The First Vision — Two Divine Personages Appear to Young Joseph Smith (Spring 1820)
Published March 24, 2026 at 10:27 PM
Contributed by
Todd Morgan
Beaumont, CA, 92223
In the spring of 1820, fourteen-year-old Joseph Smith retired to a secluded grove near his family's farm in Manchester, New York, to pray for guidance regarding the state of his soul and the religious confusion he witnessed. Deeply distressed by the 'war of words and tumult of opinions' among the competing denominations, Joseph found direction in James 1:5, which promised that God would give wisdom liberally to those who ask. Upon arriving at the grove on a beautiful, clear morning, Joseph attempted to pray vocally for the first time. He was immediately seized by an overwhelming power—an actual being from the unseen world—that bound his tongue and filled him with the fear of sudden destruction. He exerted all his powers to call upon God for deliverance, and at the moment of despair, a pillar of light, brighter than the noonday sun, descended upon him. This light delivered him from the hostile power. Within the light, he saw two glorious Personages standing above him in the air. One, pointing to the other, said, 'This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!' Joseph asked which sect was right and which he should join. He was told to join none of them; their creeds were an abomination, and their professors were corrupt. When the vision departed, Joseph was left with little physical strength, marking the start of the Restoration.
In Their Own Words
“I was born in the town of Charon [Sharon] in the <State> of Vermont North America on the twenty third day of December AD 1805 of goodly Parents who spared no pains to instruct<ing> me in <the> christian religion[.] at the age of about ten years my Father Joseph Smith Seignior moved to Palmyra Ontario County in the State of New York and being wrought up for the welfare of my soul by the many different religions which I witnessed I became dissatisfied with the different churches and sects and I began to search the scriptures as I then believed the word of God said that there was no respect of persons I believed what it said but was greatly troubled for thus was the contention of the priests of the different denominations and as I enquired of the Lord thus spake the Lord unto me for the Lord visited me in the wilderness and I was left to mourn under the sin of my soul and the darkness of the world and I was about the age of sixteen years when the Lord visited me and I saw the Lord and he spake unto me saying Joseph my son thy sins are forgiven thee. go thy way walk in my statutes and keep my commandments behold I am the Lord of glory I was crucified for the world that all those who believe on my name may have eternal life behold the world lieth in sin at this present and none doeth good no not one they have turned asside from the gospel and keep not my commandments they draw near to me with their lips while their hearts are far from me and mine anger is kindling against the inhabitants of the earth to visit them acording to their ungodliness and bring to pass that which hath been spoken by the mouth of the prophets and apostles behold and lo I come quickly as it was written of me in the cloud clothed in the glory of my Father and my soul was filled with love and for many days I could rejoice with great Joy and the Lord was with me but could find none that would believe the hevnly vision nevertheless I pondered these things in my heart.”
— Joseph Smith Jr., History, circa Summer 1832
Sources & References
Joseph Smith—History 1:14-20. "History, circa Summer 1832," Joseph Smith Papers. The Wentworth Letter (1 March 1842, Times and Seasons). Joseph Smith, Autobiographical Account recorded in I. Daniel Rupp, An Original History of the Religious Denominations (1844). Richard L. Bushman, Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling (2005), Chapter 2. josephsmithfoundation.org/joseph-smith-miracles/. Read the full account: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/pgp/js-h/1?lang=eng LeGrand Richards, A Marvelous Work and a Wonder (Deseret Book), ch. 1 Additional sources (periodical research): The Joseph Smith Papers, "Primary Accounts of the First Vision," https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/articles/primary-accounts-of-first-vision. Dean C. Jessee, "The Earliest Documented Accounts of Joseph Smith’s First Vision," in Exploring the First Vision (Religious Studies Center, 2012), https://rsc.byu.edu/exploring-first-vision/earliest-documented-accounts-joseph-smiths-first-vision. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, "First Vision Accounts," Gospel Topics Essays (2016), https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-topics-essays/first-vision-accounts?lang=eng. Full first-person account: The Joseph Smith Papers, History, circa Summer 1832 https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/history-circa-summer-1832/1
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