Sis Crouch gave the lesson today on chapter 4 (pg. 33) The Prophet Joseph Smith, God's instrument in the restoring the truth.
President George Albert Smith in the manual stated: “Many of the benefits and blessings that have come to me have come through that man who gave his life for the gospel of Jesus Christ. There have been some who have belittled him, but I would like to say that those who have done so will be forgotten and their remains will go back to mother earth, if they have not already gone, and the odor of their infamy will never die, while the glory and honor and majesty and courage and fidelity manifested by the Prophet Joseph Smith will attach to his name forever.”
Joseph Smiths 1st vision demonstrated that the heavens are not sealed. We then watched a video of the 1st vision and were asked to write down what we have/know today because of that occurrence. Some of the answers given were:
We know that Heaven Father and Jesus Christ are 2 seperate beings
They had bodies
We are created in their image
They knew Joseph by name
That He answers prayers
The adversary is real
The gospel was not on the earth yet but the fullnes would be made known
The Lord chose an innocent young man to be his voice - not an established/educated person
2 other points that the manual focused on were -
The truths restored through Joseph Smith being peace and joy
and
Though young, Joseph Smith was called to restore the true church of Jesus Christ.
Sis. Crouch asked again, "What did Joseph Smith do in his lifetime that we enjoy/blessed by today?"
Some of the answers were:
Temples
The Priesthood
Book of Mormon
Revelation
Relief Society
Organized the church
endowments
missionary work
Word of Wisdom
knowledge of the 3 degrees of glory
The last point the manual talked about was that
Joseph Smith was willing to give his life for his testimony
In the manual is says: In the year 1830, the Church was organized with six members. The adversary of all righteousness has from that day to the present sought to impede its progress and destroy it. I wonder if that great man, Joseph Smith, who gave his life that the Church might be organized and carried on as the Lord intended, can see the Church as it exists today, with its branches established in all parts of the world, and realize that each day since he was martyred, since he laid down his life and sealed his testimony with his blood, the Church has become stronger than the day before.
Thank you Sister Crouch for sharing your knowledge and testimony with us!
- Sis. Pyrah