The Wonders of Eternity

Was Joseph Smith a true prophet of God, a genius conman or possibly a boy who made some lucky guesses to establish a church that would grow to be found throughout the world. The falsehoods of his detractors are not supported by the facts of history. From his personal history we read this verse. 25  So it was with me. I had actually seen a light, and in the midst of that light I saw two  a Personages , and they did in reality speak to me; and though I was  b hated  and  c persecuted  for saying that I had seen a vision, yet it was true; and while they were persecuting me, reviling me, and speaking all manner of evil against me  d falsely  for so saying, I was led to say in my heart: Why persecute me for telling the truth? I have actually seen a vision; and who am I that I can withstand God, or why does the world think to make me deny what I have actually seen? For I had seen a vision; I knew it, and I knew that God knew it, and I could not  ...

The limited scope of mankind's technology and lack of vision into eternity does not allow us to gather all truth in a lifetime or many lifetimes.  Currently, we only have a recorded history of the earth that covers some 6,000 to 10,000 years. The fossil record gives insight but uses theories, conjecture, and speculation as to how it all developed. Scientists and religionists both debate within their respective spheres for and against each other. What is a valid source of revelation with which one can confirm eternal truth? It is a challenge of mortality and the debate will go on. We can see things in the cosmos things that were never before seen until the invention of powerful space-based telescopes.  We live in an expanding universe. Will our capacity to understand it shrink as fast as we gain insight?  Much of what governs the laws of physics is discernible but not viewable. We understand much of the earth, our bodies and minds and yet we know very little, certainly ...