Showing posts with label World. Show all posts

Saturday, March 08, 2025

2 Nephi 28:21

How Does the Devil Lead Us Astray?

The Temptation of Christ on the Mountain by Duccio di Buoninsegna

“And thus the devil cheateth their souls, and leadeth them away carefully down to hell”

2 Nephi 28:21

The Know

As Nephi prophesied about the latter days, he took time to observe the ways that Satan will attempt to lead people astray. A great deal can be gleaned about the Devil’s methods by studying all of 2 Nephi 28. Embedded in this chapter, observed John and Gregory Welch, “are many phrases that describe the conduct of those who follow the devil.” They went on to point out that many of the things Nephi described “will pervade much of society in the latter days.”

Much of what Nephi saw can be “well disguised as the philosophies and tendencies” that permeate the thinking of the world, and seem harmless and well intentioned. Miriam Horwinkle, documented many of these ideologies and tactics found in 2 Nephi 28. She found 48 in all, scattered throughout 2 Nephi 28:3–30.

Perhaps best known among these is the warning against an attitude of complacency. “All is well in Zion; yea, Zion prospereth, all is well,” is one of the many lies Satan will tell (2 Nephi 28:21, cf. vv. 24–25). Significantly, this is complacency withinthe church in Zion.

Although typically separated from the notion of “all is well,” the further declaration, “We have received, and we need no more!” (2 Nephi 28:27) can be seen as a symptom of complacency. Such an arrogant declaration may project the false belief that one already knows, and hence the prophets and apostles are no longer needed to speak and guide the church or the world today. Those who think this way tend to be “angry because of the truth of God” (2 Nephi 28:28), and instead put their “trust in man” or the philosophies of men, or make “flesh [their] arm” (2 Nephi 28:31).

Taken this way, Nephi’s explanation that “he that is built upon the rock receiveth it with gladness” can indicate the need for durable gospel paradigms (2 Nephi 28:28)—which, of course, start with a firm testimony in Jesus Christ, who is the rock (see Helaman 5:12).

Alternatively, the overconfident exclamation, “we need no more,” may reflect the attitude that one has studied and learned enough, or that one’s worldview and assumptions are fully well grounded. Interpreted this way, getting people to say “we need no more” could represent Satan’s tactic of making people reluctant to adjust their assumptions. Satan thus prevents people from accommodating new information which challenges their faith, or to questioning the biases of views that denigrate faith.

Being “built upon a sandy foundation” then represents rigid and fragile paradigms which do not hold up well when new information challenges one’s faithful assumptions. One way or the other, these people are enticed into insecurity, and frequently find themselves in the midst of a faith crisis—that is, they “trembleth lest [they] shall fall” (2 Nephi 28:28).

The Why

Anyone familiar with sporting competitions understands the importance of knowing the tactics and tendencies of your opponent. If we are not aware of Satan’s strategies, and do not remain vigilant in our efforts to resist his temptations, then it will be easy for him to “pacify and lull” us “away into a carnal security” (2 Nephi 28:21). He will be able to lead us with a small rope, “by the neck with a flaxen cord, until he bindeth [us] with his strong cords forever” (2 Nephi 26:22).

The specific consequences of thinking “we have enough” are made clear by Nephi (2 Nephi 28:29). Those who build upon the rock are able to learn “line upon line, precept upon precept.” Because they can and will accommodate new information, the Lord “will give more.” Those, like his brothers Laman and Lemuel, who resist new instructions and instead say, “we have enough, from them shall be taken away even that which they have.” This can be seen, time and time again, as those who struggle to fit new information into their paradigms lose the faith in what they already know.

As Dennis L. Largey put it, through Nephi “our Heavenly Father has righteously opened to us his children the unholy playbook of those identified as his enemies.”This is why a pair of Latter-day Saint scholars have said, "The devil hates the Book of Mormon because it exposes his tactics"4There is probably not any other place in scripture or religious literature that lays this all out more clearly, cogently, and compellingly. That is reason enough to be grateful for the Book of Mormon. Those interested in embracing the great plan of the Holy One should study 2 Nephi 28 carefully in order to better prepare themselves against these ploys of the “cunning plan of the evil one” (2 Nephi 9:28; cf. Alma 28:13; Doctrine and Covenants 10:12, 23).

Friday, March 07, 2025

2 Nephi 24:12; Isaiah 14:12

Why Did Lehi "Suppose" the Existence of Satan?

Lucifer from Milton's Paradise Lost by Gustave Dore (1866)

“How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning!”

2 Nephi 24:12; Isaiah 14:12

The Know

The Book of Mormon includes a stark portrayal of Satan, or the devil as he is more commonly called in the text. Satan’s main desire, according to Book of Mormon prophets, is to make “all men . . . miserable like unto himself” (2 Nephi 2:27). This he does by leading men and women into sin, lulling them into a carnal security, blinding them towards the things of God, and stirring up strife and contention in the hearts of the children of men.

Some have wondered how the Book of Mormon has such a vivid depiction of Satan while the Old Testament or Hebrew Bible appears to lack a concrete conception of him.3 While it is true that Satan (or “the satan”) appears in such passages as Numbers 22, Job 1–2, Zechariah 3, and 1 Chronicles 21, biblical scholars have argued over whether this figure is necessarily an evil entity opposed to God, and, if so, whether his identity and function evolved over time in ancient Israelite religion.

The non-Mormon biblical scholar G. J. Riley explained, “In the Hebrew Bible, one finds the concept of the ‘adversary’ (Heb. śāṭān) in two senses: that of any (usually human) opponent, and that of Satan, the Devil, the opponent of the righteous.” That śāṭānin Hebrew can refer to both mortal and divine adversaries (who may or may not always necessarily be evil) has led to conflicting interpretations of the Old Testament passages in which he appears.

Despite this ambiguity, there exist underlying conceptions from ancient Near Eastern mythology that may help us understand the role of Satan in the Bible. Riley explained, “The Biblical idea that God and the righteous angels confronted the opposition of a great spiritual enemy, the Devil backed by the army of the demons, had a long history and development in the ancient world. Very old stories of conflict among the gods are found in each of the cultures which influenced the Biblical tradition, and these stories . . . contributed to the concept of the Devil.” Riley mentioned specifically Mesopotamian and Canaanite myths that feature a head deity fighting back the forces of chaos, death, and evil as underlying elements in the biblical depiction of Yahweh fighting against “terrifying but legitimate spirits of calamity, disease, and death.”

Indeed, it appears that ancient Israelites did possess an understanding of demons or other evil deities that opposed God (NRSV Leviticus 16:8; 17:7; Deuteronomy 32:17; Psalm 106:37–38; Isaiah 13:21; 34:14). They likewise understood God as combatting sea monsters and waters that personified chaos and destruction (NRSV Psalm 74:12-17; 89:9-12; 93:3-4; Job 26:12-13; Isaiah 27:1; 51:9-10). In later biblical writings the chaos monster, “the great dragon” or “old serpent,” would come to be explicitly identified as Satan (Revelation 12:1-11).

Turning to the Book of Mormon, it is important to note that Lehi “supposed” the existence of Satan based on reading something he encountered in the plates of brass. “And I, Lehi, according to the things which I have read, must needs supposethat an angel of God, according to that which is written, had fallen from heaven; wherefore, he became a devil, having sought that which was evil before God” (2 Nephi 2:17, emphasis added). It appears that Lehi was referencing this passage in Isaiah: “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! Art thou cut down to the ground, which did weaken the nations!” (2 Nephi 24:12; Isaiah 14:12).

The name rendered as “Lucifer” (Latin for “light-bearer”) in the Hebrew text is Helel ben Shachar (hēylēl ben šāḥar) and literally means “shining one, son of dawn.” This links him with “a Canaanite myth of the gods Helel and Shahar . . . who fall from heaven as a result of rebellion” (cf. Genesis 6:1–4), as well as a deity from the ancient Near East identified as “a star in the constellation . . . associated with Ištar and through which passes Venus” (cf. Job 38:6–7).

The LDS biblical scholar David Bokovoy explained, “[Lehi] would need to have a biblical text that described a fallen angel. Such a view appears in Isaiah 14. This biblical passage is a lament, mocking the death of the Assyrian king from the time of Isaiah.” According to Bokovoy, “Even though this text refers directly to an Assyrian monarch who tried to make himself a divine being like the most High God, the taunt is based upon an ancient Canaanite motif of a literal divinity who tried to ascend to the throne of El, the highest god in the divine assembly.”

Another LDS scholar, John A. Tvedtnes, wrote, “Lucifer’s attempt to sit on the holy mountain reflects his desire to become part of the heavenly council.” In the words of one biblical scholar, he tried to “sit enthroned on the mountain where the assembly of gods met . . . in effect as the king of the gods.” For his presumption, Lucifer, the mythological personification of perhaps the Assyrian king Sargon II (circa 722–705 BC), was cast down to the underworld, where he was to be stripped of his power and prestige, mocked by those he once oppressed, and ultimately defeated by Yahweh (Isaiah 14:15–23; 2 Nephi 24:15–23).

Knowing, as he did, the essential story of the fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden (2 Nephi 2:15–27), Lehi knew of “the captivity and power of the devil” (v. 27), who was “the father of all lies” (v. 18). He also knew that the devil and wickedness were in “opposition” to God and his righteousness (vv. 11–13). But where the devil had come from was not explicitly stated in Genesis. Perhaps puzzling over this very gap in the records known to him, and with the contextual background to Isaiah 14:12 in mind, it is easy to see how Lehi could have “supposed” the existence of the devil, an angel or divine being who opposed God and so fell to the lowest world (hell). Lehi’s cogent explanation was then picked up by his sons Nephi and Jacob and perpetuated and developed further by subsequent Book of Mormon prophets and authors.

The Why

By providing a clearer depiction of Satan than the Hebrew Bible, the Book of Mormon helps us recognize him and his tactics. “In addition to exposing the tactics and plans of Satan,” wrote Clyde James Williams, “the Book of Mormon gives clear and direct counsel on how to overcome him.”With these two scriptural records combined, we are better prepared to withstand the Adversary and his minions.

On a theological or even literary level, the Book of Mormon appears to draw from Isaiah 14 in its own conception of Satan, which in turn drew some of its imagery or inspiration from a wider ancient Near Eastern mythological environment. Lehi thus seems to have made the same theological innovation that Jews returning from the Babylonian Exile not long after him would go on to make.

Or perhaps this conception of the Evil One was already beginning to circulate among the prophets in Jerusalem in Lehi’s day, thereby allowing it to emerge strongly and without any resistance in later biblical writings. Of course, the “historical approach to the concept of Satan as an evolutionary theological development in Judaism raises the question of whether the Book of Mormon’s references to the Devil should be seen as anachronistic,” but as Bokovoy has acknowledged, “a careful reading of the Book of Mormon, however, shows that in this instance, the Book of Mormon seems to reflect the way biblical scholars who read the Hebrew Bible critically understand this issue.”

Tuesday, March 04, 2025

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.

Sunday, March 02, 2025

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.

Saturday, March 01, 2025

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

Doctrine and Covenants 68:6
Doctrine and Covenants 88:63
3 Nephi 20:31
Ether 3:14
John 17:3
“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
“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

Friday, February 28, 2025

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

Cream butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
Beat in eggs one at a time.
Sift flour with baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Stir into butter mixture. Add vanillla and nuts and stir until blended.
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

Sift flour, baking powder, sugar and salt together.
Make a well in center of dry ingredients and pour in milk.
Add lightly beaten egg yolks.
Blend together till batter is smooth. Fold in stiffly beaten egg whites.
Chill for thirty minutes.
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