Elder Russell M. Nelson said: “Do you realize that we have received more pages of scripture through the Prophet Joseph Smith than we have from any other prophet? As a result we understand eternal truths that would otherwise still be obscure or unknown. . . .Perhaps we could mention a few.
Because of the ministry of Joseph Smith, we know the true nature of our Heavenly Father and of His beloved Son (see Doctrine and Covenants 76:23; 110:2-4). We know the interrelationships between the Creation, the Fall of Adam, and the Atonement of Jesus Christ (see Doctrine and Covenants 20:16-24; Moses 5:8-11; 6:57-62; Abraham 3:22-26). We understand the eternal nature of our existence—before birth and after death (see Doctrine and Covenants 93:23,29; Abraham 3:18), that state of the soul between death and the resurrection (see Alma 40:9,11,21), and more about Paul’s description of the three degrees of glory (see 1 Corinthians 15:40-42; Doctrine and Covenants 76: 50-112; 131:1-4).
Through the ministry of the Prophet Joseph we know that—
- Jesus is our Lord and Creator of this world and many others (see Moses 1:33-35),
- The purpose of life is to attain joy—as individuals and as families (see 2 Nephi 2:25),
- The glory of God is intelligence (see Doctrine and Covenants 93:36; 131:6, and that
- The priesthood is an everlasting principle (Alma 13:7).
We know that—
- Joseph, son of Israel, foresaw Joseph Smith and his day (see 2 Nephi 3:6-21), and
- The land inheritance of Joseph, son of Israel, is no longer a mystery. His inheritance was not in the Middle East, among his brothers, but was here on the American hemisphere—a land choice above all others (see Nephi 2:20; 13:30). It was choice not because of spectacular scenery or natural resources, but choice because it was chosen as a land reserved for God’s righteous children to worship Him, chosen as the repository of plates from which the Book of Mormon was translated, chosen to be world headquarters of the Lord’s Church when restored in the dispensation of the fullness of times.
We know that—
- The covenant God made with Abraham some 4,000 years ago, to bless all the nations through his seed, was not to be fulfilled until these latter days (see 1 Nephi 15:18),
- Temple ordinances unite families with progenitors and progeny forever (see Doctrine and Covenants 131-132),
- The keeper of the gate at the Judgment will be Jesus, the Holy One of Israel (see 2 Nephi 9:41-42).
We know that—
- Matter and energy are indestructible (see Doctrine and Covenants 93:29, 33; 131:7),
- Divine law is incontrovertible (see Doctrine and Covenants 88:36-38; 121: 30-32; 130: 20-21),
- Jesus the Christ will again reign personally upon the earth (see Articles of Faith 1:10), and that
- The earth will pass though additional phases of its existence and be renewed in its paradisaical glory (see Articles of Faith 1:10; Doctrine and Covenants 77:1; 88:17-20, 25-26; 130:7-9; Moses 3:5,7) and much, much more!
Incredible! To me it seems almost inconceivable that any sincere and inquiring mind could doubt the mantle of Joseph Smith. (“Praise to he Prophet, ” Seminar for New Mission Presidents, June 25, 1994) (Also in ‘Teachings of Russell M. Nelson, Deseret Book, 2018 p. 167-69)
(There are still problems with getting the links to scripture references correct and I finally gave up. The above is what it is. All the references are included but many links don’t work as they should. k)
