It is nearly impossible to explain how important Joseph Smith has been to this world. The best way would be to read his testimony, which you can find online by clicking on his name in the opening sentence to this blog post. I read the post of another of my favorite bloggers (Joycelyn) not too long ago who suggested that one way to solidify your testimony of the Prophet Joseph Smith is to record yourself reading aloud his personal testimony. As a full time missionary over 30 years ago, I had the privilege of reciting from memory, in Spanish, portions of Joseph Smith's testimony every time I taught investigators the first discussion. I can still recite parts from memory in Spanish, even though I have rarely done so since.
I know that Joseph Smith was visited by God, our Heavenly Father and his Son, Jesus Christ. I know that he was given the direction and the power and authority to restore the Church of Jesus Christ to the earth. I know that Joseph Smith was given the responsibility to translate and publish the sacred ancient record that we know as The Book of Mormon.
This week I was reading in another one of my ( one of many) favorite chapters from the Book of Mormon:
2 Nephi 32. If you haven't read it lately, I challenge you to pull out your Book of Mormon and read it, or else click right over here (2 Nephi 32) and read it online. It will be well worth your time.
2 Wherefore, I said unto you, feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do.
8 And now, my beloved brethren, I perceive that ye ponder still in your hearts; and it grieveth me that I must speak concerning this thing. For if ye would hearken unto the Spirit which teacheth a man to pray, ye would know that ye must pray; for the evil spiritteacheth not a man to pray, but teacheth him that he must not pray.
9 But behold, I say unto you that ye must pray always, and not faint; that ye must not perform any thing unto the Lord save in the first place ye shall pray unto the Father in the name of Christ, that he will consecrate thy performance unto thee, that thy performance may be for the welfare of thy soul.
2 Nephi 32:3, 8, 9
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