The First Vision

One of the core principles or lessons taught by LDS missionaries is the story of the "First Vision", where Joseph Smith saw God the Father, and His Son, Jesus Christ.  (If you'd like to read more about it, I'm quite certain you can learn more at www.mormon.org.  I'm assuming most readers of this post are already familiar with the full account of what happened, so I'll proceed accordingly.)  People can agree or disagree as to the truth of that vision, whether or not it happened, or whether or not they believe Joesph.  I believe him, but regardless of that, I want to discuss what he said he was taught, and some principles behind it.

In the year 1820, Joseph went into a grove of trees near his home in Palmyra, NY, to ask God in prayer a simple question: Which church do I join?  His experience was anything but ordinary, and he shares that he experienced a stifling power overtake him, which attempted to destroy him.  Only in calling out for God to save him from this unseen power was he relieved of it, and was next presented with a visitation from God the Father and Jesus, His Son (as I noted above).

This past week I have had opportunity to share my thoughts with a family member about my thoughts relating to this vision.  I am quite perplexed.  I am a Mormon, and I believe in visions.  I believe in healings, miracles, spiritual gifts of diverse kinds.  I believe that there is an unseen world, and we can be affected for good or ill by those within that realm.  I believe that most Mormons believe likewise, or at least purport to believe so.

Despite me believing that, doesn't mean it's true.  Not all Mormons appear to believe in these things.  How do I know?

It seems that the belief of many Latter-day Saints is that the president of the LDS Church is the only one entitled to have or experience such things.  As a young adult, I felt so strongly that psychics or mediums were "of the devil", and I remember distinctly sharing with my friend's mom that going to a psychic was unacceptable.  Anything similarly related to skills of a psychic (foretelling the future, as in prophecy) were likewise considered taboo to be avoided.

Do I still feel the same?  No.  Granted, I'm not calling up "Miss Hilda" on her 1-900 number in Jamaica.  But I have had occasion to meet people with spiritual gifts that some would call "psychic".  Do I think they're evil, or of the devil?  Absolutely not.  Does that mean they're perfect?  Or that because they can see things the rest of us can't see, they must be somehow more elect or chosen by God?  I don't think so.  I think it's a gift – a marvelous one – but we all receive unique gifts.  Some are just less visible than others.

What does this have to do with Joseph Smith?  Joseph was a visionary man, much like Lehi.  Also like Nephi, Alma, Abinadi, Moses, Noah, Moroni... the list goes on and on.  Do I think that the Bible and/or Book of Mormon are the only records that have any account of living prophets?  Or do I think that if it's not in those books, then it can't be true?  No way!  Do I think that anyone can receive the gift of visions, tongues, interpretation of tongues, etc?  God willing, yes!

So why are we Mormons, Christians, so skeptical when someone says they have had a vision?  Or that they can see spirits?  Or that they can see someone's history or even their future by looking at them?  Why do we label them, medicate them, and call them schizophrenic?  I'm just curious, how this came to be.

If Joseph Smith walked up to us in our day, would we Mormons honestly believe him?  Would we sell our homes, move westward, and gather?  Would we study the words he was able to translate more fervently, if he still had a mortal body?  Would we take it more seriously?  Any of it?

Just curious.     

1 Nephi 1:16 - A Partial Account

1 Nephi 1:16 reads:

And now I, Nephi, do not make a full account of the things which my father hath written, for he hath written many things which he saw in ^avisions and in ^bdreams; and he also hath written many things which he ^cprophesied and spake unto his children, of which I shall not make a full account.

Nephi starts by reminding us that it's still him writing.  This serves as both a witness, and also clarification, since he had been referring to what happened to his father thus far.

(photo source)

Nephi points out that what he has written thus far is not a full account.  There is more.  Much more!  He wrote many things, which he saw in visions.  Have you ever seen a vision?  Denver Snuffer wrote a very interesting blog post on how information is passed along in such visions.  It is often not communicated using language or words which carry a vibrational frequency, but loads of information is passed from one being to the mortal.  It's fascinating.

The same principle applies in dreams, which Lehi also wrote many things regarding.  Have you ever tried recording a dream?  I have a journal dedicated to my frequent dreams, but it is one of the most difficult thing to do - to write about the contents of a dream.  How do you write, describe, or properly communicate in writing the things which are so visual, so abstract, or so unclear of their meaning?  This must certainly have been challenging for Lehi, and Nephi to repeat or abridge.

Lehi also wrote many things which he prophesied and spake to his children.  Have you ever tried to record the important events of the day with clarity?  I cringe to think what my children or descendants will think of me, when they read my abstract journal entries.  They are so vague.  I refer to people and places, with no real allusion even to who or what these places are.  I travel to other states, and visit people in random places, but I never really explain full details in my journal.  So very abstract it is.

But it had to be different for Nephi, to re-record Lehi's visions, dreams, prophecies and preaching.  He had to be inspired to know what to share.  What's worth repeating?  Surely God directed him, because each and every verse is so loaded with meaning.  The trick is taking the time to decipher, understand, ponder, and ask even more questions about what these important verses mean.  God does, indeed, reveal mysteries about these verses to those who take time to sincerely search, ponder and pray sincerely over them.

xo  

1 Nephi 1:15 - Whole Heart Filled

1 Nephi 1:15

And after this manner was the language of my father in the praising of his God; for his soul did rejoice, and his whole heart was filled, because of the things which he had seen, yea, which the Lord had shown unto him.

After this manner... this tells me Nephi is somewhat paraphrasing, and there were likely LOTS more to the praising that what was contained in verse 14.  His soul did rejoice, and when one's soul rejoices, there is a lot more than words that come out of their mouths.  Lehi was joyous, thrilled, happy.  His whole heart was filled, not just part.  It wasn't bittersweet, but he found joy at what the Lord had shown unto him.  This is not only a good reason to ask the Lord to permit me/you to have these experiences, but to earnestly get my/your life in order to be prepared for such things.  Perhaps God will not grant us all these types of experiences, but James 1:5 says that God gives liberally to all who ask in faith.  So why not ask in faith, and begin the process?  It is possible.  

Imagine if the whole world began this process, doing what it takes to turn fully to Him, and to experience such joy.  This joy was resultant from a vision.  Imagine what greater joy God can bestow upon us, outside of visions.  

1 Nephi 1:7 - Being Overcome with the Spirit

In 1 Nephi 1:6, we learned about Lehi's first visionary experience, which caused him to quake and tremble.  Here, in 1 Nephi 1:7, we learn several things about the nature of that experience, and what it did to Lehi's physical body.  

1 Nephi 1:7

And it came to pass that he returned to his own house at Jerusalem; and he cast himself upon his bed, being ^aovercome with the Spirit and the things which he had seen.

It says he returned to his own house, which was at Jerusalem.  This indicates that the experience that followed him praying with all his heart, did not occur in Lehi's home.  It was elsewhere.  The pillar of fire which appeared dwelt upon a rock.  Perhaps it was without his home, just as Joseph Smith, in his first visionary experience, went to a grove of trees near his home.  We don't know for sure with Lehi, but we do know that he returned home.  

In returning, he cast himself upon his bed – his place of rest.  I sometimes laugh when I read this line, because it makes me think of my kids when they have a tantrum, throwing themselves on their bed, kicking and screaming.  I trust that's not what happened in Lehi's case.  Often one's bed is one of the most energetically secure or sacred spaces in their home.  There are a variety of reasons for this, but for myself, I enjoy reading and studying near my bed.  For Lehi, he didn't go to the kitchen, the tv room, the busy areas.  He went to his quiet space.  And then he likely told himself, "Ok, breathe.  You're not crazy.  You just witnessed a pillar of fire.  And more.  Breathe..."

Being overcome with the Spirit, he cast himself upon his bed.  There are several instances where other mortal men experienced this same symptom, of being overcome after experiencing something highly spiritual.  In the book of Moses, it says that Moses experienced similarly:

9  And the presence of God withdrew from Moses, that his glory was not upon Moses; and Moses was left unto himself. And as he was left unto himself, he fell unto the earth.
10  And it came to pass that it was for the space of many hours before Moses did again receive his natural strength like unto man; and he said unto himself: Now, for this cause I know that man is nothing, which thing I never had supposed. (Moses 1:9-10, italics added)

It is apparently not a weakness of Lehi's, but something inherent in mortals that when they experience something otherworldly, their physical strength is often drained.  This is reported to be the case with Sidney Rigdon, after he and Joseph Smith witnessed the vision(s) recorded in D&C 76.  I suppose one explanation could be that God is full of light, much more than the sun at noonday.  Just spending a few hours in the sun will tend to drain me.  Perhaps spending even short amounts of time with beings in higher elements would tend to have this affect on a mortal. 

When we learn that Lehi's weakness was due from being overcome with the Spirit, and also from the things which he had seen, it makes me wonder, once again, what did he see?  And what did he hear?  And what prohibits so many of us from asking the Lord to show us, as He did with Lehi?  Do we fear we too will be overcome?  Or are we just lazy?  Is it not a priority?  Do we think we're not righteous enough?  How righteous was Lehi?  What did he do to warrant such attention from heavenly visitations?  What do we need to do to warrant such things?  It is not improper to ask.