The Restoration Never Was A Man’s Story

Baptized in Mockery, Sustained by Fire: The Gospel According to Emma
A Devotional Reflection on Doctrine and Covenants 23–26

The Second Voice of the Restoration

The Lord rarely enters our stories when it’s convenient.

He comes, more often, when the roof is caving in—when the prayers are faint, and the cost of discipleship has risen higher than we expected. He comes when we are half-sure we’ve made a mistake.

Such was the hour of Emma’s baptism. It should have been a serene rite. A promise sealed with water and Spirit. Instead, it was shattered by the shrill laughter of a mob. She was mocked. Threatened. Forced to flee. And when Joseph raised his hands to confirm her membership, the law raised its hand to take him away.

Let us not pretend the Restoration began in peace. It was born in fire and contradiction.

And Emma—our “elect lady”—was not spared that fire. She was asked to build Zion while the world tore down her name. To write hymns while her husband was hunted. To raise a family in the shadow of exile. To believe.

Not in herself. Not even in Joseph.

But in the Voice that told her, through it all:

“Fear not.”

“Rejoice.”

“Cleave.”

I love Emma. I do.

Not as a symbol. Not because she made it into the hymnbook or the history books.

But because in her, I see the quiet soul who bore the weight of a dispensation without ever seeking the spotlight. I see a woman asked to be strong without applause. Loyal without guarantees. Faithful in a narrative she could not control.

And in my personal view, which I’ll unfold more later this year, she was the second most important protagonist in the unfolding Restoration. Yes, second only to the Prophet himself. That’s not flattery—it’s awe.

This is not the last we will hear from her. Nor should it be.

She Still Believes: Emma, Fire, and the Foundations of Zion

It is a subtle, searing mercy that the Lord never hides what lies ahead. To Joseph and Oliver, newly ordained and still raw from rejection, He speaks plainly:

“You shall have afflictions. Be patient.” (D&C 24:8)

Not the message we crave. We want ease. Rescue. Relief.

But the Lord does not promise escape—He promises presence. “I am with thee,” He says.

If that sounds familiar, it is because it has always been so.

He was with Elijah in the silence after the storm.

With Shadrach in the fire.

With Alma’s people “in their burdens,” not apart from them (Mosiah 24:14–15).

And with Emma, not instead of her pain, but inside it.

To be “lifted up out of affliction” does not mean the affliction is canceled. It means it will not define you. Because Someone else already has.

Not Just the Elect Lady: Emma and the Covenant Beneath the Crown

It’s tempting to ask: why Emma?

Why place the mantle on her, with everything already stacked against her?

But heaven has never chosen for comfort.

It chooses for what it sees. And in Emma, the Lord saw not convenience but covenant.

No thunder, no trumpets—just a voice: “Thou art an elect lady.” (D&C 25:3)

The calling wasn’t ceremonial. It was cruciform.

She was called to rejoice while mourning. To sing while Joseph was jailed. To hold the Church together with threadbare hope.

Her calling was not to preach, but to cleave.

Not to lead armies, but to remember.

Not to live comfortably, but to live deliberately.

To be elect is not to be spared, but to be trusted.

Cleave: The Cost of Believing with Emma

“Continue in the spirit of meekness.” (D&C 25:14)

Meekness is not weakness. It is strength that has been trained. It is the quiet self-possession of a soul that has nothing to prove but still everything to give.

The Savior said, “Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart.” (Matthew 11:29)

He said it not with defeat, but with dominion.

Emma’s meekness was not shrinking—it was choosing.

Choosing to stay.

To forgive.

To walk forward without knowing if she’d ever reach the promised land.

That kind of meekness reshapes the world.

She Sang Anyway: Emma Smith and the Covenant We Overlooked

“The song of the heart,” the Lord says, “is a prayer unto me.” (D&C 25:12)

Emma didn’t just sing songs. She gathered them, preserved them, offered them to a people starved for light.

When she compiled the first hymnbook, she wasn’t curating music—she was fortifying memory. And maybe also her own heart.

Singing is not decoration. It is theology.

To sing is to say, I remember who God is, even when I forget everything else.

What song would Emma have sung that day by the river, with the mob behind her and her husband taken?

Perhaps only this: I still believe.

What the Mob Forgot, God Remembered

“Lay aside the things of this world, and seek for the things of a better.” (D&C 25:10)

This is not just about gold or pride.

The “things of this world” often wear subtler faces:

The longing to be understood.

The ache to be safe.

The comfort of being right.

But the Lord doesn’t call us to safety. He calls us to sanctity.

To cleave to covenants is to say yes again and again, even when there’s no spotlight, no reward, and no clarity.

Emma did that. Without fanfare. Without fail.

In D&C 26, the Lord reveals a principle so quiet we almost miss it: “All things shall be done by common consent.” (v. 2)

In Zion, we do not coerce—we covenant.

When we raise our hands to sustain, we are not nodding in agreement.

We are entering into mutual trust.

We are saying, You do not walk alone.

Emma knew what it meant to walk alone.

And yet, she still lifted others. She still sustained a kingdom whose shape she could barely see.

There’s something holy about a testimony that keeps walking even when the story no longer makes sense.

Emma walked.

The Lord saw her. And spoke to her. And trusted her.

She will appear again in the Doctrine and Covenants.

Not as a footnote. But as a partner.

And perhaps, as this year unfolds, we will begin to see more clearly what I believe with all my heart:

That behind every prophet must be someone like Emma—

Not in the shadows,

But in the story.

Not as a helper,

But as a heroine.

This is not the end of Emma’s story.

And it is certainly not the end of her song.

 

Return Missionaries Not Married With In Six Months

RM IF YOU ARE NOT MARRIED WITH-IN 6 MONTHS YOU ARE NOT FAILURE

President Harold B. Lee “I am not trying to urge you younger men to marry too early.

I think therein is one of the hazards of today’s living.

We don’t want a young man to think of marriage until he is able to take care of a family, to have an institution of his own, to be independent.

He must make sure that he has found the girl of his choice, they have gone together long enough that they know each other, and that they know each other’s faults and they still love each other.

I have said to the mission presidents (some of whom have been reported to us as saying to missionaries, ‘Now, if you are not married in six months, you are a failure as a missionary’), ‘Don’t you ever say that to one of your missionaries.

Maybe in six months they will not have found a wife; and if they take you seriously, they may rush into a marriage that will be wrong for them.’ “Please don’t misunderstand what we are saying; but, brethren, think more seriously about the obligations of marriage for those who bear the holy priesthood at a time when marriage should be the expectation of every man who understands the responsibility; for remember, brethren, that only those who enter into the new and everlasting covenant of marriage in the temple for time and eternity, only those will have the exaltation in the celestial kingdom.

That is what the Lord tells us” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1973, 120; or Ensign, Jan. 1974, 100).

Church Bulletin “When full-time missionaries return home, they should be counseled concerning such matters as continuing their education or employment, strengthening family relationships, participating actively in the Church, paying tithes and offerings, and preparing for temple marriage.

It is unwise, however, to ‘recommend that missionaries be married within a specific time. The decision to marry is so important that it should be made only after the most prayerful and careful consideration by the individual.’

(Mission President’s Handbook [31153], 1990, p. 23)” (Bulletin, 1993, no. 1, 2).

- President Harold B. Lee

When Spiritual Comfort Becomes a Trap

Dead Works 

Reflections on D&C 22

This revelation was given in the earliest days of the Restoration, just ten days after the Church was formally organized. It wasn’t about denying past faithfulness or rejecting those who had already sought baptism elsewhere—it was about establishing the absolute necessity of priesthood authority.

Some wanted to bring their previous baptisms with them, as if all religious acts were interchangeable. But the Lord’s response was direct and unmistakable: “You cannot enter in at the strait gate by the law of Moses, neither by your dead works.” In other words, faithfulness to past commandments does not grant access to a kingdom that requires new obedience.

This was not a rejection of past righteousness; it was a call to move forward with God, even when it disrupts what feels familiar, comfortable, or traditional.

When Old Paths No Longer Lead to God

“All old covenants have I caused to be done away in this thing; and this is a new and an everlasting covenant, even that which was from the beginning.”

At first glance, this sounds like a contradiction: how can something be both “new” and “from the beginning”? But this is the pattern of every major dispensation. The gospel is never “invented”—it is restored. The covenants of God are not discarded—they are fulfilled and renewed.

Consider how often God has done this:

Noah’s covenant expanded upon the commands given to Adam.

Abraham’s covenant was given when previous patriarchal traditions needed greater direction.

Moses’ law was established to bring Israel into deeper obedience and holiness.

Christ revealed the higher law, building upon what had come before.

And now, in 1830, the Lord was saying it again: “Enter ye in at the gate, as I have commanded.”

The path forward is not found by clinging to expired authority. Baptism—even performed a hundred times—means nothing without the right power behind it.

This revelation was not an attack on those who had been baptized before—it was a declaration that good intentions, even religious ones, are not enough when God has set His house in order.

The Tragedy of Dead Works

“For it is because of your dead works that I have caused this last covenant and this church to be built up unto me, even as in days of old.”

This phrase—“dead works”—is a sharp one. It cuts against the idea that effort alone is enough. These people had sought baptism before. They had taken a step of faith. And yet, the Lord calls their works dead.

Why?

Because no amount of human sincerity can substitute for divine authority.

This was precisely the mistake of the Pharisees in Jesus’ day. They believed in God, they studied the scriptures, they kept the commandments—but they refused to recognize when the Lord Himself was standing before them. Their rituals continued, their prayers went up, but their works were dead, because they rejected the living Christ.

It is no different today. If we cling to past structures, past revelations, past traditions—even ones that were once divinely given—when God has declared a new work, we risk missing the very kingdom we claim to seek.

The truth is living, and living truth requires living obedience.

“Seek Not to Counsel Your God”

Perhaps the most piercing line in this revelation is “seek not to counsel your God.”

There is something profoundly human about trying to negotiate with the divine. We want partial obedience. We want our own version of discipleship, customized to our comfort level. We see this pattern all throughout scripture:

Naaman wanted to be healed, but only if he could do it his way.

The rich young ruler wanted to follow Christ, but not at the cost of his wealth.

Nicodemus wanted truth, but only under the cover of night.

But the Lord has never worked through half-measures. The same was true in 1830, and the same is true today.

Faith does not mean expecting God to accommodate us. Faith means having the courage to let go of what no longer serves us and walk into the unknown because the Lord has spoken.

What This Means for Us Today

This revelation is not just about baptism. It is about how we respond when God tells us to move forward.

Do we hesitate? Do we argue? Do we insist that what was once good must still be good enough? Or do we step into the water, trusting that what God is asking of us now is greater than what He required before?

This is the test of every generation. Those who trust step forward. Those who resist cling to the past and watch the living kingdom move without them.

The Lord’s words are clear: “Enter ye in at the gate, as I have commanded.” Not as we wish. Not as we assume. Not as we are comfortable with. As He has commanded.

That is the only way into the kingdom. And there are no shortcuts.

 

A Holy City Of Zion And The Davidic Kingdom

Have you ever wondered about the significance of Zion and the Davidic Kingdom in biblical prophecy? 

How do these concepts tie into the heavenly city and the eternal reign of Christ? 

Join us as we delve into the spiritual depths of Zion and its connection to the fulfillment of God’s plan.

Throughout history, Zion has carried profound spiritual meaning, often associated with God’s dwelling place and the establishment of His kingdom. 

But what if there’s more to it than meets the eye? 

What if Zion holds the key to understanding the ultimate fulfillment of God’s promises?

In this article, we’ll explore the biblical passages that shed light on the significance of Zion. 

From Psalm 132:13-14, where Zion is seen as a precursor to the heavenly Jerusalem, to Isaiah’s vision of a future where all nations flow to Zion (Isaiah 2:2-4), we’ll uncover the rich symbolism and prophetic messages embedded in these texts.

Join us as we journey through the Scriptures, uncovering the promises made to David and how they point to Jesus‘ eternal reign. We’ll also delve into the references to Jerusalem in the New Testament, such as Matthew 5:35and Matthew 21:1-11, and their connection to the establishment of God’s kingdom.

Finally, we’ll explore the vision of the new Jerusalem in Revelation 21:2-3 and its significance as the culmination of God’s promise in Christ. Through this exploration, we hope to deepen our understanding of Zion and its role in the eternal plan of God.

So, are you ready to embark on this journey of discovery? Let’s unravel the mysteries of Zion and the Davidic Kingdom, and uncover the profound truths that lie within.

Contents  hide

1) Zion: God’s Dwelling Place

1.1) Symbolism of Zion

2) The Promise to David

3) Isaiah’s Vision of the Holy Mountain

4) Jerusalem, the City of the Great King

4.1) The Significance of Jerusalem

4.2) The Role of Jerusalem in God’s Plan

4.3) The Divine Plan Unfolding

5) The Son of David

5.1) The Significance of Jesus’ Lineage

6) Zion in Hebrews

7) The New Jerusalem in Revelation

7.1) In Summary

8) Jesus’ Entry into Jerusalem

9) The Lord’s Prayer and the Kingdom

Zion: God’s Dwelling Place

When we reflect on the scriptures, we encounter Psalm 132:13-14, which provides us with profound insights into Zion as not just a physical place, but as a spiritual concept. It serves as a precursor to the heavenly Jerusalem, where Christ reigns eternally.

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In Psalm 132:13-14, we read:

“For the Lord hath chosen Zion; he hath desired it for his habitation. This is my rest forever: here will I dwell, for I have desired it.” – Psalm 132:13-14 (KJV)

In these verses, we see that God has chosen Zion as His dwelling place. It is a place of rest and divine presence. But what does this mean for us?

Zion represents more than just a geographical location; it symbolizes the heavenly Jerusalem, where God’s reign is fully realized through Christ. It embodies the spiritual union between the heavenly realm and the earthly domain.

As believers, we can find comfort and hope in the promises made by God regarding Zion. It reassures us of His unwavering commitment to establish His divine plan and manifest His reign.

Through the imagery of Zion, we catch a glimpse of the heavenly Jerusalem, where Christ’s eternal rule brings peace, righteousness, and restoration. It is a vision that encompasses all believers and transcends physical boundaries.

Just as the earthly Jerusalem was a physical representation of Zion, we are called to be living testimonies of God’s kingdom on earth. Our lives should reflect the values and attributes of the heavenly Jerusalem, bringing the transformative power of Christ’s reign into every aspect of our existence.

As we meditate on these verses, let us embrace the significance of Zion in God’s divine plan. Let us seek to embody the heavenly Jerusalem in our lives, allowing Christ’s reign to transform us and impact the world around us.

Symbolism of Zion

Symbol	Meaning
Eternal Reign of Christ	Zion foreshadows the heavenly Jerusalem where Christ reigns eternally, establishing God’s kingdom on earth.
Divine Presence	Zion represents God’s chosen dwelling place, where His rest and divine presence abide.
Spiritual Union	Zion serves as a spiritual connection between the heavenly realm and the earthly domain, uniting believers in Christ’s reign.
Hope and Salvation	God’s promises regarding Zion give us hope and assurance of His divine plan, offering salvation and restoration.
Transformative Power	Just as the earthly Jerusalem represented Zion, believers are called to embody the values and attributes of the heavenly Jerusalem, impacting the world through Christ’s transformative power.

The Promise to David

One of the most significant promises in the Bible can be found in 2 Samuel 7:12-13. In this passage, God makes a covenant with David, promising him a lasting kingdom. The words spoken by God to David demonstrate His faithfulness and plan for the future:

“When your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.”

This promise holds great importance as it foreshadows the eternal reign of Jesus Christ and the establishment of His divine kingdom. Just as God promised David a lasting kingdom, Jesus fulfills this promise by establishing a kingdom that will endure forever.

Through His lineage as a descendant of David, Jesus embodies the realization of God’s covenant. His birth, life, death, and resurrection pave the way for the establishment of an everlasting kingdom, where righteousness and justice will prevail.

Jesus’ eternal reign brings hope and assurance to believers, guaranteeing them a place in His everlasting kingdom. As followers of Christ, we can find solace in the knowledge that His reign will never end, offering us peace and security for all eternity.

By examining the promise to David in 2 Samuel 7:12-13, we gain a deeper understanding of the lasting kingdomthat Jesus brings. This promise serves as a testament to God’s faithfulness and His plan for the redemption and restoration of His creation.

Promise	Reference
Lasting Kingdom	2 Samuel 7:12-13
Jesus’ Eternal Reign	Various

Isaiah’s Vision of the Holy Mountain

Isaiah 2:2-4 paints a prophetic picture of a future where people from all nations flow to Zion, guided by the universal call of Christ. This vision reveals God’s plan for Jerusalem as the city of the great King, a gathering place for all who seek His presence.

“And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.”

Isaiah 2:2-4 (KJV)

Isaiah’s vision foretells a time when the influence of Zion extends beyond geographical boundaries. It symbolizes the universal call of Christ, drawing people from every nation to gather in the presence of God. In Zion, they will receive divine teachings and walk in the ways of the Lord.

This vision doesn’t merely represent a physical journey to Jerusalem, but a spiritual pilgrimage towards unity, peace, and righteousness. It describes a future where conflict and warfare cease, replaced by harmony and cooperation. The swords and spears that once symbolized destruction will be transformed into tools of productivity and growth.

This prophecy holds immense hope and promise for all nations, as it signifies the reconciliation and restoration brought about by the eternal reign of Christ. It serves as a reminder of God’s ultimate plan to bring healing and restoration to a broken world through His Son.

Jerusalem, the City of the Great King

In Matthew 5:35, Jesus makes a significant reference to Jerusalem that holds great significance in God’s plan. Jerusalem is not just an ordinary city, but it is the city of the great King, where God’s promises find their fulfillment and His kingdom is established.

“Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King.”

These words from Jesus highlight the unique status of Jerusalem as the dwelling place of God, where His presence is manifested within His creation. It is a city with profound spiritual and symbolic meaning, serving as a beacon of hope and a testament to God’s faithfulness to His people.

Throughout history, Jerusalem has played a pivotal role in the unfolding of God’s plan. It is the city where God chose to establish His temple and dwell among His people. In the Old Testament, we see Jerusalem as the center of worship and the place where the Davidic kingdom thrived.

The Significance of Jerusalem

Jerusalem holds deep significance in God’s plan for redemption and salvation. It serves as a physical and spiritual connection between heaven and earth, bridging the gap between the divine and the human.

God’s plan for Jerusalem goes beyond just being a physical city. It represents His desire to establish His kingdom on earth, with His righteous rule and reign. Jerusalem is the earthly manifestation of the heavenly city, the place where the eternal reign of Christ will be realized.

In Jerusalem, God’s promises find their fulfillment. It is the city where Jesus walked, taught, and eventually sacrificed Himself for the salvation of humanity. His death and resurrection in Jerusalem paved the way for the establishment of His kingdom, where He will reign as the great King.

The Role of Jerusalem in God’s Plan

Jerusalem plays a pivotal role in God’s plan for the redemption and restoration of His creation. It is the city where God chose to reveal His glory, where His presence resided among His people.

Throughout Scripture, we see Jerusalem as a central hub, where people from all nations are invited to come and worship the Lord. It serves as a beacon of hope, drawing people to God’s love and grace.

The establishment of God’s kingdom in Jerusalem signifies the ultimate victory over sin and death. It is a place of divine authority and sovereignty, where righteousness will prevail and all things will be made new.

The Divine Plan Unfolding

As we delve into the significance of Jerusalem, we witness the divine plan unfolding before our eyes. From the promises made to David in 2 Samuel 7:12-13 to the vision portrayed in Isaiah 2:2-4, the threads of God’s plan are intricately woven together, culminating in the establishment of His eternal kingdom.

God’s plan goes beyond the physical city of Jerusalem. It encompasses the hearts and lives of His people, as His kingdom is established within them. It is a plan rooted in love, grace, and the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus.

As we embrace the significance of Jerusalem in God’s plan, let us open our hearts to His leading and surrender to His divine purpose. Through Jerusalem, we catch a glimpse of the grandeur of God’s kingdom and the eternal reign of Christ, where all things find their true significance and purpose.

The Son of David

Matthew 1:1 establishes a significant link between Jesus and the lineage of David, paving the way for the ultimate fulfillment of God’s plan. This connection to David’s kingdom is crucial in understanding the role of Jesus as the Son of David and His establishment of an eternal reign.

In Matthew 1:1, the genealogy of Jesus is traced back to David, highlighting His rightful place in the lineage of the great king. This lineage signifies Jesus’ rightful claim to the Davidic throne and affirms His authority in establishing a kingdom that will endure forever.

“The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.”

By identifying Jesus as the Son of David, Matthew emphasizes His royal lineage and establishes His role as the awaited Messiah. This recognition of Jesus’ connection to David’s kingdom is crucial in understanding the fulfillment of God’s promise and the establishment of His eternal reign through Christ.

The Significance of Jesus’ Lineage

The lineage of Jesus carries immense significance in the context of God’s plan for salvation. Through His lineage, Jesus embodies the fulfillment of the Davidic promise of a kingdom that will never end. This lineage solidifies Jesus’ credentials as the long-awaited Messiah, the one who will bring about the ultimate realization of God’s plan.

As the Son of David, Jesus fulfills the prophetic promises of a righteous ruler who will reign in righteousness and bring about peace. His lineage establishes His rightful claim to the throne and positions Him as the ultimate fulfillment of God’s redemptive plan for humanity.

Furthermore, Jesus’ lineage emphasizes His humanity, showcasing that He is fully immersed in the historical and cultural context of Israel. By descending from David, Jesus embodies the hopes and aspirations of the Jewish people for a righteous king who will bring salvation and establish a kingdom that will endure throughout all generations.

The recognition of Jesus’ lineage as the Son of David is a testament to the faithfulness of God in fulfilling His promises. Through Jesus, God brings together the threads of His divine plan, combining the historical lineage of David’s kingdom with the spiritual reality of the ultimate fulfillment found in Christ.

 

The image above visually represents the significance of Jesus’ lineage as the Son of David. It serves as a visual reminder of the connection between Jesus and the promised kingdom.

In summary, Matthew 1:1 establishes Jesus as the Son of David, connecting Him to the lineage of the great king and underscoring His role in the fulfillment of God’s plan. Understanding Jesus’ lineage illuminates the ultimate fulfillment of God’s promises and highlights His authority in establishing an eternal reign.

Zion in Hebrews

When studying the heavenly city and the eternal plan of God, the book of Hebrews provides valuable insights. Hebrews 12:22-24 vividly contrasts Mount Sinai with the heavenly Jerusalem, shedding light on the transformation from the old to the new covenant.

In Hebrews 12:22, the writer describes the awe-inspiring scene of believers approaching Zion, the heavenly Jerusalem. This depiction captures the grandeur and holiness of the city, setting it apart as a symbol of God’s eternal kingdom. As believers, we are invited to enter this glorious realm and experience the presence of God Himself.

The passage further emphasizes the significance of the new covenant established through Jesus Christ. It highlights the heavenly Jerusalem as the gathering place for an innumerable company of angels, the church of the firstborn, and the spirits of righteous people made perfect (Hebrews 12:23). 

This depiction portrays the unity and communion we find in Christ’s redemptive work, as well as the continuity between the Old and New Testaments.

Through Jesus’ sacrificial death and resurrection, the old covenant is fulfilled, and a new covenant is established, ushering believers into the heavenly Jerusalem.

Hebrews 12:24 further emphasizes the unparalleled access that believers have in the new covenant. By the sprinkling of Jesus’ blood, we are brought into a closer relationship with God than the Israelites had under the old covenant. 

This sacrifice provides forgiveness and redemption, making it possible for us to approach God with confidence and boldness.

As we reflect on Hebrews 12:22-24, we gain a deeper understanding of the heavenly Jerusalem and its significance in the eternal plan of God. 

This passage reveals the transformative power of Jesus’ sacrifice, which bridges the gap between humanity and God, establishing a new covenant that grants us access to the heavenly city. 

It is in Zion, the heavenly Jerusalem, that we find our ultimate joy and fulfillment in the presence of our Heavenly Father.

Old Covenant	New Covenant
Based on the law and external rituals	Based on grace and the internal transformation of the heart
Limited access to God’s presence	Direct access to God through Jesus Christ
Animal sacrifices for temporary forgiveness	Jesus’ sacrifice for permanent forgiveness
Earthly sanctuary as a place of worship	Heavenly Jerusalem as the ultimate dwelling place of God

The New Jerusalem in Revelation

In the book of Revelation, we are presented with a powerful envisioning of Zion in the form of the new Jerusalem. Revelation 21:2-3 describes this heavenly city as the culmination of God’s promise, where His divine plan reaches its ultimate fulfillment.

This vision of the new Jerusalem serves as a grand finale, representing the fulfillment of God’s covenant with His people. It is a representation of the eternal kingdom that awaits those who faithfully follow Christ.

Revelation 21:2-3 states, “And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.”

In these verses, we see the heavenly Jerusalem descending from God, symbolizing the divine union between God and His people. It is portrayed as a beautifully adorned bride, illustrating the intimacy and oneness that will be experienced in this eternal city.

This envisioning of Zion in the new Jerusalem reveals the ultimate fulfillment of God’s promise to dwell among His people. It signifies the culmination of His redemptive plan, where the separation between God and humanity is eradicated, and His kingdom is established in all its glory.

“And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.”

Through the envisioning of Zion in the new Jerusalem, we gain a glimpse into the magnitude of God’s love and faithfulness. It is a testament to His unchanging nature and His unwavering commitment to His people.

As we journey through the pages of Revelation, we are invited to embrace this divine vision and await with anticipation the day when we will enter into the glorious presence of the new Jerusalem. It is a reminder of the hope we have in Christ, the culmination of God’s promise, and the assurance of an eternal dwelling place in His kingdom.

In Summary

The new Jerusalem in Revelation is a powerful depiction of Zion, representing the culmination of God’s promise in Christ. It portrays the eternal city where God will dwell with His people, symbolizing the complete fulfillment of His redemptive plan. This envisioning of Zion serves as a source of hope and an assurance of our future in God’s eternal kingdom.

Jesus’ Entry into Jerusalem

Matthew 21:1-11 recounts the powerful and symbolic moment when Jesus made His triumphal entry into Jerusalem. This event holds great significance as it marks the fulfillment of the Davidic promiseand portrays Jesus as the long-awaited King.

As Jesus rode into the city on a donkey, the people recognized Him as the Messiah, shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” (Matthew 21:9). This declaration of praise and adoration signifies the recognition of Jesus’ authority and kingship, fulfilling the Davidic promise of an everlasting reign.

The triumphal entry also serves as a foreshadowing of Jesus’ ultimate sacrifice for humanity. Just as the Passover lamb was brought into Jerusalem for sacrifice, Jesus, the Lamb of God, entered the city to give His life for the salvation of mankind. This selfless act of love would establish His eternal reign and pave the way for the fulfillment of God’s plan.

“Tell the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your King is coming to you, lowly, and sitting on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey.'” – Matthew 21:5

The entry into Jerusalem also carries spiritual significance. It represents the divine inauguration of the new covenant and the ushering in of God’s kingdom on earth. Through Jesus’ triumphal entry, Zion, the city of David, becomes the starting point for the fulfillment of God’s divine purposes.

Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem is a powerful reminder of His kingship, the fulfillment of the Davidic promise, and the establishment of His eternal reign. It paves the way for the ultimate sacrifice and redemption of mankind, showcasing the depth of God’s love and His unwavering commitment to fulfilling His divine plan.

The Lord’s Prayer and the Kingdom

As you delve into the profound words of the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6:9-13, you will uncover a plea for the realization of the Davidic kingdom through Christ. This powerful prayer encapsulates the deep desire for God’s eternal reign to be established on earth as it is in heaven.

In the Lord’s Prayer, we see the connection between our plea for the kingdom’s realization and the pivotal role Zion plays as its cornerstone. Just as Zion symbolizes the Davidic kingdom, so does this prayer emphasize the longing for the fulfillment of God’s promise through Christ.

Through the plea for the realization of the Davidic kingdom, we acknowledge our dependence on God’s sovereignty and express our trust in His divine plan. This prayer reminds us that it is through Christ that the ultimate establishment of the Davidic kingdom will come to pass, bringing about everlasting peace and righteousness.

So, as you recite the Lord’s Prayer, remember the profound significance it holds in aligning our hearts with God’s eternal purpose. Let it be a constant reminder of our plea for the realization of the Davidic kingdom through Christ, as we eagerly await the day when God’s reign is fully established.

Homesick For Eternal Home

There’s a reason we feel out of place and uncomfortable in life sometimes.

Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles discusses how every eternal being has a deep-rooted longing to return to our heavenly home. In the accompanying article, the author shares her own feelings about her homesickness for that same eternal home.

I was the poster child for homesickness.

When I was small, despite the fun I would be having at slumber parties, there always came a point in the night when I would call my parents, asking to go home while the rest of my friends slept soundly. I remember nights when I would be giggling with my friends while playing hide-and-seek and eating too much pizza and chocolate licorice, only to feel a deep anxiety settle into my chest when I noticed the sun disappearing outside and how “far away” from home I seemed to be. Fun fact: most of these sleepovers took place only about five minutes away from my house (luckily I can laugh about it now).

Interestingly enough, I still get homesick. Sure, I like to travel as much as the next young adult, but after a few days of exploring a new city, there is nothing quite like returning to the comfort and familiarity I can find only at home. But lately, with my life being filled with making never-ending to-do lists, worries about the future, and exhaustion that never seems to go away, I’ve again noticed that same deep-rooted anxiety I used to feel as a child when I was away from home. Which confused me at first, because how could I possibly feel homesick within my home? But one day I finally realized what this odd feeling is: It’s homesickness for my real home. My eternal home.

Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles recently spoke about this sort of homesickness, saying: “I believe that every man, woman, and child has felt the call of heaven at some point in his or her life. Deep within us is a longing to somehow reach past the veil and embrace Heavenly Parents we once knew and cherished.”

Sometimes I forget that this earth is our temporary home. We are spiritual beings on a mortal journey. We’ve never done this before! No wonder we feel so lost and awkward and freaked out from time to time. We are here on a journey to return to our true home. When you think about it that way (and when you realize that this extended time on earth is not meant to be as much fun as a vacation at the beach), it’s only natural that we all long to go back to our Heavenly Father.

I think we feel this homesickness for our eternal home especially when we try to do our best and see minimum results, when we face certain trials that never seem to end, and when we are completely exhausted and overwhelmed from everything life throws at us. Sometimes it feels like just as I manage to take a step forward, some crazy situation or mistake flips me around and pushes me back in the opposite direction! And that can make my eternal home seem farther away than ever.

That’s when I have to remember.

I have to step back, breathe, and remember who I am, where I am, and where I will be someday if I keep moving forward on the path of discipleship. I have to remember that this life is a mere speck on the time line of eternity. I have to remember that Heavenly Father once told me that this temporary home would be filled with sorrow and confusion and challenges, but if I would keep going even when things got hard, I could make it back to Him. I have to remember that the Savior can help me overcome my weaknesses and move on. I have to remember that I chose to come here because this short separation from the comfort of my Heavenly Father that allows me to grow, better myself, and become like Him will be worth everything.

I can’t even fathom the indescribable joy, familiarity, and peace I will feel when I am reunited with my Heavenly Parents. But until then, I’ll treat this temporary home for what it is: a privilege. This life is meant to be a test. We need to be patient with ourselves because this is a new experience for all of us. And though our homesickness for our eternal home may always be deep within our hearts, we don’t have to feel lost or alone. Living the gospel of Jesus Christ can give us a small taste of that peace our eternal home will someday bring us. The gospel can give us hope to keep moving forward, and it is the key to finding our way back.

Just as I knew I could call my parents for help whenever I felt homesick, I know that Heavenly Father is only a prayer away. He wants to help us. He wants us to return to Him. And because of that, we can take comfort in knowing that as we seek Him, He will bring us one step closer to home. As Elder Uchtdorf taught: “When you walk the path of discipleship—when you move toward Heavenly Father—there is something within you that will confirm that you have heard the call of the Savior and set your heart toward the light. It will tell you that you are on the right path and that you are returning home.”

The dilemma at the heart of Joseph Smith’s First Vision

By: Steven Harper

Joseph Smith: Prophet of the Restoration (2002 version)

Intellectual Reserve, Inc.

This series of articles was written by Steven Harper, a professor of Church History and Doctrine at BYU and executive editor of the Wilford Woodruff Papers. The series explores the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Other articles in the series can be found here.

A recent article illustrates how easy it is for us to miss the dilemma at the heart of Joseph Smith's first vision accounts. The article compares Joseph’s experience to some early American conversion narratives and concludes that Joseph’s accounts lack the angst and the typical “transformations of the heart.”

“Nowhere in Smith’s first vision is there a description of the agonies and ecstasies of conversion,” the article claims. Notice how the article posits an either/or, saying Joseph presents himself “not as one whose heart needs changing but one whose mind needs persuading.” The author thinks Joseph’s accounts are about resolving “cognitive dissonance” or intellectual incongruity “rather than ravishing a sinful heart with infinite love.” These phrases sound fancy but they are uninformed. They offer a false dilemma posing as analysis.

This author has not heard what Joseph is saying about the awful dilemma he faced. It's not obvious if we don't share Joseph's understanding of Presbyterianism and Methodism, but once you see it, you wonder how you missed it before.

I was sitting outside at lunch time when I finally recognized the dilemma Joseph describes. I had copies of all the First Vision accounts and was reviewing them again, trying to look at them in new ways, asking different questions. I had read each of them many times before. But that day I started paying attention to Joseph's repeated use of the word mind. It was striking how many times he described what was going on in his mind. Then I noticed that he distinguished between his mind and his heart. Then I saw it: Joseph was trying to tell me that his mind and his heart were at odds.

Every story has a problem. When Joseph told his story, the crux of the problem was that the eternal fate of his soul depended on knowing how to act relative to Christ’s Atonement—and how to act he did not know. The Presbyterian option made sense in his head. He knew he was sinful. He also knew he hadn’t been able to do anything about it. That’s what the Presbyterian option taught him to expect. So Presbyterianism made sense. The Methodist option appealed to his heart. He attended Methodist meetings and witnessed sinful souls like his as they experienced God’s grace, and “he wanted to get Religion too wanted to feel & shout like the Rest but could feel nothing.” Methodism taught him to expect God's grace if he wanted it. That didn’t happen, however. No matter how much his heart wanted Methodism, it seemed to his head like the Presbyterian explanation fit best.

One of the options appealed to his heart and the other to his head. No matter how much brain power he put into it, he did not know if his conclusions were right, and no matter how much he tried to follow his heart, he did not know if it was leading him right. His head was telling him one thing, his heart another. How could he know which was right? The welfare of his immortal soul was at stake. It was a terrible problem. The passages of Joseph’s history quoted below, excerpted in the Pearl of Great Price as Joseph Smith-History, verses 10 and 18, highlight Joseph’s dilemma:

10 In the midst of this war of words and tumult of opinions, I often said to myself: What is to be done? Who of all these parties are right; or, are they all wrong together? If any one of them be right, which is it, and how shall I know it? . ...

18 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.

It is common for people to conclude that those two verses are at odds with each other but they are not. Verse 10 is about Joseph’s thought process, about what has happened in his head. He often wondered whether all the options were wrong and how he could decide. The parenthetical clause in verse 18 is about Joseph’s emotional vulnerability. He tells us he has kept the awful, recurring thought that all the options for forgiveness are wrong from entering “into my heart.” Maybe there was no Church where he could find God's grace, but he wasn't going to conclude that without confirmation from God.

Working hard to listen to Joseph leads to better understanding of the dilemma he wanted to communicate. Next time I'll write about Joseph’s other dilemma—the one that kept him from telling his First Vision, and that shaped the way he told it when he finally decided to do so.

Hand in Hand with Angels

Line Upon Line

Cover image: “I will go before your face,” by Kenneth Turner.

 As we are in the quick winding up scenes of the pre-millennial era, both missionaries and angels are hastening to spread the gospel. Angels are often directed to help missionaries in and out of the field in a variety of ways. They protect, soften hearts, and support any of us who set out to gather Israel.  

ANGELS PROTECT MISSIONARIES

Missionaries often find themselves in areas or situations that are dangerous, and many times aren’t even aware of the peril they are in until prompted by an angel.

Voice of Warning

David Arroyo told me about a harrowing experience he had on his mission, which could have cost him his life. He said:

“I was serving in what was called the “Spanish American Mission,” which included Texas, and New Mexico. One day, my companion and I were walking down on the right side of a highway just before sundown.   Suddenly I heard a loud voice exclaim, ‘Look behind!’ I quickly turned to look back and saw a huge combine machine, which extended far off the side of the road, barreling down the road toward us. The operator was driving on the extreme right lane and there was little room for anything but that machine. It was just feet away from hitting us. 

“Because of the warning, I grabbed my companion and pulled him down into a ravine, and we barely missed being hit. The Thrasher machine  operator had not even seen us and continued on his way, but I knew that angels had warned and helped us that day.”

Angels Lighting Their Way

Elder Phillip Harmon also had a remarkable occurrence of angelic protection and support on his mission. He actually felt angels lighting the path before him on a very dark night. He and his companion got out of a lesson about 8:45 p.m. and found that their ride home had fallen through. They began walking along a train track that went through a thick forest. He wrote:

“It was really dark that night, no moon, and lots of clouds, and a long way away from any streetlight, so it was difficult to see. We didn’t have any flashlights, so it only made the darkness a bigger problem. We said a prayer before we started so that we could make it home all right.  

“After a few minutes, it seemed as if the path just ‘lit up.’ I thought it was my eyes adjusting to the darkness at first, but looking back behind us, it was still as black as had been before, however while looking ahead, we   were able to see where we were going. Nothing extremely bright, but      enough to avoid trouble and see straight.

“It was a little over an hour-long walk, but we made it home safe. It is hard to explain. I kept trying to tell myself that I imagined it but looking behind and seeing the contrast between the two exposures of light. We knew we were definitely being helped out.”

Angels Help Missionaries in Ecuador

Susan Richardson was keenly aware of angelic ministrations while she was serving with her husband Brian, then Mission President of the Ecuador Quito North Mission from 2013-2016. She told me:

“I became convinced that missionaries are only the mortal part of the labor force and that they are working hand-in-hand with angels.”  

Susan was inspired to ask the missionaries if they had experienced any angelic help while serving the Lord. Many of their missionaries shared amazing experiences with her and allowed her to articulate them on her missionary blog. I want to share a few of these with permission.  

Taxi Miracles

“One evening Elders Smith and Chávez were walking up a street when they saw an ominous group of people at the top of a hill who the elders had no desire to pass. As they were contemplating their dilemma, a taxi pulled up next to them and the driver asked through his window if they needed a ride. They were surprised he had showed up at that moment, but what made this story even more unusual is that when they told him they had no money he offered to drive them without pay. After passing the danger, the elders offered to get out and walk the rest of the way home. The taxi driver refused, however, surprising them even more by pointing in the direction of their apartment, and saying: 

 ‘But you live over there.’

“They had never met this driver and when he dropped them off at their apartment, he flatly refused the money they wanted to go get from their apartment to pay him.”

It could seem like a great coincidence to some, but these Elders never doubted that they were ministered to by an angel.

Physically Touched By Angels

The following are two experiences of sister missionaries who felt physical help from unseen beings.

“Sister Espinoza was about to cross a busy highway in Otavalo when she felt a tug on the back of her sweater. She turned to see who touched her, when an unforeseen car sped by. If she had walked into the street as she had intended, she would most likely have been hit.” 

“Sister Black likewise was blessed with protection. On a preparation day, she and her district went to a place that had a large vine swing. She was swinging on the vine when either the vine broke or she otherwise fell and would have been seriously injured, except that she felt someone catch her, and she suffered no injuries. 

I just marvel at a sacred scene that Joseph Smith saw in vision, which illustrates the angelic protection that missionaries frequently enjoy. He said,

[I saw] “Elder Brigham Young standing in a strange land, in the far south and west, in a desert place, upon a rock in the midst of about a dozen men who appeared hostile. He was preaching to them in their own tongue, and the angel of God standing above his head, with a drawn sword in his hand, protecting him, but he did not see it. 

Such wonderful protections are happening to our missionaries and they often have no idea…

ANGELS SOFTEN HEARTS

Another primary reason for angels to intervene in missionary work is to soften and prepare hearts for learning the gospel.

Missionary Sees an Angel During Discussion  

I love this tender story about a departed family member of the investigators who helped the missionaries prepare his family for the gospel. Sister Richardson writes:

“Elder Suarez himself actually saw an angel during one of their lessons   while working in the Centenario Ward in Otavalo. While they were      teaching a family, Elder Suarez lowered his head to take a drink from a glass, when he saw a little child sitting on the dining room table looking intently at his companion while he was teaching. The child was smiling and was very sweet with a happy face and he remained there during his companion’s teaching.

“It was at a later appointment that the family shared with them that they had a small son who had died earlier, who according to his mother, comforted her from time to time and encouraged her to keep learning more about the Gospel and to endure to the end.” 

By seeing this angel child, and sharing his experience with the parents, Elder Suarez validated the mother’s own experience, and hearts were opened.  

According to Alma, preparing hearts is one of the purposes of angelic ministry. He wrote:

“…angels are declaring …unto many at this time … for the purpose of preparing the hearts of the children of men to receive his word.”

Hearts DO need preparation in order to open up as in the following powerful experience.

Angels Help During Earthquake

Sister Gil and Bosse were in the tin hut home of an investigator at 7:00 pm when the earth suddenly shook violently in a 7.8 earthquake, two hours from the coast of Esmeraldas, Ecuador. Sister Richardson records what happens right after the earthquake took place:

“People were screaming, children were whining, dogs were barking, and the missionaries were just as frightened. While her companion was clinging to her, Sister Gil said that a recent training on praise came to her mind. In that distressing and dark moment, she began to bear vocal testimony to the goodness and greatness of the Lord. She shared with me that at the very moment that she opened her mouth in praise, she felt   what she described as “el manto del Señor (cloak of the Lord) placed        over her shoulders, and she and her companion felt unspeakable peace. 

“As they stood in the open area, Sister Bosse began to sing, ‘Master the Tempest is Raging’ and before long, a group of about 15 alarmed    individuals…knelt around them in prayer… as the Sisters stood singing to the Heavens on that dark and terrifying night.  

“After about five minutes, the strangers who… felt like…friends and neighbors, stood, hugged each other, and returned to where they had come from, having had a notable transformation of peace and serenity, while the sisters stood quietly reflecting on the miracle they had just witnessed.  

“Sister Gil told me later that she understood that night in a very real way the power of vocally praising the Lord and how it opened the door to the ministration of angels, as well as …[opening] the door to the Heavens, especially in the midst of trouble. 

Angels Touch Missionaries and Missionaries Touch People

These stories of angelic intercessions illustrate the fact that missionaries, (and anyone seeking to be involved in that work) are so often protected, lifted and inspired by angels. When we are doing the Lord’s work, we are literally putting ourselves in His hands, and angels become our companions. They work through us to touch and gather Israel.

God Answers Joseph’s Prayer

The First Vision

Introduction

As Joseph Smith knelt in prayer in the grove, “a pillar of light” descended from the heavens and rested upon him. God the Father announced, “This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!”

Jesus Christ then taught Joseph: “Behold, I am the Lord of glory. I was crucified for the world, that all those who believe on my name may have eternal life. Behold, the world lieth in sin at this time and none doeth good, no not one. They have turned aside from the gospel and keep not my commandments. They draw near to me with their lips while their hearts are far from me.”

In the grove that day, our Heavenly Father and His Son drew near to man once again as They revealed Themselves to a boy who had drawn near to Them in his heart. The truths given by God to Joseph in that setting and in revelations to come would reestablish the kingdom of God upon the earth.

Quotes

Joseph Smith Quotes 

“The fundamental principles of our religion are the testimony of the Apostles and Prophets, concerning Jesus Christ, that He died, was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended into heaven; and all other things which pertain to our religion are only appendages to it” (History of the Church, 3:30).

“Seek to know God in your closets, call upon him in the fields. Follow the directions of the Book of Mormon, and pray over, and for your families, your cattle, your flocks, your herds, your corn, and all things that you possess; ask the blessing of God upon all your labors, and everything that you engage in” (History of the Church, 5:31).

“When we understand the character of God, and know how to come to Him, he begins to unfold the heavens to us, and to tell us all about it. When we are ready to come to him, he is ready to come to us” (History of the Church, 6:308).

Witnesses

Brigham Young, Second President of the Church, 1847–1877 

In February 1847, Brigham Young communicated with Joseph Smith in a marvelous dream. Joseph’s message was clear: “Tell the people to be humble and faithful, and be sure to keep the spirit of the Lord and it will lead them right. Be careful and not turn away the small still voice; it will teach them what to do and where to go; it will yield the fruits of the kingdom. . . . [T]hey can tell the spirit of the Lord from all other spirits; it will whisper peace and joy to their souls” (Brigham Young Vision, Feb. 23, 1847, Brigham Young Office Files, Church History Library, Salt Lake City).

Harold B. Lee, 11th President of the Church, 1972–1973 

“We must pray with real intent, with desire to know, and with faith on the Lord Jesus Christ; then by the power of the Holy Ghost we may know. That is the only way we can have an answer to prayers” (The Teachings of Harold B. Lee, ed. Clyde J. Williams (1996), 126).

Neal A. Maxwell, Apostle, 1981–2004 

“Jesus has been there as our long-suffering Shepherd for ages.

“We need not be atop high mountains or in sacred groves for God to be there. God is also there even in the mildest expressions of His presence” (“Yet Thou Art There,” Ensign, Nov. 1987, 32).

Questions

How do people draw near unto God with their lips while their hearts are far away?

“If we draw near unto the Lord with our lips and our hearts are far from Him,” explained Elder George Q. Cannon, “then we are hypocrites. If we profess to be Latter-day Saints and have an outward semblance of religion, while in reality our lives do not correspond with our professions, then we are hypocrites—we are guilty of hypocrisy before the Lord, and His anger will be kindled against us” (Deseret News, June 1, 1889, 710).

Are God the Father and Jesus Christ separate beings?

Yes. Like Stephen, who looked into heaven and saw Jesus Christ “standing on the right hand of God” (see Acts 7:55–56), Joseph Smith saw “two Personages.” The Father spoke, saying, “This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!” (Joseph Smith—History 1:17).

Readings

Online Resources at ChurchofJesusChrist.org

1. Doctrine and Covenants 68:6
2. Doctrine and Covenants 88:63
3. 3 Nephi 20:31
4. Ether 3:14
5. John 17:3
6. “Significance of the First Vision”—in “The First Vision,” Church History in the Fulness of Times Student Manual (Church Educational System manual, 2003), 34–36
7. “God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, Appeared to the Boy Prophet”—in “Joseph Smith: First President of the Church,” Presidents of the Church Student Manual (Church Educational System Manual, 2004), 5
   

Source: history.churchofjesuschrist.org

Emma Smith’s Table

Cover image via Brent Borup.

When the Saints began to gather, they brought beans baked with molasses from New England, and corn bread from the South. English Saints with their custards had not seen either. Streams of well meaning, interested people called upon the Prophet day and night, both in Kirtland and Nauvoo. Emma kept a good table for Joseph’s guests. In Nauvoo, the many that crowded into the Smith home near dinner were finally officially informed by the Church newspaper to stay away at supper because the Prophet’s family could not be expected to feed the entire city.

But even so, it was rare that Joseph ate at home without an invited friend. On one occasion, William W. Phelps suggested Joseph acquire a smaller table as Boneparte had done when faced with the same problem. Emma quickly replied, “Mr. Smith is a bigger man than Boneparte; he can never eat without his friends.”

Emma was up at 4 o’clock in the summer, the break of day. She trudged to the barn to milk before breakfast. She had a cookie jar she kept filled for the children. Her cookies were a little sweeter than biscuits, but not so rich as regular cookies or doughnuts. Her doughnuts were always the twisted kind.

Her grandchildren remembered, “everything grew for her: potatoes, onions, turnips, cabbage. She put bunches of grapes, sealed with wax right off the vine, to hang in her cellar and had grapes nearly all winter.” She herself remarked, “I never wanted Joseph to go into the garden to work for if he did it would not be fifteen minutes before there would be three or four, or perhaps a dozen men round him and they would tramp the ground faster than he could hoe it up.”

Emma ran the Mansion House hotel. During a political campaign several office seekers came to the Mansion House for dinner. Emma made fritters which were served at the meal with syrup or honey. Delighted, the hopeful politicians asked, “What do you call these things?” Said Emma, “It all depends. A year like this we call them Candidates, all puffed up and air in them.”

 Yet, Joseph, Emma, and the Saints were often without, driven hunted, harassed, hungry little ones clinging to their skirts, bereft of shelter and begging for bread. “We could live as well as anyone,” “Emma once wept, “if only the persecution would cease.”

On more than one occasion, after Joseph had looked over a scanty dinner he prayed, “Lord, we thank Thee for this Johnny cake, and ask Thee to send us something better. Amen.” Before the bread was all eaten, someone had come to the door asking if the Prophet Joseph was at home. Joseph replied he was, whereupon the visitor said, “I have brought you some flour and a ham.” Joseph arose and took the gift, and blessed the man in the name of the Lord. Turning to his wife, Emma, he said, “I knew the Lord would answer my prayer.”

Today, Emma’s descendants still enjoy some of her recipes. Two are shared here:

Emma’s Brown Sugar Cookies

1 cup butter, at room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup brown sugar, packed

2 eggs, well beaten

2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups oats

½ cup chopped walnuts

1. Cream butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy. 
2. Beat in eggs one at a time.
3. Sift flour with baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Stir into butter mixture. Add vanillla and nuts and stir until blended.
4. Drop by tablespoons onto ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten to 4-inch diameter. Bake cookies at 350° F for 10 to 12 minutes. Cookies should be slightly soft when removed from oven. Makes 22 large cookies.

Emma’s Fritters or Candidates

1 ½ cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 tablespoons sugar

½ teaspoon salt 

1/3 cup milk

2 eggs, separated

Cooking oil

1. Sift flour, baking powder, sugar and salt together. 
2. Make a well in center of dry ingredients and pour in milk. 
3. Add lightly beaten egg yolks. 
4. Blend together till batter is smooth. Fold in stiffly beaten egg whites. 
5. Chill for thirty minutes.
6. Form into fritters by making balls with two spoons dipped in hot water. Deep fry in oil until golden brown.

Sources:

Reflections of Emma by Buddy Youngreen

The Emma Smith We Know by Darcy Kennedy and Angelina Washburn

The Greatest Gospel Dispensation of All Time

A Marvelous Work and a Wonder

Introduction 

Joseph Smith, a youth of 14, saw God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ in a personal visitation in the spring of 1820. Through him, until his martyrdom at Carthage Jail in 1844, came the unfolding of the “greatest gospel dispensation of all time.”The Lord described the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ and His Church as “a marvelous work among the children of men.”

Joseph Smith—as prophet, teacher, and beloved leader of the Saints—was the prophet of the Restoration. His ministry was filled with events that molded him into a prophet. Through his ministry, what was then a small band of believers in 1830 has become a worldwide Church today. He accomplished his work without the advantages of schooling, property, or family prominence. The cause of Christ he championed has never taken a step backward.

With each year, the stature of the Prophet Joseph Smith grows. Said his successor Brigham Young, “I feel like shouting Hallelujah, all the time, when I think that I ever knew Joseph Smith, the Prophet whom the Lord raised up and ordained, and to whom he gave keys and power to build up the Kingdom of God on earth and sustain it.”

Quotes

Joseph Smith Quotes

“I calculate to be one of the instruments of setting up the kingdom of Daniel by the word of the Lord, and I intend to lay a foundation that will revolutionize the whole world. . . . It will not be by sword or gun that this kingdom will roll on: the power of truth is such that all nations will be under the necessity of obeying the Gospel” (History of the Church, 6:365).

“Truly this is a day long to be remembered by the Saints of the last days,—a day in which the God of heaven has begun to restore the ancient order of His kingdom unto His servants and His people,—a day in which all things are concurring to bring about the completion of the fullness of the Gospel, a fullness of the dispensation of dispensations, even the fullness of times; a day . . . which Jehovah has promised should be made known in His own due time unto His servants, to prepare the earth for the return of His glory” (History of the Church, 4:492–93).

“Here, then, beloved brethren, is a work to engage in worthy of archangels—a work which will cast into the shade the things which have been heretofore accomplished; a work which kings and prophets and righteous men in former ages have sought, expected, and earnestly desired to see, but died without the sight; and well will it be for those who shall aid in carrying into effect the mighty operations of Jehovah” (History of the Church, 4:187).

Witnesses

Gordon B. Hinckley, 15th President of the Church, 1995–2008

“How great indeed is our debt to [Joseph Smith]. His life began in Vermont and ended in Illinois, and marvelous were the things that happened between that simple beginning and tragic ending. It was he who brought us a true knowledge of God, the Eternal Father, and His Risen Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. . . .

“He was the instrument in the hands of the Almighty. He was the servant acting under the direction of the Lord Jesus Christ in bringing to pass this great latter-day work” (“A Season for Gratitude,” Ensign, Dec. 1997, 2).

Brigham Young, Second President of the Church, 1847–1877 

“When I first heard him [Joseph Smith] preach he brought heaven and earth together, and all the priests of the day could not tell me anything correct about heaven, hell, God, angels, nor devils; they were as blind as Egyptian darkness. When I saw Joseph Smith he took heaven, figuratively speaking, . . . and opened up, in plainness and simplicity the things of God, and that is the beauty of his mission” (Discourses of Brigham Young, 458; Deseret News, Dec. 30, 1857, 340).

John Taylor, Third President of the Church, 1880–1887 

“If there is no other man under the heavens that knows that Joseph Smith is a prophet of God I do, and I bear testimony of it to God, angels and men” (Deseret News, Mar. 25, 1863, 306.)

Joseph Fielding Smith, 10th President of the Church, 1970–1972 

“Joseph Smith was the messenger whom the Lord sent to prepare the way before him. He came and under direction of holy messengers laid the foundation for the kingdom of God and of this marvelous work and a wonder that the world might be prepared for the coming of the Lord” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1920, 107).

Questions

What other dispensations of the gospel have taken place on the earth?

A dispensation of the gospel is a period of time on earth when the darkness of apostasy is dispersed, when authorized servants dispense God’s word and administer saving ordinances. Elder David W. Patten of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained that a dispensation of the gospel “is power and authority to dispense the word of God, and to administer in all the ordinances thereof” (History of the Church, 3:50). Adam opened the first dispensation of the gospel. After periods of apostasy, other dispensations were opened by Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus Christ.

Why was Joseph Smith chosen to restore the gospel of Jesus Christ?

Joseph Smith was the chosen prophet of the latter days even before he was born. He was like the prophet Jeremiah, to whom the Lord said, “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations” (Jeremiah 1:5). So it was with Joseph Smith. “At the general and grand Council of heaven,” taught Joseph, “all those to whom a dispensation was to be committed, were set apart and ordained at that time, to that calling” (discourse given by Joseph Smith on May 12, 1844, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Samuel W. Richards; quoted in The Words of Joseph Smith, ed. Andrew F. Ehat and Lyndon W. Cook [1980], 371).

Further Reading

1. Isaiah 29:13–14, 26
2. Daniel 2:29–44
3. Matthew 7:21
4. 1 Nephi 14:7
5. 2 Nephi 3:5–9
6. 2 Nephi 25:17
7. “Introduction”—Our Heritage: A Brief History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (1996), v–vii
8. “Joseph Smith”—Presidents of the Church Student Manual (Church Educational System manual, 2004), 1–19
9. “Prelude to the Restoration”—Church History in the Fulness of Times Student Manual (Church Educational System manual, 2003), 1–13
   

Sources

1. “A gospel dispensation is a period of time in which the Lord has at least one authorized servant on the earth who bears the keys of the holy priesthood. “Adam, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus Christ, Joseph Smith, and others have each started a new gospel dispensation. When the Lord organizes a dispensation, the gospel is revealed anew so that the people of that dispensation do not have to depend on past dispensations for knowledge of the plan of salvation. The dispensation begun by Joseph Smith is known as the ‘dispensation of the fulness of times’ (Guide to the Scriptures, “Dispensation,” scriptures.ChurchofJesusChrist.org).
2. First Presidency message, Apr. 6, 1930: quoted in James R. Clark, comp., Messages of the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 6 vols. (1965–75), 5:275.
3. The Book of Mormon prophet Nephi prophesied of our dispensation and the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ, saying: “The Lord will set his hand again the second time to restore his people from their lost and fallen state. Wherefore, he will proceed to do a marvelous work and a wonder among the children of men” (2 Nephi 25:17).
4. Doctrine and Covenants 18:44.
5. Brigham Young was born June 1, 1801, in Whitingham, Vermont. In 1835 he was called to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. As successor to Joseph Smith, he led the migration west in 1846–47 to the Rocky Mountains and founded Salt Lake City. He was sustained as President of the Church on December 27, 1847. As Church President and territorial governor of Utah, he established Latter-day Saint settlements in Utah and throughout the American West. He died August 29, 1877, in Salt Lake City after nearly 30 years as Church President.
6. Discourses of Brigham Young (1954), 458.

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