Sunday, December 23, 2012
December 23 - Restoration Through Joseph Smith
Joseph Smith was the prophet through whom Jesus Christ restored the fulness of the gospel back to the earth. Joseph’s first vision in which he saw God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ reaffirms the truth that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and that He still speaks through prophets on the earth today!
I am grateful for the truths that have been restored, which help me to understand the scriptures. The Book of Mormon helps me to love and understand the Bible more. I am forever grateful for the sacrifices Joseph Smith made to translate The Book of Mormon and to restore the fulness of Christ’s church and teachings to the earth.
Complete Devotionals HERE.
Opening Song: In A Little Stable-piano; vocal copy
Have the children ring bells while singing.
Ornament: First Vision
Timeline: 1820 A.D.
Show The Lord Appears in the Kirtland Temple. Joseph Smith saw Jesus many times. After he and Sidney Rigdon saw Jesus in Hiram, Ohio, Joseph testified, “For we saw him, even on the right hand of God; and we heard the voice bearing record that he is the Only Begotten of the Father – That by him, and through him, and of him, the worlds are and were created, and the inhabitants thereof are begotten sons and daughters unto God…. And this is the gospel, the glad tidings, which the voice out of the heavens bore record unto us – That he came into the world, even Jesus, to be crucified for the world, and to bear the sins of the world, and to sanctify the world, and to cleanse it from all unrighteousness; That through him all might be saved whom the Father had put into his power and made by him;” (D&C 76:23-24, 40-42).
The world has been blessed by the faith of Joseph Smith. Today is his birthday! Through Joseph Smith, a latter-day prophet, Jesus Christ restored His true church to the earth, complete with the priesthood and all of the ordinances we need to return to the presence of our Heavenly Father. We are most blessed by the life of Joseph Smith, and the knowledge of Jesus Christ that was restored through him to the earth.
Show GAK 402, 403 or use flannel boards to tell the story. All true prophets who have ever lived on the earth have testified of Jesus Christ. After Jesus died, many of His apostles continued teaching the fullness of the truth. But after many years, the apostles were killed, people fell into apostasy, and the priesthood was lost from the earth for a long time. Then, in the spring of 1820, a young boy named Joseph Smith was searching for one church that had all of God’s truth. He went into the woods near his home and prayed to ask Heavenly Father which church to join. He saw a light come down from heaven and rest on him. Joseph saw two people whose brightness and glory were so great that he couldn’t even describe it. They were standing in the air above Joseph. One called Joseph by name, pointed to the other, and said, "This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!" (Joseph Smith—History 1:14-17). Joseph Smith saw Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.
Some people don’t believe that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ would appear to anyone today. They think that only happened in the Bible. But God has said, “For behold, I am God; and I am a God of miracles; and I will show unto the world that I am the same yesterday, today, and forever; and I work not among the children of men save it be according to their faith” (2 Nephi 27:23). God still speaks to us through prophets, just like He did in the Bible.
Show Joseph of Egypt & Joseph Smith Translating. The ancient prophet, Joseph of Egypt prophesied about Joseph Smith. He said, “Thus saith the Lord God of my fathers unto me, A choice seer will I raise up out of the fruit of thy loins. …And unto him will I give power to bring forth my word unto the seed of thy loins …to the convincing them of my word, which shall have already gone forth among them in the last days; Wherefore the fruit of thy loins shall write [Book of Mormon], and the fruit of the loins of Judah shall write [Bible]; and that which shall be written …shall grow together unto the confounding of false doctrines, and laying down of contentions, and establishing peace among the fruit of thy loins, and bringing them to a knowledge of their fathers in the latter days; and also to the knowledge of my covenants, saith the Lord. And out of weakness shall he be made strong, in that day when my work shall go forth among all my people, which shall restore them, who are of the house of Israel, in the last days. And that seer will I bless, and they that seek to destroy him shall be confounded; for this promise I give unto you; for I will remember you from generation to generation; and his name shall be called Joseph, and it shall be after the name of his father; and he shall be like unto you; for the thing which the Lord shall bring forth by his hand shall bring my people unto salvation” (JST, Gen. 50:27, 30–31, 33). The food that Joseph of Egypt stored saved his family from starvation. Through Joseph Smith, the Lord brought forth the Book of Mormon, which brings spiritual salvation to all people who will accept it.
Show Moses and GAK 401. The Lord also revealed to Moses on Mount Sinai 3,000 years before Joseph Smith lived, “And in a day when the children of men shall esteem my words as naught and take [away] many
of them from the book which thou [Moses] shalt write, behold, I will raise up another like unto thee; and they shall be had again among the children of men – among as many as shall believe” (Moses 1:41). Joseph Smith was called by the Lord to be a prophet “like unto” Moses who would restore the text of Moses’ writing so his words could be “had again” among the children of men. Part of this prophecy’s fulfillment was accomplished through the Prophet Joseph Smith’s translation of the first six chapters of Genesis, now known as the book of Moses in the Pearl of Great Price.
The Lord Appears in the Kirtland Temple
by Del Parson (Jan 2010 Ensign)
My favorite part of our lesson was watching this video: Elder Christofferson’s Special Witness of the First Vision (5:46).
Closing Song: “Joseph Smith’s First Prayer” Hymns p. 26
The amazing clay ornament pictured above belongs to my talented friend Jessica who created it. Isn’t it awesome?! Someday....
Julie trimmed down a picture of the First Vision for hers. I sewed mine from felt pieces and tree buttons.
Activity Idea: Play the “stick pull” game (Joseph Smith was the best at this game). Sit across from your opponent with feet touching, and both people holding onto a long stick in between you. Try to pull the other person over.
