Current Lessons
Lesson No. Fifty

Eye Witnesses of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ in the Latter Days

Concerning the Book of Mormon the Lord testified: “And truth will I send forth out of the earth” (Moses 7:62): The plates of The Book of Mormon came out of the earth and were given to Joseph Smith on September 22, 1823. This event was so important to the purposes of God that a remarkable vision was given to Heber C. Kimball and his wife Vilate on that very night. (See Current Lesson 26, The Battle for the Souls of Men Rages Worldwide)

The Book of Mormon is about God’s dealings with ancient civilizations living on the American continent. However, The Book of Mormon was written for people of the latter days and it came forth in the latter-days. The Book of Mormon speaks about many people who were powerful eye witness of the resurrection of Jesus Christ and therefore, it is included in this Lesson.

1. 2,500 Nephites during a three day period. This account begins: “And it came to pass that the multitude went forth, and thrust their hands into his side, and did feel the prints of the nails in his hands and in his feet; and this they did do, going forth one by one until they had all gone forth, and did see with their eyes and did feel with their hands, and did know of a surety and did bear record, that it was he, of whom it was written by the prophets, that should come…” (3 Nephi 11:15; see also 3 Nephi 11 – 26:15).

2. The Nephite Twelve Disciples. “And it came to pass that as the disciples of Jesus were journeying and were preaching the things which they had both heard and seen, and were baptizing in the name of Jesus, it came to pass that the disciples were gathered together and were united in mighty prayer and fasting. And Jesus again showed himself unto them, for they were praying unto the Father in his name…” (3 Nephi 27:1 – 28:12).

3. Jesus appeared separately to both Mormon and Moroni. (See Mormon 1:15; Ether 12:39)

“And righteousness will I send down out of heaven” – The many eye witness accounts of the Lord’s resurrection in the latter days began with the First Vision: “I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me. It no sooner appeared than I found myself delivered from the enemy which held me bound. When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!” (Joseph Smith History 1:16-17).

“Yea, I will appear unto my servants, and speak unto them with mine own voice…” (D&C 110:8). Much of the fulfilment of this promise from the Lord took place in Kirtland. The Lord “appeared in vision or spoke to more than twenty-three of His servants there….Through His direct voice of revelation, Christ comprehensively taught the world about Himself, His mission of atonement, and the premortal and postmortal worlds. He structured His Church in Kirtland and called its leaders by personal revelation. He taught them in vision as well through the Spirit” (Karl Anderson, The Savior in Kirtland, p. 4). Two of the most important and well known of these visions are found in D&C 76 and D&C 110.

The vision recorded in D&C 76: While working on the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible, Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon came to John 5:29 which speaks about the resurrection. “Now this caused us to marvel, for it was given unto us of the Spirit. And while we meditated upon these things, the Lord touched the eyes of our understandings and they were opened, and the glory of the Lord shone round about. And we beheld the glory of the Son, on the right hand of the Father, and received of his fulness; And saw the holy angels, and them who are sanctified before his throne, worshiping God, and the Lamb, who worship him forever and ever.

“And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he lives! For we saw him, even on the right hand of God; and we heard the voice bearing record that he is the Only Begotten of the Father—That by him, and through him, and of him, the worlds are and were created, and the inhabitants thereof are begotten sons daughters unto God” (D&C 76:18-24).

“Christ’s personal guidance of Joseph and the Church reached an apex in an upper room of a rural Ohio farmhouse on February 16, 1832…This vision is possibly the most comprehensive of all Joseph’s visions. The Savior’s broad and lengthy firsthand tutelage assured Joseph and Sidney that the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, created and controlled the universe. During this vision, Christ revealed to them the most fundamental doctrine of the Church – the plan of salvation” (Karl Ricks Anderson, The Savior in Kirtland, p. 187).

The vision recorded in D&C 110: On April 3, 1836, the Savior came to the Kirtland Temple and bore personal testimony of His resurrection saying, “I am he who liveth, I am he who was slain; I am your advocate with the Father” (D&C 110:4). On this day the Savior “displayed forceful evidence of His literal resurrection as He stood on the sacred pulpits of the Kirtland Temple. He opened the door of full salvation to untold billions of God’s children as keys and authority were bestowed for temple sealings and ordinance work for the living and the dead. The events He initiated that day potentially affected everyone who has ever lived or will ever live on the earth” (Ibid, p. 305-06).

Testimony: I testify, from personal experience, that I know the latter day visions and revelations, many of which are canonized in the Doctrine and Covenants and in the Pearl of Great Price, constitutes the righteous the Lord promised to send down from heaven. (See Moses 7:62)

I testify, from personal experience, that I know The Book of Mormon is the truth the Lord has sent forth out of the earth. (See Moses 7:62)

I also testify, from personal experience, that I know these latter day scriptures each “bear testimony of mine Only Begotten; his resurrection from the dead; yea, and also the resurrection of all men” (Moses 7:62).

Released on May 4th. 2025.