The Restoration - Friday Night Adult Class May 2017

In recent years, every time I talk or think about “The Restoration” I am reminded of a story I saw on the news.  It is a story about a fresco painted in the Sanctuary of Mercy in the Borja Spain.  The fresco was painted by Elias Garcia Martinez and is titled “Ecce Homo” or “Behold the Man.”  He painted in the 1930’s as a gift to the cathedral.

After several decades, the painting began to deteriorate and large sections of these began to chip off.  The painting was in desperate need of repair.

The fame of the painting comes from a good faith attempt to restore the painting.  An elderly woman, who is an untrained amateur artist, named Doña Cecilia Giménez attempted to restore the painting.  According to her account, she had permission to attempt to restore the fresco from the local clergy.  However, her limited abilities are apparent when you look at the restored image.  Comically, yet unfortunately, several people have changed the name of the fresco from “Ecce Homo” or “Behold the Man” to “Ecce Mono” or “Behold the Monkey.” 

Can we look at this fresco and really call it a restoration?  Of course not.  The word restore means to return to its original condition or state.  Although the basics of the picture may be there, the picture is not the same, or in other words, it was not restored.

I believe there is value in considering the attempt.  Do you think that Dona Gimenez intended to destroy the painting?  Was she malicious in her attempt?  I don’t believe so.  I think she did the best could with what she had.  Regardless of her intent, she didn’t have the abilities or tools necessary to restore the fresco.

Obviously, from here we are going to relate this example to the restoration of the gospel.  We know that after the death of the Apostles there was no one to lead Christ’s church.  The scriptures are replete with prophesies that tell us this would happen.  (See Isa. 24:5, Isa. 29:13, Isa. 60:2, Amos 8:11, Matt. 13:25, Matt. 24:5, Matt. 24:24, 1 Cor. 11:18, Gal. 1:6, 2 Thess. 2:3, 1 Tim. 1:6, 1 Tim. 4:1, 2 Tim. 2:18, 2 Tim. 3:5, 2 Tim. 4:4, Titus 1:16, 2 Pet. 3:17, 1 Jn. 2:18, 1 Jn. 4:1, Rev. 2:2, Rev. 3:16).  I think at this point we should consider the attempts of good, well-intentioned men and women who wanted to be part of Christ’s church.  Much like Dona Gimenez, I don’t believe that everyone was malicious in their attempts to “restore” the true gospel to the earth.  I believe many people where good, honest people trying to do the best with what they had: The bible, which had been interpreted and translated by several different people.  After the bible, that was about it!  

When Christ restored His church, He restored it exactly as it was before.  Hence, it was in every sense of the word a restoration.  As He had always done, He called a prophet.  The man we know as Joseph Smith.  Through Joseph Smith, He restored the truth, His gospel, and His church.  

Here is the beauty of the whole restoration.  He doesn’t expect us to just believe Joseph Smith.  We can learn for ourselves!  In fact, Joseph’s story is a perfect example of what we are invited to do.  Let’s look at a couple of aspects of the story of Joseph Smith and see what we can learn about how we are taught the truth:

I would invite you to read the following verses from Joseph’s account and look for the example set forth by Joseph.  What did he do and what can we do?  I will only mention a few aspects of what took place so we can learn a little about how and what we can learn

Joseph Smith History 1:10-20, 21-26, 28-33, 34-47, 48-54, 68-75

JS History 1:10 – I was one day reading the Epistle of James

JS History 1:12 – I reflected on it again and again

JS History 1:13 – At length I came to the conclusion that I must … ask of God

JS History 1:16 – Exerting all my powers to call upon God 

JS History 1:23 – It caused me serious reflection

JS History 1:44 – I lay musing on the singularity of the scene, and marveling greatly

JS History 1:50 – I obeyed

There are several more aspects of Joseph’s story that teach us about revelation and finding the truth, but I believe we have the basics laid out right in front of us: Scripture study, pondering, asking in faith, receiving answers and obeying.

That is the marvelous work and wonder that is before us.  Christ restored His church exactly as He first established it.  He called a prophet, who set forth the example for us to know for ourselves.  I have included the video below.  It is called “What the restoration means to me.”  I would invite you to watch the video and turn the title into a question and ask, “What does the restoration mean to me?”

What the restoration means to me. from Scott Kneeland on Vimeo.