11 An Argument from Silence: Exploring the Reality of Joseph Smith’s First Vision

Joseph Smith organized The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1830. In 1832 Joseph Smith claimed that he saw Jesus Christ in a vision twelve years earlier. What evidence is there that Joseph Smith did, in reality, have this heavenly vision? Were there others that validated this claim? Join us as we analyze historical documents (including letters, newspaper articles, and the religious activities of him and his family) and explore the evidence of Joseph Smith's first vision in 1820.