Joseph Smith—History 1:1–26 – I Saw a Pillar of Light

Links to free resources for children, youth, and adults to enhance the Come, Follow Me reading of Joseph Smith History 1:1-26. There is so much available on the church website it can be overwhelming! Just choose one or two things to do with your family or for your own personal study.

Everyone

Art – Visit the online art exhibit about The First Vision. Click on each piece of artwork to view it larger and read a description. If so inclined have each member of the family create their own piece of artwork.

Article – Hear Him – Read or listen to this chapter in Saints, Volume 1 about Joseph Smith experience in the Sacred Grove.

Audio – The First Vision: A Joseph Smith Papers Podcast is a six-part miniseries from the Joseph Smith Papers Project that explores the history and legacy of Joseph Smith’s first vision. Scroll down on the page to find the audio for all six podcasts.

Podcast – Saints, Volume 1: Ask in Faith – Saints begins with the 1815 explosion of the volcano Mt. Tambora in faraway Indonesia. With this fiery beginning, Historian Lisa Olsen Tait discusses how an eruption, half-way around the world, plays an important part in the restoration.

Podcasts – Saints, Volume 1: Hear Him – Much has been discussed about Joseph Smith’s different accounts of the first vision. In this episode, Historian Steven C. Harper discusses several of the accounts Joseph left throughout his lifetime of the event that ushered in the beginning of the Restoration.

Sing Along – The First Vision – Gather the family to learn this new song printed in The Friend last year. Sheet music can be found here.

Sing Along – Joseph Smith’s First Prayer – Gather the family to sing this hymn about the First Vision.

Video – Who was Joseph Smith? – An illustrated video that explains Joseph Smith was the first prophet and President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. As a young teenager, he was visited by God and Jesus Christ.

Video – Ask of God: Joseph Smith’s First Vision – Short film produced for the Church History Museum depicting Joseph Smith’s First Vision, including details drawn from each of Joseph Smith’s accounts. (6:36 minutes)

Video – The Restoration – (JS-H 1:1-20) This video recounts how Joseph Smith’s search for truth led to the First Vision and the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ. (19:17 minutes)

Children

Activity – How to Draw the Sacred Grove | Come Learn with Me – The sacred grove is a place where a boy called Joseph prayed to find gospel truths. In this video we’ll draw the Sacred Grove and talk about who Joseph saw there as an answer to his prayer. Gospel for Kids

Activity – Joseph Saw Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ – Color and cut out these figures to tell the story.

Activity –  Joseph Kneeling in the Sacred Grove – Coloring page

Activity – Print these scripture figures on heavy paper, cut out, and use them to tell the story of the First Vision. Have your child use the figures to tell the story to you.

Activity – More scripture figures – Have your child color these figures and use them to retell the story.

Activity – Print out these other coloring pages: Joseph Smith Reading the Scriptures, Joseph Praying in the Sacred Grove, Joseph Sees a Light Overhead, Joseph Sees God and Jesus Christ, See if your child can put them in the correct order. Let them color the pictures.

Activity – Create a shoe box panorama of the First Vision. This activity requires a little prep work of printing the pictures, gathering scissors and glue, and finding an empty shoe box.

Activity – Assemble this picture pinwheel that depicts scenes like Joseph reading the Bible and the First Vision.

Article – Print page 1 and page 2 to get the whole story of this graphic novel type  retelling of Joseph Smith’s First Vision from The Friend.

Audio – Joseph Smith and His Family – A primary teacher and children learn about Joseph Smith and his family. Joseph Smith was born on December 23, 1805. At a young age he showed his faith in the Lord during a painful surgery on his leg.

Audio – Joseph Smith’s First Vision – A Primary teacher and children discuss how when he was 14, Joseph went into the woods near his home to pray about which church to join. In answer to his prayer, Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, appeared to Joseph and told him to join none of the churches.

Video – Joseph Smith and His Family – Doctrine and Covenants Scripture Reader

Video – Joseph Smith’s First Vision – Doctrine and Covenants Scripture Reader

Video – Joseph Smith’s Family – Scripture Stories for Young Readers

Video – Joseph Smith’s First Vision – Scripture Stories for Young Readers

Youth

Article – Joseph Smith: My Prophet – He’s your prophet too. You can study his teachings this year to make him more so. From the new For the Strength of Youth magazine.

Article – The First Vision: Where Do You Fit In? – The First Vision teaches us that you have a role to play in the ongoing Restoration and that God will sustain you.

Article – Doctrinal Mastery: The First Vision – Delve a little deeper in these verses to under the doctrine taught a little better.

Poster – People from Church History: Joseph Smith, Jr. – Print out and hang up this poster to help you learn more about the Prophet Joseph Smith.

Youth & Adults

Article – Read the background history of first written account of the First Vision. Then read that account.

Article – Read the background of the second written account of the First Vision. Then read that account.

Article – Read the background of the third written account of the First Vision. Then read that account.

Article – Read the background of last written account of the First Vision by Joseph Smith. Then read the account.

Article – How Can I Know for Myself? – Doctrine and Covenants Insights from the Liahona

Article – The First Vision: A Pattern for Revelation – The Prophet Joseph Smith taught from his experience in the Sacred Grove how we can receive personal revelation as a part of our daily lives. An article by Henry B. Eyring.

Article – Eight Truths from the First Vision – Review these eight truths restored to the earth through this remarkable event.

Article – Of Goodly Parents: Joseph Smith, Sr. – Read about Joseph Smith’s father and the influence he had on the Prophet growing up.

Article – Of Goodly Parents: Lucy Mack Smith – Read about Joseph Smith’s mother and the influence she had on the Prophet growing up.

Article – Early Women of the Restoration: Lucy Used Her Spiritual Gifts – Like Lucy Mack Smith, each of us can receive revelation. We all have unique spiritual gifts that can bless our families and the Church.

Article – Lucy Mack Smith: A Faithful Witness – Lucy, a woman of great faith, wrote a detailed record of her son’s role as the Prophet, giving us an eyewitness view of the unfolding Restoration.

Video – KnoWhy 379: How Can We Be Strengthened by Lucy Mack Smith’s Testimony of the Book of Mormon? – Scripture Central

Video – KnoWhy 386: How Did Emma Smith Help Bring Forth the Book of Mormon? – Scripture Central

Video – KnoWhy 397: Why Would God Choose an Uneducated Man to Translate the Book of Mormon? – Scripture Central

Video – Come Follow Me /w Casey Paul Griffiths (Joseph Smith History 1:1–26, Jan 4–10) – Scripture Central (12:24 minutes)

Video – Come, Follow Me with Taylor Halverson (Joseph Smith History 1:1–26, Jan 4–10) – Scripture Central (3 minutes)

Website – The First Vision: Journey Through the Sacred Grove – Church history website that contains pictures and additional videos about the First Vision.

Adults

Article – A Seeker’s Guide to the Historical Accounts of Joseph Smith’s First Vision – BYU Religious Studies Center

Article – The Earliest Documented Accounts of Joseph Smith’s First Vision – BYU Religious Studies Center

Article – The Appearance of the Father and the Son to Joseph Smith in 1820 – BYU Religious Studies Center

Article – “Unless I Could Get More Wisdom, I Would Never Know” – BYU Religious Studies Center

Article – Joseph Smith—History Insight 7: Religious Excitement near Palmyra, New York, 1816–1820 – Pearl of Great Price Central

Article – Joseph Smith—History Insight 10: The First Vision as a Divine Council Vision – Pearl of Great Price Central

Article – Joseph Smith—History Insight 12: Why Was Joseph Smith Initially Reluctant to Tell Others About the First Vision? – Pearl of Great Price Central

Article – Joseph Smith—History Insight 1: Joseph Smith’s Firsthand Accounts of the First Vision – Pearl of Great Price Central

Video – The Setting of the First Vision – Sets the stage for Joseph Smith’s first vision of heavenly beings that would propel him into his life as the founder of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Joseph Smith Papers Documentary series. (28:36 minutes)

Video – The First Vision – Explores the differing accounts of Joseph Smith’s first vision. The Joseph Smith Papers Documentary series. (28:40 minutes).

Video – Come Follow Me: Act in Doctrine (Joseph Smith History 1:1–26, Jan 4–10) – Scripture Central (28 minutes)

Video – The Unfolding Restoration Lesson 1: Line Upon Line with Anthony Sweat – Church History Matters (23 minutes)

Video – Hard Questions in Church History: Joseph Smith’s Family History (1700-1816) – Church History Matters (38 minutes)

Video – Hard Questions in Church History: Joseph Smith’s First Vision – Church History Matters (63 minutes)