The First Vision: Comparing the 4 Accounts of Joseph Smith

by Josh Squire

 

I have known that there were multiple accounts of the first vision since my mission, but I had never really studied each of them.  Over the last few weeks I have read each account multiple times, listened to a podcast released by the church that discusses the different accounts, and prayed many times for a testimony of each account.

As I have studied these accounts and reflected on what unique insight each provided into this singular event; I have gained greater appreciation for the first vision and for the Prophet Joseph Smith.  I would like to relate the story of the first vision, in Joseph’s own words. This may sound a little different than what you read in the Joseph Smith History because I pulled details that stood out to me from each of the accounts and combined it into one telling, but these are all words written or spoken directly by the Prophet Joseph Smith.

“I kneeled down and began to offer up the desires of my heart to God. I had scarcely done so, when immediately I was seized upon by some power which entirely overcame me, and had such an astonishing influence over me as to bind my tongue so that I could not speak. Thick darkness gathered around me, and it seemed to me for a time as if I were doomed to sudden destruction.

But, exerting all my powers to call upon God to deliver me out of the power of this enemy which had seized upon me, and at the very moment when I was ready to sink into despair and abandon myself to destruction—not to an imaginary ruin, but to the power of some actual being from the unseen world, who had such marvelous power as I had never before felt in any being—just at this moment of great alarm, I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me.

It no sooner appeared than I found myself delivered from the enemy which held me bound. 

the light rested upon me and filled me with joy unspeakable.  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!

And he spake unto me, saying, “Joseph, my son, thy sins are forgiven thee. Go thy way, walk in my statutes, and keep my commandments. Behold, I am the Lord of glory. I was crucified for the world, that all those who believe on my name may have eternal life.

My soul was filled with love, and for many days I could rejoice with great joy. The Lord was with me, but I could find none that would believe the heavenly vision. Nevertheless, I pondered these things in my heart.”

As I have pondered and prayed over the various accounts, the first major them that came to mind was the contrast that Joseph experienced in such a short time frame between darkness and light.

Remember the words that he used to describe the darkness:  he was seized upon, it bound his tongue, he felt despair, he felt doomed to sudden destruction, this being remained unseen and hidden.  Doesn’t that sound familiar? To me it sounded like the implementation of Lucifer’s plan in the great counsel before we came to earth. He wanted to force his will on all mankind.  He was going to take over and compel us to obey because his agenda is all that mattered to him. He wanted to steal our agency and use our “success” to build his own glory.

Now, compare that to how Joseph described his experience with our Father and our Savior.  A light gradually descended until it rested upon him, The Father and Son stood before him.  His Father called him by name. The Savior forgave his sins and counseled him. He felt great love, peace and joy in his heart for several days afterward.

As we go through life, we are going to experience all of these feelings to some degree.  That is part of why we are here. However, when we feel as if we are in darkness, we need to remember where those feelings come from.  God does not put those feelings in us, but at times he does allow us to go through periods of trial to teach us. These periods can be brought on by our own use of agency, by another’s use of agency that affects us, or seemingly out of nowhere.  These times can be used to teach us and to help us more fully appreciate the light if we will turn our hearts over to the Lord.

A few months ago, while preparing a sacrament meeting talk, I came across a quote that really hit me.  It states: “The purpose of the gospel is to comfort the afflicted and to afflict the comfortable.” Sometimes experiencing the darkness is what it takes to awaken our desire to seek out our Father.

If we will turn to the Lord, eventually the light will come.  I encourage all of you to accept President Nelson’s invitation to study the events of the first vision and the restoration of the Gospel and the Church of Jesus Christ as we celebrate the bicentennial of this amazing work.  As you follow the counsel of the Lord’s Prophet, he will speak new truths to your heart.