I desire to speak as directed by and in fulfillment of a revelation given by the Lord to a modern prophet.

Revelation to modern prophet

This revelation came to Joseph Smith in the early days of this dispensation. It has since changed the lives of millions of people and shall in due course affect the spiritual well-being and eternal salvation of all men among every nation and kindred and tongue and people.

But first, may I invite your attention to a revelation received by an ancient apostle, a revelation that he said would "come to pass" in a day subsequent to his, a day after New Testament times  Rev. 1:1

This ancient apostle, the beloved disciple John, the one who with Peter and James had been favored so highly by Jesus, recorded his vision and revelation of the future in these words:

"And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue and people,

"Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters"  Rev. 14:6-7

God has spoken again in this day

As is well known, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announces to the world that God has spoken again in this day; that angels have again descended from the courts of glory to minister to men; that revelations, visions, and all of the gifts of the Spirit have again been poured out upon the Saints; that the church and kingdom of God has again been set up on earth with every priesthood, key, power, grace, and prerogative possessed in former dispensations; and that the everlasting gospel—the same power of God unto salvation had by the Saints of old—has been restored in all its glory, beauty, and perfection.

In this connection we may well give careful consideration to the angelic visitation foreseen by John. What, then, is the meaning of the biblical account left us by the beloved disciple?

John saw that angelic ministration would occur in a day subsequent to New Testament times, that God would again send heavenly messengers to man on earth, even as he had done to Saints and prophets of old.

John's announcement was that revelation would commence anew, that the heavens—long sealed—would be opened, that the mind and will and voice of God would be heard again by mortal man.

The restoration foreseen

The ancient apostle foresaw that the everlasting gospel—God's plan of salvation for his earthly children—would be restored, so that Latter-day Saints could receive, possess, and inherit the same blessings poured out upon the Saints of former days.

He beheld that the very gospel restored by angelic ministration would be preached to the whole earth, to all mankind, to every nation and kindred and tongue and people, thus signifying that no other people had the fullness of gospel truth and that all needed to come to a knowledge of revealed religion.

John's message was that this restored gospel would invite men to worship the true and living God, to fear and glorify the Creator of all things, rather than to give allegiance to any false and untrue concept of Deity.

And finally, John specified that all this was to precede the glorious second coming of the Son of Man; it was to transpire in that day when the hour of his judgment was set, in the day just prior to his great millennial reign.

The promise has been fulfilled

Now we may well ask: Has the Lord's promise, given through the beloved revelator, been fulfilled? Has the mighty restoration of latter days taken place? If not, when will it occur, and who will be the mortal recipients of the promised revelations and blessings from on high? And how can these glorious purposes of the Lord be fulfilled unless he calls prophets to receive the angelic visitations, to record the revelations, to preach the gospel among all people?

We are bold to announce that the promised restoration has taken place. The promised angel has come. The promised latter-day work has begun.

In the spring of 1820, the Lord made known the prophet whom he had chosen to usher in his great latter-day work. This prophet, Joseph Smith, records the opening of this gospel dispensation in these words:

"Believing the word of God, I had confidence in the declaration of James—'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'  James 1:5 I retired to a secret place in a grove, and began to call upon the Lord; while fervently engaged in supplication, my mind was taken away from the objects with which I was surrounded, and I was enwrapped in a heavenly vision, and saw two glorious personages, who exactly resembled each other in features and likeness, surrounded with a brilliant light which eclipsed the sun at noon day. They told me that all religious denominations were believing in incorrect doctrines, and that none of them was acknowledged of God as His Church and kingdom: and I was expressly commanded 'to go not after them'  Luke 17:23 at the same time receiving a promise that the fulness of the Gospel should at some future time be made known unto me  JS—H 1:11-20

"On the evening of the 21st of September, A.D. 1823, while I was praying unto God, and endeavoring to exercise faith in the precious promises of scripture, on a sudden a light like that of day, only of a far purer and more glorious appearance and brightness, burst into the room, indeed the first sight was as though the house was filled with consuming fire; the appearance produced a shock that affected the whole body; in a moment a personage stood before me surrounded with a glory yet greater than that with which I was already surrounded. This messenger proclaimed himself to be an angel of God, sent to bring the joyful tidings that the covenant which God made with ancient Israel was at hand to be fulfilled, that the preparatory work for the second coming of the Messiah was speedily to commence; that the time was at hand for the Gospel in all its fulness to be preached in power, unto all nations that a people might be prepared for the Millennial reign. I was informed that I was chosen to be an instrument in the hands of God to bring about some of his purposes in this glorious dispensation"  JS—H 1:29-43 see also History of the Church, Vol. 4, pp. 536-7).

God's church is on the earth

In due course, primarily through the instrumentality of the Prophet Joseph Smith, the glorious restoration promised here took place, and God's true Church was once again established on earth.

Now may I quote the revelation in conformity with which I speak at this time. On November 3, 1831, the Lord said to his latter-day Prophet:

". . . I have sent forth mine angel flying through the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel, who hath appeared unto some and hath committed it unto man, who shall appear unto many that dwell on the earth.

"And this gospel shall be preached unto every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people.

"And the servants of God shall go forth, saying with a loud voice: Fear God and give glory to him, for the hour of his judgment is come;

"And worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters"  D&C 133:36-39

The everlasting Gospel is restored

And now may I say, as a servant of the Lord, by way of testimony, that all these glorious things are transpiring. The Lord has sent his angel, whose name was Moroni  JS—H 1:33 which angel revealed to Joseph Smith the ancient record from which the Book of Mormon was translated. This volume of holy scripture is a record of God's dealings with the ancient inhabitants of America and contains the fullness of the everlasting gospel.

This everlasting gospel—the same revealed laws and powers had by the ancient apostles—is now being preached in many of the nations of the earth and will be heralded in due course unto every nation and kindred and tongue and people, for God has so decreed.

When we as the Lord's servants take this restored gospel to his other children, we invite them to come and worship him.

Our message is one of a living God who speaks now, whose voice we have heard, whose countenance has shined upon us, and whose words we know and teach to others.

We share the glad tidings with all the world

We invite all men everywhere to come and see, to investigate the glad tidings of great joy which have been revealed in this day, and which shall go forth to all people, for "the voice of the Lord is unto all men, and there is none to escape; and there is no eye that shall not see, neither ear that shall not hear, neither heart that shall not be penetrated"  D&C 1:2

This message of revelation and restoration embraces the most glorious hopes and promises known to man. It is the message of the ages, the everlasting gospel. Through it, men may find peace and joy in this life and eternal reward in the life to come  D&C 59:23

And God be thanked it is true—a message of salvation based on eternal truth. And truth will prevail.

May I bear testimony of the final triumph of God's great latter-day kingdom by using these prophetic words of Joseph Smith, the mighty Prophet of the restoration:

". . . the Standard of Truth has been erected; no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done." (History of the Church, Vol. 4, p. 540.)

In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.