Sunday Lesson: Apr 12th

Ezra Taft Benson manual, Joseph Smith, an Instrument in the Hands of the Lord. Throughout the lesson in the manual Pres. Benson shares a powerful testimony of the prophet Joseph Smith. He said, "Joseph SMith was a prophet of the Living God, one of the greatest prophets that has ever lived upon the earth. He was the instrument in God's hand in ushering in a great gospel dispensation, the greatest ever, and the last of all in preparation for the second coming of the Master."

"Why do you think the First Vision the greatest event in history since the resurrection of Jesus Christ?" Pres. Benson teaches us, "it is not something that concerns only a handful of people. It is a message and a revelation intended for all of our Father's children living upon the face of the earth. It was the greatest event that has ever happened in this world since the resurrection of the Master. Sometimes I think we are so close to it that we don't fully appreciate its significance and importance and the magnitude of it."

During the lesson two sisters shared their testimonies about the Joseph Smith. It was such a treat to hear from both women; one who has been a member her whole life, and the other who is a recent convert. They both shared such powerful testimonies of the truthfulness of the First Vision and the important work that Joseph Smith did to restore the gospel in its fullness in this dispensation. 

"The most singular evidence in support of Joseph Smith's claim to being a spokes man for Almighty God was the publication of a scriptural record, the Book of Mormon," President Benson teaches us. "The major purpose of the record is to convince a latter generation that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God." "If you believe the Book of Mormon is true, then Jesus is the Christ, Joseph Smith was His prophet, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is true, and it is being led today by a prophet receiving revelation."

Sis Maxwell invited all of us at the end of her lesson to pray about the Joseph Smith's first vision in order to know for ourselves if what he saw and all the work that he did was true. Pres. Benson says, "I testify to you that Joseph Smith was and is a prophet of God, one of the truly and great prophets of all time, a man of destiny, a man of character, a man of courage, a man of deep spirituality, a God-like prophet of the Lord, a truly noble and great one of all time. Yes, Joseph Smith, the latter-day Prophet, was an instrument in the hands of the Lord in opening a new gospel dispensation, the last and greatest of all gospel dispensations."