Hello Brothers and Sisters, We hope you are all doing well and that faith and courage fill your hearts and souls, especially this day of worship. Bless you in your sabbath observance and may the Spirit fill you with peace and joy today and through the week. This past week in our Come, Follow Me studies we read about Moroni's visits to Joseph Smith, first were three times through the night in his bedroom and then again the next day. Up to this time and since his first vision it's interesting to read of his rehearsing the persecution he received and at such a young age. Joseph was truly called of God, yet he shares of his feelings of weakness and imperfections. Then, the night of September 21, 1823, while he was "in the act of calling upon God", he has this heavenly visit by Moroni, the last prophet and contributor of the Book of Mormon, who calls him by name and announces he "was a messenger sent from the presence of God" and that "God had a work" for Joseph to do. Moroni first tells Joseph there is a book and "that the fullness of the everlasting Gospel was contained in it". This book, we know, is the Book of Mormon. Next Moroni quotes prophecies of the Old Testament. From Malachi he quotes verse six of chapter 4, which he indicates Moroni quoted differently: And he shall plant in the hearts of the children the promises made to the fathers, and the hearts of the children shall turn to their fathers. If it were not so, the whole earth would be utterly wasted at his coming. (Joseph Smith--History 1:39) So, two things come to me, first a book. A book containing the "fullness of the everlasting Gospel". This book, the Book of Mormon would be a resource to the conversion of many to the "everlasting Gospel" of Jesus Christ, another testimony of Him. Second is the turning of the hearts of the children to their fathers, which we understand to be our (children) participation in the work of salvation for those who have passed away (fathers); temple and family history work. We read in Moses 1:39 For behold, this is my work and my glory-to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. Our prophet, president Nelson has been such an inspiring champion of gathering scattered Israel "on both sides of the veil". These two points from Moroni to Joseph Smith reminds us that this gathering on both sides of the veil has been the case from the beginning of the restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and from the beginning of the eternities. Now, the matter of importance. The Book of Mormon, the keystone of our religion, is instrumental to our conversion, those on this side of the veil, to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Without this and our work here, the gathering of Israel on the other side of the veil and their receiving the necessary ordinances to return to the presence of our loving Heavenly Father is greatly hindered and maybe impossible as we know it. What a wonderful opportunity we have to assist our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ in their work and glory. I pray that, even with the current conditions, we are all watching for those opportunities to share our love for the Gospel of Jesus Christ and our love for Him as well as feeling the tugging of our hearts to our fathers and finding ways to gather Israel on the other side of the veil as well through temple and family history work. Bless you in your efforts! We love you, we pray for you, we recognize and understand what you are experiencing and we know that Christ suffered not only for our mistakes but also for our struggles, pains, fears. I know He will comfort us and bring peace as we exercise faith and especially as we assist in His work and His glory! The Washington Stake Presidency Noel Jackson
Stake Presidency First Counselor.
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