"..a pillar of fire light appeared above my head, it presently rested down upon me head , and filled me with Joy unspeakable, a personage appeard in the midst of this pillar of flame which was spread all around, and yet nothing consumed, another personage soon appeard like unto the first, he said unto me thy sins are forgiven thee, he testifyed unto me that Jesus Christ is the Son of God; and I saw many angels in this vision I was about 14 years old when I received this first communication.." Joseph Smith, November 9, 1835



"I commenced and gave him a brief relation of my experience while in my juvenile years, say from 6 years old up to the time I received the first visitation of Angels which was when I was about 14." Joseph Smith, November 14, 1835



The earliest recitations of the First Vision come into clearer focus when one realizes Joseph is still determining exactly what elements of this most sacred event he is allowed or even willing to share with others. While Joseph certainly mentions deity the presence of other personages or "angels" indicates that potentially more is going on than is generally acknowledged.

In fact, Joseph Smith never referred to what we now call the "First Vision" by that name. Instead, he referred to it as the "first visitation of angels" or the "first communication" a critical point when considering a Divine Council motif.

The sequence of events appears to be that Joseph saw and spoke to God and Christ and then: "the [Lord] opened the heavens upon me". It seems after the initial introductions and instruction the vision became much more expansive and the "heavens were opened".