Doctrine and Covenants 3-5 + the 3 Witnesses

You may want to use the church video, "The Works and Designs of God" from "Teachings from the Doctrine and Covenants.

PREPARATION TO RECEIVE THE PLATES

Quoting Kent P. Jackson, a professor at BYU:  "On the 21st of September, 1823, the Lord began to educate the Prophet [Joseph Smith] in preparation for the restoration of the gospel.  The Nephite prophet Moroni, as the last prophet of the Lehite dispensation and the final author, compiler, and caretaker of the Nephite record, was appropriately chosen to serve as young Joseph Smith's tutor...Moroni's message to the young Prophet outlined not only the calling of Joseph Smith, but also the destiny of the Church and kingdom of God from the time of the Restoration until the Millenium"  (Kent P. Jackson, "Moroni's Message to Joseph Smith," Ensign, August 1990, 13, 15). Brother Jackson has itemized the scriptures Moroni quoted in his article, according to the four accounts Joseph Smith dictated about his visit.

Every year Joseph met the angel, who continued to instruct him.  In 1827, when Joseph had just been married and was now 22 years old, he returned home late one night from a business trip.  His family had been worried about why he was so late.  He "smiled and said in a calm tone, 'I have taken the severest chastisement that I have ever had in my life.'" His father was upset and asked which neighbor might have given Joseph a hard time and began ranting and raving.  "Joseph replied, 'Stop, father, stop.  It was the angel of the Lord.  As I passed by the hill of Cumorah, where the plates are, the angel met me and said that I had not been engaged enough in the work of the Lord; that the time had come for the record to be brought forth; and that I must be up and doing and set myself about the things which God had commanded me to do.  But, father, give yourself no uneasiness concerning the reprimand which I received, for now I know the course that I am to pursue, so all will be well"  (Lucy Mack Smith, History of Joseph Smith by his Mother, Bookcraft, 100, italics added). When the Lord sends us chastisement, it is a blessing, as Joseph said, for now we know the course to pursue. Remember that!

Shortly after that, on September 21, 1827, Joseph received the plates from the Angel Moroni.  He had them for two years, and the majority of that time was spent, not in translating them, but in simply keeping them away from those who wanted to steal them (Andrew H. Hedges, "Take Heed Continually: Protecting the Gold Plates," Ensign, January 2001).

THE THREE WITNESSES

Today we are going to focus on the lives of the three witnesses of the Book of Mormon.  Or were there actually four? Or five?  Keep reading!

MARTIN HARRIS AND THE BOOK OF LEHI

The first of the Three Witnesses to meet Joseph Smith was Martin Harris.  He was a well-to-do neighboring farmer.  In the spring after Joseph received the plates and wrestled to keep them safe all winter, Martin Harris served as his scribe while Joseph translated the Book of Lehi.  Joseph and Emma had moved to Pennsylvania to avoid the mobs.  Martin's farm was back in New York.  It's quite an imposition on a farmer's time to sit as a scribe in another state, and his wife and parents questioned the value of what he was doing.  To appease them, he wanted to take the manuscript of the Book of Lehi back to New York and show his family.  He was 45 years old and Joseph was 23.  He asked Joseph to ask the Lord whether he might do this.  Joseph asked and the answer was definitely no.  He pestered Joseph to ask again.  Again Joseph asked and the answer was no.  Finally, he asked for a deal that the Lord might let him do it if he would solemnly covenant to show them to only six specified family members (his wife, his parents, his brother and his sister-in-law).  Joseph asked this and the Lord finally said yes.  From this experience, Joseph learned a very valuable lesson, which we might like to learn also, and that is not to bargain with the Lord and not to re-ask the Lord when we have been given a clear answer.

"On June 15, 1828, soon after Martin left with the manuscript, Joseph and Emma's first child was born.  They named him Alvin.  He lived only a few hours.  Emma was very sick, and Joseph, in his grief, hardly had time to think of the manuscript...When Emma regained her health, she urged Joseph to travel to Fayette to see what had happened to Martin and the manuscript" (Brian and Petrea Kelly, Latter-day History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, American Fork: Covenant Communications, 30).

The strain on Joseph was enormous on his return to New York, but he was blessed by the kindness of a stranger, who deserves our recognition:

"Only one passenger was in the stage[coach] beside himself; this man observing Joseph's gloomy appearance, inquired the cause of his affliction, and offered to assist him if his services would be acceptable.  Joseph thanked him for his kindness, and mentioned that he had been watching some time with a sick wife and child, that the child had died, and that his wife was still very low...Nothing more passed between them on this subject, until Joseph was about leaving the stage; at which time he remarked, that he still had twenty miles further to travel on foot that night, it being then about 10:00.  To this the stranger objected, saying, 'I have watched you since you first entered the stage, and I know that you have neither slept nor eaten since that time, and you shall not go on foot twenty miles alone this night; for, if you must go, I will be your company.

"Joseph...thanked the gentleman for his kindness, and, leaving the stage, they proceeded together.  When they reached our house it was nearly daylight.  The stranger said he was under the necessity of leading Joseph the last four miles by the arm; for nature was too much exhausted to support him any longer..." (Kelly, 31).

Joseph's parents fed Joseph and the stranger a little breakfast and sent for Mr. Harris.  He always came immediately when called upon, living just next-door, and they expected him to join the rest of them for breakfast. At 8:00 they set the table, but he didn't come. At 9:00 he didn't come. 10:00. 11:00. Noon.

"But at half past twelve we saw him walking with a slow and measured tread toward the house, his eyes fixed thoughtfully upon the ground.  On coming to the gate, he stopped, instead of passing through, and got upon the fence, and sat there some time with his hat drawn over his eyes.  At length he entered the house.  Soon after which we sat down to the table, Mr. Harris with the rest.  He took up his knife and fork as if he were going to use them, but immediately dropped them.  Hyrum, observing this, said, 'Martin, why do you not eat; are you sick?' Upon which Mr. Harris pressed his hands upon his temples and cried out in a tone of deep anguish, 'Oh, I have lost my soul!'" (Kelly, 31)

Joseph took the long, lonely journey back to Emma the following day.

Imagine how it must have felt to face God's prophet, and tell him that you did not treasure the manuscript as you should have--that you had put worldly concerns above the Book of Mormon and therefore lost something of inestimable worth.

But wait!  Don't we from time to time face that very situation?  President Benson said of our day, "The Lord is not pleased with us in the manner of attention we're giving the Book of Mormon, a New Witness for Christ.  We need it in our homes, we need it in our families.  It was written for us today."  (Church News, 9 Nov. 1986, 10).  One day we will all have an accounting of our use of the scriptures.  Will we be like Martin Harris was that day, hanging our heads, leaning against the fence, feeling deep anguish as we now realize what a great treasure we lost due to our negligence?

Martin Harris's folly is recorded in the Doctrine and Covenants for all of us to witness.  But we would do very well to be half as valiant as Martin Harris.  Here are some ways in which he was a great example:

• He mortgaged his farm for the publication of the Book of Mormon.  How difficult it usually is for a wealthy man to part with his money!
• Despite the fact that the Lord had commanded him to mortgage the farm, when the mortgage fell due, the Church had no money to pay it back and he had to give it up to foreclosure.  Would that be a trial of faith for many of us?
• At about the same time, he endured the pain of divorce, rather unusual for his day.
• He served a mission with his brother Emer and baptized at least 182 people.
• While serving his mission he was imprisoned on a false charge.
• After his mission, he volunteered to march on the dangerous rescue mission with Zion's Camp (which we will learn more of this year).
• He was called to help choose the Quorum of the 12 Apostles.
• He was a member of the first high council in Kirtland.

Later in his life, he departed from activity in the Church due to some disagreement.  But even then, as he remained behind in Kirtland, he became the self-appointed caretaker and protector of the Kirtland Temple, which had been left behind by the saints.  Without Martin, it is doubtful that building would still be standing in its beauty as it is today.

After 33 years, he rejoined the Saints, and his visits to congregations in Utah strengthened the faith of many.   His final testimony was recorded by his grandson William Pilkington, as reported in Susan Black's wonderful book:

"On the 9th day of July 1875, while he was dying, I knelt by his cot...I wanted to get what I thought would be his last words, but he could not talk audibly.'  Pilkington then prayed that his grandfather's last words could be understood.  He reported, 'Strength was given to him and he bore his testimony as he had done many times before and I understood every word.  He then bore the same testimony to the whole world and then laid back exhausted.'  Martin died on 10 July 1875 in Clarkston, Utah.  He was buried with his Book of Mormon in his right hand and the Doctrine and Covenants in his left" (Susan Easton Black, Who's Who in the Doctrine and Covenants, Bookcraft, 127).

The Urim and Thummim were taken from Joseph but were returned by Moroni so that Joseph could receive the revelation that is now Section 3 (after inquiring of the Lord).  They were taken back afterwards, but returned again in a few days so that Joseph could again inquire and receive Section 10  (History of the Church, 1:21-23).

In accordance with the revelation received in Section 10, some of which was received about July 1828, Joseph went to work to support his family and did not restart the full-time translation of the Book of Mormon until April 7, 1829 (History of the Church, 1:28, 32).

TRANSLATION OF THE REST OF THE BOOK--OLIVER COWDERY

Now the second of the Three Witnesses enters the story.  While Joseph was in Pennsylvania, Oliver Cowdery, who was just a year younger than he, took up boarding with Joseph's parents back in New York.  He was the school teacher, and part of the school teacher's pay from the community he served was his room and board with one of them.  After hearing about Joseph's vision, he wanted to meet him himself.  At the same time, Joseph was praying for help in translating.  He had his wife and his brother-in-law writing for him, but they were both so busy that they couldn't do it full-time.  Olivery Cowdery showed up, and two days later, April 7, 1829, he and Joseph began to translate full-time.  The translation was finished June 30th or July 1st.  The speed with which they translated was incredible: the entire Book of Mormon in less than three months.  Oliver's normally perfect handwriting was uncharacteristically sloppy, as we noted before, because of the speed at which he was writing.  Interestingly, while Oliver was copying the Book of Mormon by hand, William B. Burt received the first U.S. patent for a typing machine (Kelly, 41).

Of Olivery, Wilford Woodruff wrote, "I have seen Oliver Cowdery when it seemed as though the earth trembled under his feet.  I never heard a man bear a stronger testimony than he did when under the influence of the Spirit" (Black, 74).

DAVID WHITMER--THE PLOW WAS LEFT STANDING

The third witness, David Whitmer, was an acquaintance of Oliver Cowdery's.  Before Oliver went to Pennsylvania, they had discussed the rumors about the Smith family and the golden plates.  Oliver had told David that he was going to find out whether the rumors were true and he would let him know.  Shortly after his arrival in Pennsylvania, he wrote to David, telling him he was convinced that Joseph actually had the plates and that he was to be the scribe in the translation.  Then he wrote another letter, including a few lines translated from the plates and bore his testimony of its authenticity as an ancient record.  Finally, Oliver wrote a letter asking--no, telling--David Whitmer that God had commanded him to come to Pennsylvania and bring Joseph and Oliver back to his own family's house. (He was still living with his parents.)  The reason for this was that persecution was now great in Pennsylvania.

David Whitmer didn't know what to do.  He had 20 acres to plow, which would not wait.  So he decided he had better do his plowing before he left.  He got up to do the work and found that 5 to 7 acres had been plowed in the night.  He said, "I do not know who did it, but it was done just as I would have done myself, and the plow was left standing in the furrow."

The next morning he went out to spread plaster on his fields, a common soil treatment of the day.  He had left the plaster in heaps near the house, but now it was gone.  He ran to his sister and asked what had happened to it.  She was surprised and said, "Wasn't it all sown yesterday?"

"'Not to my knowledge,' answered David.  'I'm astonished at that,' replied his sister, 'for the children came to me in the forenoon, and begged of me to go out and see the men sow plaster in the field, saying, that they never saw anybody sow plaster so fast in their lives.  I accordingly went, and saw three men at work in the field, as the children had said but supposing that you had hired some help, on account of your hurry, I went immediately into the house, and gave the subject no further attention'" (Smith, 136-37).

Needless to say, David Whitmer immediately took the two-day trip to Pennsylvania to bring Joseph and Oliver back with him.  (This story, as well as the following story, is also printed in Richard Lloyd Anderson, "The Whitmers: A Family That Nourished the Church," Ensign, August 1979).

THE FOURTH WITNESS

At this point in the story, we find out about a fourth witness, or maybe we should say, the first witness of all.

David Whitmer's parents' home was a log cabin 20 feet by 30 feet.  There were five children still living at home, in addition to the parents, and there were only three bedrooms.  And they were taking in Joseph and Emma Smith and Oliver Cowdery--the prophet of God, his wife, and a schoolteacher.  I know I would feel pretty stressed out and very intimidated by the coming house guests, especially if my home was a tiny log cabin and I was already working all day long just to maintain the farm.

 The reconstructed Whitmer home in Fayette, New York.

David went to Fayette to fetch Joseph and Oliver while his mother readied the home.  As the men were traveling from Pennsylvania (Emma was coming later), 

"...in a clear, open place, a very pleasant, nice looking old man suddenly appeared by the side of our wagon and saluted us with, 'Good morning; it's very warm;' at the same time wiping his face or forehead with his hand.  We returned the salutation, and by a sign from Joseph, I invited him to ride if he was going our way.  But he said very pleasantly, 'No, I am going to Cumorah.'  The name was somewhat new to me, and I did not know what 'Cumorah' meant.  We all gazed at him and at each other, and as I looked round inquiringly of Joseph, the old man instantly disappeared so that I did not see him again.

"Sometime after this, my mother was going to milk the cows, when she was met out near the yard by the same old man (judging by her description of him), who said to her, 'You have been very faithful and diligent in your labors, but you are tired because of the increase of your toil; it is proper, therefore, that you should receive a witness, that your faith may be strengthened.'  Thereupon, he showed her the plates. My father and mother had a large family of their own, the addition to it, therefore, of Joseph, his wife Emma, and Oliver, very greatly increased the toil and anxiety of my mother.  And although she had never complained she had sometimes felt that her labor was too much, or, at least, she was perhaps beginning to feel so.  This circumstance, however, completely removed all such feelings, and nerved her up for her increased responsibilities (B.H. Roberts, A Comprehensive History of the Church, Deseret Book, 1:126-27, quoted in Kelly, 40).

Does the Lord care about the backstage work?  The housekeeping?  The laundry?  Yes, He does.  The Lord felt that Mary Whitmer's homemaking duties made her worthy to view the plates.  She was actually the first person besides Joseph to see the plates!

AND THE FIFTH

Since originally writing this post, I have learned about a fifth witness. (See, we are always learning something new if we keep studying!) The prophet's mother, Lucy Mack Smith, reported in an interview with a Henry Caswall in 1842 that she also had seen the plates.

"I have myself seen and handled the golden plates; they are about eight inches long and six wide; some of them are sealed together and are not to be opened, and some of them are loose. They are all connected by a ring which passes through a hole at the end of each plate, and are covered with letters beautifully engraved. I have seen and felt also the Urim and Thummim. They resemble two large bright diamonds set in a bow like a pair of spectacles. My son puts those over his eyes when he reads unknown languages, and they enable him to interpret them in English. I have likewise carried in my hands the sacred breastplate. It is composed of pure gold, and is made to fit the breast very exactly" (John W. Welch, Opening the Heavens: Accounts of Divine Manifestations, 1820-1844, Brigham Young University Press and Deseret Book, 162).

THE THREE WITNESSES ARE SHOWN THE PLATES BY THE ANGEL

On June 20, 1829, as the translation was progressing, Joseph came across a scripture that told him there were to be three witnesses to the Book of Mormon.  He didn't say which scripture it was, but there are two it could have been:  2 Nephi 27:12 or Ether 5:2,3.  Because we don't know the order in which the Book of Mormon was translated, we don't know which one it was, but when Joseph read this, Martin Harris, Oliver Cowdery, and David Whitmer asked if they might be the three. (The section heading to D&C 17 tells us that they were inspired to desire this.)  Joseph then asked the Lord (because no revelation was ever received without asking first), and the Lord said yes. (See D&C 17:1-3)

After sincere prayer in the woods with the Prophet Joseph, David and Oliver saw an angel.  "In his hands he held the plates...He turned over the leaves one by one..we heard a voice from out of the bright light above us, saying, 'These plates have been revealed by the power of God, and they have been translated by the power of God.  The translation of them which you have seen is correct, and I command you to bear record of what you now see and hear'"  (Kelly, 42).

Shortly afterwards, Joseph and Martin prayed fervently together and beheld the vision.  When they returned to the house it was about 3:00 in the afternoon.  Joseph threw himself down by his mother and said, "Father, mother, you do not know how happy I am: the Lord has now caused the plates to be shown to three more besides myself.  They have seen an angel, who has testified to them, and they will have to bear witness to the truth of what I have said, for now they know for themselves, that I do not go about to deceive the people, and I feel as if I was relieved of a burden which was almost too heavy for me to bear, and it rejoices my soul, that I am not any longer to be entirely alone in the world" (Kelly, 44).

A day or two later, eight more witnesses were permitted to see and touch the plates, but without an angel.  The testimonies of all 11 of these witnesses are recorded in the very front of the Book of Mormon.   

Doctrine & Covenants 2; Joseph Smith--History 1:27-65

AFTER THE FIRST VISION

After Joseph Smith saw his initial heavenly vision of God the Father, His Son Jesus Christ, and hosts of angels, he knew that God knew him, that his sins were forgiven, and that he should not join any of the churches available to him on the earth. He learned "many other things" which he didn't relate in his tellings of the vision. Later that day, he told his mother that he had learned that the Presbyterian church, which she and some of his siblings had joined, did not contain the true gospel. It doesn't appear that he told her any more than this.

A few days later, he took the opportunity to relate the vision to a Methodist preacher, a person he assumed to be a man of God. This preacher berated him and told him the vision was devillish because God didn't give man visions anymore. Rather than helping Joseph to understand what had happened (which is clearly why Joseph told him the story), he belitted him and spread the story and soon everyone in the area knew that a boy named Joseph Smith had reported a heavenly vision and most of them were bristling with rage (Joseph Smith--History 1:20-22). From what has been reported by Joseph Smith (see previous post) and by others, there was no indication that he planned to start a new religion at this point. He was just a teenage boy, telling his personal spiritual experience. It is remarkable that the response of the community was so violent.

AN "AT-RISK" YOUTH

What happened to Joseph Smith over the next three years? He was from a poor family, new to the area. He had to work long hours. He was ostracized by the church-goers and the well-to-do. The ministers derided him. The "good" kids didn't associate with him. Besides his siblings, only the non-religious youth would accept him. He reports,

"Being of very tender years, and persecuted by those who ought to have been my friends and to have treated me kindly, and if they supposed me to be deluded to have endeavored in a proper and affectionate manner to have reclaimed me—I was left to all kinds of temptations; and, mingling with all kinds of society, I frequently fell into many foolish errors, and displayed the weakness of youth, and the foibles of human nature; which, I am sorry to say, led me into divers temptations, offensive in the sight of God. God. In making this confession, no one need suppose me guilty of any great or malignant sins. A disposition to commit such was never in my nature. But I was guilty of levity, and sometimes associated with jovial company, etc., not consistent with that character which ought to be maintained by one who was called of God as I had been. But this will not seem very strange to any one who recollects my youth, and is acquainted with my native cheery temperament" (JS-H 1:28).

THE MENTORING OF JOSEPH SMITH

Eventually, Joseph decided he needed to right himself with God. He still had no idea he would be starting a church. He just wanted forgiveness and a personal connection with Diety. 

"I betook myself to prayer and supplication to Almighty God 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..." (JS-H 1:29).

In response to his prayer, he had series of four angellic visitations over the next 12 hours that showed him there would be much more for him to do. The visions were all fundamentally the same. With the absence of paper and writing utensil, the method of instruction had to be repetitive, so that Joseph could commit it to memory.

God reveals His will "line upon line, precept upon precept" (Isaiah 28:10). Over the next seven years, Joseph was granted many more visions. For more detail on these visions, please read "Moroni's Message to Joseph Smith." 

Through these tutoring experiences, Joseph reported to learn about the following concepts important to the Restoration of the original Church of Jesus Christ and to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ:

1. Apostasy and scattering

2. The calling of the Prophet Joseph Smith

3. The opening of the heavens during the Restoration

4. The coming forth of the Book of Mormon

5. The restoration of the priesthood and of the sealing keys

6. The gathering of the elect

7. Destruction and purification prior to and during the Second Coming

8. Deliverance for the faithful

9. The Second Coming

10. The premillennial and millennial state of the faithful

Ten years after the First Vision, Joseph Smith finally had the knowledge, the maturity, the resources, the scripture, the financial backing, and enough believers to legally start a new American religion, the restored church of Jesus Christ. But it took ten years of growth with seven years of mentoring.

THE PROMISES HAVE BEEN PLANTED

In that first set of four visions, Joseph Smith was quoted Malachi 4:4-6 differently than it appears in the King James Version of the Bible. 

"Behold, I will reveal unto you the Priesthood, by the hand of Elijah the prophet, before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord...And he shall plant in the hearts of the children the promises made to the fathers, and the hearts of the children shall turn to their fathers. If it were not so, the whole earth would be utterly wasted at his coming."

The angel's version omits the phrase, "He shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children," and adds, "He shall plant in the hearts of the children the promises made to the fathers." Those promises are contained in the Abrahamic Covenant. If this Covenant is not fulfilled by the turning of the children to it, the earth is wasted. The promises have been planted in the children by Elijah. It is now up to the children to accept the gospel and follow the covenant path. And it is up to us to help.

My grandson and son-in-law

OUR "AT-RISK" YOUTH

Like Joseph Smith, our youth today are "at risk." The forces of evil, the secularization of society, the downward pull of the fallen world, the philosophies of the present day, the pressure exerted by their peers--all of these combine to make it harder for the hearts of the children to turn to the New and Everlasting Covenant and nurture that promise planted in their hearts to its full maturity. They need mentors.

The Lord places individuals within our sphere of influence who have that promise planted in their hearts.  When they are actually members of our family, it gives us the distinct advantage of being able to do missionary work long-term, without deadlines. In Joseph Smith's case, his parents and older siblings were the only mentors who believed him for those first three years after the vision. 

Elder Robert D. Hales said, 

"It is impossible to overestimate the influence of parents who understand the hearts of their children. Research shows that during the most important transitions of life—including those periods when youth are most likely to drift away from the Church—the greatest influence does not come from an interview with the bishop or some other leader but from the regular, warm, friendly, caring interaction with parents...

"It is our imperative duty to help youth understand and believe the gospel in a deeply personal way. We can teach them to walk in the light, but that light cannot be borrowed."

“The greatest missionary work we will ever do will be in our homes. Our homes, quorums, and classes are part of the mission field. Our children and grandchildren are our most important investigators…

 “The greatest rescue, the greatest activation will be in our homes. If someone in your family is wandering in strange paths, you are a rescuer, engaged in the greatest rescue effort the Church has ever known. I testify from personal experience: There is no failure except in giving up. It is never too early or too late to begin. Do not worry about what has happened in the past. Pick up the phone. Write a note. Make a visit. Extend the invitation to come home. Don’t be afraid or embarrassed. Your child is Heavenly Father’s child. You are about His work. He has promised to gather His children, and He is with you.

“The greatest faith we have will be within our homes as we remain strong in the trials and tribulations of parenthood. To a small group of mothers, President Monson recently said, ‘Sometimes we are too quick to judge the effect of our successes and failures.’ May I add, don’t look at today’s trials as eternal. Heavenly Father does His work in the long term. ‘There is much which lieth in futurity,’ the Prophet Joseph Smith said. ‘Therefore, . . . let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed’ (D&C 123:15, 17)"(Elder, Robert D. Hales, “Our Duty to God: The Mission of Parents and Leaders to the Rising Generation,” April 2010 General Conference)

BE OF GOOD CHEER

All throughout the scriptures, and in the most unlikely situations therein, we find the commandment to “be of good cheer.”  We must obey this commandment if we want to help our family members.  If our children see that we are sad, why would they want to be like us?  If our children can detect that they make us feel like failures, how can we encourage them?  It is unfair and incorrect to place the responsibility for our happiness on our children or anyone else.  They are busy enough trying to figure out their own happiness.  The best thing we can do is show by example how the gospel makes us happy, independent of what anyone (themselves included) does, because it gives us hope.  Do not exercise faith in failure by focusing on the negative or becoming distraught by problems.  Remember they are all temporary conditions, brought on by our fallen world. Christ has overcome the world.  

Remember:

There is a bright side to everything.  

If not, polish one of them up.

Our number one responsibility in all of our relationships in life is always the same: to love! Christ gave it as the great commandment.  I love this quote from the author Sue Monk Kidd:  

“That’s the only purpose grand enough for a human life.  

Not only to love, but to persist in love.” 

“What thank have ye if ye love those” who are obedient, sweet, kind, easy to love…?  There are marvelous skills to be developed through the close-up opportunity of loving the unique, imperfect individuals in our families and ward who may be a little prickly. Terrance Olsen, a family life teacher and counselor says, 

“When we are compassionate with our rebellious children,

 their conscience convicts them.  

When we are hostile, it justifies them.” 

D&C 121 teaches us that no power or influence CAN be maintained except by love.

But sometimes parents cannot reach their own children. 

RESCUING OTHER PEOPLE'S CHILDREN

When I was a young mother, my husband and I were braving an airline trip with two tiny boys.  We were making our way through the Atlanta airport. I had the 1-year-old in a stroller, and the 3-year-old on a telephone-cord-style leash. One end was fastened around his wrist, and the other was fastened onto the stroller so I could have a free hand for baggage.  We saw the signs about not taking strollers on escalators, but we couldn’t find the elevator, so we got on. My husband got on first.  As I pushed the stroller onto the escalator, and held onto the handles to keep it steady, the 3-year-old panicked and refused to get on! I had forgotten he was unfamiliar with escalators! Before I could grab his hand, I was heading down the huge and steep escalator with the stroller, further and further away from my little boy, while the long, springy leash got tighter and tighter. Two women got on between me and my little boy and stared at the tightening leash as I cried out to my child to get on the escalator. I didn’t dare let go of the stroller. I couldn’t get the leash unfastened. I was absolutely panicked.

From the opposite side of the lobby, a young father saw what was happening. I will never forget how, without hesitation, he sprinted at top speed across the lobby, picked up my toddler, and ran down the escalator, shoving past the two gawking women to return my child to me. He ran as if it were his own child.  He sat there on the escalator steps with his elbow crooked around my little man, panting and heaving.  He didn’t point out how we should have known better than to take a stroller on an escalator. He helped my boy off the escalator, caught his breath, and turned around to go back up again.

Many times in their lives, parents will find themselves in metaphorically similar situations--the gap widening between them and their child--and they will feel their hands tied. When other people's children are at risk, we have the obligation to rescue.

WAYS TO ENCOURAGE SPIRITUAL GROWTH IN YOUTH

As parents:

Stay close to the Spirit. First of all, be extremely sensitive to your personal level of spirituality in any moment.  Don’t lose the Spirit by being reactive, defensive, judgmental, or getting angry.  Use your knowledge and spirituality to raise theirs, not to increase the gap between you.

Pray specifically.  Seek the spirit so you can pray specific prayers that will be answered to help them take miniscule but forward steps.

Elevate their spirituality. Reading the scriptures isn't the only way to feel the Spirit. Playing games and laughing together can elevate the spirit. Reminiscing about loved relatives can teach gospel principles in a non-confrontational way. Sharing family history with our youth can give them a sense of belonging and identity. Do activities that have the highest level of spirituality they can tolerate.

Form links.  Look for ways to form links between yourself and them. Make their interests yours. If they eat vegan, make some really great vegan recipes. If there is a vacation spot they are interested in, go there together. If they have a favorite treat keep it around. Text them. Do things they love to do.

Teach through environment.  Put up scriptures and great quotes in your home.  Youth can read them without having to interact about them, and they will likely absorb them bit by bit.  Both my oldest child and my youngest child (16 years apart) when asked for their favorite scriptures, repeated word-for-word a scripture which I had on display in the home, although we had never specifically focused on them.  Use pictures, books, movies, and laughter to create an uplifting environment in your home.

As ward mentors:

Know them.  Do you know the name of every young man and young woman in the ward?  Do you stop to talk with them?  Or do you consider it to only be the duty of their leaders?  I would like to challenge you to learn every name, and which parents they belong to, and then use those names to interact with them.

Mentor them.  In one ward, Melchizedek priesthood members are actually assigned to mentor specific Aaronic priesthood members. They are also assigned to learn all the names of all the youth in the ward. We don’t have to wait for the ward to make assignments, though. We can assign ourselves to the youth. 

Encourage them.  Kids often have feelings of being put down, criticized, feeling inadequate at school and among their peers.  We must make church and home a safe haven, a place where they feel loved and valued. Make sure they feel better when they are around you.  Bring attention to what they are doing right.  Express confidence that they can achieve their goals.

Fear not.  Remember “there is no fear in love.”  If you are afraid of them, you cannot love them.  

President Uchtdorf said, “I hope that we welcome and love all of God’s children, including those who might dress, look, speak, or just do things differently. It is not good to make others feel as though they are deficient. Let us lift those around us. Let us extend a welcoming hand….

“We know from modern revelation that “the worth of souls is great in the sight of God.”⁴ We cannot gauge the worth of another soul any more than we can measure the span of the universe. Every person we meet is a VIP to our Heavenly Father. Once we understand that, we can begin to understand how we should treat our fellowmen.

“One woman who had been through years of trial and sorrow said through her tears, “I have come to realize that I am like an old 20-dollar bill—crumpled, torn, dirty, abused, and scarred. But…I am still worth the full 20 dollars.”

“With this in mind, let our hearts and hands be stretched out in compassion toward others, for everyone is walking his or her own difficult path. As disciples of Jesus Christ, our Master, we are called to support and heal rather than condemn.” (Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “You Are My Hands,” April 2010 Conference)

Practice greeting everyone you meet straight-on with eye contact and a smile, particularly if they have an appearance that makes you uncomfortable. Remind yourself it is another chance to practice seeing the child of God in every individual, another chance to prove that religious people are not hypocrites, another chance to let them feel the influence of the Spirit (which will be with you if you are filled with love). Shocking apparel is frequently a cover-up for a low self-image. Remember that everyone you meet is a child of God, and everyone in your family and ward is of the House of Israel, the “believing blood,” with the promises of the Father planted in their hearts. 

Joseph Smith History 1:1-26

PREPARING THE SOIL FOR THE RESTORATION

Among the many varieties of bamboo grown in China is the beautiful black bamboo.  Black bamboo will spread very quickly from a grown plant, but to grow and harvest black bamboo from seed is another matter.  The seed comes in a very, very hard shell, which a hobby gardener can crack and then follow the very tricky and exacting process to germinate it, but a farmer who wants to harvest acres of bamboo must be patient.  He must carefully plant the bamboo seeds at the correct distance, and then nurture them carefully and patiently for a long time.

Quoting from the travelogue of a motivational speaker who witnessed the farming of black bamboo:

"Extending as far as the eye could see was an empty field of rich, black, tilled earth.  Not a single bamboo plant was in sight, not even a tree.  Peter [our guide] explained to us that the field had been sown a few weeks prior.  Each of over a thousand farmers carried a heavy satchel of seeds, water and fertilizer on their backs.  He explained the great care need necessary at this step in the process... 

"Once placed in the ground, each seed is individually fertilized with a deep drink of water and a handful of fertilizer from the farmer’s heavy satchel.  The process of watering and fertilizing is ritually carried out weekly on a seed by seed basis for nearly five years.  No heavy machines, no modern irrigation equipment--just individual farmers carefully tending the individual needs of each seedling in the field.

"About a mile down the dusty road was a field that Peter told us had been sown two years prior.  When we reached our destination we were surprised to see what looked to us like thousands of farmers working in an empty field.

"Our big surprise was when Peter told us that every week, up until the 11th month of the 5^th year the bamboo fields appeared visually barren.  In the 12^th month of the 5^th year the black bamboo would suddenly sprout and very rapidly grow up to 60 feet in just under 30 days.  (Jim Cecil, "A Life Dedicated to Nurturing")

"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)

For nearly 2,000 years this famine persisted.  The true church was missing from the earth.  During this time period, however, hundreds of years before the gospel was restored, the Lord planted seeds and began to water and feed them.  Long before Joseph Smith was born, world events helped to prepare the soil for the sprouting of the Restoration.  

What were some of these preparations?  (Answers could include the Renaissance, the invention of the printing press, the translation of the Bible into everyday language, the Reformers, the discovery and colonization of America, the Constitution of the United States, and the preparation of individuals such as the Smith family.)

THE PREPARATION OF THE SMITH FAMILY

Generations before Joseph Smith was born, the Lord began to prepare the Smith family to nourish the prophet of the Restoration.  Joseph Smith's grandfather, before Joseph was even born, said, "It has been borne in upon my soul that one of my descendants will promulgate a work to revolutionize the world of religious faith" (Joseph Fielding Smith, Essentials in Church History, 27th ed., p. 25).

Joseph Smith's father and grandfather were not Calvinists, as were most people of the time in America, whose basic tenets include believing in original sin, the unconditional election of a few, and a limited atonement, under the rule of a harsh God.  The Smith men believed in the much more liberal and kindly Universalist doctrine, in which God is viewed as a loving being who will save all of mankind,.  The founder of Universalism in America, John Murray, preached for many years just 15 miles from where Joseph's grandfather, Asael Smith, lived.  Asael Smith warned his children not to think themselves more loved by God than "the heathen in the darkest corner of the deserts of Arabia, because God was no respecter of persons." Interestingly, Martin Harris, the Joseph Knight family, and the Hezekiah Peck family were all Universalist in their beliefs as well, prior to the organization of the Church. (See Casey Paul Griffiths, “Universalism and the Revelations of Joseph Smith,” The Doctrine & Covenants: Revelations in Context, Proceeds of the 37^th Annual BYU Sidney B. Sperry Symposium.)

Lucy Smith, Joseph's mother, also well before he was born, prayed to the Lord that her husband would become more religiously inclined. Indeed he did, but he could only conclude that Jesus Christ's true church did not exist on the earth. During his search, he received a vision of the Tree of Life, just like Father Lehi's in The Book of Mormon, but in his dream he wandered through surroundings that matched his New England home and not an Arabian desert (Lucy Mack Smith, Revised and Enhanced History of Joseph Smith by his Mother, p. 64-66).  Lucy also witnessed several personal visions. This family expected God to speak, to answer questions, to reveal His will. The Smith family had been nurtured, transplanted, and humbled for decades by the Lord, so that when Joseph Smith received the First Vision, the growth of the Kingdom of God on the earth was rapid and sure, like the sprouting of black bamboo.  

ACCOUNTS OF JOSEPH SMITH'S FIRST VISION

Joseph Smith's life was not one of quiet contemplation and serenity in which he could leisurely write in his journal or keep careful records of all that happened to bring the Church of Jesus Christ back into the world. In fact, simply obtaining paper was an expense not always easy to manage. Hence, histories were started and then stopped when problems arose, then restarted in another fashion. As he wrote shortly before his death, 

"Since I have been engaged in laying the foundation of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints I have been prevented in various ways from continuing my Journal and the History, in a manner satisfactory to myself, or in justice to the cause. Long imprisonments, vexatious and long-continued lawsuits, the treachery of some of my clerks, the death of others, and the poverty of myself and brethren from continued plunder and driving [from place to place by mobs] have prevented my handing down to posterity a connected memorandum of events desirable to all lovers of truth" (Joseph Smith, Jr., History of the Church, 4:470).

Among these stops and starts, there are eight accounts of the First Vision. Three of them are copies of others, which means there are five different accounts of the First Vision in Joseph Smith's own words. 

1832 Journal Entry

Photograph of an excerpt of 

the 1832 journal history, 

from JosephSmithPapers.org

The first time that Joseph Smith wrote out an account of his First Vision was in 1832, 12 years after it occured, and 2 years after the Church was organized. It was written on three pages of a ledger book (possibly the only paper that was available). This is the only account of the vision that was written in Joseph Smith's own handwriting and not dictated to a scribe. Joseph Smith had only an elementary education, therefore he delegated writing when possible to those who had better skills of penmanship, grammar, and spelling. This draft was not published in his lifetime. There is no punctuation. There are strike-outs and inserts. I have edited it here to make it easier to read.

"At about the age of twelve years, 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. Thus from the age of twelve years to fifteen 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. 

"For I learned in the scriptures that God was the same yesterday today and forever; that he was no respector 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, whose power and intelligence in governing the things which are so exceeding 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.' My heart exclaimed, 'All these bear testimony and bespeak an omnipotent and omnipresent Power, a Being who maketh laws and decreeeth 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 [knowing] that Being seeketh such to worship him as worship him in spirit and in truth, therefore I cried unto the Lord for mercy, for there was none else to whom I could go and obtain mercy. 

"And the Lord heard my cry in the wilderness and while in the attitude of calling upon the Lord, a pillar of light above the brightness of the sun at noon day came down from above and rested upon me and I was filled with the Spirit of God. And the Heavens opened upon me and I saw the Lord and he spake unto me, saying, 'Joseph, my son, thy sins are forgiven thee. Go thy way. Walk in my statutes and keep my commandments. Behold, I am the Lord of glory. I was crucified for the world that all those who believe on my name may have eternal life. Behold, the world lieth in sin at this time, and none doeth good, no, not one. They have turned aside from the gospel and keep not my commandments. They draw near to me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me, and mine anger is kindling against the inhabitants of the earth, to visit them according to their ungodliness and to bring to pass that which hath been spoken by the mouth of the prophets and apostles. Behold and lo! I come quickly as it is written of me, in the cloud, clothed in the glory of my Father.' 

And my soul was filled with love, and for many days I could rejoice with great joy and the Lord was with me, but I could find none that would believe the heavenly vision. Nevertheless I pondered these things in my heart."

I love this account because it shows the huge amount of time and effort Joseph Smith had expended over a long period of time prior to his prayer and also because that last paragraph shows a universal element of a vision from a heavenly source: a feeling of overpowering love.

1835--Robert Matthias Conversation

Later that year, Joseph began a journal which he kept the rest of his life. Usually it was dictated to a clerk, later it was entirely written by the clerk. The second account of the First Vision was written November 9, 1835, in this journal. The clerk writing at the time was Warren Parrish. Joseph dictated a conversation he had with a visiting religious eccentric named Robert Matthias in which he told of his vision. This version is much shorter and more concise:

"Being wrought up in my mind respecting the subject of religion and looking at the different systems taught [to or by] the children of men, I knew not who was right or who was wrong and I considered it of the first importance that I should be right in matters that involve eternal consequences. Being thus perplexed in mind, I retired to the silent grove and bowed down before the Lord."

This is the first version in which Joseph Smith quotes James 1:5, right after paraphrasing Matthew 7:7, "Ask and you shall receive, knock and it shall be opened, seek and you shall find." It is also the first telling in which Joseph Smith felt it important to mention the effort of the devil to stop his prayer. He also mentions in this version that the personages appeared one after the other, and he inserted after dictating it, that he saw many angels. Once again, he writes that he was filled with "joy unspeakable."

This version was copied into an early church history that was later abandoned for a newer plan.

1835--Erastus Holmes Conversation

Five days after this entry, Joseph dictated a summary of his visit with Erastus Holmes, from Newberry, Ohio, who had come to inquire about the faith and its beginnings. It was a short recounting of his conversation, only a couple of sentences, vaguely mentioning that he told Mr. Holmes about his visions without detailing exactly what he said. This telling was also copied into the same history.

1838--Church History/Pearl of Great Price

Three years later, in 1838, in the new Church history, Joseph wrote his story out more completely. This is the version members of the Church are all familiar with because it has been canonized as scripture in The Pearl of Great Price as "Joseph Smith--History." This is the only version in which Joseph includes the very important detail that one of the personages said, pointing to the other, "This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!" https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/pgp/js-h/1?lang=eng 

1842--Wentworth Letter

The last version Joseph Smith wrote was in 1842 for John Wentworth, the editor of the Chicago Democrat, who requested a story about the Church for a history of New Hampshire. Joseph Smith's response was never used in that history, but was published in the Nauvoo Times and Seasons, the first account published in the United States. The following year it was published in An Original History of the Religious Denominations at Present Existing in the United States, by Israel Daniel Rupp. Notice that in this very brief version, which was written for a secular history, Joseph Smith did not name the two personages, include the vision of angels, or mention the presence of Satanic forces. Perhaps at this point in his life, he knew casual secular readers would not care about or believe those things, but would only mock. He only wrote the basics about why he started a new religion.

"I retired to a secret place in a grove, and began to call upon the Lord. While fervently engaged in supplication, my mind was taken away from the objects with which I was surrounded, and I was enrapt in a heavenly vision, and I saw two glorious personages, who exactly resembled each other in features and likeness, surrounded with a brilliant light, which eclipsed the sun at noonday. They told me that all the religious denominations were believing in incorrect doctrines..."

A photograph of a page of the history book by Rupp

from JosephSmithPapers.org

You can read all of these accounts at https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/site/accounts-of-the-first-vision or in the book, Opening the Heavens: Accounts of Divine Manifestations, 1820-1844, John W. Welch, ed. (Brigham Young University Press: Provo, Utah and Deseret Book: Salt Lake City, Utah, 2005) 3-19.

YOUR PERSONAL PREPARATION FOR THE GOSPEL

The hand of the Lord can be found in any convert's life--preparing him to receive the gospel--and it can be found in the conversion of lifetime members, too, leading them from grace to grace. One thing I love about reading the various versions of Joseph Smith's vision are that the place that we call "The Sacred Grove," he calls "the silent grove" and "the secret grove." 

• Do you have your own silent, secret, sacred grove? If not, can you find a place--a room, a closet, a secluded space outdoors--that will work for you? 
• Have you seen the hand of the Lord preparing you for a conviction of the truth? 
• Spend some time today writing about ways that God prepared you, arranged your environment, put people in your path, or brought ideas to your mind that grew your testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Keep this testament close at hand for any times when your faith wavers or when others need to be strengthened. Like Joseph Smith, be careful which parts you share with which audiences--always be guided by the Spirit when sharing sacred stories.

THE PREPARATION OF OUR FAMILY AND ASSOCIATES

Although the Restoration has already taken place in the world, there are still many people who are being prepared for the Restoration to take place in their hearts.  Some will be easily reached, but others will be like black bamboo, covered in a nearly impenetrable hard shell.  We can help to nurture those seeds through our example, teaching, family relations, friendships, prayers, and missionary work.  Suddenly one day, the shell will crack, there will be a broken heart and a contrite spirit, and the seed will sprout and begin to grow.  The important thing is that we have the faith and the patient love to continue to water and nurture, despite the fact that there is no outward evidence that the seed will ever sprout.

Thank the Lord for the Restoration! 

BONUS: FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO LOVE DEEP-DIVES INTO DOCTRINE

This is a jaw-dropping treatise on the First Vision as a prelude to the Endowment and as a pattern of the entire Gospel, presented at the 2019 FAIR Mormon Conference by historian Don Bradley. Don had left the Church but then returned when he studied the First Vision in order to prove that it was a fake. I highly recommend it! You can read the transcript  or listen to the audio or find FAIRMormon on your own podcast app and play Episode 40, "Joseph Smith's First Vision as Endowment and Epitome of the Gospel (or Why I Came Back to the Church)."

BONUS: FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO LOVE VIDEOS

To learn about another great prophet who was prepared by the Lord for the Restoration watch "A Search For Truth,"  the story of Wilford Woodruff's conversion. It is definitely worth your time.