By: Norberto Betita
While I am filled with gratitude for having been able to reach the Bicentennial year of the Restoration of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, this is also the first time that I experienced a worldwide pandemic crisis in my whole life. These events in Church history and the world allows me to feel a combination of spiritual, emotional and physical experience of joy, fear and uncertainty. Although I am seriously preparing spiritually, my fears are more on personal concern for my children, grandchildren and posterity yet unborn, who may still experience even the most serious and dreadful blights and scourge as the battle between good and evil continues to rage upon the earth. For them the future is still a long way. However, I know that they are prepared and are preparing for the days ahead and the challenges of the future.
As President Russel M. Nelson declared this time as “a hinge point in the history of the Church, and [my] part is vital,” I felt honored to have a role in this on-going restoration of the Lord’s gospel, which the prophet also described is “going to be exciting.” I felt real joy in my heart to be able to take part, however small, in this grand and glorious work, declared by the Prophet Joseph Smith and his counselors in September 1840, thus:
“The work of the Lord in these last days, is one of vast magnitude and almost beyond the comprehension of mortals. Its glories are past description, and its grandeur unsurpassable. It is the theme which has animated the bosom of prophets and righteous men from the creation of the world down through every succeeding generation to the present time; and it is truly the dispensation of the fullness of times, when all things which are in Christ Jesus, whether in heaven or on the earth, shall be gathered together in Him, and when all things shall be restored, as spoken of by all the holy prophets since the world began; for in it will take place the glorious fulfilment of the promises made to the fathers, while the manifestations of the power of the Most High will be great, glorious, and sublime.”
“We feel disposed to go forward and unite our energies for the upbuilding of the Kingdom, and establishing the Priesthood in their fullness and glory. The work which has to be accomplished in the last days is one of vast importance, and will call into action the energy, skill, talent, and ability of the Saints, so that it may roll forth with that glory and majesty described by the prophet [Daniel] [see Daniel 2:34–35, 44–45]; and will consequently require the concentration of the Saints, to accomplish works of such magnitude and grandeur.” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith (2007), 512–13, quoted by President Henry B. Eyring in April 2020 General Conference).
I felt it my personal hinge point to do even more effectively and seriously the call to magnify my calling and to help in the gathering of Israel on both sides of the veil. It is time for me to make use of my remaining time in mortality with better vision and more optimistic spiritual perspective. As I face the challenges of the present crisis, it is best for me to look forward with greater faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and His restored gospel to replace those fears and uncertainties and turn them into stepping stones to a more hopeful and progressive tomorrow for my family. I will continue to hear Him and contribute my remaining ‘energy, skill, talent, and ability’ as called, for the cause of God’s kingdom.
My age and physical condition may limit my personal capacity to be in the field, but I felt I still can do something more to help in this marvelous work of saving souls. If given the chance for a longer extension of my mortal life, even as this new challenge remains a disturbance, I still can share my knowledge of the gospel and the truth of the Restoration of the Church of Jesus Christ in the fullness of times through other means. I will have my remaining life worn-out and consecrated in the building of His kingdom until this life is for me taken and a new life and place emerge, which I am sure is a much better life and place for all those who live in righteousness and in truth.
This marvelous time of celebrating the 200th year of the First Vision---the appearance of the Father and Jesus Christ to the prophet Joseph Smith---and the magnitude of the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic seems to echo the experience of the boy Joseph as he wrestle with an unseen power while trying to pray to the Father. This time the unseen enemy---COVID-19---tried to thwart the grand celebration of the First Vision, but instead the General Conference which President Nelson had since described as a different one, became even more widely viewed and respected by the world. The continued humanitarian efforts to help those people and nations who were affected by the spreading plague, had even magnified the image of the restored church of Jesus Christ. I felt that such was a manifestation of the power of God and His divine promise that, “No unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing.” (Joseph Smith, Jr.). Long before the pandemic strikes, the Lord has already put in place the elements and discoveries of technologies that are most needed to make the General Conference, honoring the 200th year of the First Vision, even more successful in spreading the truth to all the world.
The simultaneous coming of these two conflicting events in the history of the church and of the world, remind me of the battle between good and evil which started even before the world was. This brings to mind the undeniable fact that the battle has continued even at this time until the world will again be renewed into its paradisiacal glory. The unseen enemy is launching every attack to dismantle faith and create fear and uncertainty on God’s children. But this battle is going to be won and the church and “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 be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done.”(Ibid).
President Hugh B. Brown spoke of this reassuring and comforting words: “I want to say to you, brethren, that in the midst of all the troubles, the uncertainties, the tumult and chaos through which the world is passing, almost unnoticed by the majority of the people of the world, there has been set up a kingdom, a kingdom over which God the Father presides, and Jesus the Christ is the King. That kingdom is rolling forward, as I say, partly unnoticed, but it is rolling forward with a power and a force that will stop the enemy in its tracks while some of you live.” (“The Kingdom Is Rolling Forth,” Improvement Era, Dec. 1967, p. 93.)
I am personally grateful to have this point of life in my journey to eternity and to have been able to experience a very memorable event in the history of the restoration and the sad experience of being subjected to the threatening infections of a very contagious disease---COVID-19---which has taken many lives and affected millions of people both physically and economically. I can bear witness to my posterity yet unborn that the signs of times as spoken by the mouths of the prophets, including the desolating sickness and scourge, have come and are coming to pass.
My grandchildren are still very young and they might forget all that happened in their maturity. For this, I wanted to write my thoughts about these calamities that they may someday be reminded of what did happen.
Darkness seemed to envelope the world both politically, socially and economically. But I sensed that through the continuing threats of the pandemic, the spiritual capacity of the world and its people have increased, instead. This helps me to understand that the Lord is in control. The light of Christ is enfolding the darkness that the Covid-19 pandemic emits. In due time of the Lord, this will pass, although I recognize that this as well as other pandemics will relapse, it being a part of life until the Lord’s Second Coming, as has been prophesied.
This has been an opportunity for me to see the good that the people brings into the lives of each other as we unite together in love and concern for each other and living the two great commandments of the Lord---love God and love our neighbor. There is joy in praying not only for ourselves and our families, but for all the people of the world, petitioning Heavenly Father for safety and protection all throughout the time of the pandemic encounter and to open the minds of the people to the truthfulness of the restored gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.
I am so blessed to have reached this period which for only the sixth time, since the first vision, that the Prophets and Apostles have jointly signed and official declaration. This time it was written in regards to the First Vision and the Restoration of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, thus:
“We solemnly proclaim that God loves His children in every nation of the world. God the Father has given us the divine birth, the incomparable life, and the infinite atoning sacrifice of His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ. By the power of the Father, Jesus rose again and gained the victory over death. He is our Savior, our Exemplar, and our Redeemer.
“Two hundred years ago, on a beautiful spring morning in 1820, young Joseph Smith, seeking to know which church to join, went into the woods to pray near his home in upstate New York, USA. He had questions regarding the salvation of his soul and trusted that God would direct him.
“In humility, we declare that in answer to his prayer, God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, appeared to Joseph and inaugurated the “restitution of all things” (Acts 3:21) as foretold in the Bible. In this vision, he learned that following the death of the original Apostles, Christ’s New Testament Church was lost from the earth. Joseph would be instrumental in its return.
“We affirm that under the direction of the Father and the Son, heavenly messengers came to instruct Joseph and re-establish the Church of Jesus Christ. The resurrected John the Baptist restored the authority to baptize by immersion for the remission of sins. Three of the original twelve Apostles—Peter, James, and John—restored the apostleship and keys of priesthood authority. Others came as well, including Elijah, who restored the authority to join families together forever in eternal relationships that transcend death.
“We further witness that Joseph Smith was given the gift and power of God to translate an ancient record: the Book of Mormon—Another Testament of Jesus Christ. Pages of this sacred text include an account of the personal ministry of Jesus Christ among people in the Western Hemisphere soon after His Resurrection. It teaches of life’s purpose and explains the doctrine of Christ, which is central to that purpose. As a companion scripture to the Bible, the Book of Mormon testifies that all human beings are sons and daughters of a loving Father in Heaven, that He has a divine plan for our lives, and that His Son, Jesus Christ, speaks today as well as in days of old.
“We declare that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, organized on April 6, 1830, is Christ’s New Testament Church restored. This Church is anchored in the perfect life of its chief cornerstone, Jesus Christ, and in His infinite Atonement and literal Resurrection. Jesus Christ has once again called Apostles and has given them priesthood authority. He invites all of us to come unto Him and His Church, to receive the Holy Ghost, the ordinances of salvation, and to gain enduring joy.
“Two hundred years have now elapsed since this Restoration was initiated by God the Father and His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ. Millions throughout the world have embraced a knowledge of these prophesied events.
“We gladly declare that the promised Restoration goes forward through continuing revelation. The earth will never again be the same, as God will “gather together in one all things in Christ” (Ephesians 1:10).
“With reverence and gratitude, we as His Apostles invite all to know—as we do—that the heavens are open. We affirm that God is making known His will for His beloved sons and daughters. We testify that those who prayerfully study the message of the Restoration and act in faith will be blessed to gain their own witness of its divinity and of its purpose to prepare the world for the promised Second Coming of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.” (The Restoration of the Fulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, The First Presidency and Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, A Bicentennial Proclamation to the World, read by President Russell M. Nelson as part of his message at the 190th Annual General Conference, April 5, 2020, in Salt Lake City, Utah, churchofjesuschrist.org).
These events in church history and the world will then remain to be my personal hinge point from this time forth; where my spiritual direction will depend upon. It will now be the central axis of my enduring personal witness of the First Vision, the Restoration of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, my testimony of the prophetic calling of Joseph Smith, the truth of the Book of Mormon, the living reality of God the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost, my testimony of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints as the only true and living Church upon the earth founded upon Apostles and prophets with the Lord Jesus Christ as the Chief cornerstone. This will be the fulcrum in my life when all my past and my present, will lead me and my family towards the final eternal destination upon which I will have to walk the covenant path more faithfully and live my life to best qualify for the sealing blessings and other covenants and benedictions which the Lord promised to those who serve Him in righteousness and in truth to the end.
