FIRST VISION BICENTENNIAL: IN RESPONSE TO THE PROPHET’S INVITATION (Part 4)

MY BELIEF IN THE ON-GOING RESTORATION OF THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST

by: Norberto Betita

The restoration did not end after the first vision nor did it terminate after the death of the prophet Joseph Smith. I believe and know that since that First Vision of the prophet Joseph Smith, the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ did continue to its forward course and is still ongoing until this day and time.

It is clear in the Articles of Faith: “We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.” (Articles of Faith 1:9.) Such prophetic declaration by the prophet Joseph Smith justifies the fact that the heavens did not close its portals to man, nor does God stops talking to His children in mortality. All the prophets after him were in continued communion with God in relation to the restoration of the gospel and the church of Jesus Christ, even The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, upon the earth, and that God continues to reveal to His appointed servants His will “concerning all things pertaining to [His] kingdom…even the wonders of eternity…and things to come…even the things of many generations.” (D & C 76:7-8). God’s heavenly realm is likewise open to every one of His children to “enlighten them, and by [his] power…make known unto them the secrets of [His] will—even those things which eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor yet entered into the heart of man.” (D & C 76:10).

With the martyrdom of the prophet Joseph Smith, many of his persecutors might have believed that the church which was established through his instrumentality and restored in these last days of the fullness of times would shrivel and die with his demise. Unbeknown to them, however, is the fact that in time prior to his death, he left a prophetic utterance which was made part of his Wentworth letter which states, “The Standard of Truth has been erected; no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall all be accomplished and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done” (Teachings: Joseph Smith Chapter 38: The Wentworth Letter, churchofjesuschrist.org.)

Indeed, the restored church did continue to move forward to its global existence after the death of the Prophet Joseph Smith, notwithstanding unrelenting persecutions. The stretch of its worldwide influence runs with accelerating pace and zooming frequency, thus becoming “one of the fastest growing churches in the world.” (Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Come, Join with Us, churchofjesuschrist.org)

Cebu Philippines Temple

President Russel M. Nelson, the incumbent living successor of the Prophetic authority since the time of the prophet Joseph Smith, so declared, "If you think the Church has been fully restored, you're just seeing the beginning." (President Russell M. Nelson said about the Church in a video during his South American tour.) There is a lot more to do and more work to accomplish in the “gathering of scattered Israel on both sides of the veil” (President Russel M. Nelson), and “to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man” (Moses 1:39).

Therefore, in the continuing process of the restoration the Lord provides this instruction and warning: “Behold, I sent you out to testify and warn the people, and it becometh every man who hath been warned to warn his neighbor.

“Therefore, they are left without excuse, and their sins are upon their own heads.

“He that seeketh me early shall find me, and shall not be forsaken.

“Abide ye in the liberty wherewith ye are made free; entangle not yourselves in sin, but let your hands be clean, until the Lord comes.

“For not many days hence and the earth shall tremble and reel to and fro as a drunken man; and the sun shall hide his face, and shall refuse to give light; and the moon shall be bathed in blood; and the stars shall become exceedingly angry, and shall cast themselves down as a fig that falleth from off a fig tree.

“And after your testimony cometh wrath and indignation upon the people.

“For after your testimony cometh the testimony of earthquakes, that shall cause groanings in the midst of her, and men shall fall upon the ground and shall not be able to stand.

“And also cometh the testimony of the voice of thunderings, and the voice of lightnings, and the voice of tempests, and the voice of the waves of the sea heaving themselves beyond their bounds.

“And all things shall be in commotion; and surely, men’s hearts shall fail them; for fear shall come upon all people. (Doctrine and Covenants 88:81-83, 86-91)

Since then and now, the restoration of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ has been going on and will continue to roll forth until His Second Coming. The scriptures record: “And there shall be silence in heaven for the space of half an hour; and immediately after shall the curtain of heaven be unfolded, as a scroll is unfolded after it is rolled up, and the face of the Lord shall be unveiled.” (Section 88:95). Then He shall declare: “…I was wounded in the house of my friends. I am he who was lifted up. I am Jesus that was crucified. I am the Son of God. And then shall they weep because of their iniquities; then shall they lament because they persecuted their king…And Satan shall be bound, that he shall have no place in the hearts of the children of men.” (D&C 45:52–53, 55). Then again, “at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:10-11).

Manila Philippines Temple

During those times, “…ultimately nothing can be hidden. God, who said, “all things are present with me, for I know them all” (Moses 1:6), has power to reveal all things. Those in any age of the world who have performed works of darkness, thinking their deeds could be covered, will have their hopes blasted. When the trumps of God are sounded, all things will be made known—even the thoughts and intents of our hearts. For some this will be dreadful. For others, who have labored and served in purity and have performed secretly acts of love, kindness, and sacrifice, this will be a time of great joy. All will know at that time that God is just. He and His servants will be vindicated, and all will acknowledge that the only desire of God and His people is for the welfare and happiness of all His children.” (see The Olive Leaf – D & C 88:108-110, churchofjesuschrist.org).

My unfaltering and devoted enduring conversion to the truth of the restored gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and the opportunity to serve almost uninterruptedly in His church is perhaps the only investment of heart, might, mind and strength, and time and resources that did pay adequate dividends for me and my family, not only in this life but even eternally in the life to come. Such is my faith and humble conviction. All other investments were doomed to worldly blunders and failures.

With the oncoming First Vision bicentennial celebration and in response to the Prophet’s invitation, I bear solemn witness of these truths with fervency of soul and unrestrained confidence and certainty in the heart and mind. I know with deeper spiritual dimension, wisdom and knowledge of the revealed truths, that no matter how brilliant the critics, no matter how much effort is exerted to fiddle and defraud, no matter how many intelligent minds shall combine to outwit and thwart, the validity of these sacred truths of the ongoing restoration of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, will never be perverted nor shattered, it will remain constant forever and ever.

I deemed it crucial and sublime duty to bear my testimony of the truth as a sounding cry to remind all of us of the scriptural warnings of inescapable terror that will come upon the earth. President Russel M. Nelson said, “True disciples of Jesus Christ are willing to stand out, speak up, and be different from the people of the world. They are undaunted, devoted, and courageous.” (Drawing the Power of Jesus Christ into Our Lives, President Russell M. Nelson, April 217 General Conference, churchofjesuschrist.org).

My testimonies may have been only a small measure of contribution to President Russel M. Nelson’s call "…to be a major part in sharing the message of the ongoing Restoration of the Savior’s gospel.” But as it has been said “By small and simple things are great things brought to pass” (Alma 37:6); just like a “very small helm” that benefitted “a very large ship…very much…in the time of a storm, by being kept workways with the wind and the waves.” (see Doctrines and Covenants 123:16); or as the sunbeam that breaks its light into the eastern sky and peeps by the clouds to light the incomparable panoramic grandeur of divinely fantastic landscapes on valleys, hills and mountains of this beautiful earth. So I pray that the light of my testimony may shine and sparkle in the growing garden of one’s conscience, and provide luster and gentle touch to the willing hearts of those who might find time to read my witness and testimony.