For those of you who weren't able to make it to J.R.'s farewell on August 21, 2011, here is the talk that he gave in church.
Good morning brothers and sisters, before I start I would just like to say that his isn't actually my last Sunday, for anyone who is wondering next week will be my last Sunday. For some reason my farewell was planned around my sister's leaving schedule instead of mine. But I guess I can let it slide just his once. For anyone that hasn't heard i have been called to serve in the Brazil Sao Paulo North Mission speaking Portuguese. And I have recently found out that I will be starting off in the Provo, UT MTC or Missionary Training Center, and then as soon as my visa goes through will finish off any time left in the Brazil MTC. So there's all the background information, nor for my talk.
Today I was asked to speak on Joseph Smith History 1:1-25 which contains Joseph Smith's account of the First Vision. As I was thinking about what I wanted to talk about and how to throw in some personal stories and all that good stuff, I was able to reflect on the many opportunities that I have had to go to Palmyra and visit the many sights including the Sacred Grove where Joseph Smith had the First Vision. We are lucky to be able to live so close to such a remarkable site and for the longest time I took that for granted. Growing up it was almost monotonous, each summer my family would go see Pageant, walk through the Sacred Grove and the other sites. But this last time that I was able to go through hit me the hardest as I had now had my mission call for a few months and had committed to serve the Lord for two years teaching the gospel to those who have been prepared to hear it. And this opportunity that I have wouldn't be here if it wasn't for Joseph Smith following James' council in James 1:5 saying,
"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."
In verse 6 I love the follow up, which I never really noticed until I was preparing for my talk, says,
"But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed."
Joseph Smith took this council as he was searching for which church to join in the midst of an "unusual excitement on the subject of religion" as he puts it in JSH 1:5. Then in versus 12 and 13 he reflects on how he felt after reading James' council.
12. "Never did any passage of scripture come with more power to the heart of man that this did at this time in mine. It seemed to enter with great force into every feeling of y 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 had, I would never know;"
13. "At length I came to the conclusion that I must either remain in darkness and confusion, or else I must do as James directs, that is, ask of God. I at length came to the determination to "ask of God," concluding that if he gave wisdom to them that lacked wisdom, and would give liberally, and not upbraid, I might venture."
The one thing that I like to think about whenever I read through the First Vision or hear a lesson on it is, would I have enough courage or faith in the same situation to follow through on the prompting to "ask of God." Looking back to when I was 14 all that was on my mind was I was now old enough to go to stake activities and when would I be able to go play basketball again, thinking that I would be the next NBA star, but I decided to let Jimmer have that one. And yet Joseph Smith had that faith at that young age to act on a feeling and a prompting from a scripture to ask which church he should join, it blows my mind at how strong he was. Instead of just blowing it off and going and playing with his brothers and sisters he took the initiative and went and asked of God as to which church he should join. So on a spring day in the year of 1820, Joseph went into the woods and prayed vocally for the first time and in verse 15 and 16 he explains what he went through.
15. "After I had retired to the place where I had previously designed to go, having looked around me, and finding myself alone, I kneeled down and began to off up the desires of my heart to God. I had scarcely done so, when immediately I was seized upon by some power which entirely overcame me, and had such n astonishing influence over me as to bind my tongue so that I could not speak. Thick darkness gathered around me, and it seemed to me for a time as if I were doomed to sudden destruction."
16. "But, exerting all my powers to call upon God to deliver me out of the power of this enemy which had seized upon me, and at the very moment when I was ready to sink into despair and abandon myself to destruction-not to an imaginary ruin, but to the power of some unseen world, who had such a marvelous power as I never before felt in any being- 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."
Sometimes I think that some people, including myself, forget how much he had to fight through to be able to receive the First Vision, and see Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. One thing tat I heard from my Book of Mormon teacher during my 2nd semester at BYU was that after receiving a mission call, Lucifer or Satan would up his game to tempt those preparing to serve and preach the gospel. I didn't realize how true that was until this summer, with many new trials as I came home, and facing that little temptation telling every day that I didn't need to go, I could just get on with my life and not lose out on these next 2 years. But I know that these two years will be such a growing experience not only spiritually but also mentally and could maybe even help me to mature a little bit. They will be the best 2 years, but I am also prepared for them to be the hardest 2 years of my life up to this point. I know that with the help of my Heavenly Father I can rely on Him to help me to get through my trials and to persevere to do that which is right. I found this scripture as I was looking through some of the footnotes and absolutely loved it, in Micah 7:8 it reads,
"Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness the Lord shall be a light unto me."
As Joseph Smith was completely enveloped in darkness and being taken over by the power of Satan, Heavenly Father stepped in and delivered him from the darkness. Heavenly Father knows how much we can endure and get through and won't put on us more than we can bear.
In the next 4 verses, 17-20, Joseph Smith explains what happened when Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ appeared to him, and some of it I will paraphrase, they read,
17. "It no sooner appeared that 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!"
18. "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."
19. "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."
20. "He again forbade me to join with any of them; and many other things did he say unto me, which I cannot write at this time. When I came to myself again, I found myself lying on my back, looking up into heaven."
The First Vision is an immensely important part of what we are as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints believe in, without it we wouldn't have a church or the restored gospel. Without Joseph Smith the church would not have been restored to the earth, and we would not have the priesthood, a latter-day prophet and so much more. So much of what we believe in stems off from that very first experience that Joseph Smith had at that young age of 14. However, with this vision, it brought along with it much persecution. In verse 21 he was talking with a Methodist preacher who told him,
"It was all of the devil, that there were no such things as visions or revelations in these days; that all such things had ceased with the apostles, and that there would never be any more of them."
This is one thing that I personally have never understood in other religions that believe the same things as that Methodist preacher; though I have nothing against any ones opinions or beliefs. But why would our Heavenly Father, our Lord, leave us on this earth without any more and new revelations for modern times as we need to hear them? We no longer live in the days when Christ walked the earth and therefore have a need for modern day revelation for today's problems.
In the April 2005 General Conference, Dieter F. Uchtdorf gave a talk called "The Fruits of the First Vision" in it he said,
"God has spoken to Joseph Smith for the purpose of blessing all of God's children with His mercy and love, even in times of uncertainties and insecurities, of wars and rumors of wars, of natural and personal disasters. The Savior said, "Behold, mine arm of mercy is extended towards you, and whosoever will come, him will I receive" (3 Ne. 9:14). And all who accept this invitation will be "encircled about with the matchless bounty of His love" (Alma 26:15)."
Through our faith in the personal witness of the Prophet Joseph and the reality of the First Vision, through study and prayer, deep and sincere, we will be blessed with a firm faith in the Savior of the world, who spoke to Joseph "on the morning of a beautiful, clear day, early in the spring of eighteen hundred and twenty."
Lastly I'd like to go back to Joseph Smith History and read verse 25, which says,
"So it was with me. 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; and while they were persecuting me, reviling me, and speaking all manner of evil against me falsely for so saying, I was led to say in my heart: Why persecute me for telling the truth? I have actually seen a vision; and who am I that I can withstand God, or why does the world think to make me deny what I have actually seen? For 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."
As many of you might know, for most of my life I never planned on going on a mission, just blew it off saying it wasn't for me, somebody else can do it, I didn't need to. I am so glad that I changed my mind and decided to go on a mission, and I cannot wait to teach the gospel that I love every day for these next 2 years.
I know that this church is true. I know without a shadow of a doubt that Joseph Smith restored the gospel to the earth once again, and did in fact see Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ on the spring day in 1820. I know that we have a modern day prophet today in President Thomas S. Monson. I know that the Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ and that whoever reads it with real intent and prays to have a confirmation will receive that confirmation telling you that it is true. I have felt the Holy Ghost confirm that the Book of Mormon is true, and also that the Brazil Sao Paulo North Mission is where I am supposed to be and I cannot wait to serve the people there in any way possible.
To end, one thing I said often as I was getting ready to come home after 2nd semester was that I'd see them in the next life, girls didn't really appreciate that as they think they won't be married, but I know that we shall all be resurrected after the Second Coming and that we will be with our families for all of eternity. So therefore in case I don't see some of you again, I'd just like to say...I'll see you in the next life.
I know this church is true, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
