Truths learned from the First Vision to help us overcome the confusion from our day

So I gave a talk in church today.  I know it has been about 4 years since I last gave a talk.  I've been surprised that we haven't been asked in such a long time!!:)  Anyway the counselor in the bishopric called DH on Tuesday and asked us to speak.  He spent about 10 minutes explaining the topic to DH (which apparently he got it wrong:) anyway when DH told me what the topic was, I felt very overwhelmed and didn't even know where to start.  It really stressed me out (which isn't normal, I normally feel just fine giving talks in church).  He gave me a blessing and the blessing sparked an idea for my talk, which was enough for that moment.  Then the next morning I read through the First Vision and I came up with 4 main points that I wanted to talk about.  I spent a lot of yesterday working on my talk, here it is!:)

Almost 200 years ago Joseph Smith lived in a time where religious confusion abounded.  He says, “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?” (JSH 1:10)

I don’t know about you, but I often feel confused. Should women hold the priesthood?  Why exactly is legalizing homosexual marriage a bad thing?  Now I want you to understand that I believe our prophets and I support 100% what they say, but I still have had these questions.  I still have felt confused.  Then there are the questions that haven’t been addressed by our prophets: What diet is the best for my family?  How should I best educate my children?  What is the best way to lead my family? Who should I vote for?  I have found many conflicting opinions in my quest to find answers to these questions.  I have often wondered, just as Joseph did, “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?”(JSH 1:10)  

Bishop Gerald Causse, First counselor in the Presiding Bishopric wrote in the August 2012 Ensign, “All members of the Church at some time in their lives face moments that test the sincerity and strength of their testimonies. Braving these trials of our faith helps us stand firm in a world that is falling more and more into the depths of confusion. This confusion is evident in the barrage of messages that surround us. With the advent of the Internet, for example, an uninterrupted avalanche of contradictory opinions and information invades our everyday lives. These contradictions can become disconcerting and paralyzing.”

Luckily further study of the First Vision and the Restoration helps us to know that we don’t have to live in confusion!  God will lead us to experiences because he has a plan for us, the Atonement is real and He does answer prayers!

Heavenly Father is in charge of our lives!  As I read the First Vision I see Heavenly Father directing Joseph Smith’s family.  First of all he moves them to Palmyra where religious conflict is huge (and “conveniently” right next to where Moroni buried the gold plates), then  he inspires Joseph to read James 1:5, after reading that scripture Joseph records how he felt:

 “Never did any passage of scripture come with more power to the heart of man than this did at this time to mine. It seemed to enter with great force into every feeling of my heart. I reflected on it again and again, knowing that if any person needed wisdom from God, I did; for how to act I did not know, and unless I could get more wisdom than I then had, I would never know…At length I came to the conclusion that I must either remain in darkness and confusion, or else I must do as James directs, that is, ask of God. I at length came to the determination to “ask of God,” concluding that if he gave wisdom to them that lacked wisdom, and would give liberally, and not upbraid, I might venture.” (JSH 1:12-13)

Joseph didn’t just come upon that scripture.  We know his family studied scriptures on a regular basis, and we know that the Bible is full of scriptures that teach us that God answers prayers.  Joseph was led to this scripture that night because it was what he needed.  He felt such a power as he read that scripture. Listen again: “Never did any passage of scripture come with more power to the heart of man…it seemed to enter with great force into every feeling of my heart.”  Heavenly Father knew Joseph and He had a plan for Joseph.  He knew that reading this scripture and receiving such strong feelings would lead Joseph to venture to ask God.  And once Joseph asked, God could and would answer. 

I have felt led so often in my life; led on a path that I might not have chosen on my own, led to answers to my questions, led to feel more beautiful, led to true healing.  Last General Conference I saw a news article about the women who tried to get into the priesthood session at General Conference.  I decided to read the article because I wanted to know what crazy things these women had done in order to show their misunderstanding of church doctrine, but I was amazed at how respectful they were.  So I decided to look at their website.  After reading their website I felt extremely confused, a few days later I was led to read a blog that addressed this event.  The author of the blog answered all of my questions!  Then I saw a YouTube video where Sheri Dew was addressing this very issue and she again answered my questions!  Heavenly Father knew of my questions and He led me to find the answers.  Heavenly Father knows your questions too and He will lead you to find your answers.  Not all answers come immediately, but you are given knowledge “line upon line, precept upon precept” as you are ready for the answers.  Joseph studied and studied before he finally came to the conclusion that he could ask God.  We now know that we can ask God.

After Joseph decides to ask God, he goes to a private place, in the Sacred Grove.  He kneels down and he starts to pray: “I kneeled down and began to offer up the desires of my heart to God. I had scarcely done so, when immediately I was seized upon by some power which entirely overcame me, and had such an astonishing influence over me as to bind my tongue so that I could not speak. Thick darkness gathered around me, and it seemed to me for a time as if I were doomed to sudden destruction.  But, exerting all my powers to call upon God to deliver me out of the power of this enemy which had seized upon me, and at the very moment when I was ready to sink into despair and abandon myself to destruction—not to an imaginary ruin, but to the power of some actual being from the unseen world, who had such marvelous power as I had never before felt in any being.” Satan is real and so is his power.  However, Joseph learned that Christ’s power is greater, “just at this moment of great alarm, I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me…It no sooner appeared than I found myself delivered from the enemy which held me bound.” (JSH 1:15-17)

Elder David A. Bednar, in last April’s General Conference said: “The Father’s plan is designed to provide direction for His children, to help them become happy, and to bring them safely home to Him with resurrected, exalted bodies. Heavenly Father desires us to be together in the light and filled with hope. In contrast, Lucifer labors to make the sons and daughters of God confused and unhappy and to hinder their eternal progression. The overarching intent of the father of lies is that all of us would become “miserable like unto himself” (2 Nephi 2:27). Lucifer wants us ultimately to be alone in the dark and without hope.”

Satan’s power is intense and compelling.  And being “natural men” we all succumb to it, “for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” (Rom. 3:23) But just as Satan’s power is real, so is Christ’s.  Because of His Atonement, we all have the power to overcome Satan’s attempts to “lead us carefully down to hell.” (2 Nephi 28:21)

Of all the truths learned from the Restoration, a clearer understanding of the Atonement is one of the most important.  Because of the restoration we learn from Alma that Christ “shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.  And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities.” (Alma 7:11-12)

Christ understands our pain.  Christ understands our weaknesses.  Christ still loves us!  Over and over again I hear the questions of people asking: how could God allow children to be born to parents who will abuse them, sell them into slavery, or where all they will know is hunger, or war?  How could God allow people to die in earthquakes, or tsunamis or tornadoes?  Why does God rescue some and not others, it is so unfair.  My only answer to all of this is Christ’s atonement.  He knows each of our pains, and he knows what is best for us to grow and become like Him.  He gives us experiences that will make us stronger and refine us!  I love the imagery from this scripture from First Nephi 21:15-16(Also found in Isaiah 49): “For can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee, O house of Israel. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.”  Kent F. Richards of the Seventy further clarifies in the April 2011 General Conference, “Sometimes in the depth of pain, we are tempted to ask, “Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there?” I testify the answer is yes, there is a physician. The Atonement of Jesus Christ covers all these conditions and purposes of mortality.”

We also learn that we can be forgiven.  In D&C section 58:42 it reads: “Behold, he who has repented of his sins, the same is forgiven, and I, the Lord, remember them no more.”

The Atonement is powerful.  I know that in all my studying, my finite mind will never be able to fully comprehend the Atonement.  But I am thankful for the restoration of the gospel that has helped me to increase my knowledge and testimony of the Atonement.

God answered Joseph’s prayer, “I was answered that I must join none of them, for they were all wrong;” (JSH 1:19) and he will answer your prayers too!  Joseph’s prayer was unique to him and his circumstances.  I know of stories of many people, who prayed to find truth, but I only know of one person who prayed and received a visitation from God the Father and Jesus Christ and they only came once.  However, it was essential that they appeared to him in order for him to be able to fulfill his mission.  Joseph prayed many other times and his prayers were answered in so many different ways.  Sometimes he received an angel, sometimes he received a revelation, and I’m sure that sometimes he just received promptings or a feeling of peace. 

Because of the restoration we received the scripture: “Yea, behold, I will tell you in your mind and in your heart, by the Holy Ghost, which shall come upon you and which shall dwell in your heart.” (D&C 8:2)  What a relief it is to know that God will answer my prayers in my personal way.

Elder Richard G. Scott said in October of 1989’s General Conference, “Communication with our Father in Heaven is not a trivial matter. It is a sacred privilege. It is based upon unchanging principles. When we receive help from our Father in Heaven, it is in response to faith, obedience, and the proper use of agency.

It is a mistake to assume that every prayer we offer will be answered immediately. Some prayers require considerable effort on our part. True, sometimes impressions come when we have not specifically sought them. They generally concern something we need to know and are not otherwise able to find out…When He answers yes, it is to give us confidence.  When He answers no, it is to prevent error.  When He withholds an answer, it is to have us grow through faith in Him, obedience to His commandments, and a willingness to act on truth. We are expected to assume accountability by acting on a decision that is consistent with His teachings without prior confirmation. We are not to sit passively waiting or to murmur because the Lord has not spoken. We are to act.”

And then Elder Neil L. Anderson taught in the leadership training held last June: “As we act in faith, we often find that the blessings from the Lord are different than we expected but much better than we imagined.”

Often times it isn’t until we look back after the experience, or the trial is over that we can see God’s answer to our prayers, but I know that He loves us so much that He will answer our prayers in the way that is best for us!

Confusion abounds in today’s world.  It won’t go away until the Second coming of Christ ushers in the millennium.  We are wandering around in the mists of darkness, but we have a rod to hold onto.  We have truths that have been restored and we have living prophets and apostles.  As we heed those truths and listen to the words of our leaders we will stay safe from the “fiery darts of the adversary.” (1 Nephi 15:24) I know that we are led by a loving Heavenly Father and he only wants the best for us.  I know that we can use the Atonement to help us through our sufferings and our need to repent; as we learn more about the Atonement we can understand more about Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ’s love for us.  And I know that Heavenly Father answers our prayers in a way that is personal to us and will help us to accomplish our work on the earth.