![]() Meanwhile, five secondhand accounts were authored by a few of Joseph’s contemporaries who had heard the Prophet speak about the First Vision. It was primarily intended for audiences unfamiliar with the Church and its guiding beliefs. ![]() The commonly called “Wentworth Letter” included Joseph Smith’s 1842 Account. Perhaps the most familiar narration of the First Vision is found in the 1838 Account that focuses on young Joseph’s prayerful question about which church is right ( Joseph Smith-History 1:5-20). The 1835 Account is Joseph’s recounting of his theophany to Robert Matthews, a visitor to Kirtland, Ohio. The 1832 Account is the earliest known account of the First Vision and “the only account written in Joseph Smith’s own hand.” Links to each of the First Vision accounts, along with detailed summaries, are found in the essay: “To the contrary, the rich historical record enables us to learn more about this remarkable event than we could if it were less well documented.” “Some have mistakenly argued that any variation in the retelling of the story is evidence of fabrication,” the essay notes. ![]() Consider the multiple scriptural accounts of Paul’s vision on the road to Damascus and the Apostles’ experience on the Mount of Transfiguration. There is scriptural precedent for such variations. “Historians expect that when an individual retells an experience in multiple settings to different audiences over many years, each account will emphasize various aspects of the experience and contain unique details.” “The various accounts of the First Vision tell a consistent story, though naturally they differ in emphasis and detail. The Church celebrates the unifying message of the multiple First Vision accounts as part of its popular Gospel Topics Essays selections: ![]() Meanwhile, five secondhand accounts were written by Joseph’s contemporaries. Two other accounts recorded by Joseph were published by the Church in the 1960s. Joseph Smith published two accounts of the First Vision during his lifetime. You will understand that the First Vision-although a significant part of our Church history-really started as a personal experience and a personal quest for forgiveness and salvation.” “Read the First Vision accounts and glean what you can learn from each one. “Like Joseph, we can ask Him where truth can be found and if this Church is true.”įor Latter-day Saints, Elder McKay added, Joseph’s four First Vision accounts are much more than essential history. McKay, a General Authority Seventy and assistant executive director of the Church History Department.
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