What the Restoration Means For Me

Last week, I posted this video:

and asked for your response as far as what the Restoration means to you. Haha... no one answered. But I still will!

I think that the story of the First Vision is incredible; not just because of the fruits of that miracle (while those are indeed crucial), but because of the smaller lessons to be learned from Joseph Smith's experience.

My absolute favorite part of the story, though, is found here:

"One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other--'This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!'"

There are a million things I could get out of this verse in Joseph Smith History, but what stands out to me the most is that Heavenly Father, the God of the universe and the Father of all spirits, called Joseph by name. Think of that!

A small-town, 14-year-old farmboy is known by God! His prayer was answered. "Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God" (Doctrine and Covenants 18:10). All souls. We are all
children of a very loving Heavenly Father, and the story of the First Vision proves it.

Even more than just caring about us, our Father in Heaven knows us. God said, "Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee" (Jeremiah 1:5). I always laugh about the friends or family members who know exactly how I feel, what I'm thinking, or what I'm about to say before I feel, think, or talk. God is even a step ahead of them because He has known me for an eternity by now.

Recently, we taught a lady who, I must say, has had one of the hardest lives of anyone I have ever met. What really made a difference in her life, though, was when she recognized that she was literally a daughter of God, our King. When she realized that not only could she know God, but that our Heavenly Father knew her, it changed everything. Her repentance became heartfelt; her faith became firm.

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland once wrote,

[T]he Savior said, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you. … Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27).

I submit to you, that may be one of the Savior’s commandments that is, even in the hearts of otherwise faithful Latter-day Saints, almost universally disobeyed; and yet I wonder whether our resistance to this invitation could be any more grievous to the Lord’s merciful heart. I can tell you this as a parent: as concerned as I would be if somewhere in their lives one of my children were seriously troubled or unhappy or disobedient, nevertheless I would be infinitely more devastated if I felt that at such a time that child could not trust me to help or thought his or her interest was unimportant to me or unsafe in my care. In that same spirit, I am convinced that none of us can appreciate how deeply it wounds the loving heart of the Savior of the world when he finds that his people do not feel confident in his care or secure in his hands or trust in his commandments. 

Just because God is God, just because Christ is Christ, they cannot do other than care for us and bless us and help us if we will but come unto them, approaching their throne of grace in meekness and lowliness of heart.

I know that we all have a Heavenly Father who is watching over us and cares for us. The Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ shows this! God heard a young farm boys prayers, and, calling him by name, changed the world for all of us. I pray we can all learn something from young Joseph's example and seek out God in humble prayer whenever we "lack wisdom" so that He, as any loving father would, can lead and guide us.