Today's Favorite Verse: Doctrine & Covenants 96:7
"For he is a descendant of Joseph and a partaker of the blessings of the promise made unto his father-"
The reference in this verse is speaking of John Johnson being a descendant of Joseph. When I read this I had one of those duh moments about genealogy. That multiple lands and people can be descended from one man. I had always wondered about 2 Nephi 3 where Lehi is telling his son Joseph about Joseph, son of Jacob. It's where we have the verse...
"And his name shall be called after me; and it shall be after the name of his father..." (2 Nephi 3:15)
I knew this was talking about Joseph Smith, Jr. being named for his father Joseph Smith, Sr. What I had mangled was at the end of the chapter is verse 23 and 24 and thought he was saying that Joseph Smith, Jr. would come through Joseph, son of Lehi's line. I knew I didn't understand it because that thought didn't make sense. Joseph Smith did not come from the blood of native American Indians. I wasn't sure how that could be. After reading about John Johnson being a descendant of Joseph my genealogist brain finally kicked in. I realized there are many descendants from the same Joseph, son of Jacob's line that play different roles and were raised in different lands.
I love it when those moments of understanding come. I have long learned that if I don't understand something it doesn't mean you doubt, it means you wait until you do understand. I just never know the time or the place where the understanding on a matter will finally come. The important thing is to put yourself in the place where the understanding can happen. That is why reading the scriptures every day is important. The only way to come to an understanding of the scriptures is to read them.
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