Gratitude Day 11: Restoration

Today I am thankful for the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

One of the great things I love about my church is that it resembles the original church that Christ himself established on earth during his ministry.

Many years ago Christ walked this earth. One of the many things He did was to establish His church among His followers. He called 12 men to be apostles. Together with these 12 men, Christ proclaimed His gospel. After Christ's crucifixion the apostles continued to teach and spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ until their eventual deaths. The deaths of the apostles and of Christ himself, lead to what we know as the great apostasy.
Years later great men like Martin Luther, John Calvin and others were inspired to question and try to reform what the churches had become. This all lead to some great religious excitement across the world. It was even felt in a small town located in upstate New York.
Joseph Smith Jr. was just a young man at the time but he felt very torn on what religion he should choose to be apart of. He read in the Bible, James 1:5 "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him." Joseph knowing that he lacked wisdom needed to ask God which church to join. He did just that. He went to a near-by grove of trees and started to say his first spoken prayer. As Joseph recounts, "I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it rested upon me... I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other, This is My Beloved Son- Hear Him!"
As the years went by, Joseph found himself in the middle of some persecution. But he knew what had happened and he knew that God knew and he could not deny it. Joseph continued the work of the Lord, he received the records of the ancient inhabitants of the Americas and began translating what we now call the Book Of Mormon, which is another testament of Jesus Christ, one that works hand in hand with the Bible. He had the Aaronic priesthood conferred upon him which gave him the authority to perform baptisms. He later received the Melchizedek priesthood. He established Christ's church again on the earth in the spring of 1830. The church was after the same order of Christ's church. Temples were constructed just like they had been in the past.
Today Christ's church is still on the earth. It continues to grow. Temples continue to dot the earth. The church has a Prophet and 12 apostles that lead, guide and govern the church- just as they did when Christ was on the earth.

I am eternally grateful that I was born into this church. That I have the knowledge and the blessings it gives to me each and every day. I am grateful for the sacrifice of the atonement, crucifixion and the resurrection that Jesus Christ did in my behalf. I'm grateful for the sacrifices of Joseph Smith Jr. during his life and making sure to restore, or bring back the Gospel of Jesus Christ.