Lecture 2 Catechism

Intro | Preface
Lecture 1: 1 |  2-9 | 10-11 | 12-17 | 18-24
Lecture 2: 1-4 | 5-12 | 12-25 | 26-35 | 36-56

Just like last time, I'll post the question-and-answer segment here in its entirety, with any notes or clarifications I may add.

Question 1: Is there a being who has faith in himself independently?
There is.

Question 2: Who is it?
It is God.

Question 3: How do you prove that God has faith in himself independently?
Because he is omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient; without beginning of days or end of life, and in him all fulness dwells Eph. 1:23: Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all. Col. 1:19: For it pleased the Father, that in him should all fulness dwell. (2:12)

Question 4: Is he the object in whom the faith of all other rational and accountable beings centers, for life and salvation?
He is.

Question 5: How do you prove it?
Isa. 45:22: Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else. Romans 11:34-36: For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory forever. Amen. Isaiah 40, from the 8th to the 18th: O Zion that bringest good tidings, (Or, O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion) get thee up into the high mountain: O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, (Or, O thou that tellest good tidings to Jerusalem,) lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God! Behold the Lord you God will come with strong hand, (Or, against the strong) and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him. (Or, recompense for his work) He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather his lambs with his arms, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young. Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance? Who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord, or being his counsellor, hath taught him? With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and shewed to him the way of understanding? Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance: behold he taketh up the isles as a very little thing. And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt offering. All nations are before him as nothing; and they are counted to him less that nothing, and vanity! [This is an interresting JST I hadn't seen before, since it's not really in the JST manuscripts we have.] Jeremiah 51:15-16: He (the Lord) hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heaven by his understanding. When he uttereth his voice there is a multitude of waters in the heavens; And he causeth the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth: he maketh lightnings with rain, and bringeth forth the wind out of his treasures. 1 Corinthians 8:6: But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him. (2:12)

Question 6: How did men first come to the knowledge of the existence of a God, so as to exercise faith in him?
In order to answer this question, it will be necessary to go back and examine man at his creation; the circumstances in which he was placed, and the knowledge which he had of God. (2:3-11)
First, When man was created he stood in the presence of God (Genesis 1:27-28.) From this we learn that man, at his creation, stood in the presence of his God, and had most perfect knowledge of his existence.
Secondly, God conversed with him after his transgression. (Genesis 3: from the 8th to the 22nd; 2:13-17) From this we learn, that, though man did transgress, he was not deprived of the previous knowledge which he had of the existence of God. (2:19)
Thirdly, God conversed with man after he cast him out of the garden. (2:22-25)
Fourthly, God also conversed with Cain after he had slain Abel. (Genesis 4: from the 4th to the 6th; 2:26-29)

Question 7: What is the object of the foregoing quotation?
It is that it may be clearly seen how it was that the first thoughts were suggested to the minds of men, of the existence of God, and how extensively this knowledge was spread among the immediate descendants of Adam. (2:30-33)

Question 8: What testimony had the immediate descendants of Adam, in proof of the existence of a God?
The testimony of their father. And after they were made acquainted with his existence, by the testimony of their father, they were dependent upon the exercise of their own faith, for a knowledge of his character, perfections and attributes. (2:23-26)

Question 9: Had any others of the human family, beside Adam, a knowledge of the existence of God, in the first instance, by any other means than human testimony?
They had not. For previous to the time that they could have power to obtain a manifestation for themselves, the all-important fact had been communicated to them by their common father: and so, from father to child, the knowledge was communicated as extensively, as the knowledge of his existence was known; for it was by this means, in the first instance, that men had a knowledge of his existence. (2:35, 36)

Question 10: How do you know that the knowledge of the existence of God was communicated in this manner, throughout the different ages of the world?
By the chronology obtained through the revelations of God.

Question 11: How would you divide that chronology in order convey it to the understanding clearly?
Into two parts: First, by embracing that period of the world from Adam to Noah; and secondly, from Noah to Abraham: from which period the knowledge of the existence of God has been so general, that it is a matter of no dispute in what manner the idea of his existence has been retained in the world.

Question 12: How many noted righteous men lived from Adam to Noah?
Nine; which includes Abel, who was slain by his brother.

Question 13: What are their names?
Abel, Seth, Enos, Cainan, Mahalaleel, Jared, Enoch, Methusalah, and Lamech.

Question 14: How old was Adam when Seth was born?
One hundred and thirty years. (Genesis 5:3.)

Question 15: How many years did Adam live after Seth was born?
Eight hundred. (Genesis 5:4.)

Question 16: How old was Adam when he died?
Nine hundred and thirty years. (Genesis 5:5.)

Question 17: How old was Seth when Enos was born?
One hundred and five years. (Genesis 5:6.)

Question 18: How old was Enos when Cainan was born?
Ninety years. (Genesis 5:9.)

Question 19: How old was Cainan when Mahalaleel was born?
Seventy years. (Genesis 5:12.)

Question 20: How old was Mahalaleel when Jared was born?
Sixty five years. (Genesis 5:15.)

Question 21: How old was Jared when Enoch was born?
One hundred and sixty two years. (Genesis 5:18.)

Question 22: How old was Enoch when Methusaleh was born?
Sixty five. (Genesis 5:21.)

Question 23: How old was Methuselah when Lamech was born?
One hundred and eighty seven years. (Genesis 5:25.)

Question 24: How old was Lamech when Noah was born?
One hundred and eighty two years. (Genesis 5:28.) For this chronology see (2:37).

Question 25: How many years, according to this account, was it from Adam to Noah?
One thousand and fifty six years.

Question 26: How old was Lamech when Adam died?
Lamech, the ninth from Adam, (including Abel,) and father of Noah, was fifty six years old when Adam died.

Question 27: How old was Methuselah?
Two hundred and forty three years.

Question 28: How old was Enoch?
Three hundred and eight years.

Question 29: How old was Jared?
Four hundred and seventy years.

Question 30: How old was Mahalaleel?
Five hundred and thirty five.

Question 31: How old was Cainan?
Six hundred and five years.

Question 32: How old was Enos?
Six hundred and ninety five years.

Question 33: How old was Seth?
Eight hundred. For this item of the account see section second, paragraph 38.

Question 34: How many of these noted men were contemporary with Adam?
Nine.

Question 35: What are their names?
Abel, Seth; Enos, Cainan, Mahalaleel, Jared, Enoch, Methuselah, and Lamech. (2:39)

Question 36: How long did Seth live after Enos was born?
Eight hundred and seven years. (Genesis 5:7.)

Question 37: What was Seth's age when he died?
Nine hundred and twelve years. (Genesis 5:8.)

Question 38: How long did Enos live after Cainan was born?
Eight hundred and fifteen years. (Genesis 5:10.)

Question 39: What was Enos's age when he died?
Nine hundred and five years. (Genesis 5:11.)

Question 40: How long did Cainan live after Mahalaleel was born?
Eight hundred and forty years. (Genesis 5:13.)

Question 41: What was Cainan's age when he died?
Nine hundred and ten years. (Genesis 5:14.)

Question 42: How long did Mahalaleel live after Jared was born?
Eight hundred and thirty years. (Genesis 5:16.)

Question 43: What was Mahalaleel's age when he died?
Eight hundred and ninety five years. (Genesis 5:17.)

Question 44: How long did Jared live after Enoch was born?
Eight hundred years. (Genesis 5:19.)

Question 45: What was Jared's age when he died?
Nine hundred and sixty two years. (Genesis 5:20.)

Question 46: How long did Enoch walk with God after Methuselah was born?
Three hundred years. (Genesis 5:22.)

Question 47: What was Enoch's age when he was translated?
Three hundred and sixty five years. (Genesis 5:23.)

Question 48: How long did Methuselah live after Lamech was born?
Seven hundred and eighty two years. (Genesis 5:26.)

Question 49: What was Methuselah's age when he died?
Nine hundred and sixty nine years. (Genesis 5:27.)

Question 50: How long did Lamech live after Noah was born?
Five hundred and ninety five years. (Genesis 5:30.)

Question 51: What was Lamech's age when he died?
Seven hundred and seventy seven years. (Genesis 5:31.) For the account of the last item see (11:40).

Question 52: In what year of the world did Adam die?
In the nine hundred and thirtieth.

Question 53: In what year was Enoch translated?
In the nine hundred and eighty seventh.

Question 54: In what year did Seth die?
In the one thousand and forty second.

Question 55: In what year did Enos die?
In the eleven hundred and fortieth.

Question 56: In what year did Cainan die?
In the twelve hundred and thirty fifth.

Question 57: In what year did Mahalaleel die?
In the twelve hundred and ninetieth.

Question 58: In what year did Jared die?
In the fourteen hundred and twenty second.

Question 59: In what year did Lamech die?
In the sixteen hundred and fifty first.

Question 60: In what year did Methuselah die?
In the sixteen hundred and fifty sixth. For this account see (2:41)

Question 61: How old was Noah when Enos died?
Eighty four years.

Question 62: How old when Cainan died?
One hundred and seventy nine years.

Question 63: How old when Mahalaleel died?
Two hundred and thirty four years.

Question 64: How old when Jared died?
Three hundred and sixty six years.

Question 65: How old when Lamech died?
Five hundred and ninety five years.

Question 66: How old when Methuselah died?
Six hundred years. See (2:42) for the last item.

Question 67: How many of those men lived in the days of Noah?
Six.

Question 68: What are their names?
Seth, Enos, Cainan, Mahalaleel, Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech. (2:43)

Question 69: How many of those men were contemporary with Adam and Noah both?
Six.

Question 70: What are their names?
Enos, Cainan, Mahalaleel, Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech. (2:43)

Question 71: According to the foregoing account, how was the knowledge of the existence of God first suggested to the minds of men?
By the manifestation made to our father Adam, when he was in the presence of God, both before and while he was in Eden. (2:44)

Question 72: How was the knowledge of the existence of God disseminated among the inhabitants of the world?
By tradition from father to son. (2:44)

Question 73: How old was Noah when Shem was born?
Five hundred and two years. (Genesis 5:32.)

Question 74: What was the term of years from the birth of Shem to the flood?
Ninety eight.

Question 75: What was the term of years that Noah lived after the flood?
Three hundred and fifty. (Genesis 9:28.)

Question 76: What was Noah's age when he died?
Nine hundred and fifty years. (Genesis 9:29; 2:45)

Question 77: What was Shem's age when Arphaxed was born?
One hundred years. (Genesis 11:10.)

Question 78: What was Arphaxed's age when Salah was born?
Thirty five years. (Genesis 11:12.)

Question 79: What was Salah's age when Eber was born?
Thirty. (Genesis 11:14.)

Question 80: What was Eber's age when Peleg was born?
Thirty four years. (Genesis 11:16.)

Question 81: What was Peleg's age when Reu was born?
Thirty years. (Genesis 11:18.)

Question 82: What was Reu's age when Serug was born?
Thirty two years. (Genesis 11:20.)

Question 83: What was Serug's age when Nahor was born?
Thirty years. (Genesis 11:22.)

Question 84: What was Nahor's age when Terah was born?
Twenty nine years. (Genesis 11:24.)

Question 85: What was Terah's age, when Nahor (the [brother] of Abraham) was born?
Seventy years. (Genesis 11:26.)

Question 86: What was Terah's age when Abraham was born?
Some suppose one hundred and thirty years, and others seventy. (Genesis 12:4; 2:46)

Question 87: What was the number of years from the flood to the birth of Abraham?
Supposing Abraham to have been born when Terah was one hundred and thirty years old, it was three hundred and fifty two years: but if he were born when Terah was seventy years old, it was two hundred and ninety two years. (2:47)

Question 88: How long did Shem live after Arphaxed was born?
Five hundred years. (Genesis 11:11.)

Question 89: What was Shem's age when he died?
Six hundred years. (Genesis 11:11.)

Question 90: What number of years did Arphaxed live after Salah was born?
Four hundred and three years. (Genesis 21:13.)

Question 91: What was Arphaxed's age when he died?
Four hundred and thirty eight years.

Question 92: What number of years did Salah live after Eber was born?
Four hundred and three years. (Genesis 11:15.)

Question 93: What was Salah's age when he died?
Four hundred and thirty three years.

Question 94: What number of years did Eber live after Peleg was born?
Four hundred and thirty years. (Genesis 11:17.)

Question 95: What was Eber's age when he died?
Four hundred and sixty four years.

Question 96: What number of years did Peleg live after Reu was born?
Two hundred and nine years. (Genesis 11:19.)

Question 97: What was Peleg's age when he died?
Two hundred and thirty nine years.

Question 98: What number of years did Reu live after Serug was born?
Two hundred and seven years. (Genesis 11:21.)

Question 99: What was Reu's age when he died?
Two hundred and thirty nine years.

Question 100: What number of years did Serug live after Nahor was born?
Two hundred years. (Genesis 11:23.)

Question 101: What was Serug's age when he died?
Two hundred and thirty years.

Question 102: What number of years did Nahor live after Terah was born?
One hundred and nineteen years. (Genesis 11:25.)

Question 103: What was Nahor's age when he died?
One hundred and forty eight years.

Question 104: What number of years did Terah live after Abraham was born?
Supposing Terah to have been one hundred and thirty years old when Abraham was born, he lived seventy five years; but if Abraham was born when Terah was seventy years old, he lived one hundred and thirty five.

Question 105: What was Terah's age when he died?
Two hundred and five years. (Genesis 11:32.) For this account from the birth of Arphaxed, to the death of Terah, see (2:48)

Question 106: In what year of the world did Peleg die?
Agreeably to the foregoing chronology, he died in the nineteen hundred and ninety sixth year of the world.

Question 107: In what year of the world did Nahor die?
In the nineteen hundred and ninety seventh.

Question 108: In what year of the world did Noah die?
In the two thousand and sixth.

Question 109: In what year of the world did Reu die?
In the two thousand and twenty sixth.

Question 110: In what year of the world did Serug die?
In the two thousand and forty ninth.

Question 111: In what year of the world did Terah die?
In the two thousand and eighty third.

Question 112: In what year of the world did Arphaxed die?
In the two thousand and ninety sixth.

Question 113: In what year of the world did Salah die?
In the twenty one hundred and twenty sixth.

Question 114: In what year of the world did Abraham die?
In the twenty one hundred and eighty third.

Question 115: In what year of the world did Eber die?
In the twenty one hundred and eighty seventh.
For this account of the year of the world in which those men died, see (2:49-50)

Question 116: How old was Nahor, Abraham's brother, when Noah died?
Fifty eight years.

Question 117: How old was Terah?
One hundred and twenty eight.

Question 118: How old was Serug?
One hundred and eighty seven.

Question 119: How old was Reu?
Two hundred and nineteen.

Question 120: How old was Eber?
Two hundred and eighty three.

Question 121: How old was Salah?
Three hundred and thirteen.

Question 122: How old was Arphaxed?
Three hundred and forty eight.

Question 123: How old was Shem?
Four hundred and forty eight.
For the last account see (2:51)

Question 124: How old was Abraham when Reu died?
Eighteen years, if he were born when Terah was one hundred and thirty years old.

Question 125: What was his age when Serug, and Nahor, Abraham's brother died?
Forty one years.

Question 126: What was his age when Terah died?
Seventy five years.

Question 127: What was his age when Arphaxed died?
Eighty eight.

Question 128: What was his age when Salah died?
One hundred and eighteen years.

Question 129: What was his age when Shem died?
One hundred and fifty years. For this see (2:52)

Question 130: How many noted characters lived from Noah to Abraham?
Ten.

Question 131: What are their names?
Shem, Arphaxed, Salah, Eber, Peleg, Reu; Serug, Nahor, Terah, and Nahor, Abraham's brother. (2:52)

Question 132: How many of these were contemporary with Noah?
The whole.

Question 133: How many with Abraham?
Eight.

Question 134: What are their names?
Nahor, Abraham's brother, Terah, Serug, Reu, Eber, Salah, Arphaxed, and Shem. (2:52)

Question 135: How many were contemporary with both Noah and Abraham?
Eight.

Question 136: What are their names?
Shem, Arphaxed, Salah, Eber, Reu, Serug, Terah, and Nahor, Abraham's brother. (2:52)

Question 137: Did any of these men die before Noah?
They did.

Question 138: Who were they?
Peleg, in whose days the earth was divided, and Nahor Abraham's grand-father. (2:49)

Question 139: Did any one of them live longer than Abraham?
There was one. (2:50)

Question 140: Who was it?
Eber, the fourth from Noah. (2:50)

Question 141: In whose days was the earth divided?
In the days of Peleg.

Question 142: Where have we the account given that the earth was divided in the days of Peleg?
Genesis 10:25.

Question 143: Can you repeat the sentence?
Unto Eber were born two sons; the name on one was Peleg; for in his days the earth was divided.

Question 144: What testimony have men, in the first instance, that there is a God?
Human testimony, and human testimony only. (2:56)

Question 145: What excited the ancient saints to seek diligently after a knowledge of the glory of God, his perfections and attributes?
The credence they gave to the testimony of their fathers. (2:56)

Question 146: How do men obtain a knowledge of the glory of God, his perfections and attributes?
By devoting themselves to his service, through prayer and supplication incessantly, strengthening their faith in him, until like Enoch, the brother of Jared, and Moses, they obtain a manifestation of God to themselves. (2:55)

Question 147: Is the knowledge of the existence of God a matter of mere tradition, founded upon human testimony alone, until a person receives a manifestation of God to themselves?
It is.


Question 148: How do you prove it?
From the whole of the first lecture of the second section.

Lecture 2: 36-56 (summarized)

Intro | Preface
Lecture 1: 1 |  2-9 | 10-11 | 12-17 | 18-24
Lecture 2: 1-4 | 5-12 | 12-25 | 26-35

I had intended to continue discussing Lecture 2 in the same manner as the previous posts--pasting the paragraphs one by one, interspersing with clarifications and questions as I went. But looking at the verses, I don't think that will work. Just pasting the verses themselves makes this post enormous, because the rest of the Lecture deals with the genealogy of the first fathers. (Basically, a lot of "he begat" and "he died in the year" repetition.)

Thankfully, though, the owner of the site I've been using created a really handy chart of the genealogy of the fathers, from Adam down to Abraham:

(If the picture doesn't expand enough, follow this link to the original website; the picture is after the Lecture but before the questions.)

So, instead of dissecting every paragraph, I'll paste the summarizing paragraphs and discuss those. To read the full versions, you can read paragraphs 36-56 here, and the data the Lecture pulls from is in Genesis chapters 5, 9, and 11.

First, according to paragraphs 36-37, "Lamech, the father of Noah; Methuselah, Enoch, Jared, Mahalaleel, Cainan, Enos, Seth, and Adam, were all living at the same time, and beyond all controversy, were all preachers of righteousness." (p. 38)

Just some questions here:
What does it mean to be a "preacher of righteousness?"
If Righteousness is one of Christ's names (Jeremiah 23), does this affect what a "preacher of Righteousness" means?
If these first fathers were all preachers of Righteousness, what does it take for us to become preachers of Righteousness?

Then, from 39-42, "Enos, Cainan, Mahalaleel, Jared, Methuselah, Lamach, and Noah all lived on the earth at the same time, And that Enos, Cainan, Mahalaleel, Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech, were all acquainted with both Adam and Noah." (p. 43)

It fascinated me to realize how many of the fathers had lived together at the same time. Adam was able to directly teach his children in an unbroken line down to the ninth generation, and six of those children were then able to directly teach Noah before the flood. I can only imagine what that was like, to learn straight from Adam.

(This often leads me to wonder: I've heard among the church the theory that the restoration of the gospel to the earth was the catalyst behind all the technological innovations we see today, like jet engines, computers, and other advanced technology. If that's the case--that gospel enlightenment coincides with technological advancement--how far could technology advance among humans who spend 900-some years contemplating the same issues and living in a greater concentration of light and truth? It's an interesting thought exercise, at the very least.)

"From the foregoing it is easily to be seen, not only how the knowledge of God came into the world, but upon what principle it was preserved: that from the time it was first communicated, it was retained in the minds of righteous men, who taught, not only their own posterity, but the world; so that there was no need of a new revelation to man, after Adam's creation, to Noah, to give them the first idea, or notion of the existence of a God: and not only of a God, but of the true and living God." (p. 44)

This is an interesting line to me: "no need of a new revelation . . . to Noah, to give them the first idea . . . of the true and living God." The testimony was already available to man, so God didn't need to "reinvent the wheel," as it were; He didn't need to re-reveal something already available, and so He didn't.

I've heard this called by others "the economy of Heaven:" the tendency of God and Angels to allow us to do what we are honestly able to do before directly intervening, or to learn what we are able to learn before directly teaching us more. This doesn't count out the blessings of service offered by our fellow men, or the service we offer to others, however, but rather includes these acts within the range of "all we can do," as Nephi put it (2 Nephi 25-23). This seems to have been the case with God since the beginning, since the Angel only came to Adam after Adam had been doing "all he could do:" laboring, surviving the harsh world, and sacrificing in obedience to God. Even though it took a long time (perhaps a century or close) before he got an answer, he still received it.

Turning that to our time, how much do we have available to study? How many of our questions can be answered by the scriptures we have, and the wisdom and revelations others have had?

How often to we ask for a new revelation over something God has already revealed?

How ungrateful are we when we expect a new answer without effort, when others have labored diligently over the same questions, received the answers we seek, and provided them for any who struggle with the same question?

How long must we search, study, and labor before we receive the answer we seek?

Continuing, Joseph now traces the genealogy from Noah to Abraham. After explaining that people hold different opinions on how old Terah (Abraham's father) was, he explains that even accepting the oldest age (130 years) falls within the proposed pattern. From this assumption, he writes "Nahor, brother of Abraham, Terah, Nahor (the great-grandfather of Abraham) Serug, Reu, Peleg, Eber, Salah, Arphaxed, Shem, and Noah, all lived on the earth at the same time." And among these fathers, all but Peleg and Nahor the Elder were acquainted with both Noah and Abraham. (p. 52)

Even with this direct connection, though, some of Abraham's closer grandfathers had fallen into apostasy, and his own father had even given Abraham up for sacrifice. Abraham, then, was the first to reconnect to the First Fathers, to Restore what had been lost through apostasy, and a "greater follower of Righteousness" in his own right (Abraham 1: 2). This is probably worth its own article, so this comment will suffice for now.

"We have now traced the chronology of the world, agreeably to the account given in our present bible, from Adam to Abraham, and have clearly determined, beyond the power of controversy, that there was no difficulty in preserving the knowledge of God in the world, from the creation of Adam, and the manifestation made to his immediate descendants, as set forth in the former part of this lecture, so that the students in this class need not have any dubiety (meaning doubt or uncertainty) resting on their minds, on this subject; for they can easily see, that it is impossible for it to be otherwise; but that the knowledge of the existence of a God, must have continued from father to son, as a matter of tradition, at least. For we cannot suppose, that a knowledge of this important fact, could have existed in the mind of any of the before mentioned individuals, without their having made it known to their posterity." (p. 53) This was so important, apparently, that the Fathers could not have possibly left their children without the understanding that God lives.

"We have now shown how it was that the first thought ever existed in the mind of any individual, that there was such a being as a God, who had created and did uphold all things: that it was by reason of the manifestation which he first made to our father Adam, when he stood in his presence, and conversed with him face to face, at the time of his creation.

"Let us here observe, that after any portion of the human family are made acquainted with the important fact that there is a God who has created and does uphold all things, the extent of their knowledge, respecting his character and glory, will depend upon their diligence and faithfulness in seeking after him, until like Enoch, the brother of Jared, and Moses, they shall obtain faith in God, and power with him to behold him face to face." (p. 54-55)

And here's why it's so important: Once we know God exists, the foundation is set. It is then up to us to learn of and experience (in other words, to Know) "his character and glory." As we do so, it is only a matter of time, diligence, and faithfulness before we "shall obtain Faith in God, and power with Him to behold Him face to face."

This is not something reserved for some select, random few which God arbitrarily selects by His own will and pleasure. This is preserved in a Lecture Joseph Smith intended to prepare for the entire body of believers, intended to "unfold to the understanding the doctrine of Jesus Christ," which is "the important doctrine of salvation." This is meant for everyone. It's literally meant for you and me, if we will receive it.

We have the foundation, that God exists. We have a plethora of revelations and scriptures in our church, and there are other texts of wisdom held sacred by other peoples, written by the Lost Tribes of Israel, if we would only seek them out and read them by the Spirit of God (2 Nephi 3). It is up to us to put our own house (our hearts and minds) in order, for the Lord whom ye (diligently) seek will come suddenly to His temple, which temple ye are (Malachi 3: 1, 1 Corinthians 3: 17).

"We have now clearly set forth how it is, and how it was, that God became an object of faith for rational beings; and also, upon what foundation the testimony was based, which excited the inquiry and diligent search of the ancient saints, to seek after and obtain a knowledge of the glory of God (p. 56):" In these examples, it is the testimony of those who Knew which became the foundation of Faith; it begs the question, if one only believes and says he Knows, can that testimony serve as a solid foundation for Faith?

"And we have seen that it was human testimony, and human testimony only, that excited this inquiry, in the first instance in their minds—it was the credence they gave to the testimony of their fathers—this testimony having aroused their minds to inquire after the knowledge of God, the inquiry frequently terminated, indeed, always terminated, when rightly pursued, in the most glorious discoveries, and eternal certainty." (p. 56, emphasis added)

Plain as can be. Will we receive it?

Interlude: The Two Fruit Trees and the Harvesters

One summer evening, just past twilight, the wind picked up outside a small suburban house with two fruit trees, some distance from each other, both producing the same fruit. The Younger tree, fatigued from her first year of producing fruit, appreciated the cooling effect of the wind. This was a pleasant diversion from the ever-present sun which usually accompanied the summer days. Why can't every day be like this? she asked herself.

The Older tree, on the other hand, recognized what this meant. She wished to tell the Younger, but the wind was now too strong for her voice to carry. She would have to tell the Younger afterward.

In the distance, a door slammed. The property owner and his son approached, boots pounding against the sidewalk, with plastic bags rustling as they drew near. What is he doing? the young tree wondered. I don't need pruning, and it's definitely not time to harvest yet.

To her great surprise, the older of the two set to work on her under-ripe fruit, rapidly plucking with only a flashlight to work by.

What? Why?! she asked. Is he out of his mind? Is he really so hungry that he can't wait for nature to take its course? My fruit isn't ready yet!

While picking, the father reached for clusters of her fruit, where picking one fruit dislodged the more-ripe fruit, sending it tumbling to the ground. Oh, so not only is he impatient, but he's clumsy as well, she griped. He clearly knows nothing of fruit harvest, since he's wasting so much fruit. He should be ashamed of himself.

The father continued harvesting. In his haste, he pulled some of her leaves off of her limbs, and even broke a few branches. How dare you! she yelled internally. How dare you rob me, not only of my fruit, but of my very limbs! What right do you have in maiming me like this?

While she fumed in this manner, the father finished gathering what he could from her branches. He hadn't taken everything from her limbs, but his treatment still infuriated her. He had never treated her like this before, and she couldn't forgive him for this abuse.

During this time, while the father tended to the Younger, the son was sent to tend to the Older. He worked in the same manner as the father had with the Younger--plucking the unripe fruit rapidly, dropping fruit, and occasionally breaking branches--but the Older took it all in stride. This was merely the harvesters' method before a powerful storm. She had experienced this for decades, and understood the meaning behind the harvesters' erratic methods.

Even though her fruit was not yet ripe, hers was a fruit that could ripen after plucking if needed. The son had asked about this during a previous storm-harvest, and his father had patiently explained. The Older came to appreciate these exchanges between father and son; so much wisdom came from these discussions, which the Older would not have received otherwise.

The fruit that fell did not bother the Older, either. Although it was dark at the moment, she knew from past experience that the harvesters never wasted fruit when they could help it. During storm-harvests with greater sunlight, she could watch the harvesters stoop down to recover the fallen fruit. There is always a use to be found for good fruit, the father once told his son. Bruises do not make the fruit inedible, after all.

Not even the broken limbs and torn leaves irritated the Older any more. In her earlier years, she remembered well how much she resented what appeared to be careless branch-snapping. But one year, when the father had entrusted his property to another during a family trip, a storm had arisen where no fruit was harvested. At first, she had enjoyed the harvesters' absence and the newfound lack of stress. But as the storm grew in strength, the powerful winds had strained and even snapped some of her larger, fruit-heavy branches, and tossed her fruit far and wide. In the morning, most of her fruit lay broken and splattered on the ground. It took the father much work to salvage what limbs he could, though a few of her larger limbs required removal. The storm remained a powerful lesson for the tree in future storms, one she remembered whenever she saw her twisted and deformed (yet healed) limbs. In perspective, these limbs lost from the harvesters' plucking were a small sacrifice to pay for her survival and future fruit-bearing.

The Older knew from her experience the wisdom behind the harvesters' methods, but also recognized from her own past the confusion and pain the Younger was going through. Once the storm passed, after the howling wind and roaring thunder had subsided, the Older called to the Younger to ask how she fared. The Younger ranted against the storm and the harvesters, wishing they had left her alone. The Older simply listened. After the Younger calmed down somewhat, the Older explained her past experiences, her anger and frustration, and the understanding she eventually gained. The Older shared the bigger picture in her wisdom, which answered the Younger's confusion in the moment. The Younger soon thanked the Older for her clarification, and both trees rejoiced together.

What storms have arisen in your lives? What storms are coming?
Are they only personal storms, or are there global storms coming?
What will that coming harvest look like? What will it feel like?
Will you presume it to be chaos, without any intelligence or wisdom behind it?
Will you, instead, look back and find God's hand guiding these events for your benefit?
Will you allow His hand to guide you now for your future benefit?
Are you now?
How is He asking you to prepare? What does He ask you to become? To do?
After you have been converted, and become more able to comprehend God's working in your life, will you then strengthen your brethren?
How?