Foundations of the Restoration (Religion 225)

1. How can I discern between truth and error?

   Your response should include:

   • The role of the scriptures, words of modern prophets, and the Holy Ghost in establishing truth.

   • How study, faith, and prayer can help you learn truth.

   • How to find, evaluate, and use reliable sources on the history of the Church and its revealed doctrine.

   • How you can apply the principles you have learned to discern truth from error as you or someone you know deals with a current decision, challenge, or problem.

2. Why is it important for me to understand that “Joseph Smith … has done more, save Jesus only, for the salvation of men in this world, than any other man that ever lived in it”? (D&C 135:3).

   Your response should include:

   • The role of the First Vision in the Restoration of the gospel and in the opening of the dispensation of the fulness of times.

   • How a truth restored through Joseph Smith has blessed your life.

   • How priesthood keys or saving ordinances restored through Joseph Smith have blessed your life.

   • How Joseph Smith’s role in the Restoration has brought you closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.

3. How has one of the following key events or doctrines of the Restoration blessed your life?

   a) The coming forth of the Book of Mormon, b) key sections and doctrine in the Doctrine and Covenants, c) the revealed organization of the Church, d) the restoration of the priesthood, e) temples and temple work. Your response should include:

   • What you have learned about this event or doctrine from your participation in this course.

   • How this event or doctrine demonstrates that the heavens are open.

   • How this event or doctrine has blessed your life or why it is personally important to you.

   • Your testimony of what you have learned about the restored gospel.

The following information has been compiled using the key points within the lessons for this course. The numbers in parentheses that follow the quotations indicate the lesson number in the Foundations of the Restoration Teacher Manual (2015) where the statement can be found. Compare your response with the information below. If there is a key point of doctrine from this review that you did not include in your answer, consider revising your response before submitting it. You do not need to copy this information verbatim into your response; just make sure that you understand these doctrines and communicate that understanding. Because question 3 requires a more personal response, there are no key points for that question.

1. How can I discern between truth and error?

   The role of the scriptures, words of modern prophets, and the Holy Ghost in establishing truth:

   • As companions to the Bible, “the Book of Mormon and the Doctrine and Covenants were brought forth for the salvation of the world” (22).

   • “The Holy Ghost can help us know if the things we read are true” (10).

   • “If we heed the words of the prophet, we will be protected against the adversary” (9).

   • “When the Lord’s servants speak by the power of the Holy Ghost, their words convey the will of the Lord” (12).

   How study, faith, and prayer can help you learn truth:

   • “When we include faith in the learning process, we qualify for the Lord’s help” (10).

   • “We can find answers to our greatest questions when we obey the commandments, study appropriate sources of information—particularly the words of living prophets—seek guidance through prayer, and exercise patience and faith” (10).

   • “When we face questions or doubts about the gospel, we should hold fast to what we already know to be true and trust that we can either find an answer through further study or that God will reveal the answer at a future time” (4).

   How to find, evaluate, and use reliable sources:

   • “We might remind the sincere inquirer that Internet information does not have a ‘truth’ filter. Some information, no matter how convincing, is simply not true” (10; Neil L. Andersen, “Joseph Smith,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2014, 29).

   • “To avoid being deceived by false or misleading information, those who seek the truth should search out credible sources of information about the Church and its history” (2).

   • “When we begin by measuring modern practices and proposals against what we know of God’s plan and the premises given in the word of God and the teachings of His living prophets, … we know that this puts us on safe ground eternally” (10; Dallin H. Oaks, “As He Thinketh in His Heart” [An Evening with a General Authority, Feb. 8, 2013], lds.org/broadcasts).

2. Why is it important for me to understand that “Joseph Smith … has done more, save Jesus only, for the salvation of men in this world, than any other man that ever lived in it”? (D&C 135:3).

   The role of the First Vision in the Restoration of the gospel and the opening of the dispensation of the fulness of times:

   • “Eternal truths were restored to the earth when Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph Smith” (2).

   • “When we gain a testimony that Joseph Smith saw God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, we can also come to know the truthfulness of the Restoration of the gospel” (2).

   • “Joseph Smith was called by God to restore the gospel for our dispensation” (1).

   How a truth restored through Joseph Smith has blessed your life:

   • “Jesus Christ is a living, glorified being. Jesus Christ is the Only Begotten of the Father. Jesus Christ is the Creator of this and other worlds” (13).

   • “The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the only true and living church upon the earth” (6).

   • “As children of our Heavenly Father, we have the potential to become like Him” (17).

   • “Through the Prophet Joseph Smith, the Lord revealed additional scripture that confirms, clarifies, and expands our knowledge of truth” (12).

   Priesthood keys or saving ordinances restored through Joseph Smith and how they have blessed your life:

   • Joseph Smith received “the keys of missionary work, eternal families, and temple work” (14).

   • “Before individuals can be baptized, they must be humble, repentant, willing to take upon themselves the name of Jesus Christ, and determined to serve Him to the end” (6).

   • “In order to obtain the highest degree of the celestial kingdom, we must enter into the new and everlasting covenant of marriage” (19).