The Book of Mormon, another Testament of Jesus Christ, is the religious history of a people that inhabited the Americas from around 600 BC to 400 AD. It was translated by Joseph Smith from an ancient record by the gift and power of God. As its title indicates, its teachings about Jesus Christ combine with the teachings of the Old and New Testaments to help form the foundation of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; the nickname “Mormons” comes from its title. In the Book of Mormon, Jesus himself talks about how He no longer requires animal sacrifices. Instead, He requires the sacrifice of a broken heart:

I am the light and the life of the world. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end.

And ye shall offer up unto me no more the shedding of blood; yea, your sacrifices and your burnt offerings shall be done away, for I will accept none of your sacrifices and your burnt offerings.

And ye shall offer for a sacrifice unto me a broken heart and a contrite spirit. And whoso cometh unto me with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, him will I baptize with fire and with the Holy Ghost…

Behold, I have come unto the world to bring redemption unto the world, to save the world from sin (The Book of Mormon, 3 Nephi 9:18-21).

In his new book, Enabled by the Power of Christ, E. Richard Packham describes how a broken heart can bring us to our Savior, Jesus Christ:

One day a number of years ago, I was using an unabridged dictionary to look up the spelling of a particular word. As my finger ran down the column of words, all of a sudden a very familiar term jumped out: broken heart. I could not help but stop and see what Mr. Webster had to contribute to my understanding. One concept proposed that the term meant, “A theological term meaning to be crushed spiritually.” The thought ran through my mind, “What is there in the gospel that would cause us to be crushed spiritually?” Every gospel principle that is taught brings joy and happiness—eternal marriage, the resurrection, the Plan of Sa1vation, and so forth. All of a sudden, the thought filled my being that perhaps as people, we come to understand the profound suffering of the Savior’s Atonement by realizing that we personally contributed to that suffering. We then are “drawn to Christ.” In this realization, it breaks our hearts and brings a contrition of spirit, increasing the commitment to a changed life that can come in no other way. It penetrates us to the point of not wanting to make that great offering of love, an offering made in vain. It produces godly sorrow to the point of breaking our hard hearts, opening ourselves to the commit-ment, and changing our lives to be completely submissive to Him who gave so much…

I obtained permission from Lynn McKinley, a retired professor at BYU, to quote a sacred, personal experience that profoundly describes this process as it happened to him:

Such laboring in the spirit I have never known before. My wife and children were away for an hour or so, visiting her mother, and I was in the house alone. I felt the old familiar earthborn loneliness but was entirely unprepared for that which came. I knelt down beside the couch, began to pray to draw the Spirit to my breast for comfort and relief. But soon I felt an overwhelming power fill my being—not a power of light and exaltation which I wanted and expected, that I’d tasted measurably before at times, but a power that seemed almost to bruise my flesh and crush my spirit with the awful knowledge of my earthly guilt. The shameful vivid memories of sins that I had committed—tore my heart apart as they passed before my eyes and settled in my bosom. I could almost feel the anguish that the Master bore for me there in Gethsemane; the aching sorrow that I felt, to know with burning knowledge every sin I had committed or—God help me—I might yet commit, had of necessity to be absolved by bitter pain within his own pure, perfect, patient body. How the sobs tore through my throat. My spirit groaned with grief. With all the strength in me I bared my soul, confessed as deeply as my consciousness could stretch and still beyond, and plead forgiveness at the feet of him, my Savior and my King. I offered him my life, whatever it was worth to him. He bought it with his blood, the blood that oozed from every pore.

Could such a total commitment come without an awareness of the incomprehensible suffering of the Savior? Truly, a broken heart is the final capstone in the repentance process that provides the commitment, the purging, and the cleansing that allows a knowledge of forgiveness to come. (Enabled by the Power of Christ, by E. Richard Packham. 2008. Springville, Utah: Cedar Fort, Inc.)

When we truly allow ourselves to experience the effects of the atonement of our Savior, Jesus Christ, it will break our hearts with a knowledge of our sins. But when our hearts are broken, they can also finally be purged and healed through His marvelous love and power as we turn our lives completely over to Him.

In Humility, Our Savior

In humility, our Savior,

Grant thy Spirit here, we pray,

As we bless the bread and water

In thy name this holy day.

Let me not forget, O Savior,

thou didst bleed and die for me

When thy heart was stilled and broken

On the cross at Calvary.

Fill our hearts with sweet forgiving;

Teach us tolerance and love.

Let our prayers find access to thee

In thy holy courts above.

Then, when we have proven worthy

Of thy sacrifice divine,

Lord, let us regain thy presence;

Let thy glory ’round us shine.

(“In Humility, Our Savior,” by Mabel Jones Gabbott and Roland Prichard, Hymns #172)

Additional Resources:

Jesus Christ is the Way

A Broken Heart and a Contrite Spirit

Jesus Christ

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (often mistakenly referred to as the ”Mormon Church” by friends of other faiths) has a special organization for women called Relief Society. The purpose of the organization is to “increase faith and personal righteousness, strengthen families and homes, and seek out and hep those in need.” This organization of women is the largest of its kind in the world. It was organized in 1842, in Nauvoo, Illinois, by the Prophet Joseph Smith.

Relief Society is for all women ages 18 and above. The organization provides opportunities for friendship and service, but more importantly it gives its members the structure to be more effective disciples of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Countless lives have been blessed by the organization of and the sisters in Relief Society. Though the society includes Mormon women, it is open to women of all faiths who want to participate and serve. Mormons serve side-by-side with Catholics, with Evangelicals, and with members of many denominations and organizations. All those who have strong family values and a desire to reach out to help the poor and needy and to care for others outside of their own immediate circles, as the Savior Jesus Christ did, are welcome. These Relief Society sisters in Christ have blessed the lives of so many people in myriad ways.

Additional Resources:

The Relief Society is an organization for Mormon Women. Learn more about the history and work of Relief Society at the official site of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Mormon Women receive fellowship and unity from the Relief Society.

Learn more about the Relief Society at a local meetinghouse.

Melissa is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (“Mormon” woman).

Relief Society Organized for Mormon Women

Organized in 1842, and consisting of more than 6 million members, the Mormon Relief Society is the oldest and largest women’s organization in the world (Kimball, P. 2011. Examiner). Membership consists of female Latter-day Saints ages 18 and above. It is an organization within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (nicknamed the “Mormon Church” by the media) dedicated to faith, charity, good works, and the uplifting of women through their divine roles of womanhood and motherhood.

When Joseph Smith, prophet and leader of the early church, organized the Relief Society—the Mormon global organization designed divinely to help serve the needs of the poor and to lift women spiritually—he stated that its purpose was to see to “the relief of the poor, the destitute, the widow and the orphan, and for the exercise of all benevolent purposes.” The accomplishment of this great purpose is dependent upon all the sisters within the Relief Society, and it is by the small deeds performed by each and every one of them on a daily basis that they are able to offer relief and aid those around them.

The welfare of Latter-day Saint women is looked after by pairs of sisters known as Visiting Teachers. I would like to share a personal experience I had with a visiting teacher:

I was immensely blessed by one of these sisters in particular when I was going through a very difficult time. I was pregnant, in a very unhealthy relationship, and had no income. She gave me rides to my appointments with the doctor and to the Bishop’s Storehouse—where I was able to receive food and necessities—and she was a wonderful support as I made the very important decision to put an end to my relationship in favor of safety for my child. Now, I am constantly strengthened by the sisters of the Relief Society and strive to do my best with my own Visiting Teaching, so that I may perhaps be that support and strength that another sister may need in a time of hardship.

Relief Society goes far beyond Sunday meetings, where members are taught about many important principles of the gospel and the history of the Church and its organization. If a Mormon woman’s mission began and ended only within the Relief Society room each Sunday, she would never accomplish what this organization is meant to help her accomplish.

All women are given opportunities to improve their talents, learn from one another, and grow in their capabilities as wives, mothers, sisters, and daughters. Each of them has a unique background and can apply themselves in individualized ways. Each has something to offer one another. Sisters of Relief Society are known for visiting the sick in hospitals and in their homes, providing meals for those in need, performing small acts of kindness and service like helping with housework, groceries, babysitting, etc., and for always striving to improve themselves through hard work, charity, and compassion.

I am honored to be a member of this great organization and only hope that my contributions will have a positive impact on others’ lives so that they might come to know the Savior through me and recognize His hand in all things. Through the sisters of Relief Society, the work of Christ continues on the earth, and members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (or “Mormons”) strive to make the world a better place by bettering themselves and devoting their time and talents to service.

Additional Resources:

Learn more about the history and work of Relief Society.

Mormon Women receive fellowship and unity from the Relief Society.

Learn more about the Relief Society at a local meetinghouse.

As the “Mormon moment” extends into 2012, the Pew Research Center’s Forum on Religion & Public Life today released a groundbreaking new survey, the first ever published by a non-LDS research organization to focus exclusively on members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and their beliefs, values, perceptions and political preferences.

Entitled “Mormons in America: Certain in Their Beliefs, Uncertain of Their Place in Society,” the survey was conducted between Oct. 25 and Nov. 16, 2011 among a national sample of 1,019 respondents who identified themselves as Mormons. The results validate a number of long-held stereotypes (most American Mormons are white, well-educated, politically conservative and religiously observant) while providing a few interesting surprises (care for the poor and needy is high on the list of LDS priorities, while drinking coffee and watching R-rated movies aren’t as taboo among the rank and file as you might think).

“While this survey comes amid a contentious election campaign, it is not solely or even chiefly about politics,” said Luis Lugo, Pew Research Center director, in the published survey’s preface. “Rather, we hope that it will contribute to a broader public understanding of Mormons and Mormonism at a time of great interest in both.”

For example, in one very interesting section of the new survey, respondents were asked several questions about what is essential to being a good Mormon. According to the survey, 80 percent said “believing Joseph Smith saw God the Father and Jesus Christ” is essential to being a good Mormon, 73 percent said “working to help the poor,” 51 percent said “regular Family Home Evenings,” 49 percent said “not drinking coffee and tea” and 32 percent said “not watching R-rated movies.

“To be honest, I found the strong sentiment that ‘working to help the poor’ is essential to being a good Mormon refreshing and a little surprising,” said David Campbell, an LDS Church member who is an associate professor at the University of Notre Dame and who consulted with the Pew Research Center on the new survey. “As a Mormon, I would hope it would be that way, but I wasn’t sure what to expect. It’s good to see the church’s genuine compassion for the poor and needy reflected in these numbers.”

People outside the church may or may not be aware of the LDS propensity for compassionate service and other . According to the survey, 62 percent of Mormons think that Americans are generally uninformed about Mormonism, and 68 percent feel that they are not viewed as part of mainstream American society. But they remain optimistic, with 63 percent expressing the belief that Mormonism will eventually become part of mainstream society and 56 percent saying that the American people are ready for a Mormon president.

In fact, optimism is one of the themes to emerge from the survey relative to Latter-day Saints. Some 87 percent say they are satisfied with the way things are going in their own life, and 92 percent say their respective communities are excellent (52 percent) or good (40 percent) places to live (this is especially true among Mormons in Utah, of whom 71 percent say their communities are excellent).

But evidently, optimism only goes so far with Mormons.

“I think it is interesting that the respondents are overwhelmingly positive about their communities. They love their communities and everything’s fine there,” said Marie Cornwall, professor of sociology at Brigham Young University and another advisor to the Pew Research Center on this study. “But when you ask them about the way things are going in the country today, they are overwhelmingly (75 percent) dissatisfied. You would think that their satisfaction with their personal lives would factor into their feelings about how things are going in the country, but there seems to be a total disconnect there.”

It should be noted that the Mormon view of how things are going in the country today closely resembles the view of the American public as a whole, among whom 78 percent said they were dissatisfied in an October 2011 Pew Research Center survey.

Generally speaking, the new survey looks at Mormons and their perspectives in four key areas: politics and ideology, religious beliefs and practices, cultural and moral issues and family life.

Politically, there are few surprises. Most Mormons (66 percent) describe themselves as politically conservative, and 74 percent of Mormon voters identify with or lean toward the Republican Party. Philosophically, 75 percent of respondents said they prefer a smaller government providing fewer services to a bigger government providing more services.

Among a number of politicians currently in the spotlight, Mitt Romney is a favorite, being viewed favorably by 86 percent of all Mormons and 94 percent of Mormon Republicans. Even among Mormon Democrats, 62 percent rate Romney favorably.

The other Mormon running for president, Jon Huntsman, is viewed favorably by 50 percent of Mormon voters, while President Barack Obama is viewed favorably by 25 percent — slightly ahead of the rating Mormons bestowed upon another one of their own: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (22 percent).

Interestingly, Latter-day Saints seem to be somewhat divided on the issue of immigration. They are fairly evenly split on whether immigrants strengthen the U.S. because of their hard work and talents (45 percent) or burden the U.S. by taking American jobs, housing and health care (41 percent).

Campbell, who is an expert in the field of religion, politics and civic engagement, said he wasn’t surprised by that result.

“Although Mormons are caricatured as being really right wing, on the issue of immigration they are not,” he said. “The church itself has been quite a voice of moderation on this issue, and that has resulted in Mormons being more positive toward immigrants than other conservative religious groups tend to be.”

Campbell suggests that the LDS Church’s missionary program has something to do with that, with Latter-day Saints tending to develop a broader worldview as a result of their missionary service around the world. In any event, he said, “this result really does cut against the stereotype.”

In terms of religious beliefs and practices, the survey makes it clear that Mormons are highly religious — again, not a big surprise. Eighty-two percent say that religion is very important in their lives, and 77 percent say they believe wholeheartedly in all of the church’s teachings. Fully 83 percent say they pray every day, 79 percent say they donate 10 percent of their earnings to the church in tithing and 77 percent say they attend church at least once a week. According to Pew, “Mormons exhibit higher levels of religious commitment than many other religious groups, including white evangelical Protestants.”

Looking at basic, core religious beliefs, 98 percent say they believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 94 percent believe the president of the LDS Church is a prophet of God, 95 percent believe that families can be bound together eternally in temple ceremonies, 94 percent believe that God the Father and Jesus Christ are separate, physical beings and 91 percent believe that the Book of Mormon was written by ancient prophets.

Clearly, Mormons are believers.

But are they Christian? Ninety-seven percent of Mormons think so. And when asked to volunteer the one word that best describes Mormons, the most common responses were “Christian” and “Christ-centered.” By way of contrast, a November Pew Research Center survey found that nearly half (49 percent) of non-Mormon U.S. adults say that Mormonism is NOT Christian or that they are unsure whether or not it is Christian. In that same survey, when respondents were asked for one word that best describes the LDS Church, the most commonly offered response was “cult.”

Culturally, Mormon conservatism extends to a wide variety of moral issues. Polygamy (86 percent), sex between unmarried adults (79 percent), abortion (74 percent) and drinking alcohol (54 percent) are viewed as morally wrong. Divorce, on the other hand, is largely considered “not a moral issue” by respondents (46 percent).

Similarly, 65 percent of respondents said that homosexuality should be discouraged by society, compared with 58 percent of the general public who say homosexuality should be accepted by society.

“Mormons like to use the phrase, ‘Be in the world but not of the world,’” Campbell noted. “They are active and involved in their communities, but they have these beliefs and practices that set them apart a little bit, and sometimes that creates conflict or tension. [Homosexuality] is one of those issues where, rightly or wrongly, Mormons just have a different position than most of the rest of America.”

The survey also illustrates how important family life is to most members of the LDS Church. Among life’s priorities, being a good parent (81 percent) and having a successful marriage (73 percent) place higher than career concerns, having free time or even living a religious life. Some 67 percent of Mormon adults are married (compared with 52 percent of the general public), and 85 percent of them are married to another Mormon.

“As the Church and its members are increasingly the focus of media attention, we’re eager to participate in conversations that help the public get to know us better,” said LDS Church spokesman Michael Purdy. “Even though the recent Pew study did not survey any of the Church’s eight million members who live outside the U.S., it highlights some important aspects regarding who we are and what we believe.

“For example,” Purdy continued, “the study found that Church members subscribe to traditional Christian beliefs, have high moral standards, are overwhelmingly satisfied with their lives and communities, are active in serving others and have a profound dedication to family. These results reflect the Church’s message that a deep commitment to the teachings of Jesus Christ brings lasting happiness.”

Speaking for the Pew Research Center, Lugo said the idea for the survey was born last summer, “around the time that a Newsweek cover story and a New York Times article declared that the United States was experiencing a ‘Mormon moment.’”

“That got us thinking,” Lugo said in the survey’s preface.

Over the years, numerous polls have gauged public attitudes toward Mormons, who make up about 2 percent of all U.S. adults. But what do Mormons think about their place in American life? With the rising prominence of members of the LDS Church in politics, popular culture and the media, do Mormons feel more secure and accepted in American society? What do they think about other religions? What do they believe, how do they practice their faith and what do they see as essential to being a good Mormon and to leading a good life?

An advisory panel was recruited to help the Pew Forum staff create the survey. The panel featured a number of Latter-day Saints who have professional experience in Mormon studies and research, including Campbell, Cornwall, Matthew Bowman of Hampden-Sydney College, Terryl Givens of the University of Richmond and Allison Pond of the Deseret News.

“We helped them to formulate the questions, and to frame them in the kind of language that Mormons use,” Campbell said.

After a period of testing, the survey was conducted among respondents who identified themselves as Mormons (it also included qualifying questions that made it clear that respondents were members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as opposed to other churches whose members may refer to themselves as Mormons).

“Since Mormons represent about 2 percent of the population, you’d have to call 98 people before you’d get a Mormon, and that would be very expensive,” said Cornwall, who is also editor of the Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion. “But they had a fancy way of finding Mormons, including going back to Mormons they had found in the course of doing previous surveys, so they were able to get their sample in a cost-effective way.”

Care was also taken to make sure the survey included those who had land lines as well as those who have only cell phones — a growing area of concern among those who conduct public opinion research today.

• 71 percent of respondents reside in the American West, including 53 percent who live in the Mountain states and 34 percent who live in Utah;

• 88 percent are white, 7 percent Hispanic, 1 percent black and 4 percent other racial and ethnic backgrounds;

• 50 percent say that evangelical Christians are generally unfriendly to Mormons;

• 54 percent say that the way their religion is portrayed on television and in movies hurts society’s image of Mormons;

• 57 percent of Mormons said that most or all of their close friends are other Mormons (this number was significantly higher in Utah, where the number climbed to 73 percent);

 
Pew Study on Mormons in America

• 65 percent of respondents say they hold a current temple recommend;

• 27 percent say they believe in yoga not just as exercise but as a spiritual practice;

• 11 percent say they believe in reincarnation;

• 74 percent were raised in the LDS Church;

• 59 percent of converts cite the church’s beliefs as the main reason they joined the church;

• 59 percent of converts joined the church between the ages of 18 and 35;

• 27 percent have served a full-time mission, including 43 percent of men and 11 percent of women;

• 82 percent say they have a supply of food in storage, and 58 percent keep at least a three-month supply.

The margin of error for the survey is =/- 4.5 percentage points.

“I think this survey is a really good summary of the hyper-committed Mormon community that shows up at church every week,” Cornwall said. “I’m not sure it captures Mormons on the margins very well, but that’s OK — hopefully we can do that the next time. Meanwhile, this is a pretty good picture — and an interesting picture — of Mormons

By Joseph Walker, Deseret News

Additional Resources:

Full original source Deseret News article: Pew Study on Mormons in America.

Learn more about the results of this survey of Mormons in America.

See infographic from the Deseret News article.

Pew Mormon Study Highlights Christianity.

Tinsel, garland, gifts under the tree, smells and scents that connote a beautiful time of year–these all are reminiscent of Christmas, a time for the joyous celebration of Christ’s birth.

The first real gift of Christmas is the Baby Himself, Jesus Christ.  He is ours to receive, to know, to love, to worship as Savior of the World, the Only Begotten in the flesh, the Son of God.  The second real Christmas gift, intimately connected with Himself, is the key to the knowledge of  Him which has been restored to the earth through the re-establishment of His own Church on the earth–The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (inadvertently called by friends of other faiths, the “Mormon Church”). These are two gifts in one: the Savior, and His Church in our day! These are the real gifts of Christmas!

Christmas Message: Jesus Christ Established His Church & Restored It In Our Day

From the creation of the world, the prophets foretold and the children of God anticipated the coming of the Redeemer, the Savior of the World, Jesus Christ.  As He had promised, our Heavenly Father, the Father of our spirits, sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to earth over 2,000 years ago.

Jesus Christ, now diluted, de-throned, sidelined by many pundits and blanched naysayers, lives! He is resurrected! He is real. He is the perfect, sympathetic, just, merciful, omniscient Savior who stooped in agony and hung in great condescension, to be able to lift us back into His presence. This is not a fable, as Paul said, who was one of many eyewitnesses, both of His suffering and of His glory. For those in doubt, we witness to you that He lives! Please read on, to learn more about the second gift of Christmas.

Jesus Christ lived a sinless life. He established His Church, taught His gospel, and performed many miracles. He chose twelve men to carry His authority, to be His Apostles, including Peter, James and John. He taught them and enabled them by the laying on of hands to perform certain ordinances or rites of salvation, such as baptism.

When Jesus Christ established His Church, He received instructions and revelation from the Father for the benefit of all. He then taught His followers and they, in turn, received a witness of the truths He taught, by revelation as well. Revelation–or things shared by the Spirit from God to man–was the rock on which the Savior built His Church.

At the end of His life, Jesus Christ suffered and died for each of our sins and infirmities–those of everyone who has lived or who will yet live on this earth. This sacrifice is called the Atonement. Through His suffering, death, and Resurrection, the Savior made it possible for us to be forgiven and to regain His presence–a presence which brings light, power, glory, joy into our lives, a presence which transforms us.  Those who exercise faith in Jesus Christ, repent, and keep His commandments with His help, receive forgiveness of sins, greater light and truth, increased peace and joy in this life, and eternal life in the world to come.

The Great Apostasy: God and Jesus Christ Knew There Would Be A Falling Away From Truth

Following the death of Jesus Christ, evil schemers persecuted and killed many Church members. Others drifted from the truth by degree. The Apostles themselves were killed or martyred and priesthood authority–the ability to act in the Savior’s name to perpetuate His kingdom on earth–was taken from the earth. Because the Church was no longer led by those the Savior designated as authorities, error crept into Church teachings. The pure gospel truths that Jesus taught were mixed and diluted and changed. This period of religious history is called the Great Apostasy.

The Savior, knowing all things, anticipated this apostasy–or falling away from the truth. Through an Old Testament prophet, He said:

Behold, the days come…that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord: And people shall wander form sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it (Amos 8:11-12).

This apostasy resulted in the formation of many churches with conflicting and confusing creeds. During this time, many men and women sought the truth but were unable to find it in its fullness. Many good people believed in God and Jesus Christ and tried to understand and teach truth but they had neither the authority nor the complete gospel. As a result, each generation inherited partial and distorted beliefs from the preceding one, and were in a state of apostasy still.

Inspired reformers, such as Martin Luther and John Calvin, recognized that practices and doctrines had been changed or lost. They tried to reform the churches to which they belonged and to reconstruct the truth. Without priesthood authority, however, Christ’s gospel could not be returned to its original form. A restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ–not a reformation of the gospel of Jesus Christ–was needed.

The Second Christmas Gift!

Our Christmas message to you is that there are two gifts for you this Christmas, should you choose to accept them–one, the miraculous birth of Jesus Christ, as Savior of the World–the One who provides all we need for a full life and for godliness; and two, the additional news that His Church–even the Church of Jesus Christ–has been restored to the earth!  It’s here, with all of the pure doctrines and priesthood authority needed for you and I to be freed from sin and sanctified to become more and more like Him, filling our eternal potential!  We invite you as friends of other faiths, to pray about this message for yourselves and to investigate its truthfulness further.

Christmas Message: The Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ

In 1820, our Father in Heaven chose a prophet to restore the gospel and priesthood to the earth! That prophet’s name was Joseph Smith. As a young man, Joseph Smith wrestled with questions about the teachings of many churches around his home, each seeking their own followers in a competitive way. Each preacher, moreover, taught something different about the Savior and the path to salvation. Joseph Smith wanted to know which church was right. Knowing he lacked wisdom, he followed James’ counsel in the Holy Bible: “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upraideth not; and it shall be given him” (James 1:5).

Joseph took that promise to heart. He found a spot in a nearby grove of trees, knelt and prayed in faith, submitting his question to God. Unexpectedly, Joseph found himself visited by glorious personages–even the Father Himself, who introduced His Son, Jesus Christ.  They instructed Joseph not to join any of the churches, suggesting that they held not the ‘power’ of godliness.

Joseph Smith was called by Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father to be a prophet of this last dispensation or gospel era, through whom the complete gospel of Jesus Christ would be restored.

In his words,

I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me… When the light rested upon me, I saw two Personages whose brightness and glory defy all description standing above me in the air. one of them spake unto me, calling me by name, and said, pointing to the other, This is My Beloved Son, hear Him!” (Joseph Smith: History 1:16-17).

We invite you to learn more about these two incomparable Christmas gifts this year. Don’t miss Christmas. The real gift is Jesus Christ. He is the Gift–the Author and Finisher of our faith.  He has restored His Church to the earth–that we may have all we need to know Him and to grow in glory to become more and more like Him, until the perfect day, when His glory shall be revealed in full and our joy perfected in Him.

Merry Christmas!

Additional Resources:

Learn more about the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ at mormon.org, an official website of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Find a local church meetinghouse

Learn about the restoration from Joseph Smith’s personal account.

by Eric Kotter, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (“Mormon“), Eric is a student at BYU-Idaho studying communications.

Have you ever had just a strong desire to know something? You may be confused with how to do a certain math problem, or it might be something bigger such as understanding how to find more meaning in your life. This is the same way a young 14 year old boy felt. As a young teenager, a boy by the name of Joseph Smith wondered about religion and salvation. He wanted to know and understand the things that God wanted him to do in order to return back to Him.

In around 1820, Joseph Smith started to get involved with some of the religious excitement that was going on at the time where he was living in Palmyra, New York. Using his own words from Joseph Smith History it says,

During this time of great excitement my mind was called up to serious reflection and great uneasiness; but though my feelings were deep and often poignant, still I kept myself aloof from all these parties, though I attended their several meetings as often as occasion would permit. In process of time my mind became somewhat partial to the Methodist sect, and I felt some desire to be united with them; but so great were the confusion and strife among the different denominations, that it was impossible for a person young as I was, and so unacquainted with men and things, to come to any certain conclusion who was right and who was wrong (Joseph Smith History 1:8).

Joseph Smith wanted to find truth. He wanted to understand what was right, good, and true. He went to many different religions trying to study things out and figure out what was the right thing to do. During his search, he was reading in the Epistle of James in the King James version of the Bible, and he came across a verse, James 1:5 whi, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not, and it shall be given him.” Joseph Smith said, “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” (Joseph Smith History 1:12).

There have been many many times in my life when I have lacked wisdom. There was one time in my life that I was feeling overwhelmed with a problem I was facing in my life. I wanted to overcome some challenges in my life, so I prayed for God’s help. One day I went to a fireside (inspirational meeting) of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Inadvertently called by friends of other faiths, “The Mormon Church”). The speaker at the fireside gave a very good talk. I really felt like the things that he said applied directly to me in helping me to overcome my concerns. Basically, the speaker talked about self improvement, and how we need to improve ourselves one step at a time so that we don’t get overwhelmed. This experience showed to me that the Lord is very aware of me and my needs. He answered my prayer and continues to answer my prayers. I know that God will answer everyone’s prayers as we seek out the answers. Joseph Smith followed the counsel of James 1:5 and decided to ask God.

On a spring day in April 1820 Joseph Smith went into a grove of trees near his house in Palmyra, New York. He went there and knelt down and began to offer up the desires of his heart. As he did so he began to feel overcome by darkness. The adversary of all righteousness was trying to stop him from seeking the Lord’s help, but Joseph called out to God for deliverance, and these are the words of his experience of what happened next:

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. When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!” (Joseph Smith History 1:17).

This is such a marvelous experience. Even though I wasn’t there when Joseph Smith experienced this vision, I know that it happened. There have been many times, as a missionary of Jesus Christ, when I have related this experience to others. As I told Joseph Smith’s experience to others, I have felt the spirit of the Lord testify to me that this experience really happened. I’ve felt a calming assurance that God the Father, and His son Jesus Christ really did appear to Joseph Smith. I’ve felt the Holy Spirit testify to me that God and Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph for a wise purpose. Joseph was told by Jesus Christ to join none of the churches. The Lord said, “They draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, they teach for doctrines the commandments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof” (Joseph Smith History 1:19). Joseph was told that he would be used as an instrument in restoring The church of Jesus Christ back to the earth as it was when He was on the the earth. Joseph was to be called as a prophet, just as Moses in the Bible was called, to help establish the Lord’s church back on the earth in its fulness.

It is comforting to me to know that this experience really occurred! Knowing that God hasn’t abandoned us, but on the contrary, is very aware of us, gives me peace. He has called prophets to guide His children since Adam and Eve–it is wonderful that He still does so today.

I’m impressed with how much faith and strength Joseph had since the time he was a child. For example, after getting an infection in his leg which was brought on by typhus fever, Joseph had to under go surgery to fix the bone in his leg that was affected by the infection. The doctors told Joseph they were going to tie him down during the surgery so he wouldn’t thrash around because of the severe pain. But Joseph instead asked that he not be tied down, but asked that his father might hold him in his arms while the surgery took place. When offered brandy or wine to numb the pain, Joseph Smith declined saying, if my father will hold me, I can do what I need to. This show of courage made by Joseph is amazing to me. It also reminds me of God our Heavenly Father, and how they can help us and hold us in times that are difficult. In the New Testament of the Bible it says, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Philipians 4:13). Joseph Smith showed a strong faith in Christ all throughout his life.

After the marvelous experience in the grove of trees, Joseph Smith waited a few years before receiving further instruction from the Lord. He was in his room one night seeking forgiveness from his sins and follies, when an angel of the Lord appeared to him in his room. The angel’s name is Moroni. Moroni told Joseph Smith that the Lord had a work for him to do. He told Joseph about a hill nearby to where he lived that contained gold plates of ancient writings. These ancient writings contain a record of a civilization that lived on the American continent. It contains the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ and gives an account of God’s dealings with them. Joseph Smith was informed that the Lord wanted him to translate this record and publish it as another witness of Jesus Christ comparable to the Bible. Through Joseph’s obedience to the Lord, he was guided and given revelations from God, one step at a time, to establish The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (commonly misnamed “The Mormon Church“). I have read The Book of Mormon for myself–I have felt it bring peace into my life as I have read it, believed in the teachings of Jesus Christ contained in it, and lived by those teachings.

Joseph Smith exhibited a Christ-like life. He always sought to be a better person and treat those around him with respect. He wasn’t perfect but he always strived to do better. There is an experience that David Whitmer, an early Latter-day Saint church leader, told about Joseph Smith.

David Whitmer recounted: “One morning when [Joseph Smith] was getting ready to continue the translation, something went wrong about the house and he was put out about it. Something that Emma, his wife, had done. Oliver and I went up stairs, and Joseph came up soon after to continue the translation, but he could not do anything. He could not translate a single syllable. He went down stairs, out into the orchard and made supplication to the Lord; was gone about an hour—came back to the house, asked Emma’s forgiveness and then came up stairs where we were and the translation went on all right. He could do nothing save he was humble and faithful.” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith, pg.116)

This story shows to me that Joseph truly was a servant of the Lord. The work he did wasn’t about himself, it is the Lord’s work. He couldn’t do it on his own, even if he tried. The Lord needed him to be worthy in order to use him as His instrument. I’m grateful that Joseph Smith tried to live a Christ-like life so that the Lord could use him to restore His church on the earth.

We as Latter-day Saints, worship the Savior Jesus Christ, not prophets. Prophets have been around since man was created. The Lord called and authorized prophets such as Adam, Moses, and Abraham to teach His gospel and administer the ordinances of salvation to the whole world so all of us might know the way back to Heavenly Father. I know by the power of the Holy Ghost that Jesus Christ spoke to Joseph Smith and called him as a prophet to restore the Savior’s church to the earth. He was just as much of a prophet as Moses was. The sweet feelings of peace and truth have witnessed to my soul that The Church of Jesus Christ has been restored in its fulness. When I hear the modern day prophet speak, President Thomas S. Monson, I know he speaks by the power of revelation. He speaks for Jesus Christ and tells the world what the Savior would tell us if He were here. The prophet gives us the direction and counsel we need for our day. I can feel the Savior’s love for me when the prophet speaks. I know that Jesus Christ lives, and is aware of us, and speaks to us today through living prophets and apostles. I know Joseph Smith spoke the words of Jesus Christ.

Additional Resources:

Get a free copy of The Book of Mormon.

Watch a video about the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Learn more about how Joseph Smith was the prophet of the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ at lds.org.

Mormon beliefs include a strong belief in prophecy. They teach that just as God spoke to his prophets in the Old Testament, to help them learn and teach truth, and to help His people respond to what was happening in their world, God once again speaks to His children. The Old Testament prophets prepared the world for the first coming of the Savior; the modern day prophets prepare it for the second coming.

Prophets speak for God. God provided prophets to the world from the very beginning, when He spoke to Adam. Every now and then, the prophets would be withdrawn due to the wickedness of the people and their unwillingness to listen to the counsel of the prophets. However, in due time, God always restored a prophet to the earth.

After the death of Jesus Christ, and the death of His apostles, there were no further prophets. This led to the Great Apostasy, in which many conflicts over doctrine arose and the people floundered as they tried to find truth. God had always promised a restoration of all things, however.

“19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;

20 And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you:

21 Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.”

In order for a restoration to happen, a prophet must be chosen by God. Only a prophet is authorized to speak for God in an official capacity. This occurred when Joseph Smith was chosen by God to lead the restoration as a prophet. God promised we’d never again be left without a prophet, and so, when Joseph Smith was murdered, He chose a new prophet. Since that time, there has always been a prophet to guide and advise us as to how to prepare for the last days of the world, and to cope with the rapidly changing world in which we live.

Today people are coping with a world more different than they could ever have imagined even one hundred years ago. People today are struggling to figure out how to make choices that were not available when the Bible was written, and the pressures to live in once unimaginable ways is great. There might never in history been a time when God’s children needed His direct guidance more desperately. As our time on earth comes to an end, we must know exactly what path we have to follow to end up where we want to be, and what God wants us to do to prepare for that time. A prophet gives us the assurance we are doing what God wants us to do in a complex world. With so many churches on the earth today, and each teaching conflicting doctrine even in areas such as traditional marriage, that were once understood without question, we must have a sure source of truth. The Mormons find this through their prophet.

Mormons are taught to pray to God for personal confirmation that the person named as the prophet is truly God’s prophet. If, at any time, they feel unsure about something the prophet taught, they are taught to go directly to God. This means Mormons aren’t blindly following a person, but are instead taking instruction from God about where to find truth. Ultimately, all truth comes from God. The prophet delivers and interprets truth, but personal responsibility always lies with the individual.

Mormons (a nickname for members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) often use the term “fulness of the gospel.” Mormons refer to modern times as the dispensation of the fulness of times, referring to the fact that the gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored in full.

Mormon beliefs; Jesus Christ's gospel restored

Mormon beliefs teach that Adam and Eve, the first people to live on the earth, were given the full gospel. They shared it with their children. However, people often found it difficult to live the full gospel, and so, periodically, the fulness of the gospel was replaced with preparatory laws, such as the Law of Moses, to help people progress to a point where they could live the full gospel. In addition, truths were sometimes lost. There have almost always been those who wanted God to change truth to something more pleasing to them, and periodically, those false beliefs became widespread among the people. During these times, God often took away the prophets, which also removed access to God’s word. This was known as apostasy, since the people had chosen to apostatize by ignoring or changing God’s word. However, God never allows apostasy to last forever. Each time, He eventually returns the prophets to the earth, as we see while studying the Bible.

His gospel was first established on the earth beginning with Adam and has been taught in every dispensation through such prophets as Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Moses, and others. Each of these prophets foretold the coming of Jesus Christ to atone for the sins of the world. Those prophecies have been fulfilled. The Savior did establish His Church. He called His Apostles and established His priesthood. Most importantly, He laid down His life and took it up that all will rise again, thus carrying out the atoning sacrifice. But that was not the end.

After the Savior’s Resurrection, He commissioned His Apostles to lead the Church and administer gospel ordinances. Faithful to this charge, they were persecuted, and some were eventually martyred. As a result, the Lord’s priesthood authority was no longer on earth, and the world fell into spiritual darkness. In the centuries that followed, God’s children had the Light of Christ, could pray, and could feel the influence of the Holy Ghost. But the fulness of the gospel had been lost. There was no one left on earth with the power and authority to lead the Church or perform sacred ordinances such as baptism, conferral of the gift of the Holy Ghost, and the saving ordinances of the temple. Almost everyone was denied access to the scriptures, and most people were illiterate (Robert D. Hales, “Preparations for the Restoration and the Second Coming: ‘My Hand Shall Be over Thee’,” Liahona, Nov 2005, 88–92)

The Mormons call this the Great Apostasy. It was very long and very thorough. We can see the impact of this time as we look around us on earth. Even while the apostles were on the earth, apostasy was beginning, and the apostles grieved at losing people and even entire nations through apostasy. Today, as we observe the landscape of our nation, we see hundreds of churches, all teaching different things and most claiming to have the truth. This happened because the truth was lost and people had to try to decide on their own what was true and what wasn’t. Often these choices led to the formation of new Christian churches with new beliefs not found in the Bible or the church as it existed when Christ was on the earth and even directly contradict those teachings. Because God is not a God of confusion, and because truth matters to Him, as we see by the many references to it in the Bible, we know it matters to God what we believe and how we act based on the truth Jesus Christ taught while on the earth.

However, God began to prepare His people for a restoration of prophecy and the fullness of the gospel. Literacy increased and the printing press made it possible for people to read the Bible on their own. Reformations began which challenged the traditions of some long-standing religions.

In the 1700s, a nation was formed which guaranteed freedom of religion. This made it possible for a restoration to occur. Finally, in the 1800s, the world was ready for the restoration to occur. Joseph Smith, a teenager in upstate New York, lived in a time of great excitement over religion. People were anxious to align themselves with a church and many opportunities were given to them to choose one that suited their beliefs. Joseph, his mother, and his siblings attended many of these revivals and churches, but this exploration only confused Joseph. He couldn’t figure out how to tell which of the churches was true.

He turned to the Bible for help. While studying, he found James 1:5-6: “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering.” This verse, believed by many scholars to be the work of the half-brother of Jesus Christ, was, Joseph realized, the key to solving his dilemma. He went into the woods near his home and prayed with faith. God and Jesus appeared to Him and instructed Him not to join any of the churches currently on the earth, since none were entirely correct. Later, when he had grown and matured, an angel named Moroni came to begin tutoring him in preparation for the restoration. Joseph eventually translated a set of ancient records we call the Book of Mormon, which is a companion to the Bible and testifies of its truthfulness. When this was complete, the restoration of the Savior’s gospel could begin.

Today, we live in a time that again has the blessings of prophets to share with us God’s word. While some think God has turned His back on His children forever, Mormons know that just as prophets were needed to prepare God’s people for the first coming of Christ, prophets are just as necessary to prepare us for the second coming. Perhaps the need is even greater, since this return will be made known to all the world.

Our message is unique. We declare to the world that the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored to the earth. We declare with boldness that the keys of the priesthood have been restored to man, with the power to seal on earth and in the heavens. The saving ordinances pronounced by the Lord as requirements for entering into eternal life with Him can now be performed with binding authority by those who worthily exercise the power of His holy priesthood. We declare to the world that this is the day referred to by biblical prophets as the latter days. It is the final time, before the coming of Jesus Christ to rule and reign over the earth.

We invite all to listen to the message of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ from us. Then you can compare the glorious message with what you may hear from others, and you can determine which is from God and which is from man (L. Tom Perry, “The Message of the Restoration,” Ensign, May 2007, 85–88.)

The fullness of the gospel, then, means that God’s prophets are on the earth, allowing us to sort truth from the teachings of men, and helping us to prepare for the triumphant return of the Savior, and for our own return to God’s presence. We can know for ourselves if this is true, because God has promised us that we can pray to find out, rather than simply trusting man’s word. Just as the brother of Jesus said, if we lack wisdom, God promises to give it to us if we ask in faith, with a sincere desire to know the truth.

Mormons teach that they have the fullness of the gospel found in their own faith. However, James E. Faust, a previous apostle of the Lord, teaches what this means in relationship to other faiths:

We believe The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a restoration of the original Church established by Jesus Christ, which was built “upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone.” 24 It is not a breakoff from any other church.

We believe that the fulness of the gospel of Christ has been restored, but this is no reason for anyone to feel superior in any way toward others of God’s children. Rather, it requires a greater obligation to invoke the essence of the gospel of Christ in our lives—to love, serve, and bless others. Indeed, as the First Presidency stated in 1978, we believe that “the great religious leaders of the world such as Mohammed, Confucius, and the Reformers, as well as philosophers including Socrates, Plato, and others, received a portion of God’s light. Moral truths were given to them by God to enlighten whole nations and to bring a higher level of understanding to individuals.” 25 Thus, we have respect for the sincere religious beliefs of others and appreciate others extending the same courtesy and respect for the tenets we hold dear (James E. Faust, “The Restoration of All Things,” Liahona, May 2006, 61–62, 67–68.”)

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, whose members are sometimes called Mormons, teaches that after the death of the Savior and His apostles, priesthood authority to administer God’s church was withdrawn from the earth. 3276People disagreed over what the scriptures meant and over what Jesus had taught, and as a result, thousands of Christian churches teaching conflicting doctrine began to appear across the earth. Although Christianity continued to be taught and its core doctrine, that of the Savior’s divinity, spread, each church had its own version of Christianity. Many of the doctrines were critical to salvation, and so, as the last days before the second coming of Christ approached, it was important that the truth be completely restored.

It was in preparation for this eternally significant moment that a fourteen-year-old boy named Joseph Smith found himself becoming very interested in religion. The area in which he lived was in the midst of a religious fervor. There were revivals and many people were deciding which church to join. Joseph’s family participated in this movement, and Joseph wanted to choose a church as well. However, his visits to various churches and revivals left him confused. No one could explain to him how to know which of the conflicting teachings he heard in the various churches was right. He knew they couldn’t be right. God is not a God of confusion. If a doctrinal teaching was essential to salvation, it could only have one answer.

He began reading the Bible, looking for his own answers. There, he found James 1:5, believed to have been written by the brother of Jesus Christ. He read:

If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. (James 1:5)

As Joseph thought about this verse, he realized this was the best solution to his problem. Men gave him conflicting information, but God knew what was true. He trusted this counsel and set off for the woods to pray, the first time he would pray aloud. His prayer was answered, just as promised, but in a way he could not have anticipated. This prayer was the moment chosen by God to take the first step toward the restoration. Like many Biblical prophets, a young boy was given a powerful spiritual experience to prepare him for events to come. God and Jesus Christ appeared to him. God introduced the Savior, who then instructed him not to join any of the churches, because the complete gospel was not yet on the earth.

It would be a number of years before the restoration began, as Joseph Smith grew up and matured. He was then tutored by an angel named Moroni, who taught Joseph the important initial principles of the gospel and also helped him develop the maturity to cope with the challenges ahead.

The restored gospel is the gospel of Jesus Christ, as He taught it when He lived on the earth. He is the head of the restored church and guides it from day to day. The Mormons have a prophet who leads the church on earth, but the prophet himself is lead by the Savior, and can’t do anything of himself. He can’t invent doctrine or put truth to a vote. He is not permitted to “keep up with the times” by altering doctrine to make the church more popular with society. Only the Savior decides what is truth and He directs the church leadership accordingly.

There are many articles appearing in the press advising the church to make changes to its doctrine in order to become more acceptable to a changing world. However, this suggests that we must counsel God, instead of taking our counsel from God.

Russell M. Nelson, an apostle of the Lord in modern times, taught:

Another unchanging principle is that of divine or moral law. Transgression of moral law brings retribution; obedience to it brings blessings “immutable and unchangeable” (D&C 104:2). Blessings are always predicated upon obedience to law. 39 So the Church teaches us to embrace the right and to renounce the wrong—that we might have joy. 40

The Savior and His servants 41 do not speak words of complacency but teach what people need to know. Through the ages, history attests that contemporary critics have pressed Church leaders to modify a decree of the Lord. 42 But such is eternal law, and it cannot be altered. Not even for His Beloved Son could God change the law that required the Atonement. Divine doctrines cannot be squeezed into compact molds to make them fit fashionable patterns of the day. Nor can they be fully expressed on a bumper sticker (Russell M. Nelson, “Constancy amid Change,” Ensign, Nov 1993, 33).

It is reassuring to those who have found the source of truth to know that truth is unchanging. In a world where everything changes by the moment, a few things will never change. We can always depend on God’s truth. Practices might change, but principles of truth do not.

The Savior is the head of the restored gospel. Any person is given the ability to do as Joseph Smith did and turn to God for counsel on which church to join. This is not an opportunity reserved for future prophets, but something every person can do. People who meet with Mormon missionaries are taught that before baptism, they must ask God if this is the true church, so they will know for themselves, rather than relying on the testimony of men. Those who honestly do this are able to develop an unshakable testimony because they received their knowledge personally from God and Jesus Christ.

While most people will not receive a personal visit from God, since they aren’t being prepared to restore the gospel, they will receive a sure knowledge of truth in their hearts. When Jesus Christ was on the earth, He taught that prayer was an essential part of the spiritual life. It is equally essential today, and because God promised us wisdom if we ask for it, as recorded by James in the New Testament, He will give us that answer in a way we can recognize as His, if we are patient and come to Him with complete faith.

The Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is not a part of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They came into being following the death of Joseph Smith at the hands of assassins.

The church’s structure, under Joseph, as it is today, was that he served as the prophet and the president of the church. He was assisted by counselors. There was also the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Joseph had previously explained that the First Presidency existed only as a unit; if the president died, the First Presidency was dissolved and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles would lead the church until the new president was put into position.

However, when he died, there was great confusion over what should happen next. Of the First Presidency, only Sidney Rigdon remained. Rigdon had already shown signs of weakness, and the members of the church, against Joseph’s desires, had sustained him into the First Presidency. The church was still young and God allows it to learn from experience. Today, the prophet alone selects his counselors and the sustaining vote is only a promise to support that choice.

At the time of the murder, Rigdon had gone to Pennsylvania, despite a revelation telling him not to go. He quickly returned to Nauvoo, Illinois, where the church was headquartered and began to campaign to take over the leadership of the church. He claimed to have received revelation saying that Joseph remained the president of the church and that all blessings came through Joseph-a clear violation of scriptural knowledge that all blessings come through the Savior Jesus Christ. He then said Joseph had appointed him to be the guardian of the church and that he would receive revelation from Joseph concerning how to run the church.

Brigham Young was the head of the Quorum. All but two members of that body were away, but Brigham said they would hold a meeting the next day to discuss Rigdon’s claims.

At the beginning of this meeting, Brigham explained that the Quorum held the keys to the church, meaning the official authority from God, and they only could lead the church. He told people they were free to follow whomever they chose, but the apostles would still lead God’s church, even if no one currently present chose to follow them. A number of people present testified later that as he spoke, they saw and heard not Brigham, but Joseph speaking.

Most members of the church already accepted this, and more were converted following Brigham’s speech. However, there were other groups that felt the leadership belonged to others, rejecting Joseph’s teachings that the keys of authority were held only by the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

One such group was one that felt the church leadership should be inherited, as it sometimes was in the scriptures. The believed Joseph’s son should lead the church once he was old enough. This movement was led by Jason Briggs, Zenas Gurley, and William Marks. Briggs and Gurley claimed to have received revelation from God to this effect, and proceeded to organize a body of apostles-although not a complete one-to hold the position of prophet in guardianship for the child. Eight years later, Marks worked to convince Joseph Smith the Third to take over leadership of the church. Not all members of Joseph’s family accepted this decision. His mother, who could not go west due to health, supported the original church.  The church continued for many years to be led by various descendants of Joseph’s family.  However, in more recent years, men who were not direct descendants of Joseph have taken leadership and some have resigned rather than serving until death. This group became known as the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, formerly reorganizing in 1860, and adding the word Reorganized to their title in 1872. In 2001, they changed their name to the Community of Christ.

Since separating from the mainstream church, they have altered many of the doctrines of the church and progressed in their own way. While sharing a common beginning, and often working together to preserve historical sites they both have interest in, they are not at all the same church, and the doctrines and practices of the Community of Christ are now very different than they were when Joseph Smith was alive and are a breakaway, or protestant group, not a restoration church. They have adopted many traditional Protestant beliefs which were not among the teachings of Joseph Smith.

Some of Joseph’s descendents have begun to return to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in recent years.