Welcome!

Hello! Thanks for reading my new blog. I started this as an assignment for a religion class at BYU, but I hope that it will be a place for friends and family to visit to get updates on my life.

Since I started a class on the Doctrine and Covenants this semester, I have given a lot of thought to what I gain from studying the Doctrine and Covenants in context. The list of blessings is long, but I think one particular example from my life shows the growth that I've experienced.

In April of 2007, I remember watching the PBS documentary The Mormons and learning of some historical aspects of the Church that I had never known. Though my testimony of the Church and of Jesus Christ stayed strong, the potential dangers of remaining ignorant of historical context of the truths I had learned became clear to me. Particularly, I realized that I needed to strengthen my testimony of Joseph Smith as a prophet.

A few months later, I enrolled in a Latter-day Saint History class (taught by Susan Easton Black). Near the beginning of the semester, we discussed Joseph Smith's different accounts of the first vision. I learned that though this particular aspect of the story was not found in the cannonized account, in other accounts Joseph mentions that one of his purposes in praying in the grove was to receive a remission of his sins. When Christ appeared, one of the first things He said to Jospeh was, "thy Sins are forgiven thee."

Joseph describes the circumstances surrounding his 1823 visit by the angel Moroni, three years after his first vision, as:

"On the twenty-first evening of September, after I had retired to my bed for the night, I betook myself to prayer and supplication to Almighty God for forgiveness of all my sins and follies, and also for a manifestation to me, that I might kinow of my state and standing before him... (JS-H 1:29)"

Doctrine and Covenants section 110 contains the vision, manifested to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery, of Jesus Christ accepting the Kirtland Temple. Though I had read it many times, I never noticed that in the section introduction Joseph mentions they were engaged in "solemn and silent prayer" prior to the vision. I know of no place where Joseph has said what he was praying for, but verse 5 reads:

"Behold, your sins are forgiven you; you are clean before me; therefore, lift up your heads and rejoice. (D&C 110:5)"

Among other things, studying the Doctrine and Covenants in the context of Church History has strengthened by testimony that Joseph Smith is a prophet. I appreciate his example of continually seeking to be in good standing with God. The revelations he received mean even more to me when I learn of the comfort they provided him as they were answers to prayers regarding real-life situations, just as I face. I know the revelations contained in the Doctrine and Covenants are true and I look forward to sharing my experiences with them.

Thank you for reading and I hope you'll check back often. Don't forget to post your comments!