As a pre-mission teenager studying at Brigham Young University, I took a number of religion classes. It has been satisfying to look over some of the papers I wrote for those classes and to see how my understanding and writing style have progressed. While this text certainly doesn’t represent my best work, I thought I’d include it here just for fun.
Imagine, if you will, a bright spring morning in the year 1820. Perhaps the trees rustled slightly as a soft breeze brought the young Joseph relief from a merciless sun. The birds probably sung just as merrily as they did on any spring day in the quiet frontier town, but make no mistake; this was no ordinary day. Centuries of darkness were lifted on that spring morning, and a new kind on illumination began to shine forth in the minds of men. On that spring day the gospel of Jesus Christ was restored to the earth.
Imagine how fortunate we are to have that light in our lives! Picture the countless nomads who wandered in the earthly sense just as surely as they wandered spiritually; envision the philosopher striving to understand the universe and yet never fully comprehending its creator; observe those today who seek for riches before they seek the kingdom of God! What a gift to have the gospel of Christ in my life! I must recognize how invaluable that gift is, and I must use it to help my fellow men. Just as assuredly as the boy Joseph had a sacred obligation, given to him by God, to establish the Church of Christ once again on the earth, so too do I have a sacred duty because the gospel is given to me. I must first strengthen myself through that gospel, and then I must strengthen my brethren. An understanding of the gospel of Christ can best be attained by coming to know (not necessarily by coming to know about) the Savior Jesus Christ.
In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.