Starman3000m
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Religion Topic for a better understanding of how Mormonism began through the "revelations" experienced by Joseph Smith.
Excerpts From Mormon Teachings:
“…filled with an overwhelming desire to know which church he should join, Joseph Smith ventured out to the woods near his house and knelt down to pray. Joseph Smith related his experience in Joseph Smith History 1:17. He said, "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!'" (JS-H 1:17)
“Upon seeing the two Personages, Joseph Smith settled on asking the question in which he originally came to know the answer to: which church he should join. Jesus Christ answered, saying "that I must join none of them, for they were all wrong." (JS-H 1:19)
On the twenty-first of April in 1823, Joseph Smith knelt to pray in his bedroom. He desired to know where he stood with God. Suddenly, an angel appeared to him. This event is recorded in Joseph Smith History 1:33-34. It reads, "[The angel] called me by name, and said unto me that he was a messenger sent from the presence of God to me, and that his name was Moroni; that God had a work for me to do… He said there was a book deposited, written upon gold plates, giving an account of the former inhabitants of this continent, and the source from whence they sprang. He also said that the fulness of the everlasting Gospel was contained in it, as delivered by the Savior to the ancient inhabitants."
The angel Moroni, as he called himself, informed the boy Joseph that when he did receive the gold plates that he could not in any way show them to any person, otherwise, Moroni said he would be destroyed. The Hill Cumorah is where the angel Moroni showed him where the plates were located. The following four years were spent conversing with angel Moroni, whom instructed and taught Joseph Smith. During this time, Joseph also met and married Emma Hale.
On the September 22, 1827, Joseph Smith went to the place on Hill Cumorah where the gold plates were deposited and, as commanded by Moroni, retrieved them. Later, in the year 1829, a convert named Oliver Cowdery arrived. He and Joseph Smith began the process of translating the gold plates, which was done only and through the gift and power of God.
Shortly into the process of translating the Book of Mormon, Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery pondered on the idea of baptism. They decided to retreat to woods to pray for an answer. John the Baptist (cousin to Jesus Christ) appeared to them. He then laid his hands upon the heads of Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery and ordained upon them the Aaronic Priesthood; "which holds the keys of the ministering of angels, and of the gospel of repentance, and of baptism by immersion for the remission of sins..." (JS-H 1:69) Following the ordinations, John the Baptist commanded Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery to baptize each other.
Weeks later, Peter, James, and John conferred the Melchizedek Priesthood upon Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery. Now the fullness of the gospel could be restored, the Church of Jesus Christ could be organized to 'roll forth,' and all the ordinances necessary for the salvation of God's children could be performed—including bestowing the gift of the Holy Ghost.
The translated plates became known as the Book of Mormon. A select few were given the opportunity to view the gold plates and witnessed of them. The testimonies of the three and eight witnesses can be found in the opening of the Book of Mormon.
Source: The Prophet Joseph Smith
Excerpts From Mormon Teachings:
“…filled with an overwhelming desire to know which church he should join, Joseph Smith ventured out to the woods near his house and knelt down to pray. Joseph Smith related his experience in Joseph Smith History 1:17. He said, "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!'" (JS-H 1:17)
“Upon seeing the two Personages, Joseph Smith settled on asking the question in which he originally came to know the answer to: which church he should join. Jesus Christ answered, saying "that I must join none of them, for they were all wrong." (JS-H 1:19)
On the twenty-first of April in 1823, Joseph Smith knelt to pray in his bedroom. He desired to know where he stood with God. Suddenly, an angel appeared to him. This event is recorded in Joseph Smith History 1:33-34. It reads, "[The angel] called me by name, and said unto me that he was a messenger sent from the presence of God to me, and that his name was Moroni; that God had a work for me to do… He said there was a book deposited, written upon gold plates, giving an account of the former inhabitants of this continent, and the source from whence they sprang. He also said that the fulness of the everlasting Gospel was contained in it, as delivered by the Savior to the ancient inhabitants."
The angel Moroni, as he called himself, informed the boy Joseph that when he did receive the gold plates that he could not in any way show them to any person, otherwise, Moroni said he would be destroyed. The Hill Cumorah is where the angel Moroni showed him where the plates were located. The following four years were spent conversing with angel Moroni, whom instructed and taught Joseph Smith. During this time, Joseph also met and married Emma Hale.
On the September 22, 1827, Joseph Smith went to the place on Hill Cumorah where the gold plates were deposited and, as commanded by Moroni, retrieved them. Later, in the year 1829, a convert named Oliver Cowdery arrived. He and Joseph Smith began the process of translating the gold plates, which was done only and through the gift and power of God.
Shortly into the process of translating the Book of Mormon, Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery pondered on the idea of baptism. They decided to retreat to woods to pray for an answer. John the Baptist (cousin to Jesus Christ) appeared to them. He then laid his hands upon the heads of Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery and ordained upon them the Aaronic Priesthood; "which holds the keys of the ministering of angels, and of the gospel of repentance, and of baptism by immersion for the remission of sins..." (JS-H 1:69) Following the ordinations, John the Baptist commanded Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery to baptize each other.
Weeks later, Peter, James, and John conferred the Melchizedek Priesthood upon Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery. Now the fullness of the gospel could be restored, the Church of Jesus Christ could be organized to 'roll forth,' and all the ordinances necessary for the salvation of God's children could be performed—including bestowing the gift of the Holy Ghost.
The translated plates became known as the Book of Mormon. A select few were given the opportunity to view the gold plates and witnessed of them. The testimonies of the three and eight witnesses can be found in the opening of the Book of Mormon.
Source: The Prophet Joseph Smith
