Lesson 3 First Vision

I have always heard the account of the First Vision. It's refered to many times at church. But what I hadn't read in a long time, if ever, was the account of Joseph's persecution when he mentioned it to some of the people in the different religious sects of his day. He was just a boy - 14/15 - and his account of His vision received great attention from some of the most learned and high up members of the different religions and great religious scholars. They could have brushed him off as just a boy, "what does he know after all, he's just a kid" but instead there was great excitement over his vision and none of it good. Even the sects that couldn't agree with eachother previously, would unite themselves against a 14/15 year old kid.

But the other remarkable thing is that this kid, who was at an impressionable and tender age, did not begin to doubt himself even though the persecution likely brought him to tears. He did not begin to think that maybe he'd just had a dream and it wasn't real after all. He kept true to the things he saw and was not swayed by the pressure that was suddenly cast on him.

This was a wondrously strong and determined kid who grew into a great and brave man. It is no wonder that this was the one the Lord trusted to bring about the restoration of the Gospel.