Prophecy,_Ancient_History_and_the_Restored_Gospel

Thanks to the restoration, we Latter-day Saints understand the scriptures better than any other Christian denomination -- all, that is, except prophecy. Modern Saints are as baffled by the imagery in prophetic visions as their Christian cousins, though that should not be the case. In their search for answers to questions about prophecy, the Saints have largely adopted mainstream Christianity's view of prophecy. At the same time, we have also accepted the orthodox science view of ancient history and reality, further distorting our perceptions of the gospel. Thus, both science and mainstream Christianity profoundly influence our views -- sufficient to create our present confusion and lack of understanding. Brother Larson attempts to reverse that trend by exploring the explanations of prophecy provided by Joseph Smith and those church leaders who succeeded him.

Seen in this light, prophecy becomes a touchstone or a litmus test for our level of gospel comprehension, a way of determining how well we understand gospel symbolism and, hence, its meaning. Thus, this intellectual pursuit covers much more than simple prophecy. It touches on every facet of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Equally important, this work is vital because it intellectually validates Joseph's claim to be a prophet called of God to restore the gospel and to right the flawed paradigm of modern mankind. As such, it becomes a spiritual quest as well. It offers a second, confirming testimony to that of the Spirit, bearing witness of both the restored gospel and the prophet's calling.

"We have enjoyed these issues immensely and consider them to be some of the finest ever written on these subjects. What a wonderful contribution you have made!"