Lesson 53

The Restoration (Part 1)

Prepare to Learn

Prepare your mind and heart to learn. The Holy Ghost can teach you as you approach your study with prayer and a desire to understand truths from the scriptures.

Begin your study with prayer.

In the following video, young men and young women share how events surrounding the Restoration have affected them.

What does the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ mean to you?

Unique Elements

What are some elements of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that make it unique?

Elements can refer to the Church’s organization, doctrine, and practices.

A Need for Restoration

Many of the unique elements of the Church were not on the earth for a long period of time. Please open the Doctrinal Mastery Core Document to topic 4, “The Restoration.” Read paragraph 4.5, looking for why there was a need for a Restoration.

According to what you read, what is apostasy?

The Great Apostasy

Read paragraphs 4.6–4.7 in the Doctrinal Mastery Core Document, looking for what led to the period known as the Great Apostasy.

How would your life be different if we were still living in the period of the Great Apostasy?

A Latter-Day Restoration

To restore something means to bring it back to its original state. Read paragraph 4.1 in the Doctrinal Mastery Core Document, looking for a key statement that tells us who foretold the latter-day Restoration of the gospel.

Ancient Prophets

An important key statement of doctrine that you may want to mark in your copy of the Doctrinal Mastery Core Document is that ancient prophets foretold the latter-day Restoration of the gospel.

Why do you think it is important to know that the Lord revealed to ancient prophets that there would be a latter-day Restoration of the gospel?

A State of Apostasy

Locate Isaiah 29:13–14, and consider marking this doctrinal mastery passage in a distinctive way so you can locate it more easily. You may also want to record the key statement of doctrine from paragraph 4.1 in your scriptures.

Read Isaiah 29:13–14, looking for words or phrases that describe individuals in a state of apostasy.

What did the Lord say He would do to help those in a state of apostasy?

“A Marvellous Work and a Wonder”

Isaiah prophesied that the Lord would “proceed to do a marvellous work … and a wonder,” which refers to the Restoration of the gospel and the coming forth of the Book of Mormon (Isaiah 29:14).

1. Answer the following questions:

• What examples can you think of that are evidence that the Restoration of the gospel was the work of God and not of men?

• What are some ways in which the latter-day Restoration of the gospel is a “marvellous work and a wonder”?

Blessings of the Restored Gospel

2. Answer the following questions:

• What are some of the elements of the gospel that have been restored as part of the “marvellous work and a wonder” prophesied of by Isaiah?

• How has the Restoration of the gospel blessed your life?

Sharing What You Know

The following truth was identified in this lesson:

• Ancient prophets foretold the latter-day Restoration of the gospel.

The gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored. How can you share what you know about the Restoration with a family member or friend?