Light Will Come: The First Vision

This week I want to tell you about a boy who asked a question. At the young age of 14, Joseph Smith, who was a young farm-boy who lived in the 1800s, was confused. At this time in history, there was a lot of debate, contention, and convincing as to which church people should join.

Even his own family was not agreed as to where truth could be found. But though he didn't know which church held the truth that he was looking for, Joseph trusted that there was one place where the truth could for sure be found--and that was from God directly.

And so Joseph pondered his question out, did some research and scripture study and church-exploring, and he decided to ask God his question, trusting that if anyone knew the answer, God did.

As he started praying, the young 14-year-old started telling Heavenly Father the questions and desires of his heart. But suddenly, Joseph started to feel darkness as Satan tried to stop him from asking this question that he knew would bless Joseph's life and the world.

Joseph prayed hard to God, desperate to find deliverance from this dark feeling pushed onto him by Satan.

Then, Joseph describes, "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.

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!" (Joseph Smith-History 1:16-17).

Joseph saw God the Father with His Son Jesus Christ standing on His right side. As the young boy asked Them his question, They answered him and told him that truth was not on the earth in a fulness in any church.

Joseph later was used as an instrument in God's hands to restore the fulness of Christ's church to the earth again and to bring back those things that had been lost after Jesus Christ and His apostles died and the authority of God was lost from the earth.

I love this true story. I have since I was a kid. But as I read it this week, a few new aspects stood out to me.

The fact that Joseph had been feeling a lot of opposition and darkness right before God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ appeared teaches me that no matter how far or deep we feel we have gone or how late we are, light is available to us. We can still call upon God fervently, and light will come. This means that when we are feeling discouraged or depressed, when we feel embarrassed or sinful, or when we feel confused or hopeless, it is not too late to call upon God and plead for His light. And rather than judge us or condemn us for the darkness we feel, I think He will rejoice that we asked Him for light. I believe that He likes sharing His light with us when we sincerely seek it. And, just like in Joseph's situation, sometimes the light feels right above our heads--overwhelming, out of reach, way beyond us. But, as we continue to look toward Him and to keep faith in our hearts, maybe that light will "[descend] gradually until it [falls] upon [us]," too. Little by little, as we keep our eyes and hearts open in faith, looking to Christ, that light will come.

Another element of this event that I love is that we get to hear the Father Himself speak about His Son that He loves so dearly. There aren't many moments in the scriptures where the Father's words are recorded, but this is one of them. To me, that shows me that this occurrence, this 14- year-old boy's question, really mattered to God. He said, "This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!" How I love that. God said those words at the baptism of Jesus Christ, He said them when Christ was on the Mount of Transfiguration, and now, after Christ fulfilled His promise to atone for all mankind and be Resurrected on the third day, the Father speaks of His "Beloved Son" once again and invites man to learn from Him. Truly Christ did and does everything to qualify Him to be considered "Beloved," and I love hearing our Father express that as He appeared to the boy Joseph.

Finally, I LOVE this event because it reminds and teaches me that miracles have not ceased. God's church exists in its fulness on the earth today. Christ is involved in His church and the organization of it just like He was when He lived on the earth. Men can hear God's voice and feel of His light and be near Him today, too. They can learn from Him as they sit at His knee and ask questions and feel of His warmth and love. And just like Joseph learned, God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ know our names, and They love us so much that They are continuing the work They began so long ago, and They are speaking to men and guiding man in the pursuit of the truth and the true Church of Jesus Christ.

I believe that this Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has the fulness of Christ's Gospel. I am so grateful for this question that Joseph asked and the answer that God gave to Him. It has blessed and changed my life in immeasurable ways. I am eternally indebted to God for that.

I hope that we all can follow God's Son and "Hear Him" just as our Father invited Joseph to. This invitation is extended to us as well. I believe that as we feast on the words of Christ, ask God for guidance, and seek to walk with Him, His light will gradually fall upon us and we will find light, warmth, and the truth that we need to know and can handle at this time in our lives.

If you have any questions about anything on this blog, never hesitate to ask. I don't have all the answers, but I believe that God does. He would love to hear from and spend some time with you. I want to spend more time with Him and have more faith in asking Him my questions, too.

Lots of love,

Abby

Here is one depiction/account of the First Vision, if you'd like to learn more! You can also ask me any questions or contact some missionaries on mormon.org.

https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2014-06-01-joseph-smiths-first-vision?lang=eng

https://history.lds.org/story/first-vision

(I would highly recommend clicking on the "Journey to the Sacred Grove" tab!)