Looking for Jesus Christ

By Janae Castillo

Church Magazines

As you study the Doctrine and Covenants this year, try thinking about the Restoration in a different way using these three questions.

This year we’ll be studying the Doctrine and Covenants. As you do, here are three questions that can help you think about the Restoration in a different way.

Why was the Restoration necessary?
What does the Restoration give us?
What does the Restoration mean to me?

As you think about these questions, here are some things to imagine.

Why Was the Restoration Necessary?

Imagine this:

On the night of Jesus’s birth, you looked out your window in Jerusalem and saw the new star shining in the sky.

When He visited Jerusalem for the first time, you and knew that there was something different about Him—He practically glowed with goodness.

When He eventually announced His divine identity as the Savior of the world, you curiously listened to what He had to say. You went more and more often to sit and listen to Him, and every time, you knew that He really is the Son of God.

When you heard He had been taken and crucified, you cried tears of sorrow; but when you saw Him risen again, you cried tears of joy.

Now imagine this:

You’ve time-traveled thousands of years in the future. The year is 1820, and everything is unfamiliar: the people, the clothing, even the food. You walk into stores, search across town for someone or something you might know, but no one can help you.

Worse yet, the fulness of Jesus Christ’s gospel is nowhere to be found. Some claim they found it, but they don’t exactly remember Jesus—or Heavenly Father—correctly. Some think God was a Spirit, and some think He only existed to punish people for messing up. Some don’t believe in Him at all.

Only one thought comes to your mind: “Where is Jesus, and how can I find Him?”

You need a restoration—just like everyone did—to find Jesus again and come to know Him better.

What Does the Restoration Give Us?

Reflecting on the 200th anniversary of the First Vision, President Jeffrey R. Holland, Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, asked himself what he would have looked for if he had lived before the Restoration. He said, “We would have looked for the ‘parental character of God,’… a caring Father in Heaven, rather than a harsh judge dispensing stern justice.”

When Heavenly Father appeared to Joseph Smith, the first thing He said was “Joseph” (see Joseph Smith History 1:17). Not “you’ve made a lot of mistakes,” or “I don’t have time for you.” It seems like the first thing Heavenly Father did in restoring the gospel was to make sure Joseph knew that his Father in Heaven knew him and loved him.

The second thing He did was to introduce Jesus Christ. “This is my Beloved Son. Hear Him!” (Joseph Smith History 1:17). Among all the doctrine, eternal truths, principles, and organization to be restored, two things God wanted Joseph (and us) to know upfront were:

God knows you personally and loves you.
Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and we need to listen to what He has to say.

One important purpose of the Restoration was to help us really know who Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are.

What Does the Restoration Mean to Me?

Imagine one more time:

You’re back in 1820. Days go by, which turn into weeks, which turn into months—and you’re starting to feel discouraged. You find the Bible, which reminds you of the days you sat with Jesus, listening to Him. But some parts have been changed or are even missing.

You decide to settle in a small town called Palmyra, New York. One spring day, you overhear something about a young boy claiming he’s seen God and Jesus Christ. You aren’t that interested … at first. You hear that the boy learned that none of the churches on the earth are true but that Jesus is ready to establish His Church again, with His full gospel!

How would you feel, learning that Jesus appeared again? What would that mean to you?

Through the Restoration of the Savior’s Church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we have access to more profound knowledge about the Savior. We do not have to be time travelers to know who Jesus was. We can search the scriptures to read His word, and we can receive blessings by His authority, the restored priesthood power.