Persecuted they the prophets which were before you

2 Nephi Ch. 3

Joseph in Egypt saw the Nephites in vision—He prophesied of Joseph Smith, the latter-day seer; of Moses, who would deliver Israel; and of the coming forth of the Book of Mormon. Between 588 and 570 B.C.

So, this chapter focuses on the latter-day prophet, Joseph Smith. As I was reading something occured to me. If I was alive while Moses was walking the earth, would I have believed he was a prophet of God? Would I have had enough faith? When we read about the prophets in the scriptures they seem so distant and almost mythical. But, as I was reading in Exodus, I was imagining what Moses looked like, that he had a beating heart and weaknesses, and was as human as I am. I imagined those around him who knew him from the time he was a child I'm sure some thought the idea of him being a prophet was impossible. He himself was unsure of his calling. The Lord had to give him signs to show his people so they would believe him to be a true prophet. Then I was thinking of Jesus. When he was born in the humble town of Bethlehem, I'm sure there were many who thought of him as a small town boy. How could he possibly be the Messiah? How is he going to free us from bondage? If I was alive then, would I have faith to follow Him. Would I be sitting on the mount, listening to him speak His Beattitudes? Would I have heard: "Blessed are ye, when men shall ^arevile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of ^bevil against you falsely, ^cfor my sake." " ^aRejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your ^breward in heaven: for so ^cpersecuted they the prophets which were before you."

It's always been a stretch of faith to believe in a living prophet. From the beginning of time, people have rejected the prophets. So, thousands of years later when a farm boy from the country claims Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ appeared to him, most people found it impossible. If not heresy. But why? If you are truly love Jesus Christ, wouldn't you at least be curious to read what was claimed? What if He really did appear? One of the first things I read was his account of the vision. My mind was immediately opened to the possibility. And if it did happen, then what next? Then the Book of Mormon is another testament that Jesus is the Christ, and there is no other way to enter heaven, than through Him. Now days when we are all connected in a immediate way by technology, we can learn of all different religions and philosophies. What a confusing time to live. All of these religions claiming to be the path to eternal life. The Book of Mormon is the answer. It does not supercede the Bible, it just supports it. It says, "Yes, Jesus did live. Yes, He did die for all our sins. Yes, He did raise again. Yes, He did visit His other sheep. Yes, He did give them the Gospel. Yes, He is alive today. And Yes, He is the way to eternal life." I'm grateful to the people who through time have testified of Jesus Christ, and kept record so that today I can hold the scriptures in my hands and read their pages. And so President Hinkley said, "You and I are faced with the stark question of accepting the truth of the First Vision and that which followed it. On the question of its reality lies the very validity of this Church. If it is the truth, and I testify that it is, then the work in which we are engaged is the most important work on the earth."