long ago ideas

“When we are tired, we are attacked by ideas we conquered long ago." - Friedrich Nietzsche Long ago, Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery conquered false claims that the Book of Mormon was fiction or that it came through a stone in a hat. But these old claims have resurfaced in recent years. To conquer them again, we have to return to what Joseph and Oliver taught.

Friday, December 23, 2016

December 23

Joseph Smith was born on December 23, 1805. This was the day after the winter solstice that year; i.e., Joseph was born on the day after the shortest, and darkest, day of the year. 

Beautiful symbolism for the light he helped bring to the Earth and all of humanity.

It's up to each one of us to help bring light to the Earth through the our actions and words. 

I hope we each take a moment today to think about whether we're adding light or extinguishing it.

For Joseph, the Hill Cumorah was never far from his thoughts. In 1842, at one of the most stressful points of his life, he wrote a letter to the Saints about joy and optimism that pointed directly to Cumorah. 

It has been designated as Section 128:


19 Now, what do we hear in the gospel which we have received? A voice of gladness! A voice of mercy from heaven; and a voice of truth out of the earth; glad tidings for the dead; a voice of gladness for the living and the dead; glad tidings of great joy. How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of those that bring glad tidings of good things, and that say unto Zion: Behold, thy God reigneth! As the dews of Carmel, so shall the knowledge of God descend upon them!
 20 And again, what do we hear? Glad tidings from Cumorah! Moroni, an angel from heaven, declaring the fulfilment of the prophets—the book to be revealed. A voice of the Lord in the wilderness of Fayette, Seneca county, declaring the three witnesses to bear record of the book!

1 comment:

  1. Joseph Smith was born during the time of the Winter Solstice, symbolizing being born into the depth of darkness. He died during the time of the Summer Solstice, symbolizing the brightness of the full light of day.

    He walked with a gimp, due to the leg surgery he endured as a child. Certain royal birds are said to walk with limp or injured legs. To me his limp symbolized his grand Kingship. He was a Halcyon King.

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