When you study the lives of any character in the scriptures, you will notice that there are themes that their lives teach. Whether it's Moses, Peter, Paul or anyone else, a pattern emerges.

"It isn't the individual ideas these people are teaching that are important, but the combination of all the things that they are teaching, together, gives a message that is sometimes more important than any particular individual teaching that they have," said S. Michael Wilcox, a celebrated Mormon author and institute teacher at the Institute of Religion associated with the University of Utah.

According to Wilcox, the Prophet Joseph Smith's life fits the same pattern. Wilcox, speaking at the Church History Museum's "Evening at the Museum" lecture on Thursday, Oct. 1, said the Prophet's theme is an easily-pointed out yet too often overlooked one.

"I can't think of anybody that fits that bill better than the Prophet Joseph Smith," Wilcox said. "He was sent to restore the gospel, sure; to bring about the Book of Mormon, of course. But he was also sent to teach us, by his life, something about our ability to communicate with our Father in Heaven."

Wilcox taught listeners that by studying the First Vision, one may obtain a blueprint on how to receive answers to prayers and revelation from God.



"Joseph said he knew the testimony of the apostle James to be true: that anyone that lacked wisdom could ask of God, and obtain," Wilcox said. " That's what he came to teach us, and he's going to do that all through his life: he's going to ask, and ask and obtain, until we have a whole book filled with Joseph's questions, and it makes a massive difference in our lives -- it's a book of answers. But probably more important than any of those great revelations, is the understanding that hopefully we all receive from Joseph, that 'I can ask and obtain.'"

Wilcox then pulled phrases out of the First Vision record found in Mormon scripture to help his audience understand what is needed to receive revelation from God in much the same way as the Prophet did.

He first pointed out that Joseph Smith himself, in the 22nd verse of his history, called himself "an obscure boy...of no consequence in the world", yet John Taylor would write that he did more for the salvation of the world than anybody except Jesus Christ.

"Have you ever felt like that?" Wilcox asked the audience. "I have to say I am an obscure boy, having no consequence. And yet, no matter how obscure you are, no matter how unimportant you are, the testimony of Joseph is that God will speak to you."

Wilcox then gave pattern based on the Prophet's First Vision recorded in Joseph Smith History on how to obtain revelation from God. The first thing is to be an inquirer after truth.

Wilcox's next phrase was "certain conclusion." He said inquirers after truth want a certain conclusion to questions they need answered, as Joseph Smith did in verses 8 and 12.

"Have you ever felt that way?" Wilcox asked. "'I have this dilemma, I have this problem, I have this challenge, and I don't know what to do -- I need wisdom and I have to have a certain conclusion about this matter."

The next phrase was "settling the question". One has to actually settle the question and get it answered. The Prophet asked for wisdom, wanted a solid, concrete conclusion, and settled the question throughout his life.

Wilcox then gave what he called "the three 'As'" of Joseph Smith, as a pattern to follow after a question is settled.

The first one is "act". "It is so Joseph Smith to get an answer and act on it," Wilcox said.

The second 'A' is "affirm." Wilcox read the 27th verse of Joseph Smith -- History and said that years after the Prophet saw the First Vision, he "continued to affirm" that he had seen a vision.

The final 'A' is "assert" (verse 58). Wilcox said we have to be willing to act, affirm and assert in fairly serious opposition, whether that comes from other people or from our own minds, and that for Joseph Smith, it was something he had to do for the rest of his life.

"Because a 14-year-old boy went into the woods in 1820, all is well in my life. No matter what happens, all is well. And one day, all will be well in the world." Wilcox said. " I wish that on his headstone the letters would be carved, 'I have learned for myself'."

He said all of these little phrases sum up the grand teaching Joseph Smith came to teach any who would listen about receiving revelation from God.

"Joseph taught us this: obscure people with no consequence, who are inquirers after truth, who want certain conclusion and settled questions, if they're willing to act, affirm and assert in the face of serious opposition are going to get answers. That's what he taught us. And they will say, 'I have learned for myself', and all will be well."

E-mail: nnewman@desnews.com