22 Verily, verily, I say unto you, if you desire a further witness, cast your mind upon the night that you cried unto me in your heart, that you might know concerning the truth of these things.
23 Did I not speak peace to your mind concerning the matter? What greater witness can you have than from God?
How often do we receive peace or comfort on a matter and then later go back to worrying about it or get impatient for resolution.
Matthew 5:25 25 Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.
Handbook 2 Sections 5.3 & 5.3.2
When people come to church they need someone to sit next to. What a great thing to have someone that wants to be with you.
Elders QuorumChapter 2 - Presidents of the Church: Lorenzo Snow
2 Kings 5:1-19
Naamen wanted Elish to heal him. He was not prepared to have to be healed in some humble way like bathing in a the dirty Jordan river.
We need to set aside our agendas and how we think things should work.
“... laying aside the traditions, superstitions, and creeds of men, we will look to the word of God...” (From the manual)
John 3:2323 And John also was baptizing in Ænon near to Salim, because there was much water there: and they came, and were baptized.
“It says of John [the Baptist] that he baptized at Aenon, because there was much water [see John 3:23]; then if sprinkling had been the mode, we can hardly suppose he would have gone to Aenon, because there was much water at that place, for a very little water, indeed, would have sprinkled all Judea, which he could have obtained without having performed a journey to Aenon. We are told, also, that he baptized in Jordan, and that after the ordinance was administered to our Saviour, he came up out of the water, expressly signifying that he had been down into the water, in order that the ordinance might be administered in a proper manner [see Matthew 3:16]. Again; it speaks of the Eunuch, that he went down into the water with Philip, and then came up out of the water [see Acts 8:26–38]; now it must be acknowledged by every one who makes any pretensions to reason and consistency that had sprinkling a little water on the forehead answered the purpose, then those persons never would have gone into the water to have received the ordinance. Paul, in writing to the saints, gives us a plain testimony in favour of immersion. … That apostle states there that the saints had been buried with Christ by baptism [see Romans 6:4;Colossians 2:12].
It is plainly evident they could not have been buried by baptism without having been entirely overwhelmed or covered in water. An object cannot be said to be buried when any portion of it remains uncovered; so, also, a man is not buried in water by baptism unless his whole person is put into the watery element. This explanation of the apostle upon the mode of baptism very beautifully corresponds with that given by our Saviour, Except ye be born of water, etc. To be born of a thing signifies being placed in that thing; and emerging, or coming forth from it, to be born of water, must also signify being placed in the womb of waters and being brought forth again.” (From the Manual)
Sunday SchoolThe First Visionhttp://Josephsmithpapers.org has a lot of the early documents of the Church that have been checked through accepted scientific principles and practices for authenticity.
“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. …" (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph smith, Chapter 1)
As a teen Joseph Smith was concerned about his soul and as he reads and ponders the scriptures he feels repentant.
Many people since Christ and the apostles died recognized that the true church was not on the earth and tried to piece it together from the Bible.
Joseph Smith History 1:9-12
9 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.
10 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?
11 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.
12 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.
“This [upper state New York] is where the First Vision occurred. This is the pivotal thing of our story. Every claim that we make concerning divine authority, every truth that we offer concerning the validity of this work, all find their roots in the First Vision of the boy prophet. This was the great curtain-raiser on the dispensation of the fulness of times, when God promised that He would restore all the power, the gifts, the blessings of all previous dispensations in one great summing up, as it were, and we are right here where it occurred. And, I repeat, my beloved brethren and sisters, that becomes the hinge pin on which this whole cause turns.” (President Gordon B Hinckley, Missionary meeting, Rochester, New York, 12 July 1996)
Joseph Smith History 1:18 18 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.
We learn from the first vision
- Satan is real.
- Satan is very aware and watching and actively trying to stop our progress and God's plan.
- God and Jesus are separate beings.
- God is a being and something indescribable.
- Revelation is real. Anyone can go to the lord and get an answer.
- If we are asking for revelation we need to be prepared to receive it.
“They told me that all religious denominations were believing in incorrect doctrines, and that none of them was acknowledged of God as His Church and kingdom: and I was expressly commanded ‘to go not after them,’ at the same time receiving a promise that the fullness of the Gospel should at some future time be made known unto me.” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith, Chapter 38)
He was told to not join and church, but members of his family do. This might mean that he hadn't related the entire experience and conveyed all the data he had received.
“Our entire case as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints rests on the validity of this glorious First Vision. It was the parting of the curtain to open this, the dispensation of the fulness of times.” (President Gordon B. Hinckley, What Are People Asking about Us?, General Conference October 1998)
Sacrament Service
A missionary that returned from the argentina Rosario mission spoke to us.
"Hope is an abiding trust that the Lord will fulfill His promises to you.” - Preach My Gospel
Doctrien and Covenants 64:33 33 Wherefore, be not weary in well-doing, for ye are laying the foundation of a great work. And out of small things proceedeth that which is great.
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