Joseph Smith and the First Vision (or Fourth Vision):
Joseph Smith and the First Vision: https://www.lds.org/topics/first-vision-accounts?lang=eng
There are multiple accounts of the first vision that Joseph claimed to have. The first vision is an account that Joseph Smith went into a grove of trees and prayed to know which church was true. In the first vision account that was written in a pamphlet that I used to teach during my Mormon mission in Europe, it says Joseph Smith in the year 1820, Joseph was 14 years old and went into a grove of trees to pray to God and ask which church was true. Joseph said he went to pray after he read a scripture in the Bible, in the book of James. It said “If any of you lack wisdom, let him as of God…”. Well, what we were to teach on my mission was the same First Vision account I had heard countless times in church. In the pamphlet we missionaries handed out to people, it said Joseph claimed God and Jesus Christ appeared above him in a glory that was like a pillar of fire and a brightness that was brighter than the noon day sun. Joseph goes on to say the God spoke, pointing to Jesus Christ, saying “This is my beloved Son, hear Him”. Joseph goes onto say that Jesus said none of the churches are true.
I have since learned from my Mormon mission, that there were multiple First Vision accounts. What really kind of upset me and the first question I asked, was……. Why have I never been taught about the multiple First Vision accounts? This is important because this is something that is paramount to the history of the Mormon church. Yet, I have never been taught in years of church and 4 years of daily Seminary that I attended daily during high school.
1832 First Vision Account: In the Joseph Smith Paper, which is a publication of Joseph Smiths history of his life, on page 3 Joseph does not mention anything about God appearing to him. Joseph only makes mention that he was filled with the Spirit of God and that he saw the Lord. A pretty big difference of feeling the Spirit of God vs what I was teaching on my Mormon mission and the Joseph Smith pamphlet given to me to hand out where Joseph said he saw God and heard God speak. The Joseph Smith papers also say Joseph was 16 years of age. Definitely not the 14 years of age I was teaching in Europe. This account Joseph says he is told his sins are forgiven. Nothing about which church to join. “History, circa Summer 1832,” p. 3, The Joseph Smith Papers, accessed July 11, 2018, http://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/history-circa-summer-1832/3
1835 First Vision Account: In the 1835 account, Joseph says he was praying and a personage appeared above him. Soon after, a 2nd personage showed up and testified that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Joseph also mentions he was around 14 years old, and there were also many Angels that he saw in this vision. Joseph says he is told that his sins are forgiven. Again, Joseph does not mention anything about which church to join. “Journal, 1835–1836,” p. 24, The Joseph Smith Papers, accessed July 11, 2018, http://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/journal-1835-1836/25
1838 First Vision Account: Joseph Smith says he was 15 years old and this vision happened in 1820. This is where Joseph now says one person spoke as he pointed to the other that it is his son Jesus Christ, “hear him”. In this account, Joseph says he was specifically told to not join any religious sect because they were all wrong. He also does not say that the personages forgave him of all his sins, such as the claim in the previous 2 accounts. “History, circa June 1839–circa 1841 [Draft 2],” p. 3, The Joseph Smith Papers, accessed July 11, 2018, http://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/history-circa-june-1839-circa-1841-draft-2/3 (This is the account that is most closely related to what I was told to teach as a Mormon missionary.)
1842 First Vision Account: Joseph says he see in a vision, 2 personages that resemble each other. Joseph states in the brief account that he was “…expressly commanded to “go not after them”. Speaking of the different religious denominations of that day. Joseph then says he is told that the fulness of the Gospel will come at a future date. ““Church History,” 1 March 1842,” p. 707, The Joseph Smith Papers, accessed July 11, 2018, http://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/church-history-1-march-1842/2
Hear you can read more about the First Vision accounts. http://www.josephsmithpapers.org/site/accounts-of-the-first-vision
Having multiple accounts regarding something so historically important to the Mormon church raises questions in my mind. If this happened in 1820, why did Joseph wait for over a decade before writing it down? And why did his age change in the accounts from 14,15, and 16 years old? Why did Joseph only speak about being forgiven of sins on some accounts, then later accounts Joseph said he went to pray about which church to join. Joseph speaks of being told not to join any church because they were all wrong? Why does he say in an early account that he felt the Spirit of God but he only saw one personage, but other accounts it turns into 2 personages and one of them that is assumed is God talking and telling Joseph to listen to his Son Jesus Christ. I feel that something of this magnitude would have a consistent story. Did one personage show up or two? Did he hear God speak or did he not? Did Joseph go pray to be forgiven of his sins? Or did he go pray to find out which church he was supposed to join?
Again, I will reiterate that I am not blogging about these topics to change anyone’s mind about their faith, or discourage anyone from joining the Mormon church; but I do think it is important to know the history of any religion that someone may be a part of or seeking.
As I have asked friends if they have heard of the multiple First Vision accounts, I am generally greeted with them saying I shouldn’t be looking at anti-Mormon literature. As you can see, I have referenced the links where I have read about this information. The Mormon church website and the Joseph Smith Papers website. Non of this is anti Mormon. This is all information the Mormon church has made available to anyone who wants to read it. I’m guessing most members of the Mormon church have never thought about studying the First Vision beyond what they hear in 3 hours of church every Sunday. I encourage you to follow the hyperlinks referenced so you can read more detail of the different First Vision accounts.
May your personal religious studies help you along your personal journey through life.
The Judged Mormon 