Sunday Report

The Relief Society Lesson was Chapter 4 of the George Albert Smith manual, taught by a member  substituting for Traci Cline.  Entitled The Prophet Joseph Smith,God's Instrument in Restoring the Truth. It reminded us of the great debt the world owes to the prophet of the restoration, and strengthened our admiration for his latter day successor, President George Albert Smith, for his strong testimony and insight into this gospel.  

The lesson opened with a discussion of the dedication of a monument dedicated on the hundredth anniversary of the birth of Joseph  Smith at his birthplace in Sharon Vermont.  As a relatively new member of the Quorum of the Twelve, President Smith attended the dedication and participated in the program, and was profoundly moved with gratitude for the blessings the Latter-day Saints have received through the life and mission of the Prophet Joseph, and his sacrifice to seal his work and his testimony. 

At the age of fourteen Joseph received an experience that would forever change not only himself, but would profoundly alter the knowledge available to those who sought to know God and His words.  The First Vision gives to the world evidence that the heavens are not sealed, that a personal God, in the form of an exalted man, knows, hears and answers the prayers of those who sincerely seek Him.  It revealed the order of heaven, for the Father delegated to His exalted,living Son, Jesus Christ, the opportunity to open this the final dispensation by instructing Joseph who was foreordained to be the prophet to restore the truths of all former dispensations to the earth.  

From this initial experience in the Sacred Grove, came the foundation of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, line upon line, precept upon precept, to a maturing Joseph Smith:  the Book of Mormon, the ordinances of the gospel necessary for salvation, the official organization of the Lord's Church once more to the earth, a growing knowledge of what God and His Son are offering to each one of us and the requirements that are necessary to be met so that we can receive all that the Father has. 

From the moments in the Grove, when the Adversary, whose strength and evil Joseph felt with his whole being, sought to destroy this opportunity, to the final moments of a short but amazing life during which he completed his mission to bring to the earth once more the work and the word of God, after years of apostasy, he faced the best efforts of Satan to thwart the work of the Lord.  He knew that it would be required of him to seal this great work with his blood.  He and his beloved brother and companion, Hyrum went willingly to what they knew could be their deaths, inspired by that same Adversary into the hearts of evil men. Satan is still trying, in vain, to destroy the work of Joseph Smith.

Next Week will be TFOT by Yvonne Lucas using the talk by Robert D. Hales.  Waiting upon the Lord: Thy Will Be Done   

Have a great week

The Relief Society Presidency