The Restoration of the Gospel
How God restored His Church and priesthood authority in the latter days
Key Scripture
Joseph Smith History 1:17
"I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air."
The Restoration is the foundational event of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It refers to God's act of restoring the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ to the earth after a period of apostasy.
The Great Apostasy
Following the death of Christ and His Apostles, the authority of the priesthood was lost from the earth. Doctrines were changed, ordinances were altered, and the Church as Christ established it ceased to exist in its fullness. This period is known as the Great Apostasy.
The First Vision
In the spring of 1820, a young man named Joseph Smith, troubled by the religious confusion of his day, went into a grove of trees near his home in upstate New York to pray. In answer to his prayer, God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ appeared to him. This event — the First Vision — marked the beginning of the Restoration.
Priesthood Restoration
In 1829, John the Baptist appeared to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery and conferred upon them the Aaronic Priesthood. Shortly after, the Apostles Peter, James, and John appeared and restored the Melchizedek Priesthood, including the keys of the apostleship.
The Church Organized
On April 6, 1830, The Church of Jesus Christ was formally organized with six members in Fayette, New York. Since that day, the Church has grown to over 17 million members worldwide, with temples on every continent.
Continuing Revelation
The Restoration was not a single event but an ongoing process. God continues to reveal His will through living prophets and apostles today, fulfilling the promise that He would never again leave His people without divine guidance.