PROVO, Utah — Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles invited Brigham Young University students to both literally and figuratively shout “Hurrah for Israel!” as he addressed a packed Marriott Center on Tuesday, Oct. 27.
In his remarks during the late morning devotional on the campus in Provo, Utah, Elder Rasband noted coming opportunities to celebrate the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ in the latter days — including the open house for the restored Salt Lake Temple — and invited listeners to herald that great work.
“Our charge is to share the truths of the gospel with all,” he declared.
The impetus for Elder Rasband’s remarks – titled, “Hurrah for Israel” — came from the experience of Elders Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball, who departed for a mission to Great Britain in 1839, though both men and their families were seriously ill. The two men were members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles at the time.
As their wagon started to pull down the road, Heber Kimball turned to Brigham Young and said, “Let’s rise up and give them a cheer.”
Despite their weakness, the men rose up and, waving their hats above their heads, shouted, “Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah for Israel!” Elder Rasband related.
The Marriott Center then vibrated as Elder Rasband invited some 12,000 in attendance to stand and shout three times, “Hurrah for Israel.”
As students again took their seats, Elder Rasband pronounced, “Brigham Young would be proud of you,” adding, “That is how I feel about the work of the Restoration.”
In 2020, the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles — with Elder Rasband a member of the latter — prepared a proclamation to commemorate the bicentennial of the First Vision of the Prophet Joseph Smith and the Restoration.
Drawing from that proclamation — one of only six proclamations given since the Church was organized — Elder Rasband emphasized five significant aspects of the Restoration. “Each is a reason to shout, ‘Hurrah for Israel,’” he said.
Elder Rasband gave his listeners an apostolic blessing: “That your very life will reflect the greatness of this Restoration, that you will honor the efforts of those who laid its foundation, that you will feel your Lord and Savior near, and that you will stand with Him as an example of all that is right and good and glorious in His Church. I pray that you will proclaim with hope and fervor as you serve the Lord, time and time again, ‘Hurrah for Israel.’”
Also in attendance were Sister Melanie Rasband, Elder Rasband’s wife, as well as Elder James R. Rasband, a General Authority Seventy and the commissioner of Church education, and his wife, Sister Mary Rasband.
1. Divine visitation
For each of the five aspects, Elder Rasband shared a video of the late President Russell M. Nelson, who presented “The Restoration of the Fulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ: A Bicentennial Proclamation to the World” in his April 2020 general conference address.
“We solemnly proclaim that God loves His children in every nation of the world,” said President Nelson, stating the proclamation in the video. “God the Father has given us the divine birth, the incomparable life and the infinite atoning sacrifice of His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ. By the power of the Father, Jesus rose again and gained the victory over death. He is our Savior, our Exemplar and our Redeemer.”
Said Elder Rasband: “Let the words guide, lift and engage you in the work of God and add to your testimony of Deity. Nothing you do in your life will be more important than gaining and living your testimony of our Father in Heaven and His Son, our Lord and Savior. Their coming to earth to a young 14-year-old boy began this great Restoration, and we are to carry it forward.”
2. Prophetic callings
The proclamation continues: “Two hundred years ago, on a beautiful spring morning in 1820, young Joseph Smith, seeking to know which church to join, went into the woods to pray near his home in upstate New York, USA. He had questions regarding the salvation of his soul and trusted that God would direct him.
“In humility, we declare that in answer to his prayer, God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, appeared to Joseph and inaugurated the ‘restitution of all things’ as foretold in the Bible. In this vision, he learned that following the death of the original apostles, Christ’s New Testament church was lost from the earth. Joseph would be instrumental in its return.”
The Church did not spring from a pulpit of great acclaim but in quiet majesty, Elder Rasband remarked.
Joseph Smith recounted, “I had actually seen a light, and in the midst of that light I saw two Personages, and they did in reality speak to me,” (Joseph Smith — History 1:25).
Said Elder Rasband: “Reality is that the heavens opened. Reality is that God lives as does His Beloved Son. Reality is that They have bodies as do we and that They know our names. Reality is that They speak to us through chosen prophets.”
3. The Church of Jesus Christ
Returning to the proclamation: “We affirm that under the direction of the Father and the Son, heavenly messengers came to instruct Joseph and reestablish the Church of Jesus Christ. The resurrected John the Baptist restored the authority to baptize by immersion for the remission of sins. Three of the original 12 apostles — Peter, James and John — restored the apostleship and keys of priesthood authority. Others came as well, including Elijah, who restored the authority to join families together forever in eternal relationships that transcend death.”
Elder Rasband noted that the Church is approaching the bicentennial anniversary of when it was established on April 6, 1830.
After the Church was organized, Joseph Smith received a revelation describing it as “the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth” (Doctrine and Covenants 1:30).
Elder Rasband explained: “This true and living Church has the fullness of the doctrine of Christ, His priesthood power, ordinances and temples, prophets and apostles to teach His word, and truths of the gospel that include the nature of God the Father and our bond to Jesus Christ.”
4. The Book of Mormon
The Restoration proclamation states: “We further witness that Joseph Smith was given the gift and power of God to translate an ancient record, the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ. Pages of this sacred text include an account of the personal ministry of Jesus Christ among people in the Western Hemisphere soon after His Resurrection. It teaches of life’s purpose and explains the doctrine of Christ, which is central to that purpose. As a companion scripture to the Bible, the Book of Mormon testifies that all human beings are sons and daughters of a loving Father in Heaven, that He has a divine plan for our lives and that His Son, Jesus Christ, speaks today as well as in days of old.”
Elder Rasband explained how the Church just marked the 200th anniversary of when Joseph Smith met Moroni on the Hill Cumorah. After four years, Joseph retrieved the plates from which he would translate the words of the Book of Mormon.
Samuel Smith, one of Joseph Smith’s younger brothers, was the first missionary to teach with copies of the Book of Mormon. In Bloomington, New York, he gave a copy to Rhoda Young Greene, and she and her husband were baptized.
She then shared the book with her brothers, Phinehas and Brigham Young. “From that beginning, my dear friends, came ‘Hurrah for Israel,’” said Elder Rasband.
5. Jesus Christ, the chief cornerstone
The proclamation continues: “This Church is anchored in the perfect life of its chief cornerstone, Jesus Christ, and in His infinite Atonement and literal Resurrection. Jesus Christ has once again called apostles and has given them priesthood authority. He invites all of us to come unto Him and His Church, to receive the Holy Ghost, the ordinances of salvation and to gain enduring joy.
“Two hundred years have now elapsed since this Restoration was initiated by God the Father and His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ. Millions throughout the world have embraced a knowledge of these prophesied events.”
Next year, the Church will host an open house for the Salt Lake Temple where the official theme is “Rejoice in Christ,” reminded Elder Rasband.
“We expect millions from across the globe,” the Apostle said. “You all will want to attend, bring your friends, neighbors, classmates and anyone seeking a better life. This will be a mini world’s fair, with new larger-than-life portraits of Jesus Christ, sculptures, musical performances, historical exhibitions and tours of that historic temple. Everything you see and hear will be in celebration of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, His truths, teachings and His Holy House.”
