Lesson One: The Message of the Restoration

If you meet with missionaries, it won’t take long before the “Restoration” comes up. According to their lesson outline, the Restoration is one of the first core teachings they’ll share. It’s their answer to a natural question many Christians ask: How can a church that started in the 1800s be the one true Church of Jesus Christ?

Latter-day Saints believe that shortly after Jesus and his apostles died, Christianity fell into complete apostasy. They claim the true gospel was lost, priesthood authority was taken from the earth, and the Church Jesus founded disappeared. They believe this remained the case for over 1,700 years until God called Joseph Smith in 1820 to restore what had been lost.

Missionaries refer to this as the “Restored Gospel.” But it’s not just a recovery of New Testament Christianity. It includes a radically different view of God, Jesus, salvation, and the nature of eternal life. The restored gospel is the entire system of theology introduced by Joseph Smith, along with new priesthoods, scriptures, and temple ordinances not found in the Bible.

While it may be tempting to debate every point of the Restoration, it’s usually more fruitful to express your confidence in the Bible and explain why you’re uncomfortable with any teaching that contradicts it.

Summary of the Restoration

Here’s a brief summary of what LDS missionaries are trained to teach:

• The Great Apostasy: After Jesus and the apostles died, the church lost priesthood authority and fell into error. The original gospel was corrupted or lost.
• Joseph Smith’s First Vision: In 1820, Joseph Smith prayed to know which church to join. He claimed that God the Father and Jesus Christ appeared to him and told him not to join any, because they were all wrong.
• Restoration of Authority: Joseph Smith said he received priesthood authority through visits from John the Baptist and the apostles Peter, James, and John.
• Restoration of Scripture: Joseph translated the Book of Mormon, which LDS believe contains “the fullness of the everlasting gospel.”
• Living Prophets: Today, the LDS Church is led by a living prophet and apostles who receive ongoing revelation to guide the church.

This narrative is foundational to Mormon belief. It’s why Latter-day Saints believe their church is not just another denomination, but the one true Church on earth today. You can read through LDS teaching materials on the Restoration here: Lesson 1.

The Bible Is Enough

LDS teachings assert that the gospel was lost after the apostles died and needed to be restored through Joseph Smith. But the Bible tells a very different story. Jesus said, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away” (Matthew 24:35). Rather than predicting a complete loss of truth, the Bible affirms that God would preserve his Word and continue building his Church.

The apostles didn’t prepare the early Christians for a future restoration. Instead, Paul warned believers not to accept “another gospel” even if it came from “an angel from heaven” (Galatians 1:8–9). He also declared that the true gospel had already been delivered (1 Corinthians 15:1–4). Jude confirmed this by urging Christians to “contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3).

The idea that the gospel was lost and needed restoring contradicts these promises of preservation. Rather than waiting for a “restored” gospel, we can rest in the confidence that the Bible is God’s complete and enduring revelation of his saving work. It’s not missing parts or waiting to be finished. It is entirely sufficient to make us “wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:15).

Conversation Starters:

You might ask:

“What exactly was restored through Joseph Smith, and where can I read those teachings in the Book of Mormon?”

This can spark reflection, especially since the Book of Mormon says it contains the “fullness of the everlasting gospel,” but includes very little about key LDS doctrines like temple ordinances, eternal marriage, or priesthood restoration.

You could also say:

“Have you ever looked into the manuscript evidence for the Bible?”

Then share:

“I have, and I was surprised to learn that there are over 5,000 early Greek manuscripts of the New Testament—many dated just decades after the originals. That kind of historical consistency really deepened my trust in the Bible. If God wants us to know him, I believe he’s powerful enough to preserve his Word.”

If you’d like to learn more, check out our article on the reliability of the Bible: Is the Bible Reliable? 

As you speak with your missionaries, remember that your goal isn’t to debate every point but to share your confidence in the Bible as God’s complete and reliable word. Ask questions that invite them to think critically (critical thinking is usually not encouraged in their religious culture), express your concern about teachings that contradict Scripture, and lovingly point them to the finished work of Jesus—the gospel that needs no restoration.