What Truths Does the Restoration Proclamation Teach?

In the April 2020 general conference, President Russell M. Nelson read “The Restoration of the Fulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ: A Bicentennial Proclamation to the World.” He then said: “Study it privately and with your family members and friends. Ponder the truths and think of the impact those truths will have on your life if you will hear them, hearken to them, and heed the commandments and covenants that accompany them.”

The following table will help you follow the prophet’s counsel to study the proclamation. As you do, consider noting not just the historical events of the Restoration but also the Lord’s hand guiding those events. (The text of the proclamation is available in the Gospel Library or at the end of this year’s first Come, Follow Me lesson.)

Paragraph	Study: What Truths Did You Find?	Ponder: What Do These Truths Teach You?	Heed: How Can You Apply These Truths in Your Life?	Share: How Can You Share These Truths with Your Family and Friends?
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Why Proclamations?

Did you know there have been only six proclamations issued by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints? The first three were published between 1841 and 1865. The last three proclamations have been published since 1980:

“Proclamation from the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints” (1980), approved by President Spencer W. Kimball (1895–1985) and read by then-Elder Gordon B. Hinckley on the 150th anniversary of the organization of the Church.
“The Family: A Proclamation to The World” (1995), read by President Gordon B. Hinckley at the General Relief Society Meeting to share the Church’s official statement on the doctrine of the family.
“The Restoration of the Fulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ: A Bicentennial Proclamation to the World” (2020), read by President Russell M. Nelson during the April 2020 general conference—200 years after the First Vision. It reaffirmed that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God and that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the restored Church of Jesus Christ.

Proclamations are meant for everyone across the world. They are “solemn and sacred in nature and … issued with the intent to bring forth, build up, and regulate the affairs of the Church as the kingdom of God on the earth.” Proclamations are a rare and powerful testament that we have a living prophet guiding the Church and the world today.