First Vision

The First Vision is Joseph Smith’s reported 1820 encounter with God and Jesus Christ near his family’s home in New York. It became the founding revelation of the Latter Day Saint movement.

Joseph Smith: Joseph Smith (1805–1844) founded the Latter Day Saint movement and reported revelations that shaped its scriptures and institutions. Smith was the teenager who reported the vision and later gave accounts of it.
1842 account of the First Vision: The 1842 account is Joseph Smith’s brief published narration of his vision in a letter to John Wentworth. Its concise retelling differs in detail and emphasis from the longer 1838 narrative.
Restorationism: Restorationism is the belief that original forms of Christianity were lost and must be restored. The vision became evidence for Smith’s claim that Christian authority and truth required restoration.
Latter-day Saint theology: Latter-day Saint theology is the body of beliefs and teachings associated with churches originating in Joseph Smith’s movement. The vision underpins teachings about revelation, divine authority, and the nature of God.
Palmyra, New York: Palmyra is a town in western New York associated with the early life of Joseph Smith and the beginnings of the Latter Day Saint movement. The Smith family lived near Palmyra when the vision was said to have occurred.
First Vision accounts: First Vision accounts are the surviving narratives by Joseph Smith and others describing his reported early vision. Comparing the accounts shows how the story’s details and framing developed over time.
Pearl of Great Price: The Pearl of Great Price is a book of scripture used by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It contains the canonical First Vision narrative in Joseph Smith—History.
Personal revelation: Personal revelation is communication or guidance believed to come from God to an individual. Smith’s account presents the vision as a direct answer to personal prayer.
Second Great Awakening: The Second Great Awakening was a Protestant revival movement in the United States from the late eighteenth to the mid-nineteenth century. The religious revivals of Smith’s region form the context for his search for spiritual guidance.
Latter Day Saint movement: The Latter Day Saint movement is a Christian restorationist tradition that began with Joseph Smith in the 1820s and 1830s. The movement’s churches differ in how they interpret and emphasize the vision.

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