The history of the founding of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is well known to most adherents. As the founder of the Church, Joseph Smith, Jr., recalls, when he was about 15 years old he was troubled because there were various churches in the early 1800’s in the frontier area he lived in that were proselytizing and he was torn on which to join. According to Joseph, he was reading the scriptures and read James 1:5, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.”
Upon reflecting upon this scripture Joseph decided to do as directed and pray to our Heavenly Father for guidance on which church for him to join. Joseph then went into a grove of trees near his home and knelt down in prayer. After an initial period of great anguish, Heavenly Father and Jesus of Nazareth appeared to Joseph, with Heavenly Father gesturing to Jesus of Nazareth with the words, “This is my Beloved Son, hear Him!”
Joseph then asked the question that he had been pondering and which had caused him much apprehension, which of the churches in the area he should join. To this question Joseph received his answer. Joseph was told to join none of the churches in the area, because they were all wrong. What followed in Joseph’s personal history and the history of the church he helped found can and does distract at times from the simple example that Joseph demonstrated.
Joseph had been pondering what was an important question to him. Joseph went to a quiet place, a grove of trees, to ask his question. Joseph then asked his question to his God. Joseph then acted upon the answer he was given.
For each of us, one of the simplest steps to building or restoring our relationship with God is to ask our questions of our God directly in our own quiet place, to wait for our answers, and to act upon the answers we receive.