, and shall be forgotten from among men, and shall not come up in mine ears, nor be recorded as a memorial against him, but I will lift him up, as out of deep mire, and he shall be exalted upon the high places, and shall be counted worthy to stand among princes, and shall yet be made a polished shaft in my quiver for bringing down the strongholds of wickedness among those who set themselves up on high, that they may take counsel against me, and against my anointed ones in the last days. Therefore, let him prepare himself speedily and come unto you, even to Kirtland. And inasmuch as he shall hearken unto all your counsel from henceforth, he shall be restored unto his former state, and shall be saved unto the uttermost, even as the Lord your God liveth. Amen.' "Thus you see, my dear brother, the willingness of our heavenly Father to forgive sins, and restore to favor all those who are willing to humble themselves before Him, and confess their sins, and forsake them, and return to Him with full purpose of heart, acting no hypocrisy, to serve Him to the end [see 2 Nephi 31:13]. "Marvel not that the Lord has condescended to speak from the heavens, and give you instructions whereby you may learn your duty. He has heard your prayers and witnessed your humility, and holds forth the hand of paternal affection for your return; the angels rejoice over you, while the Saints are willing to receive you again into fellowship."15 "There is never a time when the spirit is too old to approach God. All are within the reach of pardoning mercy, who have not committed the unpardonable sin."16 Suggestions for Study and Teaching Consider these ideas as you study the chapter or as you prepare to teach. For additional help, see pages vii-xii. -- As you read the account of the Prophet's reaction to the loss of the 116 pages (pages 69-71), what insights do you gain about Joseph Smith? What do you learn from his example about repentance? -- Review the section beginning on page 72. As you ponder the teachings in this chapter, take time to search your heart, as the Prophet counseled. Think about what you need to do--and what you need to stop doing--to become more like God. -- Ponder Joseph Smith's warnings against procrastinating our repentance (pages 73-74). What are some possible consequences of procrastinating repentance? -- Study the Prophet Joseph's counsel about turning to God and humbling ourselves before Him (pages 73-76). Why would repentance be incomplete without humility? What do you think it means to "return to [God] with full purpose of heart"? (page 76). -- Read the revelation Joseph Smith received for Harvey Whitlock, noting the Lord's promises if Brother Whitlock would sincerely repent (page 75). What are your thoughts or feelings as you ponder "the willingness of our heavenly Father to forgive sins, and restore [us] to favor"? Related Scriptures: 2 Corinthians 7:9-10; Mosiah 4:10-12; Alma 34:31-38; D&C 1:31-33; 58:42-43 Notes 1. Lucy Mack Smith, "The History of Lucy Smith, Mother of the Prophet," 1844-45 manuscript, book 7, pp. 1-2, Church Archives, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah. 2. Lucy Mack Smith, "The History of Lucy Smith, Mother of the Prophet," 1844-45 manuscript, book 7, p. 5, Church Archives. 3. Quoted by Lucy Mack Smith, "The History of Lucy Smith, Mother of the Prophet," 1844-45 manuscript, book 7, pp. 6-9, Church Archives. 4. Quoted by Lucy Mack Smith, "The History of Lucy Smith, Mother of the Prophet," 1844-45 manuscript, book 7, p. 11, Church Archives. 5. History of the Church, 4:588; bracketed words in original; punctuation and capitalization modernized; paragraph divisions altered; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on Apr. 10, 1842, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Wilford Woodruff. 6. History of the Church, 4:605; paragraph divisions altered; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on Apr. 28, 1842, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Eliza R. Snow. 7. History of the Church, 4:479; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on Dec. 19, 1841, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Wilford Woodruff. 8. Discourse given by Joseph Smith on Apr. 28, 1842, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Eliza R. Snow, in Relief Society, Minute Book Mar. 1842-Mar. 1844, p. 34, Church Archives. 9. History of the Church, 6:317; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on Apr. 7, 1844, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Wilford Woodruff, Willard Richards, Thomas Bullock, and William Clayton. 10. History of the Church, 6:363; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on May 12, 1844, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Thomas Bullock. 11. History of the Church, 4:553-54; punctuation modernized; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on Mar. 20, 1842, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Wilford Woodruff. 12. History of the Church, 2:204; from the minutes of a Church council meeting held on Mar. 1, 1835, in Kirtland, Ohio. 13. History of the Church, 3:379; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on June 27, 1839, in Commerce, Illinois; reported by Willard Richards. 14. History of the Church, 2:342; from a letter from Joseph Smith to William Smith, Dec. 18, 1835, Kirtland, Ohio. 15. History of the Church, 2:314-15; punctuation modernized; from a letter from Joseph Smith to Harvey Whitlock, Nov. 16, 1835, Kirtland, Ohio. 16. History of the Church, 4:425; from the minutes of a Church conference held on Oct. 3, 1841, in Nauvoo, Illinois, published in Times and Seasons, Oct. 15, 1841, p. 577. Repentance is made possible through the atoning sacrifice of the Savior, Jesus Christ. "Search your hearts, and see if you are like God," the Prophet Joseph Smith declared. "I have searched mine, and feel to repent of all my sins." Just as the prodigal son was welcomed home by his father, our Heavenly Father is willing to "forgive sins, and restore to favor all those who are willing to humble themselves before Him." ;;;Chapter 6 The Mission of John the Baptist "John [the Baptist] held the Aaronic Priesthood, and was a legal administrator, and the forerunner of Christ, and came to prepare the way before him." From the Life of Joseph Smith In Harmony, Pennsylvania, during the winter of 1828-29, Joseph Smith continued to work on the translation of the Book of Mormon, but the work progressed slowly. Not only did Joseph have to work on his farm to provide for his family, but he had no full-time scribe to assist him. In this time of need, he recalled, "I cried unto the Lord that he would provide for me to accomplish the work whereunto he had commanded me."1 The Lord promised that He would provide the help Joseph Smith needed to continue the work of translation (see D&C 5:34). On April 5, 1829, a young schoolteacher named Oliver Cowdery accompanied the Prophet's brother Samuel to Harmony to meet Joseph. Oliver had heard about the plates while staying in the home of the Prophet's parents and, after praying about the matter, had received personal revelation that he was to write for the Prophet. On April 7, the two men began the work of translation, with Oliver as scribe. As Joseph and Oliver were translating from the plates, they read the Savior's instructions to the Nephites regarding baptism for the remission of sins.2 On May 15, they went to a wooded area near the Prophet's home to ask the Lord for more understanding about this important ordinance. "Our souls were drawn out in mighty prayer," Oliver Cowdery recalled, "to know how we might obtain the blessings of baptism and of the Holy Spirit, according to the order of God, and we diligently sought for the right of the fathers and the authority of the holy priesthood, and the power to administer in the same."3 Joseph Smith recorded what happened in answer to their prayer: "While we were thus employed, praying and calling upon the Lord, a messenger from heaven descended in a cloud of light, and having laid his hands upon us, he ordained us, saying: Upon you my fellow servants, in the name of Messiah, I confer the Priesthood of Aaron, which holds the keys of the ministering of angels, and of the gospel of repentance, and of baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; and this shall never be taken again from the earth until the sons of Levi do offer again an offering unto the Lord in righteousness. "He said this Aaronic Priesthood had not the power of laying on hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost, but that this should be conferred on us hereafter. . . . "The messenger who visited us on this occasion and conferred this Priesthood upon us, said that his name was John, the same that is called John the Baptist in the New Testament, and that he acted under the direction of Peter, James and John, who held the keys of the Priesthood of Melchizedek, which Priesthood, he said, would in due time be conferred on us" (Joseph Smith--History 1:68-70, 72). The coming of John the Baptist was a significant event in the life of the Prophet Joseph Smith and in the progress of God's kingdom on earth. Although Joseph Smith had seen God the Father and Jesus Christ, had been visited by heavenly messengers, and had received the gold plates and the ability to translate them, he had not yet been given the authority and power of the priesthood. Now Aaronic Priesthood power had been restored to earth, and the power of the Melchizedek Priesthood would soon be restored. Joseph Smith had become a legal administrator in God's kingdom. Teachings of Joseph Smith John the Baptist fulfilled the important missions of preparing the way before the Savior and baptizing Him. "I attended [a] meeting at the Temple [on January 29, 1843]. . . . I stated that there were two questions which had been asked me concerning my subject of the last Sabbath, which I had promised to answer in public, and would improve this opportunity. "The question arose from the saying of Jesus--'Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist; but he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.' [Luke 7:28.] How is it that John was considered one of the greatest of prophets? His miracles could not have constituted his greatness. [See John 10:41.] "First. He was entrusted with a divine mission of preparing the way before the face of the Lord. Whoever had such a trust committed to him before or since? No man. "Secondly. He was entrusted with the important mission, and it was required at his hands, to baptize the Son of Man. Whoever had the honor of doing that? Whoever had so great a privilege and glory? Whoever led the Son of God into the waters of baptism, and had the privilege of beholding the Holy Ghost descend in the form of a dove, or rather in the sign of the dove, in witness of that administration? The sign of the dove was instituted before the creation of the world, a witness for the Holy Ghost, and the devil cannot come in the sign of a dove. The Holy Ghost is a personage, and is in the form of a personage. It does not confine itself to the form of the dove, but in sign of the dove. The Holy Ghost cannot be transformed into a dove; but the sign of a dove was given to John to signify the truth of the deed, as the dove is an emblem or token of truth and innocence. "Thirdly. John, at that time, was the only legal administrator in the affairs of the kingdom there was then on the earth, and holding the keys of power. The Jews had to obey his instructions or be damned, by their own law; and Christ Himself fulfilled all righteousness in becoming obedient to the law which He had given to Moses on the mount, and thereby magnified it and made it honorable, instead of destroying it. The son of Zacharias wrested the keys, the kingdom, the power, the glory from the Jews, by the holy anointing and decree of heaven, and these three reasons constitute him the greatest prophet born of a woman. "Second question:--How was the least in the kingdom of heaven greater than he? [See Luke 7:28.] "In reply I asked--Whom did Jesus have reference to as being the least? Jesus was looked upon as having the least claim in God's kingdom, and [seemingly] was least entitled to their credulity as a prophet; as though He had said--'He that is considered the least among you is greater than John--that is I myself.' "4 There must be legal administrators in the kingdom of God. "Some say the kingdom of God was not set up on the earth until the day of Pentecost, and that John [the Baptist] did not preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins; but I say, in the name of the Lord, that the kingdom of God was set up on the earth from the days of Adam to the present time. Whenever there has been a righteous man on earth unto whom God revealed His word and gave power and authority to administer in His name, and where there is a priest of God--a minister who has power and authority from God to administer in the ordinances of the gospel and officiate in the priesthood of God, there is the kingdom of God; and, in consequence of rejecting the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the Prophets whom God hath sent, the judgments of God have rested upon people, cities, and nations, in various ages of the world, which was the case with the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, that were destroyed for rejecting the Prophets. . . . "As touching the Gospel and baptism that John preached, I would say that John came preaching the Gospel for the remission of sins; he had his authority from God, and the oracles of God were with him, and the kingdom of God for a season seemed to rest with John alone. The Lord promised Zacharias that he should have a son who was a descendant of Aaron, the Lord having promised that the priesthood should continue with Aaron and his seed throughout their generations. Let no man take this honor upon himself, except he be called of God, as was Aaron [see Hebrews 5:4]; and Aaron received his call by revelation. . . . "But, says one, the kingdom of God could not be set up in the days of John, for John said the kingdom was at hand. But I would ask if it could be any nearer to them than to be in the hands of John. The people need not wait for the days of Pentecost to find the kingdom of God, for John had it with him, and he came forth from the wilderness crying out, 'Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is nigh at hand' [Matthew 3:2], as much as to say, 'Out here I have got the kingdom of God and I am coming after you; I have got the kingdom of God, and you can get it, and I am coming after you; and if you don't receive it, you will be damned;' and the scriptures represent that all Jerusalem went out unto John's baptism [see Matthew 3:5-6]. There was a legal administrator, and those that were baptized were subjects for a king; and also the laws and oracles of God were there; therefore the kingdom of God was there; for no man could have better authority to administer than John; and our Savior submitted to that authority Himself, by being baptized by John; therefore the kingdom of God was set up on the earth, even in the days of John. . . . ". . . Christ came according to the words of John [see Mark 1:7], and He was greater than John, because He held the keys of the Melchizedek Priesthood and kingdom of God, and had before revealed the priesthood of Moses, yet Christ was baptized by John to fulfill all righteousness [see Matthew 3:15]. . . . ". . . [Jesus] says, 'Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God;' and, 'heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.' [John 3:5; Matthew 24:35.] If a man is born of water and of the Spirit, he can get into the kingdom of God. It is evident the kingdom of God was on the earth, and John prepared subjects for the kingdom, by preaching the Gospel to them and baptizing them, and he prepared the way before the Savior, or came as a forerunner, and prepared subjects for the preaching of Christ; and Christ preached through Jerusalem on the same ground where John had preached. . . . John . . . preached the same Gospel and baptism that Jesus and the apostles preached after him. . . . "Whenever men can find out the will of God and find an administrator legally authorized from God, there is the kingdom of God; but where these are not, the kingdom of God is not. All the ordinances, systems, and administrations on the earth are of no use to the children of men, unless they are ordained and authorized of God; for nothing will save a man but a legal administrator; for none others will be acknowledged either by God or angels."5 "John [the Baptist] held the Aaronic Priesthood, and was a legal administrator, and the forerunner of Christ, and came to prepare the way before him. . . . John was a priest after the order of Aaron before Christ. . . . "The keys of the Aaronic Priesthood were committed unto him, and he was as the voice of one crying in the wilderness, saying, 'Prepare ye the way of the Lord and make his paths straight.' [Matthew 3:3.] . . . "The Savior said unto John, I must be baptized by you. Why so? To answer my decrees [see Matthew 3:15]. . . . Jesus had no legal administrator [except] John. "There is no salvation between the two lids of the Bible without a legal administrator."6 A person who has the spirit of Elias has a preparatory work assigned to him by the Lord. "It is the spirit of Elias I wish first to speak of; and in order to come at the subject, I will bring some of the testimony from the Scripture and give my own. "In the first place, suffice it to say, I went into the woods to inquire of the Lord, by prayer, His will concerning me, and I saw an angel [John the Baptist], and he laid his hands upon my head, and ordained me to a Priest after the order of Aaron, and to hold the keys of this Priesthood, which office was to preach repentance and baptism for the remission of sins, and also to baptize. But I was informed that this office did not extend to the laying on of hands for the giving of the Holy Ghost; that that office was a greater work, and was to be given afterward; but that my ordination was a preparatory work, or a going before, which was the spirit of Elias; for the spirit of Elias was a going before to prepare the way for the greater, which was the case with John the Baptist. He came crying through the wilderness, 'Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.' [Matthew 3:3.] And they were informed, if they could receive it, it was the spirit of Elias [see Matthew 11:14]; and John was very particular to tell the people, he was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light [see John 1:8]. "He told the people that his mission was to preach repentance and baptize with water; but it was He that should come after him that should baptize with fire and the Holy Ghost [see Matthew 3:11]. "If he had been an imposter, he might have gone to work beyond his bounds, and undertook to have performed ordinances which did not belong to that office and calling, under the spirit of Elias. "The spirit of Elias is to prepare the way for a greater revelation of God, which [the spirit of Elias] is the Priesthood of Elias, or the Priesthood that Aaron was ordained unto. And when God sends a man into the world to prepare for a greater work, holding the keys of the power of Elias, it was called the doctrine of Elias, even from the early ages of the world. "John's mission was limited to preaching and baptizing; but what he did was legal; and when Jesus Christ came to any of John's disciples, He baptized them with fire and the Holy Ghost. . . . John did not transcend his bounds, but faithfully performed that part belonging to his office; and every portion of the great building should be prepared right and assigned to its proper place; and it is necessary to know who holds the keys of power, and who does not, or we may be likely to be deceived. "That person who holds the keys of Elias hath a preparatory work. . . . The spirit of Elias was revealed to me, and I know it is true; therefore I speak with boldness, for I know verily my doctrine is true."7 Suggestions for Study and Teaching Consider these ideas as you study the chapter or as you prepare to teach. For additional help, see pages vii-xii. -- Read the accounts of John the Baptist conferring the Aaronic Priesthood on Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery (pages 79-80, 85). What effect did this event have on Joseph and Oliver? What effect has this event had on your life? -- Read the first full paragraph on page 80, noting that John the Baptist called Joseph and Oliver his "fellow servants." In what ways might this phrase help priesthood holders? In what ways might this phrase influence our interaction with young men who hold the Aaronic Priesthood? -- Review the section of the chapter that begins on page 81. What are your thoughts and feelings about John the Baptist and the mission he performed during his mortal life? -- The Prophet Joseph taught that John the Baptist was a "legal administrator" (pages 82-85). What do you think the term "legal administrator" means as it relates to the priesthood? Why is there "no salvation . . . without a legal administrator"? (page 85). -- As you read the final section in the chapter (pages 85-86), review also the definition for the term "Elias" given in the Bible Dictionary (see Bible Dictionary, page 663). What is the spirit of Elias? How did John the Baptist prepare the way for the coming of the Savior? -- Joseph Smith said that the conferral of the Aaronic Priesthood is "a preparatory work" because it prepares the way for something greater (page 85). What can Aaronic Priesthood holders do to prepare to receive the Melchizedek Priesthood? What can parents, grandparents, teachers, and leaders do to help them prepare? Related Scriptures: Matthew 3:1-17; 1 Nephi 10:7-10; Joseph Smith Translation, Matthew 3:43-46 Notes 1. Joseph Smith, History 1832, p. 6; Letter Book 1, 1829-35, Joseph Smith, Collection, Church Archives, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah. 2. Oliver Cowdery, quoted in Joseph Smith--History 1:71, footnote; from a letter from Oliver Cowdery to William W. Phelps, Sept. 7, 1834, Norton, Ohio, published in Messenger and Advocate, Oct. 1834, p. 15. 3. Oliver Cowdery, statement recorded Sept. 1835 in "The Book of Patriarchal Blessings, 1834," pp. 8-9; Patriarchal Blessings, 1833-2005, Church Archives. 4. History of the Church, 5:260-61; bracketed word in final paragraph in original; capitalization modernized; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on Jan. 29, 1843, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Willard Richards and an unidentified Boston Bee correspondent. The Boston Bee letter was written on Mar. 24, 1843, in Nauvoo, Illinois, and published in Times and Seasons, May 15, 1843, p. 200. See also appendix, page 562, item 3. 5. History of the Church, 5:256-59; spelling and punctuation modernized; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on Jan. 22, 1843, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Wilford Woodruff. 6. Discourse given by Joseph Smith on July 23, 1843, in Nauvoo, Illinois; Joseph Smith, Collection, Addresses, July 23, 1843, Church Archives. 7. History of the Church, 6:249-51; paragraph divisions altered; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on Mar. 10, 1844, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Wilford Woodruff. John the Baptist restored the Aaronic Priesthood to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery on May 15, 1829, saying, "Upon you my fellow servants, in the name of Messiah, I confer the Priesthood of Aaron." The Savior went to John the Baptist to be baptized because John "held the Aaronic Priesthood, and was a legal administrator." ;;;Chapter 7 Baptism and the Gift of the Holy Ghost "The baptism of water, without the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost attending it, is of no use; they are necessarily and inseparably connected." From the Life of Joseph Smith In Joseph Smith's time, the Susquehanna River flowed in large, winding bends through forests of hardwood trees and pine, surrounded by rolling hills and fields of grain. The largest river in Pennsylvania, it was a central part of the landscape around Harmony, Pennsylvania. Because the river was close to his home and offered quiet, secluded spots, the Prophet sometimes withdrew there to think and to pray. It was to the bank of this river that the Prophet and Oliver Cowdery went on May 15, 1829, to pray about the importance of baptism. In answer to their prayer, John the Baptist appeared to them, conferring the Aaronic Priesthood on them and commanding them to baptize each other. The blessing they had been seeking could now be performed in the proper way and with the power and authority of God. Going down into the river, they baptized one another, with Joseph baptizing Oliver first, as John had directed. Joseph then laid his hands on the head of Oliver and ordained him to the Aaronic Priesthood, and Oliver did the same for Joseph. The Prophet recalled: "We experienced great and glorious blessings from our Heavenly Father. No sooner had I baptized Oliver Cowdery, than the Holy Ghost fell upon him, and he stood up and prophesied many things which should shortly come to pass. And again, so soon as I had been baptized by him, I also had the spirit of prophecy, when, standing up, I prophesied concerning the rise of this Church, and many other things connected with the Church, and this generation of the children of men. We were filled with the Holy Ghost, and rejoiced in the God of our salvation" (Joseph Smith--History 1:73). The blessings of baptism were soon extended to other believers. Later in the month of May, the Prophet's younger brother Samuel came to visit Joseph and Oliver in Harmony. "We . . . labored to persuade him concerning the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which was now about to be revealed in its fulness," the Prophet stated. Samuel received a testimony of the work, and Oliver Cowdery baptized him, after which Samuel "returned to his father's house, greatly glorifying and praising God, being filled with the Holy Spirit."1 In June, the Prophet baptized his older brother Hyrum, who had long been a steadfast believer in the Prophet's message. "From this time forth many became believers," Joseph recorded, "and some were baptized whilst we continued to instruct and persuade."2 The Prophet was especially grateful to see his father, Joseph Smith Sr., baptized. The Prophet had a deep love for his father, who had been the first to believe his message after he was first visited by Moroni. Joseph Smith Sr. was baptized on April 6, 1830, the day the Church was organized. The Prophet's mother, Lucy Mack Smith, recalled: "Joseph stood on the shore when his father came out of the water, and as he took him by the hand he cried out, '. . . I have lived to see my father baptized into the true church of Jesus Christ,' and he covered his face in his father's bosom and wept aloud for joy as did Joseph of old when he beheld his father coming up into the land of Egypt."3 On the day the Church was organized, many Saints who had previously been baptized received the gift of the Holy Ghost by the power of the Melchizedek Priesthood. The Prophet Joseph Smith taught emphatically the need for both baptism and the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost. "The baptism of water, without the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost attending it, is of no use," he declared. "They are necessarily and inseparably connected. An individual must be born of water and the spirit in order to get into the kingdom of God."4 Teachings of Joseph Smith The ordinance of baptism is necessary for exaltation. "God has set many signs on the earth, as well as in the heavens; for instance, the oak of the forest, the fruit of the tree, the herb of the field--all bear a sign that seed hath been planted there; for it is a decree of the Lord that every tree, plant, and herb bearing seed should bring forth of its kind, and cannot come forth after any other law or principle. "Upon the same principle do I contend that baptism is a sign ordained of God, for the believer in Christ to take upon himself in order to enter into the kingdom of God, 'for except ye are born of water and of the Spirit ye cannot enter into the kingdom of God,' said the Savior [see John 3:5]. It is a sign and a commandment which God has set for man to enter into His kingdom. Those who seek to enter in any other way will seek in vain; for God will not receive them, neither will the angels acknowledge their works as accepted, for they have not obeyed the ordinances, nor attended to the signs which God ordained for the salvation of man, to prepare him for, and give him a title to, a celestial glory; and God has decreed that all who will not obey His voice shall not escape the damnation of hell. What is the damnation of hell? To go with that society who have not obeyed His commands. "Baptism is a sign to God, to angels, and to heaven that we do the will of God, and there is no other way beneath the heavens whereby God hath ordained for man to come to Him to be saved, and enter into the kingdom of God, except faith in Jesus Christ, repentance, and baptism for the remission of sins, and any other course is in vain; then you have the promise of the gift of the Holy Ghost."5 "Upon looking over the sacred pages of the Bible, searching into the prophets and sayings of the apostles, we find no subject so nearly connected with salvation, as that of baptism. . . . Let us understand that the word baptise is derived from the Greek verb baptiso, and means to immerse. . . . ". . . It may not be amiss to introduce the commissions and commands of Jesus himself on the subject.--He said to the twelve, or rather eleven at the time: 'Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you': Thus it is recorded by Matthew [Matthew 28:19-20]. In Mark we have these important words: 'Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptised shall be saved, and he that believeth not shall be damned' [Mark 16:15-16]. . . . ". . . 'Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews, . . . came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?--Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water, and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God' [John 3:1-5]. "This strong and positive answer of Jesus, as to water baptism, settles the question: If God is the same yesterday, to day, and forever; it is no wonder he is so positive in the great declaration: 'He that believes and is baptised shall be saved, and he that believes not shall be damned!' [Mark 16:16.] There was no other name given under heaven, nor no other ordinance admitted, whereby men could be saved: No wonder the Apostle said, being 'buried with him in baptism,' ye shall rise from the dead! [Colossians 2:12.] No wonder Paul had to arise and be baptised and wash away his sins [see Acts 9:17-18]."6 In all dispensations, Saints have been baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. "The ancients who were actually the fathers of the church in the different ages, when the church flourished on the earth, . . . were initiated into the kingdom by baptism, for it is self evident in the scripture--God changes not. The Apostle says the gospel is the power of God unto salvation unto them that believe; and also informs us that life and immortality were brought to light through the gospel [see Romans 1:16; 2 Timothy 1:10]. . . . "Now taking it for granted that the scriptures say what they mean, and mean what they say, we have sufficient grounds to go on and prove from the Bible that the gospel has always been the same; the ordinances to fulfil its requirements, the same; and the officers to officiate, the same; and the signs and fruits resulting from the promises, the same: therefore, as Noah was a preacher of righteousness he must have been baptised and ordained to the priesthood by the laying on of the hands, etc. For no man taketh this honor upon himself except he be called of God as was Aaron [see Hebrews 5:4]. . . . ". . . It will be seen and acknowledged that if there was sin among men, repentance was as necessary at one time or age of the world as another--and that other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. If, then, Abel was a righteous man he had to become so by keeping the commandments; if Enoch was righteous enough to come into the presence of God, and walk with him, he must have become so by keeping his commandments, and so of every righteous person, whether it was Noah, a preacher of righteousness; Abraham, the father of the faithful; Jacob, the prevailer with God; Moses, the man who wrote of Christ, and brought forth the law by commandment, as a school master to bring men to Christ; or whether it was Jesus Christ himself, who had no need of repentance, having done no sin; according to his solemn declaration to John:--now let me be baptised: for no man can enter the kingdom without obeying this ordinance: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness [see Joseph Smith Translation, Matthew 3:43]. Surely, then, if it became John and Jesus Christ, the Saviour, to fulfil all righteousness to be baptised--so surely, then, it will become every other person that seeks the kingdom of heaven to go and do likewise; for he is the door, and if any person climbs up any other way, the same is a thief and a robber! [See John 10:1-2.] "In the former ages of the world, before the Saviour came in the flesh, 'the saints' were baptised in the name of Jesus Christ to come, because there never was any other name whereby men could be saved; and after he came in the flesh and was crucified, then the saints were baptised in the name of Jesus Christ, crucified, risen from the dead and ascended into heaven, that they might be buried in baptism like him, and be raised in glory like him, that as there was but one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and father of us all [see Ephesians 4:5-6], even so there was but one door to the mansions of bliss."7 Children who die before the age of accountability do not need to be baptized; they are redeemed by the Atonement of Jesus Christ. "Baptism is for remission of sins. Children have no sins. Jesus blessed them and said, 'Do what you have seen me do.' Children are all made alive in Christ, and those of riper years through faith and repentance."8 "The doctrine of baptizing children, or sprinkling them, or they must welter in hell, is a doctrine not true, not supported in Holy Writ, and is not consistent with the character of God. All children are redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ, and the moment that children leave this world, they are taken to the bosom of Abraham."9 The Prophet Joseph Smith described the following as part of a vision he received on January 21, 1836, later recorded in Doctrine and Covenants 137:1, 10: "The heavens were opened upon us, and I beheld the celestial kingdom of God, and the glory thereof. . . . I also beheld that all children who die before they arrive at the years of accountability are saved in the celestial kingdom of heaven."10 After baptism by water, we receive the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands. "The gospel requires baptism by immersion for the remission of sins, which is the meaning of the word in the original language--namely, to bury or immerse. . . . I further believe in the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands, [as evidenced] by Peter's preaching on the day of Pentecost, Acts 2:38. You might as well baptize a bag of sand as a man, if not done in view of the remission of sins and getting of the Holy Ghost. Baptism by water is but half a baptism, and is good for nothing without the other half--that is, the baptism of the Holy Ghost. The Savior says, 'Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.' [John 3:5.]"11 Daniel Tyler recalled an address the Prophet gave in Springfield, Pennsylvania, in 1833: "During his short stay he preached at my father's residence, a humble log cabin. He read the 3rd chapter of John. . . . Explaining the 5th verse, he said, 'To be born of water and of the Spirit' meant to be immersed in water for the remission of sins and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost thereafter. This was given by the laying on of the hands of one having authority given him of God."12 "Being born again, comes by the Spirit of God through ordinances."13 "Baptism is a holy ordinance preparatory to the reception of the Holy Ghost; it is the channel and key by which the Holy Ghost will be administered. The Gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands, cannot be received through the medium of any other principle than the principle of righteousness."14 "What if we should attempt to get the gift of the Holy Ghost through any other means except the signs or way which God hath appointed--would we obtain it? Certainly not; all other means would fail. The Lord says do so and so, and I will bless you. "There are certain key words and signs belonging to the Priesthood which must be observed in order to obtain the blessing. The sign [taught by] Peter was to repent and be baptized for the remission of sins, with the promise of the gift of the Holy Ghost; and in no other way is the gift of the Holy Ghost obtained [see Acts 2:38]. "There is a difference between the Holy Ghost and the gift of the Holy Ghost. Cornelius received the Holy Ghost before he was baptized, which was the convincing power of God unto him of the truth of the Gospel, but he could not receive the gift of the Holy Ghost until after he was baptized. Had he not taken this sign or ordinance upon him, the Holy Ghost which convinced him of the truth of God, would have left him. [See Acts 10:1-48.] Until he obeyed these ordinances and received the gift of the Holy Ghost, by the laying on of hands, according to the order of God, he could not have healed the sick or commanded an evil spirit to come out of a man, and it obey him; for the spirits might say unto him, as they did to the sons of Sceva: 'Paul we know and Jesus we know, but who are ye?' [See Acts 19:13-15.]"15 In December 1839, while they were in Washington, D.C., to seek redress for the wrongs done to the Missouri Saints, Joseph Smith and Elias Higbee wrote the following to Hyrum Smith: "In our interview with the President [of the United States], he interrogated us wherein we differed in our religion from the other religions of the day. Brother Joseph said we differed in mode of baptism, and the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands. We considered that all other considerations were contained in the gift of the Holy Ghost."16 The gift of the Holy Ghost brings peace, joy, divine guidance, and other gifts into our lives. "We believe in the gift of the Holy Ghost being enjoyed now, as much as it was in the Apostles' days; we believe that it [the gift of the Holy Ghost] is necessary to make and to organize the Priesthood, that no man can be called to fill any office in the ministry without it; we also believe in prophecy, in tongues, in visions, and in revelations, in gifts, and in healings; and that these things cannot be enjoyed without the gift of the Holy Ghost. We believe that the holy men of old spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost, and that holy men in these days speak by the same principle; we believe in its being a comforter and a witness bearer, that it brings things past to our remembrance, leads us into all truth, and shows us of things to come; we believe that 'no man can know that Jesus is the Christ, but by the Holy Ghost.' [See 1 Corinthians 12:3.] We believe in it [this gift of the Holy Ghost] in all its fullness, and power, and greatness, and glory."17 In February 1847, nearly three years after the Prophet Joseph Smith was martyred, he appeared to President Brigham Young and gave him this message: "Tell the people to be humble and faithful and sure to keep the Spirit of the Lord and it will lead them right. Be careful and not turn away the small still voice; it will teach [you what] to do and where to go; it will yield the fruits of the kingdom. Tell the brethren to keep their hearts open to conviction so that when the Holy Ghost comes to them, their hearts will be ready to receive it. They can tell the Spirit of the Lord from all other spirits. It will whisper peace and joy to their souls, and it will take malice, hatred, envying, strife, and all evil from their hearts; and their whole desire will be to do good, bring forth righteousness, and build up the kingdom of God. Tell the brethren if they will follow the Spirit of the Lord they will go right."18 Suggestions for Study and Teaching Consider these ideas as you study the chapter or as you prepare to teach. For additional help, see pages vii-xii. -- Review pages 89-90, in which the Prophet Joseph Smith expressed the feelings he had when he and Oliver Cowdery were baptized and when his father was baptized. What memories do you have of your baptism or the baptisms of family members and friends? Consider recording these memories in your journal or life history. -- The statements on pages 91-94 are taken from messages Joseph Smith gave to people who had already been baptized. Why do you think baptized members of the Church need to be reminded of these truths? What new insights have you gained as you have studied these teachings? -- What might you say to a friend who believes that baptism is not necessary? What might you say to a friend who believes that infants need to be baptized? (For some examples, see pages 94-95.) -- Read the second complete paragraph on page 95. Why is baptism "good for nothing" without the gift of the Holy Ghost? Joseph Smith said, "There is a difference between the Holy Ghost and the gift of the Holy Ghost" (page 97). From your experience, what are some of the blessings that can come into our lives when we have the gift of the Holy Ghost? -- Review the second paragraph on page 97. Why is the mode of baptism a significant difference between the restored Church and other churches? Why is the gift of the Holy Ghost a significant difference? In what ways are "all other considerations . . . contained in the gift of the Holy Ghost"? -- Study the last paragraph in the chapter (page 98). Think about how you can live to be worthy to receive and recognize the promptings of the Holy Ghost. Related Scriptures: John 15:26; Romans 6:3-6; 2 Nephi 31:13; 3 Nephi 11:18-41; Moroni 8:1-23 Notes 1. History of the Church, 1:44; from "History of the Church" (manuscript), book A-1, p. 19, Church Archives, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah. 2. History of the Church, 1:51; from "History of the Church" (manuscript), book A-1, p. 23, Church Archives. 3. Lucy Mack Smith, "The History of Lucy Smith, Mother of the Prophet," 1844-45 manuscript, book 9, p. 12, Church Archives. 4. History of the Church, 6:316; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on Apr. 7, 1844, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Wilford Woodruff, Willard Richards, Thomas Bullock, and William Clayton. 5. History of the Church, 4:554-55; paragraph divisions altered; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on Mar. 20, 1842, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Wilford Woodruff; see also appendix, page 562, item 3. 6. "Baptism," an editorial published in Times and Seasons, Sept. 1, 1842, pp. 903-5; punctuation modernized; paragraph divisions altered; italics deleted; Joseph Smith was the editor of the periodical. 7. "Baptism," an editorial published in Times and Seasons, Sept. 1, 1842, pp. 904-5; punctuation modernized; italics deleted; Joseph Smith was the editor of the periodical. 8. History of the Church, 5:499; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on July 9, 1843, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Willard Richards; see also appendix, page 562, item 3. 9. History of the Church, 4:554; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on Mar. 20, 1842, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Wilford Woodruff; see also appendix, page 562, item 3. 10. Doctrine and Covenants 137:1, 10; vision given to Joseph Smith on Jan. 21, 1836, in the temple in Kirtland, Ohio. 11. History of the Church, 5:499; punctuation modernized; paragraph divisions altered; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on July 9, 1843, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Willard Richards; see also appendix, page 562, item 3. 12. Daniel Tyler, "Recollections of the Prophet Joseph Smith," Juvenile Instructor, Feb. 1, 1892, pp. 93-94; spelling and punctuation modernized; paragraph divisions altered. 13. History of the Church, 3:392; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith about July 1839 in Commerce, Illinois; reported by Willard Richards. 14. History of the Church, 3:379; paragraph divisions altered; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on June 27, 1839, in Commerce, Illinois; reported by Willard Richards. 15. History of the Church, 4:555; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on Mar. 20, 1842, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Wilford Woodruff. 16. History of the Church, 4:42; from a letter from Joseph Smith and Elias Higbee to Hyrum Smith and other Church leaders, Dec. 5, 1839, Washington, D.C.; the president of the United States at the time was Martin Van Buren. 17. History of the Church, 5:27; first and third sets of bracketed words in original; from "Gift of the Holy Ghost," an editorial published in Times and Seasons, June 15, 1842, p. 823; Joseph Smith was the editor of the periodical. 18. Quoted by Brigham Young, in Brigham Young, Office Files, Brigham Young, Vision, Feb. 17, 1847, Church Archives. The Prophet's father, Joseph Smith Sr., was baptized on April 6, 1830. As his father came out of the water, the Prophet "covered his face in his father's bosom and wept aloud for joy." Alma baptizing in the waters of Mormon. Joseph Smith taught, "Before the Saviour came in the flesh, 'the saints' were baptised in the name of Jesus Christ to come, because there never was any other name whereby men could be saved." The Holy Ghost is "given by the laying on of the hands of one having authority given him of God." ;;;Chapter 8 The Everlasting Priesthood "The Melchizedek Priesthood . . . is the channel through which all knowledge, doctrine, the plan of salvation, and every important matter is revealed from heaven." From the Life of Joseph Smith After they received the Aaronic Priesthood and the ordinance of baptism, Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery experienced blessings they had never known before. The Prophet recorded: "Our minds being now enlightened, we began to have the scriptures laid open to our understandings, and the true meaning and intention of their more mysterious passages revealed unto us in a manner which we never could attain to previously, nor ever before had thought of" (Joseph Smith--History 1:74). With this additional insight, they pressed forward in their work of translating the Book of Mormon. But the Prophet had not yet received an important blessing--one that was necessary before he could organize the Church, establish priesthood offices and quorums, and confer the gift of the Holy Ghost. He had to receive the Melchizedek Priesthood. As promised by John the Baptist, this blessing was given to Joseph and Oliver shortly after they received the Aaronic Priesthood. The ancient Apostles Peter, James, and John appeared to them in a secluded location near the Susquehanna River and conferred the Melchizedek Priesthood upon them. Joseph later declared that he heard "the voice of Peter, James, and John in the wilderness between Harmony, Susquehanna county, and Colesville, Broome county, on the Susquehanna river, declaring themselves as possessing the keys of the kingdom, and of the dispensation of the fulness of times!" (D&C 128:20). In the years that followed, Joseph Smith was visited by many other priesthood holders from ancient times. These messengers from God came to restore the priesthood keys necessary to make the full blessings of the gospel available to God's children. They also came to tutor the prophet who would stand at the head of the dispensation of the fulness of times. President John Taylor, the third President of the Church, explained: "Moses, Elijah, Elias and many of the leading characters mentioned in the Scriptures, who had operated in the various dispensations, came and conferred upon Joseph the various keys, powers, rights, privileges and [permissions] which they enjoyed in their times. . . . Whatever of knowledge, of intelligence, of Priesthood, of powers, of revelations were conferred upon those men in the different ages, were again restored to the earth by the ministration and through the medium of those who held the holy Priesthood of God in the different dispensations in which they lived."1 President Taylor also declared: "If you were to ask Joseph what sort of a looking man Adam was, he would tell you at once; he would tell you his size and appearance and all about him. You might have asked him what sort of men Peter, James and John were, and he could have told you. Why? Because he had seen them."2 In September 1842, the Prophet wrote a letter to the Church expressing his joy as he contemplated the knowledge and priesthood keys now restored to the earth: "And again, what do we hear? Glad tidings from Cumorah! Moroni, an angel from heaven, declaring the fulfilment of the prophets--the book to be revealed. . . . And the voice of Michael, the archangel; the voice of Gabriel, and of Raphael, and of divers angels, from Michael or Adam down to the present time, all declaring their dispensation, their rights, their keys, their honors, their majesty and glory, and the power of their priesthood; giving line upon line, precept upon precept; here a little, and there a little; giving us consolation by holding forth that which is to come, confirming our hope!" (D&C 128:20-21). Teachings of Joseph Smith The priesthood is everlasting and has been held by prophets in every dispensation. "There has been a chain of authority and power from Adam down to the present time."3 "The Priesthood was first given to Adam; he obtained the First Presidency, and held the keys of it from generation to generation. He obtained it in the Creation, before the world was formed, as in Gen. 1:26, 27, 28. He had dominion given him over every living creature. He is Michael the Archangel, spoken of in the Scriptures. Then to Noah, who is Gabriel; he stands next in authority to Adam in the Priesthood; he was called of God to this office, and was the father of all living in his day, and to him was given the dominion. These men held keys first on earth, and then in heaven. "The Priesthood is an everlasting principle, and existed with God from eternity, and will to eternity, without beginning of days or end of years [see Joseph Smith Translation, Hebrews 7:3]. The keys have to be brought from heaven whenever the Gospel is sent. When they are revealed from heaven, it is by Adam's authority. "Daniel in his seventh chapter speaks of the Ancient of Days; he means the oldest man, our Father Adam, Michael; he will call his children together and hold a council with them to prepare them for the coming of the Son of Man [see Daniel 7:9-14]. He (Adam) is the father of the human family, and presides over the spirits of all men, and all that have had the keys must stand before him in this grand council. . . . The Son of Man stands before him, and there is given him glory and dominion. Adam delivers up his stewardship to Christ, that which was delivered to him as holding the keys of the universe, but retains his standing as head of the human family. ". . . The Father called all spirits before Him at the creation of man, and organized them. He (Adam) is the head, and was told to multiply. The keys were first given to him, and by him to others. He will have to give an account of his stewardship, and they to him. "The Priesthood is everlasting. The Savior, Moses, and Elias [Elijah], gave the keys to Peter, James, and John, on the mount, when they were transfigured before him. The Priesthood is everlasting--without beginning of days or end of years; without father, mother, etc. If there is no change of ordinances, there is no change of Priesthood. Wherever the ordinances of the Gospel are administered, there is the Priesthood. "How have we come at the Priesthood in the last days? It came down, down, in regular succession. Peter, James, and John had it given to them and they gave it to others. Christ is the Great High Priest; Adam next. Paul speaks of the Church coming to an innumerable company of angels--to God the Judge of all--the spirits of just men made perfect; to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant [see Hebrews 12:22-24]."4 Prophets who held priesthood keys in ancient times have joined in bringing about the work of the last dispensation. "I saw Adam in the valley of Adam-ondi-Ahman. He called together his children and blessed them with a patriarchal blessing. The Lord appeared in their midst, and he (Adam) blessed them all, and foretold what should befall them to the latest generation. "This is why Adam blessed his posterity; he wanted to bring them into the presence of God. They looked for a city, etc., ['whose builder and maker is God'--Heb. 11:10]. Moses sought to bring the children of Israel into the presence of God, through the power of the Priesthood, but he could not. In the first ages of the world they tried to establish the same thing; and there were Eliases raised up who tried to restore these very glories, but did not obtain them; but they prophesied of a day when this glory would be revealed. Paul spoke of the dispensation of the fullness of times, when God would gather together all things in one, etc. [see Ephesians 1:10]; and those men to whom these keys have been given, will have to be there; and they without us cannot be made perfect. "These men are in heaven, but their children are on the earth. Their bowels yearn over us. God sends down men for this reason. 'And the Son of Man shall send forth His angels, and they shall gather out of His kingdom all things that give offense and them that do iniquity.' [Matthew 13:41.] All these authoritative characters will come down and join hand in hand in bringing about this work. "The Kingdom of Heaven is like a grain of mustard seed. The mustard seed is small, but brings forth a large tree, and the fowls lodge in the branches. [See Mark 4:30-32.] The fowls are the angels. Thus angels come down, combine together to gather their children, and gather them. We cannot be made perfect without them, nor they without us; when these things are done, the Son of Man will descend, the Ancient of Days sit; we may come to an innumerable company of angels, have communion with and receive instructions from them."5 The priesthood ordinances have been established from the beginning and must be kept in the way God has appointed. "Adam . . . was the first man, who is spoken of in Daniel as being the 'Ancient of Days' [Daniel 7:9], or in other words, the first and oldest of all, the great, grand progenitor of whom it is said in another place he is Michael, because he was the first and father of all, not only by progeny, but the first to hold the spiritual blessings, to whom was made known the plan of ordinances for the salvation of his posterity unto the end, and to whom Christ was first revealed, and through whom Christ has been revealed from heaven, and will continue to be revealed from henceforth. Adam holds the keys of the dispensation of the fullness of times; i.e., the dispensation of all the times have been and will be revealed through him from the beginning to Christ, and from Christ to the end of all the dispensations that are to be revealed. . . . ". . . [God] set the ordinances to be the same forever and ever, and set Adam to watch over them, to reveal them from heaven to man, or to send angels to reveal them. 'Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?' [Hebrews 1:14.] "These angels are under the direction of Michael or Adam, who acts under the direction of the Lord. From the above quotation we learn that Paul perfectly understood the purposes of God in relation to His connection with man, and that glorious and perfect order which He established in Himself, whereby He sent forth power, revelations, and glory. "God will not acknowledge that which He has not called, ordained, and chosen. In the beginning God called Adam by His own voice. 'And the Lord called unto Adam and said unto him, Where art thou? And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked, and hid myself.' [Genesis 3:9-10.] Adam received commandments and instructions from God: this was the order from the beginning. "That he received revelations, commandments and ordinances at the beginning is beyond the power of controversy; else how did they begin to offer sacrifices to God in an acceptable manner? And if they offered sacrifices they must be authorized by ordination. We read in Genesis [4:4] that Abel brought of the firstlings of the flock and the fat thereof, and the Lord had respect to Abel and to his offering. . . . "This, then, is the nature of the Priesthood; every man holding the Presidency of his dispensation, and one man holding the Presidency of them all, even Adam; and Adam receiving his Presidency and authority from the Lord, but cannot receive a fullness until Christ shall present the Kingdom to the Father, which shall be at the end of the last dispensation. "The power, glory and blessings of the Priesthood could not continue with those who received ordination only as their righteousness continued; for Cain also being authorized to offer sacrifice, but not offering it in righteousness, was cursed. It signifies, then, that the ordinances must be kept in the very way God has appointed; otherwise their Priesthood will prove a cursing instead of a blessing."6 The Melchizedek Priesthood is the channel through which God reveals Himself and His purposes. "There are two Priesthoods spoken of in the Scriptures, viz., the Melchizedek and the Aaronic or Levitical. Although there are two Priesthoods, yet the Melchizedek Priesthood comprehends the Aaronic or Levitical Priesthood, and is the grand head, and holds the highest authority which pertains to the Priesthood, and the keys of the Kingdom of God in all ages of the world to the latest posterity on the earth, and is the channel through which all knowledge, doctrine, the plan of salvation, and every important matter is revealed from heaven. "Its institution was prior to 'the foundation of this earth, or the morning stars sang together, or the Sons of God shouted for joy' [see Job 38:4-7], and is the highest and holiest Priesthood, and is after the order of the Son of God, and all other Priesthoods are only parts, ramifications, powers and blessings belonging to the same, and are held, controlled, and directed by it. It is the channel through which the Almighty commenced revealing His glory at the beginning of the creation of this earth, and through which He has continued to reveal Himself to the children of men to the present time, and through which He will make known His purposes to the end of time."7 "The power of the Melchizedek Priesthood is to have the power of 'endless lives;' for the everlasting covenant cannot be broken. . . . What was the power of Melchizedek? 'Twas not the Priesthood of Aaron which administers in outward ordinances, and the offering of sacrifices. Those holding the fullness of the Melchizedek Priesthood are kings and priests of the Most High God, holding the keys of power and blessings. In fact, that priesthood is a perfect law of theocracy, and stands as God to give laws to the people, administering endless lives to the sons and daughters of Adam. . . . " 'Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like unto the Son of God, abideth a priest continually.' [Hebrews 7:3.] The Melchizedek Priesthood holds the right from the eternal God, and not by descent from father and mother; and that priesthood is as eternal as God Himself, having neither beginning of days nor end of life. . . . ". . . The Levitical [Aaronic] Priesthood, consisting of priests to administer in outward ordinance, [is] made without an oath; but the Priesthood of Melchizedek is by an oath and covenant."8 "The Melchizedek High Priesthood [is] no other than the Priesthood of the Son of God; . . . there are certain ordinances which belong to the Priesthood, from which flow certain results. . . . One great privilege of the Priesthood is to obtain revelations of the mind and will of God. It is also the privilege of the Melchizedek Priesthood to reprove, rebuke, and admonish, as well as to receive revelation."9 "All priesthood is Melchizedek; but there are different portions or degrees of it. . . . All the prophets had the Melchizedek Priesthood."10 "I advise all to go on to perfection, and search deeper and deeper into the mysteries of Godliness. A man can do nothing for himself unless God direct him in the right way; and the priesthood is for that purpose."11 A man must be authorized of God and ordained to the priesthood to administer in the ordinances of salvation. Articles of Faith 1:5: "We believe that a man must be called of God, by prophecy, and by the laying on of hands by those who are in authority, to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof."12 "We believe that no man can administer salvation through the gospel, to the souls of men, in the name of Jesus Christ, except he is authorized from God, by revelation, or by being ordained by some one whom God hath sent by revelation, as it is written by Paul, Romans 10:14, 'And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? and how shall they preach, except they be sent?' And I will ask, how can they be sent without a revelation, or some other visible display of the manifestation of God? And again, Hebrews 5:4, 'And no man taketh this honor unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.'--And I would ask, how was Aaron called, but by revelation?"13 "The angel told good old Cornelius that he must send for Peter to learn how to be saved [see Acts 10:21-22]: Peter could baptise, and angels could not, so long as there were legal officers in the flesh holding the keys of the kingdom, or the authority of the priesthood. There is one evidence still further on this point, and that is that Jesus himself when he appeared to Paul on his way to Damascus, did not inform him how he could be saved. He had set in the church firstly Apostles, and secondly prophets, for the work of the ministry, perfecting of the saints, etc. [see Ephesians 4:11-12]; and as the grand rule of heaven was that nothing should ever be done on earth without revealing the secret to his servants the prophets, agreeable to Amos 3:7, so Paul could not learn so much from the Lord relative to his duty in the common salvation of man, as he could from one of Christ's ambassadors called with the same heavenly calling of the Lord, and endowed with the same power from on high--so that what they loosed on earth, should be loosed in heaven; and what they bound on earth should be bound in heaven [see Matthew 16:19]."14 It is a great privilege to magnify any office of the priesthood. "[The] Priesthood . . . may be illustrated by the figure of the human body, which has different members, which have different offices to perform; all are necessary in their place, and the body is not complete without all the members. . . . If a Priest understands his duty, his calling, and ministry, and preaches by the Holy Ghost, his enjoyment is as great as if he were one of the Presidency; and his services are necessary in the body, as are also those of Teachers and Deacons."15 Eliza R. Snow reported: "[Joseph Smith gave] instructions respecting the different offices, and the necessity of every individual acting in the sphere allotted him or her, and filling the several offices to which they are appointed. He spoke of the disposition of many men to consider the lower offices in the Church dishonorable, and to look with jealous eyes upon the standing of others who are called to preside over them; that it was the folly and nonsense of the human heart for a person to be aspiring to other stations than those to which they are appointed of God for them to occupy; that it was better for individuals to magnify their respective callings. . . . Everyone should aspire only to magnify his own office and calling."16 Suggestions for Study and Teaching Consider these ideas as you study the chapter or as you prepare to teach. For additional help, see pages vii-xii. -- Review the account of Peter, James, and John conferring the Melchizedek Priesthood on Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery (page 101). What blessings have you and your family received because the Melchizedek Priesthood has been restored? -- Throughout this chapter, Joseph Smith testifies of a chain of priesthood authority through a succession of prophets. Why do you think this doctrine was important for him to teach in his day? Why do we need to understand this doctrine today? How does the chain of authority that Joseph Smith describes relate to a man's priesthood line of authority? -- As you read this chapter, note the Prophet Joseph Smith's use of the words everlasting, eternal, and eternity. What do these terms tell you about the nature and importance of the priesthood? -- Joseph Smith taught that God "set the ordinances to be the same forever and ever" and that "the ordinances must be kept in the very way God has appointed" (pages 107-8). How do these teachings increase your understanding of the ordinances of the gospel? -- Review the Prophet Joseph Smith's teachings about the Melchizedek Priesthood (pages 108-9). Think about how the Melchizedek Priesthood is necessary in all aspects of the gospel. What are your thoughts and feelings as you contemplate the Melchizedek Priesthood in this way? -- Review the final two paragraphs in the chapter (pages 111-12). How have you seen that each member of the Church plays an important part in the Lord's work? What can result if we "look with jealous eyes" at those who are called to serve as leaders in the Church? Think about what you can do to magnify your own calling. Related Scriptures: Alma 13:1-12; D&C 27:5-14; 84:33-44, 109-10; 107:6-20; 121:34-46 Notes 1. John Taylor, Deseret News: Semi-Weekly, Apr. 18, 1882, p. 1; paragraph divisions altered. 2. John Taylor, Deseret News: Semi-Weekly, Mar. 20, 1877, p. 1. 3. History of the Church, 4:425; from the minutes of a Church conference held on Oct. 3, 1841, in Nauvoo, Illinois, published in Times and Seasons, Oct. 15, 1841, p. 577. 4. History of the Church, 3:385-88; punctuation modernized; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith about July 1839 in Commerce, Illinois; reported by Willard Richards. 5. History of the Church, 3:388-89; first set of bracketed words in second paragraph in original; punctuation modernized; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith about July 1839 in Commerce, Illinois; reported by Willard Richards. 6. History of the Church, 4:207-9; punctuation modernized; from a discourse prepared by Joseph Smith and read at a Church conference held on Oct. 5, 1840, in Nauvoo, Illinois. 7. History of the Church, 4:207; spelling and punctuation modernized; from a discourse prepared by Joseph Smith and read at a Church conference held on Oct. 5, 1840, in Nauvoo, Illinois. 8. History of the Church, 5:554-55; capitalization modernized; paragraph divisions altered; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on Aug. 27, 1843, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Willard Richards and William Clayton; see also appendix, page 562, item 3. 9. History of the Church, 2:477; punctuation modernized; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on Apr. 6, 1837, in Kirtland, Ohio; reported by Messenger and Advocate, Apr. 1837, p. 487. 10. Quoted by William Clayton, reporting a discourse given by Joseph Smith on Jan. 5, 1841, in Nauvoo, Illinois; in L. John Nuttall, "Extracts from William Clayton's Private Book," p. 5, Journals of L. John Nuttall, 1857-1904, L. Tom Perry Special Collections, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah; copy in Church Archives, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah. 11. History of the Church, 6:363; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on May 12, 1844, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Thomas Bullock. 12. Articles of Faith 1:5. 13. Letter from Joseph Smith to Isaac Galland, Mar. 22, 1839, Liberty Jail, Liberty, Missouri, published in Times and Seasons, Feb. 1840, p. 54; punctuation and capitalization modernized. 14. "Baptism," an editorial published in Times and Seasons, Sept. 1, 1842, p. 905; grammar modernized; Joseph Smith was the editor of the periodical. 15. History of the Church, 2:478; paragraph divisions altered; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on Apr. 6, 1837, in Kirtland, Ohio; reported by Messenger and Advocate, Apr. 1837, p. 487. 16. History of the Church, 4:603, 606; paragraph divisions altered; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on Apr. 28, 1842, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Eliza R. Snow; see also appendix, page 562, item 3. The ancient Apostles Peter, James, and John conferred the Melchizedek Priesthood on Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery. "The keys [of the priesthood]," the Prophet declared, "have to be brought from heaven whenever the Gospel is sent." "I saw Adam in the valley of Adam-ondi-Ahman. He called together his children and blessed them with a patriarchal blessing. The Lord appeared in their midst." "We believe that a man must be called of God, by prophecy, and by the laying on of hands by those who are in authority, to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof." ;;;Chapter 9 Gifts of the Spirit "If you will obey the Gospel with honest hearts, I promise you in the name of the Lord, that the gifts as promised by our Saviour will follow you." From the Life of Joseph Smith The title page of the Book of Mormon explains how this remarkable book of scripture would be made available to the world. In ancient times, the gold plates were "written and sealed up, and hid up unto the Lord, that they might not be destroyed." In the latter days, they were "to come forth by the gift and power of God" and be interpreted "by the gift of God." In fulfillment of these prophecies, God chose Joseph Smith to translate the sacred records. Clearly, Joseph's ability to translate the ancient characters did not come through education: he had only a grammar school knowledge of reading, writing, and arithmetic. His ability to translate records written centuries before in a language of which he had no knowledge came as a gift from God Himself. Emma Smith, an early scribe in her husband's work, testified of this divine gift: "No man could have dictated the writing of the manuscripts unless he was inspired; for, when [I was] acting as his scribe, [Joseph] would dictate to me hour after hour; and when returning after meals, or after interruptions, he would at once begin where he had left off, without either seeing the manuscript or having any portion of it read to him."1 The Lord gave the Prophet vital temporal help that allowed him to go forward with the work of translation. Joseph Knight Sr., a friend of the Prophet, gave Joseph money and food on several occasions. At a particularly desperate time, Brother Knight traveled to the Prophet's home to give Joseph and Oliver "a barrel of mackerel and some lined paper for writing," along with "nine or ten bushels of grain and five or six bushels of taters [potatoes]." Brother Knight recalled, "Joseph and Oliver . . . returned home and found me there with provisions, and they were glad, for they were out."2 During April and May 1829, persecution increasingly interrupted the Prophet's work of translating at his home in Harmony, Pennsylvania. Oliver Cowdery wrote to a friend, David Whitmer, telling him about the sacred work and asking him to allow the work to continue in the Whitmer home in Fayette, New York. In late May or early June 1829, the Prophet and Oliver traveled with David Whitmer in his one-horse wagon to the farm home of David's father, Peter Whitmer Sr. During the month of June, in an upstairs room of the Whitmer home, the translation was completed by the gift and power of God. Oliver Cowdery described the marvelous experience of serving as the Prophet's scribe: "These were days never to be forgotten--to sit under the sound of a voice dictated by the inspiration of heaven, awakened the utmost gratitude of this bosom! Day after day I continued, uninterrupted, to write from his mouth, as he translated with the Urim and Thummim . . . the history or record called 'The Book of Mormon.' "3 During this time, Joseph Smith learned that the divine gift was with him only when he was worthy to be guided by the Spirit. David Whitmer recounted: "One morning when [Joseph Smith] was getting ready to continue the translation, something went wrong about the house and he was put out about it. Something that Emma, his wife, had done. Oliver and I went up stairs, and Joseph came up soon after to continue the translation, but he could not do anything. He could not translate a single syllable. He went down stairs, out into the orchard and made supplication to the Lord; was gone about an hour--came back to the house, asked Emma's forgiveness and then came up stairs where we were and the translation went on all right. He could do nothing save he was humble and faithful."4 Humbly and faithfully using the gift God gave him, the young Prophet accomplished the seemingly impossible task of translating almost the entire Book of Mormon between early April and the end of June 1829. Teachings of Joseph Smith We are each given gifts of the Spirit; each person's gifts are necessary in the Church. Articles of Faith 1:7: "We believe in the gift of tongues, prophecy, revelation, visions, healing, interpretation of tongues, and so forth."5 "We . . . believe in prophecy, in tongues, in visions, and in revelations, in gifts, and in healings; and that these things cannot be enjoyed without the gift of the Holy Ghost."6 Amasa Potter recalled: "I remember the Prophet arising to preach to a large congregation in the grove west of the Temple in Nauvoo. He stated that he would preach on spiritual gifts. . . . Joseph stated that every Latter-day Saint had a gift, and by living a righteous life, and asking for it, the Holy Spirit would reveal it to him or her."7 "Paul says, 'To one is given the gift of tongues, to another the gift of prophecy, and to another the gift of healing;' and again: 'Do all prophesy? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?' evidently showing that all did not possess these several gifts; but that one received one gift, and another received another gift--all did not prophesy, all did not speak in tongues, all did not work miracles; but all did receive the gift of the Holy Ghost; sometimes they spake in tongues and prophesied in the Apostles' days, and sometimes they did not. . . . "The Church is a compact body composed of different members, and is strictly analogous to the human system, and Paul, after speaking of the different gifts, says, 'Now ye are the body of Christ and members in particular; and God hath set some in the Church, first Apostles, secondarily Prophets, thirdly Teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healing, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. Are all Teachers? Are all workers of miracles? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?' It is evident that they do not; yet are they all members of one body. All members of the natural body are not the eye, the ear, the head or the hand--yet the eye cannot say to the ear I have no need of thee, nor the head to the foot, I have no need of thee; they are all so many component parts in the perfect machine--the one body; and if one member suffer, the whole of the members suffer with it: and if one member rejoice, all the rest are honored with it. [See 1 Corinthians 12:9-10, 18-21, 26-30.] "These, then, are all gifts; they come from God; they are of God; they are all the gifts of the Holy Ghost."8 We receive gifts of the Spirit through obedience and faith. "Because faith is wanting, the fruits are. No man since the world was had faith without having something along with it. The ancients quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, women received their dead, etc. By faith the worlds were made. [See Hebrews 11:3, 34-35.] A man who has none of the gifts has no faith; and he deceives himself, if he supposes he has. Faith has been wanting, not only among the heathen, but in professed Christendom also, so that tongues, healings, prophecy, and prophets and apostles, and all the gifts and blessings have been wanting."9 "This winter [1832-33] was spent in translating the Scriptures; in the School of the Prophets; and sitting in conferences. I had many glorious seasons of refreshing. The gifts which follow them that believe and obey the Gospel, as tokens that the Lord is ever the same in His dealings with the humble lovers and followers of truth, began to be poured out among us, as in ancient days."10 Edward Stevenson was present when Joseph Smith preached in Pontiac, Michigan, in 1834. He recalled these words of the Prophet: "If you will obey the Gospel with honest hearts, I promise you in the name of the Lord, that the gifts as promised by our Saviour will follow you, and by this you may prove me to be a true servant of God."11 Gifts of the Spirit are usually received quietly and privately, without outward manifestations. "Various and conflicting are the opinions of men in regard to the gift of the Holy Ghost. Some people have been in the habit of calling every supernatural manifestation the effects of the Spirit of God, whilst there are others that think there is no manifestation connected with it at all; and that it is nothing but a mere impulse of the mind, or an inward feeling, impression, or secret testimony or evidence, which men possess, and that there is no such a thing as an outward manifestation. "It is not to be wondered at that men should be ignorant, in a great measure, of the principles of salvation, and more especially of the nature, office, power, influence, gifts, and blessings of the gift of the Holy Ghost; when we consider that the human family have been enveloped in gross darkness and ignorance for many centuries past, without revelation, or any just criterion [by which] to arrive at a knowledge of the things of God, which can only be known by the Spirit of God. Hence it not infrequently occurs, that when the Elders of this Church preach to the inhabitants of the world, that if they obey the Gospel they shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, that the people expect to see some wonderful manifestation, some great display of power, or some extraordinary miracle performed. . . . "The human family are very apt to run to extremes, especially in religious matters, and hence people in general either want some miraculous display, or they will not believe in the gift of the Holy Ghost at all. If an Elder lays his hands upon a person, it is thought by many that the person must immediately rise and speak in tongues and prophesy; this idea is gathered from the circumstance of Paul laying his hands upon certain individuals who had been previously (as they stated) baptized unto John's baptism; which when he had done, they 'spake in tongues and prophesied.' [See Acts 19:1-6.] . . . "We believe that the Holy Ghost is imparted by the laying on of hands of those in authority, and that the gift of tongues, and also the gift of prophecy are gifts of the Spirit, and are obtained through that medium; but then to say that men always prophesied and spoke in tongues when they had the imposition of hands, would be to state that which is untrue, contrary to the practice of the Apostles, and at variance with holy writ. . . . ". . . All the gifts of the Spirit are not visible to the natural vision, or understanding of man; indeed very few of them are. . . . Few of them could be known by the generality of men. Peter and John were Apostles, yet the Jewish court scourged them as impostors. Paul was both an Apostle and Prophet, yet they stoned him and put him into prison. The people knew nothing about it, although he had in his possession the gift of the Holy Ghost. Our Savior was 'anointed with the oil of gladness above his fellows' [Hebrews 1:9], yet so far from the people knowing Him, they said He was Beelzebub, and crucified Him as an impostor. Who could point out a Pastor, a Teacher, or an Evangelist by their appearance, yet had they the gift of the Holy Ghost? "But to come to the other members of the Church, and examine the gifts as spoken of by Paul, we shall find that the world can in general know nothing about them, and that there are but one or two that could be immediately known, if they were all poured out immediately upon the imposition of hands. In [1 Corinthians 12:4-11], Paul says, 'There are diversities of gifts yet the same spirit, and there are differences of administrations but the same Lord; and there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given unto every man to profit withal. For to one is given, by the Spirit, the word of wisdom; to another, the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; to another faith, by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing, by the same Spirit; to another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another the discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues. But all these worketh that one and the self same spirit, dividing to each man severally as he will.' "There are several gifts mentioned here, yet which of them all could be known by an observer at the imposition of hands? The word of wisdom, and the word of knowledge, are as much gifts as any other, yet if a person possessed both of these gifts, or received them by the imposition of hands, who would know it? Another might receive the gift of faith, and they would be as ignorant of it. Or suppose a man had the gift of healing or power to work miracles, that would not then be known; it would require time and circumstances to call these gifts into operation. Suppose a man had the discerning of spirits, who would be the wiser for it? Or if he had the interpretation of tongues, unless someone spoke in an unknown tongue, he of course would have to be silent; there are only two gifts that could be made visible--the gift of tongues and the gift of prophecy. These are things that are the most talked about, and yet if a person spoke in an unknown tongue, according to Paul's testimony, he would be a barbarian to those present [see 1 Corinthians 14:11]. They would say that it was gibberish; and if he prophesied they would call it nonsense. The gift of tongues is the smallest gift perhaps of the whole, and yet it is one that is the most sought after. "So that according to the testimony of Scripture and the manifestations of the Spirit in ancient days, very little could be known about it by the surrounding multitude, except on some extraordinary occasion, as on the day of Pentecost. The greatest, the best, and the most useful gifts would be known nothing about by an observer. . . . "The manifestations of the gift of the Holy Ghost, the ministering of angels, or the development of the power, majesty or glory of God were very seldom manifested publicly, and that generally to the people of God, as to the Israelites; but most generally when angels have come, or God has revealed Himself, it has been to individuals in private, in their chamber; in the wilderness or fields, and that generally without noise or tumult. The angel delivered Peter out of prison in the dead of night; came to Paul unobserved by the rest of the crew; appeared to Mary and Elizabeth without the knowledge of others; spoke to John the Baptist whilst the people around were ignorant of it. "When Elisha saw the chariots of Israel and the horsemen thereof, it was unknown to others. When the Lord appeared to Abraham it was at his tent door; when the angels went to Lot, no person knew them but himself, which was the case probably with Abraham and his wife; when the Lord appeared to Moses, it was in the burning bush, in the tabernacle, or in the mountain top; when Elijah was taken in a chariot of fire, it was unobserved by the world; and when he was in a cleft of a rock, there was loud thunder, but the Lord was not in the thunder; there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and then there was a still small voice, which was the voice of the Lord, saying, 'What doest thou here, Elijah?' [See 1 Kings 19:11-13.] "The Lord cannot always be known by the thunder of His voice, by the display of His glory or by the manifestation of His power; and those that are the most anxious to see these things, are the least prepared to meet them, and were the Lord to manifest His power as He did to the children of Israel, such characters would be the first to say, 'Let not the Lord speak any more, lest we His people die.' [See Exodus 20:19.]"12 Suggestions for Study and Teaching Consider these ideas as you study the chapter or as you prepare to teach. For additional help, see pages vii-xii. -- The Lord gave the Prophet Joseph Smith a gift to be able to translate the gold plates (pages 115-16). When has the Lord given you gifts to help you participate in His work? -- What can we learn from the story told by David Whitmer on page 116? What experiences in your own life have taught you that you must be worthy in order to use your spiritual gifts? -- Review the section that begins on page 117. In what ways does the Church benefit from having members with different gifts of the Spirit? How have you benefited from the spiritual gifts of others? When have you seen people with different gifts work together to help one another? -- Study the section on page 118. Think about some spiritual gifts that would strengthen you personally or help you serve the Lord and others. Determine what you will do to "seek . . . earnestly the best gifts" (D&C 46:8). -- Review the section that begins at the bottom of page 118. Think about or discuss the specific counsel you find about how spiritual gifts are manifested. Why is it important to remember that spiritual gifts are "very seldom manifested publicly"? (page 121). Why do you think that many spiritual gifts come quietly and privately? Why is it important to remember that many gifts require "time and circumstances to call [them] into operation"? (page 121). -- After reading this chapter, what would you say are some of the purposes of spiritual gifts? Related Scriptures: 1 Corinthians 12:1-31; 3 Nephi 29:6; Moroni 10:6-23; D&C 46:8-33 Notes 1. Emma Smith, interview by Joseph Smith III, Feb. 1879, Saints' Herald (periodical published by the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, now called Community of Christ), Oct. 1, 1879, p. 290. 2. Joseph Knight, Reminiscences, p. 6, Church Archives, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah. 3. Oliver Cowdery, quoted in Joseph Smith--History 1:71, footnote; from a letter from Oliver Cowdery to William W. Phelps, Sept. 7, 1834, Norton, Ohio, published in Messenger and Advocate, Oct. 1834, p. 14. 4. David Whitmer, interview by William H. Kelley and George A. Blakeslee, Sept. 15, 1881, Saints' Herald, Mar. 1, 1882, p. 68. 5. Articles of Faith 1:7. 6. History of the Church, 5:27; from "Gift of the Holy Ghost," an editorial published in Times and Seasons, June 15, 1842, p. 823; Joseph Smith was the editor of the periodical. 7. Amasa Potter, "A Reminiscence of the Prophet Joseph Smith," Juvenile Instructor, Feb. 15, 1894, p. 132. 8. History of the Church, 5:28-29; from "Gift of the Holy Ghost," an editorial published in Times and Seasons, June 15, 1842, pp. 823-24; Joseph Smith was the editor of the periodical. 9. History of the Church, 5:218; from instructions given by Joseph Smith on Jan. 2, 1843, in Springfield, Illinois; reported by Willard Richards. 10. History of the Church, 1:322; bracketed dates in original; from "History of the Church" (manuscript), book A-1, p. 270, Church Archives. 11. Quoted by Edward Stevenson, Reminiscences of Joseph, the Prophet, and the Coming Forth of the Book of Mormon (1893), p. 4. 12. History of the Church, 5:26-31; bracketed words in second paragraph in original; punctuation and grammar modernized; paragraph divisions altered; from "Gift of the Holy Ghost," an editorial published in Times and Seasons, June 15, 1842, pp. 823-25; Joseph Smith was the editor of the periodical. A portion of a page from the original manuscript of the Book of Mormon. The words shown are part of Lehi's account of his vision of the tree of life, as found in 1 Nephi 8:11-23. "The power, majesty or glory of God [are] very seldom manifested publicly. . . . When the Lord appeared to Abraham it was at his tent door [see Genesis 18:1]." ;;;Chapter 10 Prayer and Personal Revelation "It is the privilege of the children of God to come to God and get revelation." From the Life of Joseph Smith By June 1829, many important events in the unfolding restoration of the gospel had already occurred. The heavens had been opened at the time of the First Vision and God had again spoken to men on earth. The Prophet Joseph Smith had received the Book of Mormon plates and was translating their sacred message. The holy priesthood had been restored, and the ordinance of baptism had been made available to God's children. Each of these events had occurred in answer to prayer as the Prophet sought guidance from the Lord. As the work of translation drew to a close, the Prophet once again sought direction from the Lord. Because Moroni had instructed Joseph not to show the plates to anyone unless he was commanded to do so, Joseph had felt very much alone and heavily burdened with his responsibility as he translated the plates. However, he had discovered from the record itself that the Lord would provide three special witnesses who would testify to the world that the Book of Mormon was true (see 2 Nephi 11:3; Ether 5:2-4). "Almost immediately after we had made this discovery," Joseph Smith recalled, "it occurred to Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer and . . . Martin Harris (who had come to inquire after our progress in the work) that they would have me inquire of the Lord to know if they might not obtain of him the privilege to be these three special witnesses."1 The Prophet prayed for direction and received a revelation declaring that the three men would be permitted to see the plates, as well as the sword of Laban, the Urim and Thummim, and the Liahona (see D&C 17). A few days later, the Prophet and the three men went into the woods near the Whitmer home in Fayette, New York, and began to pray for this great privilege to be granted to them. Martin withdrew, feeling unworthy. The Prophet recorded what then occurred: "We . . . had not been many minutes engaged in prayer, when presently we beheld a light above us in the air, of exceeding brightness; and behold, an angel [Moroni] stood before us. In his hands he held the plates which we had been praying for these to have a view of. He turned over the leaves one by one, so that we could see them, and discern the engravings thereon distinctly."2 The men also heard the voice of God testifying of the truthfulness of the translation and commanding them to bear record of what they had seen and heard. Joseph then went to find Martin, who was praying elsewhere in the woods. They prayed together and saw the same vision and heard the same voice. Joseph Smith's mother, who was visiting the Prophet in Fayette at this time, recalled her son's joy and relief after this manifestation: "When Joseph came in [to the Whitmer home], he threw himself down beside me. 'Father! Mother!' said he, 'you do not know how happy I am. The Lord has caused the plates to be shown to three more besides me, who have also seen an angel and will have to testify to the truth of what I have said, for they know for themselves that I do not go about to deceive the people. And I do feel as though I was relieved of a dreadful burden which was almost too much for me to endure. But they will now have to bear a part, and it does rejoice my soul that I am not any longer to be entirely alone in the world.' "3 Throughout his life, Joseph Smith would turn to God in prayer to seek the help and guidance he needed. A Church member recalled hearing him pray in Kirtland, Ohio, at a time of great personal difficulty: "Never until then had I heard a man address his Maker as though He was present listening as a kind father would listen to the sorrows of a dutiful child. . . . There was no ostentation, no raising of the voice as by enthusiasm, but a plain conversational tone, as a man would address a present friend. It appeared to me as though, in case the veil were taken away, I could see the Lord standing facing His humblest of all servants I had ever seen."4 Teachings of Joseph Smith God will hear our prayers and speak to us today, just as He spoke to the ancient Saints. "Seeing that the Lord has never given the world to understand by anything heretofore revealed that he had ceased forever to speak to his creatures when sought unto in a proper manner, why should it be thought a thing incredible that he should be pleased to speak again in these last days for their salvation? "Perhaps you may be surprised at this assertion, that I should say for the salvation of his creatures in these last days, since we have already in our possession a vast volume of his word which he has previously given. But you will admit that the word spoken to Noah was not sufficient for Abraham, or it was not required of Abraham to leave the land of his nativity and seek an inheritance in a strange country upon the word spoken to Noah, but for himself he obtained promises at the hand of the Lord and walked in that perfection that he was called the friend of God. Isaac, the promised seed, was not required to rest his hope upon the promises made to his father, Abraham, but was privileged with the assurance of his approbation in the sight of heaven by the direct voice of the Lord to him. "If one man can live upon the revelations given to another, might not I with propriety ask, why the necessity, then, of the Lord speaking to Isaac as he did, as is recorded in the 26th chapter of Genesis? For the Lord there repeats, or rather promises again, to perform the oath which he had previously sworn unto Abraham. And why this repetition to Isaac? Why was not the first promise as sure for Isaac as it was for Abraham? Was not Isaac Abraham's son? And could he not place implicit confidence in the word of his father as being a man of God? Perhaps you may say that he was a very peculiar man and different from men in these last days; consequently, the Lord favored him with blessings peculiar and different, as he was different from men in this age. I admit that he was a peculiar man and was not only peculiarly blessed, but greatly blessed. But all the peculiarity that I can discover in the man, or all the difference between him and men in this age, is that he was more holy and more perfect before God and came to him with a purer heart and more faith than men in this day. "The same might be said on the subject of Jacob's history. Why was it that the Lord spake to him concerning the same promise after he had made it once to Abraham and renewed it to Isaac? Why could not Jacob rest contented upon the word spoken to his fathers? "When the time of the promise drew nigh for the deliverance of the children of Israel from the land of Egypt, why was it necessary that the Lord should begin to speak to them? The promise or word to Abraham was that his seed should serve in bondage and be afflicted four hundred years, and after that they should come out with great substance. Why did they not rely upon this promise and, when they had remained in Egypt in bondage four hundred years, come out without waiting for further revelation, but act entirely upon the promise given to Abraham that they should come out? . . . ". . . I may believe that Enoch walked with God. I may believe that Abraham communed with God and conversed with angels. I may believe that Isaac obtained a renewal of the covenant made to Abraham by the direct voice of the Lord. I may believe that Jacob conversed with holy angels and heard the word of his Maker, that he wrestled with the angel until he prevailed and obtained a blessing. I may believe that Elijah was taken to heaven in a chariot of fire with fiery horses. I may believe that the saints saw the Lord and conversed with him face to face after his resurrection. I may believe that the Hebrew church came to Mount Zion and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels. I may believe that they looked into eternity and saw the Judge of all, and Jesus, the Mediator of the new covenant. "But will all this purchase an assurance for me, or waft me to the regions of eternal day with my garments spotless, pure, and white? Or, must I not rather obtain for myself, by my own faith and diligence in keeping the commandments of the Lord, an assurance of salvation for myself? And have I not an equal privilege with the ancient saints? And will not the Lord hear my prayers and listen to my cries as soon as he ever did to theirs if I come to him in the manner they did?"5 We can make everything we undertake a subject of prayer. Sarah Granger Kimball reported: "In the School of the Prophets . . . , when Joseph Smith was giving instruction to the brethren, he told them to make everything they undertook a subject of prayer."6 "Seek to know God in your closets, call upon him in the fields. Follow the directions of the Book of Mormon, and pray over, and for your families, your cattle, your flocks, your herds, your corn, and all things that you possess [see Alma 34:18-27]; ask the blessing of God upon all your labors, and everything that you engage in."7 "Slack not your duties in your families, but call upon God for his blessings upon you, and your families, upon your flocks and herds, and all that pertains to you--that you may have peace and prosperity--and while you are doing this, 'pray for the peace of Zion, for they shall prosper that love her.' [See Psalm 122:6.]"8 A prayer the Prophet recorded in August 1842 shows his desire for wisdom from God: "O Thou, who seest and knowest the hearts of all men . . . , look down upon Thy servant Joseph at this time; and let faith on the name of Thy Son Jesus Christ, to a greater degree than Thy servant ever yet has enjoyed, be conferred upon him, even the faith of Elijah; and let the lamp of eternal life be lit up in his heart, never to be taken away; and let the words of eternal life be poured upon the soul of Thy servant, that he may know Thy will, Thy statutes, and Thy commandments, and Thy judgments, to do them. As the dews upon Mount Hermon, may the distillations of Thy divine grace, glory, and honor, in the plenitude of Thy mercy, and power, and goodness, be poured down upon the head of Thy servant."9 When we pray in faith and simplicity, we receive the blessings God sees fit to bestow upon us. "Supplicate at the throne of grace, that the Spirit of the Lord may always rest upon you. Remember that without asking we can receive nothing; therefore, ask in faith, and ye shall receive such blessings as God sees fit to bestow upon you. Pray not with covetous hearts that ye may consume it upon your lusts, but pray earnestly for the best gifts [see D&C 46:8-9]."10 "Virtue is one of the most prominent principles that enables us to have confidence in approaching our Father who is in heaven in order to ask wisdom at his hand. Therefore, if thou wilt cherish this principle in thine heart, thou mayest ask with all confidence before him and it shall be poured out upon thine head [see D&C 121:45-46]."11 "Let the prayers of the Saints to heaven appear, that they may enter into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth, for the effectual prayers of the righteous avail much [see James 5:16]."12 Henry W. Bigler recalled: "Speaking about praying to our Father in heaven, I once heard Joseph Smith remark, 'Be plain and simple and ask for what you want, just like you would go to a neighbor and say, I want to borrow your horse to go to [the] mill.' "13 We can receive personal revelation through the Holy Ghost. "It is the privilege of the children of God to come to God and get revelation. . . . God is not a respecter of persons; we all have the same privilege."14 "We believe that we have a right to revelations, visions, and dreams from God, our heavenly Father; and light and intelligence, through the gift of the Holy Ghost, in the name of Jesus Christ, on all subjects pertaining to our spiritual welfare; if it so be that we keep his commandments, so as to render ourselves worthy in his sight."15 "A person may profit by noticing the first intimation of the spirit of revelation; for instance, when you feel pure intelligence flowing into you, it may give you sudden strokes of ideas, so that by noticing it, you may find it fulfilled the same day or soon; (i.e.) those things that were presented unto your minds by the Spirit of God, will come to pass; and thus by learning the Spirit of God and understanding it, you may grow into the principle of revelation, until you become perfect in Christ Jesus."16 "I have an old edition of the New Testament in the Latin, Hebrew, German and Greek languages. . . . I thank God that I have got this old book; but I thank him more for the gift of the Holy Ghost. I have got the oldest book in the world; but I have got the oldest book in my heart, even the gift of the Holy Ghost. . . . The Holy Ghost . . . is within me, and comprehends more than all the world; and I will associate myself with him."17 "No man can receive the Holy Ghost without receiving revelations. The Holy Ghost is a revelator."18 John Taylor, while serving as President of the Quorum of the Twelve, reported: "I well remember a remark that Joseph Smith made to me upwards of forty years ago. Said he, 'Elder Taylor, you have been baptized, you have had hands laid upon your head for the reception of the Holy Ghost, and you have been ordained to the holy priesthood. Now, if you will continue to follow the leadings of that spirit, it will always lead you right. Sometimes it might be contrary to your judgment; never mind that, follow its dictates; and if you be true to its whisperings it will in time become in you a principle of revelation so that you will know all things.' "19 Suggestions for Study and Teaching Consider these ideas as you study the chapter or as you prepare to teach. For additional help, see pages vii-xii. -- Note the importance of prayer in the experience of Joseph Smith and the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon (pages 125-27). How has prayer influenced your own experiences with the Book of Mormon? What other aspects of your life are influenced by prayer? -- What are your thoughts as you read the paragraph at the bottom of page 127? As you ponder this statement, consider what you might do to improve the way you "address [your] Maker." -- Why can't we rely solely on revelations from the past? (For some examples, see pages 128-30.) Why do we need continuing, personal revelation? -- Review the section that begins on page 130. Identify the Prophet's teachings concerning when we should pray and what we should pray about. How might these teachings help you in your personal prayers? How might they help families with family prayer? -- Study the Prophet's teachings on pages 131-32 about how we should pray. What is the value of using "plain and simple" language when we pray? How does living righteously give us confidence in approaching our Heavenly Father in prayer? What has helped you gain a testimony that God hears and answers prayers? -- Read the third full paragraph on page 132. When have you profited from noticing "the first intimation" of the Spirit prompting you? How can we learn to immediately recognize the whisperings of the Spirit when they come? Related Scriptures: 1 Kings 19:11-12; James 1:5-6; Helaman 5:30; 3 Nephi 18:18-21; D&C 6:22-23; 8:2-3; 88:63-65 Notes 1. History of the Church, 1:52-53; from "History of the Church" (manuscript), book A-1, p. 23, Church Archives, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah. 2. History of the Church, 1:54; from "History of the Church" (manuscript), book A-1, pp. 24-25, Church Archives. 3. Lucy Mack Smith, "The History of Lucy Smith, Mother of the Prophet," 1844-45 manuscript, book 8, p. 11, Church Archives. 4. Daniel Tyler, in "Recollections of the Prophet Joseph Smith," Juvenile Instructor, Feb. 15, 1892, p. 127. 5. Letter from Joseph Smith to his uncle Silas Smith, Sept. 26, 1833, Kirtland, Ohio; in Lucy Mack Smith, "The History of Lucy Smith, Mother of the Prophet," 1845 manuscript, pp. 229-32, Church Archives. 6. Sarah Granger Kimball, in "R. S. Report," Woman's Exponent, Aug. 15, 1892, p. 30. 7. History of the Church, 5:31; from "Gift of the Holy Ghost," an editorial published in Times and Seasons, June 15, 1842, p. 825; Joseph Smith was the editor of the periodical. 8. "To the Saints of God," an editorial published in Times and Seasons, Oct. 15, 1842, p. 952; punctuation modernized; Joseph Smith was the editor of the periodical. 9. History of the Church, 5:127-28; paragraph divisions altered; from a Joseph Smith journal entry, Aug. 23, 1842, near Nauvoo, Illinois; this entry is incorrectly dated Aug. 22, 1842, in History of the Church. 10. Letter from Joseph Smith and John Whitmer to the Saints in Colesville, New York, Aug. 20, 1830, Harmony, Pennsylvania; in Newel Knight, Autobiography and Journal, ca. 1846-47, p. 129, Church Archives. 11. Statement written by Joseph Smith in Feb. 1840 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; original in private possession. 12. History of the Church, 6:303; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on Apr. 7, 1844, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Wilford Woodruff, Willard Richards, Thomas Bullock, and William Clayton. 13. Henry W. Bigler, in "Recollections of the Prophet Joseph Smith," Juvenile Instructor, Mar. 1, 1892, pp. 151-52. 14. Discourse given by Joseph Smith about July 1839 in Commerce, Illinois; reported by Willard Richards, in Willard Richards, Pocket Companion, pp. 75, 78-79, Church Archives. 15. Letter from Joseph Smith to Isaac Galland, Mar. 22, 1839, Liberty Jail, Liberty, Missouri, published in Times and Seasons, Feb. 1840, p. 54. 16. History of the Church, 3:381; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on June 27, 1839, in Commerce, Illinois; reported by Willard Richards. 17. History of the Church, 6:307-8; paragraph divisions altered; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on Apr. 7, 1844, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Wilford Woodruff, Willard Richards, Thomas Bullock, and William Clayton. 18. History of the Church, 6:58; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on Oct. 15, 1843, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Willard Richards. 19. John Taylor, Deseret News: Semi-Weekly, Jan. 15, 1878, p. 1. In June 1829, Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer, and Joseph Smith were privileged to see Moroni and the gold plates. A short time later on the same day, Martin Harris also saw the angel and the plates. "Slack not your duties in your families, but call upon God for his blessings upon you, and your families." ;;;Chapter 11 The Organization and Destiny of the True and Living Church "You know no more concerning the destinies of this Church and kingdom than a babe upon its mother's lap. You don't comprehend it. . . . This Church will fill North and South America--it will fill the world." From the Life of Joseph Smith In June 1829, the Prophet Joseph Smith completed the translation of the Book of Mormon. "Our translation drawing to a close," the Prophet stated, "we went to Palmyra, Wayne county, New York, secured the copyright, and agreed with Mr. Egbert B. Grandin to print five thousand copies for the sum of three thousand dollars."1 Egbert B. Grandin was a young man, a year younger than Joseph Smith, who owned a printing shop in Palmyra. He had just purchased a new press with technology that made the printing process considerably faster. It was remarkable that the Prophet was able to find a printer in the rural town of Palmyra capable of printing so many copies of a lengthy volume like the Book of Mormon. Because printing the Book of Mormon was such a large and expensive project, Martin Harris mortgaged his farm to Mr. Grandin to ensure payment of the printing costs. In the late summer of 1829, Joseph Smith, Martin Harris, and several others gathered at the print shop to inspect the proof of the title page of the Book of Mormon, the first page of the book to be printed. When the Prophet declared that he was pleased with the appearance of the page, the printing went forward as quickly as possible. The work took about seven months to complete, and copies of the Book of Mormon were made available to the public on March 26, 1830. With the work of translating and publishing the Book of Mormon now completed, Joseph Smith moved forward to organize the Church. In the revelation now found in section 20 of the Doctrine and Covenants, the Lord revealed to the Prophet "the precise day upon which, according to His will and commandment, we should proceed to organize His Church once more here upon the earth."2 The day specified was April 6, 1830. "We . . . made known to our brethren," the Prophet said, "that we had received a commandment to organize the Church; and accordingly we met together for that purpose, at the house of Mr. Peter Whitmer, Sen., (being six in number,) on Tuesday, the sixth day of April, A.D., one thousand eight hundred and thirty."3 Approximately 60 people crowded into the Whitmer home in Fayette, New York, completely filling two rooms in the home. Six of the men present were identified as the incorporators of the new Church in order to fulfill the law of New York--the Prophet Joseph Smith, Oliver Cowdery, Hyrum Smith, Peter Whitmer Jr., Samuel Smith, and David Whitmer.4 Although the Church was very small in the beginning, Joseph Smith had a prophetic sense of its grand destiny. Wilford Woodruff recalled that during a priesthood meeting at Kirtland, Ohio, in April 1834, the Prophet tried to awaken the brethren to a realization of the future state of God's kingdom on earth: "The Prophet called on all who held the Priesthood to gather into the little log school house they had there. It was a small house, perhaps 14 feet square. But it held the whole of the Priesthood of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who were then in the town of Kirtland. . . . When we got together the Prophet called upon the Elders of Israel with him to bear testimony of this work. . . . When they got through the Prophet said, 'Brethren, I have been very much edified and instructed in your testimonies here tonight, but I want to say to you before the Lord, that you know no more concerning the destinies of this Church and kingdom than a babe upon its mother's lap. You don't comprehend it.' I was rather surprised. He said, 'It is only a little handful of Priesthood you see here tonight, but this Church will fill North and South America--it will fill the world.' "5 Teachings of Joseph Smith The true Church of Jesus Christ was organized by Joseph Smith in the dispensation of the fulness of times. Joseph Smith reported the events of the meeting held on April 6, 1830, to organize the Church: "Having opened the meeting by solemn prayer to our Heavenly Father, we proceeded, according to previous commandment, to call on our brethren to know whether they accepted us as their teachers in the things of the Kingdom of God, and whether they were satisfied that we should proceed and be organized as a Church according to said commandment which we had received. To these several propositions they consented by a unanimous vote. "I then laid my hands upon Oliver Cowdery, and ordained him an Elder of the 'Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints;' after which, he ordained me also to the office of an Elder of said Church. We then took bread, blessed it, and brake it with them; also wine, blessed it, and drank it with them. We then laid our hands on each individual member of the Church present, that they might receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, and be confirmed members of the Church of Christ. The Holy Ghost was poured out upon us to a very great degree--some prophesied, whilst we all praised the Lord, and rejoiced exceedingly. . . . "We now proceeded to call out and ordain some others of the brethren to different offices of the Priesthood, according as the Spirit manifested unto us: and after a happy time spent in witnessing and feeling for ourselves the powers and blessings of the Holy Ghost, through the grace of God bestowed upon us, we dismissed with the pleasing knowledge that we were now individually members of, and acknowledged of God, 'The Church of Jesus Christ,' organized in accordance with commandments and revelations given by Him to ourselves in these last days, as well as according to the order of the Church as recorded in the New Testament."6 At the first general conference of the Church, held in Fayette, New York, on June 9, 1830, the sacrament was administered, several people were confirmed members of the Church, others were ordained to offices in the priesthood, and the Holy Ghost was poured out upon the Saints. The Prophet Joseph Smith recorded: "Such scenes as these were calculated to inspire our hearts with joy unspeakable, and fill us with awe and reverence for that Almighty Being, by whose grace we had been called to be instrumental in bringing about, for the children of men, the enjoyment of such glorious blessings as were now at this time poured out upon us. To find ourselves engaged in the very same order of things as observed by the holy Apostles of old; to realize the importance and solemnity of such proceedings; and to witness and feel with our own natural senses, the like glorious manifestations of the powers of the Priesthood, the gifts and blessings of the Holy Ghost, and the goodness and condescension of a merciful God unto such as obey the everlasting Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, combined to create within us sensations of rapturous gratitude, and inspire us with fresh zeal and energy in the cause of truth."7 Christ's Church is organized according to the order of God. "Christ was the head of the Church, the chief cornerstone, the spiritual rock upon which the Church was built, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it [see Matthew 16:18; Ephesians 2:20]. He built up the Kingdom, chose Apostles and ordained them to the Melchizedek Priesthood, giving them power to administer in the ordinances of the gospel."8 " 'Christ . . . gave some Apostles, and some Prophets, and some Evangelists, and some Pastors and Teachers' [Ephesians 4:11]. And how were Apostles, Prophets, Pastors, Teachers and Evangelists chosen? By prophecy (revelation) and by laying on of hands:--by a divine communication, and a divinely appointed ordinance--through the medium of the Priesthood, organized according to the order of God, by divine appointment."9 "[The Book of Mormon] tells us that our Savior made His appearance upon this [the American] continent after His resurrection; that He planted the Gospel here in all its fulness, and richness, and power, and blessing; that they had Apostles, Prophets, Pastors, Teachers, and Evangelists; the same order, the same priesthood, the same ordinances, gifts, powers, and blessings, as were enjoyed on the eastern continent."10 "An evangelist is a Patriarch. . . . Wherever the Church of Christ is established in the earth, there should be a Patriarch for the benefit of the posterity of the Saints, as it was with Jacob in giving his patriarchal blessing unto his sons."11 Articles of Faith 1:6: "We believe in the same organization that existed in the Primitive Church, namely, apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, and so forth."12 The Church is led by the First Presidency, the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and the Quorums of the Seventy. "I firmly believe in the prophets and apostles, Jesus Christ being the chief cornerstone, and speak as one having authority among them, and not as the scribes."13 "The Presidents or [First] Presidency are over the Church; and revelations of the mind and will of God to the Church, are to come through the Presidency. This is the order of heaven, and the power and privilege of [the Melchizedek] Priesthood."14 "What importance is there attached to the calling of these Twelve Apostles, different from the other callings or officers of the Church? . . . They are the Twelve Apostles, who are called to the office of the Traveling High Council, who are to preside over the churches of the Saints. . . . They are to hold the keys of this ministry, to unlock the door of the Kingdom of heaven unto all nations, and to preach the Gospel to every creature. This is the power, authority, and virtue of their apostleship."15 Orson Pratt, who served in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, reported: "The Lord . . . directed that the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles should be organized, whose business it would be to preach the Gospel to the nations, to the Gentiles first and then to the Jews. The Priesthood were called together after the building of the Kirtland Temple, and, in speaking of the Twelve Apostles, the Prophet Joseph said they had received the Apostleship with all the powers pertaining to the same, just as the ancient Apostles."16 Wilford Woodruff, the fourth President of the Church, reported: "Joseph called twelve Apostles. Who were they? The Lord said to him: 'The twelve are they who shall desire to take upon them my name with full purpose of heart; and if they desire to take upon them my name with full purpose of heart, they are called to go into all the world to preach my gospel unto every creature.' [D&C 18:27-28.] . . . When the Prophet Joseph organized the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, he taught [the] principle of union to them. He gave them to understand that they must be of one heart and one mind, and they must take upon themselves fully the name of Christ; that if God commanded them to do anything they must go and do it."17 "The Seventies are to constitute traveling quorums, to go into all the earth, whithersoever the Twelve Apostles shall call them."18 "The Seventies are not called to serve tables [see Acts 6:1-2], . . . but are to preach the Gospel and build [the churches] up, and set others, who do not belong to these quorums, to preside over [the churches], who are High Priests. The Twelve also are . . . to bear the keys of the Kingdom to all nations, and unlock the door of the Gospel to them, and call upon the Seventies to follow after them, and assist them."19 Although the forces of evil may seek to destroy the Church, "no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing." "Since the organization of the Church of Christ, . . . on the 6th of April, 1830, we have had the satisfaction of witnessing the spread of the truth into various parts of our land, notwithstanding its enemies have exerted their unceasing diligence to stop its course and prevent its progress; though evil and designing men have combined to destroy the innocent, . . . yet the glorious Gospel in its fullness is spreading and daily gaining converts; and our prayer to God is, that it may continue, and numbers be added of such as shall be eternally saved."20 "The Standard of Truth has been erected; no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done."21 "And again, another parable put [the Savior] forth unto them, having an allusion to the Kingdom that should be set up just previous to or at the time of the harvest, which reads as follows--'The Kingdom of Heaven is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field: which indeed is the least of all seeds: but, when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.' [Matthew 13:31-32.] Now we can discover plainly that this figure is given to represent the Church as it shall come forth in the last days. Behold, the Kingdom of Heaven is likened unto it. Now, what is like unto it? "Let us take the Book of Mormon, which a man took and hid in his field, securing it by his faith, to spring up in the last days, or in due time; let us behold it coming forth out of the ground, which is indeed accounted the least of all seeds, but behold it branching forth, yea, even towering with lofty branches and God-like majesty, until it, like the mustard seed, becomes the greatest of all herbs. And it is truth, and it has sprouted and come forth out of the earth, and righteousness begins to look down from heaven [see Psalm 85:11; Moses 7:62], and God is sending down His powers, gifts, and angels to lodge in the branches thereof. "The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a mustard seed. Behold, then, is not this the Kingdom of Heaven that is raising its head in the last days in the majesty of its God, even the Church of the Latter-day Saints, like an impenetrable, immovable rock in the midst of the mighty deep, exposed to the storms and tempests of Satan, that has, thus far, remained steadfast, and is still braving the mountain waves of opposition, which are driven by the tempestuous winds of sinking crafts, which have [dashed] and are still dashing with tremendous foam across its triumphant brow; urged onward with redoubled fury by the enemy of righteousness?"22 As part of his prayer at the dedication of the Kirtland Temple, later recorded in Doctrine and Covenants 109:72-76, the Prophet Joseph Smith said: "Remember all thy church, O Lord, with all their families, and all their immediate connections, with all their sick and afflicted ones, with all the poor and meek of the earth; that the kingdom, which thou hast set up without hands, may become a great mountain and fill the whole earth; that thy church may come forth out of the wilderness of darkness, and shine forth fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners; and be adorned as a bride for that day when thou shalt unveil the heavens, and cause the mountains to flow down at thy presence, and the valleys to be exalted, the rough places made smooth; that thy glory may fill the earth; that when the trump shall sound for the dead, we shall be caught up in the cloud to meet thee, that we may ever be with the Lord; that our garments may be pure, that we may be clothed upon with robes of righteousness, with palms in our hands, and crowns of glory upon our heads, and reap eternal joy for all our sufferings."23 We each have the responsibility to strengthen the Church and do our part in building up the kingdom of God. "The cause of God is one common cause, in which the Saints are alike all interested; we are all members of the one common body, and all partake of the same spirit, and are baptized into one baptism and possess alike the same glorious hope. The advancement of the cause of God and the building up of Zion is as much one man's business as another's. The only difference is, that one is called to fulfill one duty, and another another duty; 'but if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it, and if one member is honored all the rest rejoice with it, and the eye cannot say to the ear, I have no need of thee, nor the head to the foot, I have no need of thee;' party feelings, separate interests, exclusive designs should be lost sight of in the one common cause, in the interest of the whole [see 1 Corinthians 12:21, 26]."24 "Brethren and sisters, be faithful, be diligent, contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the Saints [see Jude 1:3]; let every man, woman and child realize the importance of the work, and act as if success depended on his individual exertion alone; let all feel an interest in it, and then consider they live in a day, the contemplation of which animated the bosoms of kings, Prophets, and righteous men thousands of years ago--the prospect of which inspired their sweetest notes, and most exalted lays, and caused them to break out in such rapturous strains as are recorded in the Scriptures; and by and by we will have to exclaim, in the language of inspiration-- " 'The Lord has brought again Zion, The Lord hath redeemed His people Israel.' [D&C 84:99.]"25 As recalled by Wilford Woodruff, Joseph Smith made the following declaration to members of the Twelve who were leaving for a mission to Great Britain in 1839: "No matter what may come upon you, round up your shoulders and bear it, and always sustain and defend the interests of the Church and Kingdom of God."26 Suggestions for Study and Teaching Consider these ideas as you study the chapter or as you prepare to teach. For additional help, see pages vii-xii. -- Imagine what it was like to attend the priesthood meeting described on page 137. How do you think you would have felt if you had heard Joseph Smith prophesy that the Church would someday fill the world? Looking back now on that prophecy, what are your thoughts or feelings? -- Review pages 138-39, noting the actions taken at the organization of the Church and the first general conference. Joseph Smith said, "Such scenes as these were calculated to inspire our hearts with joy unspeakable, and fill us with awe and reverence for [God]" (page 139). When have you had the feelings Joseph Smith described? -- Review Joseph Smith's teachings about the Church in Jesus's day and in Book of Mormon times (pages 139-40). How does the Church follow the same pattern today? -- Why do you think we need leaders who preside over the worldwide Church? (For some examples, see pages 141-42.) How have you been blessed through the service of the First Presidency, the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, the Quorums of the Seventy, and the Presiding Bishopric? -- What are your thoughts or feelings as you read Joseph Smith's prophecies about the Church's destiny? (See pages 142-44.) In what ways can we participate in this work? (For some examples, see pages 144-45.) -- Joseph Smith taught, "Let every man, woman and child realize the importance of the work, and act as if success depended on his individual exertion alone" (page 144). Think about particular ways in which you can apply this counsel in your life. -- If someone asked you why you are a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, what would you say? Related Scriptures: Daniel 2:31-45; Mosiah 18:17-29; D&C 20:1-4; 65:1-6; 115:4-5 Notes 1. History of the Church, 1:71; from "History of the Church" (manuscript), book A-1, p. 34, Church Archives, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah. 2. History of the Church, 1:64; from "History of the Church" (manuscript), book A-1, p. 29, Church Archives. 3. History of the Church, 1:75-77; from "History of the Church" (manuscript), book A-1, p. 37, Church Archives. 4. New York law required from three to nine persons to organize or transact the business of a church. The Prophet chose to use six persons. 5. Wilford Woodruff, in Conference Report, Apr. 1898, p. 57; punctuation and capitalization modernized. 6. History of the Church, 1:77-79; paragraph divisions altered; from "History of the Church" (manuscript), book A-1, pp. 37-38, Church Archives. 7. History of the Church, 1:85-86; from "History of the Church" (manuscript), book A-1, p. 42, Church Archives. 8. Discourse given by Joseph Smith on July 23, 1843, in Nauvoo, Illinois; Joseph Smith, Collection, Addresses, July 23, 1843, Church Archives. 9. History of the Church, 4:574; from "Try the Spirits," an editorial published in Times and Seasons, Apr. 1, 1842, pp. 744-45; Joseph Smith was the editor of the periodical. 10. History of the Church, 4:538; from a letter from Joseph Smith written at the request of John Wentworth and George Barstow, Nauvoo, Illinois, published in Times and Seasons, Mar. 1, 1842, pp. 707-8. 11. History of the Church, 3:381; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on June 27, 1839, in Commerce, Illinois; reported by Willard Richards. 12. Articles of Faith 1:6. 13. Letter from Joseph Smith to Isaac Galland, Mar. 22, 1839, Liberty Jail, Liberty, Missouri, published in Times and Seasons, Feb. 1840, p. 53; punctuation and capitalization modernized. 14. History of the Church, 2:477; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on Apr. 6, 1837, in Kirtland, Ohio; reported by Messenger and Advocate, Apr. 1837, p. 487. 15. History of the Church, 2:200; paragraph divisions altered; from the minutes of a Church council meeting held on Feb. 27, 1835, in Kirtland, Ohio; reported by Oliver Cowdery. 16. Orson Pratt, Millennial Star, Nov. 10, 1869, p. 732. 17. Wilford Woodruff, Deseret Weekly, Aug. 30, 1890, p. 306; capitalization modernized. 18. History of the Church, 2:202; from "History of the Church" (manuscript), book B-1, p. 577, Church Archives. 19. History of the Church, 2:431-32; from instructions given by Joseph Smith on Mar. 30, 1836, in Kirtland, Ohio. 20. History of the Church, 2:22; from "The Elders of the Church in Kirtland, to Their Brethren Abroad," Jan. 22, 1834, published in Evening and Morning Star, Apr. 1834, p. 152. 21. History of the Church, 4:540; from a letter from Joseph Smith written at the request of John Wentworth and George Barstow, Nauvoo, Illinois, published in Times and Seasons, Mar. 1, 1842, p. 709. 22. History of the Church, 2:268; final bracketed word in original; punctuation, capitalization, and grammar modernized; from a letter from Joseph Smith to the elders of the Church, Dec. 1835, Kirtland, Ohio, published in Messenger and Advocate, Dec. 1835, p. 227. 23. Doctrine and Covenants 109:72-76; prayer offered by Joseph Smith on Mar. 27, 1836, at the dedication of the temple in Kirtland, Ohio. 24. History of the Church, 4:609; from "The Temple," an editorial published in Times and Seasons, May 2, 1842, p. 776; Joseph Smith was the editor of the periodical. 25. History of the Church, 4:214; from a report from Joseph Smith and his counselors in the First Presidency, Oct. 4, 1840, Nauvoo, Illinois, published in Times and Seasons, Oct. 1840, p. 188. 26. Quoted by Wilford Woodruff, Deseret News: Semi-Weekly, Mar. 20, 1883, p. 1. In the late summer of 1829, Joseph Smith, Martin Harris, and several others gathered with the printer of the Book of Mormon, Egbert B. Grandin, to inspect the proof of the Book of Mormon's title page, the first page to be printed. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was formally organized by the Prophet Joseph Smith on April 6, 1830, at the home of Peter Whitmer Sr. in Fayette, New York. The latter-day Church is organized in the same way as the Church in the Savior's time, with "apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, and so forth." "The advancement of the cause of God and the building up of Zion is as much one man's business as another's. The only difference is, that one is called to fulfill one duty, and another another duty." ;;;Chapter 12 Proclaim Glad Tidings to All the World "Souls are as precious in the sight of God as they ever were; and the Elders [are] . . . to persuade and invite all men everywhere to repent, that they may become the heirs of salvation." From the Life of Joseph Smith After the Church was organized on April 6, 1830, Joseph Smith continued to proclaim the glad tidings of the gospel. During the month of April, he traveled to Colesville, New York, to visit his friend Joseph Knight Sr., who with his family had become interested in the gospel. The Prophet held meetings in the neighborhood, and "many began to pray fervently to Almighty God, that He would give them wisdom to understand the truth."1 About two months later, on a second visit to Colesville, the Prophet found that a number of people who had heard the gospel now desired to be baptized. For these new converts, accepting the gospel took faith and courage, as the Prophet recorded: "We appointed a meeting for the Sabbath, and on the afternoon of Saturday we erected a dam across a stream of water, which was convenient, for the purpose of there attending to the ordinance of baptism; but during the night a mob collected and tore down our dam, which hindered us from attending to the baptism on the Sabbath. . . . Early on Monday morning we were on the alert, and before our enemies were aware of our proceedings, we had repaired the dam, and the following thirteen persons [were] baptized, by Oliver Cowdery, viz.: Emma Smith; Hezekiah Peck and wife; Joseph Knight, Sen., and wife; William Stringham and wife; Joseph Knight, Jun.; Aaron Culver and wife; Levi [Hall]; Polly Knight; and Julia Stringham."2 That fall, the Lord revealed to Joseph Smith that Oliver Cowdery, Peter Whitmer Jr., Parley P. Pratt, and Ziba Peterson were to "go unto the Lamanites and preach my gospel unto them" (D&C 28:8; 30:5-6; 32:1-3). These missionaries traveled some 1,500 miles, preaching briefly among various Indian tribes, including the Seneca in New York, the Wyandot in Ohio, and the Delaware and Shawnee in Indian territory. However, the missionaries' greatest success came when they stopped in the area of Kirtland, Ohio. There they baptized about 130 converts, principally from among the Reformed Baptist congregation of Sidney Rigdon, thus opening what would become a gathering place for hundreds of Church members the following year. The missionaries also found some converts among the settlers in Jackson County, Missouri, where the city of Zion would later be established. Whether he was preaching to those around him or sending missionaries into the world, the Prophet Joseph Smith loved missionary work. Elder Parley P. Pratt recorded the following experience that occurred in 1839: "While visiting with Brother Joseph in Philadelphia, [Pennsylvania,] a very large church was opened for him to preach in, and about three thousand people assembled to hear him. Brother Rigdon spoke first, and dwelt on the Gospel, illustrating his doctrine by the Bible. When he was through, Brother Joseph arose like a lion about to roar; and being full of the Holy Ghost, spoke in great power, bearing testimony of the visions he had seen, the ministering of angels which he had enjoyed; and how he had found the plates of the Book of Mormon, and translated them by the gift and power of God. He commenced by saying: 'If nobody else had the courage to testify of so glorious a message from Heaven, and of the finding of so glorious a record, he felt to do it in justice to the people, and leave the event with God.' "The entire congregation were astounded; electrified, as it were, and overwhelmed with the sense of the truth and power by which he spoke, and the wonders which he related. A lasting impression was made; many souls were gathered into the fold. And I bear witness, that he, by his faithful and powerful testimony, cleared his garments of their blood. Multitudes were baptized in Philadelphia and in the regions around."3 Teachings of Joseph Smith Because the world is in spiritual darkness, we should be diligent in preaching the gospel. In 1834, Joseph Smith and other elders of the Church in Kirtland sent the following letter to the brethren in other areas: "Though our communications to you may be frequent, yet we believe they will be received on your part with brotherly feelings; and that from us your unworthy brethren, you will suffer a word of exhortation to have place in your hearts, as you see the great extent of the power and dominion of the prince of darkness, and realize how vast the numbers are who are crowding the road to death without ever giving heed to the cheering sound of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. "Consider for a moment, brethren, the fulfillment of the words of the prophet; for we behold that darkness covers the earth and gross darkness the minds of the inhabitants thereof [see Isaiah 60:2], that crimes of every description are increasing among men; vices of great enormity are practiced; the rising generation growing up in the fullness of pride and arrogance; the aged losing every sense of conviction, and seemingly banishing every thought of a day of retribution; intemperance, immorality, extravagance, pride, blindness of heart, idolatry, the loss of natural affection, the love of this world, and indifference toward the things of eternity increasing among those who profess a belief in the religion of heaven, and infidelity spreading itself in consequence of the same; men giving themselves up to commit acts of the foulest kind and deeds of the blackest dye, blaspheming, defrauding, blasting the reputation of neighbors, stealing, robbing, murdering, advocating error and opposing the truth, forsaking the covenant of heaven, and denying the faith of Jesus--and in the midst of all this, the day of the Lord fast approaching when none except those who have on the wedding garment will be permitted to eat and drink in the presence of the Bridegroom, the Prince of Peace! "Impressed with the truth of these facts, what can be the feelings of those who have been partakers of the heavenly gift and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the world to come? [See Hebrews 6:4-5.] Who but those who can see the awful precipice upon which the world of mankind stands in this generation, can labor in the vineyard of the Lord without feeling a sense of the world's deplorable situation? Who but those who have duly considered the condescension of the Father of our spirits in providing a sacrifice for His creatures--a plan of redemption, a power of atonement, a scheme of salvation, having as its great objects, the bringing of men back into the presence of the King of heaven, crowning them in the celestial glory, and making them heirs with the Son to that inheritance which is incorruptible, undefiled, and which fadeth not away [see 1 Peter 1:4]--who but such can realize the importance of a perfect walk before all men, and a diligence in calling upon all men to partake of these blessings? How indescribably glorious are these things to mankind! Of a truth they may be considered tidings of great joy to all people; and tidings, too, that ought to fill the earth and cheer the hearts of every one when sounded in his ears."4 "The servants of God will not have gone over the nations of the Gentiles, with a warning voice, until the destroying angel will commence to waste the inhabitants of the earth, and as the prophet hath said, 'It shall be a vexation to hear the report.' [See Isaiah 28:19.] I speak thus because I feel for my fellow men; I do it in the name of the Lord, being moved upon by the Holy Spirit. Oh, that I could snatch them from the vortex of misery, into which I behold them plunging themselves, by their sins; that I might be enabled by the warning voice, to be an instrument of bringing them to unfeigned repentance, that they might have faith to stand in the evil day!"5 "May God enable us to perform our vows and covenants with each other, in all fidelity and righteousness before Him, that our influence may be felt among the nations of the earth, in mighty power, even to rend the kingdoms of darkness asunder, and triumph over priestcraft and spiritual wickedness in high places, and break in pieces all kingdoms that are opposed to the kingdom of Christ, and spread the light and truth of the everlasting Gospel from the rivers to the ends of the earth."6 Wilford Woodruff, the fourth President of the Church, recalled the following words of the Prophet Joseph Smith: "The world is full of darkness. Sin and wickedness is overwhelming the world as the waters cover the great deep. The devil rules over the world in a great measure. The world will war against you; the devil will, earth will, and hell will. But . . . you must preach the Gospel, do your duty, and the Lord will stand by you. Earth and hell shall not prevail against you."7 Our duty is to invite all mankind to repent, be baptized, receive the Holy Ghost, and become heirs of salvation. "This we believe to be our duty--to teach to all mankind the doctrine of repentance, which we shall endeavor to show from the following quotations: " 'Then opened He their understandings, that they might understand the scriptures, and said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem' [Luke 24:45-47]. "By this we learn that it behoved Christ to suffer, and to be crucified, and rise again on the third day, for the express purpose that repentance and remission of sins should be preached to all nations. " 'Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call' [Acts 2:38-39]. "By this we learn that the promise of the Holy Ghost is made unto as many as those to whom the doctrine of repentance was to be preached, which was unto all nations. . . . Therefore we believe in preaching the doctrine of repentance in all the world, both to old and young, rich and poor, bond and free."8 "Souls are as precious in the sight of God as they ever were; and the Elders were never called to drive any down to hell, but to persuade and invite all men everywhere to repent, that they may become the heirs of salvation. It is the acceptable year of the Lord: liberate the captives that they may sing hosanna [see Isaiah 61:1-2]."9 "It should be the duty of the Elder to stand up boldly for the cause of Christ, and warn [the] people with one accord to repent and be baptized for the remission of sins, and for the Holy Ghost."10 "I will proceed to tell you what the Lord requires of all people, high and low, rich and poor, male and female, ministers and people, professors of religion and non-professors, in order that they may enjoy the Holy Spirit of God to a fulness and escape the judgments of God, which are almost ready to burst upon the nations of the earth. Repent of all your sins, and be baptized in water for the remission of them, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, and receive the ordinance of the laying on of the hands of him who is ordained and sealed unto this power, that ye may receive the Holy Spirit of God; and this is according to the Holy Scriptures, and the Book of Mormon; and the only way that man can enter into the celestial kingdom. These are the requirements of the new covenant, or first principles of the Gospel of Christ."11 "It is required of all men, to have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; to repent of all their sins and to be baptized (by one in authority) in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and to have hands laid on them for the gift of the Holy Ghost, to constitute them a member in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints."12 Servants of the Lord go throughout the world to find those who are willing to accept the gospel of Jesus Christ. "Send somebody to Central America and to all Spanish America; and don't let a single corner of the earth go without a mission."13 "We don't ask any people to throw away any good they have got; we only ask them to come and get more. What if all the world should embrace this Gospel? They would then see eye to eye, and the blessings of God would be poured out upon the people, which is the desire of my whole soul."14 "Thousands who have heard the Gospel have become obedient thereto, and are rejoicing in its gifts and blessings. Prejudice, with its attendant train of evil, is giving way before the force of truth, whose benign rays are penetrating the nations afar off. . . . The time was, when we were looked upon as deceivers, and that 'Mormonism' would soon pass away, come to naught, and be forgotten. But the time has gone by when it is looked upon as a transient matter, or a bubble on the wave, and it is now taking a deep hold in the hearts and affections of all those who are noble-minded enough to lay aside the prejudice of education, and investigate the subject with candor and honesty."15 "Some of the Twelve and others have already started for Europe [in September 1839], and the remainder of that mission we expect will go now in a few days. . . . The work of the Lord rolls on in a very pleasing manner, both in this and in the old country. In England many hundreds have of late been added to our numbers; but so, even so, it must be, for 'Ephraim he hath mixed himself among the people' [Hosea 7:8]. And the Savior He hath said, 'My sheep hear my voice' [John 10:27]; and also, 'He that heareth you, heareth me' [Luke 10:16]; and, 'Behold I will bring them again from the north country, and gather them from the coasts of the earth' [Jeremiah 31:8]. And as John heard the voice saying, 'Come out of her, my people' [Revelation 18:4], even so must all be fulfilled; that the people of the Lord may live when 'Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen' [Revelation 18:2]."16 In a letter written from Liberty Jail in March 1839, the Prophet Joseph Smith stated the following, later recorded in Doctrine and Covenants 123:12: "There are many yet on the earth among all sects, parties, and denominations, who are blinded by the subtle craftiness of men, whereby they lie in wait to deceive, and who are only kept from the truth because they know not where to find it."17 Suggestions for Study and Teaching Consider these ideas as you study the chapter or as you prepare to teach. For additional help, see pages vii-xii. -- Review the second and third paragraphs on page 150. Why does it sometimes take courage to share our testimonies of the Restoration and the Book of Mormon? How can we develop such courage? -- Joseph Smith described the spiritual darkness of the world; then he testified of the "tidings of great joy" in the restored gospel (pages 151-53). How might these two thoughts inspire us to open our mouths and share the gospel? -- Read the first paragraph on page 153. When has the Lord stood by you in your missionary efforts? -- Ponder the scripture passages Joseph Smith quoted to remind us of our duty to teach the gospel to all mankind (pages 153-54). Think about or discuss what you and your family can do to share the gospel with others. -- Read the fourth paragraph on page 154, in which the Prophet speaks of missionary work as an effort to liberate the captives. In what ways might some people be considered captives? (For some examples, see pages 151-53.) In what ways can the first principles and ordinances of the gospel liberate them? -- Review the Prophet's invitation in the third paragraph on page 155. How might this invitation encourage people to learn about the restored gospel? Review the fourth paragraph on page 155 and the last paragraph of the chapter. What can we do to help people "lay aside [their] prejudice" about the Church? How might our actions help people know where to find the truth? -- What blessings have come into your life as a result of your efforts to proclaim the gospel? Related Scriptures: Mark 16:15-20; 2 Nephi 2:8; Alma 26:1-9, 26-37; D&C 42:6-9, 11-14; 88:77-83 Notes 1. History of the Church, 1:81; from "History of the Church" (manuscript), book A-1, pp. 39-40, Church Archives, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah. 2. History of the Church, 1:86-88; punctuation modernized; paragraph divisions altered; from "History of the Church" (manuscript), book A-1, pp. 42-43, Church Archives. 3. Parley P. Pratt, Autobiography of Parley P. Pratt, ed. Parley P. Pratt Jr. (1938), pp. 298-99; capitalization modernized. 4. History of the Church, 2:5-6; punctuation modernized; from "The Elders of the Church in Kirtland, to Their Brethren Abroad," Jan. 22, 1834, published in Evening and Morning Star, Feb. 1834, p. 135. 5. History of the Church, 2:263; from a letter from Joseph Smith to the elders of the Church, Nov. 1835, Kirtland, Ohio, published in Messenger and Advocate, Nov. 1835, p. 211. 6. History of the Church, 2:375; from the minutes of a council meeting of the First Presidency and the Twelve held on Jan. 16, 1836, in Kirtland, Ohio; reported by Warren Parrish. 7. Quoted by Wilford Woodruff, Deseret News, July 30, 1884, p. 434. 8. History of the Church, 2:255-56; paragraph divisions altered; from a letter from Joseph Smith to the elders of the Church, Sept. 1835, Kirtland, Ohio, published in Messenger and Advocate, Sept. 1835, pp. 180-81. 9. History of the Church, 2:229, footnote; from "To the Saints Scattered Abroad," Messenger and Advocate, June 1835, p. 138. 10. History of the Church, 2:263; from a letter from Joseph Smith to the elders of the Church, Nov. 1835, Kirtland, Ohio, published in Messenger and Advocate, Nov. 1835, p. 211. 11. History of the Church, 1:314-15; from a letter from Joseph Smith to N. C. Saxton, Jan. 4, 1833, Kirtland, Ohio; Mr. Saxton's name is incorrectly given as "N. E. Seaton" in History of the Church. 12. Editor's reply to a letter from Richard Savary, Times and Seasons, Mar. 15, 1842, p. 732; capitalization modernized; Joseph Smith was the editor of the periodical. 13. History of the Church, 5:368; from instructions given by Joseph Smith on Apr. 19, 1843, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Willard Richards. 14. History of the Church, 5:259; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on Jan. 22, 1843, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Wilford Woodruff. 15. History of the Church, 4:336-37; spelling modernized; paragraph divisions altered; from a report from Joseph Smith and his counselors in the First Presidency, Apr. 7, 1841, Nauvoo, Illinois, published in Times and Seasons, Apr. 15, 1841, p. 384. 16. History of the Church, 4:8-9; punctuation modernized; from a letter from Joseph Smith to Isaac Galland, Sept. 11, 1839, Commerce, Illinois. 17. Doctrine and Covenants 123:12; a letter from Joseph Smith and others to Edward Partridge and the Church, Mar. 20, 1839, Liberty Jail, Liberty, Missouri. Whether he was preaching to those around him or sending missionaries into the world, the Prophet Joseph Smith loved missionary work. The Prophet Joseph Smith admonished the Saints to call upon all people to partake of the blessings of the gospel. "How indescribably glorious are these things to mankind!" ;;;Chapter 13 Obedience: "When the Lord Commands, Do It" "Live in strict obedience to the commandments of God, and walk humbly before Him." From the Life of Joseph Smith From December 1827 through August 1830, Joseph and Emma Smith lived in Harmony, Pennsylvania, the Prophet traveling periodically to New York to attend to Church business. In September 1830, Joseph and Emma moved to Fayette, New York, to join the Saints living in western New York. The following December, the Prophet received a revelation that would require the Church members in New York to make great sacrifices. They were to leave their homes, farms, and businesses and gather to Kirtland, Ohio (see D&C 37). There they would join with converts living in that vicinity to build up the Church and, as promised by the Lord, "be endowed with power from on high" (D&C 38:32). Joseph and Emma Smith were among the first to obey the Lord's command, leaving New York at the end of January 1831. They traveled over 250 miles to Kirtland by sleigh, in the middle of an especially severe winter, Emma being pregnant with twins. Kirtland resident Newel K. Whitney was one of the first to welcome the Prophet, as described by his grandson Orson F. Whitney: "About the first of February, 1831, a sleigh containing four persons, drove through the streets of Kirtland and drew up at the door of Gilbert and Whitney's mercantile establishment. . . . One of the men, a young and stalwart personage, alighted, and springing up the steps, walked into the store and to where the junior partner was standing. " 'Newel K. Whitney! Thou art the man!' he exclaimed, extending his hand cordially, as if to an old and familiar acquaintance. " 'You have the advantage of me,' replied the [storekeeper], as he mechanically took the proffered hand--a half-amused, half-mystified look overspreading his countenance--'I could not call you by name, as you have me.' " 'I am Joseph, the Prophet,' said the stranger, smiling. 'You've prayed me here; now what do you want of me?' "Mr. Whitney, astonished, but no less delighted, as soon as his surprise would permit, conducted the party . . . across the street to his house on the corner, and introduced them to his wife [Elizabeth Ann]. She shared fully his surprise and ecstasy. Joseph said of this episode: 'We were kindly received and welcomed into the house of Brother N. K. Whitney. I and my wife lived in the family of Brother Whitney several weeks, and received every kindness and attention that could be expected.' [See History of the Church, 1:145-46.]"1 Orson F. Whitney declared: "By what power did this remarkable man, Joseph Smith, recognize one whom he had never before seen in the flesh? Why did not Newel K. Whitney recognize him? It was because Joseph Smith was a seer, a choice seer; he had actually seen Newel K. Whitney upon his knees, hundreds of miles away, praying for his coming to Kirtland. Marvelous--but true!"2 By May almost 200 more Saints from New York had made their way to Kirtland--some by sleigh or wagon, but most by barge on the Erie Canal and then by steamboat or schooner across Lake Erie. In this move to Kirtland, as in the many other challenging circumstances of his life, Joseph Smith led the Saints in following God's commandments, no matter how difficult the task. Four years later, in the midst of the many pressures of leading the growing Church in Kirtland, the Prophet expressed the conviction that characterized his life: "No month ever found me more busily engaged than November; but as my life consisted of activity and unyielding exertions, I made this my rule: When the Lord commands, do it."3 Teachings of Joseph Smith When we seek to know God's will and do everything He commands us to do, the blessings of heaven will rest upon us. "To get salvation we must not only do some things, but everything which God has commanded. Men may preach and practice everything except those things which God commands us to do, and will be damned at last. We may tithe mint and rue, and all manner of herbs, and still not obey the commandments of God [see Luke 11:42]. The object with me is to obey and teach others to obey God in just what He tells us to do. It mattereth not whether the principle is popular or unpopular, I will always maintain a true principle, even if I stand alone in it."4 "As a Church and a people it behooves us to be wise, and to seek to know the will of God, and then be willing to do it; for 'blessed is he that heareth the word of the Lord, and keepeth it,' say the Scriptures. 'Watch and pray always,' says our Savior, 'that ye may be accounted worthy to escape the things that are to come on the earth, and to stand before the Son of Man.' [See Luke 11:28; 21:36.] If Enoch, Abraham, Moses, and the children of Israel, and all God's people were saved by keeping the commandments of God, we, if saved at all, shall be saved upon the same principle. As God governed Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as families, and the children of Israel as a nation; so we, as a Church, must be under His guidance if we are prospered, preserved and sustained. Our only confidence can be in God; our only wisdom obtained from Him; and He alone must be our protector and safeguard, spiritually and temporally, or we fall. "We have been chastened by the hand of God heretofore for not obeying His commands, although we never violated any human law, or transgressed any human precept; yet we have treated lightly His commands, and departed from His ordinances, and the Lord has chastened us sore, and we have felt His arm and kissed the rod; let us be wise in time to come and ever remember that 'to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.' [1 Samuel 15:22.]"5 "When instructed, we must obey that voice, observe the laws of the kingdom of God, that the blessing of heaven may rest down upon us. All must act in concert, or nothing can be done, and should move according to the ancient Priesthood; hence the Saints should be a select people, separate from all the evils of the world--choice, virtuous, and holy. The Lord [is] going to make of the Church of Jesus Christ a kingdom of Priests, a holy people, a chosen generation [see Exodus 19:6; 1 Peter 2:9], as in Enoch's day, having all the gifts as illustrated to the Church in Paul's epistles and teachings to the churches in his day."6 "Any man may believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and be happy in that belief, and yet not obey his commandments, and at last be cut down for disobedience to the Lord's righteous requirements."7 "Be virtuous and pure; be men of integrity and truth; keep the commandments of God; and then you will be able more perfectly to understand the difference between right and wrong--between the things of God and the things of men; and your path will be like that of the just, which shineth brighter and brighter unto the perfect day [see Proverbs 4:18]."8 Wilford Woodruff, while serving as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve, reported: "President Joseph . . . read the parable of the vine and its branches [see John 15:1-8], and explained it, and said, 'If we keep the commandments of God, we should bring forth fruit and be the friends of God, and know what our Lord did.' "9 God gives laws that will prepare us for celestial rest if we obey them. "God will not command any thing, but what is peculiarly adapted in itself, to ameliorate [improve] the condition of every man under whatever circumstances it may find him, it matters not what kingdom or country he may be in."10 "The law of heaven is presented to man, and as such guarantees to all who obey it a reward far beyond any earthly consideration; though it does not promise that the believer in every age should be exempt from the afflictions and troubles arising from different sources in consequence of the acts of wicked men on earth. Still in the midst of all this there is a promise predicated upon the fact that it is the law of heaven, which transcends the law of man, as far as eternal life the temporal; and as the blessings which God is able to give, are greater than those which can be given by man. Then, certainly, if the law of man is binding upon man when acknowledged, how much more must the law of heaven be! And as much as the law of heaven is more perfect than the law of man, so much greater must be the reward if obeyed. . . . The law of God promises that life which is eternal, even an inheritance at God's own right hand, secure from all the powers of the wicked one. . . . ". . . God has in reserve a time, or period appointed in His own bosom, when He will bring all His subjects, who have obeyed His voice and kept His commandments, into His celestial rest. This rest is of such perfection and glory, that man has need of a preparation before he can, according to the laws of that kingdom, enter it and enjoy its blessings. This being the fact, God has given certain laws to the human family, which, if observed, are sufficient to prepare them to inherit this rest. This, then, we conclude, was the purpose of God in giving His laws to us. . . . All the commandments contained in the law of the Lord, have the sure promise annexed of a reward to all who obey, predicated upon the fact that they are really the promises of a Being who cannot lie, One who is abundantly able to fulfill every tittle of His word."11 Joseph Smith taught the following in April 1843, later recorded in Doctrine and Covenants 130:20-21: "There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated--and when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated."12 "All blessings that were ordained for man by the Council of Heaven were on conditions of obedience to the law thereof."13 Those who are faithful to the end will receive a crown of righteousness. "Live in strict obedience to the commandments of God, and walk humbly before Him, and He will exalt thee in His own due time."14 "How careful men ought to be what they do in the last days, lest they are cut short of their expectations, and they that think they stand should fall, because they keep not the Lord's commandments; whilst you, who do the will of the Lord and keep His commandments, have need to rejoice with unspeakable joy, for such shall be exalted very high, and shall be lifted up in triumph above all the kingdoms of this world."15 "In the 22nd chapter of [Matthew's] account of the Messiah, we find the kingdom of heaven likened unto a king who made a marriage for his son [see Matthew 22:2-14]. That this son was the Messiah will not be disputed, since it was the kingdom of heaven that was represented in the parable; and that the Saints, or those who are found faithful to the Lord, are the individuals who will be found worthy to inherit a seat at the marriage supper, is evident from the sayings of John in the Revelation where he represents the sound which he heard in heaven to be like 'a great multitude,' or like 'the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to Him; for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: For the fine linen is the righteousness of Saints' [Revelation 19:6-8]. "That those who keep the commandments of the Lord and walk in His statutes to the end, are the only individuals permitted to sit at this glorious feast, is evident from the following items in Paul's last letter to Timothy, which was written just previous to his death,--he says: 'I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love His appearing.' [2 Timothy 4:7-8.] No one who believes the account, will doubt for a moment this assertion of Paul which was made, as he knew, just before he was to take his leave of this world. Though he once, according to his own word, persecuted the Church of God and wasted it, yet after embracing the faith, his labors were unceasing to spread the glorious news: and like a faithful soldier, when called to give his life in the cause which he had espoused, he laid it down, as he says, with an assurance of an eternal crown. "Follow the labors of this Apostle from the time of his conversion to the time of his death, and you will have a fair sample of industry and patience in promulgating the Gospel of Christ. Derided, whipped, and stoned, the moment he escaped the hands of his persecutors he as zealously as ever proclaimed the doctrine of the Savior. And all may know that he did not embrace the faith for honor in this life, nor for the gain of earthly goods. What, then, could have induced him to undergo all this toil? It was, as he said, that he might obtain the crown of righteousness from the hand of God. No one, we presume, will doubt the faithfulness of Paul to the end. None will say that he did not keep the faith, that he did not fight the good fight, that he did not preach and persuade to the last. And what was he to receive? A crown of righteousness. . . . "Reflect for a moment, brethren, and enquire, whether you would consider yourselves worthy [of] a seat at the marriage feast with Paul and others like him, if you had been unfaithful? Had you not fought the good fight, and kept the faith, could you expect to receive? Have you a promise of receiving a crown of righteousness from the hand of the Lord, with the Church of the First Born? Here then, we understand, that Paul rested his hope in Christ, because he had kept the faith, and loved his appearing and from His hand he had a promise of receiving a crown of righteousness. . . . ". . . The ancients, though persecuted and afflicted by men, obtained from God promises of such weight and glory, that our hearts are often filled with gratitude that we are even permitted to look upon them while we contemplate that there is no respect of persons in His sight, and that in every nation, he that feareth God and worketh righteousness, is acceptable with Him [see Acts 10:34-35]. . . . "We can draw the conclusion that there is to be a day when all will be judged of their works, and rewarded according to the same; that those who have kept the faith will be crowned with a crown of righteousness; be clothed in white raiment; be admitted to the marriage feast; be free from every affliction, and reign with Christ on the earth, where, according to the ancient promise, they will partake of the fruit of the vine new in the glorious kingdom with Him; at least we find that such promises were made to the ancient Saints. And though we cannot claim these promises which were made to the ancients, for they are not our property, merely because they were made to the ancient Saints, yet if we are the children of the Most High, and are called with the same calling with which they were called, and embrace the same covenant that they embraced, and are faithful to the testimony of our Lord as they were, we can approach the Father in the name of Christ as they approached Him, and for ourselves obtain the same promises. "These promises, when obtained, if ever by us, will not be because Peter, John, and the other Apostles . . . walked in the fear of God and had power and faith to prevail and obtain them; but it will be because we, ourselves, have faith and approach God in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, even as they did; and when these promises are obtained, they will be promises directly to us, or they will do us no good. They will be communicated for our benefit, being our own property (through the gift of God), earned by our own diligence in keeping His commandments, and walking uprightly before Him."16 "We would remind you, brethren, of the fatigues, trials, privations, and persecutions, which the ancient saints endured for the sole purpose of persuading men of the excellency and propriety of the faith of Christ, were it in our opinion necessary, or if it would serve in any respect to stimulate you to labor in the vineyard of the Lord with any more diligence. But we have reason to believe (if you make the holy Scriptures a sufficient part of your studies), that their perseverance is known to you all; as also that they were willing to sacrifice the present honors and pleasures of this world, that they might obtain an assurance of a crown of life from the hand of our Lord; and their excellent example in labor, which manifests their zeal to us in the cause which they embraced, you are daily striving to pattern. And not only these examples of the Saints, but the commandments of our Lord, we hope are constantly revolving in your hearts, teaching you, not only His will in proclaiming His Gospel, but His meekness and perfect walk before all, even in those times of severe persecutions and abuse which were heaped upon Him by a wicked and adulterous generation. "Remember, brethren, that He has called you unto holiness; and need we say, to be like Him in purity? How wise, how holy; how chaste, and how perfect, then, you ought to conduct yourselves in His sight; and remember, too, that His eyes are continually upon you. Viewing these facts in a proper light, you cannot be insensible, that without a strict observance of all His divine requirements, you may, at last, be found wanting; and if so, you will admit, that your lot will be cast among the unprofitable servants. We beseech you, therefore, brethren, to improve upon all things committed to your charge, that you lose not your reward."17 Suggestions for Study and Teaching Consider these ideas as you study the chapter or as you prepare to teach. For additional help, see pages vii-xii. -- Read the final paragraph on page 160, focusing on the rule Joseph Smith adopted for his life. Think about specific commands you have recently received, through words of the living prophet or promptings of the Holy Ghost. How have you been blessed when you have obeyed these commands without hesitation? -- Review the first paragraph on page 161. Why do we sometimes have to "stand alone" to "maintain a true principle"? In what ways are we not alone at such times? (For some examples, see pages 161-63.) How can we help children and youth stay true to gospel principles even when it is unpopular to do so? -- Study the section that begins on page 163. For what reasons does God give us commandments? Why should we obey His commandments? -- Review Joseph Smith's teachings about Matthew 22:2-14 and 2 Timothy 4:7-8 (pages 164-68). Ponder how you would feel to be admitted to the marriage feast. What kind of people must we be to be worthy to be admitted? What do you think it means to fight a good fight and keep the faith? Think of someone you know who has fought a good fight and kept the faith. What can you learn from this person? -- The Prophet Joseph encouraged us to remember that the Lord has "called [us] unto holiness" (page 168). What does it mean to you to be called to holiness? How might our remembrance of this "calling" make a difference in our lives? in the lives of our family members and friends? Related Scriptures: Exodus 20:1-17; John 7:17; 1 Nephi 3:7; D&C 58:26-29; Abraham 3:25 Notes 1. Orson F. Whitney, "Newel K. Whitney," Contributor, Jan. 1885, p. 125; punctuation and grammar modernized. 2. Orson F. Whitney, in Conference Report, Apr. 1912, p. 50. 3. History of the Church, 2:170; from "History of the Church" (manuscript), book B-1, p. 558, Church Archives, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah. 4. History of the Church, 6:223; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on Feb. 21, 1844, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Wilford Woodruff and Willard Richards. 5. History of the Church, 5:65; from "The Government of God," an editorial published in Times and Seasons, July 15, 1842, p. 857; Joseph Smith was the editor of the periodical. 6. History of the Church, 4:570; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on Mar. 30, 1842, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Eliza R. Snow; see also appendix, page 562, item 3. 7. History of the Church, 5:426; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on June 11, 1843, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Wilford Woodruff and Willard Richards; see also appendix, page 562, item 3. 8. History of the Church, 5:31; from "Gift of the Holy Ghost," an editorial published in Times and Seasons, June 15, 1842, p. 825; Joseph Smith was the editor of the periodical. 9. History of the Church, 4:478; capitalization modernized; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on Dec. 19, 1841, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Wilford Woodruff. 10. Letter from Joseph Smith to Isaac Galland, Mar. 22, 1839, Liberty Jail, Liberty, Missouri, published in Times and Seasons, Feb. 1840, p. 54. 11. History of the Church, 2:7-8, 12; from "The Elders of the Church in Kirtland, to Their Brethren Abroad," Jan. 22, 1834, published in Evening and Morning Star, Feb. 1834, pp. 135-36. 12. Doctrine and Covenants 130:20-21; instructions given by Joseph Smith on Apr. 2, 1843, in Ramus, Illinois. 13. Discourse given by Joseph Smith on July 16, 1843, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Franklin D. Richards, in Franklin Dewey Richards, Scriptural Items, ca. 1841-44, Church Archives. 14. History of the Church, 1:408; from a letter from Joseph Smith to Vienna Jacques, Sept. 4, 1833, Kirtland, Ohio; Sister Jacques's last name is also sometimes spelled "Jaques," as in History of the Church. 15. History of the Church, 1:299; from a letter from Joseph Smith to William W. Phelps, Nov. 27, 1832, Kirtland, Ohio. 16. History of the Church, 2:19-22; punctuation modernized; paragraph divisions altered; from "The Elders of the Church in Kirtland, to Their Brethren Abroad," Jan. 22, 1834, published in Evening and Morning Star, Mar. 1834, p. 144. 17. History of the Church, 2:13; paragraph divisions altered; from "The Elders of the Church in Kirtland, to Their Brethren Abroad," Jan. 22, 1834, published in Evening and Morning Star, Mar. 1834, p. 142. In February 1831, Joseph Smith arrived in Kirtland, Ohio, walked into Newel K. Whitney's store, and said, "I am Joseph, the Prophet. . . . You've prayed me here; now what do you want of me?" "When the Lord commands, do it," Joseph Smith declared. The law of tithing, like all commandments given by the Lord, brings great blessings to those who obey it. Paul testifying before King Agrippa. "No one," Joseph Smith said, "will doubt the faithfulness of Paul to the end. . . . And what was he to receive? A crown of righteousness." ;;;Chapter 14 Words of Hope and Consolation at the Time of Death "What have we to console us in relation to the dead? We have reason to have the greatest hope and consolation for our dead of any people on the earth." From the Life of Joseph Smith Bereavement at the death of loved ones repeatedly touched the life of the Prophet Joseph Smith. On June 15, 1828, in Harmony, Pennsylvania, Joseph and Emma's first son, Alvin, died a short time after birth. When Joseph and Emma moved from New York to Kirtland, Ohio, in February 1831, Emma was again pregnant, this time with twins. Shortly after Joseph and Emma's arrival in Kirtland, they moved to a cabin on the farm of Church member Isaac Morley. There, on April 30, little Thadeus and Louisa were born, but they did not long survive, dying within a few hours of their birth. At the same time, in the nearby town of Warrensville, Ohio, Brother John Murdock lost his wife, Julia, who had just given birth to healthy twins. With a family that now included five children, Brother Murdock felt unable to care for the new arrivals, and he asked Joseph and Emma to adopt them as their own. This Joseph and Emma did, gratefully taking the two infants, named Joseph and Julia, into their family. Tragically, little Joseph died eleven months later in March 1832, a consequence of being exposed to the cold night air while suffering with measles when the Prophet was tarred and feathered by a mob. With this death, the grieving parents had laid to rest four of their first five children, leaving Julia as their only living child. Of the eleven children of Joseph and Emma--nine born to them and two adopted--only five would live to adulthood: Julia, born in 1831; Joseph III, born in 1832; Frederick, born in 1836; Alexander, born in 1838; and David, born in November 1844, five months after his father's death. Joseph and Emma's 14-month-old son Don Carlos died in 1841, and a son born in 1842 died the same day he was born. During his lifetime, Joseph Smith also lost three brothers to untimely deaths. Ephraim died soon after birth in 1810. Joseph's older brother Alvin died in 1823 at the age of 25, and his younger brother Don Carlos died in 1841, also at 25 years of age. The Prophet suffered another great loss when his father, upon whom he relied for counsel and strength, died in Nauvoo, Illinois, in 1840. When Father Smith realized that his death was imminent, he called his family to his bedside. He spoke to his wife, saying, "When I look upon my children and realize that although they were raised up to do the Lord's work, yet they must pass through scenes of trouble and affliction as long as they live upon the earth, my heart is pained and I dread to leave you so surrounded by enemies."1 Then he spoke to each of his sons and daughters in turn, giving them his last blessing. As recorded by the Prophet's mother, he spoke these reassuring words to the Prophet Joseph: " 'Joseph, my son, thou art called to a high and holy calling. Thou art even called to do the work of the Lord. Hold out faithful and you shall be blessed, and your children after you. You shall even live to finish your work.' "At this Joseph cried out, weeping, 'Oh, my Father, will I?' 'Yes,' said his father, 'you shall live to lay out the plan of all the work which God has given you to do. This is my dying blessing on your head in the name of Jesus.' "2 Drawing upon these difficult experiences from his own life and his inspired understanding of the Savior's Atonement, the Prophet Joseph Smith was able to give much-needed comfort to many mourning Saints. Teachings of Joseph Smith When beloved family members or friends die, we have great comfort in knowing we will meet them again in the world to come. The Prophet spoke at a Church conference in Nauvoo on April 7, 1844. He spoke about his friend King Follett, who had recently died: "Beloved Saints: I will call [for] the attention of this congregation while I address you on the subject of the dead. The decease of our beloved brother, Elder King Follett, who was crushed in a well by the falling of a tub of rock, has more immediately led me to this subject. I have been requested to speak by his friends and relatives, but inasmuch as there are a great many in this congregation who live in this city as well as elsewhere, who have lost friends, I feel disposed to speak on the subject in general, and offer you my ideas, so far as I have ability, and so far as I shall be inspired by the Holy Spirit to dwell on this subject. I want your prayers and faith that I may have the instruction of Almighty God and the gift of the Holy Ghost, so that I may set forth things that are true and which can be easily comprehended by you, and that the testimony may carry conviction to your hearts and minds of the truth of what I shall say. . . . ". . . I know that my testimony is true; hence, when I talk to these mourners, what have they lost? Their relatives and friends are only separated from their bodies for a short season: their spirits which existed with God have left the tabernacle of clay only for a little moment, as it were; and they now exist in a place where they converse together the same as we do on the earth. . . . ". . . What have we to console us in relation to the dead? We have reason to have the greatest hope and consolation for our dead of any people on the earth; for we have seen them walk worthily in our midst, and seen them sink asleep in the arms of Jesus. . . . "You mourners have occasion to rejoice, speaking of the death of Elder King Follett; for your husband and father is gone to wait until the resurrection of the dead--until the perfection of the remainder; for at the resurrection your friend will rise in perfect felicity and go to celestial glory. . . . "I am authorized to say, by the authority of the Holy Ghost, that you have no occasion to fear; for he is gone to the home of the just. Don't mourn, don't weep. I know it by the testimony of the Holy Ghost that is within me; and you may wait for your friends to come forth to meet you in the morn of the celestial world. . . . "I have a father, brothers, children, and friends who have gone to a world of spirits. They are only absent for a moment. They are in the spirit, and we shall soon meet again. The time will soon arrive when the trumpet shall sound. When we depart, we shall hail our mothers, fathers, friends, and all whom we love, who have fallen asleep in Jesus. There will be no fear of mobs, persecutions, or malicious lawsuits and arrests; but it will be an eternity of felicity."3 Elder Lorenzo D. Barnes died while serving as a missionary in England. The Prophet spoke of his passing at a meeting held in the unfinished Nauvoo Temple: "I will tell you what I want. If tomorrow I shall be called to lie in yonder tomb, in the morning of the resurrection let me strike hands with my father, and cry, 'My father,' and he will say, 'My son, my son,' as soon as the rock rends and before we come out of our graves. "And may we contemplate these things so? Yes, if we learn how to live and how to die. When we lie down we contemplate how we may rise in the morning; and it is pleasing for friends to lie down together, locked in the arms of love, to sleep and wake in each other's embrace and renew their conversation. "Would you think it strange if I relate what I have seen in vision in relation to this interesting theme? Those who have died in Jesus Christ may expect to enter into all that fruition of joy when they come forth, which they possessed or anticipated here. "So plain was the vision, that I actually saw men, before they had ascended from the tomb, as though they were getting up slowly. They took each other by the hand and said to each other, 'My father, my son, my mother, my daughter, my brother, my sister.' And when the voice calls for the dead to arise, suppose I am laid by the side of my father, what would be the first joy of my heart? To meet my father, my mother, my brother, my sister; and when they are by my side, I embrace them and they me. . . . "More painful to me are the thoughts of annihilation than death. If I have no expectation of seeing my father, mother, brothers, sisters and friends again, my heart would burst in a moment, and I should go down to my grave. The expectation of seeing my friends in the morning of the resurrection cheers my soul and makes me bear up against the evils of life. It is like their taking a long journey, and on their return we meet them with increased joy. . . . "To Marcellus Bates [a Church member whose wife had died] let me administer comfort. You shall soon have the company of your companion in a world of glory, and the friends of Brother Barnes and all the Saints who are mourning. This has been a warning voice to us all to be sober and diligent and lay aside mirth, vanity and folly, and to be prepared to die tomorrow."4 Parents who lose children in death will receive them in the resurrection just as they laid them down. At the funeral of two-year-old Marian Lyon, the Prophet said: "We have again the warning voice sounded in our midst, which shows the uncertainty of human life; and in my leisure moments I have meditated upon the subject, and asked the question, why it is that infants, innocent children, are taken away from us, especially those that seem to be the most intelligent and interesting. The strongest reasons that present themselves to my mind are these: This world is a very wicked world; and it . . . grows more wicked and corrupt. . . . The Lord takes many away, even in infancy, that they may escape the envy of man, and the sorrows and evils of this present world; they were too pure, too lovely, to live on earth; therefore, if rightly considered, instead of mourning we have reason to rejoice as they are delivered from evil, and we shall soon have them again. . . . ". . . The only difference between the old and young dying is, one lives longer in heaven and eternal light and glory than the other, and is freed a little sooner from this miserable, wicked world. Notwithstanding all this glory, we for a moment lose sight of it, and mourn the loss, but we do not mourn as those without hope."5 "A question may be asked--'Will mothers have their children in eternity?' Yes! Yes! Mothers, you shall have your children; for they shall have eternal life, for their debt is paid."6 "Children . . . must rise just as they died; we can there hail our lovely infants with the same glory--the same loveliness in the celestial glory."7 President Joseph F. Smith, the sixth President of the Church, reported: "Joseph Smith taught the doctrine that the infant child that was laid away in death would come up in the resurrection as a child; and, pointing to the mother of a lifeless child, he said to her: 'You will have the joy, the pleasure and satisfaction of nurturing this child, after its resurrection, until it reaches the full stature of its spirit.' . . . "In 1854, I met with my aunt [Agnes Smith], the wife of my uncle, Don Carlos Smith, who was the mother of that little girl [Sophronia] that Joseph Smith, the Prophet, was speaking about, when he told the mother that she should have the joy, the pleasure, and the satisfaction of rearing that child, after the resurrection, until it reached the full stature of its spirit; and that it would be a far greater joy than she could possibly have in mortality, because she would be free from the sorrow and fear and disabilities of mortal life, and she would know more than she could know in this life. I met that widow, the mother of that child, and she told me this circumstance and bore testimony to me that this was what the Prophet Joseph Smith said when he was speaking at the funeral of her little daughter."8 Mary Isabella Horne and Leonora Cannon Taylor each lost a young child in death. Sister Horne recalled that the Prophet Joseph Smith gave the two sisters these words of comfort: "He told us that we should receive those children in the morning of the resurrection just as we laid them down, in purity and innocence, and we should nourish and care for them as their mothers. He said that children would be raised in the resurrection just as they were laid down, and that they would obtain all the intelligence necessary to occupy thrones, principalities and powers."9 While we mourn when loved ones die, we can trust that "the God of all the earth will do right." At the funeral of 24-year-old Ephraim Marks, the Prophet declared: "It is a very solemn and awful time. I never felt more solemn; it calls to mind the death of my oldest brother, Alvin, who died in New York, and my youngest brother, Don Carlos Smith, who died in Nauvoo. It has been hard for me to live on earth and see these young men upon whom we have leaned for support and comfort taken from us in the midst of their youth. Yes, it has been hard to be reconciled to these things. I have sometimes thought that I should have felt more reconciled to have been called away myself if it had been the will of God; yet I know we ought to be still and know it is of God, and be reconciled to His will; all is right. It will be but a short time before we shall all in like manner be called: it may be the case with me as well as you."10 On June 6, 1832, Joseph Smith wrote to Emma Smith: "I was grieved to hear that Hyrum had lost his little child. I think we can in some degree sympathize with him, but we all must be reconciled to our lots and say the will of the Lord be done."11 On January 20, 1840, Joseph Smith wrote to Emma Smith: "I received a letter from Hyrum, which cheered my heart to learn that my family was all alive. Yet my heart mourns for those who have been taken from us, but not without hope, for I shall see them again and be with them. Therefore, we can be more reconciled to the dealings of God."12 "With respect to the deaths in Zion, we feel to mourn with those that mourn, but remember that the God of all the earth will do right."13 "There have been many deaths, which leaves a melancholy reflection, but we cannot help it. When God speaks from the heavens to call us hence, we must submit to His mandates."14 At the funeral of James Adams, the Prophet said: "I saw him first at Springfield, [Illinois,] when on my way from Missouri to Washington. He sought me out when a stranger, took me to his home, encouraged and cheered me, and gave me money. He has been a most intimate friend. . . . He has had revelations concerning his departure, and has gone to a more important work. When men are prepared, they are better off to go hence. Brother Adams has gone to open up a more effectual door for the dead. The spirits of the just are exalted to a greater and more glorious work; hence they are blessed in their departure to the world of spirits."15 Suggestions for Study and Teaching Consider these ideas as you study the chapter or as you prepare to teach. For additional help, see pages vii-xii. -- What are your thoughts or feelings as you read the accounts on pages 171-73? How might these experiences have influenced the way the Prophet Joseph taught about death and resurrection? -- This chapter contains messages Joseph Smith shared with people who mourned the deaths of loved ones (pages 174-79). In these messages, the Prophet offered "hope and consolation" by teaching doctrines of the gospel and showing his hearers how those doctrines applied in their lives. As you think of loved ones who have died or who may soon die, what gospel truths bring you comfort? Why are these truths significant to you? -- Read the counsel Joseph Smith gave when speaking of Elder Barnes's death, including his counsel about "how to live and how to die" (pages 175-76). What does this counsel mean to you? Think about how your life might change as you remember his counsel. -- Review the Prophet's words to parents whose little children had died (pages 176-78). How can these doctrines provide hope to grieving parents? -- Study Joseph Smith's counsel about reconciling ourselves to God's will when loved ones die (pages 178-79). How does our decision to accept God's will influence our emotions? our words and our actions? In what ways might our decision help others? Related Scriptures: John 20:1-29; Mosiah 16:7-8; Alma 40:11-12; Moroni 8:11-20; D&C 42:45-46 Notes 1. Joseph Smith Sr., quoted in Lucy Mack Smith, "The History of Lucy Smith, Mother of the Prophet," 1844-45 manuscript, book 18, p. 5, Church Archives, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah. 2. Joseph Smith Sr., blessing given to Joseph Smith shortly before Joseph Smith Sr.'s death on Sept. 14, 1840, in Nauvoo, Illinois; quoted in Lucy Mack Smith, "The History of Lucy Smith, Mother of the Prophet," 1845 manuscript, p. 298, Church Archives. 3. History of the Church, 6:302-3, 310-11, 315-16; bracketed word in original; paragraph divisions altered; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on Apr. 7, 1844, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Wilford Woodruff, Willard Richards, Thomas Bullock, and William Clayton; see also appendix, page 562, item 3. 4. History of the Church, 5:361-63; paragraph divisions altered; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on Apr. 16, 1843, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Wilford Woodruff and Willard Richards. 5. History of the Church, 4:553-54; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on Mar. 20, 1842, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Wilford Woodruff. 6. History of the Church, 6:316; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on Apr. 7, 1844, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Wilford Woodruff, Willard Richards, Thomas Bullock, and William Clayton; see also appendix, page 562, item 3. 7. History of the Church, 6:366; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on May 12, 1844, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Thomas Bullock. 8. Joseph F. Smith, "Status of Children in the Resurrection," Improvement Era, May 1918, p. 571. 9. Mary Isabella Horne, quoted in History of the Church, 4:556, footnote; from her statement given on Nov. 19, 1896, in Salt Lake City, Utah. 10. History of the Church, 4:587; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on Apr. 9, 1842, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Wilford Woodruff. 11. Letter from Joseph Smith to Emma Smith, June 6, 1832, Greenville, Indiana; Chicago Historical Society, Chicago, Illinois. 12. Letter from Joseph Smith to Emma Smith, Jan. 20, 1840, Chester County, Pennsylvania; Chicago Historical Society, Chicago, Illinois. 13. History of the Church, 1:341; from a letter from Joseph Smith to the brethren in Missouri, Apr. 21, 1833, Kirtland, Ohio. 14. History of the Church, 4:432; from a letter from Joseph Smith to Smith Tuttle, Oct. 9, 1841, Nauvoo, Illinois. 15. History of the Church, 6:51-52; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on Oct. 9, 1843, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Willard Richards and Times and Seasons, Sept. 15, 1843, p. 331; this issue of the Times and Seasons was published late. Joseph and Emma Smith with the twins they adopted shortly after their own infant twins died. Joseph and Emma gratefully took Joseph and Julia into their family, but little Joseph died in March 1832. Joseph Smith taught that young children "must rise just as they died" and that parents will greet their children with "the same loveliness in the celestial glory." ;;;Chapter 15 Establishing the Cause of Zion "The building up of Zion is a cause that has interested the people of God in every age; it is a theme upon which prophets, priests and kings have dwelt with peculiar delight." From the Life of Joseph Smith In early June 1831, just weeks after the gathering from New York to Ohio was complete, the Saints assembled in Kirtland for a conference of the Church. On June 7, the day after the conference ended, Joseph Smith received a revelation that turned Church members' thoughts toward Zion: "The next conference . . . shall be held in Missouri, upon the land which I will consecrate unto my people" (D&C 52:2). The Saints were intensely interested in establishing Zion--a holy city, a peaceful refuge for the righteous fleeing the wickedness of the world. To prepare the Saints, the Lord had repeatedly counseled them to "seek to bring forth and establish the cause of Zion" (D&C 6:6; 11:6; 12:6; see also 14:6). Now Church leaders would be leaving immediately to determine the location of Zion. Joseph Smith, Sidney Rigdon, and others started the 900-mile journey to Jackson County, Missouri, on June 19, traveling by water, by coach, and for many miles on foot. The journey was difficult and strenuous, but the Prophet felt the Lord's protecting care: "Notwithstanding the corruptions and abominations of the times, and the evil spirit manifested towards us on account of our belief in the Book of Mormon, at many places and among various persons, yet the Lord continued His watchful care and loving kindness to us day by day; and we made it a rule wherever there was an opportunity, to read a chapter in the Bible, and pray; and these seasons of worship gave us great consolation."1 In mid-July, the Prophet arrived in western Missouri, a beautiful area of rolling, fertile prairie, thick with flowers. There, in reply to his pleading to know Zion's specific location, the Lord revealed that "the place which is now called Independence is the center place; and a spot for the temple is lying westward, upon a lot which is not far from the courthouse" (D&C 57:3) and that tracts of land should be purchased. On August 2, Joseph Smith and others met to begin the building of Zion. The Prophet recorded: "I assisted the Colesville branch of the Church to lay the first log, for a house, as a foundation of Zion in Kaw township, twelve miles west of Independence. The log was carried and placed by twelve men, in honor of the twelve tribes of Israel. At the same time, through prayer, the land of Zion was consecrated and dedicated by Elder Sidney Rigdon for the gathering of the Saints. It was a season of joy to those present, and afforded a glimpse of the future, which time will yet unfold to the satisfaction of the faithful."2 The following day, the Prophet dedicated the temple site. The Saints from Colesville, New York, were among the first Church members to settle in Missouri. They had made the arduous journey from New York to Kirtland, Ohio, but had lived in Ohio only a short time before being commanded to travel to Missouri. Polly Knight, a member of the Colesville branch, traveled to the land of Zion, only to die there a week later. Although she had been in failing health, she was determined to hold on. Her son wrote: "She quietly fell asleep in death, rejoicing in the new and everlasting covenant of the gospel and praising God that she had lived to see the land of Zion. . . . Brother Joseph Smith attended the funeral of my mother and addressed us in a very able and consoling manner."3 Although the Prophet soon returned to Kirtland and continued to lead the Church from there until 1838, many Saints continued to move to Missouri. The Saints worked diligently to build up Zion, but by late 1833, they had been driven out of their homes in Jackson County by severe persecution, leaving behind their dreams of establishing Zion and building a temple there. Through the Prophet Joseph Smith, the Lord revealed that the conditions for the redemption of Zion in that land were not yet fulfilled and that the establishment of Zion must "wait for a little season" (D&C 105:9). Teachings of Joseph Smith The Lord designated Jackson County, Missouri, as the land of Zion--a place where the Saints of Joseph Smith's day would gather and where the holy city of Zion would eventually be built. "I received, by a heavenly vision, a commandment in June [1831], to take my journey to the western boundaries of the State of Missouri, and there designate the very spot which was to be the central place for the commencement of the gathering together of those who embrace the fullness of the everlasting Gospel. Accordingly I undertook the journey, with certain ones of my brethren, and after a long and tedious journey, suffering many privations and hardships, arrived in Jackson County, Missouri, and after viewing the country, seeking diligently at the hand of God, He manifested Himself unto us, and designated, to me and others, the very spot upon which He designed to commence the work of the gathering, and the upbuilding of an 'holy city,' which should be called Zion--Zion, because it is a place of righteousness, and all who build thereon are to worship the true and living God, and all believe in one doctrine, even the doctrine of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 'Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing: for they shall see eye to eye, when the Lord shall bring again Zion' [Isaiah 52:8]."4 In the early 1830s, the Saints attempted to lay the foundation of Zion in Jackson County, Missouri, as commanded by the Lord, but were unable to do so because they were not spiritually prepared. The Prophet Joseph Smith said the following about the time when Zion would be established: "I cannot learn from any communication by the Spirit to me, that Zion has forfeited her claim to a celestial crown, notwithstanding the Lord has caused her to be thus afflicted, except it may be some individuals, who have walked in disobedience, and forsaken the new covenant; all such will be made manifest by their works in due time. I have always expected that Zion would suffer some affliction, from what I could learn from the commandments which have been given. But I would remind you of a certain clause in one which says, that after much tribulation cometh the blessing [see D&C 58:4]. By this, and also others, and also one received of late, I know that Zion, in the due time of the Lord, will be redeemed; but how many will be the days of her purification, tribulation, and affliction, the Lord has kept hid from my eyes; and when I inquire concerning this subject, the voice of the Lord is: Be still, and know that I am God! All those who suffer for my name shall reign with me, and he that layeth down his life for my sake shall find it again. . . . May God grant that notwithstanding [our] great afflictions and sufferings, there may not anything separate us from [the] love of Christ [see Romans 8:35-39]."5 We build up the cause of Zion by becoming a people who are pure in heart and by working diligently with one heart and mind. "The building up of Zion is a cause that has interested the people of God in every age; it is a theme upon which prophets, priests and kings have dwelt with peculiar delight; they have looked forward with joyful anticipation to the day in which we live; and fired with heavenly and joyful anticipations they have sung and written and prophesied of this our day; but they died without the sight; we are the favored people that God has made choice of to bring about the Latter-day glory; it is left for us to see, participate in and help to roll forward the Latter-day glory."6 "Anyplace where the Saints gather is Zion, which every righteous man will build up for a place of safety for his children."7 "There will be here and there a Stake [of Zion] for the gathering of the Saints. . . . There your children shall be blessed, and you in the midst of friends where you may be blessed. The Gospel net gathers of every kind. ". . . We ought to have the building up of Zion as our greatest object. . . . The time is soon coming, when no man will have any peace but in Zion and her stakes."8 "In regard to the building up of Zion, it has to be done by the counsel of Jehovah, by the revelations of heaven."9 "If Zion will not purify herself, so as to be approved of in all things, in His sight, He will seek another people; for His work will go on until Israel is gathered, and they who will not hear His voice, must expect to feel His wrath. Let me say unto you, seek to purify yourselves, and also all the inhabitants of Zion, lest the Lord's anger be kindled to fierceness. Repent, repent, is the voice of God to Zion; and strange as it may appear, yet it is true, mankind will persist in self-justification until all their iniquity is exposed, and their character past being redeemed, and that which is treasured up in their hearts be exposed to the gaze of mankind. I say to you (and what I say to you I say to all,) hear the warning voice of God, lest Zion fall, and the Lord swear in His wrath the inhabitants of Zion shall not enter into His rest."10 "So long as unrighteous acts are suffered in the Church, it cannot be sanctified, neither can Zion be redeemed."11 "Let every one labor to prepare himself for the vineyard, sparing a little time to comfort the mourners; to bind up the broken-hearted; to reclaim the backslider; to bring back the wanderer; to re-invite into the kingdom such as have been cut off, by encouraging them to lay to while the day lasts, and work righteousness, and, with one heart and one mind, prepare to help redeem Zion, that goodly land of promise, where the willing and the obedient shall be blessed. . . . "[We] pray our heavenly Father that you may be very prayerful, very humble, and very charitable; working diligently, spiritually and temporally, for the redemption of Zion, that the pure in heart may return with songs of everlasting joy to build up her waste places, and meet the Lord when He comes in His glory [see D&C 101:18]."12 Zion, the New Jerusalem, will be built upon the American continent. Articles of Faith 1:10: "We believe in the literal gathering of Israel and in the restoration of the Ten Tribes; that Zion (the New Jerusalem) will be built upon the American continent."13 "The city of Zion spoken of by David, in the one hundred and second Psalm, will be built upon the land of America, 'And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads' [Isaiah 35:10]; and then they will be delivered from the overflowing scourge that shall pass through the land. But Judah shall obtain deliverance at Jerusalem. [See Joel 2:32; Isaiah 26:20-21; Jeremiah 31:12; Psalm 1:5; Ezekiel 34:11-13.] These are testimonies that the Good Shepherd will put forth His own sheep, and lead them out from all nations where they have been scattered in a cloudy and dark day, to Zion, and to Jerusalem."14 "I shall begin by quoting from the prophecy of Enoch, speaking of the last days: 'Righteousness will I send down out of heaven, and truth will I send forth out of the earth, to bear testimony of mine Only Begotten, His resurrection from the dead [this resurrection I understand to be the corporeal body]; yea, and also the resurrection of all men; righteousness and truth will I cause to sweep the earth as with a flood, to gather out mine own elect from the four quarters of the earth, unto a place which I shall prepare, a holy city, that my people may gird up their loins, and be looking forth for the time of my coming, for there shall be my tabernacle, and it shall be called Zion, a New Jerusalem' [Moses 7:62]. "Now I understand by this quotation, that . . . righteousness and truth are to sweep the earth as with a flood. And now, I ask, how righteousness and truth are going to sweep the earth as with a flood? I will answer. Men and angels are to be co-workers in bringing to pass this great work, and Zion is to be prepared, even a new Jerusalem, for the elect that are to be gathered from the four quarters of the earth, and to be established an holy city, for the tabernacle of the Lord shall be with them. . . . ". . . 'Behold this people will I establish in this land, unto the fulfilling of the covenant which I made with your father Jacob, and it shall be a New Jerusalem.' [3 Nephi 20:22.] Now we learn from the Book of Mormon the very identical continent and spot of land upon which the New Jerusalem is to stand, and it must be caught up according to the vision of John upon the isle of Patmos. "Now many will feel disposed to say, that this New Jerusalem spoken of, is the Jerusalem that was built by the Jews on the eastern continent. But you will see, from Revelation 21:2, there was a New Jerusalem coming down from God out of heaven, adorned as a bride for her husband; that after this, the Revelator was caught away in the Spirit, to a great and high mountain, and saw the great and holy city descending out of heaven from God. Now there are two cities spoken of here. As everything cannot be had in so narrow a compass as a letter, I shall say with brevity, that there is a New Jerusalem to be established on this continent, and also Jerusalem shall be rebuilt on the eastern continent [see Ether 13:1-12]. 'Behold, Ether saw the days of Christ, and he spake also concerning the house of Israel, and the Jerusalem from whence Lehi should come; after it should be destroyed, it should be built up again, a holy city unto the Lord, wherefore it could not be a New Jerusalem, for it had been in a time of old.' [Ether 13:4-5.]"15 "The Prophets have said concerning Zion in the last days: how the glory of Lebanon is to come upon her; the fir tree, the pine tree, and the box tree together, to beautify the place of His sanctuary, that He may make the place of His feet glorious [see Isaiah 60:13]. Where for brass, He will bring gold; and for iron, He will bring silver; and for wood, brass; and for stones, iron [see Isaiah 60:17]; and where the feast of fat things will be given to the just [see Isaiah 25:6]; yea, when the splendor of the Lord is brought to our consideration for the good of His people, the calculations of men and the vain glory of the world vanish, and we exclaim, 'Out of Zion the perfection of beauty, God hath shined.' [Psalm 50:2.]"16 Suggestions for Study and Teaching Consider these ideas as you study the chapter or as you prepare to teach. For additional help, see pages vii-xii. -- In this chapter, notice how the Prophet Joseph Smith uses the word Zion to refer to specific places and to the Lord's people. How do these uses of the word help you understand what it means to build up Zion? (As you think about or discuss this question, consider reading Doctrine and Covenants 97:21.) -- In the paragraph beginning at the bottom of page 185, Joseph Smith tells of his desire to know when the city of Zion would be established in Jackson County, Missouri. What can we learn from the Lord's response to Joseph Smith's prayers? -- Read the second full paragraph on page 186, and then identify some places where the Saints gather. How can we build up Zion in these places? -- Review the third and fourth full paragraphs on page 186, and consider how stakes in the Church provide safety and peace. In what ways have you been blessed as you have gathered with other members of your stake? -- In what ways does the Prophet's counsel about building Zion apply in our homes? -- The Prophet Joseph taught that as part of the effort to build up Zion, we must purify ourselves individually. What are some ways we can follow this counsel? (For some examples, see pages 186-88.) Why do you think that individuals must be pure before Zion will be redeemed? -- Review Joseph Smith's prophecies about the two holy cities (pages 188-90). What part do we play in the fulfillment of these prophecies? Related Scriptures: Revelation 21:1-27; D&C 45:65-71; 97:18-25; 103:1-7; Moses 7:16-21, 62-69 Notes 1. History of the Church, 1:188-89; from "History of the Church" (manuscript), book A-1, pp. 126-27, Church Archives, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah. 2. History of the Church, 1:196; from "History of the Church" (manuscript), book A-1, p. 137, Church Archives. 3. Newel Knight, Autobiography and Journal, ca. 1846, pp. 32, 34, Church Archives. 4. History of the Church, 2:254; from a letter from Joseph Smith to the elders of the Church, Sept. 1835, Kirtland, Ohio, published in Messenger and Advocate, Sept. 1835, pp. 179-80. 5. History of the Church, 1:453-54; paragraph divisions altered; from a letter from Joseph Smith to Edward Partridge and others, Dec. 10, 1833, Kirtland, Ohio. 6. History of the Church, 4:609-10; from "The Temple," an editorial published in Times and Seasons, May 2, 1842, p. 776; Joseph Smith was the editor of the periodical. 7. Quoted by Martha Jane Knowlton Coray, reporting a discourse given by Joseph Smith in Nauvoo, Illinois; Martha Jane Knowlton Coray, Notebook, Church Archives; this discourse is dated July 19, 1840, in Sister Coray's notebook, but the discourse was probably given at a later date. 8. History of the Church, 3:390-91; bracketed words in original; paragraph divisions altered; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith about July 1839 in Commerce, Illinois; reported by Willard Richards. 9. History of the Church, 5:65; from "The Government of God," an editorial published in Times and Seasons, July 15, 1842, p. 858; Joseph Smith was the editor of the periodical. 10. History of the Church, 1:316; spelling modernized; from a letter from Joseph Smith to William W. Phelps, Jan. 11, 1833, Kirtland, Ohio; this letter is incorrectly dated Jan. 14, 1833, in History of the Church. 11. History of the Church, 2:146; from a letter from Joseph Smith to Lyman Wight and others, Aug. 16, 1834, Kirtland, Ohio. 12. History of the Church, 2:229-30, footnote; punctuation modernized; paragraph divisions altered; from "To the Saints Scattered Abroad," Messenger and Advocate, June 1835, p. 138. 13. Articles of Faith 1:10. 14. History of the Church, 1:315; from a letter from Joseph Smith to N. C. Saxton, Jan. 4, 1833, Kirtland, Ohio; Mr. Saxton's name is incorrectly given as "N. E. Seaton" in History of the Church. 15. History of the Church, 2:260-62; punctuation modernized; first set of bracketed words in first paragraph in original; from a letter from Joseph Smith to the elders of the Church, Nov. 1835, Kirtland, Ohio, published in Messenger and Advocate, Nov. 1835, pp. 209-10. 16. History of the Church, 1:198; punctuation modernized; from "History of the Church" (manuscript), book A-1, p. 139, Church Archives. In 1833, Joseph Smith and Frederick G. Williams prepared this map for the city of Zion, to be built in Jackson County, Missouri. Public areas in the center are surrounded by 10-acre city blocks with half-acre home lots. The city was never built, but many of the plan's basic ideas were later used in Latter-day Saint settlements. "Anyplace where the Saints gather is Zion, which every righteous man will build up for a place of safety for his children." ;;;Chapter 16 Revelation and the Living Prophet "The grand rule of heaven [is] that nothing should ever be done on earth without revealing the secret to his servants the prophets." From the Life of Joseph Smith In Kirtland, Ohio, the Prophet Joseph Smith received a flood of revelations, making this period of great importance in establishing the doctrine and government of the Church. When the Prophet received these revelations, he was often in the presence of other Church leaders, with someone recording his words as he received them from the Lord. The revelations frequently came to him in answer to prayer. Parley P. Pratt, who later became a member of the Twelve, was present when the Prophet received the revelation that is now Doctrine and Covenants 50. Elder Pratt recalled: "After we had joined in prayer in his translating room, he dictated in our presence the following revelation. Each sentence was uttered slowly and very distinctly, and with a pause between each, sufficiently long for it to be recorded, by an ordinary writer, in long hand. . . . There was never any hesitation, reviewing, or reading back, in order to keep the run of the subject."1 Although some revelations had been copied by hand for personal use, Church members generally did not have them. Joseph Smith knew that the revelations of God were of such importance that they must be carefully preserved and made available to the world. In November 1831, at a special conference held in Hiram, Ohio, the Prophet and other Church leaders decided to publish a selection of the revelations the Prophet had received up to that time. After this decision was made, the Prophet received a divine communication that the Lord called "my preface unto the book of my commandments" (D&C 1:6). This revelation, which is now Doctrine and Covenants section 1, signified the Lord's approval for publication of the revelations and explained His purposes in giving them. "Search these commandments," the Lord declared, "for they are true and faithful, and the prophecies and promises which are in them shall all be fulfilled" (D&C 1:37). After hearing the revelation read back to him on the second day of the conference, the Prophet "arose and expressed his feelings and gratitude" for this manifestation of the Lord's approval.2 Following this conference, the Prophet recalled, "my time was occupied closely in reviewing the commandments and sitting in conference, for nearly two weeks; for from the first to the twelfth of November we held four special conferences. In the last . . . the conference voted that they prize the revelations to be worth . . . the riches of the whole earth." The conference also declared that the revelations are "the foundation of the Church in these last days, and a benefit to the world, showing that the keys of the mysteries of the kingdom of our Savior are again entrusted to man; and the riches of eternity [are] within the compass of those who are willing to live by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God."3 Handwritten copies of the revelations were taken to William W. Phelps in Missouri, to be published as the Book of Commandments. Brother Phelps, who had been commanded by the Lord to go to Missouri and become a printer for the Church (see D&C 57:11), soon began setting the type for the book. However, on July 20, 1833, a mob destroyed the press and most of the printed sheets. Some of the loose sheets were rescued by Church members and individually bound, but the book was never officially published. In 1835, the revelations intended for the Book of Commandments plus many additional revelations were published in Kirtland as the Doctrine and Covenants. With additional revelations that have been added since 1835, this book stands as a witness that God speaks today through His living prophet, the President of the Church, for the blessing and guidance of His Church. Teachings of Joseph Smith God has always guided His people and His Church through revelation. Articles of Faith 1:9: "We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God."4 "We never can comprehend the things of God and of heaven, but by revelation. We may spiritualize and express opinions to all eternity; but that is no authority."5 "The doctrine of revelation far transcends the doctrine of no revelation; for one truth revealed from heaven is worth all the sectarian notions in existence."6 "Salvation cannot come without revelation; it is in vain for anyone to minister without it. . . . No man can be a minister of Jesus Christ except he has the testimony of Jesus; and this is the spirit of prophecy [see Revelation 19:10]. Whenever salvation has been administered, it has been by testimony. Men of the present time testify of heaven and hell, and have never seen either; and I will say that no man knows these things without this."7 "Jesus in His teachings says, 'Upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.' [Matthew 16:18.] What rock? Revelation."8 "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was founded upon direct revelation, as the true Church of God has ever been, according to the Scriptures (Amos 3:7, and Acts 1:2); and through the will and blessings of God, I have been an instrument in His hands, thus far, to move forward the cause of Zion."9 The Prophet spoke at a Church conference in April 1834: "President Joseph Smith, Jun., read the second chapter of Joel's prophecy, prayed, and addressed the conference as follows: . . . 'We are differently situated from any other people that ever existed upon this earth; consequently those former revelations cannot be suited to our conditions; they were given to other people, who were before us; but in the last days, God was to call a remnant, in which was to be deliverance, as well as in Jerusalem and Zion [see Joel 2:32]. Now if God should give no more revelations, where will we find Zion and this remnant? . . .' "The President then gave a relation of obtaining and translating the Book of Mormon, the revelation of the Priesthood of Aaron, the organization of the Church in 1830, the revelation of the High Priesthood, and the gift of the Holy Ghost poured out upon the Church, and said: 'Take away the Book of Mormon and the revelations, and where is our religion? We have none.' "10 The President of the Church is appointed to receive revelation from God for the Church; individuals may receive revelation for their own responsibilities. "Jesus . . . set in the church firstly Apostles, and secondly prophets, for the work of the ministry, perfecting of the saints, etc.; . . . the grand rule of heaven [is] that nothing should ever be done on earth without revealing the secret to his servants the prophets, agreeable to Amos 3:7."11 In September 1830 Joseph and Emma Smith moved from Harmony, Pennsylvania, to Fayette, New York. When they arrived, they found that some Saints were being deceived by claims of false revelations: "To our great grief, . . . we soon found that Satan had been lying in wait to deceive, and seeking whom he might devour. Brother Hiram Page had in his possession a certain stone, by which he had obtained certain 'revelations' concerning the upbuilding of Zion, the order of the Church, etc., all of which were entirely at variance with the order of God's house, as laid down in the New Testament, as well as in our late revelations. As a conference meeting had been appointed for the 26th day of September, I thought it wisdom not to do much more than to converse with the brethren on the subject, until the conference should meet. Finding, however, that many, especially the Whitmer family and Oliver Cowdery, were believing much in the things set forth by this stone, we thought best to inquire of the Lord concerning so important a matter; and before [the] conference convened, we received the following: "Revelation to Oliver Cowdery, given at Fayette, New York, September, 1830. " '. . . Behold, verily, verily, I say unto thee, no one shall be appointed to receive commandments and revelations in this Church excepting my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., for he receiveth them even as Moses. And thou shalt be obedient unto the things which I shall give unto him. . . . " 'And thou shalt not command him who is at thy head, and at the head of the church; for I have given him the keys of the mysteries, and the revelations which are sealed, until I shall appoint unto them another in his stead. . . . " 'And again, thou shalt take thy brother, Hiram Page, between him and thee alone, and tell him that those things which he hath written from that stone are not of me, and that Satan deceiveth him; for, behold, these things have not been appointed unto him, neither shall anything be appointed unto any of this church contrary to the church covenants. " 'For all things must be done in order, and by common consent in the church, by the prayer of faith.' [D&C 28:2-3, 6-7, 11-13.] . . . "At length our conference assembled. The subject of the stone previously mentioned was discussed, and after considerable investigation, Brother Page, as well as the whole Church who were present, renounced the said stone, and all things connected therewith, much to our mutual satisfaction and happiness."12 "The Presidents or [First] Presidency are over the Church; and revelations of the mind and will of God to the Church, are to come through the Presidency. This is the order of heaven, and the power and privilege of [the Melchizedek] Priesthood. It is also the privilege of any officer in this Church to obtain revelations, so far as relates to his particular calling and duty in the Church."13 "We do not consider ourselves bound to receive any revelation from any one man or woman without his being legally constituted and ordained to that authority, and giving sufficient proof of it. ". . . It is contrary to the economy of God for any member of the Church, or any one, to receive instructions for those in authority, higher than themselves; therefore you will see the impropriety of giving heed to them; but if any person have a vision or a visitation from a heavenly messenger, it must be for his own benefit and instruction; for the fundamental principles, government, and doctrine of the Church are vested in the keys of the kingdom."14 The President of the Church conveys the word of God to us for our day and generation. Heber C. Kimball, while serving as a counselor to President Brigham Young, reported: "Brother Joseph Smith many a time said to Brother Brigham and myself, and to others, that he was a representative of God to us, to teach and direct us and reprove the wrong doers."15 Wilford Woodruff, the fourth President of the Church, reported: "I will refer to a certain meeting I attended in the town of Kirtland in my early days. At that meeting some remarks were made . . . with regard to the living oracles and with regard to the written word of God. . . . A leading man in the Church got up and talked upon the subject, and said: 'You have got the word of God before you here in the Bible, Book of Mormon, and Doctrine and Covenants; you have the written word of God, and you who give revelations should give revelations according to those books, as what is written in those books is the word of God. We should confine ourselves to them.' "When he concluded, Brother Joseph turned to Brother Brigham Young and said, 'Brother Brigham, I want you to take the stand and tell us your views with regard to the living oracles and the written word of God.' Brother Brigham took the stand, and he took the Bible, and laid it down; he took the Book of Mormon, and laid it down; and he took the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, and laid it down before him, and he said: 'There is the written word of God to us, concerning the work of God from the beginning of the world, almost, to our day. And now,' said he, 'when compared with the [living] oracles those books are nothing to me; those books do not convey the word of God direct to us now, as do the words of a Prophet or a man bearing the Holy Priesthood in our day and generation. I would rather have the living oracles than all the writing in the books.' That was the course he pursued. When he was through, Brother Joseph said to the congregation: 'Brother Brigham has told you the word of the Lord, and he has told you the truth.' "16 Brigham Young, the second President of the Church, recalled: "Many years ago the Prophet Joseph observed that if the people would have received the revelations he had in his possession and wisely acted upon them, as the Lord would dictate, they might in their power to do and understand have been many years ahead of what they then were."17 We sustain the President of the Church and other Church leaders by praying for them and heeding their counsel. Joseph Smith recorded that the following occurred at the dedication of the Kirtland Temple on March 27, 1836: "I then made a short address, and called upon the several quorums, and all the congregation of Saints, to acknowledge the [First] Presidency as Prophets and Seers, and uphold them by their prayers. They all covenanted to do so, by rising. "I then called upon the quorums and congregation of Saints to acknowledge the Twelve Apostles, who were present, as Prophets, Seers, Revelators, and special witnesses to all the nations of the earth, holding the keys of the kingdom, to unlock it, or cause it to be done, among them, and uphold them by their prayers, which they assented to by rising. "I next called upon the quorums and congregation of Saints to acknowledge the presidents of Seventies . . . and to uphold them by their prayers, which they did by rising. . . . "The vote was unanimous in every instance, and I prophesied to all, that inasmuch as they would uphold these men in their several stations, . . . the Lord would bless them; yea, in the name of Christ, the blessings of heaven should be theirs."18 "Like those who held up the hands of Moses [see Exodus 17:8-13], so let us hold up the hands of those who are appointed to direct the affairs of the Kingdom, so that they may be strengthened, and be enabled to prosecute their great designs, and be instrumental in effecting the great work of the last days."19 "Now for persons to do things, merely because they are advised to do them, and yet murmur all the time they are doing them, is of no use at all; they might as well not do them. There are those who profess to be Saints who are too apt to murmur, and find fault, when any advice is given, which comes in opposition to their feelings, even when they, themselves, ask for counsel; much more so when counsel is given unasked for, which does not agree with their notion of things; but brethren, we hope for better things from the most of you; we trust that you desire counsel, from time to time, and that you will cheerfully conform to it, whenever you receive it from a proper source."20 Eliza R. Snow recorded: "[Joseph Smith] said, if God has appointed him, and chosen him as an instrument to lead the Church, why not let him lead it through? Why stand in the way when he is appointed to do a thing? Who knows the mind of God? Does He not reveal things differently from what we expect? [The Prophet] remarked that he was continually rising, although he had everything bearing him down, standing in his way, and opposing; notwithstanding all this opposition, he always comes out right in the end. . . . "He reproved those that were disposed to find fault with the management of the concerns of the Church, saying God had called him to lead the Church, and he would lead it right; those that undertake to interfere will be ashamed when their own folly is made manifest."21 Those who reject the living prophet will not progress and will bring upon themselves the judgments of God. "Notwithstanding, literally speaking, that all knowledge comes from God, yet when it has been revealed, all men have not believed it as revelation at the time. . . . "Noah was a perfect man, and his knowledge or revelation of what was to take place upon the earth gave him power to prepare and save himself and family from the destruction of the flood. This knowledge, or revelation, . . . was not believed by the inhabitants of the earth. They knew Adam was the first man, made in the image of God; that he was a good man; that Enoch walked with God three hundred and sixty-five years, and was translated to heaven without tasting death. But they could not endure the new revelation: the old we believe because our fathers did, but away with new revelations. And the flood swept them away. . . . "The same principle . . . was signally manifest among the Jews when the Savior came in the flesh. [They] boasted of the old revelations, garnished the sepulchres of the dead, gave tithes of mint and anise, made long prayers for a pretense, and crossed sea and land to make proselytes, but yet when the new revelation came fresh from the mouth of the great I Am himself, they could not endure it--it was too much. It showed the corruptions of that generation, as others before, and they cried, away with him; crucify him! . . . "Once more, the same course and language were used when the Book of Mormon came to this generation. The old revelation, the old patriarchs, pilgrims and apostles, were blessed. We believe in them, but the new ones we cannot abide."22 "The world always mistook false prophets for true ones, and those that were sent of God, they considered to be false prophets, and hence they killed, stoned, punished and imprisoned the true prophets, and these had to hide themselves 'in deserts and dens, and caves of the earth' [see Hebrews 11:38], and though the most honorable men of the earth, they banished them from their society as vagabonds, whilst they cherished, honored and supported knaves, vagabonds, hypocrites, impostors, and the basest of men."23 "I have not the least idea, if Christ should come to the earth and preach such rough things as He preached to the Jews, but that this generation would reject Him for being so rough. . . . Many men will say, 'I will never forsake you, but will stand by you at all times.' But the moment you teach them some of the mysteries of the kingdom of God that are retained in the heavens and are to be revealed to the children of men when they are prepared for them, they will be the first to stone you and put you to death. It was this same principle that crucified the Lord Jesus Christ, and will cause the people to kill the prophets in this generation. "Many things are [inexplicable] to the children of men in the last days: for instance, that God should raise the dead; [they forget] that things have been hid from before the foundation of the world, which are to be revealed to babes in the last days. "There are a great many wise men and women too in our midst who are too wise to be taught; therefore they must die in their ignorance, and in the resurrection they will find their mistake. Many seal up the door of heaven by saying, So far God may reveal and I will believe. . . . "It always has been when a man was sent of God with the priesthood and he began to preach the fullness of the gospel, that he was thrust out by his friends, who are ready to butcher him if he teach things which they imagine to be wrong; and Jesus was crucified upon this principle."24 "Woe, woe be to that man or set of men who lift up their hands against God and His witness in these last days: for they shall deceive almost the very chosen ones! ". . . When a man goes about prophesying, and commands men to obey his teachings, he must either be a true or false prophet. False prophets always arise to oppose the true prophets and they will prophesy so very near the truth that they will deceive almost the very chosen ones."25 "In consequence of rejecting the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the Prophets whom God hath sent, the judgments of God have rested upon people, cities, and nations, in various ages of the world, which was the case with the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, that were destroyed for rejecting the Prophets."26 William P. McIntire reported: "[Joseph Smith] prophesied that all those that made light of the revelations that were given, and of him and his words, would ere long cry and lament, . . . saying, Oh! that we had hearkened to the words of God and the revelations given."27 Suggestions for Study and Teaching Consider these ideas as you study the chapter or as you prepare to teach. For additional help, see pages vii-xii. -- Review the account on pages 193-94, noting how the early Church members felt about the revelations received through Joseph Smith. What are your feelings about the Doctrine and Covenants? -- Read the fourth paragraph on page 195. Why do you think that "salvation cannot come without revelation"? -- Review pages 196-97. Why do you think people sometimes allow themselves to be deceived, as in the story about Hiram Page? What can we do to avoid being deceived by false prophets or false teachings? -- Review the last two full paragraphs on page 197 and the paragraph that continues onto page 198. How do we benefit from having only one man who can receive revelations for the entire Church? What experiences can you share in which the Lord has guided you in your specific responsibilities? -- On pages 198-99, read how Joseph Smith and Brigham Young responded when a man said we should confine ourselves to the revelations written in the scriptures. What would be missing from your life if you confined yourself to the standard works, without hearing the words of the living prophet? What can we do to follow the spirit of Brigham Young's counsel? -- What can we do to uphold the President of the Church and other Church leaders? (For some examples, see pages 199-200.) What counsel did the President of the Church give in the past general conference? In what ways have you been blessed as you have followed the prophet and other Church leaders? -- What are some ways in which people reject God's prophets? (For some examples, see pages 200-203.) What are some possible consequences of choosing not to follow the counsel of those the Lord has chosen to lead His Church? Related Scriptures: Proverbs 29:18; Jacob 4:8; 3 Nephi 28:34; Mormon 9:7-9; D&C 21:1-6 Notes 1. Parley P. Pratt, Autobiography of Parley P. Pratt, ed. Parley P. Pratt Jr. (1938), p. 62; punctuation modernized; paragraph divisions altered. 2. "The Conference Minutes and Record Book of Christ's Church of Latter Day Saints 1838-39; 1844," entry for Nov. 2, 1831, p. 16, reported by John Whitmer, Church Archives, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah. This record book contains records from 1830 to 1844. 3. History of the Church, 1:235; from "History of the Church" (manuscript), book A-1, pp. 172-73, Church Archives. 4. Articles of Faith 1:9. 5. History of the Church, 5:344; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on Apr. 8, 1843, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Willard Richards and William Clayton. 6. History of the Church, 6:252; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on Mar. 10, 1844, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Wilford Woodruff. 7. History of the Church, 3:389-90; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith about July 1839 in Commerce, Illinois; reported by Willard Richards. 8. History of the Church, 5:258; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on Jan. 22, 1843, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Wilford Woodruff. 9. History of the Church, 6:9; from Joseph Smith, "Latter Day Saints," in I. Daniel Rupp, comp., He Pasa Ekklesia [The Whole Church]: An Original History of the Religious Denominations at Present Existing in the United States (1844), p. 404. 10. History of the Church, 2:52; punctuation modernized; paragraph divisions altered; from the minutes of a Church conference held on Apr. 21, 1834, in Norton, Ohio; reported by Oliver Cowdery. 11. "Baptism," an editorial published in Times and Seasons, Sept. 1, 1842, p. 905; grammar modernized; Joseph Smith was the editor of the periodical. 12. History of the Church, 1:109-11, 115; paragraph divisions altered; from "History of the Church" (manuscript), book A-1, pp. 53-55, 58, Church Archives; the date of Joseph and Emma's arrival in Fayette is incorrectly given as August 1830 in History of the Church. 13. History of the Church, 2:477; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on Apr. 6, 1837, in Kirtland, Ohio; reported by Messenger and Advocate, Apr. 1837, p. 487. 14. History of the Church, 1:338; from a letter from Joseph Smith and Frederick G. Williams to John S. Carter, Apr. 13, 1833, Kirtland, Ohio. 15. Heber C. Kimball, Deseret News, Nov. 5, 1856, p. 274. 16. Wilford Woodruff, in Conference Report, Oct. 1897, pp. 22-23; punctuation modernized; paragraph divisions altered. 17. Brigham Young, Deseret News, Dec. 9, 1857, p. 316. 18. History of the Church, 2:417-18; from a Joseph Smith journal entry, Mar. 27, 1836, Kirtland, Ohio; see also Messenger and Advocate, Mar. 1836, p. 277. 19. History of the Church, 4:186; from a letter from Joseph Smith and his counselors in the First Presidency to the Saints, Sept. 1840, Nauvoo, Illinois, published in Times and Seasons, Oct. 1840, p. 178. 20. History of the Church, 4:45, footnote; from a letter from the First Presidency and high council to the Saints living west of Kirtland, Ohio, Dec. 8, 1839, Commerce, Illinois, published in Times and Seasons, Dec. 1839, p. 29. 21. History of the Church, 4:603-4; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on Apr. 28, 1842, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Eliza R. Snow; see also appendix, page 562, item 3. 22. "Knowledge Is Power," an editorial published in Times and Seasons, Aug. 15, 1842, pp. 889-90; spelling, punctuation, and grammar modernized; italics deleted; Joseph Smith was the editor of the periodical. 23. History of the Church, 4:574; punctuation modernized; from "Try the Spirits," an editorial published in Times and Seasons, Apr. 1, 1842, p. 744; Joseph Smith was the editor of the periodical. 24. History of the Church, 5:423-25; punctuation modernized; paragraph divisions altered; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on June 11, 1843, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Wilford Woodruff and Willard Richards; see also appendix, page 562, item 3. 25. History of the Church, 6:364; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on May 12, 1844, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Thomas Bullock. 26. History of the Church, 5:256-57; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on Jan. 22, 1843, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Wilford Woodruff. 27. William P. McIntire, reporting a discourse given by Joseph Smith in early 1841 in Nauvoo, Illinois; William Patterson McIntire, Notebook 1840-45, Church Archives. When the Prophet Joseph Smith received revelations, he was often in the presence of other Church leaders, with someone recording his words as he received them from the Lord. Heber C. Kimball "Noah was a perfect man, and his knowledge or revelation of what was to take place upon the earth . . . was not believed by the inhabitants of the earth." ;;;Chapter 17 The Great Plan of Salvation "The great plan of salvation is a theme which ought to occupy our strict attention, and be regarded as one of heaven's best gifts to mankind." From the Life of Joseph Smith In September 1831, the Prophet Joseph Smith and his family moved 30 miles southeast of Kirtland to Hiram, Ohio, where they lived for about a year in the home of John and Alice (also known as Elsa) Johnson. In this home, the Prophet did much of his work on the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible. This important work, which the Prophet called a "branch of my calling,"1 contributes significantly to our understanding of the plan of salvation. The Prophet began this work in June 1830 when the Lord commanded him to begin making an inspired revision of the King James Version of the Bible. The Prophet had long known that the Bible was not always clear on some important matters. He had noted that Moroni quoted some biblical passages to him "with a little variation from the way [they read] in our Bibles" (Joseph Smith--History 1:36). While translating 1 Nephi 13:23-29, he learned that many "parts which are plain and most precious" had been taken out of the Bible, including "many covenants of the Lord" (1 Nephi 13:26). The Prophet later said: "I believe the Bible as it read when it came from the pen of the original writers. Ignorant translators, careless transcribers, or designing and corrupt priests have committed many errors. . . . Look at [Hebrews 6:1] for contradictions--'Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection.' If a man leaves the principles of the doctrine of Christ, how can he be saved in the principles? This is a contradiction. I don't believe it. I will render it as it should be--'Therefore not leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection.' "2 As guided by the Spirit, Joseph spent about three years going through the Bible, making thousands of corrections to the text and restoring information that had been lost. This restored information sheds marvelous light on many doctrines that are not clearly presented in the Bible as it exists today. These inspired revisions to the text of the Bible are known as the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible. Hundreds of passages from the Joseph Smith Translation are now included in the Latter-day Saint edition of the King James Version of the Bible. The Prophet's translation of the Bible was an important part of his own spiritual education and the unfolding restoration of gospel truth. As he revised the Old and New Testaments, he often received revelations clarifying or expanding upon biblical passages. In this way, the Prophet received many doctrines from the Lord, including those now found in Doctrine and Covenants 74, 76, 77, 86, and 91, and in portions of many other sections of the Doctrine and Covenants. When the Prophet first began his translation of the Bible in June 1830, the Lord revealed to him a lengthy passage from the writings of Moses. This passage became chapter 1 of the book of Moses in the Pearl of Great Price. It records a vision in which Moses saw and conversed with God--a vision so remarkable that Joseph Smith called it "a precious morsel" and "a supply of strength."3 In this vision, God taught Moses the fundamental purpose of the great plan of salvation: "And the Lord God spake unto Moses, saying: . . . For behold, this is my work and my glory--to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man" (Moses 1:37, 39). The doctrines, ordinances, and promises that constitute the plan of salvation were revealed to the earth in these latter days through the Prophet Joseph Smith. As one who clearly understood the importance of this plan, the Prophet declared: "The great plan of salvation is a theme which ought to occupy our strict attention, and be regarded as one of heaven's best gifts to mankind."4 Teachings of Joseph Smith In the premortal world, Jesus Christ was chosen to be the Savior, and we chose to accept the plan of salvation. "At the first organization in heaven we were all present and saw the Savior chosen and appointed and the plan of salvation made, and we sanctioned it."5 "The Lord [is] a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek, and the anointed Son of God, from before the foundation of the world [see Psalm 110:4]."6 "The salvation of Jesus Christ was wrought out for all men, in order to triumph over the devil. . . . All will suffer until they obey Christ himself. "The contention in heaven was--Jesus said there would be certain souls that would not be saved; and the devil said he would save them all, and laid his plans before the grand council, who gave their vote in favor of Jesus Christ. So the devil rose up in rebellion against God, and was cast down, with all who put up their heads for him."7 We are eternal beings; we can advance toward exaltation as we obey the laws of God. The Prophet Joseph Smith received the following revelation from the Lord in May 1833, later recorded in Doctrine and Covenants 93:29: "Man was also in the beginning with God. Intelligence, or the light of truth, was not created or made, neither indeed can be." In April 1844, the Prophet taught: "I have another subject to dwell upon, which is calculated to exalt man. . . . It is associated with the subject of the resurrection of the dead,--namely, the soul--the mind of man--the immortal spirit. Where did it come from? All learned men and doctors of divinity say that God created it in the beginning; but it is not so: the very idea lessens man in my estimation. I do not believe the doctrine; I know better. Hear it, all ye ends of the world; for God has told me so; and if you don't believe me, it will not make the truth without effect. . . . "I am dwelling on the immortality of the spirit of man. Is it logical to say that the intelligence of spirits is immortal, and yet that it has a beginning? The intelligence of spirits had no beginning, neither will it have an end. That is good logic. That which has a beginning may have an end. There never was a time when there were not spirits. . . . ". . . I take my ring from my finger and liken it unto the mind of man--the immortal part, because it had no beginning. Suppose you cut it in two; then it has a beginning and an end; but join it again, and it continues one eternal round. So with the spirit of man. As the Lord liveth, if it had a beginning, it will have an end. All the fools and learned and wise men from the beginning of creation, who say that the spirit of man had a beginning, prove that it must have an end; and if that doctrine is true, then the doctrine of annihilation would be true. But if I am right, I might with boldness proclaim from the house-tops that God never had the power to create the spirit of man at all. God himself could not create himself. "Intelligence is eternal and exists upon a self-existent principle. It is a spirit from age to age and there is no creation about it. All the minds and spirits that God ever sent into the world are susceptible of enlargement. "The first principles of man are self-existent with God. God himself, finding he was in the midst of spirits and glory, because he was more intelligent, saw proper to institute laws whereby the rest could have a privilege to advance like himself. The relationship we have with God places us in a situation to advance in knowledge. He has power to institute laws to instruct the weaker intelligences, that they may be exalted with himself, so that they might have one glory upon another, and all that knowledge, power, glory, and intelligence, which is requisite in order to save them in the world of spirits."8 "We consider that God has created man with a mind capable of instruction, and a faculty which may be enlarged in proportion to the heed and diligence given to the light communicated from heaven to the intellect; and that the nearer man approaches perfection, the clearer are his views, and the greater his enjoyments, till he has overcome the evils of his life and lost every desire for sin; and like the ancients, arrives at that point of faith where he is wrapped in the power and glory of his Maker, and is caught up to dwell with Him. But we consider that this is a station to which no man ever arrived in a moment."9 We came to earth to obtain a body, to gain knowledge, and to overcome through faith. "All men know that they must die. And it is important that we should understand the reasons and causes of our exposure to the vicissitudes of life and of death, and the designs and purposes of God in our coming into the world, our sufferings here, and our departure hence. What is the object of our coming into existence, then dying and falling away, to be here no more? It is but reasonable to suppose that God would reveal something in reference to the matter, and it is a subject we ought to study more than any other. We ought to study it day and night, for the world is ignorant in reference to their true condition and relation [to God]."10 "The design of God before the foundation of the world was that we should take tabernacles [bodies], that through faithfulness we should overcome and thereby obtain a resurrection from the dead, in this wise obtaining glory, honor, power, and dominion."11 "We came to this earth that we might have a body and present it pure before God in the celestial kingdom. The great principle of happiness consists in having a body. The devil has no body, and herein is his punishment. He is pleased when he can obtain the tabernacle of man, and when cast out by the Savior he asked to go into the herd of swine, showing that he would prefer a swine's body to having none. All beings who have bodies have power over those who have not."12 "Salvation is for a man to be saved from all his enemies; for until a man can triumph over death, he is not saved. . . . "The spirits in the eternal world are like the spirits in this world. When those have come into this world and received tabernacles, then died and again have risen and received glorified bodies, they will have an ascendency over the spirits who have received no bodies, or kept not their first estate, like the devil. The punishment of the devil was that he should not have a habitation like men."13 "The principle of knowledge is the principle of salvation. This principle can be comprehended by the faithful and diligent; and every one that does not obtain knowledge sufficient to be saved will be condemned. The principle of salvation is given us through the knowledge of Jesus Christ. "Salvation is nothing more nor less than to triumph over all our enemies and put them under our feet. And when we have power to put all enemies under our feet in this world, and a knowledge to triumph over all evil spirits in the world to come, then we are saved, as in the case of Jesus, who was to reign until He had put all enemies under His feet, and the last enemy was death [see 1 Corinthians 15:25-26]. "Perhaps there are principles here that few men have thought of. No person can have this salvation except through a tabernacle. "Now, in this world, mankind are naturally selfish, ambitious and striving to excel one above another; yet some are willing to build up others as well as themselves. So in the other world there are a variety of spirits. Some seek to excel. And this was the case with Lucifer when he fell. He sought for things which were unlawful. Hence he was sent down, and it is said he drew many away with him; and the greatness of his punishment is that he shall not have a tabernacle. This is his punishment."14 God has given us moral agency and the power to choose good over evil. "If men would acquire salvation, they have got to be subject, before they leave this world, to certain rules and principles, which were fixed by an unalterable decree before the world was. . . . The organization of the spiritual and heavenly worlds, and of spiritual and heavenly beings, was agreeable to the most perfect order and harmony: their limits and bounds were fixed irrevocably, and voluntarily subscribed to in their heavenly estate by themselves, and were by our first parents subscribed to upon the earth. Hence the importance of embracing and subscribing to principles of eternal truth by all men upon the earth that expect eternal life."15 "All persons are entitled to their agency, for God has so ordained it. He has constituted mankind moral agents, and given them power to choose good or evil; to seek after that which is good, by pursuing the pathway of holiness in this life, which brings peace of mind, and joy in the Holy Ghost here, and a fulness of joy and happiness at His right hand hereafter; or to pursue an evil course, going on in sin and rebellion against God, thereby bringing condemnation to their souls in this world, and an eternal loss in the world to come."16 "Satan cannot seduce us by his enticements unless we in our hearts consent and yield. Our organization is such that we can resist the devil; if we were not organized so, we would not be free agents."17 "The devil has no power over us only as we permit him; the moment we revolt at anything which comes from God, the devil takes power."18 On May 16, 1841, the Prophet addressed the Saints: "President Joseph Smith . . . observed that Satan was generally blamed for the evils which we did, but if he was the cause of all our wickedness, men could not be condemned. The devil could not compel mankind to do evil; all was voluntary. Those who resisted the Spirit of God, would be liable to be led into temptation, and then the association of heaven would be withdrawn from those who refused to be made partakers of such great glory. God would not exert any compulsory means, and the devil could not; and such ideas as were entertained [on these subjects] by many were absurd."19 Eliza R. Snow recorded: "[Joseph Smith] said he did not care how fast we run in the path of virtue. Resist evil, and there is no danger; God, men, and angels will not condemn those that resist everything that is evil, and devils cannot; as well might the devil seek to dethrone Jehovah, as overthrow an innocent soul that resists everything which is evil."20 Suggestions for Study and Teaching Consider these ideas as you study the chapter or as you prepare to teach. For additional help, see pages vii-xii. -- What are some specific truths about the plan of salvation and the purpose of life that we know because of revelations to the Prophet Joseph Smith? How have these truths helped you? -- Joseph Smith taught that the plan of salvation is "a subject we ought to study more than any other" (page 211) and "a theme which ought to occupy our strict attention" (page 208). In what ways can we study the plan of salvation? As we go about our daily activities, what can we do to give the plan of salvation our strict attention? What are some ways we can teach the plan of salvation to others? -- Review Joseph Smith's teachings about the Council in Heaven and about our eternal nature (pages 209-11). How might knowing of these doctrines be a blessing to you in your life on earth? -- The Prophet Joseph testified, "All the minds and spirits that God ever sent into the world are susceptible of enlargement" (page 210). What do you think this means? How might this truth influence the way you face challenges? the way you feel about your own worth and capabilities? the way you treat other people? -- Read the paragraph that begins at the bottom of page 210. Ponder the blessings we receive as we give "heed and diligence . . . to the light communicated from heaven." -- Review Joseph Smith's teachings about the significance of having a physical body (pages 211-13). How might this knowledge affect the way we care for our bodies? -- Read the last paragraph on page 213 and the first paragraph on page 214. Think about what these teachings mean to you as you exercise your agency. What are some specific things we can do to resist Satan's influence? Related Scriptures: 2 Nephi 2:25; 9:6-12; Alma 34:31-33; D&C 76:25-32; 101:78; Abraham 3:22-25 Notes 1. History of the Church, 1:238; from "History of the Church" (manuscript), book A-1, p. 175, Church Archives, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah. 2. History of the Church, 6:57-58; paragraph divisions altered; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on Oct. 15, 1843, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Willard Richards; see also appendix, page 562, item 3. 3. History of the Church, 1:98; from "History of the Church" (manuscript), book A-1, miscellaneous papers, Church Archives. 4. History of the Church, 2:23; from "The Elders of the Church in Kirtland, to Their Brethren Abroad," Jan. 22, 1834, published in Evening and Morning Star, Apr. 1834, p. 152. 5. Quoted by William Clayton, reporting an undated discourse given by Joseph Smith in Nauvoo, Illinois; in L. John Nuttall, "Extracts from William Clayton's Private Book," p. 7, Journals of L. John Nuttall, 1857-1904, L. Tom Perry Special Collections, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah; copy in Church Archives. 6. "Baptism," an editorial published in Times and Seasons, Sept. 1, 1842, p. 905; spelling and capitalization modernized; Joseph Smith was the editor of the periodical. 7. History of the Church, 6:314; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on Apr. 7, 1844, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Wilford Woodruff, Willard Richards, Thomas Bullock, and William Clayton. 8. History of the Church, 6:310-12; capitalization modernized; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on Apr. 7, 1844, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Wilford Woodruff, Willard Richards, Thomas Bullock, and William Clayton; see also appendix, page 562, item 3. 9. History of the Church, 2:8; from "The Elders of the Church in Kirtland, to Their Brethren Abroad," Jan. 22, 1834, published in Evening and Morning Star, Feb. 1834, p. 135. 10. History of the Church, 6:50; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on Oct. 9, 1843, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Willard Richards and Times and Seasons, Sept. 15, 1843, p. 331; this issue of the Times and Seasons was published late. 11. Quoted by Martha Jane Knowlton Coray, reporting a discourse given by Joseph Smith on May 21, 1843, in Nauvoo, Illinois; Martha Jane Knowlton Coray, Notebook, Church Archives. 12. Quoted by William Clayton, reporting an undated discourse given by Joseph Smith in Nauvoo, Illinois; in L. John Nuttall, "Extracts from William Clayton's Private Book," pp. 7-8, Journals of L. John Nuttall, 1857-1904, L. Tom Perry Special Collections, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah; copy in Church Archives. 13. History of the Church, 5:403; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on May 21, 1843, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Willard Richards; see also appendix, page 562, item 3. 14. History of the Church, 5:387-88; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on May 14, 1843, in Yelrome, Illinois; reported by Wilford Woodruff; see also appendix, page 562, item 3. 15. History of the Church, 6:50-51; paragraph divisions altered; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on Oct. 9, 1843, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Willard Richards and Times and Seasons, Sept. 15, 1843, p. 331; this issue of the Times and Seasons was published late; see also appendix, page 562, item 3. 16. History of the Church, 4:45, footnote; from a letter from the First Presidency and high council to the Saints living west of Kirtland, Ohio, Dec. 8, 1839, Commerce, Illinois, published in Times and Seasons, Dec. 1839, p. 29. 17. Quoted by William P. McIntire, reporting a discourse given by Joseph Smith in early 1841 in Nauvoo, Illinois; William Patterson McIntire, Notebook 1840-45, Church Archives. 18. Quoted by William Clayton, reporting an undated discourse given by Joseph Smith in Nauvoo, Illinois; in L. John Nuttall, "Extracts from William Clayton's Private Book," p. 8, Journals of L. John Nuttall, 1857-1904, L. Tom Perry Special Collections, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah; copy in Church Archives. 19. History of the Church, 4:358; bracketed words in original; paragraph divisions altered; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on May 16, 1841, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Times and Seasons, June 1, 1841, p. 429. 20. History of the Church, 4:605; punctuation modernized; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on Apr. 28, 1842, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Eliza R. Snow. "And the Lord God spake unto Moses, saying: . . . For behold, this is my work and my glory--to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man." "The design of God before the foundation of the world was that we should take tabernacles [bodies], that through faithfulness we should overcome." ;;;Chapter 18 Beyond the Veil: Life in the Eternities "[The righteous who have died] shall rise again to dwell in everlasting burnings in immortal glory, not to sorrow, suffer, or die any more, but they shall be heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ." From the Life of Joseph Smith Joseph Smith's work on the translation of the Bible led to a most remarkable vision of life in the eternities. On February 16, 1832, the Prophet was at work in the home of John Johnson in Hiram, Ohio, with Sidney Rigdon serving as his scribe. He was translating the Gospel of John. "From sundry revelations which had been received," the Prophet later said, "it was apparent that many important points touching the salvation of man had been taken from the Bible, or lost before it was compiled. It appeared self-evident from what truths were left, that if God rewarded every one according to the deeds done in the body, the term 'Heaven,' as intended for the Saints' eternal home, must include more kingdoms than one."1 The Prophet translated John 5:29, which describes how all "shall come forth" in the resurrection--"they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation." As he and Sidney pondered this scripture, a marvelous vision was opened to them. As the Prophet recorded: "By the power of the Spirit our eyes were opened and our understandings enlightened, so as to see and understand the things of God--even those things which were from the beginning before the world was, which were ordained of the Father, through his Only Begotten Son, who was in the bosom of the Father, even from the beginning" (D&C 76:12-13). In this glorious vision, the Prophet and Sidney Rigdon saw the Son of God at the right hand of the Father and "received of his fulness" (D&C 76:20). They saw the three kingdoms of glory that God has prepared for His children and learned who will inherit these kingdoms. They also saw Satan thrust out of the presence of God and the sufferings of those who allow themselves to be overcome by Satan. This vision later became section 76 of the Doctrine and Covenants. The Prophet explained: "Nothing could be more pleasing to the Saints upon the order of the kingdom of the Lord, than the light which burst upon the world through the foregoing vision. Every law, every commandment, every promise, every truth, and every point touching the destiny of man, from Genesis to Revelation, where the purity of the scriptures remains unsullied by the folly of men, . . . witnesses the fact that that document is a transcript from the records of the eternal world. The sublimity of the ideas; the purity of the language; the scope for action; the continued duration for completion, in order that the heirs of salvation may confess the Lord and bow the knee; the rewards for faithfulness, and the punishments for sins, are so much beyond the narrow-mindedness of men, that every honest man is constrained to exclaim: 'It came from God.' "2 Teachings of Joseph Smith God has prepared three degrees of glory for His children. "My text is on the resurrection of the dead, which you will find in the 14th chapter of John--'In my Father's house are many mansions.' [John 14:2.] It should be--'In my Father's kingdom are many kingdoms,' in order that ye may be heirs of God and joint-heirs with me. . . . There are mansions for those who obey a celestial law, and there are other mansions for those who come short of the law, every man in his own order."3 " 'But,' says one, 'I believe in one universal heaven and hell, where all go, and are all alike, and equally miserable or equally happy.' "What! where all are huddled together--the honorable, virtuous, and murderers, and whoremongers, when it is written that they shall be judged according to the deeds done in the body? But St. Paul informs us of three glories and three heavens. He knew a man that was caught up to the third heaven [see 1 Corinthians 15:40-41; 2 Corinthians 12:2-4]. . . . Jesus said unto His disciples, 'In my Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you, and I will come and receive you to myself, that where I am ye may be also.' [See John 14:2-3.]"4 "Go and read the vision in [Doctrine and Covenants 76]. There is clearly illustrated glory upon glory--one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and a glory of the stars; and as one star differeth from another star in glory, even so do they of the telestial world differ in glory, and every man who reigns in celestial glory is a God to his dominions. . . . "Paul says, 'There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for one star differeth from another star in glory. So is also the resurrection of the dead.' [1 Corinthians 15:41-42.]"5 Those who receive the testimony of Jesus, receive the ordinances of the gospel, and overcome by faith will inherit the celestial kingdom. The Prophet Joseph Smith saw the following in vision, later recorded in Doctrine and Covenants 76:50-59, 62, 68-70: "And again we bear record--for we saw and heard, and this is the testimony of the gospel of Christ concerning them who shall come forth in the resurrection of the just--they are they who received the testimony of Jesus, and believed on his name and were baptized after the manner of his burial, being buried in the water in his name, and this according to the commandment which he has given--that by keeping the commandments they might be washed and cleansed from all their sins, and receive the Holy Spirit by the laying on of the hands of him who is ordained and sealed unto this power; and who overcome by faith, and are sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise, which the Father sheds forth upon all those who are just and true. "They are they who are the church of the Firstborn. They are they into whose hands the Father has given all things--they are they who are priests and kings, who have received of his fulness, and of his glory; and are priests of the Most High, after the order of Melchizedek, which was after the order of Enoch, which was after the order of the Only Begotten Son. "Wherefore, as it is written, they are gods, even the sons of God--wherefore, all things are theirs, whether life or death, or things present, or things to come, all are theirs and they are Christ's, and Christ is God's. . . . "These shall dwell in the presence of God and his Christ forever and ever. . . . These are they whose names are written in heaven, where God and Christ are the judge of all. These are they who are just men made perfect through Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, who wrought out this perfect atonement through the shedding of his own blood. These are they whose bodies are celestial, whose glory is that of the sun, even the glory of God, the highest of all, whose glory the sun of the firmament is written of as being typical."6 The Prophet Joseph Smith taught the following in May 1843, later recorded in Doctrine and Covenants 131:1-4: "In the celestial glory there are three heavens or degrees; and in order to obtain the highest, a man must enter into this order of the priesthood [meaning the new and everlasting covenant of marriage]; and if he does not, he cannot obtain it. He may enter into the other, but that is the end of his kingdom; he cannot have an increase."7 "Here, then, is eternal life--to know the only wise and true God; and you have got to learn how to be gods yourselves, and to be kings and priests to God, . . . by going from one small degree to another, and from a small capacity to a great one; from grace to grace, from exaltation to exaltation, until you attain to the resurrection of the dead, and are able to dwell in everlasting burnings, and to sit in glory, as do those who sit enthroned in everlasting power. . . . ". . . [The righteous who have died] shall rise again to dwell in everlasting burnings in immortal glory, not to sorrow, suffer, or die any more, but they shall be heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ. What is it? To inherit the same power, the same glory and the same exaltation, until you arrive at the station of a god, and ascend the throne of eternal power, the same as those who have gone before."8 "They who obtain a glorious resurrection from the dead, are exalted far above principalities, powers, thrones, dominions and angels, and are expressly declared to be heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ, all having eternal power [see Romans 8:17]."9 The "honorable men of the earth," those who are not valiant in the testimony of Jesus, will inherit the terrestrial kingdom. The Prophet Joseph Smith saw the following in vision, later recorded in Doctrine and Covenants 76:71-79: "And again, we saw the terrestrial world, and behold and lo, these are they who are of the terrestrial, whose glory differs from that of the church of the Firstborn who have received the fulness of the Father, even as that of the moon differs from the sun in the firmament. "Behold, these are they who died without law; and also they who are the spirits of men kept in prison, whom the Son visited, and preached the gospel unto them, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh; who received not the testimony of Jesus in the flesh, but afterwards received it. "These are they who are honorable men of the earth, who were blinded by the craftiness of men. These are they who receive of his glory, but not of his fulness. These are they who receive of the presence of the Son, but not of the fulness of the Father. "Wherefore, they are bodies terrestrial, and not bodies celestial, and differ in glory as the moon differs from the sun. These are they who are not valiant in the testimony of Jesus; wherefore, they obtain not the crown over the kingdom of our God."10 Those who are wicked and do not receive the gospel or the testimony of Jesus will inherit the telestial kingdom. The Prophet Joseph Smith saw the following in vision, later recorded in Doctrine and Covenants 76:81-85, 100-106, 110-12: "And again, we saw the glory of the telestial, which glory is that of the lesser, even as the glory of the stars differs from that of the glory of the moon in the firmament. "These are they who received not the gospel of Christ, neither the testimony of Jesus. These are they who deny not the Holy Spirit. These are they who are thrust down to hell. These are they who shall not be redeemed from the devil until the last resurrection, until the Lord, even Christ the Lamb, shall have finished his work. . . . "These are they who say they are some of one and some of another--some of Christ and some of John, and some of Moses, and some of Elias, and some of Esaias, and some of Isaiah, and some of Enoch; but received not the gospel, neither the testimony of Jesus, neither the prophets, neither the everlasting covenant. "Last of all, these all are they who will not be gathered with the saints, to be caught up unto the church of the Firstborn, and received into the cloud. "These are they who are liars, and sorcerers, and adulterers, and whoremongers, and whosoever loves and makes a lie. These are they who suffer the wrath of God on earth. These are they who suffer the vengeance of eternal fire. These are they who are cast down to hell and suffer the wrath of Almighty God, until the fulness of times, when Christ shall have subdued all enemies under his feet, and shall have perfected his work. . . . "And [we] heard the voice of the Lord saying: These all shall bow the knee, and every tongue shall confess to him who sits upon the throne forever and ever; for they shall be judged according to their works, and every man shall receive according to his own works, his own dominion, in the mansions which are prepared; and they shall be servants of the Most High; but where God and Christ dwell they cannot come, worlds without end."11 The torment of the wicked is to know they have come short of the glory they might have enjoyed. "God has decreed that all who will not obey His voice shall not escape the damnation of hell. What is the damnation of hell? To go with that society who have not obeyed His commands. . . . I know that all men will be damned if they do not come in the way which He hath opened, and this is the way marked out by the word of the Lord."12 "The great misery of departed spirits in the world of spirits, where they go after death, is to know that they come short of the glory that others enjoy and that they might have enjoyed themselves, and they are their own accusers."13 "There is no pain so awful as that of suspense. This is the punishment of the wicked; their doubt, anxiety and suspense cause weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth."14 "A man is his own tormentor and his own condemner. Hence the saying, They shall go into the lake that burns with fire and brimstone [see Revelation 21:8]. The torment of disappointment in the mind of man is as exquisite as a lake burning with fire and brimstone. I say, so is the torment of man. . . . ". . . Some shall rise to the everlasting burnings of God, for God dwells in everlasting burnings, and some shall rise to the damnation of their own filthiness, which is as exquisite a torment as the lake of fire and brimstone."15 Suggestions for Study and Teaching Consider these ideas as you study the chapter or as you prepare to teach. For additional help, see pages vii-xii. -- Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon were meditating about a verse of scripture when they received the revelation that is recorded in Doctrine and Covenants 76 (pages 217-19; see also D&C 76:15-19). What personal experiences have helped you understand that meditating can lead to increased understanding? As you study or discuss this chapter, as well as other chapters, take time to meditate about the truths you read. -- Read John 14:2-3 and 1 Corinthians 15:40-41. How do the teachings in this chapter help you understand these verses? -- In the description of those who will inherit celestial, terrestrial, and telestial glory, the phrase "the testimony of Jesus" is used five times (pages 220-24). What are the characteristics of a person who is "valiant in the testimony of Jesus"? What promises are given to those who are valiant in the testimony of Jesus? -- Read the last paragraph on page 220, giving special attention to the phrase "overcome by faith." What are some things we might need to overcome? How does faith in Jesus Christ help us overcome our problems in this life? -- Read the last full paragraph on page 221. In our eternal progression, why do you think we need to improve "from one small degree to another"? What experiences have you had that illustrate our need to learn and grow in this way? -- Review the second paragraph on page 223, which describes some of the people who will inherit the terrestrial kingdom. How can we avoid being "blinded by the craftiness of men"? What can we do to help others avoid being blinded? -- On page 224, look for words and phrases Joseph Smith used to describe the state of the wicked in the next life. What do these words and phrases communicate to you? How can a man be "his own tormentor and his own condemner"? Related Scriptures: Alma 41:2-8; D&C 14:7; 76:20-49; 88:15-39 Notes 1. History of the Church, 1:245; punctuation modernized; from "History of the Church" (manuscript), book A-1, p. 183, Church Archives, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah. 2. History of the Church, 1:252-53; from "History of the Church" (manuscript), book A-1, p. 192, Church Archives. 3. History of the Church, 6:365; paragraph divisions altered; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on May 12, 1844, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Thomas Bullock. 4. History of the Church, 5:425-26; punctuation modernized; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on June 11, 1843, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Wilford Woodruff and Willard Richards; see also appendix, page 562, item 3. 5. History of the Church, 6:477-78; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on June 16, 1844, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Thomas Bullock; see also appendix, page 562, item 3. 6. Doctrine and Covenants 76:50-59, 62, 68-70; vision given to Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon on Feb. 16, 1832, in Hiram, Ohio. 7. Doctrine and Covenants 131:1-4; bracketed words in original; instructions given by Joseph Smith on May 16 and 17, 1843, in Ramus, Illinois. 8. History of the Church, 6:306; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on Apr. 7, 1844, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Wilford Woodruff, Willard Richards, Thomas Bullock, and William Clayton. 9. History of the Church, 6:478; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on June 16, 1844, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Thomas Bullock; see also appendix, page 562, item 3. 10. Doctrine and Covenants 76:71-79; vision given to Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon on Feb. 16, 1832, in Hiram, Ohio. 11. Doctrine and Covenants 76:81-85, 100-106, 110-12; vision given to Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon on Feb. 16, 1832, in Hiram, Ohio. 12. History of the Church, 4:554-55; paragraph divisions altered; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on Mar. 20, 1842, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Wilford Woodruff; see also appendix, page 562, item 3. 13. History of the Church, 5:425; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on June 11, 1843, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Wilford Woodruff and Willard Richards; see also appendix, page 562, item 3. 14. History of the Church, 5:340; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on Apr. 8, 1843, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Willard Richards and William Clayton. 15. History of the Church, 6:314, 317; punctuation modernized; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on Apr. 7, 1844, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Wilford Woodruff, Willard Richards, Thomas Bullock, and William Clayton. The restored John Johnson home in Hiram, Ohio. In the Johnson home in February 1832, the Prophet Joseph Smith saw a vision of the three degrees of glory that God has prepared for His children. Those who inherit the celestial kingdom are "they whose bodies are celestial, whose glory is that of the sun, even the glory of God, the highest of all." ;;;Chapter 19 Stand Fast through the Storms of Life "Stand fast, ye Saints of God, hold on a little while longer, and the storm of life will be past, and you will be rewarded by that God whose servants you are." From the Life of Joseph Smith On the night of March 24, 1832, Joseph Smith had stayed up late caring for his 11-month-old son, Joseph, who was sick with the measles. The Smith family was then living in the John Johnson home in Hiram, Ohio. The Prophet had finally gone to sleep on a trundle bed when a mob of a dozen or more men who had been drinking whiskey broke into the home. The Prophet later described the events of that terrible night: "The mob burst open the door and surrounded the bed in an instant, and . . . the first I knew I was going out of the door in the hands of an infuriated mob. I made a desperate struggle, as I was forced out, to extricate myself, but only cleared one leg, with which I made a pass at one man, and he fell on the door steps. I was immediately overpowered again; and they swore . . . they would kill me if I did not be still, which quieted me. . . . "They then seized me by the throat and held on till I lost my breath. After I came to, as they passed along with me, about thirty rods from the house, I saw Elder Rigdon stretched out on the ground, whither they had dragged him by his heels. I supposed he was dead. I began to plead with them, saying, 'You will have mercy and spare my life, I hope.' To which they replied, '. . . Call on yer God for help, we'll show ye no mercy.' " After some discussion, the mob "concluded not to kill me," the Prophet related, "but to beat and scratch me well, tear off my shirt and drawers, and leave me naked. . . . They ran back and fetched the bucket of tar, when one exclaimed, with an oath, 'Let us tar up his mouth;' and they tried to force the tar-paddle into my mouth; I twisted my head around, so that they could not; and they cried out, '. . . Hold up yer head and let us giv ye some tar.' They then tried to force a vial into my mouth, and broke it in my teeth. All my clothes were torn off me except my shirt collar; and one man fell on me and scratched my body with his nails like a mad cat. . . . "They then left me, and I attempted to rise, but fell again; I pulled the tar away from my lips, so that I could breathe more freely, and after a while I began to recover, and raised myself up, whereupon I saw two lights. I made my way towards one of them, and found it was Father Johnson's. When I came to the door . . . the tar made me look as if I were covered with blood, and when my wife saw me she thought I was all crushed to pieces, and fainted. . . . "My friends spent the night in scraping and removing the tar, and washing and cleansing my body; so that by morning I was ready to be clothed again." Even after this ordeal, the Prophet stood fast in carrying out his responsibilities to the Lord. The next day was the Sabbath. "The people assembled for meeting at the usual hour of worship," the Prophet recorded, "and among them came also the mobbers. . . . With my flesh all scarified and defaced, I preached to the congregation as usual, and in the afternoon of the same day baptized three individuals."1 Joseph and Emma's son, Joseph, died five days after the mob attack as a result of being exposed to the cold night air while suffering from the measles. Wilford Woodruff, the fourth President of the Church, said: "The Lord told Joseph that He would prove him, whether he would abide in His covenant or not, even unto death. He did prove him; and although [Joseph] had the whole world to contend against and the treachery of false friends to withstand, although his whole life was a scene of trouble and anxiety and care, yet, in all his afflictions, his imprisonments, the mobbings and ill treatment he passed through, he was ever true to his God."2 Teachings of Joseph Smith Those who follow Jesus Christ will be tried and must prove themselves faithful to God. "There is no safety, only in the arm of Jehovah. None else can deliver, and he will not deliver unless we do prove ourselves faithful to him in the severest trouble. For he that will have his robes washed in the blood of the Lamb must come up through great tribulation [see Revelation 7:13-14], even the greatest of all affliction."3 "The destinies of all people are in the hands of a just God, and He will do no injustice to any one; and this one thing is sure, that they who will live godly in Christ Jesus, shall suffer persecution [see 2 Timothy 3:12]; and before their robes are made white in the blood of the Lamb, it is to be expected, according to John the Revelator, they will pass through great tribulation [see Revelation 7:13-14]."4 "Men have to suffer that they may come upon Mount Zion and be exalted above the heavens."5 While suffering greatly during his imprisonment in Liberty Jail during the winter of 1838-39, Joseph Smith wrote to members of the Church: "Beloved brethren, we say unto you, that inasmuch as God hath said that He would have a tried people, that He would purge them as gold [see Malachi 3:3], now we think that this time He has chosen His own crucible, wherein we have been tried; and we think if we get through with any degree of safety, and shall have kept the faith, that it will be a sign to this generation, altogether sufficient to leave them without excuse; and we think also, it will be a trial of our faith equal to that of Abraham, and that the ancients will not have whereof to boast over us in the day of judgment, as being called to pass through heavier afflictions; that we may hold an even weight in the balance with them."6 "Trials will only give us the knowledge necessary to understand the minds of the ancients. For my part, I think I never could have felt as I now do, if I had not suffered the wrongs that I have suffered. All things shall work together for good to them that love God [see Romans 8:28]."7 John Taylor, the third President of the Church, said: "I heard the Prophet Joseph say, in speaking to the Twelve on one occasion: 'You will have all kinds of trials to pass through. And it is quite as necessary for you to be tried as it was for Abraham and other men of God, and (said he) God will feel after you, and He will take hold of you and wrench your very heart strings, and if you cannot stand it you will not be fit for an inheritance in the Celestial Kingdom of God.' . . . Joseph Smith never had many months of peace after he received the truth, and finally he was murdered in Carthage jail."8 God will support and bless those who trust Him in their times of trial. "The power of the Gospel will enable us to stand and bear with patience the great affliction that is falling upon us on all sides. . . . The harder the persecution the greater the gifts of God upon his church. Yea, all things shall work together for good to them who are willing to lay down their lives for Christ's sake."9 "My only hope and confidence is in that God who gave me being, in whom there is all power, who now is present before me, and my heart is naked before his eyes continually. He is my comforter, and he forsaketh me not."10 "I know in whom I trust; I stand upon the rock; the floods cannot, no, they shall not, overthrow me."11 After the Prophet was delivered from his imprisonment in Liberty Jail, he said the following about his experience: "Thank God, we have been delivered. And although some of our beloved brethren have had to seal their testimony with their blood, and have died martyrs to the cause of truth-- "Short though bitter was their pain, Everlasting is their joy. "Let us not sorrow as 'those without hope' [see 1 Thessalonians 4:13]; the time is fast approaching when we shall see them again and rejoice together, without being afraid of wicked men. Yes, those who have slept in Christ, shall He bring with Him, when He shall come to be glorified in His Saints, and admired by all those who believe, but to take vengeance upon His enemies and all those who obey not the Gospel. "At that time the hearts of the widows and fatherless shall be comforted, and every tear shall be wiped from their faces. The trials they have had to pass through shall work together for their good, and prepare them for the society of those who have come up out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. [See Romans 8:28; Revelation 7:13-14, 17.]"12 The Prophet wrote the following in a letter to the Saints on September 1, 1842, later recorded in Doctrine and Covenants 127:2: "And as for the perils which I am called to pass through, they seem but a small thing to me, as the envy and wrath of man have been my common lot all the days of my life. . . . Deep water is what I am wont to swim in. It all has become a second nature to me; and I feel, like Paul, to glory in tribulation; for to this day has the God of my fathers delivered me out of them all, and will deliver me from henceforth; for behold, and lo, I shall triumph over all my enemies, for the Lord God hath spoken it."13 The faithful do not murmur in affliction, but are thankful for God's goodness. On December 5, 1833, the Prophet wrote to Church leaders presiding over the Saints who were being persecuted in Missouri: "Remember not to murmur at the dealings of God with His creatures. You are not as yet brought into as trying circumstances as were the ancient Prophets and Apostles. Call to mind a Daniel, the three Hebrew children [Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego], Jeremiah, Paul, Stephen, and many others, too numerous to mention, who were stoned, sawn asunder, tempted, slain with the sword, and [who] wandered about in sheep skins and goat skins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented, of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and in mountains, and hid in dens and caves of the earth; yet they all obtained a good report through faith [see Hebrews 11:37-39]; and amidst all their afflictions they rejoiced that they were counted worthy to receive persecutions for Christ's sake. "We know not what we shall be called to pass through before Zion is delivered and established; therefore, we have great need to live near to God, and always to be in strict obedience to all His commandments, that we may have a conscience void of offense toward God and man. . . . ". . . Our trust is in God, and we are determined, His grace assisting us, to maintain the cause and hold out faithful unto the end, that we may be crowned with crowns of celestial glory, and enter into the rest that is prepared for the children of God."14 Five days later, the Prophet wrote to Church leaders and Saints in Missouri: "Let us be thankful that it is as well with us as it is, and we are yet alive and peradventure, God hath laid up in store great good for us in this generation, and may grant that we may yet glorify His name. I feel thankful that there have no more denied the faith; I pray God in the name of Jesus that you all may be kept in the faith unto the end."15 The Prophet's journal for January 1, 1836, records: "This being the beginning of a new year, my heart is filled with gratitude to God that He has preserved my life, and the lives of my family, while another year has passed away. We have been sustained and upheld in the midst of a wicked and perverse generation, although exposed to all the afflictions, temptations, and misery that are incident to human life; for this I feel to humble myself in dust and ashes, as it were, before the Lord."16 About his recovery from an illness in June 1837, the Prophet said: "This is one of the many instances in which I have suddenly been brought from a state of health, to the borders of the grave, and as suddenly restored, for which my heart swells with gratitude to my heavenly Father, and I feel renewedly to dedicate myself and all my powers to His service."17 Confidence in God's power, wisdom, and love will help us avoid discouragement in times of trial. "All difficulties which might and would cross our way must be surmounted. Though the soul be tried, the heart faint, and the hands hang down, we must not retrace our steps; there must be decision of character."18 "Having confidence in the power, wisdom, and love of God, the Saints have been enabled to go forward through the most adverse circumstances, and frequently, when to all human appearances, nothing but death presented itself, and destruction [seemed] inevitable, has the power of God been manifest, His glory revealed, and deliverance effected; and the Saints, like the children of Israel, who came out of the land of Egypt, and through the Red Sea, have sung an anthem of praise to his holy name."19 "I know that the cloud will burst, and Satan's kingdom be laid in ruins, with all his black designs; and that the Saints will come forth like gold seven times tried in the fire, being made perfect through sufferings and temptations, and that the blessings of heaven and earth will be multiplied upon their heads; which may God grant for Christ's sake."20 "Stand fast, ye Saints of God, hold on a little while longer, and the storm of life will be past, and you will be rewarded by that God whose servants you are, and who will duly appreciate all your toils and afflictions for Christ's sake and the Gospel's. Your names will be handed down to posterity as Saints of God."21 George A. Smith, who served as a counselor to President Brigham Young, received the following counsel from the Prophet Joseph Smith at a time of great difficulty: "He told me I should never get discouraged, whatever difficulties might surround me. If I was sunk in the lowest pit of Nova Scotia and all the Rocky Mountains piled on top of me, I ought not to be discouraged but hang on, exercise faith, and keep up good courage and I should come out on the top of the heap at last."22 Just a few days before the Prophet was martyred, at a time when he and the Saints knew that his life was in danger, Joseph took the hand of Abraham C. Hodge and said: "Now, Brother Hodge, let what will, come; don't deny the faith, and all will be well."23 Suggestions for Study and Teaching Consider these ideas as you study the chapter or as you prepare to teach. For additional help, see pages vii-xii. -- Review the account on pages 227-29. Why do you think the Prophet Joseph Smith was able to endure the trials he experienced? What are your thoughts or feelings as you picture him with his "flesh all scarified and defaced," teaching a congregation? -- Read the third paragraph on page 230. How do you think suffering helps us prepare for exaltation? (For some examples, see pages 230-31.) What have you learned from your trials? -- Three times in this chapter, Joseph Smith assures us that "the trials [we] have had to pass through shall work together for [our] good" (page 232; see also page 231). How have you seen the truth of this statement? -- Read the third and fourth full paragraphs on page 231. What experiences can you share in which the Lord has comforted you in times of trial? What does it mean to you to "stand upon the rock"? -- Joseph Smith counseled the Saints not to murmur, or complain, about God's dealings with us (pages 232-33). In what ways can murmuring affect us? What are some ways we should respond to trials? (For some examples, see pages 232-35.) -- What does it mean to have "decision of character" when facing difficulties? (page 234). -- Read the Prophet's counsel to George A. Smith (page 235). How might this counsel help you when you face trials? Related Scriptures: Psalm 55:22; John 16:33; Alma 36:3; Helaman 5:12; D&C 58:2-4; 90:24; 122:5-9 Notes 1. History of the Church, 1:261-64; italics deleted; from "History of the Church" (manuscript), book A-1, pp. 205-8, Church Archives, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah. 2. Wilford Woodruff, Deseret News: Semi-Weekly, Oct. 18, 1881, p. 1; punctuation and capitalization modernized. 3. Letter from Joseph Smith to William W. Phelps and others, Aug. 18, 1833, Kirtland, Ohio; Joseph Smith, Collection, Church Archives. 4. History of the Church, 1:449; from a letter from Joseph Smith to Edward Partridge and others, Dec. 5, 1833, Kirtland, Ohio. 5. History of the Church, 5:556; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on Aug. 27, 1843, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Willard Richards and William Clayton. 6. History of the Church, 3:294; from a letter from Joseph Smith and others to Edward Partridge and the Church, Mar. 20, 1839, Liberty Jail, Liberty, Missouri. 7. History of the Church, 3:286; from a letter from Joseph Smith to Presendia Huntington Buell, Mar. 15, 1839, Liberty Jail, Liberty, Missouri; Sister Buell's last name is incorrectly spelled "Bull" in History of the Church. 8. John Taylor, Deseret News: Semi-Weekly, Aug. 21, 1883, p. 1. 9. Letter from Joseph Smith to William W. Phelps and others, Aug. 18, 1833, Kirtland, Ohio; Joseph Smith, Collection, Church Archives. 10. Letter from Joseph Smith to William W. Phelps, July 31, 1832, Hiram, Ohio; Joseph Smith, Collection, Church Archives. 11. History of the Church, 2:343; from a letter from Joseph Smith to William Smith, Dec. 18, 1835, Kirtland, Ohio. 12. History of the Church, 3:330-31; punctuation modernized; from "Extract, from the Private Journal of Joseph Smith Jr.," Times and Seasons, Nov. 1839, p. 8. 13. Doctrine and Covenants 127:2; a letter from Joseph Smith to the Saints, Sept. 1, 1842, Nauvoo, Illinois. 14. History of the Church, 1:450; from a letter from Joseph Smith to Edward Partridge and others, Dec. 5, 1833, Kirtland, Ohio. 15. History of the Church, 1:455; paragraph divisions altered; from a letter from Joseph Smith to Edward Partridge and others, Dec. 10, 1833, Kirtland, Ohio. 16. History of the Church, 2:352; from a Joseph Smith journal entry, Jan. 1, 1836, Kirtland, Ohio. 17. History of the Church, 2:493; from "History of the Church" (manuscript), book B-1, pp. 762-63, Church Archives. 18. History of the Church, 4:570; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on Mar. 30, 1842, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Eliza R. Snow. 19. History of the Church, 4:185; from a letter from Joseph Smith and his counselors in the First Presidency to the Saints, Sept. 1840, Nauvoo, Illinois, published in Times and Seasons, Oct. 1840, p. 178. 20. History of the Church, 2:353; from a Joseph Smith journal entry, Jan. 1, 1836, Kirtland, Ohio. 21. History of the Church, 4:337; from a report from Joseph Smith and his counselors in the First Presidency, Apr. 7, 1841, Nauvoo, Illinois, published in Times and Seasons, Apr. 15, 1841, p. 385. 22. George A. Smith, "History of George Albert Smith by Himself," p. 49, George Albert Smith, Papers, 1834-75, Church Archives. 23. History of the Church, 6:546; punctuation modernized; from "History of the Church" (manuscript), book F-1, p. 147, Church Archives. On the night of March 24, 1832, in Hiram, Ohio, Joseph Smith was dragged out of his home by an infuriated mob and covered with tar and feathers. John Taylor "Our trust is in God, and we are determined, His grace assisting us, to maintain the cause and hold out faithful unto the end." ;;;Chapter 20 A Heart Full of Love and Faith: The Prophet's Letters to His Family "Remember that I am a true and faithful friend to you and the children forever. My heart is entwined around yours forever and ever. Oh, may God bless you all." From the Life of Joseph Smith In his prophetic calling, Joseph Smith was required to travel extensively to meet the needs of a rapidly expanding organization. After he identified Independence, Missouri, as the place for the building of Zion in the summer of 1831, the Church grew quickly there, as it continued to do in Kirtland, Ohio. From 1831 to 1838, the Church had two centers of population, one in Missouri and the other in Kirtland, where the Prophet lived. During this period, the Prophet made the arduous 900-mile journey to Missouri five times to oversee the development of the Church there. In 1833 and again in 1837, Joseph Smith visited Upper Canada, teaching the gospel and strengthening branches. In 1834 and 1835, he traveled to Michigan to visit Church members. Over a period of years, he preached the gospel and conducted Church business in Springfield, Illinois; Boston and Salem, Massachusetts; Monmouth County, New Jersey; New York City and Albany, New York; Cincinnati, Ohio; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Washington, D.C.; and various other locations. The Prophet's travels took him frequently away from his home and family, as did the persecutions he repeatedly faced. He was unjustly arrested and imprisoned numerous times, and he was the victim of dozens of unfounded lawsuits. For example, on July 27, 1837, the Prophet and several other Church leaders left Kirtland to visit the Saints in Canada. When they reached Painesville, Ohio, they were "detained all day by malicious and vexatious lawsuits." Since they were not far from Kirtland, they started for home in order to rest and then begin their journey again the next day. "About sunset I got into my carriage to return home to Kirtland," the Prophet wrote. "At this moment the sheriff sprang into the carriage, seized my lines, and served another writ on me."1 The Prophet's many absences from home were a severe trial to him and to his family. His letters to Emma reveal the loneliness he experienced and the longing he felt for her and for their children. He wrote continually of his great love for his family and his faith in God. He also gave heartening assurances to his family, expressing optimism for the future in spite of the adversities they faced. On April 1, 1832, the Prophet left home for his second journey to Missouri, only a week after he had been tarred and feathered by a mob and just two days after his adopted son had died. Surely his heart would have been heavy with sadness and concern for his wife, Emma, and for his only living child, Julia. While he was returning home the following month, anxious to rejoin his family, he was detained for several weeks in Greenville, Indiana. Bishop Newel K. Whitney, one of the Prophet's traveling companions, had severely injured his leg in a stagecoach accident and needed to convalesce before he could travel. During this time, the Prophet was poisoned in some manner, causing him to vomit so violently that he dislocated his jaw. He made his way to Bishop Whitney, who, though still bedridden, gave Joseph a priesthood blessing. The Prophet was immediately healed. Shortly after this experience, the Prophet penned these lines to his wife: "Brother Martin [Harris] has arrived here and brought the pleasing news that our families were well when he left there, which greatly cheered our hearts and revived our spirits. We thank our Heavenly Father for his goodness unto us and all of you. . . . My situation is a very unpleasant one, although I will endeavor to be contented, the Lord assisting me. . . . I should like to see little Julia and once more take her on my knee and converse with you. . . . I subscribe myself your husband. The Lord bless you, peace be with you, so farewell until I return."2 Teachings of Joseph Smith Family members pray for, comfort, and strengthen one another. To Emma Smith on October 13, 1832, from New York City, New York: "This day I have been walking through the most splendid part of the city of New York. The buildings are truly great and wonderful, to the astonishing of every beholder. . . . After beholding all that I had any desire to behold, I returned to my room to meditate and calm my mind; and behold, the thoughts of home, of Emma and Julia, rush upon my mind like a flood and I could wish for a moment to be with them. My breast is filled with all the feelings and tenderness of a parent and a husband, and could I be with you I would tell you many things. . . . "I feel as if I wanted to say something to you to comfort you in your peculiar trial and present affliction [Emma was pregnant at the time]. I hope God will give you strength that you may not faint. I pray God to soften the hearts of those around you to be kind to you and take the burden off your shoulders as much as possible and not afflict you. I feel for you, for I know your state and that others do not, but you must comfort yourself knowing that God is your friend in heaven and that you have one true and living friend on earth, your husband."3 To Emma Smith on November 12, 1838, from Richmond, Missouri, where he was being held prisoner: "I received your letter, which I read over and over again; it was a sweet morsel to me. O God, grant that I may have the privilege of seeing once more my lovely family in the enjoyment of the sweets of liberty and social life. To press them to my bosom and kiss their lovely cheeks would fill my heart with unspeakable gratitude. Tell the children that I am alive and trust I shall come and see them before long. Comfort their hearts all you can, and try to be comforted yourself all you can. . . . "P.S. Write as often as you can, and if possible come and see me, and bring the children if possible. Act according to your own feelings and best judgment, and endeavor to be comforted, if possible, and I trust that all will turn out for the best."4 To Emma Smith on April 4, 1839, from the jail in Liberty, Missouri: "My dear Emma, I think of you and the children continually. . . . I want to see little Frederick, Joseph, Julia, and Alexander, Johanna [an orphan who was living with the Smiths], and old Major [the family dog]. And as to yourself, if you want to know how much I want to see you, examine your feelings, how much you want to see me, and judge for yourself. I would gladly walk from here to you barefoot and bareheaded and half-naked to see you and think it great pleasure, and never count it toil. . . . I bear with fortitude all my oppression; so do those that are with me. Not one of us has flinched yet."5 To Emma Smith on January 20, 1840, from Chester County, Pennsylvania: "I feel very anxious to see you all once more in this world. The time seems long that I am deprived of your society, but the Lord being my helper, I will not be much longer. . . . I am filled with constant anxiety and shall be until I get home. I pray God to spare you all until I get home. My dear Emma, my heart is entwined around you and those little ones. I want you to remember me. Tell all the children that I love them and will come home as soon as I can. Yours in the bonds of love, your husband."6 The responsibility to teach our children is always with us. To Emma Smith on November 12, 1838, from Richmond, Missouri, where he was being held prisoner: "Tell little Joseph he must be a good boy; Father loves him with a perfect love. He is the eldest and must not hurt those that are smaller than him, but comfort them. Tell little Frederick Father loves him with all his heart; he is a lovely boy. Julia is a lovely little girl. I love her also. She is a promising child. Tell her Father wants her to remember him and be a good girl. Tell all the rest that I think of them and pray for them all. . . . Little Alexander is on my mind continually. O my affectionate Emma, I want you to remember that I am a true and faithful friend to you and the children forever. My heart is entwined around yours forever and ever. Oh, may God bless you all, amen. I am your husband and am in bands and tribulation."7 To Emma Smith on April 4, 1839, from the jail in Liberty, Missouri: "I want you should not let those little fellows forget me. Tell them Father loves them with a perfect love, and he is doing all he can to get away from the mob to come to them. Do teach [the children] all you can, that they may have good minds. Be tender and kind to them; don't be fractious to them, but listen to their wants. Tell them Father says they must be good children and mind their mother. My dear Emma, there is great responsibility resting upon you in preserving yourself in honor and sobriety before them and teaching them right things, to form their young and tender minds that they begin in right paths and not get contaminated when young by seeing ungodly examples."8 To Emma Smith on November 9, 1839, from Springfield, Illinois: "I shall be filled with constant anxiety about you and the children until I hear from you and, in a particular manner, little Frederick. It was so painful to leave him sick. I hope you will watch over those tender offspring in a manner that is becoming a mother and a saint and try to cultivate their minds and [teach] them to read and be sober. Do not let them be exposed to the weather to take cold, and try to get all the rest you can. It will be a long and lonesome time during my absence from you. . . . Be patient until I come, and do the best you can. I cannot write what I want but believe me, my feelings are of the best kind towards you all."9 God is our friend, and we can trust Him in our times of adversity. To Emma Smith on June 6, 1832, from Greenville, Indiana: "I have visited a grove which is just back of the town almost every day, where I can be secluded from the eyes of any mortal and there give vent to all the feelings of my heart in meditation and prayer. I have called to mind all the past moments of my life and am left to mourn and shed tears of sorrow for my folly in suffering the adversary of my soul to have so much power over me as he has had in times past. But God is merciful and has forgiven my sins, and I rejoice that he sendeth forth the Comforter unto as many as believe and humble themselves before him. . . . "I will try to be contented with my lot, knowing that God is my friend. In him I shall find comfort. I have given my life into his hands. I am prepared to go at his call. I desire to be with Christ. I count not my life dear to me [except] to do his will."10 To Emma Smith on June 4, 1834, from the banks of the Mississippi River in western Illinois; the Prophet Joseph was traveling with Zion's Camp: "Every now and then our thoughts linger with inexpressible anxiety for our wives and our children--our kindred according to the flesh who are entwined around our hearts--and also our brethren and friends. . . . Tell Father Smith and all the family and brother Oliver [Cowdery] to be comforted and look forward to the day when the trials and tribulations of this life will be at an end, and we [will] all enjoy the fruits of our labor if we hold out faithful to the end, which I pray may be the happy lot of us all."11 To Emma Smith on November 4, 1838, from Independence, Missouri, where he was being held prisoner: "My dear and beloved companion of my bosom in tribulation and affliction, I would inform you that I am well and that we are all of us in good spirits as regards our own fate. . . . I have great anxiety about you and my lovely children. My heart mourns and bleeds for the brethren and sisters and for the slain of the people of God. . . . What God may do for us I do not know, but I hope for the best always in all circumstances. Although I go unto death, I will trust in God. What outrages may be committed by the mob I know not, but expect there will be but little or no restraint. Oh, may God have mercy on us. . . . God has spared some of us thus far; perhaps he will extend mercy in some degree toward us yet. . . . "I cannot learn much for certainty in the situation that I am in, and can only pray for deliverance until it is meted out and take everything as it comes with patience and fortitude. I hope you will be faithful and true to every trust. I can't write much in my situation. Conduct all matters as your circumstances and necessities require. May God give you wisdom and prudence and sobriety, which I have every reason to believe you will [have]. "Those little children are subjects of my meditation continually. Tell them that Father is yet alive. God grant that he may see them again. O Emma, . . . do not forsake me nor the truth, but remember me; if I do not meet you again in this life, may God grant that we may meet in heaven. I cannot express my feelings; my heart is full. Farewell, O my kind and affectionate Emma. I am yours forever, your husband and true friend."12 To Emma Smith on March 21, 1839, from the jail in Liberty, Missouri: "My dear Emma, I very well know your toils and sympathize with you. If God will spare my life once more to have the privilege of taking care of you, I will ease your care and endeavor to comfort your heart. I want you to take the best care of the family you can. I believe you will do all you can. I was sorry to learn that Frederick was sick, but I trust he is well again and that you are all well. I want you to try to gain time and write to me a long letter and tell me all you can and even if old Major is alive yet and what those little prattlers say that cling around your neck. . . . Tell them I am in prison that their lives might be saved. . . . "God ruleth all things after the counsel of his own will. My trust is in him. The salvation of my soul is of the most importance to me forasmuch as I know for a certainty of eternal things. If the heavens linger, it is nothing to me. I must steer my [ship] safe, which I intend to do. I want you to do the same. Yours forever."13 To Emma Smith on August 16, 1842, near Nauvoo, Illinois; the Prophet Joseph was hiding from his enemies: "I take the liberty to tender you my sincere thanks for the two interesting and consoling visits that you have made me during my almost exiled situation. Tongue cannot express the gratitude of my heart, for the warm and true-hearted friendship you have manifested in these things towards me. The time has passed away, since you left me, very agreeably thus far; my mind being perfectly reconciled to my fate, let it be what it may. . . . "Tell the children it is well with their father as yet; and that he remains in fervent prayer to Almighty God for the safety of himself, and for you, and for them. Tell Mother Smith that it shall be well with her son, whether in life or in death; for thus saith the Lord God. Tell her that I remember her all the while, as well as Lucy [Joseph's sister], and all the rest. They all must be of good cheer. . . . Yours in haste, your affectionate husband until death, through all eternity; for evermore."14 Suggestions for Study and Teaching Consider these ideas as you study the chapter or as you prepare to teach. For additional help, see pages vii-xii. -- Briefly review this chapter, noting Joseph Smith's feelings toward Emma and their children. What does his example teach about how we should speak and act in our families? What can we learn from Joseph and Emma Smith's efforts to write to one another and to see one another? What are some things you have done to show family members that you love them? -- The Prophet Joseph told Emma that he was "a true and faithful friend to [her] and the children forever," and he thanked her for her "warm and true-hearted friendship" (pages 242, 246). What can husbands and wives do to nurture their friendship? -- In his letters, Joseph Smith showed trust in Emma, expressing confidence that she would make good decisions and do all she could to take care of the family (page 245). How might such expressions of trust influence the relationship between a husband and a wife? -- Read the Prophet Joseph's message to his children in the second paragraph on page 246. How might it have helped his children to receive this news? During times of trial, what can parents do to show their children that they have faith in God? -- Review Joseph Smith's expressions of trust in God found on pages 243-46. Identify several of these expressions that are particularly touching to you. How can you apply these truths in your life? Related Scriptures: Genesis 2:24; 1 Corinthians 11:11; Ephesians 5:25; Mosiah 4:14-15; D&C 25:5, 9, 14; 68:25-28 Notes 1. History of the Church, 2:502; spelling modernized; from "History of the Church" (manuscript), book B-1, p. 767, and addenda, p. 6, Church Archives, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah. 2. Letter from Joseph Smith to Emma Smith, June 6, 1832, Greenville, Indiana; Chicago Historical Society, Chicago, Illinois. 3. Letter from Joseph Smith to Emma Smith, Oct. 13, 1832, New York City, New York; Community of Christ Archives, Independence, Missouri. 4. Letter from Joseph Smith to Emma Smith, Nov. 12, 1838, Richmond, Missouri; Community of Christ Archives, Independence, Missouri. 5. Letter from Joseph Smith to Emma Smith, Apr. 4, 1839, Liberty Jail, Liberty, Missouri; Beinecke Library, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut; copy in Church Archives. Johanna's full name was Johanna Carter; she was the orphaned daughter of John S. and Elizabeth Kenyon Carter. 6. Letter from Joseph Smith to Emma Smith, Jan. 20, 1840, Chester County, Pennsylvania; Chicago Historical Society, Chicago, Illinois. 7. Letter from Joseph Smith to Emma Smith, Nov. 12, 1838, Richmond, Missouri; Community of Christ Archives, Independence, Missouri. 8. Letter from Joseph Smith to Emma Smith, Apr. 4, 1839, Liberty Jail, Liberty, Missouri; Beinecke Library, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut; copy in Church Archives. 9. Letter from Joseph Smith to Emma Smith, Nov. 9, 1839, Springfield, Illinois; Community of Christ Archives, Independence, Missouri; copy in Church Archives. 10. Letter from Joseph Smith to Emma Smith, June 6, 1832, Greenville, Indiana; Chicago Historical Society, Chicago, Illinois. 11. Letter from Joseph Smith to Emma Smith, June 4, 1834, from the banks of the Mississippi River in western Illinois; Letter Book 2, 1837-43, p. 58, Joseph Smith, Collection, Church Archives. 12. Letter from Joseph Smith to Emma Smith, Nov. 4, 1838, Independence, Missouri; Community of Christ Archives, Independence, Missouri; copy in Church Archives. 13. Letter from Joseph Smith to Emma Smith, Mar. 21, 1839, Liberty Jail, Liberty, Missouri; Joseph Smith, Collection, Church Archives. 14. History of the Church, 5:103, 105; paragraph divisions altered; from a letter from Joseph Smith to Emma Smith, Aug. 16, 1842, near Nauvoo, Illinois. The Prophet's many responsibilities, as well as the persecutions he faced, often took him away from his family. While he and his brother Hyrum were imprisoned in Liberty Jail, the Prophet's wife, Emma, and their son Joseph came to visit him. A portion of the letter the Prophet Joseph Smith wrote to Emma Smith from Liberty Jail on March 21, 1839. ;;;Chapter 21 The Second Coming and the Millennium "We shall . . . do well to discern the signs of the times as we pass along, that the day of the Lord may not 'overtake us as a thief in the night.' " From the Life of Joseph Smith In September 1832, Joseph and Emma Smith and their sixteen-month-old daughter, Julia, moved from the Johnson farm in Hiram, Ohio, back to Kirtland. There they moved into the general store owned by Newel K. Whitney, where they would live for more than a year. The Smith family lived on the second floor of the store and part of the first floor that was not used for business. Joseph and Emma's son, Joseph Smith III, was born while the family lived in this store. The Prophet also received many revelations there. One such revelation came on Christmas Day in 1832. The Prophet spent part of this day at home, deep in contemplation about the serious problems facing the nations of the world at that time. "Appearances of troubles among the nations became more visible this season than they had previously been since the Church began her journey out of the wilderness," the Prophet said.1 Events in the United States were leading toward civil war, and outbreaks of deadly diseases were widespread throughout the world. While "praying earnestly on the subject,"2 the Prophet received the revelation now found in section 87 of the Doctrine and Covenants. The Lord revealed to Joseph that before the Second Coming, war would be poured out upon all the nations and natural calamities would chasten the people: "With the sword and by bloodshed the inhabitants of the earth shall mourn; and with famine, and plague, and earthquake, and the thunder of heaven, and the fierce and vivid lightning also, shall the inhabitants of the earth be made to feel the wrath, and indignation, and chastening hand of an Almighty God, until the consumption decreed hath made a full end of all nations. . . . Wherefore, stand ye in holy places, and be not moved, until the day of the Lord come; for behold, it cometh quickly, saith the Lord" (D&C 87:6, 8). Two days later, on December 27, the Prophet received another revelation that contained much information about the Second Coming. On that day, a conference of high priests had gathered in the Prophet's "translating room," the room in the Whitney store where Joseph did much of his work on the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible. The minutes of the conference record: "Brother Joseph arose and said, to receive revelation and the blessings of heaven it was necessary to have our minds on God and exercise faith and become of one heart and of one mind. Therefore he recommended all present to pray separately and vocally to the Lord for [Him] to reveal His will unto us concerning the upbuilding of Zion and for the benefit of the Saints." Each high priest "bowed down before the Lord" and then spoke of his feelings and determination to keep the commandments of God.3 Shortly thereafter, the Prophet began to receive the revelation from God that would later become section 88 of the Doctrine and Covenants. This revelation contains some of the scriptures' most detailed prophecies about the coming of the Lord and the establishment of a thousand-year period of peace (see D&C 88:86-116). Through the Prophet Joseph Smith, the Lord revealed many prophecies concerning the Second Coming, the Millennium, and the turbulent time that will precede these events. This great outpouring of revelation is a testimony that Joseph Smith was truly a seer raised up by God. As the Book of Mormon testifies, "A seer can know of things which are past, and also of things which are to come, and by [him] shall all things be revealed, or, rather, shall secret things be made manifest, and hidden things shall come to light, and things which are not known shall be made known" (Mosiah 8:17). Teachings of Joseph Smith The signs of the Savior's coming are being fulfilled; the faithful will recognize these signs and have peace in perilous times. "We shall . . . do well to discern the signs of the times as we pass along, that the day of the Lord may not 'overtake us as a thief in the night.' [See D&C 106:4-5.]"4 "I will prophesy that the signs of the coming of the Son of Man are already commenced. One pestilence will desolate after another. We shall soon have war and bloodshed. The moon will be turned into blood. I testify of these things, and that the coming of the Son of Man is nigh, even at your doors. If our souls and our bodies are not looking forth for the coming of the Son of Man; and after we are dead, if we are not looking forth, we shall be among those who are calling for the rocks to fall upon them [see Revelation 6:15-17]."5 "Dearly and beloved brethren, we see that perilous times have come, as was testified of [see 2 Timothy 3:1]. We may look, then, with most perfect assurance, for the fulfillment of all those things that have been written, and with more confidence than ever before, lift up our eyes to the luminary of day, and say in our hearts, Soon thou wilt veil thy blushing face. He that said, 'Let there be light,' and there was light [see Genesis 1:3], hath spoken this word. And again, Thou moon, thou dimmer light, thou luminary of night, shalt turn to blood. "We see that everything is being fulfilled; and that the time shall soon come when the Son of Man shall descend in the clouds of heaven."6 "The earth will soon be reaped--that is, the wicked must soon be destroyed from off the face of the earth, for the Lord hath spoken it, and who can stay the hand of the Lord, or who is there that can measure arms with the Almighty, for at his commands the heavens and the earth must pass away. The day is fast hastening on when the restoration of all things shall be fulfilled, which all the holy prophets have prophesied of, even unto the gathering in of the house of Israel. Then shall come to pass that the lion shall lie down with the lamb, etc. "But, brethren, be not discouraged when we tell you of perilous times, for they must shortly come, for the sword, famine, and pestilence are approaching. There shall be great destructions upon the face of this land, for ye need not suppose that one jot or tittle of the prophecies of all the holy prophets shall fail, and there are many that remain to be fulfilled yet. The Lord hath said that a short work will he make of it, and the righteous shall be saved if it be as by fire [see Romans 9:28; 1 Nephi 22:17]."7 "The scripture is ready to be fulfilled when great wars, famines, pestilence, great distress, judgments, etc., are ready to be poured out on the inhabitants of the earth."8 "We see that perilous times have truly come, and the things which we have so long expected have at last begun to usher in; but when you see the fig tree begin to put forth its leaves, you may know that the summer is nigh at hand [see Matthew 24:32-33]. There will be a short work on the earth. It has now commenced. I suppose there will soon be perplexity all over the earth. Do not let our hearts faint when these things come upon us, for they must come, or the word cannot be fulfilled."9 "I have asked of the Lord concerning His coming; and while asking the Lord, He gave a sign and said, 'In the days of Noah I set a bow in the heavens as a sign and token that in any year that the bow should be seen the Lord would not come; but there should be seed time and harvest during that year: but whenever you see the bow withdrawn, it shall be a token that there shall be famine, pestilence, and great distress among the nations, and that the coming of the Messiah is not far distant.' "10 "Judah must return, Jerusalem must be rebuilt, and the temple, and water come out from under the temple, and the waters of the Dead Sea be healed [see Ezekiel 47:1-9]. It will take some time to rebuild the walls of the city and the temple, etc.; and all this must be done before the Son of Man will make His appearance. There will be wars and rumors of wars, signs in the heavens above and on the earth beneath, the sun turned into darkness and the moon to blood, earthquakes in divers places, the seas heaving beyond their bounds; then will appear one grand sign of the Son of Man in heaven. But what will the world do? They will say it is a planet, a comet, etc. But the Son of Man will come as the sign of the coming of the Son of Man, which will be as the light of the morning cometh out of the east [see Joseph Smith--Matthew 1:26]."11 "[I] explained concerning the coming of the Son of Man; also that it is a false idea that the Saints will escape all the judgments, whilst the wicked suffer; for all flesh is subject to suffer, and 'the righteous shall hardly escape' [see D&C 63:34]; still many of the Saints will escape, for the just shall live by faith [see Habakkuk 2:4]; yet many of the righteous shall fall a prey to disease, to pestilence, etc., by reason of the weakness of the flesh, and yet be saved in the Kingdom of God. So that it is an unhallowed principle to say that such and such have transgressed because they have been preyed upon by disease or death, for all flesh is subject to death; and the Savior has said, 'Judge not, lest ye be judged.' [See Matthew 7:1.]"12 The Lord will not come until all things are fulfilled in preparation for His coming. "The coming of the Son of Man never will be--never can be till the judgments spoken of for this hour are poured out: which judgments are commenced. Paul says, 'Ye are the children of the light, and not of the darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief in the night.' [See 1 Thessalonians 5:4-5.] It is not the design of the Almighty to come upon the earth and crush it and grind it to powder, but he will reveal it to His servants the prophets [see Amos 3:7]."13 "Jesus Christ never did reveal to any man the precise time that He would come [see Matthew 24:36; D&C 49:7]. Go and read the Scriptures, and you cannot find anything that specifies the exact hour He would come; and all that say so are false teachers."14 Regarding a man who claimed to have seen the sign of the Son of Man, the Prophet Joseph Smith said: "He has not seen the sign of the Son of Man, as foretold by Jesus; neither has any man, nor will any man, until after the sun shall have been darkened and the moon bathed in blood; for the Lord hath not shown me any such sign; and as the prophet saith, so it must be--'Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but He revealeth His secret unto His servants the prophets.' (See Amos 3:7.) Therefore hear this, O earth: The Lord will not come to reign over the righteous, in this world, in 1843, nor until everything for the Bridegroom is ready."15 Those who are wise and faithful will be prepared when the Lord comes again. "When I contemplate the rapidity with which the great and glorious day of the coming of the Son of Man advances, when He shall come to receive His Saints unto Himself, where they shall dwell in His presence, and be crowned with glory and immortality; when I consider that soon the heavens are to be shaken, and the earth tremble and reel to and fro; and that the heavens are to be unfolded as a scroll when it is rolled up; and that every mountain and island are to flee away, I cry out in my heart, What manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godliness! [See 2 Peter 3:11.]"16 "The earth is groaning under corruption, oppression, tyranny and bloodshed; and God is coming out of His hiding place, as He said He would do, to vex the nations of the earth. Daniel, in his vision, saw convulsion upon convulsion; he 'beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of Days did sit;' and one was brought before him like unto the Son of Man; and all nations, kindred, tongues, and people, did serve and obey Him [see Daniel 7:9-14]. It is for us to be righteous, that we may be wise and understand; for none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand, and they that turn many to righteousness shall shine as the stars for ever and ever [see Daniel 12:3]."17 "Let the rich and the learned, the wise and the noble, the poor and the needy, the bond and the free, both black and white, take heed to their ways, and cleave to the knowledge of God, and execute justice and judgment upon the earth in righteousness, and prepare to meet the judge of the quick and the dead, for the hour of His coming is nigh."18 "Let us be wise in all things, and keep all the commandments of God, that our salvation may be sure. Having our armor ready and prepared against the time appointed and having on the whole armor of righteousness, we may be able to stand in that trying day [see Ephesians 6:13]."19 In December 1830, the Prophet Joseph Smith said the following in a letter to members of the Church in Colesville, New York: "May you all be faithful and wait for the time of our Lord, for his appearing is nigh at hand. " 'But [of] the time and the season, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you, for ye yourselves perfectly know that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night: for when they shall say peace and safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman, but they shall not escape. " 'But ye, brethren, are not in darkness. . . . Therefore let us not sleep as do others, but let us watch and be sober, for they that sleep, sleep in the night, and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. " 'But let us who be of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet, the hope of salvation. For God hath not appointed us unto wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.' [1 Thessalonians 5:1-4, 6-9.] "Wherefore, comfort one another, even as ye also do, for perilous times are at hand. . . . Peace is taken from the earth in part, and it will soon be in whole; yea, destructions are at our doors, and they soon will be in the houses of the wicked, and they that know not God. "Yea, lift up your heads and rejoice, for your redemption draweth nigh. We are the most favored people that ever have been from the foundation of the world, if we remain faithful in keeping the commandments of our God. Yea, even Enoch, the seventh from Adam, beheld our day and rejoiced [see Moses 7:65-67], and the prophets from that day forth have prophesied of the Second Coming of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and rejoiced at the day of rest of the Saints; yea, and the Apostle of our Savior also did rejoice in his appearance in a cloud with the host of heaven, to dwell with man on the earth a thousand years [see Revelation 1:7]. Therefore we have reason to rejoice. "Behold the prophecies of the Book of Mormon are fulfilling as fast as time can bring it about. The Spirit of the living God is upon me; therefore, who will say that I shall not prophesy. The time is soon at hand that we shall have to flee whithersoever the Lord will, for safety. Fear not those who are making you an offender for a word [see Isaiah 29:20-21], but be faithful in witnessing unto a crooked and a perverse generation that the day of the coming of our Lord and Savior is at hand. Yea, prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight his path [see Matthew 3:3]. "Who will shrink because of offenses, for offenses must come, but woe to them by whom they come, for the rock must fall on them and grind them to powder [see Matthew 18:7; 21:43-44]. For the fulness of the Gentiles is come in, and woe will be unto them if they do not repent and be baptized in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, for the remission of their sins, and come in at the strait gate and be numbered with the house of Israel. For God will not always be mocked, and not pour out his wrath upon those that blaspheme his holy name, for the sword, famines, and destruction will soon overtake them in their wild career, for God will avenge, and pour out his vials of wrath, and save his elect [see Revelation 16:1]. "And all those who will obey his commandments are his elect, and he will soon gather them from the four winds of heaven, from one quarter of the earth to the other [see Matthew 24:31], to a place whithersoever he will; therefore, in your patience possess ye your souls [see Luke 21:19]."20 The Millennium will be a time of peace when the Savior will reign over the earth. Articles of Faith 1:10: "We believe . . . that Christ will reign personally upon the earth; and, that the earth will be renewed and receive its paradisiacal glory."21 "The designs of God . . . have been . . . to establish peace and good will among men; to promote the principles of eternal truth; to bring about a state of things that shall unite man to his fellow man; cause the world to 'beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks' [Isaiah 2:4], make the nations of the earth dwell in peace, and to bring about the millennial glory, when 'the earth shall yield its increase, resume its [paradisiacal] glory, and become as the garden of the Lord.' . . . "It has been the design of Jehovah, from the commencement of the world, and is His purpose now, to regulate the affairs of the world in His own time, to stand as a head of the universe, and take the reins of government in His own hand. When that is done, judgment will be administered in righteousness; anarchy and confusion will be destroyed, and 'nations will learn war no more.' [See Isaiah 2:4.] . . . ". . . Moses received the word of the Lord from God Himself; he was the mouth of God to Aaron, and Aaron taught the people, in both civil and ecclesiastical affairs; they were both one, there was no distinction; so will it be when the purposes of God shall be accomplished: when 'the Lord shall be King over the whole earth,' and 'Jerusalem His throne.' 'The law shall go forth from Zion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.' [See Zechariah 14:9; Jeremiah 3:17; Micah 4:2.] ". . . 'He whose right it is, will possess the kingdom, and reign until He has put all things under His feet' [see Ezekiel 21:27; 1 Corinthians 15:27]; iniquity will hide its hoary head, Satan will be bound, and the works of darkness destroyed; righteousness will be put to the line, and judgment to the plummet, and 'he that fears the Lord will alone be exalted in that day.' [See Isaiah 2:11; 28:17.]"22 "That Jesus will be a resident on the earth a thousand [years] with the Saints is not the case, but will reign over the Saints and come down and instruct, as he did the five hundred brethren [see 1 Corinthians 15:6], and those of the first resurrection will also reign with him over the Saints."23 After the Millennium, the earth will be changed into a sanctified, celestial state. "While at dinner, I remarked to my family and friends present, that when the earth was sanctified and became like a sea of glass, it would be one great urim and thummim, and the Saints could look in it and see as they are seen."24 "This earth will be rolled back into the presence of God and crowned with celestial glory."25 "After the little season [of Satan's last rebellion] is expired and the earth undergoes its last change and is glorified, then will all the meek inherit the earth, wherein dwelleth the righteous."26 The Prophet taught the following on April 2, 1843, later recorded in Doctrine and Covenants 130:9: "This earth, in its sanctified and immortal state, will be made like unto crystal and will be a Urim and Thummim to the inhabitants who dwell thereon, whereby all things pertaining to an inferior kingdom, or all kingdoms of a lower order, will be manifest to those who dwell on it; and this earth will be Christ's."27 Suggestions for Study and Teaching Consider these ideas as you study the chapter or as you prepare to teach. For additional help, see pages vii-xii. -- Read the first two full paragraphs on page 250, and note the high priests' preparation to receive the revelation that is now section 88 of the Doctrine and Covenants. Think about how this account applies to you in your efforts to understand the prophecies of the Second Coming. -- Read the Prophet Joseph Smith's prophecies of the perilous times before the coming of the Lord (pages 251-53). How can we remain at peace even during such trials? Why do you think we need to know and understand the signs of the Second Coming? What signs of the Second Coming have been or are being fulfilled? -- Read the second full paragraph on page 253 and the third paragraph on page 255. What does the phrase "as a thief in the night" suggest about the Lord's coming? Why do you think the day of the Lord will not overtake the children of the light as a thief in the night? -- How can we prepare for the Second Coming of the Savior? (For some examples, see pages 254-56.) Think about how you will feel to see the Savior if you are prepared for His coming. As we prepare for the Second Coming, how can we avoid feelings of fear or alarm? -- Review Joseph Smith's prophecies about the Millennium (pages 256-58). What are your thoughts and feelings as you contemplate this period of time? Related Scriptures: Micah 4:1-7; D&C 29:9-25; 45:36-71; 88:95-98, 110-15; Joseph Smith--Matthew 1:21-55 Notes 1. History of the Church, 1:301; from "History of the Church" (manuscript), book A-1, p. 244, Church Archives, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah. 2. Doctrine and Covenants 130:13; instructions given by Joseph Smith on Apr. 2, 1843, in Ramus, Illinois. 3. Kirtland High Council, Minutes Dec. 1832-Nov. 1837, entry for Dec. 27, 1832, pp. 3-4, reported by Frederick G. Williams, Church Archives. 4. History of the Church, 3:331; from "Extract, from the Private Journal of Joseph Smith Jr.," Times and Seasons, Nov. 1839, p. 9. 5. History of the Church, 3:390; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith about July 1839 in Commerce, Illinois; reported by Willard Richards. 6. History of the Church, 3:291; punctuation modernized; from a letter from Joseph Smith and others to Edward Partridge and the Church, Mar. 20, 1839, Liberty Jail, Liberty, Missouri. 7. Letter from Joseph Smith and John Whitmer to the Saints in Colesville, New York, Aug. 20, 1830, Harmony, Pennsylvania; in Newel Knight, Autobiography and Journal, ca. 1846-47, pp. 133-36, Church Archives. 8. History of the Church, 6:364; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on May 12, 1844, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Thomas Bullock. 9. History of the Church, 3:286; from a letter from Joseph Smith to Presendia Huntington Buell, Mar. 15, 1839, Liberty Jail, Liberty, Missouri; Sister Buell's last name is incorrectly spelled "Bull" in History of the Church. 10. History of the Church, 6:254; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on Mar. 10, 1844, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Wilford Woodruff; see also appendix, page 562, item 3. 11. History of the Church, 5:337; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on Apr. 6, 1843, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Willard Richards. 12. History of the Church, 4:11; punctuation modernized; from instructions given by Joseph Smith on Sept. 29, 1839, in Commerce, Illinois; reported by James Mulholland. 13. History of the Church, 5:336-37; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on Apr. 6, 1843, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Willard Richards. 14. History of the Church, 6:254; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on Mar. 10, 1844, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Wilford Woodruff. 15. History of the Church, 5:291; from a letter from Joseph Smith to the editor of the Times and Seasons, Feb. 28, 1843, Nauvoo, Illinois, published in Times and Seasons, Mar. 1, 1843, p. 113. 16. History of the Church, 1:442; from a letter from Joseph Smith to Moses Nickerson, Nov. 19, 1833, Kirtland, Ohio. 17. History of the Church, 5:65; from "The Government of God," an editorial published in Times and Seasons, July 15, 1842, p. 857; Joseph Smith was the editor of the periodical. 18. History of the Church, 6:93; from Joseph Smith's appeal to the state of Vermont, Nov. 29, 1843, Nauvoo, Illinois, published as General Joseph Smith's Appeal to the Green Mountain Boys (1843), p. 7. 19. Letter from Joseph Smith and others to Hezekiah Peck, Aug. 31, 1835, Kirtland, Ohio; in "The Book of John Whitmer," p. 80, Community of Christ Archives, Independence, Missouri; copy of "The Book of John Whitmer" in Church Archives. 20. Letter from Joseph Smith and John Whitmer to the Saints in Colesville, New York, Dec. 2, 1830, Fayette, New York; in Newel Knight, Autobiography and Journal, ca. 1846-47, pp. 198-206, Church Archives. 21. Articles of Faith 1:10. 22. History of the Church, 5:61, 63-65; punctuation modernized; from "The Government of God," an editorial published in Times and Seasons, July 15, 1842, pp. 855-57; Joseph Smith was the editor of the periodical. 23. Quoted by William P. McIntire, reporting a discourse given by Joseph Smith in early 1841 in Nauvoo, Illinois; William Patterson McIntire, Notebook 1840-45, Church Archives. 24. History of the Church, 5:279; from a Joseph Smith journal entry, Feb. 18, 1843, Nauvoo, Illinois. 25. Quoted by William Clayton, reporting an undated discourse given by Joseph Smith in Nauvoo, Illinois; in L. John Nuttall, "Extracts from William Clayton's Private Book," p. 8, Journals of L. John Nuttall, 1857-1904, L. Tom Perry Special Collections, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah; copy in Church Archives. 26. Quoted by William P. McIntire, reporting a discourse given by Joseph Smith in early 1841 in Nauvoo, Illinois; William Patterson McIntire, Notebook 1840-45, Church Archives. 27. Doctrine and Covenants 130:9; instructions given by Joseph Smith on Apr. 2, 1843, in Ramus, Illinois. An upstairs room in the restored Newel K. Whitney store. Joseph and Emma Smith lived in this store for more than a year, and the Prophet received many revelations here, including revelations about the coming of the Lord. "The day is fast hastening on when the restoration of all things shall be fulfilled. . . . Then shall come to pass that the lion shall lie down with the lamb." ;;;Chapter 22 Gaining Knowledge of Eternal Truths "A man is saved no faster than he gets knowledge." From the Life of Joseph Smith The Prophet Joseph Smith "loved learning," wrote George Q. Cannon. "He loved knowledge for its righteous power. Through the tribulations which had surrounded him from the day when first he made known to a skeptical world his communion with the heavens, he had been ever advancing in the acquisition of intelligence. The Lord had commanded him to study, and he was obeying. . . . His mind, quickened by the Holy Spirit, grasped with readiness all true principles, and one by one he mastered these branches and became in them a teacher."1 In 1833, the Prophet and a group of Kirtland Saints had a unique opportunity to study the gospel. In January of that year, in accordance with the Lord's command (see D&C 88:127-41), the Prophet organized the School of the Prophets to train priesthood holders for their work in the ministry and to prepare them to preach the gospel. The school was held in a second-floor room in the Newel K. Whitney store, where the Prophet lived. About 25 brethren attended, some traveling hundreds of miles for the privilege of studying the gospel in a room no larger than 11 by 14 feet. Many of these men would later become Apostles, Seventies, and other Church leaders. Though the Prophet and the other brethren occasionally studied language, they focused primarily on learning the doctrines of the gospel, diligently pursuing their studies from early morning until late afternoon. This school lasted for four months, and similar schools were later held in Kirtland and also in Missouri, which hundreds of people attended. At the meeting of the school held on February 27, 1833, the Prophet received an important revelation. In the early days of the Church, the use of alcohol, tobacco, coffee, and tea was common in society and among Church members. As the Prophet saw the brethren using tobacco at the school, he became concerned. Brigham Young recalled: "When they assembled together in this room after breakfast, the first they did was to light their pipes, and, while smoking, talk about the great things of the kingdom. . . . Often when the Prophet entered the room to give the school instructions he would find himself in a cloud of tobacco smoke. This, and the complaints of his wife at having to clean so filthy a floor [from chewing tobacco], made the Prophet think upon the matter, and he inquired of the Lord relating to the conduct of the elders in using tobacco, and the revelation known as the Word of Wisdom was the result of his inquiry."2 Millions of people have followed the counsel in this revelation and have received temporal and spiritual blessings, including the "wisdom and great treasures of knowledge" promised to those who walk in obedience to God’s commandments (D&C 89:19). Treasures of spiritual knowledge were poured out upon the brethren attending the School of the Prophets, and they made great advances in their understanding of the gospel. At the meeting of the school held on March 18, 1833, Sidney Rigdon and Frederick G. Williams were set apart as the Prophet's counselors in the First Presidency. Afterward, the Prophet "exhorted the brethren to faithfulness and diligence in keeping the commandments of God, and gave much instruction for the benefit of the Saints, with a promise that the pure in heart should see a heavenly vision; and after remaining a short time in secret prayer, the promise was verified; for many present had the eyes of their understanding opened by the Spirit of God, so as to behold many things. . . . Many of the brethren saw a heavenly vision of the Savior, and concourses of angels, and many other things."3 The Prophet explained, "Great joy and satisfaction continually beamed in the countenances of the School of the Prophets, and the Saints, on account of the things revealed, and our progress in the knowledge of God."4 Teachings of Joseph Smith The gospel of Jesus Christ embraces all truth; the faithful accept the truths God has revealed and put aside false traditions. "Mormonism is truth; and every man who embraces it feels himself at liberty to embrace every truth: consequently the shackles of superstition, bigotry, ignorance, and priestcraft, fall at once from his neck; and his eyes are opened to see the truth, and truth greatly prevails over priestcraft. . . . ". . . Mormonism is truth, in other words the doctrine of the Latter-day Saints, is truth. . . . The first and fundamental principle of our holy religion is, that we believe that we have a right to embrace all, and every item of truth, without limitation or without being circumscribed or prohibited by the creeds or superstitious notions of men, or by the dominations of one another, when that truth is clearly demonstrated to our minds, and we have the highest degree of evidence of the same."5 In January 1843, Joseph Smith had a conversation with some people who were not members of the Church: "I stated that the most prominent difference in sentiment between the Latter-day Saints and sectarians was, that the latter were all circumscribed by some peculiar creed, which deprived its members the privilege of believing anything not contained therein, whereas the Latter-day Saints . . . are ready to believe all true principles that exist, as they are made manifest from time to time."6 "I cannot believe in any of the creeds of the different denominations, because they all have some things in them I cannot subscribe to, though all of them have some truth. I want to come up into the presence of God, and learn all things; but the creeds set up stakes [limits], and say, 'Hitherto shalt thou come, and no further' [Job 38:11]; which I cannot subscribe to."7 "I say to all those who are disposed to set up stakes for the Almighty, You will come short of the glory of God. To become a joint heir of the heirship of the Son, one must put away all his false traditions."8 "The great thing for us to know is to comprehend what God did institute before the foundation of the world. Who knows it? It is the constitutional disposition of mankind to set up stakes and set bounds to the works and ways of the Almighty. . . . That which hath been hid from before the foundation of the world is revealed to babes and sucklings in the last days [see D&C 128:18]."9 "When men open their lips against [the truth] they do not injure me, but injure themselves. . . . When things that are of the greatest importance are passed over by weak-minded men without even a thought, I want to see truth in all its bearings and hug it to my bosom. I believe all that God ever revealed, and I never hear of a man being damned for believing too much; but they are damned for unbelief."10 "When God offers a blessing or knowledge to a man, and he refuses to receive it, he will be damned. The Israelites prayed that God would speak to Moses and not to them; in consequence of which he cursed them with a carnal law."11 "I have always had the satisfaction of seeing the truth triumph over error, and darkness give way before light."12 Gaining knowledge of eternal truths is essential to obtaining salvation. "Knowledge is necessary to life and godliness. Woe unto you priests and divines who preach that knowledge is not necessary unto life and salvation. Take away Apostles, etc., take away knowledge, and you will find yourselves worthy of the damnation of hell. Knowledge is revelation. Hear, all ye brethren, this grand key: knowledge is the power of God unto salvation."13 "Knowledge does away with darkness, suspense and doubt; for these cannot exist where knowledge is. . . . In knowledge there is power. God has more power than all other beings, because He has greater knowledge; and hence He knows how to subject all other beings to Him. He has power over all."14 "As far as we degenerate from God, we descend to the devil and lose knowledge, and without knowledge we cannot be saved, and while our hearts are filled with evil, and we are studying evil, there is no room in our hearts for good, or studying good. Is not God good? Then you be good; if He is faithful, then you be faithful. Add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, and seek for every good thing [see 2 Peter 1:5]. ". . . A man is saved no faster than he gets knowledge, for if he does not get knowledge, he will be brought into captivity by some evil power in the other world, as evil spirits will have more knowledge, and consequently more power than many men who are on the earth. Hence it needs revelation to assist us, and give us knowledge of the things of God."15 Joseph Smith taught the following in April 1843, later recorded in Doctrine and Covenants 130:18-19: "Whatever principle of intelligence we attain unto in this life, it will rise with us in the resurrection. And if a person gains more knowledge and intelligence in this life through his diligence and obedience than another, he will have so much the advantage in the world to come."16 Joseph Smith taught the following in May 1843, later recorded in Doctrine and Covenants 131:6: "It is impossible for a man to be saved in ignorance."17 We obtain knowledge of eternal truths through diligent study and prayer. George A. Smith, while serving in the First Presidency, reported: "Joseph Smith taught that every man and woman should seek the Lord for wisdom, that they might get knowledge from Him who is the fountain of knowledge; and the promises of the gospel, as revealed, were such as to authorize us to believe, that by taking this course we should gain the object of our pursuit."18 The Prophet Joseph Smith wrote the following to a man who had recently joined the Church: "You remember the testimony which I bore in the name of the Lord Jesus, concerning the great work which He has brought forth in the last days. You know my manner of communication, how that in weakness and simplicity, I declared to you what the Lord had brought forth by the ministering of His holy angels to me for this generation. I pray that the Lord may enable you to treasure these things in your mind, for I know that His Spirit will bear testimony to all who seek diligently after knowledge from Him."19 The Prophet Joseph Smith wrote the following to a man who wanted to learn more about the Church: "Study the Bible, and as many of our books as you can get; pray to the Father in the name of Jesus Christ, have faith in the promises made to the fathers, and your mind will be guided to the truth."20 "The things of God are of deep import; and time, and experience, and careful and ponderous and solemn thoughts can only find them out. Thy mind, O man! if thou wilt lead a soul unto salvation, must stretch as high as the utmost heavens, and search into and contemplate the darkest abyss, and the broad expanse of eternity--thou must commune with God. How much more dignified and noble are the thoughts of God, than the vain imaginations of the human heart! . . . ". . . Let honesty, and sobriety, and candor, and solemnity, and virtue, and pureness, and meekness, and simplicity crown our heads in every place; and in fine, become as little children, without malice, guile or hypocrisy. And now, brethren, after your tribulations, if you do these things, and exercise fervent prayer and faith in the sight of God always, He shall give unto you knowledge by His Holy Spirit, yea by the unspeakable gift of the Holy Ghost [see D&C 121:26]."21 We gain knowledge of eternal truths a little at a time; we can learn all things as fast as we are able to bear them. "It is not wisdom that we should have all knowledge at once presented before us; but that we should have a little at a time; then we can comprehend it."22 "When you climb up a ladder, you must begin at the bottom, and ascend step by step, until you arrive at the top; and so it is with the principles of the gospel--you must begin with the first, and go on until you learn all the principles of exaltation. But it will be a great while after you have passed through the veil before you will have learned them. It is not all to be comprehended in this world; it will be a great work to learn our salvation and exaltation even beyond the grave."23 Joseph Smith and his counselors in the First Presidency gave the following instructions to the Saints who were gathering to Nauvoo: "To those who . . . can assist in this great work, we say, let them come to this place; by so doing they will not only assist in the rolling on of the Kingdom, but be in a situation where they can have the advantages of instruction from the Presidency and other authorities of the Church, and rise higher and higher in the scale of intelligence until they can 'comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length, and depth and height; and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge.' [Ephesians 3:18-19.]"24 "God hath not revealed anything to Joseph, but what He will make known unto the Twelve, and even the least Saint may know all things as fast as he is able to bear them, for the day must come when no man need say to his neighbor, Know ye the Lord; for all shall know Him . . . from the least to the greatest [see Jeremiah 31:34]."25 Suggestions for Study and Teaching Consider these ideas as you study the chapter or as you prepare to teach. For additional help, see pages vii-xii. -- Read the first paragraph on page 265. Think about habits or ideas that can "set bounds to the works and ways of the Almighty" in our lives. What do you think we need to do in order to embrace all the truth the Lord will give us? -- Review the last full paragraph on page 265. When has knowledge pushed darkness and doubt out of your life? Why do you think gaining knowledge of the truth is essential to receiving salvation? (For some examples, see pages 265-66.) -- From the teachings of the Prophet Joseph, we can see that Satan wants us to lose knowledge (pages 265-66) and that the Lord wants to give us knowledge (pages 266-68). What can we learn from this contrast? -- What can we do to increase our knowledge of the truth? (For some examples, see pages 261-63, 266-68.) Review the paragraph that begins at the bottom of page 267. Select a few of the characteristics listed in this paragraph. How does each of these characteristics prepare us to receive knowledge? -- Read the second full paragraph on page 268. What can we learn from comparing our learning of gospel principles to climbing a ladder? What have you done to continually increase in your knowledge of the gospel? -- What are your thoughts or feelings as you ponder the last paragraph in this chapter? Related Scriptures: Proverbs 1:7; 1 Timothy 2:3-4; 2 Nephi 28:29-31; Alma 5:45-47; D&C 88:118 Notes 1. George Q. Cannon, The Life of Joseph Smith, the Prophet (1888), p. 189. 2. Brigham Young, Deseret News: Semi-Weekly, Feb. 25, 1868, p. 2; capitalization modernized. 3. History of the Church, 1:334-35; from the minutes of a meeting of the School of the Prophets held on Mar. 18, 1833, in Kirtland, Ohio; reported by Frederick G. Williams. 4. History of the Church, 1:334; from "History of the Church" (manuscript), book A-1, p. 281, Church Archives, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah. 5. Letter from Joseph Smith to Isaac Galland, Mar. 22, 1839, Liberty Jail, Liberty, Missouri, published in Times and Seasons, Feb. 1840, pp. 53-54; spelling and grammar modernized. 6. History of the Church, 5:215; from "History of the Church" (manuscript), book D-1, p. 1433, Church Archives. 7. History of the Church, 6:57; punctuation modernized; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on Oct. 15, 1843, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Willard Richards. 8. History of the Church, 5:554; paragraph divisions altered; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on Aug. 27, 1843, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Willard Richards and William Clayton. 9. History of the Church, 5:529-30; paragraph divisions altered; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on Aug. 13, 1843, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Willard Richards. 10. History of the Church, 6:477; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on June 16, 1844, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Thomas Bullock; see also appendix, page 562, item 3. 11. History of the Church, 5:555; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on Aug. 27, 1843, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Willard Richards and William Clayton. 12. Letter from Joseph Smith to Oliver Cowdery, Sept. 24, 1834, Kirtland, Ohio, published in Evening and Morning Star, Sept. 1834, p. 192. 13. Quoted by Martha Jane Knowlton Coray, reporting a discourse given by Joseph Smith on May 21, 1843, in Nauvoo, Illinois; Martha Jane Knowlton Coray, Notebook, Church Archives. 14. History of the Church, 5:340; capitalization modernized; paragraph divisions altered; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on Apr. 8, 1843, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Willard Richards and William Clayton. 15. History of the Church, 4:588; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on Apr. 10, 1842, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Wilford Woodruff. 16. Doctrine and Covenants 130:18-19; instructions given by Joseph Smith on Apr. 2, 1843, in Ramus, Illinois. 17. Doctrine and Covenants 131:6; instructions given by Joseph Smith on May 16 and 17, 1843, in Ramus, Illinois. 18. George A. Smith, Deseret News: Semi-Weekly, Nov. 29, 1870, p. 2. 19. History of the Church, 1:442; from a letter from Joseph Smith to Moses Nickerson, Nov. 19, 1833, Kirtland, Ohio. 20. History of the Church, 6:459; from a letter from Joseph Smith to Washington Tucker, June 12, 1844, Nauvoo, Illinois. 21. History of the Church, 3:295-96; paragraph divisions altered; from a letter from Joseph Smith and others to Edward Partridge and the Church, Mar. 20, 1839, Liberty Jail, Liberty, Missouri; parts of this letter were later included in the Doctrine and Covenants as sections 121, 122, and 123. 22. History of the Church, 5:387; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on May 14, 1843, in Yelrome, Illinois; reported by Wilford Woodruff. 23. History of the Church, 6:306-7; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on Apr. 7, 1844, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Wilford Woodruff, Willard Richards, Thomas Bullock, and William Clayton; see also appendix, page 562, item 3. 24. History of the Church, 4:186; from a letter from Joseph Smith and his counselors in the First Presidency to the Saints, Sept. 1840, Nauvoo, Illinois, published in Times and Seasons, Oct. 1840, p. 179. 25. History of the Church, 3:380; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on June 27, 1839, in Commerce, Illinois; reported by Willard Richards. At a meeting of the School of the Prophets on February 27, 1833, the Prophet received the revelation known as the Word of Wisdom in the presence of several brethren. He then walked into the main room and read the revelation to the assembled brethren. "I know that His Spirit will bear testimony to all who seek diligently after knowledge from Him." ;;;Chapter 23