In 1820, Joseph Smith ( 14 years old at this time) said he had a vision that God and his Son appeared to him after he prayed about which church was the true church. Many months before this event, Joseph looked for the true church. He went to many churches but he felt as though something was missing. Upon reading the Bible, Joseph came upon this verse:
James 1:5 “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God”
Joseph asked God and he said that God and his son appeared unto him and gave him his answer.
“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 enwrapped in a heavenly vision, and saw two glorious personages, who exactly resembled each other in features and likeness, surrounded with a brilliant light which eclipsed the sun at noon day” (History of the Church, 4:536).
Joseph told many people what he had saw and because of this, he was mocked and persuaded. Many priests and church leaders told him the vision was from the devil and that God doesn’t speak to his children anymore. Still, Joseph would not deny what he had seen.
“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. . . . 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” (Joseph Smith—History 1:25).
To the day that Joseph Smith was murdered, he would not deny what he had seen. He would be persuaded unto the day he died.
Recent Comments