Sister Tammy began by asking the sisters what were some of the things that jumped out to them regarding Joseph F. Smith's life in Elder Ballard's talk.
- Sister Bywater said that she was impressed by how as a child he was always helping and how he had served a church mission when he was 15 years old.
- Sister Phipps said that she like the part in the talk where his father, Hyrum Smith picked Joseph F. Smith up and kissed him when he was 5. Hyrum was on his way to Carthage jail. The next time Joseph saw him, he was lying next to the Prophet Joseph Smith after they had been martyred.
Sister Tammy told of how his mother died when Joseph F. Smith was only 13 years of age. She told of how he seemed to lose his compass after the death of both of his parents. However she said that when he served his mission at the age of 15 in the Hawaiian islands it seemed to help him regain the balance that he needed in his life.
- Sister Phipps said that Joseph F. Smith was well acquainted with sorrow.
President Smith had lost over his life time prior to the revelation of the 138th section of the Doctrine and Covenants the following people:
His father, his mother, one brother, two sisters, two wives, and thirteen children.
- Anne Welling said, "Even though he suffered so much loss in his life, Joseph F. Smith never gave up. He seemed to always have hope for the future."
Sister Tammy said that through his searching for answers, he blessed not only himself and those that he loved, but that he blessed all of the world with the answers he was given in the revelation of Doctrine and Covenants Section 138.
In his talk, Elder Ballard said that "He (Joseph F. Smith) recorded: “As I read I was greatly impressed. … As I pondered over these things … , the eyes of my understanding were opened, and the Spirit of the Lord rested upon me, and I saw the hosts of the dead.”1 The full text of the vision is recorded in Doctrine and Covenants section 138.
Sister Tammy then asked, "What is the vision of the redemption of the dead?"
- Sister Coombs said that it was a vision that President Smith received the night before a conference.
- Sister Smith said it was a vision of Christ ministering to the dead.
- Sister Phipps said that it was a revelation that President Smith received while reading his scriptures.
- Sister Kent said that not only did he receive this revelation while reading the scriptures, but it was also while he was pondering what he had read in the scriptures.
Sister Tammy then told of a time when her family lived in Brigham City and their Stake President had asked the members of his stake to not only read their scriptures for at least 30 minutes a day, but then to take and ponder on what they had read for another 30 minutes. They were to do this for 6 months. She said that the changes that people had in their lives were so profound that the Stake President asked them to continue to do this for another 6 months. She said that so many were blessed by doing this.
Sister Tammy then had the sisters in the room open up their scriptures to Doctrine and Covenants section 138 and asked us to read through it quickly and see what stood out to us.
She then asked, "Who did President Smith see in his vision?"
He saw the following people: Father Adam and Mother Eve, Abel, Seth, Noah, Shem, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Elias, Malachi, Elijah, The Prophets of the Nephites, and many more faithful. These were those that were taught by Christ and did go forth teaching those that Jesus was unable to go to because of their rebellion and transgressions.
He saw the following people: Father Adam and Mother Eve, Abel, Seth, Noah, Shem, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Elias, Malachi, Elijah, The Prophets of the Nephites, and many more faithful. These were those that were taught by Christ and did go forth teaching those that Jesus was unable to go to because of their rebellion and transgressions.
She then asked "When did this happen?"
It happened during the short time between the crucifixion and when Christ arose from the dead.
It happened during the short time between the crucifixion and when Christ arose from the dead.
Sister Ward then asked how this made us feel. I responded that it made me sad that those who chose to be rebellious wouldn't be able to be taught by the Savior. But sister Ward pointed out that we shouldn't be sad, that they would still be taught and would have the opportunity to progress.
Sister Warren then told a personal story of her daughter that fell away from the church when she got married. For several years her daughter wasn't active because she said she couldn't believe the Joseph Smith story. However, several years later she got very sick and this daughter almost died and while she was so sick, she asked for a blessing, thus showing that she really did still believe in the power of the priesthood.
Sister Ward then said, "We should never give up hope! Heavenly Father will give us ample opportunities to return to Him if we have the smallest amount of desire to do so."
Sister Ward then asked, "What can we do to help those that have passed away before?"
We can do our Family History Work. Keep our Ancestors remembered by telling their stories. We can do their Temple work if it has not been done.
She then showed pictures that she collected that showed ways that sisters in our ward are doing to remember their ancestors. Here are a few:
Tammy then told of her grandfather that she loved dearly. She lived with him twice in her life, once when she was 14 and then again when she was 17. He was not a member of the Church. She told of how he had a Book of Mormon on the shelf and it was covered with thick dust, because he never had opened it. But this grandfather had wonderful home teachers. They would come and visit him and never judged him. They loved him and became his friends. She said she knows that this grandfather will have the opportunity to know and understand the Gospel one day because of the promises of this vision.
Sister Cheri Smith then said in verse 48 of Section 138, it says, "Foreshadowing the great work to be done in the temples of the Lord in the dispensation of the fulness of times, for the redemption of the dead, and the sealing of the children to their parents, lest the whole earth be smitten with a curse and utterly wasted at his coming." So there is to be Family history work and Temple work done.
Sister Ward told of a time when she was in a room that was empty of anyone but her. She felt her great-grandmother with her there and she felt to bear her testimony to her. She knows that one day she will see her again and that her great-grandmother will know that Tammy knew of the truthfulness of the Gospel.
In summation ~ Sister Ward said that this lesson was truly about Freedom. That we will be given the opportunity to be free from the oppression of the bondage of sin. This work will continue on the other side of the veil. Tammy bore testimony that she knows that this liberty and freedom from bondage is truly a gift from our Savior.
We would like to thank sister Ward for the beautiful way in which this lesson was taught and for her time in preparing it for us.
