First let me say that I belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. That is the actual and proper name for our church. Our church is often referred to as the LDS Church, or the Mormon Church. This series of posts was at the request of some of my friends on Facebook. You can read more about that here–on my Landing Page or introduction for the Write 31 Days Challenge.
This is a very abbreviated lesson on The Message of the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If you would like to know more, I encourage you to visit with the full time missionaries of the Church. You can get information on how to contact them here.
From the Preach My Gospel Manual:
Our message is remarkable and simple. God is our Father. We are His children. We are part of His family. He loves us. From the beginning of the world, He has followed a pattern of love and concern. Many times He has reached out in love to reveal the gospel of Jesus Christ so that His children can know how to return to Him. He revealed it to prophets such as Adam, Noah, Abraham, and Moses. But people have repeatedly chosen to reject that gospel. Two thousand years ago, Jesus Christ Himself taught His gospel and established His Church, and accomplished the Atonement. Incredibly, people even rejected Jesus. Whenever people disregard or distort true doctrines and ordinances, God withdraws His authority to administer the Church.
Our invitation to you and all people is to add to the truths you already treasure. Consider our evidence that our Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, have again reached out to God’s children in love and revealed the fulness of the gospel to a prophet. This prophet’s name is Joseph Smith. The evidence of this glorious truth is found in a book—the Book of Mormon—which you can read, ponder, and pray about. If you pray with a sincere heart, with real intent and faith in Christ, God will tell you by the power of the Holy Ghost that it is true.
- God Is Our Loving Heavenly Father
- –We are God’s children (see Acts 17:29).
- –God loves us and will help us make right choices.
- –Through Jesus Christ, we can live with God again (see John 3:16–17).
- The Gospel Blesses Families
- –The gospel of Jesus Christ helps families develop stronger relationships.
- –Families are ordained of God; they are the most important social unit in time and eternity (see D&C 49:15–16).
- –The family is the best place to teach, learn, and apply gospel principles (see D&C 68:25; Genesis 18:19; Deuteronomy 6:7).
- –The family can be a place of safety, peace, and joy.
- Heavenly Father Reveals His Gospel in Every Dispensation
- –God calls prophets to teach His gospel (see Amos 3:7).
- –Apostasy means to reject prophets and the gospel.
- –Dispensations are periods of time when prophets have taught the gospel. Previous dispensations have ended in apostasy (see D&C 136:36–38).
- –Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, and other ancient prophets all taught the gospel (see Moses 5:4–12).
- The Savior’s Earthly Ministry and Atonement
- –The Son of God restored and taught the gospel. He performed many miracles (see Bible Dictionary, “Miracles,” 732–33).
- –He called Apostles and gave them priesthood authority to preach the gospel and perform saving ordinances such as baptism (see John 15:16).
- –Christ established His Church.
- –Christ was crucified, and His Apostles were rejected and killed (see Matthew 27:35; Mark 15:25).
- –Christ accomplished the Atonement (see Bible Dictionary, “Atonement,” 617).
- The Great Apostasy
- –Without revelation through a prophet, people fall into spiritual darkness (see Amos 8:11–12).
- –Prophets and Apostles foretold the Great Apostasy (see 2 Thessalonians 2:1–3).
- The Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ through Joseph Smith
- –Joseph sought for truth (see Joseph Smith—History 1:8, 10).
- –God and Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph Smith (see Joseph Smith—History 1:16–17).
- –Like prophets in earlier dispensations, Joseph Smith was called as the prophet of this last dispensation.
- –God restored the fulness of the gospel through Joseph Smith (see D&C 35:17; 135:3).
- –Other heavenly messengers restored the priesthood, and Christ’s Church was organized (see D&C 13; 27:12).
- –A living prophet directs the Church today.
- The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ
- –The Book of Mormon is convincing evidence that Joseph Smith was a prophet.
- –Joseph translated the plates by the power of God (see Introduction to the Book of Mormon, paragraph 5).
- –The Book of Mormon proves that God inspires prophets in our day as He has in every dispensation (see D&C 20:5–12).
- –The Book of Mormon contains the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ (see D&C 20:8–9).
- Pray to Know the Truth through the Holy Ghost
- –You can know that the Book of Mormon is true (see Moroni 10:3–5; Introduction to the Book of Mormon, paragraphs 1, 8–9).
- –The Holy Ghost will teach you through your thoughts and feelings (see D&C 8:2–3).
I found a really fun video of a couple of Sister Missionaries teaching principles of the Restoration through a cup song.
If you want to know more, here is a non-threatening way to see what a lesson with the missionaries would be like (without the interaction of course.) These videos are done by a couple of members of the church to share what would be taught by missionaries.
God Is Our Loving Heavenly Father, The Gospel Blesses Families, Heavenly Father Reveals His Gospel in Every Dispensation.
The Savior’s Earthly Ministry and Atonement, The Great Apostasy, The Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ through Joseph Smith.
The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ, Pray to Know the Truth through the Holy Ghost.
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