Monday, November 23, 2009

This is My Beloved Son

[Listen to this episode] [Subscribe to the MP3 feed via iTunes]

F. Burton Howard discusses the visitation of God the Father and Jesus Christ to Joseph Smith. (28 minutes)

Excerpt from the talk:
"The sign said, 'The Sacred Grove,' and contained these incredible words: 'God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, appeared to Joseph Smith in this grove.' Period! I had been intent on going into the grove and contemplating what occurred there back in
1820, but I found I could not bring myself to leave the sign. Its simple message arrested my progress. ... I read it again and again. My wife said, 'Don't you want to go into the grove?' I said, 'I need to think about the message on this sign for a moment longer. Either it is true, or it isn't. If it is, it is the greatest message in all the world.'"
Full text and references available online in English (PDF). A video of this talk is also available (MP4).

Elder F. Burton Howard was a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the time he presented this talk. He is now an emeritus general authority.