Gospel Doctrine Class–MLC 18th Ward
Further reading suggestions for Come follow Me, 2025 Doctrine and Covenants
Dec 30-Jan 5: “The promised restoration goes forward”–The Restoration of the Fulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ
(1) The Restoration of the Fulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ—A Bicentennial Proclamation to the World
We solemnly proclaim that God loves His children in every nation of the world. God the Father has given us the divine birth, the incomparable life, and the infinite atoning sacrifice of His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ. By the power of the Father, Jesus rose again and gained the victory over death. He is our Savior, our Exemplar, and our Redeemer.
Two hundred years ago, on a beautiful spring morning in 1820, young Joseph Smith, seeking to know which church to join, went into the woods to pray near his home in upstate New York, USA. He had questions regarding the salvation of his soul and trusted that God would direct him.
In humility, we declare that in answer to his prayer, God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, appeared to Joseph and inaugurated the “restitution of all things” (Acts 3:21) as foretold in the Bible.
In this vision, he learned that following the death of the original Apostles, Christ’s New Testament Church was lost from the earth. Joseph would be instrumental in its return.
We affirm that under the direction of the Father and the Son, heavenly messengers came to instruct Joseph and re-establish the Church of Jesus Christ. The resurrected John the Baptist restored the authority to baptize by immersion for the remission of sins. Three of the original twelve Apostles—Peter, James, and John—restored the apostleship and keys of priesthood authority. Others came as well, including Elijah, who restored the authority to join families together forever in eternal relationships that transcend death.
We further witness that Joseph Smith was given the gift and power of God to translate an ancient record: the Book of Mormon—Another Testament of Jesus Christ. Pages of this sacred text include an account of the personal ministry of Jesus Christ among people in the Western Hemisphere soon after His Resurrection. It teaches of life’s purpose and explains the doctrine of Christ, which is central to that purpose. As a companion scripture to the Bible, the Book of Mormon testifies that all human beings are sons and daughters of a loving Father in Heaven, that He has a divine plan for our lives, and that His Son, Jesus Christ, speaks today as well as in days of old.
We declare that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, organized on April 6, 1830, is Christ’s New Testament Church restored. This Church is anchored in the perfect life of its chief cornerstone, Jesus Christ, and in His infinite Atonement and literal Resurrection. Jesus Christ has once again called Apostles and has given them priesthood authority. He invites all of us to come unto Him and His Church, to receive the Holy Ghost, the ordinances of salvation, and to gain enduring joy.
Two hundred years have now elapsed since this Restoration was initiated by God the Father and His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ. Millions throughout the world have embraced a knowledge of these prophesied events.
We gladly declare that the promised Restoration goes forward through continuing revelation. The earth will never again be the same, as God will “gather together in one all things in Christ” (Ephesians 1:10).
With reverence and gratitude, we as His Apostles invite all to know—as we do—that the heavens are open. We affirm that God is making known His will for His beloved sons and daughters. We testify that those who prayerfully study the message of the Restoration and act in faith will be blessed to gain their own witness of its divinity and of its purpose to prepare the world for the promised Second Coming of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. April 2020
(2) How to study the message of the Restoration and Key Points to Consider:
Read scriptures: Carefully read the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and relevant passages in the Pearl of Great Price.
Church history materials: Access Church history books, manuals, and online resources to gain deeper understanding.
General Conference talks: Listen to and study talks given by Church leaders at General Conference.
“Come, Follow Me” curriculum: Utilize the current “Come, Follow Me” curriculum for personal study or class discussions.
Personal prayer: Pray to receive personal confirmation about the truthfulness of the Restoration and the role of Joseph Smith.
The First Vision: Understand the pivotal experience of Joseph Smith where he saw God the Father and Jesus Christ, which initiated the restoration process.
The Book of Mormon: Study the Book of Mormon as a key scripture confirming the truth of the restored gospel and Jesus Christ’s divinity.
The role of prophets: Learn about the role of Joseph Smith and subsequent prophets in receiving revelation and guiding the Church.
The priesthood authority: Understand the concept of the priesthood being restored, allowing for the performance of sacred ordinances like baptism and the sacrament.
The Great Apostasy: Learn about the historical belief that the Church of Jesus Christ fell into apostasy after the death of the apostles, which led to the need for restoration.
3) Sperry Symposium Classics: The Doctrine and Covenants; “The Restoration of All Things: What the Doctrine and Covenants Says” by Robert J. Matthews (Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, BYU, 2004), 68-91—Great 16-page document that discusses the restoration as recorded in the D&C and what the Kingdom of God will be like when it is fully established.
https://rsc.byu.edu/sperry-symposium-classics-doctrine-covenants/restoration-all-things#_note-2
4) BYU Hawaii Devotionals: What Can We Learn from the First Vision; by Richard L. Bushman, BYU Center of Religious Studies (Nov 15, 2016)
Text and Video–Discusses the various versions of the First Vision and the different emphasis each has. The 1838 account talks of the religious upheaval at the time and how to know which church to join. The 1832 version omits the account of the revivals or about reading James 1:5 or about the darkness overpowering him in the grove. But it does emphasize worthiness—how Joseph was concerned for the welfare of his soul.
5) Watering the Roots of Mormonism: The Erie Canal’s Contribution to the Faith
Discusses how the Erie Canal helped the growth of the Church. The Canal was finished in 1825 and the first run of the Book of Mormon was printed in 1830 on the Grandin printing press that had been shipped from New York City by canal boat to Egbert Grandin’s print shop located in the heart of the burgeoning canal-fed commercial district of Palmyra. Had it been five years earlier, the transfer of a 1500-pound iron printing press from New York City to Western New York would have been nearly impossible.