Joseph Smith - History 1:1-20

Joseph Smith – History 1:1-20 Study Guide – to be discussed March 4
Day 1: Read the paragraph on JS-H in the Introductory Note at the beginning of the Pearl of Great Price,
JS-H 1:1-2; Helaman 16:22; 3 Nephi 1:22
1. In the paragraph on JS-H in the Introductory Note at the beginning of the Pearl of Great Price, when does it say Joseph Smith wrote the history excerpted here? When and where was it first published?


2. Give reasons from JS-H 1:1-2 why Joseph Smith recorded the history of his early life.



3. Read Helaman 16:22 and 3 Nephi 1:22. What force is usually at work when truth is disparaged? How can we help “put all inquirers after truth in possession of the facts”?



BONUS: Look up the word, “militate” in a dictionary. What does it mean?

Day 2: Read JS-H 1:3-5
4. Look at church history map 1, located in the back of your triple combination after the index. Note the locations of Sharon, Vermont; Palmyra and Manchester, New York. According to the map notes, what happened at Lebanon and Norwich, Vermont? [Note: if you don’t have this map in your scriptures, find it online at http://scriptures.lds.org/en/chmaps/1]



5. How many times did the Smith family move in Joseph Smith Jr.’s first ten years? Where was he in the family birth order?


6. What was the religious climate in Manchester during Joseph’s youth?



Day 3: Read JS-H 1:6-8; 1 Peter 1:22-23; 1 Nephi 13:24-29
7. What caused the love and good feelings of converts and clergy to disintegrate during Joseph’s youth? What did Peter suggest we do to avoid the same fate?



8. Read 1 Nephi 13:24-29. How did the events prophesied by Nephi contribute to the religious climate described by Joseph Smith?



9. List phrases from JS-H 1:8 that suggest a pattern we might follow as we seek to receive revelation.




Day 4: Read JS-H 1:9-12; Alma 32:27-28
10. What was the question young Joseph pondered? What caused him to reflect on this question?


11. What feelings did the reading of James 1:5 engender in Joseph?



12. Read Alma 32:27-28. What is the relationship between faith and experimenting upon the word? How did Joseph experiment on the word of God?



Day 5: Read JS-H 1:13-15
13. What did Joseph conclude? Why was it important for him to form a conclusion or determination in his quest for truth?



14. Joseph had been taught to pray as a child. What was different about the prayer described in JS-H 1:14?


15. Make two lists from JS-H 1:11-15:
1. Ways the Lord helped Joseph receive answers to his questions.



2. Things Satan did to try to hinder Joseph.


Day 6: Read JS-H 1:16-18; Matthew 3:17; 3 Nephi 11:7
16. Why do you think the Lord waited until a “moment of great alarm” before sending a pillar of light to dispel the darkness?



17. Read Matthew 3:17 and 3 Nephi 11:7. List similarities in the words of the Father from JS-H and these two other instances when His voice was heard by man.



18. Was Joseph’s innocent question to deity specific in nature?


Day 7: Read JS-H 1:19-20; Isaiah 29:13-14; Ezekiel 33:30-33; Moses 1:9
19. Read Isaiah 29:13-14 and Ezekiel 33:30-33. How can we avoid having “a form of godliness” while denying “the power thereof”?



20. Compare Joseph’s experience after his miraculous vision with Moses’ experience as recorded in Moses 1:9. How were they similar?



21. Joseph told his mother, “I have learned for myself….” Why is it important for each of us to learn for ourselves the restored gospel is true and Joseph actually saw the Father and the Son?