Joseph Smith said: "The time has at last arrived when the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, has set his hand again the second time to recover the remnants of his people" (TPJS, 14) Jacob 6:2 "And the day that he shall set his hand again the second time to recover his people, is the day, yea, even the last time, that the servants of the Lord shall go forth..." There won't be a third time. Joseph was a prophet and the church is what it claims to be, or it's all a lie. There's no middle ground.
So, God does and has taken away the higher priesthood before. It seems like that's the pattern that has always happened. Why couldn't it have happened this time? Why do we feel like we're the exception?
We know from Joseph Smith that the Aaronic Priesthood was restored to never be taken from the Earth again, and Oliver Cowdery said that the Melchizedek Priesthood was restored never to be lost again as well. We additionally learn from the Apostles after Joseph that the Keys and Power to perform temple ordinances and seal that were restored to Joseph Smith by Moses, Elias, and Elijah also were restored never to be taken again. “I was present with Joseph when an holy angel from God came down from heaven and conferred or restored, the Aaronic Priesthood, and said at the same time that it should remain upon the earth while the earth stands. I was also present with Joseph when the Melchizedek Priesthood was conferred by the holy angels of God from on high. This Priesthood we then conferred on each other, by the will and commandment of God. This Priesthood is also to remain upon the earth until the last remnant of time.” - Oliver Cowdery (Reuben Miller Diary, 21 October 1848, LDS Archives)
@@Telavian John the Baptist did not have the aaronic priesthood before birth. If you are thinking of D&C 84; 28 “For he was baptized while he was yet in his childhood, and was ordained by the angel of God at the time he was eight days old unto this power, to overthrow the kingdom of the Jews, and to make straight the way of the Lord before the face of his people, to prepare them for the coming of the Lord, in whose hand is given all power.” He was ordained to overthrow the kingdom of the Jews etc…it doesn’t say anything about the Aaronic Priesthood.
@@Telavian D&C 124:24 you must not be reading scripture very closely. I’m seeing a pattern with you. Philosophies of men, mingled occasionally with scripture.
Straight away, you label people as disaffected, because I have questions people like you label me . Please tell me what secret formula you have to be able to know mine or anyone else’s motives.
What doesn’t hold up with this narrative I believe can be solved in the scriptures. In section 124 where it says that Christ will restore the greater priesthood in v28, which had been taken away/lost to the saints, if they build the temple in the appointed time then they would be able to stay in Nauvoo v45 instead of being driven out like all the other times. So what happen after Joseph died? The saints were smitten by mobs and driven out of the promised land (Nauvoo is the cornerstone of Zion with Jackson county being the center stake). This is a sign of covenant curse not covenant blessing. We are like the ancient children of Israel who are living in the deserts of Utah until there are a group of us who can redeem Zion.
Joseph Smith was a prophet all his adult life and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has retained the priesthood authority and perform the ordinances of salvation to this day.
Didn't Joseph give a revelation concerning getting the temple finished. It seems that the members weren't taking thing seriously enough and dragging their feet so God got mad at them and said that if they didn't get the temple finished by a certain date then all bets are off. Of course not in those words. The temple was not finished by that time and Joseph was dead. Brigham got parts of it finished and performed the ceremonies but according to the revelation that would not have held water.
What your referring to is Denver Snuffers interpretation of Doctrine and Covenants 124 of which he ignores parts. Like saying there is no evidence that Brigham Young should be the next prophet when towards the end of D&C 124 names him as president of the quorum of the twelve. Snuffer also disbelieves in the Red brick building account when Joseph brought Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, etc. together. He said he didn’t fully know why, but the lord had moved upon him to confer the the keys upon them. Joseph was relieved after doing so saying that now hell couldn’t prevail if he died because he had ordained them and they would have to bear the weight of the kingdom. He gave instruction to Brigham Young on the endowment and said to improve upon it and systematize it. Nor does Snuffer belief the many accounts of the mantle of the prophethood of Joseph Smith coming upon Brigham Young. byustudies.byu.edu/article/the-mantle-of-the-prophet-joseph-passes-to-brother-brigham-a-collective-spiritual-witness/ Denver Snuffer has skin in the game because he can’t set himself up as prophet if their has been a continuous line of prophets up to the present.
President Russell M Nelson is the Lord's duly anointed prophet. He holds the keys of the kingdom! Joseph will return to the church-not to apostates from it. Zion will be redeemed. The New Jerusalem will be built. The Lord will dwell with His saints there, as the world is prepared for His return to old Jerusalem and His even later Second Coming to all the world at once on the Great and Dreadful Day!
You should see what Joseph says about how he got the Melchizedek priesthood in Vol 1 of the History of The Church Peter ,James and John had nothing to do with it Read what Joseph said and stop preaching false doctrine
The Holy Spirit will guide you, indeed...to sustain the Lord's prophets and apostles and also guide you to the temple where we are kindred redeemers for our dead. This is why we have the sealing keys. Jesus Christ made it very clear that none can enter the Kingdom without baptism. We are not worthy of admittance if we aren't turning our hearts to them and ensuring they have the opportunity to recieve baptism, necessary for them also, to enter the Lord's Kingdom - and such baptism for the dead can only be performed in the temple, the HOUSE OF THE LORD.
Good video. They will say BY revised church history to make the claims he made that JS gave him the fullness of the priesthood. While I do not agree with those claims that the Melchizedek priesthood was taken from the earth... I also have an issue with the claims made by BY and others that somehow JS gave them the fullness of the priesthood because Jesus said in d and c 124 that the Saints needed to build a temple where the Most High could restore the Fullness of the Priesthood... The Nauvoo temple was Never finished. The Father who is the Most high never came to that temple to restore anything. No heavenly messenger ever came to that temple. It was never finished. That is where Jesus said the fullness needed to be restored by the Most High who is The Father... Jesus never said one word about restoring anything in the red brick store... That was the invention of BY and others after the murder of JS and his brother...
The keys of the kingdom are with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints; the ordinances of the temple continue to open the heavens for many of us there; the global vision Nephi saw of the church spreading to all parts of the world, though our numbers are few, has been fulfilled by one restoration church. I pray you’ll stay with the keys in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. - P.S. Brigham Young was a true prophet, seer, and revelator, holding all of the keys restored through Joseph to the church. And, when Joseph returns to prudently observe the church, then help redeem Zion, etc., he will return to this same church that holds the keys and has fulfilled his and Nephi’s prophecies.
The Temple was finished just as Joseph Smith directed. The /heavenly message came to Joseph Smith and then Joseph gave it to others. Joseph Smith also bestowed the sealing power on Brigham Young in the upper room of the Red Brick store. Further, Brigham Young and other were part of Joseph Smith's anointed Quorum were they were literally anointed to Kings and Priests in the Holy Order, Joseph Smith taught that the fullness of the Priesthood was to be a King and a Priest.
@@cameronsmith5786 show me in church history from JS where he stated that heavenly messengers came to the nauvoo temple! Show me where anyone said anything about the Father himself coming to personally restore the fullness of the priesthood in the nauvoo temple. The fact is when JS was murdered they had just started building the second story of that temple... That temple was NEVER finished. The glory of God that comes upon accepted temples like kirtland or solomons temple or even the tabernacle in the wilderness Never came upon the Nauvoo temple. Jesus said all that would happen if the saints were obediant in the building of that temple... None of which happened... Jesus also said what would happen if the temple was NEVER finished... all of which did happen... The Saints were cursed and Rejected according to Jesus Christs warnings. He did not fight thier battles and the saints were removed from Nauvoo... Thousands died and Tens of Thousands suffered immensely. I suggest you actually research this more from a facts based source than the lying apologetics that are so slick in thier deception and delusion they could convince you what didnt happen did happen and what did happen didnt haopen... Lying prevents repentance... and that is why the Saints are in such terrible bondage in the last days... because they believe lies that lead them away frim repentances...
great comment 2 Nephi says it best (to us gentiles WE MUST AWAKE AND ARISE, don't just neglect all these truths of history and tell yourselves "ALL IS WELL IN ZION"!!! Staying asleep will not save you, (JS once said man cannot be saved in ignorance...... that comment was for ALL of us... @@zionsredemptionradionetwork
Aren't you guilty of the exact same thing you accuse? You only quote bits and pieces of scripture and exclude what doesn't fit your narrative. D&C 124: 44,48 evidence that the building that was commanded, was NOT complete. If they had done as commanded they would not have been removed from the land. Not to mention, there were TWO buildings they were to build, The Nauvoo House, 24. This house shall be a healthful habitation if it be built unto my name, and if the governor which shall be appointed unto it shall not suffer any pollution to come upon it. It shall be holy, or the Lord your God will not dwell therein. And The Temple. 28 For there is not a place found on earth that he may come to and restore again that which was lost unto you, or which he hath taken away, even the fulness of the priesthood. The key point is, no where he could come to restore again!!! The Temple had to be finished and accepted, like in Kirtland. Why did Brigham go west in mid winter? Were U.S. Marshall's on their way with an arrest warrant for Brigham and a few of his associates for Counterfeiting / Bogus as it was called. How about old testament verses, Jeremiah 23: 20. The anger of the Lord shall not return, until he have executed, and till he have performed the thoughts of his heart: in the latter days ye shall consider it perfectly. 21. I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran: I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied.
You said, "Joe Smith and Oliver" say Jesus Christ! And then Moses, Elias, and Elijah, supposedly RESTORED the priesthood! I must say, that's a very untrue statement! You people believe this stuff! Interesting! You believe the word of an Adulterer, Liar, well, I'll just leave it at that. Smith wrote 4 versions of the supposed first vision account, with each version differing somewhat from the others, each written in his own handwriting! First he saw only Jesus! In another, he said he saw only Moroni! In another, he saw only God! In another, he said he saw MANY angels standing behind Moroni! Which version is the truth? They can't ALL be true! This makes Smith a liar! And you believe what he claimed about restoring the priesthood? I'm not a Mormon, and I have the Melchizedek priesthood! That's right! It's true!
I know this was posted over a year ago but genuinely, it will never cease to amaze me what lies or ignorance you all say. Buddy, none of the first vision accounts mentions Moroni so that is just a straight lie. The 1832 is the only one where both God and Jesus Christ aren't mentioned as being there together and it is a very brief account with Joseph just saying "The Lord told me..." The various accounts of the First Vision tell a consistent story, however naturally they differ in emphasis and detail. Historians (and I mean real ones) 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. Differences similar to those in the First Vision accounts exist in the multiple scriptural accounts of Paul’s vision on the road to Damascus and the Apostles’ experience on the Mount of Transfiguration. Paul tells his conversion story differently each time it is said in Acts. The first account, in Acts 9, narrated Paul’s conversion when it actually happened. After being a ringleader in persecuting Christians in Jerusalem and Judea, Paul obtained permission from the high priest, and then set out for Damascus, hoping to find and arrest Christians who had fled his persecution. While enroute, Paul and his companions suddenly saw a great light (3). Paul fell to the ground and heard Jesus’ voice, asking why he was persecuting Him (4-5). The voice then told him what to do (6). Paul had been blinded by the light, and his companions led him to Damascus where he had nothing by mouth for three days (9). Meanwhile, the Lord commanded a believer named Ananias to meet Saul and minister to him (10-16). Despite his fear at revealing himself to the feared Pharisee and persecutor of Christians Saul of Tarsus, Ananias obeyed (17). Saul, soon to be known as Paul, regained his sight and began his ministry. Something like scales fell from his eyes, he regained his sight, he was baptized (18), and he took food and water (19). The second account, in Acts 22, described his testimony during his trial before the Jews. After years of preaching Christ throughout Asia Minor and Greece, Paul had returned to Jerusalem. He was falsely accused of bringing a Gentile into the temple and he was arrested. Paul addressed his accusers in their native “Hebrew dialect” (2). He reflected back on his conversion, telling them that he was a Jew, raised in the Diaspora but brought up and educated under the famous Jewish teacher Gamaliel (3). He recounted his zeal in persecuting Christians and his mission to Damascus (4-5). Like the Chapter 9 account, Paul described the bright light and the voice of Christ (6-7), but quoted Jesus as saying, “I am Jesus the Nazarene whom you are persecuting (8).” The descriptor “Nazarene” is not found in the earlier account. This time only The chapter 9 account said, “go into the city” but that in chapter 22 said “go to Damascus”. Here, the people with Paul saw the light but didn’t hear the voice unlike in chapter 9 (9). The account of the Lord’s message to Ananias as recorded in chapter 9 is not found in the 22nd chapter, but Ananias’ service on Paul’s behalf is present in both accounts. The third account, in Acts 26, is significantly different from the other two. In this case, Paul had been in prison for over one year and he had been testifying in his own defense before the Judean King Agrippa. Paul described his persecuting Christians in much greater detail (9-11). He added details about the encounter on the road, including that “it is hard for you to kick against the goads (14).” In this account, Jesus told Paul that he was chosen by God and that he would bring the gospel to the Gentiles, all in great detail (16-18). Paul provided no details on his activities in Damascus and then went on to convey his message to the Gentiles. People take these differences to actually be evidence of these things happening to Paul, and in that same light it should be taken to Joseph Smith. Despite the differences a basic consistency remains across all the accounts of the retellings of Paul’s Damascus Road conversion and Joseph's First Vision. Don’t be intellectually dishonest and try and say that you are only going to apply that to Paul. Also, no you don't hold the Melchizedek priesthood.
Just as needed now as when this was first released. Excellent defense of the truth. Thank you!
I’ve really enjoyed your full rebuttal of Michelle Stone and her ilk. Very thorough. Thank you!
Thank you so much!!!
Joseph Smith said: "The time has at last arrived when the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, has set his hand again the second time to recover the remnants of his people" (TPJS, 14)
Jacob 6:2 "And the day that he shall set his hand again the second time to recover his people, is the day, yea, even the last time, that the servants of the Lord shall go forth..."
There won't be a third time. Joseph was a prophet and the church is what it claims to be, or it's all a lie. There's no middle ground.
Timely information. Thank you.
Thank you for the time you spent in putting together this most informative video. God Bless you and yours.
Thank you for your work on this!
So, God does and has taken away the higher priesthood before. It seems like that's the pattern that has always happened. Why couldn't it have happened this time? Why do we feel like we're the exception?
We know from Joseph Smith that the Aaronic Priesthood was restored to never be taken from the Earth again, and Oliver Cowdery said that the Melchizedek Priesthood was restored never to be lost again as well. We additionally learn from the Apostles after Joseph that the Keys and Power to perform temple ordinances and seal that were restored to Joseph Smith by Moses, Elias, and Elijah also were restored never to be taken again.
“I was present with Joseph when an holy angel from God came down from heaven and conferred or restored, the Aaronic Priesthood, and said at the same time that it should remain upon the earth while the earth stands. I was also present with Joseph when the Melchizedek Priesthood was conferred by the holy angels of God from on high. This Priesthood we then conferred on each other, by the will and commandment of God. This Priesthood is also to remain upon the earth until the last remnant of time.” - Oliver Cowdery (Reuben Miller Diary, 21 October 1848, LDS Archives)
@@Telavian what do you do with 124: 49-51?
@@Telavian John the Baptist did not have the aaronic priesthood before birth. If you are thinking of D&C 84; 28 “For he was baptized while he was yet in his childhood, and was ordained by the angel of God at the time he was eight days old unto this power, to overthrow the kingdom of the Jews, and to make straight the way of the Lord before the face of his people, to prepare them for the coming of the Lord, in whose hand is given all power.”
He was ordained to overthrow the kingdom of the Jews etc…it doesn’t say anything about the Aaronic Priesthood.
@@Telavian D&C 124:24 you must not be reading scripture very closely. I’m seeing a pattern with you. Philosophies of men, mingled occasionally with scripture.
Straight away, you label people as disaffected, because I have questions people like you label me . Please tell me what secret formula you have to be able to know mine or anyone else’s motives.
What doesn’t hold up with this narrative I believe can be solved in the scriptures. In section 124 where it says that Christ will restore the greater priesthood in v28, which had been taken away/lost to the saints, if they build the temple in the appointed time then they would be able to stay in Nauvoo v45 instead of being driven out like all the other times. So what happen after Joseph died? The saints were smitten by mobs and driven out of the promised land (Nauvoo is the cornerstone of Zion with Jackson county being the center stake). This is a sign of covenant curse not covenant blessing. We are like the ancient children of Israel who are living in the deserts of Utah until there are a group of us who can redeem Zion.
Joseph Smith was a prophet all his adult life and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has retained the priesthood authority and perform the ordinances of salvation to this day.
Didn't Joseph give a revelation concerning getting the temple finished. It seems that the members weren't taking thing seriously enough and dragging their feet so God got mad at them and said that if they didn't get the temple finished by a certain date then all bets are off. Of course not in those words. The temple was not finished by that time and Joseph was dead. Brigham got parts of it finished and performed the ceremonies but according to the revelation that would not have held water.
What your referring to is Denver Snuffers interpretation of Doctrine and Covenants 124 of which he ignores parts. Like saying there is no evidence that Brigham Young should be the next prophet when towards the end of D&C 124 names him as president of the quorum of the twelve. Snuffer also disbelieves in the Red brick building account when Joseph brought Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, etc. together. He said he didn’t fully know why, but the lord had moved upon him to confer the the keys upon them. Joseph was relieved after doing so saying that now hell couldn’t prevail if he died because he had ordained them and they would have to bear the weight of the kingdom. He gave instruction to Brigham Young on the endowment and said to improve upon it and systematize it. Nor does Snuffer belief the many accounts of the mantle of the prophethood of Joseph Smith coming upon Brigham Young. byustudies.byu.edu/article/the-mantle-of-the-prophet-joseph-passes-to-brother-brigham-a-collective-spiritual-witness/
Denver Snuffer has skin in the game because he can’t set himself up as prophet if their has been a continuous line of prophets up to the present.
@@andrewdurfee3896Hardly anyone realizes that several things in The Doctrine and Covenants point to Brigham being readied to become the next prophet.
President Russell M Nelson is the Lord's duly anointed prophet. He holds the keys of the kingdom! Joseph will return to the church-not to apostates from it. Zion will be redeemed. The New Jerusalem will be built. The Lord will dwell with His saints there, as the world is prepared for His return to old Jerusalem and His even later Second Coming to all the world at once on the Great and Dreadful Day!
You should see what Joseph says about how he got the Melchizedek priesthood in Vol 1 of the History of The Church Peter ,James and John had nothing to do with it Read what Joseph said and stop preaching false doctrine
Take the Holy Spirit as your guide. Humble yourself. Repent of your sins. And you will be lead aright. That is the only work.
The Holy Spirit will guide you, indeed...to sustain the Lord's prophets and apostles and also guide you to the temple where we are kindred redeemers for our dead. This is why we have the sealing keys. Jesus Christ made it very clear that none can enter the Kingdom without baptism. We are not worthy of admittance if we aren't turning our hearts to them and ensuring they have the opportunity to recieve baptism, necessary for them also, to enter the Lord's Kingdom - and such baptism for the dead can only be performed in the temple, the HOUSE OF THE LORD.
Good video. They will say BY revised church history to make the claims he made that JS gave him the fullness of the priesthood. While I do not agree with those claims that the Melchizedek priesthood was taken from the earth... I also have an issue with the claims made by BY and others that somehow JS gave them the fullness of the priesthood because Jesus said in d and c 124 that the Saints needed to build a temple where the Most High could restore the Fullness of the Priesthood... The Nauvoo temple was Never finished. The Father who is the Most high never came to that temple to restore anything. No heavenly messenger ever came to that temple. It was never finished. That is where Jesus said the fullness needed to be restored by the Most High who is The Father... Jesus never said one word about restoring anything in the red brick store... That was the invention of BY and others after the murder of JS and his brother...
And you were there to know this first hand.....amazing
The keys of the kingdom are with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints; the ordinances of the temple continue to open the heavens for many of us there; the global vision Nephi saw of the church spreading to all parts of the world, though our numbers are few, has been fulfilled by one restoration church. I pray you’ll stay with the keys in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
- P.S. Brigham Young was a true prophet, seer, and revelator, holding all of the keys restored through Joseph to the church. And, when Joseph returns to prudently observe the church, then help redeem Zion, etc., he will return to this same church that holds the keys and has fulfilled his and Nephi’s prophecies.
The Temple was finished just as Joseph Smith directed. The /heavenly message came to Joseph Smith and then Joseph gave it to others. Joseph Smith also bestowed the sealing power on Brigham Young in the upper room of the Red Brick store. Further, Brigham Young and other were part of Joseph Smith's anointed Quorum were they were literally anointed to Kings and Priests in the Holy Order, Joseph Smith taught that the fullness of the Priesthood was to be a King and a Priest.
@@cameronsmith5786 show me in church history from JS where he stated that heavenly messengers came to the nauvoo temple! Show me where anyone said anything about the Father himself coming to personally restore the fullness of the priesthood in the nauvoo temple. The fact is when JS was murdered they had just started building the second story of that temple... That temple was NEVER finished. The glory of God that comes upon accepted temples like kirtland or solomons temple or even the tabernacle in the wilderness Never came upon the Nauvoo temple. Jesus said all that would happen if the saints were obediant in the building of that temple... None of which happened... Jesus also said what would happen if the temple was NEVER finished... all of which did happen... The Saints were cursed and Rejected according to Jesus Christs warnings. He did not fight thier battles and the saints were removed from Nauvoo... Thousands died and Tens of Thousands suffered immensely. I suggest you actually research this more from a facts based source than the lying apologetics that are so slick in thier deception and delusion they could convince you what didnt happen did happen and what did happen didnt haopen... Lying prevents repentance... and that is why the Saints are in such terrible bondage in the last days... because they believe lies that lead them away frim repentances...
great comment 2 Nephi says it best (to us gentiles WE MUST AWAKE AND ARISE, don't just neglect all these truths of history and tell yourselves "ALL IS WELL IN ZION"!!!
Staying asleep will not save you, (JS once said man cannot be saved in ignorance...... that comment was for ALL of us... @@zionsredemptionradionetwork
Aren't you guilty of the exact same thing you accuse? You only quote bits and pieces of scripture and exclude what doesn't fit your narrative. D&C 124: 44,48 evidence that the building that was commanded, was NOT complete. If they had done as commanded they would not have been removed from the land. Not to mention, there were TWO buildings they were to build, The Nauvoo House, 24. This house shall be a healthful habitation if it be built unto my name, and if the governor which shall be appointed unto it shall not suffer any pollution to come upon it. It shall be holy, or the Lord your God will not dwell therein. And The Temple. 28 For there is not a place found on earth that he may come to and restore again that which was lost unto you, or which he hath taken away, even the fulness of the priesthood. The key point is, no where he could come to restore again!!! The Temple had to be finished and accepted, like in Kirtland. Why did Brigham go west in mid winter? Were U.S. Marshall's on their way with an arrest warrant for Brigham and a few of his associates for Counterfeiting / Bogus as it was called. How about old testament verses, Jeremiah 23: 20. The anger of the Lord shall not return, until he have executed, and till he have performed the thoughts of his heart: in the latter days ye shall consider it perfectly.
21. I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran: I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied.
lol, distorting doctrine. It's known fact Joseph Smith was a liar and made up his own translation from Egyptian Scrolls he had
You said, "Joe Smith and Oliver" say Jesus Christ! And then Moses, Elias, and Elijah, supposedly RESTORED the priesthood!
I must say, that's a very untrue statement! You people believe this stuff! Interesting! You believe the word of an Adulterer, Liar, well, I'll just leave it at that. Smith wrote 4 versions of the supposed first vision account, with each version differing somewhat from the others, each written in his own handwriting! First he saw only Jesus! In another, he said he saw only Moroni! In another, he saw only God! In another, he said he saw MANY angels standing behind Moroni! Which version is the truth? They can't ALL be true! This makes Smith a liar! And you believe what he claimed about restoring the priesthood?
I'm not a Mormon, and I have the Melchizedek priesthood! That's right! It's true!
I know this was posted over a year ago but genuinely, it will never cease to amaze me what lies or ignorance you all say.
Buddy, none of the first vision accounts mentions Moroni so that is just a straight lie. The 1832 is the only one where both God and Jesus Christ aren't mentioned as being there together and it is a very brief account with Joseph just saying "The Lord told me..." The various accounts of the First Vision tell a consistent story, however naturally they differ in emphasis and detail. Historians (and I mean real ones) 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. Differences similar to those in the First Vision accounts exist in the multiple scriptural accounts of Paul’s vision on the road to Damascus and the Apostles’ experience on the Mount of Transfiguration.
Paul tells his conversion story differently each time it is said in Acts. The first account, in Acts 9, narrated Paul’s conversion when it actually happened. After being a ringleader in persecuting Christians in Jerusalem and Judea, Paul obtained permission from the high priest, and then set out for Damascus, hoping to find and arrest Christians who had fled his persecution. While enroute, Paul and his companions suddenly saw a great light (3). Paul fell to the ground and heard Jesus’ voice, asking why he was persecuting Him (4-5). The voice then told him what to do (6). Paul had been blinded by the light, and his companions led him to Damascus where he had nothing by mouth for three days (9). Meanwhile, the Lord commanded a believer named Ananias to meet Saul and minister to him (10-16). Despite his fear at revealing himself to the feared Pharisee and persecutor of Christians Saul of Tarsus, Ananias obeyed (17). Saul, soon to be known as Paul, regained his sight and began his ministry. Something like scales fell from his eyes, he regained his sight, he was baptized (18), and he took food and water (19).
The second account, in Acts 22, described his testimony during his trial before the Jews. After years of preaching Christ throughout Asia Minor and Greece, Paul had returned to Jerusalem. He was falsely accused of bringing a Gentile into the temple and he was arrested. Paul addressed his accusers in their native “Hebrew dialect” (2). He reflected back on his conversion, telling them that he was a Jew, raised in the Diaspora but brought up and educated under the famous Jewish teacher Gamaliel (3). He recounted his zeal in persecuting Christians and his mission to Damascus (4-5). Like the Chapter 9 account, Paul described the bright light and the voice of Christ (6-7), but quoted Jesus as saying, “I am Jesus the Nazarene whom you are persecuting (8).” The descriptor “Nazarene” is not found in the earlier account. This time only The chapter 9 account said, “go into the city” but that in chapter 22 said “go to Damascus”. Here, the people with Paul saw the light but didn’t hear the voice unlike in chapter 9 (9). The account of the Lord’s message to Ananias as recorded in chapter 9 is not found in the 22nd chapter, but Ananias’ service on Paul’s behalf is present in both accounts.
The third account, in Acts 26, is significantly different from the other two. In this case, Paul had been in prison for over one year and he had been testifying in his own defense before the Judean King Agrippa. Paul described his persecuting Christians in much greater detail (9-11). He added details about the encounter on the road, including that “it is hard for you to kick against the goads (14).” In this account, Jesus told Paul that he was chosen by God and that he would bring the gospel to the Gentiles, all in great detail (16-18). Paul provided no details on his activities in Damascus and then went on to convey his message to the Gentiles.
People take these differences to actually be evidence of these things happening to Paul, and in that same light it should be taken to Joseph Smith. Despite the differences a basic consistency remains across all the accounts of the retellings of Paul’s Damascus Road conversion and Joseph's First Vision. Don’t be intellectually dishonest and try and say that you are only going to apply that to Paul.
Also, no you don't hold the Melchizedek priesthood.
@@dylanwilliams2202you’re in the denial stage, give it a few more years and you’ll realize the church is false and JS a false prophet.