I had seen a vision

1
I had seen a vision

• The Prophetic Role of Joseph in the Restoration

2


3
Ezra Taft Benson

• The temple work for the fifty-six
  signers of the Declaration of
  Independence and other founding fathers
  has been done. All these appeared to Wilford
  Woodruff when he was President of the St. George
  Temple.
• President George Washington was ordained a High
  Priest at that time. You will also be interested
  to know that according to Wilford Woodruff's
  journal, John Wesley, Benjamin Franklin, and
  Christopher Columbus were also ordained High
  Priests at the time

4
John Wesley

• "It does not appear that these extraordinary
  gifts of the Holy Spirit were common in the
  church for more than two or three centuries From
  this time, the gifts of the spirit almost totally
  ceased
• The real cause of it was that the love of many
  was waxed cold. The Christians had no more of the
  spirit of Christ than the other heathens."

5
King Follett DiscourseApril 8th, 1844

• You don't know me -- you never will. You never
  knew my heart. No man knows my history. I cannot
  do it. I shall never undertake it.
• I don't blame you for not believing my history.
  If I had not experienced what I have, I could not
  have believed it myself
• When I am called at the trump and weighed in the
  balance, you will know me then.

6
From Jewish Tradition

• The Talmud refers to four Messianic personages
  who are called Artisans (Horoshim).
• They are
• Messiah Ben David
• Messiah Ben Joseph
• Elijah
• The Righteous Priest (Melchizedek)
• 
  (Menorah Ministries)

7
Wilford Woodruff

• there was not one of the ancient prophets who
  did not see and prophesy about the great Zion of
  God in the latter daysAnd when we say this of
  them, we say it of every Apostle and Prophet who
  ever lived upon the earth
• These mighty prophecies were like a band of iron
  which governed and controlled Joseph Smith in his
  labors.

8
(No Transcript)
9
Archibald F. Bennett

• In 1928, I was instrumental in tracing the
  ancestry of Lucy Mack Smith through her mother
  back to these Mayflower passengers and to Rev.
  John Lathrop and Hannah House. When the records
  were complete the Smith Family members promptly
  attended to the temple ordinances for all
  progenitors then known of the Prophet Joseph
  Smith. I had been told that all the sealings were
  completed, and the Prophet was linked up by
  sealing with all of these foreparents.
• Later I accompanied Bishop Joseph Christenson to
  Cardston, Alberta, on a convention. On July 16,
  1930 we attended a session in the Alberta Temple.
  I received the endowment blessings that day in
  behalf of my 7th great-grandfather, Henry Rowley,
  a member of Pastor Lathrop's congregation.
• Just as I was about to leave the temple,
  President Edward J. Wood sent a messenger to
  request me to return to the sealing room. I did
  so. President Wood said, "Brother Bennett, I
  don't know just why I want you here, but I feel
  that you should be here to witness these
  sealings." I said I would gladly take part.
• "We are performing sealings for the ancestors of
  the Prophet Joseph Smith," he explained, and then
  to the group of participants, "Who knows but what
  Brother Bennett may have had some part in tracing
  the connections with these very people?"
• The first names he read to be sealed for eternity
  were those of Rev. John Lathrop and his wife
  Hannah House. Then I knew why he had been
  impelled to send for me! This was their way of
  showing appreciation for being "found."