1. I Am Your Advocate with the Father

3. B. H. Roberts Notwithstanding he was troubled on every side, [Joseph Smith] could compose his mind to instruct the Church on such doctrines as the complete salvation of their dead; how to proceed with the administration of all ordinances given for and in behalf of the dead… and the relationship of man to God. … He lived his life, as I have said elsewhere, in crescendo, it grew in intensity and volume as he approached its close. Higher and still higher the inspiration of God directed his thoughts; bolder were his conceptions, and clearer his expositions of them. He lived his life, as I have said elsewhere, in crescendo, it grew in intensity and volume as he approached its close. Higher and still higher the inspiration of God directed his thoughts; bolder were his conceptions, and clearer his expositions of them.

4. Joseph’s three Recorded Visions with Savior The Call The First Vision (JS 1) The Vision Three Degrees of Glory (D&C 76) The Keys Keys to the Last Dispensation (D&C 110)

5. #1- “The Call”

6. 1832 Account of the First Vision and while in (the) attitude of calling upon the Lord (in the 16th year of my age) a piller of fire light above the brightness of the sun at noon day come down from above and rested upon me and I was filled with the spirit of god and the (Lord) opened the heavens upon me and I saw the Lord and he spake unto me saying Joseph (my son) thy sins are forgiven thee. go thy (way) walk in my statutes and keep my commandments… my soul was filled with love and for many days I could reioice with great Joy and the Lord was with me but [I] could find none that would believe the hevnly vision nevertheless I pondered these things in my heart

7. M. Russell Ballard April Conference In the spring of 1820, a pillar of light illuminated a grove of trees in upstate New York. Our Heavenly Father and His Beloved Son appeared to the Prophet Joseph Smith. This experience began the restoration of powerful doctrinal truths that had been lost for centuries. Among those truths that had been dimmed by the darkness of apostasy was the stirring reality that we are all the spirit sons and daughters of a loving God who is our Father. … In that unprecedented appearance of the Father and the Son in the Sacred Grove, the very first word spoken by the Father of us all was the personal name of Joseph. Such is our Father’s personal relationship with each of us. He knows our names and yearns for us to become worthy to return to live with Him. In that unprecedented appearance of the Father and the Son in the Sacred Grove, the very first word spoken by the Father of us all was the personal name of Joseph. Such is our Father’s personal relationship with each of us. He knows our names and yearns for us to become worthy to return to live with Him.

8. #2 “The Vision” Feb 16, 1832 John Johnson Home Translation of the Bible John 5:29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation

9. Section 76 5 For thus saith the Lord—I, the Lord, am merciful and gracious unto those who fear me, and delight to honor those who serve me in righteousness and in truth unto the end. 7 And to them will I reveal all mysteries, yea, all the hidden mysteries of my kingdom from days of old, and for ages to come, will I make known unto them the good pleasure of my will concerning all things pertaining to my kingdom. 10 For by my Spirit will I enlighten them, and by my power will I make known unto them the secrets of my will—yea, even those things which eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor yet entered into the heart of man.

10. Joseph’s Response to “The Vision” I, Joseph the Prophet, in spirit beheld, And the eyes of the inner man truly did see Eternity stretched, in a vision from God, Of what was, and now is, and yet is to be: "Those things which the Father ordained of old, Before the world was, or a system had run Through Jesus, the maker and Saviour of all, The Only Begotten (Messiah), His Son. And I heard a great voice, bearing record from heaven: He's the Saviour and Only Begotten of God: By him, of him, and through him the worlds were all made,— Even all that career in the heavens so broad: Whose inhabitants, too, from the first to the last, Are saved by the very same Saviour of ours.“ (Times and Seasons 4:82)

11. #3 (The Keys of the Dispensation)

12. Section 110 4 I am the first and the last; I am he who liveth, I am he who was slain; I am your advocate with the Father. 5 Behold, your sins are forgiven you; you are clean before me; therefore, lift up your heads and rejoice. 7 For behold, I have accepted this house, and my name shall be here; and I will manifest myself to my people in mercy in this house. 9 Yea the hearts of thousands and tens of thousands shall greatly rejoice in consequence of the blessings which shall be poured out, and the endowment with which my servants have been endowed in this house. 10 And the fame of this house shall spread to foreign lands; and this is the beginning of the blessing which shall be poured out upon the heads of my people

13. Jesus the Advocate D&C 45 3 Listen to him who is the advocate with the Father, who is pleading your cause before him— 4 Saying: Father, behold the sufferings and death of him who did no sin, … 5 Wherefore, Father, spare these my brethren that believe on my name

14. Jesus, Our Friend D&C 93:45 45 Verily, I say unto my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., or in other words, I will call you friends, for you are my friends, and ye shall have an inheritance with me—

15. Eliza R. Snow Thou hast the blessing and gift to know in whom thou has put thy trust--he is thy friend and thy great Benefactor. … Thy steps shall be trac'd in prudence-- thy examples are worthy of imitation, and thou mayest ever confide in the friend of thy bosom. Thou mayest open thy mind to thy Creator and thy requests shall be granted because thou hast an advocate even Jesus, & in his name thou art invited to pay thy devotions to the Most High, and in and thro' his name thou mayest ever rejoice in the New & everlasting covenants; (Patriarchal Blessing, Isaac Morley)