The Apostasy and The Restoration

April’s doctrinal topic for the youth is the Apostasy and the Restoration. We know that when Jesus Christ was on the earth He established His Church. He gave priesthood authority to the apostles and prophets He called to preach His gospel. They “taught true doctrine and received revelation. With the death of the apostles, priesthood authority was taken from the earth, revelation ceased, and essential doctrines were lost or corrupted.”1 Can you even imagine living with no priesthood, no revelation, no prophets? I can’t! And gratefully we don’t have to, because we also know that “through the Prophet Joseph Smith, the Church that Jesus Christ established was restored.”1

Let’s focus on two questions from the lesson outline – why is the First Vision important and why do we need the Book of Mormon.

Why is the First Vision important?

Adilson de Paula Parrella said, “The First Vision and the Prophet Joseph Smith brought forth knowledge and truth that are essential to our happiness in this life and our exaltation in the presence of God. … We learn … that God calls prophets, seers, and revelators to instruct, guide, warn, and lead us. … We know that God is a being with a body of flesh and bones as tangible as ours, that we can worship a God who is real, whom we can understand, and who has shown and revealed Himself and His Son to His prophets—both prophets of old and prophets in these latter days. He is a God who hears and answers our prayers; a God who watches us from heaven above and is constantly concerned about our spiritual and temporal well-being; a God who gives us agency to decide for ourselves to follow Him and obey His commandments without coercion; a God who gives us blessings and allows us to face trials so we can grow and become like Him. … We received knowledge of the reality and sacred mission of the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the cornerstone of our religion.”2

Why do we need the Book of Mormon?

Tad R. Callister teaches us that the Book of Mormon “radiates with the Spirit” and “has inspired millions to reject Satan and to live more Christlike lives.” It contains “divine doctrine that fills page after page … with its supernal truths” and is a “crowning witness of Jesus Christ.” The Book of Mormon “teaches, contrary to most Christian beliefs, that the Fall of Adam was a positive step forward. It reveals the covenants made at baptism, which are not addressed in the Bible.” From it, we gain “powerful insight that because of Christ’s Atonement, He can not only cleanse us but also perfect us.” “The Book of Mormon is one of God’s priceless gifts to us.”3

What are we doing with this priceless gift? Unless we are willing to study and apply its teachings, Heavenly Father’s gift will not have much value to us. Surely that is why we are encouraged to make it a part of our lives every day. In fact, President Monson, in what would be his last general conference talk as our prophet, implored “each of us to prayerfully study and ponder the Book of Mormon each day.”4

Henry B. Eyring accepted that challenge. He said, “Last April, President Thomas S. Monson gave a message that stirred hearts across the world, including mine. He spoke of the power of the Book of Mormon. He urged us to study, ponder, and apply its teachings. He promised that if we dedicated time each day to studying and pondering and kept the commandments the Book of Mormon contains, we would have a vital testimony of its truth, and the resultant testimony of the living Christ would see us through to safety in times of trouble. … I heard the prophet’s words as the voice of the Lord to me. And … I decided to obey those words. Now, since I was a young boy, I have felt the witness that the Book of Mormon is the word of God, that the Father and the Son appeared and spoke with Joseph Smith, and that ancient Apostles came to the Prophet Joseph to restore priesthood keys to the Lord’s Church. With that testimony, I have read the Book of Mormon every day for more than 50 years. So perhaps I could have reasonably thought that President Monson’s words were for someone else. Yet … I felt the prophet’s encouragement and his promise invite me to make a greater effort. … Those of us who took his inspired counsel to heart have heard the Spirit more distinctly. We have found a greater power to resist temptation and have felt greater faith in a resurrected Jesus Christ, in His gospel, and in His living Church. In a season of increasing tumult in the world, those increases in testimony have driven out doubt and fear and have brought us feelings of peace. …The Spirit he promised has produced a sense of optimism about what lies ahead, even as the commotion in the world seems to increase.”5

Russell M. Nelson also accepted President Monson’s challenge. For the next six months, as he studied, he “made lists what the Book of Mormon is, what it affirms, what it refutes, what it fulfills, what it clarifies, and what it reveals.” (Those lists are shared at the end of his written talk.) President Nelson testifies that “the Book of Mormon … contains the answers to life’s most compelling questions. It teaches the doctrine of Christ. It expands and clarifies many of the ‘plain and precious’ truths that were lost through centuries of time and numerous translations of the Bible. The Book of Mormon provides the fullest and most authoritative understanding of the Atonement of Jesus Christ to be found anywhere. … The full power of the gospel of Jesus Christ is contained in the Book of Mormon. Period. This is the book that will help to prepare the world for the Second Coming of the Lord.”6

Now let’s personalize the question – why do I need the Book of Mormon? Six months ago President Nelson asked some soul-searching questions. “How precious is the Book of Mormon to you?” “What would your life be like without the Book of Mormon?” “What would you not know?” “What would you not have?” He testifies, “Immersing ourselves regularly in the truths of the Book of Mormon can be a life-changing experience.” How can it change us? Consider his prophetic promise, “I promise that as you prayerfully study the Book of Mormon every day, you will make better decisions—every day. I promise that as you ponder what you study, the windows of heaven will open, and you will receive answers to your own questions and direction for your own life. I promise that as you daily immerse yourself in the Book of Mormon, you can be immunized against the evils of the day, even the gripping plague of pornography and other mind-numbing addictions.”6 Wow! Why wouldn’t we all want those promises?

Just days ago, our dear prophet reminded us, “You don’t have to wonder about what is true. You do not have to wonder whom you can safely trust. Through personal revelation, you can receive your own witness that the Book of Mormon is the word of God, that Joseph Smith is a prophet, and that this is the Lord’s Church. Regardless of what others may say or do, no one can ever take away a witness borne to your heart and mind about what is true.”7

While we know there will never be another Great Apostasy, we each must guard against personal apostasy. The Book of Mormon has the power to keep us from personal apostasy. We need to know the Book of Mormon is true. But, as President Nelson reminded us, that isn’t enough! “We need to feel, deep in ‘the inmost part’ of our hearts, that the Book of Mormon is unequivocally the word of God. We must feel it so deeply that we would never want to live even one day without it.”6 We must gain, preserve and protect our own personal testimonies. Individually, we must take seriously the responsibility to keep our faith alive and our testimony burning brightly. Then we must be willing to share! M. Russell Ballard taught, “There is no blessing anyone can share greater than the message of the Restoration, which, when received and lived, promises everlasting joy and peace—even eternal life.”8

Miracles happened because a young boy with questions had enough faith to ask of God. Miracles can also happen in our lives when we have enough faith to ask of God. Why is the First Vision important to me? Why do I need the Book of Mormon? How precious is the Book of Mormon to me? What would my life be like without the Book of Mormon? What would I not know? What would I not have? The answers to these questions are so important! They are life-changing!