Elder Tad R. Callister: Joseph Smith-Prophet of the Restoration

This seemed like a basic talk about the importance of the Prophet Joseph Smith and the restoration of the gospel. I liked some of the points that Elder Callister made.

He started out with an excellent example of the problems of judging someone using incomplete and fragmentary information. He used the apostle Peter and some incidents from his ministry and then related them to Joseph Smith. Then He listed "four fundamental truths" we learn from the First Vision.

I like the imagery of what the Prophet Joseph restored: In many ways the gospel of Jesus Christ is like a 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzle. When Joseph Smith came on the scene, perhaps 100 pieces were in place. Then Joseph Smith came along and put many of the other 900 pieces in place . . .


Addressing those who would focus on a few "problems" in Joseph's life and not the big picture (which must be a problem in Utah since a few talks and some newspaper articles have dealt with it), Elder Callister said:

Some are willing to set aside the precious gospel truths restored by Joseph Smith because they get diverted on some historical issue or some scientific hypothesis not central to their exaltation, and in so doing they trade their birthright for a mess of pottage. They exchange the absolute certainty of the Restoration for a doubt, and in that process they fall into the trap of losing faith in the many things they do know because of a few things they do not know.


He then relates the response of Peter when the Savior asked if the apostles would abandon Him. I feel the same way.

"To whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life." (John 6:66-68)


Elder Callister then wraps up by saying, "You cannot go anywhere else in the world and get that (the restored powers, keys, teachings and ordinances necessary for salvation and exaltation.