I’m finding that writing these articles like I’m talking to a friend is a little challenging. But, I hope that those who are taking the time to find out what I believe will enjoy them, and learn something.
We are often accused of worshiping Joseph Smith. Who is he? What is it about him that we so highly regard? Well, we believe that Joseph Smith was a man, just like you and me, who was called of God to be a Prophet. One key aspect of our church that we believe that other churches do not is that there was both an apostasy (or loss of the complete truth from when Christ was on the earth) and subsequently, there was a restoration of the pure and true gospel of Jesus Christ.
When Christ was on the earth, he taught the gospel. Many believed and were converted. When He was crucified for His teachings and declarations of being the Savior, the only people left to preach His gospel were the apostles. Over time, they too were killed, and murdered for their teachings. This left only part of the true gospel on the earth. With the death of Christ and the apostles, there was an apostasy, or loss of the complete Gospel.
It was during this long period of apostasy that many religions were formed. People were still seeking the truth. While we believe that other religions hold part of those precious truths, there was no longer one single church that had everything required of God to be His true church on the earth.
That is where Joseph Smith comes in. He questioned which church was true as a young boy in 1820. He found a scripture in the bible in James 1:5 that counseled him to ask God if he had any questions, and it would be told what to do. With great faith, he did just that. We believe that God himself, and Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph Smith and told him not to join any of the churches. Over several years, he received all the necessary tools to restore the church to the earth again. He was called to be a modern day prophet on the earth.
We believe that since that time, there has been, and always will be a Prophet, and 12 apostles to lead and guide God’s church. We believe that Joseph Smith was a great man, although not perfect, who was called to be a Prophet. We do not worship Joseph Smith, and we definitely do not pray to him. But, we believe that he was a Prophet, and so we respect him. We also believe that the only way to know of the truth of his claim of seeing God and Jesus Christ is to earnestly pray for yourself and ask God if it is true.
Related Articles:
What I Believe-Part 1, God and Jesus Christ