The Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ April 27, 2015

Rickee (Sis. Burton's little sister) had asked Sis. Burton to send her a lesson that she teaches investigators.  This is what Sis. Burton sent...

 

Rickee- The Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ

God is our Heavenly Father and we are His children. He loves us so much and only wants what is best for us becuase we are His children. In Romans 8:16 is says that "The spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God." Our Father in Heaven knows and loves each and every one of us more than we can ever comprehend. He has a plan and a purpose for each of us in this life. Because he loves us so much he has put of into families to help us learn and grow. We can see the love that Heavenly Father has for us because he has given us families! Just like our mother and father love us so much our Heavenly Father loves us so much as well!

Another way that we can see Heavenly Father's love for us is by Him giving us prophets. He has given us prophets all the way from the time of Adam and Eve to Thomas S. Monson! Prophets help us know what Heavenly Father wants us to do and what we can do to become more like Him. They have his priesthood authority to act in his name to help Heavenly Father's children.

One of the most important ways that we can see Heavenly Father's love for us is by Him sending His Son Jesus Christ to atone for all of our sins so that we can overcome spiritual death and to be crucified and Resurrected so that we can overcome physical death. John 3:16 says, "For God so loved the world , that he gave his only begotten Son , that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life" The only way the we can have everlasting life is through Jesus Christ.

But Jesus Christ was crucified and the apostles were killed and the priesthood authority that was on the earth was gone. Think of Jesus Christ and the 12 apostles holding a vase, which is representing the church, all together. Slowly there hands start to leave as they are killed. Eventually all of the hands are gone. What happens when no one is holding up the vase? It falls and shatters. The same church that Christ established on the earth was no longer there. As soon as people saw that it was gone they wanted it back so they started to make their own "vase" but none of the vases were the same as Christ's vase.

So Heavenly Father needed to restore the Church of Jesus Christ back onto the earth. After many years of the church being gone from the earth Heavenly Father did what he has done throughout time, he called another prophet named Joseph Smith. Joseph Smith grew up in a time where there was much religious excitement and he didn't know what of the many churches were true. He read one day in James 1:5 and it said "If any of you lack wisdom , let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him." He knew that he lacked wisdom so her decided to ask of God. He went into a grove of trees and kneeled down and prayed to Heavenly Father and this is his experience "I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me. When the light rested upon me 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!" Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ told him that none of the churches were true and through Joseph Smith, Heavenly Father restored The Church of Jesus Christ back to the earth. It was the exact same vase that Jesus had when he was on the earth.

As part of the Restoration of the Gospel the Book of Mormon was translated with the power of God. As you read the Book of Mormon and pray to Heavenly Father you can know the truthfulness of these words. In Moroni 10:3-5 is says that,  "Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it... And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true ; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power... And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things."
As you pray with a sincere heart and real intent Heavenly Father will manifest the truth to you by the power of the Holy Ghost.

Then bear your testimony :)
Well Rickee. That is the first lesson we teach. I hope this is what you wanted! I love you so much!!!