The First Vision

I have been thinking about the story of Joseph Smith and the First Vision. It stood out to me that when Joseph went to offer up his prayer to know which church was right that a mist of darkness came upon him.
Lets review his account...
"After I had retired to the place where I had previously designed to go, having looked around me, and finding myself alone, I kneeled down and began to offer up the desires of my heart to God. I had scarcely done so, when immediately I was seized upon by some power which entirely overcame me, and had such an astonishing influence over me as to bind my tongue so that I could not speak. Thick darkness gathered around me, and it seemed to me for a time as if I were doomed to sudden destruction."
I think it is so significant that the minute he got down on his knees and made the effort to go to God that Satan was right there to try and persuade him from accomplishing want Satan also knew Joseph could accomplish in that moment....because Satan knows us too. He watched us, studies us, knows our weaknesses...he wants us to fail.
He goes on...
"But, exerting all my powers to call upon God to deliver me out of the power of this enemy which had seized upon me, and at the very moment when I was ready to sink into despair and abandon myself to destruction--not to an imaginary ruin, but to the power of some actual being from the unseen world, who had such marvelous power as I had never before felt in any being--just at this moment of great alarm, I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me."
This is an example to us that when we feel like we are at the end of our ropes, when despair takes over us that we need to offer up our prayer, only the Savior can save us from sinking into that despair...this goes along with my knew favorite quote of "When life gets to hard to stand...Kneel". The Savior did come and send away the darkness that was surrounding Joseph...all he had to do was ask and THE VERY MOMENT he called upon the Lord the darkness departed.
It goes on to say...
"It no sooner appeared than I found myself delivered from the enemy which held me bound. 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!"
This is the best part...They called him by name! Heavenly Father and His Son, our Brother...know us by name as well. How comforting it is to me that they know us personally.


I am so thankful for my testimony and I am thankful that I am able to strengthen that testimony whenever I seek the right things in my life. I know yours will become stronger as well as you strive to surround yourself with positive people and positive things.


Stand in Holy Places.