Comments on: Joseph Smith, Again for the First Time

By: LDS Pad

LDS Pad — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 02:56:39 +0000

I always felt that I had it easy with growing up Catholic and then later in life my close friends and LDS Missionaries introducing me down a path that lead to my recent conversion.

I admire people who are born into the Church and manage to gain their own testimonies. It seems it would be much harder to grow up with the Gospel and find the truth out for yourself.

2nd generation, 3rd generation, 4th generation, etc. members, I would say, are much more stronger than converts. :)

By: Dr. B.

Dr. B. — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 08:29:09 +0000

I love it when people have an aha moment when the paradigm shifts and they feel the Spirit go down into their hearts with fire telling them that something is spiritually true. That was one of your better posts. It was meaningful to me.

By: Aaron

Aaron — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 23:17:11 +0000

Hi,

I really enjoyed reading your conversion story of Joseph Smith. I grew up in the church and have strong ancestry in the church back to Edward Partridge. However, my mother left the church and all of us kids did for awhile as well.

Recently, I shared my conversion story on my blog and received some comments on how I was making it up. I was very grateful to have a knowledge that it doesn\’t matter what others think. I know I\’ve felt the truth and no one can change that.

You can view my conversion story on my blog at: ama49.wordpress.com

By: tracy m

tracy m — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 05:29:59 +0000

Nice, Ardis. Thanks for sharing.

By: DavidH

DavidH — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 03:47:40 +0000

I was a missionary in a less advanced portion of Mexico in the 1970s (a companion from central Mexico referred to it as the “backwoods”). In my experience, people readily accepted the story of the First Vision, largely, I think, because they themselves had had similar spiritual experiences or visions or had family members or close friends who had. To many of the people I visited, the First Vision did not seem like a big deal or something that distinguished our Church from another. A significant number said that accepted that Joseph had the vision, but they did not accept that that meant that they should join our Church.

I have come to believe that God reveals Himself to many people inside and outside our faith in many ways. I may be wrong, but I do not automatically or routinely question the visions and inspiration that others say they have received. I accept that many have had spiritual experiences or divine guidance leading them to a lifelong and firm commitment to their own paths of faith which differ from my own.

I suspect that were I raised in another faith tradition, I would probably reach a similar conclusion to that of some of my friends in Mexico who did not join. That is, I would probably accept that Joseph received a vision of God leading him eventually to found (or restore) a church different from my own. But I doubt that knowing of or accepting his vision would, of itself, alter the religious path I was on (any more than accepting that Muhammed may well have received the Quran through revelation or inspiration would lead me to become a Muslim).

To me, at this time of my life, the significance of the First Vision is that God heard and answered Joseph’s prayer, that He lifted Joseph’s guilt and shame by forgiving his sins, and that He gave Joseph direction. And, just as Joseph received those gifts by seeking, so can I and so can all of us. And it is through such seeking that I am led to remain in and remain committed to the Church (and teachings) that Joseph helped restore.

Needless to say, the First Vision was also, for us, the first of Joseph’s many visions and spiritual experiences in the Restoration, and therefore has significance beyond that of a personal answer to a personal prayer. But, ultimately, for me in my life, it remains as the lodestar for seeking truth and guidance by asking God.

By: Jacob

Jacob — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 22:24:46 +0000

Joseph Smith’s story is so unique, I don’t blame anyone for not believing it. As Mormons we are asked to believe a lot of things that the world cannot handle, and the First Vision, is indeed so bizarre and strangely wonderful all at the same time, that many Christians merely dismiss it as the imagination of a poor farm boy. I will not dismiss it, as I know it to be true. For me, it teaches us that God the Father loves his children more than we can begin to comprehend, and that he desires our salvation more than anything else.

Wonderful Post, Ardis!

By: Lupita

Lupita — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 22:24:29 +0000

This was terrific, Ardis. Although memories of serious fatigue are intertwined with mission reminisces, I never tired of sharing the account of the First Vision on my mission. I often struggled to control my emotions while I was reciting, “Yo vi una columna de luz, mas brillante que el sol…”

By: m&m

m&m — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 22:01:25 +0000

I loved this post, Ardis. I had convert envy, but mine came more in the form of wanting to read the Book of Mormon for the first time. I had a similar sort of ‘first time’ experience when struggling through it in my mission language for the first time. It was amazing.

I also gained my testimony of Joseph Smith while on my mission, as we taught time and time again and as I saw people’s countenances change when they heard that fourth principle.

By: Bethie

Bethie — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 18:04:18 +0000

Thanks for this beautiful and inspiring post. As an investigator, one of my prayers is that this this amazing revelation of the restoration will always be “new” to me.
And I will continue to live in Praise and Gratitude daily.

By: BHodges

BHodges — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 17:16:21 +0000

Ardis, thanks for the words.