The 17th verse of the first section of
the Doctrine and Covenants reads,
"Wherefore, I the Lord, knowing the
calamity which should come upon the
inhabitants of the earth, called upon my
servant Joseph Smith, Jun., and spake
unto him from heaven." (Narration from Joseph Smith:) "It was on the morning of a beautiful, clear day, early
in the spring of 1820. After I had
retired to the place where I had
previously designed to go, having looked
around me, and finding myself alone, I
kneeled down and began to offer up the
desires of my heart to God. I had
scarcely done so, when immediately I was
seized upon by some power which entirely
overcame me, and had such an astonishing
influence over me as to bide my tongue
so that I could not speak, and it seemed
to me for time as if I were doomed to
sudden destruction. But, exerting all my
powers to call upon God to deliver me,
and at that very moment when I was ready
to abandon myself to destruction,
I saw a pillar of light exactly over my
head above the brightness of the sun
which descended gradually until it fell
upon me.
When the light rested upon me, I saw two
Personages, whose brightness and glory
defy all description, standing above me
in the air.
One of them spake unto me, calling me by
name, and said pointing to the other—This
is My Beloved Son. 
Hear Him!
My object in going to inquire of the
Lord was to know which of all the sects
was right, that I might know which to
join. I was answered that I must join
none of them, and many other things did he say unto to me."
