"...I
saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun,
which descended gradually until it fell upon me.
"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.”
Joseph
Smith—History 1:16-19
http://www.lds.org/scriptures/pgp/js-h/1?lang=eng
My
freshman year of high school was studied the Doctrine and Covenants and Joseph
Smith History 1:15-20 was a scripture mastery verse (set of verses). I read
them and reread them. They were awesome and amazing but I don't truly take them
to heart until camp. We were reading these aloud and I got to read verse
seventeen. I felt the Spirit so powerfully, more powerful than I ever had at
that point in my life. I was fourteen, the same age as Joseph when he saw
Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.
Almost
a year ago I was helping my friend prepare her lesson in Young Women on the
importance of the scriptures. We had the computer read some of Joseph Smith
History aloud with the audio setting, but it cut off at verse fifteen. I knew
that we had to era those aloud. Again I felt the Spirit so powerfully as I read
verse seventeen and eighteen. I eventually had to give that lesson because my
friend got sick, but I felt the Spirit very strongly again as I have her
lesson.
Today
I had the opportunity to meet with the missionaries and a friend. I was able to
explain the First Vision (when Joseph saw Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ).
Again the Spirit was very powerful as I explained this.
I
have no doubt in my mind about whether or not Joseph Smith saw God and Jesus
Christ. I have no doubt in my mind that the Book of Mormon is God's word. That
it is written for us now. I leave you with this testimony in the name of Jesus
Christ, Amen.
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