5 Reasons I Love the Proclamation on the Restoration
The more I read the new proclamation, the more significant it feels to me.
I’ll be honest—I didn’t understand the immense significance of the proclamation on the Restoration when President Russell M. Nelson first issued it in the April 2020 general conference. As the chaos of the world has progressed, however, I see more and more how precious and pertinent this document is to our present-day circumstances. I cannot wait to see how much this prophetic message will bless our lives in the future.
Here are five of the reasons why I love this beautiful new proclamation.
1. It emphasizes the importance of personal revelation
In describing the First Vision, the proclamation states that Joseph Smith “had questions regarding the salvation of his soul and trusted that God would direct him.”1 This reminds us that we too can ask earnest questions to God and trust that He will guide us. If Joseph Smith’s earnest prayer led to the “restitution of all things” (Acts 3:21) and the return of Christ’s true Church to the earth, what can our heartfelt prayers do for us and the people we love?
The proclamation continues, “The heavens are open. We affirm that God is making known His will for His beloved sons and daughters.”
Personal revelation is just as important today in 2020 as it was in 1820, and God still hears us just as clearly as he heard Joseph Smith. Our questions matter, and our Heavenly Father wants to help us learn and grow. All we have to do is ask.
2. It reaffirms how much God loves us
The main thing that stood out to me in reading the proclamation for the first time was that the very first sentence emphasizes God’s love for us. It says, “We solemnly proclaim that God loves His children in every nation of the world.” The first thing God wanted us to know when we read this proclamation, and the deepest truth He wants printed on our hearts, is how much He loves us. Our mindset, actions, and lifestyle grow brighter and more Christlike when we focus on this eternal truth!
The document later says, “The Book of Mormon testifies that all human beings are sons and daughters of a loving Father in Heaven.” He is mindful of each of us. Just as Alma teaches in Alma 30:44, “All things denote there is a God.” We can feel hopeful, purposeful, and loved when we keep God’s love at the center of our lives.
3. It reminds us why we love the Book of Mormon
Regularly studying the Book of Mormon during the COVID-19 pandemic has helped me to feel more peace and direction, even in a chaotic world. The proclamation perfectly put into words what this experience has been like for me and helped me to remember just why I love this book of scripture so much. It states that the Book of Mormon “teaches of life’s purpose and explains the doctrine of Christ, which is central to that purpose,” and that it testifies of how Heavenly Father “has a divine plan for our lives, and that His Son, Jesus Christ, speaks today as well as in days of old.”
I was reminded that the Book of Mormon isn’t just a story. These records are a beautiful guide for how we can live with purpose and direction and can follow our loving Heavenly Father, even when things are uncertain.
4. It provides hope for the reality of the ongoing Restoration
I don’t know about you, but I usually think of the Restoration of the gospel as something that took place in the time of Joseph Smith. But Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles reminds us that “in reality, the Restoration is an ongoing process; we are living in it right now.”2
I loved reading in the proclamation our prophet’s promise that “the promised Restoration goes forward through continuing revelation. The earth will never again be the same.” There is so much to keep learning! Knowing that we are still learning new things about God’s will for us all the time can help us to remain hopeful for what’s to come.
5. It helps us know how to prepare for the Second Coming
The proclamation ends with the beautiful promise that “those who prayerfully study the message of the Restoration and act in faith will be blessed to gain their own witness of its divinity and of its purpose to prepare the world for the promised Second Coming of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.” Through increasing our access to personal revelation, centering our lives on Christ, studying the Restoration, and continuing to act in faith, we will be able to face the future with peace and joy.
Just as it says in Doctrine and Covenants 87:8, “Stand ye in holy places, and be not moved, until the day of the Lord come.” By making wherever we are a holy place and by heeding the words of this proclamation, we can look forward to the future with faith instead of fear.