An intriguing question is a gift. When a student asks a tough one, the whole class goes into “search mode,” and we put our collective heads together searching for an answer. Here’s a good one:
If the scriptures teach us to “say nothing but repentance unto this generation” (D&C 11:9), why would the scriptures give any airtime to anti-Christs? If Korihor’s arguments were so persuasive that many good people were deceived, why would we preserve those arguments for a new generation? Shouldn’t we have left them buried?
Anyone who has read the Book of Mormon knows that space on the plates was precious, that engraving upon them was difficult, and that we are getting a fraction of everything that happened in the New World. “I cannot include a hundredth part . . .” is a phrase repeated by the record keepers throughout the text.
Which makes this student’s question even more interesting: Why in the world would we give Korihor a new platform in our day? With space on plates being so precious, why would we give Sherem any time to talk about his false philosophy? Or Nehor? Or the Zoramites? All good questions. President Ezra Taft Benson gave a wonderful answer:
The Book of Mormon exposes the enemies of Christ. It confounds false doctrines and lays down contention. (See 2 Ne. 3:12.) It fortifies the humble followers of Christ against the evil designs, strategies, and doctrines of the devil in our day. The type of apostates in the Book of Mormon are similar to the type we have today. God, with his infinite foreknowledge, so molded the Book of Mormon that we might see the error and know how to combat false educational, political, religious, and philosophical concepts of our time. (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Ezra Taft Benson [2014], 132)
That is the reason for allowing anti-Christs to preach their false doctrines on the plates—to expose them as enemies of Christ.
It is tempting to paint all of the Lord’s adversaries with the same brush, but the Book of Mormon will not allow that. The enemies of Christ occupy a continuum from “there is no God” at one end to “there is a God but you’re all doing it wrong” at the other, with a few gradations in between. That’s the genius of it—there will be a broad spectrum of enemies of Christ in our day as well.
Korihor: “There is no God”
An entire chapter, and in fact one of the longer chapters in the Book of Mormon, is the story of Korihor: his philosophy, his confrontation with Church leaders, and his ultimate confession and demise. First of all, Korihor had a lot to say about believers in God and in Christ. He described them as bound, foolish, yoked, frenzied, and deranged, among other things. In addition, he taught that:
• “Ye cannot know of things which ye do not see” (in modern language, “seeing is believing”)
• “Every man prospered according to his genius” (myth of the “self-made man”)
• “Every man conquered according to his strength” (“survival of the fittest”)
• “Whatsoever a man did was no crime” (there is no such thing as “right” and “wrong”)
• “When a man was dead, that was the end thereof” (there is no ultimate judgment, and therefore no accountability for our choices) (Alma 30:15–18)
Those who believed Korihor began to make what we call “Kori-horrible” decisions. (Dad jokes are my specialty.)
It’s interesting, and kind of sad, that Korihor’s teachings caused many to “lift up their heads in their wickedness” and led them to “commit whoredoms” (Alma 30:18). When we are ashamed or repentant, we bow our heads. By contrast, the imagery of the people lifting up their heads in wickedness is a body language that says, “Really? You mean it’s not wrong to do this? Alrighty then.” Emboldened by Korihor’s philosophy, they “lift up their heads” in sin.
Some of my students have wondered how, since there was “no law against a man’s belief” (Alma 30:11), the people were justified in binding Korihor and carrying him before the high priest and the chief judges of the land. It comes down to the difference between beliefs and behavior. My personal opinion is that Korihor was participating in the whoredoms he was excusing, as well as causing others to commit whoredoms. Although there was freedom to believe whatever you wanted, it was still against the law to commit adultery in that day (see Alma 30:10), and perhaps to cause others to do so. Therefore, Korihor was breaking the law by participating in illegal behavior and was subject to its penalties.
One of Korihor’s accusations that is still being used in the latter days is his claim that the leaders are glutting themselves with the labors of the people’s hands, so that the people “durst not enjoy their rights and privileges” (Alma 30:27). One of Satan’s tactics is to paint those who are willing to obey the commandments of God as gullible victims or mindless sheep who are not “enjoying their rights” or are being deprived of their rights by leaders with bad motives. Korihor falsely accuses the leaders as being nothing more than controlling zealots who won’t let the people live their lives as they want. It’s an old strategy that still works today.
Some are so confused when they see others deliberately choosing to obey a set of commandments, they assume there must be some kind of mind control or cultural coercion going on. They cannot understand why anyone would willingly keep all those rules. Why would we? It reminds me of a saying I heard: “Those who danced were thought to be quite insane by those who could not hear the music.”
Ultimately, Korihor demanded a sign. Jesus taught that “a wicked and [notice this] adulterous generation seeketh after a sign” (Matthew 16:4; emphasis added). How interesting! Fits perfectly here, doesn’t it? Why is sign seeking equated with adultery? Think about it—a sign seeker wants proof or evidence of something without any effort or searching. An adulterer wants the privileges of marriage without any commitment. Both involve a similar “something-for-nothing” mentality.
Alma’s brilliant response to Korihor’s demand for a sign was to turn the tables on Korihor: “What evidence have ye that there is no God, or that Christ cometh not?” (Alma 30:40). That’s a great question. Alma then lists what I call a hierarchy of testimony (Alma 30:39, 44):
• “I know there is a God, and also that Christ shall come”
• “Ye have the testimony of all these thy brethren”
• “And also all the holy prophets”
• “The scriptures are laid before thee”
• “All things denote there is a God”
Notice he starts with personal testimony, continues with the testimonies of others, and ends with evidences in nature and creation. Sometimes we get those reversed, but perhaps we are being taught that in our interactions with others we should always start with personal testimony.
Ultimately, Korihor is struck dumb (and deaf, evidently, since others have to write messages to him to communicate), and Korihor finally admits “he always knew there was a God” (Alma 30:52). What he had taught was so pleasing to the carnal mind that he had much “success,” as he put it, and it led to his death. This long chapter ends with an important “thus we see . . .”
And thus we see the end of him who perverteth the ways of the Lord; and thus we see that the devil will not support his children at the last day, but doth speedily drag them down to hell. (Alma 30:60)
The devil would like to convince us that he is an ally. Some have fallen for it, and they deliberately use Satanic symbols to market their materials (on posters, ads, and merchandise). Others have repeated Korihor’s arguments in modern, sophisticated language. But the devil will not support his children at the last day, since he wants us to be as miserable as he is. Lehi warned about the power of the devil, who “seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself” (2 Nephi 2:27). That lesson, or what we might call “Satan’s mission statement,” was worth the space on the plates, in Mormon’s inspired judgment.
13 For as sure as thou livest, behold, I have aseen my Redeemer; and he shall come forth, and be bborn of a cwoman, and he shall redeem all mankind who believe on his name. Now, when he had said these words, his heart was swollen within him, and he sunk again with joy; and the queen also sunk down, being overpowered by the Spirit.
In 2020 our prophet, President Russell M. Nelson, has encouraged us to #HearHim—to seek the Lord’s guidance and direction for our individual lives. One of the best ways to seek personal revelation is by studying the scriptures. The word of the Lord in the scriptures is like a lamp to guide our feet (see Psalm 119:105), and revelation is like a mighty force that increases the lamp’s illumination many fold.
The idea that scripture reading can lead to inspiration and revelation opens the door to the truth that a scripture is not limited to what it meant when it was written but may also include what that scripture means to a reader today. What a scripture in the Book of Mormon meant to me when I first read it at age 16 is not conclusive upon me as I read it at age 85. With the benefit of my life’s experiences and with my greater familiarity with revelation, I can learn things that were not available to me yesterday by reading the scriptures today.
Because we believe that scripture reading can help us receive revelation, we are encouraged to read the scriptures again and again. That is one reason Latter-day Saints believe in daily scripture study. By that means, we obtain access to what our Heavenly Father would have us know and do in our personal lives today. [President Dallin H. Oaks]
The Blessing of Continuing Revelation to Prophets and Personal Revelation to Guide Our Lives
By Elder Quentin L. Cook
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Continuous revelation has been received and is being received through channels the Lord has established.
Today I will speak on continuing revelation to prophets and continuing personal revelation to guide our lives.
Sometimes we receive revelation even when we do not know the Lord’s purposes. Shortly before Elder Jeffrey R. Holland was called to be an Apostle in June of 1994, I had a beautiful revelatory experience that he would be called. I was a regional representative and could see no reason I would be given that knowledge. But we were companions as young missionaries in England in the early 1960s, and I had a great love for him. I considered the experience a tender mercy for me. In recent years, I have wondered if the Lord was preparing me to be junior in the Twelve to an incredible missionary companion who was my junior companion when we were young missionaries.1 I sometimes warn young missionaries to be kind to their junior companions because they never know when they might be their senior companion.
I have a firm testimony that this restored Church is led by our Savior, Jesus Christ. He knows whom to call as His Apostles and in what order to call them. He also knows how to prepare His senior Apostle to be the prophet and President of the Church.
We were blessed this morning to hear our beloved prophet, President Russell M. Nelson, deliver a profound bicentennial proclamation to the world with respect to the Restoration of the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ.2 This seminal declaration by President Nelson has made it clear that the Church of Jesus Christ owes its origin, existence, and direction for the future to the principle of continuous revelation. The new proclamation represents a loving Father’s communication to His children.
In an earlier day, President Spencer W. Kimball expressed the feelings I have today. He stated: “Of all things, that … we should be most grateful [for] is that the heavens are indeed open and that the restored church of Jesus Christ is founded upon the rock of revelation. Continuous revelation is indeed the very lifeblood of the gospel of the living Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.”3
The prophet Enoch foresaw the days in which we live. The Lord acknowledged to Enoch the great wickedness that would prevail and prophesied of the “great tribulations” that would occur. Nevertheless, the Lord promised, “But my people will I preserve.”4 “And righteousness will I send down out of heaven; and truth will I send forth out of the earth, to bear testimony of mine Only Begotten.”5
President Ezra Taft Benson taught with great power that the Book of Mormon, the keystone of our religion, came forth out of the earth in fulfillment of the Lord’s pronouncement to Enoch. The Father and the Son and angels and prophets appearing to the Prophet Joseph Smith were “directed by heaven to restore the necessary powers to the kingdom.”6
The Prophet Joseph Smith received revelation after revelation. Some have been addressed during this conference. Many revelations received by the Prophet Joseph have been preserved for us in the Doctrine and Covenants. All the standard works of the Church contain the mind and will of the Lord for us in this last dispensation.7
In addition to these great foundational scriptures, we are blessed with continuing revelation to living prophets. Prophets are “commissioned agents of the Lord, authorized to speak for Him.”8
Some revelations are of monumental importance, and others enhance our understanding of essential divine truths and provide guidance for our day.9
We are incredibly grateful for the revelation to President Spencer W. Kimball extending priesthood and temple blessings to all worthy male members of the Church in June 1978.10
I have served with many of the Twelve who were present and participated when that precious revelation was received. Each of them, in personal conversations, confirmed the powerful and uniting spiritual guidance President Kimball and they had experienced. Many said it was the most powerful revelation they had received before or after that time.11
Those of us currently serving in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles have been blessed in our day as significant revelations have come through recent prophets.12 President Russell M. Nelson has been a commissioned agent of the Lord especially with respect to revelations to help families build sanctuaries of faith in their homes, gather scattered Israel on both sides of the veil, and bless endowed members in sacred temple ordinance matters.
When important changes to bless our homes were announced at the October 2018 general conference, I testified “that in the deliberations of the Council of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in the temple, … after our beloved prophet petitioned the Lord for revelation … , a powerful confirmation was received by all.”13
At that time, other revelations relating to sacred temple ordinances had been received but not announced or implemented.14 This guidance commenced with individual prophetic revelation to President Russell M. Nelson and tender and powerful confirmation to those participating in the process. President Nelson specifically involved the sisters who preside over the Relief Society, Young Women, and Primary organizations. The final guidance, in the temple, to the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles was profoundly spiritual and powerful. We each knew we had received the mind, will, and voice of the Lord.15
I declare with all solemnity that continuous revelation has been received and is being received through channels the Lord has established. I testify the new proclamation President Nelson delivered this morning is a revelation to bless all people.
We Extend an Invitation to All to Feast at the Lord’s Table
We also declare our heartfelt desire to be reunited with those who have been struggling with their testimonies, been less active, or had their names removed from Church records. We desire to feast with you “upon the words of Christ” at the Lord’s table, to learn the things we all should do.16 We need you! The Church needs you! The Lord needs you! Our heartfelt prayer is that you will join with us in worshipping the Savior of the world. We know that some of you may have received offense, unkindness, or other conduct that is not Christlike. We also know that some have had challenges to their faith that may not be fully appreciated, understood, or resolved.
Some of our most stalwart and faithful members have suffered a challenge to their faith for a season. I love the true account of W. W. Phelps, who had forsaken the Church and testified against the Prophet Joseph Smith in a Missouri court. After repenting, he wrote to Joseph, “I know my situation, you know it, and God knows it, and I want to be saved if my friends will help me.”17 Joseph did forgive him, put him back to work, and lovingly wrote, “Friends at first are friends again at last.”18
Brothers and sisters, regardless of your situation, please know that the Church and its members will welcome you back!
Personal Revelation to Guide Our Lives
Personal revelation is available to all those who humbly seek guidance from the Lord. It is as important as prophetic revelation. Personal, spiritual revelation from the Holy Ghost has resulted in millions receiving the testimony necessary to be baptized and confirmed members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Personal revelation is the profound blessing received following baptism when we are “sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost.”19 I can remember a special spiritual revelation when I was 15 years old. My precious brother was seeking guidance from the Lord as to how to respond to our dear father, who did not want my brother to serve a mission. I prayed with sincere intent too and received personal revelation of the truthfulness of the gospel.
The Role of the Holy Ghost
Personal revelation is based on spiritual truths received from the Holy Ghost.20 The Holy Ghost is the revealer and testifier of all truth, especially that of the Savior. Without the Holy Ghost, we could not really know that Jesus is the Christ. His seminal role is to bear witness of the Father and the Son and Their titles and Their glory.
The Holy Ghost can influence everyone in a powerful way.21 This influence will not be constant unless one is baptized and receives the gift of the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost serves also as a cleansing agent in the process of repentance and forgiveness.
The Spirit communicates in marvelous ways. The Lord used this beautiful description:
“I will tell you in your mind and in your heart, by the Holy Ghost, which shall come upon you and which shall dwell in your heart.
“Now, behold, this is the spirit of revelation.”22
Although its impact can be incredibly powerful, it most often comes quietly as a still, small voice.23 The scriptures include many examples of how the Spirit influences our minds, including speaking peace to our minds,24 occupying our minds,25 enlightening our minds,26 and even sending a voice to our minds.27
Some principles that prepare us to receive revelation include:
Praying for spiritual guidance. Reverently and humbly we need to seek and ask28 and be patient and submissive.29
Preparing for inspiration. This requires that we be in harmony with the Lord’s teachings and in compliance with His commandments.
Partaking of the sacrament worthily. When we do this, we witness and covenant with God that we take upon ourselves the name of His holy Son and that we remember Him and keep His commandments.
These principles prepare us to receive, recognize, and follow the prompting and guidance of the Holy Ghost. This includes the “peaceable things … which bringeth joy [and] … life eternal.”30
Our spiritual preparation is greatly enhanced when we regularly study the scriptures and truths of the gospel and ponder in our minds the guidance we seek. But remember to be patient and trust in the Lord’s timing. Guidance is given by an omniscient Lord when He “deliberately chooses to school us.”31
Revelation in Our Callings and Assignments
The Holy Ghost will also provide revelation in our callings and assignments. In my experience, significant spiritual guidance most often comes when we are trying to bless others in fulfilling our responsibilities.
I can remember as a young bishop receiving a desperate call from a married couple a short time before I was to catch an airplane for a business engagement. I pled with the Lord before their arrival to know how I could bless them. It was revealed to me the nature of the problem and the response I should give. That revelatory guidance allowed me to fulfill the sacred responsibilities of my calling as bishop despite very limited availability of time. Bishops all over the world also share these same kinds of experiences with me. As a stake president, I not only received important revelation but also received personal correction that was necessary to accomplish the Lord’s purposes.
I assure you that revelatory guidance can be received by each of us as we humbly labor in the Lord’s vineyard. Most of our guidance comes from the Holy Ghost. Sometimes and for some purposes, it comes directly from the Lord. I personally testify that this is true. Guidance for the Church, as a whole, comes to the President and prophet of the Church.
We, as modern Apostles, have had the privilege of working and traveling with our current prophet, President Nelson. I paraphrase what Wilford Woodruff said about the Prophet Joseph Smith; it is equally true of President Nelson. I have seen “the workings of the Spirit of God with him, and the revelations of Jesus Christ unto him and the fulfillment of those revelations.”32
My humble plea today is that each of us will seek continuing revelation to guide our lives and follow the Spirit as we worship God the Father in the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ, of whom I bear witness in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Despite apostolic warnings and repeated admonishments to avoid becoming caught up with Second Coming sensationalism and apocalyptic alarm, there have been many in every generation that assume the answer to the age-old question “When will He come again?” is “Now.”
It is understandable. Signs appear before our eyes like leaves on the summer fig tree (see Matthew 24:32–33). Prophecies seem to be fulfilled. It is quite natural to assume that the day has arrived. It has been so in every generation. Like the illusive mirage on a hot highway—always appearing before us, but always beyond our reach—the signs of the Second Coming are ever before our eyes.
Political events on the world stage, popular movies or books, or someone’s reported visions or spiritual experiences always generate some degree of sensational speculation and what I call “Second Coming anxiety.”
For example, at the outbreak of the Gulf War in 1991 (and subsequent wars in the region), I heard members of the Church speculate that it was the commencement of the battle of Armageddon. With the close of 1999 and the dawn of the new millennium came all kinds of concerns and speculation. The year 2000 seemed to hold some mystical power in the minds of many, perhaps because of their interpretation of the “seven seals” prophecy of John the Revelator. Then there was the Mayan calendar craze that supposedly established 2012 as the year, December the month, and the 21st the day of the end of the world. That has come and gone, but I have seen “revisions” explaining that they misread the calendar and that 2015 was the “real date.” But that year has also come and gone.
We all wonder and wait and look forward to His coming. We, like the Savior’s ancient disciples, want to know when that day will be. Although we may wonder, we must remember that neither science, signs, nor speculation can adequately answer that age-old question. Only the Savior Himself can provide the answer. But here are some ways we can prepare spiritually for the Second Coming.
Beware of False Prophets
In the Joseph Smith Translation of Matthew 24, we read that as Jesus spoke of the signs that would precede His Second Coming, He warned of “false Christs, and false prophets [who] shall show great signs and wonders, insomuch, that, if possible, they shall deceive the very elect, who are the elect according to the covenant” (JS—M 1:22). That is a frightening thought that can further exacerbate “Second Coming anxiety.”
How can the Lord’s disciples today “abide” that day without faltering and falling, even as they are assaulted by false prophets with their deceptive and destructive philosophies, as well as mockers and persecutors from the great and spacious building? There is a safeguard: “And whoso treasureth up my word,” the Lord promised, “shall not be deceived” (JS—M 1:37). The scriptures indeed have power to insulate us against the “fiery darts of the adversary” (1 Nephi 15:24).
My wife, Wendy, had an experience many years ago with a would-be prophet who tried to teach her false doctrine and draw her into his circle of influence. One day, a man called her expressing great interest in an article she had published. He wanted her to know that he had some special insight into the subject. He called a few times to discuss it with her, giving her only bits and pieces of his so-called experiences but not enough to trigger any serious concerns. Finally, he asked to meet with her at my office to share his message and see if she showed any interest. Being polite, she agreed.
When he came to the Joseph Smith Building on the BYU campus, we met him on the first floor. Curiously, he had a woman, not his wife, with him. As we chatted on the way upstairs to my office, we learned that she believed in what he had to say and had recently quit her job at Church headquarters to help this man spread his message.
He proceeded to tell us of a special revelation he had received on the subject in question, all of which contradicted specific teachings in the scriptures. Our “scripture antennae” went up! We pointed out several relevant passages. Dismissing those scriptures, he told us that he had met with one of the apostles and was told that he was commissioned to share his teachings secretly. Immediately, more scriptures came to our minds. Early in the history of the Church, the Saints were taught that there could be no secret teachings. Only those leaders publicly accepted by common consent had authority to preach to the Church (see D&C 42:11–12). Further, only the prophet had authority to receive revelation for the Church (see D&C 43:1–7). Thus, it was easy for Wendy to reject this man’s claim that he had received some special commission to deliver secret teachings or practices to members of the Church.
Though my wife and I have a fairly extensive background in the scriptures because we teach and write about them, I believe you don’t necessarily have to know exact scripture references to know when someone is teaching false doctrine. If you make a continual, sincere effort to study and apply the scriptures in your life and in your family, the Spirit will make you feel uncomfortable when false doctrine is taught. We find that almost all faithful members of the Church have this spiritual intuition. It is not available to only a select few but can be cultivated by every member. Even children can have it. What we must do is become firmly grounded in the scriptures. We are also blessed to have prophets, seers, and revelators whose right it is to interpret scriptures; they can help us to better understand them and to apply their teachings to our own lives.
Seek Refuge from the Storm
In April 1838, amidst the Missouri persecutions, the Prophet Joseph Smith received a revelation at Far West that identified the official name of the Church as we have it today. In that revelation, the Lord spoke of the Church and its stakes as gathering places that would be “for a defense, and for a refuge from the storm, and from wrath when it shall be poured out without mixture upon the whole earth” (D&C 115:6). In 1831, in an inspired prayer canonized as section 65 of the Doctrine and Covenants, the Prophet declared that the Church, the kingdom of God “which is set up on the earth,” is to prepare the world “for the days to come, in the which the Son of Man shall come down in heaven, clothed in the brightness of his glory” (D&C 65:5). Thus, the Church becomes a “holy place,” a protective place, for those who are willing to put down their roots deep into the soil of the gospel found within the Church community.
Several years ago, when I was serving as president of the Illinois Peoria Mission, I had an experience that graphically taught how the Church is a “refuge from the storm.” During a stake conference, just as the presiding general authority began his instruction, the stake president received an urgent message informing him that a tornado was headed dangerously close to the church building.
The presiding authority, choosing wisdom as the better part of valor, dismissed the congregation from the chapel and cultural hall to the inside hallways, where the strength of the roof and walls would provide the most protection. Needless to say, it was a unique experience for all who were present, and it was perhaps the most memorable stake conference I have attended. After a short while, the “all’s clear” signal was sounded, and we went back into the chapel to continue the conference. When we left the church building after the conference ended, we noticed that there had been considerable danger and damage in the surrounding neighborhoods. But for the several hundred Saints in the church building that day, there was protection and peace, knowing we were standing in a “holy place.”
I recognize that sometimes dedicated church buildings are indeed damaged or even destroyed by natural disasters. Temples have been flooded; chapels have been struck by lightning or destroyed by fire. I am not saying that church buildings, as dedicated holy places of the Lord, will never suffer physical damage. What I am saying is that those physical edifices are tangible reminders of very real spiritual promises the Lord has given His Saints. That day, in that place and at that time, the physical integrity of the church building was strong enough to protect against the powerful storm outside. It was a powerful reminder to us that the spiritual strength of the Church—its doctrines, ordinances, programs, support ministry, service opportunities, and faithful fellowship with caring brothers and sisters in the gospel—provides protection against the wrath that is “poured out without mixture upon the whole earth” (D&C 115:6). Likewise, the Church, with all its God-given powers, prepares us for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.
Become Like Christ
Both the New Testament apostle John the Beloved and the Book of Mormon prophet Mormon testified that when the Savior returns to earth in resplendent glory, the “true followers” of Christ who will greet Him will “be like Him” (Moroni 7:48; see also 1 John 3:2). Interestingly, both John and Mormon taught this principle in the context of epistles regarding charity, defined as the “pure love of Christ,” which, among all Christlike attributes, “is the greatest of all . . . and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him” (Moroni 7:46–47; see also 1 Corinthians 13). So what does the “pure love of Christ” have to do with our spiritual preparation for the Second Coming? In a word, everything.
He is the Bridegroom whom we, with love and long-suffering, seek to greet. It is for His return that we prepare, as President Spencer W. Kimball taught, “drop by drop in righteous living.” It is only through pure love—both His love for us and our love for Him—that we can become what we need to be to abide the “great and dreadful day of the Lord.” It is within the “holy places” in which we stand where we learn of His love, experience the transforming power of His love, and demonstrate our love. Becoming His disciples, standing with Him in holy places, and loving others as He loves us enable us to have our “lamps trimmed” and filled with oil so that “when He shall appear we shall be like Him.”
We need to make … spiritual preparation for the events prophesied at the time of the Second Coming.
In modern revelation we have the promise that if we are prepared we need not fear (see D&C 38:30). I was introduced to that principle 60 years ago this summer when I became a Boy Scout and learned the Scout motto: “Be prepared.” Today I have felt prompted to speak of the importance of preparation for a future event of supreme importance to each of us—the Second Coming of the Lord.
The scriptures are rich in references to the Second Coming, an event eagerly awaited by the righteous and dreaded or denied by the wicked. The faithful of all ages have pondered the sequence and meaning of the many events prophesied to precede and follow this hinge point of history.
Four matters are indisputable to Latter-day Saints: (1) The Savior will return to the earth in power and great glory to reign personally during a millennium of righteousness and peace. (2) At the time of His coming there will be a destruction of the wicked and a resurrection of the righteous. (3) No one knows the time of His coming, but (4) the faithful are taught to study the signs of it and to be prepared for it. I wish to speak about the fourth of these great realities: the signs of the Second Coming and what we should do to prepare for it.
I.
The Lord has declared, “He that feareth me shall be looking forth for the great day of the Lord to come, even for the signs of the coming of the Son of Man,” signs that will be shown “in the heavens above, and in the earth beneath” (D&C 45:39–40).
The Savior taught this in the parable of the fig tree whose tender new branches give a sign of the coming of summer. “So likewise,” when the elect shall see the signs of His coming “they shall know that he is near, even at the doors” (JS—M 1:38–39; see also Matt. 24:32–33; D&C 45:37–38).
Biblical and modern prophecies give many signs of the Second Coming. These include:
The fulness of the gospel restored and preached in all the world for a witness to all nations.
False Christs and false prophets, deceiving many.
Wars and rumors of wars, with nation rising against nation.
Earthquakes in divers places.
Famine and pestilence.
An overflowing scourge, a desolating sickness covering the land.
In another revelation the Lord declares that some of these signs are His voice calling His people to repentance:
“Hearken, O ye nations of the earth, and hear the words of that God who made you. …
“How oft have I called upon you by the mouth of my servants, and by the ministering of angels, and by mine own voice, and by the voice of thunderings, and by the voice of lightnings, and by the voice of tempests, and by the voice of earthquakes, and great hailstorms, and by the voice of famines and pestilences of every kind, … and would have saved you with an everlasting salvation, but ye would not!” (D&C 43:23, 25).
These signs of the Second Coming are all around us and seem to be increasing in frequency and intensity. For example, the list of major earthquakes in The World Almanac and Book of Facts, 2004 shows twice as many earthquakes in the decades of the 1980s and 1990s as in the two preceding decades (pp. 189–90). It also shows further sharp increases in the first several years of this century. The list of notable floods and tidal waves and the list of hurricanes, typhoons, and blizzards worldwide show similar increases in recent years (pp. 188–89). Increases by comparison with 50 years ago can be dismissed as changes in reporting criteria, but the accelerating pattern of natural disasters in the last few decades is ominous.
II.
Another sign of the times is the gathering of the faithful (see D&C 133:4). In the early years of this last dispensation, a gathering to Zion involved various locations in the United States: to Kirtland, to Missouri, to Nauvoo, and to the tops of the mountains. Always these were gatherings to prospective temples. With the creation of stakes and the construction of temples in most nations with sizeable populations of the faithful, the current commandment is not to gather to one place but to gather in stakes in our own homelands. There the faithful can enjoy the full blessings of eternity in a house of the Lord. There, in their own homelands, they can obey the Lord’s command to enlarge the borders of His people and strengthen her stakes (see D&C 101:21; D&C 133:9, 14). In this way, the stakes of Zion are “for a defense, and for a refuge from the storm, and from wrath when it shall be poured out without mixture upon the whole earth” (D&C 115:6).
III.
While we are powerless to alter the fact of the Second Coming and unable to know its exact time, we can accelerate our own preparation and try to influence the preparation of those around us.
A parable that contains an important and challenging teaching on this subject is the parable of the ten virgins. Of this parable, the Lord said, “And at that day, when I shall come in my glory, shall the parable be fulfilled which I spake concerning the ten virgins” (D&C 45:56).
Given in the 25th chapter of Matthew, this parable contrasts the circumstances of the five foolish and the five wise virgins. All ten were invited to the wedding feast, but only half of them were prepared with oil in their lamps when the bridegroom came. The five who were prepared went into the marriage feast, and the door was shut. The five who had delayed their preparations came late. The door had been closed, and the Lord denied them entrance, saying, “I know you not” (Matt. 25:12). “Watch therefore,” the Savior concluded, “for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh” (Matt. 25:13).
The arithmetic of this parable is chilling. The ten virgins obviously represent members of Christ’s Church, for all were invited to the wedding feast and all knew what was required to be admitted when the bridegroom came. But only half were ready when he came.
Modern revelation contains this teaching, spoken by the Lord to the early leaders of the Church:
“And after your testimony cometh wrath and indignation upon the people.
“For after your testimony cometh the testimony of earthquakes. …
“And … the testimony of the voice of thunderings, and the voice of lightnings, and the voice of tempests, and the voice of the waves of the sea heaving themselves beyond their bounds.
“And all things shall be in commotion; and surely, men’s hearts shall fail them; for fear shall come upon all people.
“And angels shall fly through the midst of heaven, crying with a loud voice, sounding the trump of God, saying: Prepare ye, prepare ye, O inhabitants of the earth; for the judgment of our God is come. Behold, and lo, the Bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him” (D&C 88:88–92).
IV.
Brothers and sisters, as the Book of Mormon teaches, “this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; … the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors” (Alma 34:32). Are we preparing?
In His preface to our compilation of modern revelation the Lord declares, “Prepare ye, prepare ye for that which is to come, for the Lord is nigh” (D&C 1:12).
The Lord also warned: “Yea, let the cry go forth among all people: Awake and arise and go forth to meet the Bridegroom; behold and lo, the Bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. Prepare yourselves for the great day of the Lord” (D&C 133:10; see also D&C 34:6).
Always we are cautioned that we cannot know the day or the hour of His coming. In the 24th chapter of Matthew Jesus taught:
“Watch therefore; for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
“But know this, that if the good man of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up” (Matt. 24:42–43). “But would have been ready” (JS—M 1:47).
“Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh” (Matt. 24:44; see also D&C 51:20).
What if the day of His coming were tomorrow? If we knew that we would meet the Lord tomorrow—through our premature death or through His unexpected coming—what would we do today? What confessions would we make? What practices would we discontinue? What accounts would we settle? What forgivenesses would we extend? What testimonies would we bear?
If we would do those things then, why not now? Why not seek peace while peace can be obtained? If our lamps of preparation are drawn down, let us start immediately to replenish them.
We need to make both temporal and spiritual preparation for the events prophesied at the time of the Second Coming. And the preparation most likely to be neglected is the one less visible and more difficult—the spiritual. A 72-hour kit of temporal supplies may prove valuable for earthly challenges, but, as the foolish virgins learned to their sorrow, a 24-hour kit of spiritual preparation is of greater and more enduring value.
V.
We are living in the prophesied time “when peace shall be taken from the earth” (D&C 1:35), when “all things shall be in commotion” and “men’s hearts shall fail them” (D&C 88:91). There are many temporal causes of commotion, including wars and natural disasters, but an even greater cause of current “commotion” is spiritual.
Viewing our surroundings through the lens of faith and with an eternal perspective, we see all around us a fulfillment of the prophecy that “the devil shall have power over his own dominion” (D&C 1:35). Our hymn describes “the foe in countless numbers, / Marshaled in the ranks of sin” (“Hope of Israel,” Hymns, no. 259), and so it is.
Evil that used to be localized and covered like a boil is now legalized and paraded like a banner. The most fundamental roots and bulwarks of civilization are questioned or attacked. Nations disavow their religious heritage. Marriage and family responsibilities are discarded as impediments to personal indulgence. The movies and magazines and television that shape our attitudes are filled with stories or images that portray the children of God as predatory beasts or, at best, as trivial creations pursuing little more than personal pleasure. And too many of us accept this as entertainment.
The men and women who made epic sacrifices to combat evil regimes in the past were shaped by values that are disappearing from our public teaching. The good, the true, and the beautiful are being replaced by the no-good, the “whatever,” and the valueless fodder of personal whim. Not surprisingly, many of our youth and adults are caught up in pornography, pagan piercing of body parts, self-serving pleasure pursuits, dishonest behavior, revealing attire, foul language, and degrading sexual indulgence.
An increasing number of opinion leaders and followers deny the existence of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and revere only the gods of secularism. Many in positions of power and influence deny the right and wrong defined by divine decree. Even among those who profess to believe in right and wrong, there are “them that call evil good, and good evil” (Isa. 5:20; 2 Ne. 15:20). Many also deny individual responsibility and practice dependence on others, seeking, like the foolish virgins, to live on borrowed substance and borrowed light.
All of this is grievous in the sight of our Heavenly Father, who loves all of His children and forbids every practice that keeps any from returning to His presence.
What is the state of our personal preparation for eternal life? The people of God have always been people of covenant. What is the measure of our compliance with covenants, including the sacred promises we made in the waters of baptism, in receiving the holy priesthood, and in the temples of God? Are we promisers who do not fulfill and believers who do not perform?
Are we following the Lord’s command, “Stand ye in holy places, and be not moved, until the day of the Lord come; for behold, it cometh quickly”? (D&C 87:8). What are those “holy places”? Surely they include the temple and its covenants faithfully kept. Surely they include a home where children are treasured and parents are respected. Surely the holy places include our posts of duty assigned by priesthood authority, including missions and callings faithfully fulfilled in branches, wards, and stakes.
As the Savior taught in His prophecy of the Second Coming, blessed is the “faithful and wise servant” who is attending to his duty when the Lord comes (see Matt. 24:45–46). As the prophet Nephi taught of that day, “The righteous need not fear” (1 Ne. 22:17; see also 1 Ne. 14:14; D&C 133:44). And modern revelation promises that “the Lord shall have power over his saints” (D&C 1:36).
We are surrounded by challenges on all sides (see 2 Cor. 4:8–9). But with faith in God, we trust the blessings He has promised those who keep His commandments. We have faith in the future, and we are preparing for that future. To borrow a metaphor from the familiar world of athletic competitions, we do not know when this game will end, and we do not know the final score, but we do know that when the game finally ends, our team wins. We will continue to go forward “till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done” (History of the Church, 4:540).
“Wherefore,” the Savior tells us, “be faithful, praying always, having your lamps trimmed and burning, and oil with you, that you may be ready at the coming of the Bridegroom—For behold, verily, verily, I say unto you, that I come quickly” (D&C 33:17–18).
I testify of Jesus Christ. I testify that He shall come, as He has promised. And I pray that we will be prepared to meet Him, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
And this he did … that he might preach the word of God … all the contention … pure testimony against them.
Alma – he serves a mission – loves to preach the word of God and stir people up to remembrance of Him, how they’ve been delivered and His word.
Alma 5:49 –And now I say unto you that this is the aorder after which I am called, yea, to preach unto my beloved brethren, yea, and every one that dwelleth in the land; yea, to preach unto all, both old and young, both bond and free; yea, I say unto you the aged, and also the middle aged, and the rising generation; yea, to cry unto them that they must repent and be bborn again.
He wants to share it with all, house to house, community to community. Very passionate about teaching.
British pudding, hard to stir, they call it stir up Sunday and everyone takes a turn. You make a wish when you make the pudding.
Stir up remembrance of the word of God. Everyone takes a turn to stir. British pudding, fun prize.
Alma stirred people up to remembrance.
Repenting; born again – experience that loving power of God in your life.
Cake batter sitting gets gross. Stir it up to bring back to life.
He likes to bring God back to people’s lives.
Alma 5 –
Sons of Mosiah are teaching the Lamanites
Alma goes into the cities to stir them up – struggling in their faith
We learned that Alma is a really good speaker. He did it to get people to leave God and now he’s using his gift to bring people back to God.
Let Alma ask you personally about where you are in your faith.
Last verse he tells us (62), I speak by way of invitation. Invitation to reevaluate where you are in your faith.
In verse 4 he says 4 And behold, I say unto you, they were adelivered out of the hands of the people of king Noah, by the mercy and power of God.
Trying to bring the mercy and power of God back into our lives.
Remember the hand of the Lord, His goodness, his mercy, power, how he delivers us.
God is merciful, powerful, whatever you are facing His is bigger.
verse – Delivered from King Noah, delivered again. God is consistent.
Merciful, powerful, he won’t give up on people.
Verse 6 I’m going to remind you again
We focus on what he does rather than who he is. Start by remembering how good God is.
Who do you need God to be in this situation? Character of God.
merciful, patient, long suffering with you? Delivered you.
End of verse six think of when he rescued you from your enemies.
Teaching Principles:
Chapter 5:
They were in the midst of darkness, nevertheless their souls were illuminated by the everlasting word (particularly in a time of darkness).
It happens by coming to the word of God. How do we get into the word consistently?
Elder Anderson talked about stones that would illuminate our path when were delivered.
As we turn to the word, that light will come in. Where does the word fit into your life right now?
Change of season – now that it’s summer, we make a plan and do it before summer goes by.
You need to type out a summer reading plan. Put it where you can see it.
I know what I want to do tomorrow. I know what I’m going to do with my kids tomorrow. And the next day.
V. 9 and their souls did expand.
Jos. Smith taught RS: you must enlarge your souls toward others if you would do like Jesus.
Enlarge your soul, make a space in your life to make that happen
Ask questions (craft really good questions)
Stop in a verse and ask have I seen that God in my life
Temple Interview questions – like having Alma sit down with you one on one
When Alma talks about mercy of God he’s like remember who I once was?
List how many questions –
Alma v. 33 Behold HE sends an invitation unto all men
33 Behold, he sendeth an invitation unto aall men, for the barms of mercy are extended towards them, and he saith: Repent, and I will receive you.
34 Yea, he saith: aCome unto me and ye shall partake of the bfruit of the tree of life; yea, ye shall eat and drink of the cbread and the waters of life dfreely;
verse 62:
62 I speak by way of command unto you that belong to the church; and unto those who do not belong to the church I speak by way of invitation, saying: Come and be baptized unto repentance, that ye also may be partakers of the fruit of the atree of life.
Strong enough position to secure — God can hold you and can secure you, making you safe and steady
v. 37 37 O ye workers of iniquity; ye that are apuffed up in the vain things of the world, ye that have professed to have known the ways of righteousness nevertheless have gone bastray, as csheep having no dshepherd, notwithstanding a shepherd hath ecalled after you and is still calling after you, but ye will not fhearken unto his voice!
chapter 6 vs 5 – liberal so much for all; everyone is invited; none should be turned away
chapter 7 – moved to another city; speaking from city to city
Wholly confined to the judgment seat; too busy
We’ve slowed down a little bit – he’s just going to teach about Jesus
vs. 3 – 5 He trusts he will have joy in what they are doing
3 And behold, I have come having great hopes and much desire that I should find that ye had humbled yourselves before God, and that ye had continued in the supplicating of his grace, that I should find that ye were blameless before him, that I should find that ye were not in the awful adilemma that our brethren were in at Zarahemla.
4 But blessed be the name of God, that he hath given me to know, yea, hath given unto me the exceedingly great joy of knowing that they are established again in the way of his righteousness.
5 And I trust, according to the Spirit of God which is in me, that I shall also have joy over you; nevertheless I do not desire that my joy over you should come by the cause of so much afflictions and sorrow which I have had for the brethren at Zarahemla, for behold, my joy cometh over them after wading through much affliction and sorrow.
Alma 7:7 –
7 For behold, I say unto you there be many things to come; and behold, there is one thing which is of more importance than they all—for behold, the atime is not far distant that the Redeemer liveth and cometh among his people.
10 And behold, he shall be aborn of Mary, at bJerusalem which is the cland of our forefathers, she being a dvirgin, a precious and chosen vessel, who shall be overshadowed and econceive by the power of the Holy Ghost, and bring forth a son, yea, even the Son of God.
11 And he shall go forth, suffering pains and aafflictions and btemptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will ctake upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.
12 And he will take upon him adeath, that he may bloose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to csuccor his people according to their infirmities.
I understand mortality and I have come to overcome it – He was sent to be mortal and have the power of God at the same time. He will show a God coming down where you are, as you are, whatever place you are in. Along with sin and death he will experience and understand everything we experience. He won’t leave us here (Alma 7:11, 13)
Hospital room, relationship, bedroom in middle of night, struggles we have – We experience His grace, enabling strength that will overcome anything mortality brings up against you
Where is the place you need to be understood and reached?
John 21 – Thomas said unless I feel the prints in his hands and feet – Jesus knew what Thomas’ concern was. He comes to us and says I know where you are and what your concern is and He says come. He doesn’t say Thomas, you have to get past that. If you need to. Here, let’s go to that place (touch his hands and feet). Thomas was afraid Jesus would see everyone else and not him.
Alma says come to Jesus, come to Him and fear not. Come without fear to him, like Thomas. Jesus can be in relationship with us. Adam and Eve ran and hid and covered and blamed.
What did the devil say that made you think you needed to hide from me. Come without fear. Come and go forth. Relationship of progression and being better. He will make you to become something than what you could become on your own.
Holy Order group of people for the cause of Christ.
v. 22 Walk after the Holy Order of God. Process of holiness. Priesthood ordinances and the covenant path.
What is the walk of a disciple? You have to be a disciple of someone. Walk after the Holy Order or the pattern of the Son of God.
Joseph Smith used the phrase ‘the holy order of God’.
Initiated into a holy order.
v. 22 and 23 and 24
22 And now my beloved brethren, I have said these things unto you that I might awaken you to a sense of your duty to God, that ye may walk blameless before him, that ye may walk after the holy order of God, after which ye have been received.
23 And now I would that ye should be ahumble, and be bsubmissive and gentle; easy to be entreated; full of patience and long-suffering; being temperate in all things; being diligent in keeping the commandments of God at all times; asking for whatsoever things ye stand in need, both spiritual and temporal; always returning thanks unto God for whatsoever things ye do receive.
24 And see that ye have afaith, hope, and charity, and then ye will always abound in good works.
7:11-13 He really will meet you as you are, where you are
25 And may the Lord bless you, and keep your garments spotless, that ye may at last be brought to sit down with aAbraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and the holy prophets who have been ever since the world began, having your garments bspotless even as their garments are spotless, in the kingdom of heaven to go no more out.
26 And now my beloved brethren, I have spoken these words unto you according to the Spirit which testifieth in me; and my soul doth exceedingly rejoice, because of the exceeding diligence and heed which ye have given unto my word.
27 And now, may the apeace of God rest upon you, and upon your houses and lands, and upon your flocks and herds, and all that you possess, your women and your children, according to your faith and good works, from this time forth and forever. And thus I have spoken. Amen.
Apostolic blessing: meeting or sermon where someone has authority to bless; listen closely 25-27 claim it.
President Nelson: blessing – peace, increasing faith in the Lord, desire to repent, become more like Him each day; Joseph prophet of the restoration; blessing of healing consistent with the will of the Lord
I found that reading the Book of Mormon was the best part of my preparation for every examination in which I needed power to remember what I had tried hard to learn.
View Video Patterns of Light – The Light of Christ – DoneInfluence of God pulls us and influences us to be good and do good. Every person ever born, now, in the future is influenced by the light of Christ.As we yield to the influence to do good and become good, the light of Christ increases within us. As we disobey, light is decreased and can ultimately be diminished.D/C 50:24
View Video Patterns of Light – Discerning Light– Done
Is it inspiration or my own thought? We have to act to know if it’s our own thoughts or from God. Why would God send an angel when the Holy Ghost can bring something to your memory? The effect is the same.
Everything that invites and entices us to do God comes from God.
God shouldn’t have to dramatically shake us to get our attention. Those who are baptized members receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. After baptism, one receives this ordinance of the Holy Ghost. That gift as it operates in our as we seek and ask invites inspiration from Heaven.
3. View Patterns of Light Video – Spirit of Revelation with Elder Bednar – Done
When sons and daughters of God communicate with Him, we call it prayer. When He communicates with us it comes in a variety of methods, means or channels. We’re talking about the patterns whereby God communicates with us.
Revelation is communication from God to His children. Some come quickly and dramatically; suddenly darkness is expelled and you can see everything in the room quite clearly. Like a light turned on in a dark room.
A second pattern is where light comes gradually much like the rising of the sun. You can discern increase of light on the horizon but never all at once. This type is more common.
Sometimes receiving inspiration is like a foggy day. There’s enough light that you can tell it’s not darkness anymore, it’s not night. It’s lit enough to see enough to take a few steps. Light continues to help me see far enough enough to continue to press forward.
As we follow teachings of Savior, He is the light. Follow His example and live according to his teachings there is illumination for all aspects of our life. When we reject Him we are on our own.
4. Read from Pearl of Great Price, Joseph Smith, History – Done
JOSEPH SMITH—HISTORY
EXTRACTS FROM THE HISTORY OF JOSEPH SMITH, THE PROPHET
CHAPTER 1
Joseph Smith tells of his ancestry, family members, and their early abodes—An unusual excitement about religion prevails in western New York—He determines to seek wisdom as directed by James—The Father and the Son appear, and Joseph is called to his prophetic ministry. (Verses 1–20.)
1 Owing to the many reports which have been put in circulation by evil-disposed and designing persons, in relation to the rise and progress of aThe Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, all of which have been designed by the authors thereof to militate against its character as a Church and its progress in the world—I have been induced to write this history, to disabuse the public mind, and put all inquirers after truth in possession of the bfacts, as they have transpired, in relation both to myself and the Church, so far as I have such facts in my possession.
2 In this history I shall present the various events in relation to this Church, in truth and righteousness, as they have transpired, or as they at present exist, being now [1838] the aeighthbyear since the organization of the said Church.
3 aI was born in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and five, on the twenty-third day of December, in the town of Sharon, Windsor county, State of Vermont. … My father, bJoseph Smith, Sen., left the State of Vermont, and moved to Palmyra, Ontario (now Wayne) county, in the State of New York, when I was in my tenth year, or thereabouts. In about four years after my father’s arrival in Palmyra, he moved with his family into Manchester in the same county of Ontario—
4 His family consisting of eleven souls, namely, my father, Joseph Smith; my amother, Lucy Smith (whose name, previous to her marriage, was Mack, daughter of Solomon Mack); my brothers, bAlvin (who died November 19th, 1823, in the 26th year of his age), cHyrum, myself, dSamuel Harrison, William, Don Carlos; and my sisters, Sophronia, Catherine, and Lucy.
5 Some time in the second year after our removal to Manchester, there was in the place where we lived an unusual excitement on the subject of religion. It commenced with the Methodists, but soon became general among all the sects in that region of country. Indeed, the whole district of country seemed affected by it, and great multitudes united themselves to the different religious parties, which created no small stir and division amongst the people, some crying, a“Lo, here!” and others, “Lo, there!” Some were contending for the Methodist faith, some for the Presbyterian, and some for the Baptist.
6 For, notwithstanding the great alove which the converts to these different faiths expressed at the time of their conversion, and the great zeal manifested by the respective clergy, who were active in getting up and promoting this extraordinary scene of religious feeling, in order to have everybody converted, as they were pleased to call it, let them join what sect they pleased; yet when the converts began to file off, some to one party and some to another, it was seen that the seemingly good feelings of both the priests and the converts were more bpretended than real; for a scene of great confusion and bad feeling ensued—priest contending against priest, and convert against convert; so that all their good feelings one for another, if they ever had any, were entirely lost in a strife of words and a contest about opinions.
7 I was at this time in my fifteenth year. My father’s family was proselyted to the Presbyterian faith, and four of them joined that church, namely, my mother, Lucy; my brothers Hyrum and Samuel Harrison; and my sister Sophronia.
8 During this time of great excitement my mind was called up to serious reflection and great uneasiness; but though my feelings were deep and often poignant, still I kept myself aloof from all these parties, though I attended their several meetings as often as occasion would permit. In process of time my mind became somewhat partial to the Methodist sect, and I felt some desire to be united with them; but so great were the confusion and astrife among the different denominations, that it was impossible for a person young as I was, and so unacquainted with men and things, to come to any certain conclusion who was bright and who was wrong.
9 My mind at times was greatly excited, the cry and tumult were so great and incessant. The Presbyterians were most decided against the Baptists and Methodists, and used all the powers of both reason and sophistry to prove their errors, or, at least, to make the people think they were in error. On the other hand, the Baptists and Methodists in their turn were equally zealous in endeavoring to establish their own tenets and disprove all others.
10 In the midst of this war of words and tumult of opinions, I often said to myself: What is to be done? Who of all these parties are right; or, are they all wrong together? If any one of them be aright, which is it, and how shall I know it?
11 While I was laboring under the extreme difficulties caused by the contests of these parties of religionists, I was one day reading the aEpistle of James, first chapter and fifth verse, which reads: If any of you lack bwisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
12 Never did any passage of ascripture come with more power to the heart of man than this did at this time to mine. It seemed to enter with great force into every feeling of my heart. I reflected on it again and again, knowing that if any person needed bwisdom from God, I did; for how to act I did not know, and unless I could get more wisdom than I then had, I would never know; for the teachers of religion of the different sects cunderstood the same passages of scripture so differently as to destroy all confidence in settling the question by an appeal to the Bible.
13 At length I came to the conclusion that I must either remain in adarkness and confusion, or else I must do as James directs, that is, ask of God. I at length came to the determination to “ask of God,” concluding that if he gave wisdom to them that lacked wisdom, and would bgive liberally, and not upbraid, I might venture.
14 So, in accordance with this, my determination to ask of God, I retired to the awoods to make the attempt. It was on the morning of a bbeautiful, clear day, early in the spring of eighteen hundred and twenty. It was the first time in my life that I had made such an attempt, for amidst all my anxieties I had never as yet made the attempt to cpraydvocally.
15 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 aseized upon by some power which entirely overcame me, and had such an astonishing influence over me as to bind my tongue so that I could not speak. Thick bdarkness gathered around me, and it seemed to me for a time as if I were doomed to sudden destruction.
16 But, exerting all my powers to acall upon God to deliver me out of the power of this enemy which had seized upon me, and at the very moment when I was ready to sink into bdespair and abandon myself to destruction—not to an imaginary ruin, but to the power of some actual being from the unseen world, who had such marvelous power as I had never before felt in any being—just at this moment of great alarm, I saw a pillar of clight exactly over my head, above the brightness of the dsun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me.
17 It no sooner appeared than I found myself adelivered from the enemy which held me bound. When the light rested upon me I bsaw two cPersonages, whose brightness and dglory defy all description, estanding above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My fBelovedgSon. Hear Him!
18 My object in going to ainquire of the Lord was to know which of all the sects was right, that I might know which to join. No sooner, therefore, did I get possession of myself, so as to be able to speak, than I asked the Personages who stood above me in the light, which of all the sects was right (for at this time it had never entered into my heart that all were wrong)—and which I should join.
19 I was answered that I must join none of them, for they were all awrong; and the Personage who addressed me said that all their creeds were an abomination in his sight; that those bprofessors were all ccorrupt; that: “they ddraw near to me with their lips, but their ehearts are far from me, they teach for doctrines the fcommandments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the gpower thereof.”
20 He again forbade me to join with any of them; and many other things did he say unto me, which I cannot write at this time. When I came to myself again, I found myself alying on my back, looking up into heaven. When the light had departed, I had no strength; but soon recovering in some degree, I went home. And as I leaned up to the fireplace, bmother inquired what the matter was. I replied, “Never mind, all is well—I am well enough off.” I then said to my mother, “I have learned for myself that Presbyterianism is not true.” It seems as though the cadversary was aware, at a very early period of my life, that I was destined to prove a disturber and an annoyer of his kingdom; else why should the powers of darkness combine against me? Why the dopposition and persecution that arose against me, almost in my infancy?
Some preachers and other professors of religion reject the account of the First Vision—Persecution is heaped upon Joseph Smith—He testifies of the reality of the vision. (Verses 21–26.)
21 Some few days after I had this vision, I happened to be in company with one of the Methodist preachers, who was very active in the before mentioned religious excitement; and, conversing with him on the subject of religion, I took occasion to give him an account of the vision which I had had. I was greatly surprised at his behavior; he treated my communication not only lightly, but with great contempt, saying it was all of the devil, that there were no such things as avisions or brevelations in these days; that all such things had ceased with the apostles, and that there would never be any more of them.
22 I soon found, however, that my telling the story had excited a great deal of prejudice against me among professors of religion, and was the cause of great apersecution, which continued to increase; and though I was an bobscure boy, only between fourteen and fifteen years of age, and my circumstances in life such as to make a boy of no consequence in the world, yet men of high standing would take notice sufficient to excite the public mind against me, and create a bitter persecution; and this was common among all the sects—all united to persecute me.
23 It caused me serious reflection then, and often has since, how very strange it was that an obscure aboy, of a little over fourteen years of age, and one, too, who was doomed to the necessity of obtaining a scanty maintenance by his daily blabor, should be thought a character of sufficient importance to attract the attention of the great ones of the most popular sects of the day, and in a manner to create in them a spirit of the most bitter cpersecution and dreviling. But strange or not, so it was, and it was often the cause of great sorrow to myself.
24 However, it was nevertheless a fact that I had beheld a avision. I have thought since, that I felt much like Paul, when he made his defense before King Agrippa, and related the account of the vision he had when he saw a light, and heard a voice; but still there were but few who believed him; some said he was dishonest, others said he was bmad; and he was ridiculed and reviled. But all this did not destroy the reality of his vision. He had seen a vision, he knew he had, and all the cpersecution under heaven could not make it otherwise; and though they should persecute him unto death, yet he knew, and would know to his latest breath, that he had both seen a light and heard a voice speaking unto him, and all the world could not make him think or believe otherwise.
25 So it was with me. I had actually seen a light, and in the midst of that light I saw two aPersonages, and they did in reality speak to me; and though I was bhated and cpersecuted 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 dfalsely 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 edeny it, neither dared I do it; at least I knew that by so doing I would offend God, and come under condemnation.
26 I had now got my mind satisfied so far as the sectarian world was concerned—that it was not my duty to join with any of them, but to continue as I was until further adirected. I had found the testimony of James to be true—that a man who lacked wisdom might ask of God, and obtain, and not be bupbraided.
Moroni appears to Joseph Smith—Joseph’s name is to be known for good and evil among all nations—Moroni tells him of the Book of Mormon and of the coming judgments of the Lord and quotes many scriptures—The hiding place of the gold plates is revealed—Moroni continues to instruct the Prophet. (Verses 27–54.)
27 I continued to pursue my common vocations in life until the twenty-first of September, one thousand eight hundred and twenty-three, all the time suffering severe persecution at the hands of all classes of men, both religious and irreligious, because I continued to aaffirm that I had seen a vision.
28 During the space of time which intervened between the time I had the vision and the year eighteen hundred and twenty-three—having been forbidden to join any of the religious sects of the day, and being of very tender years, and persecuted by those who ought to have been my afriends and to have treated me kindly, and if they supposed me to be deluded to have endeavored in a proper and affectionate manner to have reclaimed me—I was left to all kinds of btemptations; and, mingling with all kinds of society, I frequently fell into many foolish cerrors, and displayed the weakness of youth, and the foibles of human nature; which, I am sorry to say, led me into divers temptations, offensive in the sight of God. In making this confession, no one need suppose me guilty of any great or malignant sins. A disposition to commit such was never in my nature. But I was guilty of dlevity, and sometimes associated with jovial company, etc., not consistent with that character which ought to be maintained by one who was ecalled of God as I had been. But this will not seem very strange to any one who recollects my youth, and is acquainted with my native fcheery temperament.
29 In consequence of these things, I often felt condemned for my weakness and imperfections; when, on the evening of the above-mentioned twenty-first of September, after I had retired to my bed for the night, I betook myself to aprayer and supplication to Almighty God for forgiveness of all my sins and follies, and also for a manifestation to me, that I might know of my state and standing before him; for I had full bconfidence in obtaining a divine manifestation, as I previously had one.
30 While I was thus in the act of calling upon God, I discovered a alight appearing in my room, which continued to increase until the room was lighter than at noonday, when immediately a bpersonage appeared at my bedside, standing in the air, for his feet did not touch the floor.
31 He had on a loose robe of most exquisite awhiteness. It was a whiteness beyond anything earthly I had ever seen; nor do I believe that any earthly thing could be made to appear so exceedingly white and brilliant. His hands were naked, and his arms also, a little above the wrist; so, also, were his feet naked, as were his legs, a little above the ankles. His head and neck were also bare. I could discover that he had no other clothing on but this robe, as it was open, so that I could see into his bosom.
32 Not only was his robe exceedingly white, but his whole person was aglorious beyond description, and his countenance truly like blightning. The room was exceedingly light, but not so very bright as immediately around his person. When I first looked upon him, I was cafraid; but the dfear soon left me.
33 He called me by aname, and said unto me that he was a bmessenger sent from the presence of God to me, and that his name was Moroni; that God had a work for me to do; and that my name should be had for cgood and evil among all nations, kindreds, and tongues, or that it should be both good and evil spoken of among all people.
34 He said there was a abook deposited, written upon gold plates, giving an account of the former inhabitants of this continent, and the source from whence they sprang. He also said that the bfulness of the everlasting Gospel was contained in it, as delivered by the Savior to the ancient inhabitants;
35 Also, that there were two stones in silver bows—and these stones, fastened to a abreastplate, constituted what is called the bUrim and Thummim—deposited with the plates; and the possession and use of these stones were what constituted c“seers” in ancient or former times; and that God had prepared them for the purpose of translating the book.
36 After telling me these things, he commenced quoting the prophecies of the Old Testament. He first quoted part of the athird chapter of Malachi; and he quoted also the fourth or last chapter of the same prophecy, though with a little variation from the way it reads in our Bibles. Instead of quoting the first verse as it reads in our books, he quoted it thus:
37 For behold, the aday cometh that shall bburn as an oven, and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly shall burn as cstubble; for they that come shall burn them, saith the Lord of Hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.
38 And again, he quoted the fifth verse thus: Behold, I will reveal unto you the aPriesthood, by the hand of bElijah the prophet, before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the cLord.
39 He also quoted the next verse differently: And he shall plant in the hearts of the achildren the bpromises made to the fathers, and the hearts of the children shall turn to their fathers. If it were not so, the whole earth would be utterly wasted at his coming.
40 In addition to these, he quoted the aeleventh chapter of Isaiah, saying that it was about to be fulfilled. He quoted also the third chapter of Acts, twenty-second and twenty-third verses, precisely as they stand in our New Testament. He said that that bprophet was Christ; but the day had not yet come when “they who would not hear his voice should be ccut off from among the people,” but soon would come.
41 He also quoted the asecond chapter of Joel, from the twenty-eighth verse to the last. He also said that this was not yet fulfilled, but was soon to be. And he further stated that the fulness of the bGentiles was soon to come in. He quoted many other passages of scripture, and offered many explanations which ccannot be mentioned here.
42 Again, he told me, that when I got those plates of which he had spoken—for the time that they should be obtained was not yet fulfilled—I should not show them to any person; neither the breastplate with the Urim and Thummim; only to those to whom I should be commanded to show them; if I did I should be adestroyed. While he was conversing with me about the plates, the vision was opened to my bmind that I could see the place where the plates were deposited, and that so clearly and distinctly that I knew the place again when I visited it.
43 After this communication, I saw the light in the room begin to gather immediately around the person of him who had been speaking to me, and it continued to do so until the room was again left dark, except just around him; when, instantly I saw, as it were, a conduit open right up into heaven, and he aascended till he entirely disappeared, and the room was left as it had been before this heavenly light had made its appearance.
44 I lay musing on the singularity of the scene, and marveling greatly at what had been told to me by this extraordinary messenger; when, in the midst of my ameditation, I suddenly discovered that my room was again beginning to get lighted, and in an instant, as it were, the same heavenly messenger was again by my bedside.
45 He commenced, and aagain related the very same things which he had done at his first visit, without the least variation; which having done, he informed me of great bjudgments which were coming upon the earth, with great desolations by cfamine, dsword, and pestilence; and that these grievous judgments would come on the earth in this generation. Having related these things, he again ascended as he had done before.
46 By this time, so deep were the impressions made on my mind, that sleep had fled from my eyes, and I lay overwhelmed in aastonishment at what I had both seen and heard. But what was my surprise when again I beheld the same messenger at my bedside, and heard him rehearse or repeat over again to me the same things as before; and added a caution to me, telling me that Satan would try to btempt me (in consequence of the indigent circumstances of my father’s family), to get the plates for the purpose of getting crich. This he forbade me, saying that I must have no other object in view in getting the plates but to glorify God, and must not be influenced by any other dmotive than that of building his kingdom; otherwise I could not get them.
47 After this third visit, he again ascended into heaven as before, and I was again left to aponder on the strangeness of what I had just experienced; when almost immediately after the heavenly messenger had ascended from me for the third time, the cock crowed, and I found that day was approaching, so that our interviews must have occupied the whole of that night.
48 I shortly after arose from my bed, and, as usual, went to the necessary labors of the day; but, in attempting to work as at other times, I found my astrength so exhausted as to render me entirely unable. My father, who was laboring along with me, discovered something to be wrong with me, and told me to go home. I started with the intention of going to the house; but, in attempting to cross the fence out of the field where we were, my strength entirely failed me, and I bfell helpless on the ground, and for a time was quite unconscious of anything.
49 The first thing that I can recollect was a voice speaking unto me, calling me by name. I looked up, and beheld the same messenger standing over my head, surrounded by light as before. He then again related unto me all that he had related to me the previous night, and commanded me to go to my afather and tell him of the vision and commandments which I had received.
50 I obeyed; I returned to my afather in the field, and rehearsed the whole matter to him. He breplied to me that it was of God, and told me to go and do as commanded by the messenger. I left the field, and went to the place where the messenger had told me the plates were deposited; and owing to the distinctness of the vision which I had had concerning it, I knew the place the instant that I arrived there.
51 Convenient to the village of Manchester, Ontario county, New York, stands a ahill of considerable size, and the most elevated of any in the neighborhood. On the west side of this hill, not far from the top, under a stone of considerable size, lay the plates, deposited in a stone box. This stone was thick and rounding in the middle on the upper side, and thinner towards the edges, so that the middle part of it was visible above the ground, but the edge all around was covered with earth.
52 Having removed the earth, I obtained a lever, which I got fixed under the edge of the stone, and with a little exertion raised it up. I looked in, and there indeed did I behold the aplates, the bUrim and Thummim, and the breastplate, as stated by the messenger. The box in which they lay was formed by laying stones together in some kind of cement. In the bottom of the box were laid two stones crossways of the box, and on these stones lay the plates and the other things with them.
53 I made an attempt to take them out, but was forbidden by the messenger, and was again informed that the time for bringing them forth had not yet arrived, neither would it, until four years from that time; but he told me that I should come to that place precisely in one year from that time, and that he would there meet with me, and that I should continue to do so until the time should come for obtaining the plates.
54 Accordingly, as I had been commanded, I went at the end of each year, and at each time I found the same messenger there, and received instruction and intelligence from him at each of our interviews, respecting what the Lord was going to do, and how and in what manner his akingdom was to be conducted in the last days.
Joseph Smith marries Emma Hale—He receives the gold plates from Moroni and translates some of the characters—Martin Harris shows the characters and translation to Professor Anthon, who says, “I cannot read a sealed book.” (Verses 55–65.)
55 As my father’s worldly circumstances were very limited, we were under the necessity of alaboring with our hands, hiring out by day’s work and otherwise, as we could get opportunity. Sometimes we were at home, and sometimes abroad, and by continuous blabor were enabled to get a comfortable maintenance.
56 In the year 1823 my father’s family met with a great aaffliction by the death of my eldest brother, bAlvin. In the month of October, 1825, I hired with an old gentleman by the name of Josiah Stoal, who lived in Chenango county, State of New York. He had heard something of a silver mine having been opened by the Spaniards in Harmony, Susquehanna county, State of Pennsylvania; and had, previous to my hiring to him, been digging, in order, if possible, to discover the mine. After I went to live with him, he took me, with the rest of his hands, to dig for the silver mine, at which I continued to work for nearly a month, without success in our undertaking, and finally I prevailed with the old gentleman to cease digging after it. Hence arose the very prevalent story of my having been a money-digger.
57 During the time that I was thus employed, I was put to board with a Mr. Isaac Hale, of that place; it was there I first saw my wife (his daughter), Emma Hale. On the 18th of January, 1827, we were married, while I was yet employed in the service of Mr. Stoal.
58 Owing to my continuing to assert that I had seen a vision, apersecution still followed me, and my wife’s father’s family were very much opposed to our being married. I was, therefore, under the necessity of taking her elsewhere; so we went and were married at the house of Squire Tarbill, in South Bainbridge, Chenango county, New York. Immediately after my marriage, I left Mr. Stoal’s, and went to my father’s, and bfarmed with him that season.
59 At length the time arrived for obtaining the plates, the Urim and Thummim, and the breastplate. On the twenty-second day of September, one thousand eight hundred and twenty-seven, having gone as usual at the end of another year to the place where they were deposited, the same heavenly messenger delivered them up to ame with this charge: that I should be bresponsible for them; that if I should let them go carelessly, or through any cneglect of mine, I should be cut off; but that if I would use all my endeavors to dpreserve them, until he, the messenger, should call for them, they should be protected.
60 I soon found out the reason why I had received such strict charges to keep them safe, and why it was that the messenger had said that when I had done what was required at my hand, he would call for them. For no sooner was it known that I had them, than the most strenuous exertions were used to aget them from me. Every stratagem that could be invented was resorted to for that purpose. The persecution became more bitter and severe than before, and multitudes were on the alert continually to get them from me if possible. But by the wisdom of God, they remained safe in my hands, until I had accomplished by them what was required at my hand. When, according to arrangements, the messenger called for them, I delivered them up to him; and he has them in his charge until this bday, being the second day of May, one thousand eight hundred and thirty-eight.
61 The excitement, however, still continued, and rumor with her thousand tongues was all the time employed in circulating afalsehoods about my father’s family, and about myself. If I were to relate a thousandth part of them, it would fill up volumes. The persecution, however, became so intolerable that I was under the necessity of leaving Manchester, and going with my wife to Susquehanna county, in the State of Pennsylvania. While preparing to start—being very poor, and the persecution so heavy upon us that there was no probability that we would ever be otherwise—in the midst of our afflictions we found a friend in a gentleman by the name of bMartin Harris, who came to us and gave me fifty dollars to assist us on our journey. Mr. Harris was a resident of Palmyra township, Wayne county, in the State of New York, and a farmer of respectability.
62 By this timely aid was I enabled to reach the place of my destination in Pennsylvania; and immediately after my arrival there I commenced copying the characters off the plates. I copied a considerable number of them, and by means of the aUrim and Thummim I translated some of them, which I did between the time I arrived at the house of my wife’s father, in the month of December, and the February following.
63 Sometime in this month of February, the aforementioned Mr. Martin Harris came to our place, got the characters which I had drawn off the plates, and started with them to the city of New York. For what took place relative to him and the characters, I refer to his own account of the circumstances, as he related them to me after his return, which was as follows:
64 “I went to the city of New York, and presented the characters which had been translated, with the translation thereof, to Professor Charles Anthon, a gentleman celebrated for his literary attainments. Professor Anthon stated that the translation was correct, more so than any he had before seen translated from the Egyptian. I then showed him those which were not yet translated, and he said that they were Egyptian, Chaldaic, Assyriac, and Arabic; and he said they were true characters. He gave me a certificate, certifying to the people of Palmyra that they were true characters, and that the translation of such of them as had been translated was also correct. I took the certificate and put it into my pocket, and was just leaving the house, when Mr. Anthon called me back, and asked me how the young man found out that there were gold plates in the place where he found them. I answered that an angel of God had revealed it unto him.
65 “He then said to me, ‘Let me see that certificate.’ I accordingly took it out of my pocket and gave it to him, when he took it and tore it to pieces, saying that there was no such thing now as ministering of aangels, and that if I would bring the plates to him he would translate them. I informed him that part of the plates were bsealed, and that I was forbidden to bring them. He replied, ‘I cannot read a sealed book.’ I left him and went to Dr. Mitchell, who sanctioned what Professor Anthon had said respecting both the characters and the translation.”
· · · · · · ·
Oliver Cowdery serves as scribe in translating the Book of Mormon—Joseph and Oliver receive the Aaronic Priesthood from John the Baptist—They are baptized, ordained, and receive the spirit of prophecy. (Verses 66–75.)
66 On the 5th day of April, 1829, aOliver Cowdery came to my house, until which time I had never seen him. He stated to me that having been teaching school in the neighborhood where my father resided, and my father being one of those who sent to the school, he went to board for a season at his house, and while there the family related to him the circumstances of my having received the plates, and accordingly he had come to make inquiries of me.
67 Two days after the arrival of Mr. Cowdery (being the 7th of April) I commenced to translate the Book of Mormon, and he began to awrite for me.
· · · · · · ·
68 We still continued the work of translation, when, in the ensuing month (May, 1829), we on a certain day went into the woods to pray and inquire of the Lord respecting abaptism for the bremission of sins, that we found mentioned in the translation of the plates. While we were thus employed, praying and calling upon the Lord, a messenger from heaven descended in a ccloud of light, and having laid his dhands upon us, he eordained us, saying:
69 Upon you my fellow servants, in the name of Messiah, I confer the aPriesthood of bAaron, which holds the keys of the ministering of angels, and of the gospel of repentance, and of cbaptism by immersion for the remission of sins; and this shall never be taken again from the earth until the sons of dLevi do offer again an offering unto the Lord in erighteousness.
70 He said this Aaronic Priesthood had not the power of laying on hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost, but that this should be conferred on us hereafter; and he commanded us to go and be baptized, and gave us directions that I should baptize Oliver Cowdery, and that afterwards he should baptize me.
71 Accordingly we went and were baptized. I abaptized him first, and afterwards he baptized me—after which I laid my hands upon his head and ordained him to the Aaronic Priesthood, and afterwards he laid his hands on me and ordained me to the same Priesthood—for so we were commanded.*
72 The amessenger who visited us on this occasion and conferred this Priesthood upon us, said that his name was John, the same that is called bJohn the Baptist in the New Testament, and that he acted under the direction of cPeter, James and John, who held the keys of the Priesthood of Melchizedek, which Priesthood, he said, would in due time be conferred on us, and that I should be called the first dElder of the Church, and he (Oliver Cowdery) the second. It was on the fifteenth day of May, 1829, that we were ordained under the hand of this messenger, and baptized.
73 Immediately on our coming up out of the water after we had been baptized, we experienced great and glorious blessings from our Heavenly Father. No sooner had I baptized Oliver Cowdery, than the Holy Ghost fell upon him, and he stood up and aprophesied many things which should shortly come to pass. And again, so soon as I had been baptized by him, I also had the spirit of prophecy, when, standing up, I prophesied concerning the rise of this Church, and many other things connected with the Church, and this generation of the children of men. We were filled with the Holy Ghost, and rejoiced in the God of our salvation.
74 Our minds being now enlightened, we began to have the ascriptures laid open to our understandings, and the btrue meaning and intention of their more cmysterious passages revealed unto us in a manner which we never could attain to previously, nor ever before had thought of. In the meantime we were forced to keep secret the circumstances of having received the Priesthood and our having been baptized, owing to a spirit of persecution which had already manifested itself in the neighborhood.
75 We had been threatened with being mobbed, from time to time, and this, too, by professors of religion. And their intentions of mobbing us were only counteracted by the influence of my wife’s father’s family (under Divine providence), who had become very afriendly to me, and who were opposed to mobs, and were willing that I should be allowed to continue the work of translation without interruption; and therefore offered and promised us protection from all unlawful proceedings, as far as in them lay.
Oliver Cowdery describes these events thus: “These were days never to be forgotten—to sit under the sound of a voice dictated by the inspiration of heaven, awakened the utmost gratitude of this bosom! Day after day I continued, uninterrupted, to write from his mouth, as he translated with the Urim and Thummim, or, as the Nephites would have said, ‘Interpreters,’ the history or record called ‘The Book of Mormon.’
“To notice, in even few words, the interesting account given by Mormon and his faithful son, Moroni, of a people once beloved and favored of heaven, would supersede my present design; I shall therefore defer this to a future period, and, as I said in the introduction, pass more directly to some few incidents immediately connected with the rise of this Church, which may be entertaining to some thousands who have stepped forward, amid the frowns of bigots and the calumny of hypocrites, and embraced the Gospel of Christ.
“No men, in their sober senses, could translate and write the directions given to the Nephites from the mouth of the Savior, of the precise manner in which men should build up His Church, and especially when corruption had spread an uncertainty over all forms and systems practiced among men, without desiring a privilege of showing the willingness of the heart by being buried in the liquid grave, to answer a ‘good conscience by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.’
“After writing the account given of the Savior’s ministry to the remnant of the seed of Jacob, upon this continent, it was easy to be seen, as the prophet said it would be, that darkness covered the earth and gross darkness the minds of the people. On reflecting further it was as easy to be seen that amid the great strife and noise concerning religion, none had authority from God to administer the ordinances of the Gospel. For the question might be asked, have men authority to administer in the name of Christ, who deny revelations, when His testimony is no less than the spirit of prophecy, and His religion based, built, and sustained by immediate revelations, in all ages of the world when He has had a people on earth? If these facts were buried, and carefully concealed by men whose craft would have been in danger if once permitted to shine in the faces of men, they were no longer to us; and we only waited for the commandment to be given ‘Arise and be baptized.’
5. Read talk by President Nelson entitled Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives – Done
Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives
By President Russell M. Nelson
In coming days, it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting, and constant influence of the Holy Ghost.
What a glorious privilege it has been to celebrate Easter with you on this Sunday of general conference! Nothing could be more fitting than to commemorate the most important event that ever occurred on this earth by worshipping the most important being who ever walked this earth. In this, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we worship Him who commenced His infinite Atonement in the Garden of Gethsemane. He was willing to suffer for the sins and weaknesses of each of us, which suffering caused Him “to bleed at every pore.”1 He was crucified on Calvary’s cross2 and rose the third day as the first resurrected being of our Heavenly Father’s children. I love Him and testify that He lives! It is He who leads and guides His Church.
Without our Redeemer’s infinite Atonement, not one of us would have hope of ever returning to our Heavenly Father. Without His Resurrection, death would be the end. Our Savior’s Atonement made eternal life a possibility and immortality a reality for all.
It is because of His transcendent mission and the peace He grants His followers that my wife, Wendy, and I felt comfort late on January 2, 2018, when we were awakened by a phone call telling us that President Thomas S. Monson had stepped through the veil.
How we miss President Monson! We honor his life and his legacy. A spiritual giant, he left an indelible imprint upon all who knew him and upon the Church that he loved.
On Sunday, January 14, 2018, in the upper room of the Salt Lake Temple, the First Presidency was reorganized in the simple yet sacred pattern established by the Lord. Then, at yesterday morning’s solemn assembly, members of the Church throughout the world raised their hands to confirm the earlier action taken by the Apostles. I am humbly grateful for your sustaining support.
I am also grateful for those upon whose shoulders I stand. It has been my privilege to serve in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles for 34 years and to know personally 10 of the 16 previous Presidents of the Church. I learned much from each of them.
I also owe much to my forebears. All eight of my great-grandparents were converts to the Church in Europe. Each of these stalwart souls sacrificed everything to come to Zion. During subsequent generations, however, not all my ancestors remained so committed. As a result, I was not raised in a gospel-centered home.
I adored my parents. They meant the world to me and taught me crucial lessons. I cannot thank them enough for the happy homelife they created for me and my siblings. And yet, even as a boy, I knew I was missing something. One day I jumped on the streetcar and went to an LDS bookstore to find a book about the Church. I loved learning about the gospel.
As I came to understand the Word of Wisdom, I wanted my parents to live that law. So, one day when I was very young, I went to our basement and smashed on the concrete floor every bottle of liquor! I expected my father to punish me, but he never said a word.
As I matured and began to understand the magnificence of Heavenly Father’s plan, I often said to myself, “I don’t want one more Christmas present! I just want to be sealed to my parents.” That longed-for event did not happen until my parents were past 80, and then it did happen. I cannot fully express the joy that I felt that day,3 and each day I feel that joy of their sealing and my being sealed to them.
In 1945, while I was in medical school, I married Dantzel White in the Salt Lake Temple. She and I were blessed with nine splendid daughters and one precious son. Today our ever-growing family is one of the greatest joys of my life.
In 2005, after nearly 60 years of marriage, my dear Dantzel was unexpectedly called home. For a season, my grief was almost immobilizing. But the message of Easter and the promise of resurrection sustained me.
Then the Lord brought Wendy Watson to my side. We were sealed in the Salt Lake Temple on April 6, 2006. How I love her! She is an extraordinary woman—a great blessing to me, to our family, and to the entire Church.
Each of these blessings has come as a result of seeking and heeding the promptings of the Holy Ghost. Said President Lorenzo Snow, “This is the grand privilege of every Latter-day Saint … that it is our right to have the manifestations of the Spirit every day of our lives.”4
One of the things the Spirit has repeatedly impressed upon my mind since my new calling as President of the Church is how willing the Lord is to reveal His mind and will. The privilege of receiving revelation is one of the greatest gifts of God to His children.
Through the manifestations of the Holy Ghost, the Lord will assist us in all our righteous pursuits. I remember in an operating room, I have stood over a patient—unsure how to perform an unprecedented procedure—and experienced the Holy Ghost diagramming the technique in my mind.5
To strengthen my proposal to Wendy, I said to her, “I know about revelation and how to receive it.” To her credit—and, as I have come to learn, typical of her—she had already sought and received her own revelation about us, which gave her the courage to say yes.
As a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, I prayed daily for revelation and gave thanks to the Lord every time He spoke to my heart and mind.
Imagine the miracle of it! Whatever our Church calling, we can pray to our Heavenly Father and receive guidance and direction, be warned about dangers and distractions, and be enabled to accomplish things we simply could not do on our own. If we will truly receive the Holy Ghost and learn to discern and understand His promptings, we will be guided in matters large and small.
When I recently faced the daunting task of choosing two counselors, I wondered how I could possibly choose just two from twelve men whom I love and respect.
Because I know that good inspiration is based upon good information, I prayerfully met one-on-one with each Apostle.6 I then sequestered myself in a private room in the temple and sought the Lord’s will. I testify that the Lord instructed me to select President Dallin H. Oaks and President Henry B. Eyring to serve as my counselors in the First Presidency.
In like manner, I testify that the Lord inspired the call of Elder Gerrit W. Gong and Elder Ulisses Soares to be ordained as His Apostles. I and we welcome them to this unique brotherhood of service.
When we convene as a Council of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve, our meeting rooms become rooms of revelation. The Spirit is palpably present. As we wrestle with complex matters, a thrilling process unfolds as each Apostle freely expresses his thoughts and point of view. Though we may differ in our initial perspectives, the love we feel for each other is constant. Our unity helps us to discern the Lord’s will for His Church.
In our meetings, the majority never rules! We listen prayerfully to one another and talk with each other until we are united. Then when we have reached complete accord, the unifying influence of the Holy Ghost is spine-tingling! We experience what the Prophet Joseph Smith knew when he taught, “By union of feeling we obtain power with God.”7 No member of the First Presidency or Quorum of the Twelve would ever leave decisions for the Lord’s Church to his own best judgment!
Brothers and sisters, how can we become the men and women—the Christlike servants—the Lord needs us to be? How can we find answers to questions that perplex us? If Joseph Smith’s transcendent experience in the Sacred Grove teaches us anything, it is that the heavens are open and that God speaks to His children.
The Prophet Joseph Smith set a pattern for us to follow in resolving our questions. Drawn to the promise of James that if we lack wisdom we may ask of God,8 the boy Joseph took his question directly to Heavenly Father. He sought personal revelation, and his seeking opened this last dispensation.
In like manner, what will your seeking open for you? What wisdom do you lack? What do you feel an urgent need to know or understand? Follow the example of the Prophet Joseph. Find a quiet place where you can regularly go. Humble yourself before God. Pour out your heart to your Heavenly Father. Turn to Him for answers and for comfort.
Pray in the name of Jesus Christ about your concerns, your fears, your weaknesses—yes, the very longings of your heart. And then listen! Write the thoughts that come to your mind. Record your feelings and follow through with actions that you are prompted to take. As you repeat this process day after day, month after month, year after year, you will “grow into the principle of revelation.”9
Does God really want to speak to you? Yes! “As well might man stretch forth his puny arm to stop the Missouri river in its decreed course … as to hinder the Almighty from pouring down knowledge from heaven upon the heads of the Latter-day Saints.”10
You don’t have to wonder about what is true.11 You do not have to wonder whom you can safely trust. Through personal revelation, you can receive your own witness that the Book of Mormon is the word of God, that Joseph Smith is a prophet, and that this is the Lord’s Church. Regardless of what others may say or do, no one can ever take away a witness borne to your heart and mind about what is true.
I urge you to stretch beyond your current spiritual ability to receive personal revelation, for the Lord has promised that “if thou shalt [seek], thou shalt receive revelation upon revelation, knowledge upon knowledge, that thou mayest know the mysteries and peaceable things—that which bringeth joy, that which bringeth life eternal.”12
Oh, there is so much more that your Father in Heaven wants you to know. As Elder Neal A. Maxwell taught, “To those who have eyes to see and ears to hear, it is clear that the Father and the Son are giving away the secrets of the universe!”13
Nothing opens the heavens quite like the combination of increased purity, exact obedience, earnest seeking, daily feasting on the words of Christ in the Book of Mormon,14 and regular time committed to temple and family history work.
To be sure, there may be times when you feel as though the heavens are closed. But I promise that as you continue to be obedient, expressing gratitude for every blessing the Lord gives you, and as you patiently honor the Lord’s timetable, you will be given the knowledge and understanding you seek. Every blessing the Lord has for you—even miracles—will follow. That is what personal revelation will do for you.
I am optimistic about the future. It will be filled with opportunities for each of us to progress, contribute, and take the gospel to every corner of the earth. But I am also not naive about the days ahead. We live in a world that is complex and increasingly contentious. The constant availability of social media and a 24-hour news cycle bombard us with relentless messages. If we are to have any hope of sifting through the myriad of voices and the philosophies of men that attack truth, we must learn to receive revelation.
Our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ, will perform some of His mightiest works between now and when He comes again. We will see miraculous indications that God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, preside over this Church in majesty and glory. But in coming days, it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting, and constant influence of the Holy Ghost.
My beloved brothers and sisters, I plead with you to increase your spiritual capacity to receive revelation. Let this Easter Sunday be a defining moment in your life. Choose to do the spiritual work required to enjoy the gift of the Holy Ghost and hear the voice of the Spirit more frequently and more clearly.
With Moroni, I exhort you on this Easter Sabbath to “come unto Christ, and lay hold upon every good gift,”15 beginning with the gift of the Holy Ghost, which gift can and will change your life.
We are followers of Jesus Christ. The most important truth the Holy Ghost will ever witness to you is that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. He lives! He is our Advocate with the Father, our Exemplar, and our Redeemer. On this Easter Sunday, we commemorate His atoning sacrifice, His literal Resurrection, and His divinity.
This is His Church, restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith. I so testify, with my expression of love for each of you, in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Why women in the Church should be following President Nelson’s invitation to study about the priesthood
Directly addressing the women of the Church during general conference in October 2019, President Russell M. Nelson invited women to “study prayerfully” and “discover what the Holy Ghost will teach you” about the restoration of the priesthood and how to draw upon that power — the power of God — in their individual lives.
“How I yearn for you to understand that the restoration of the priesthood is just as relevant to you as a woman as it is to any man,” President Nelson said. “Every woman and every man who makes covenants with God and keeps those covenants, and who participates worthily in priesthood ordinances, has direct access to the power of God. … I entreat you to study prayerfully all the truths you can find about priesthood power.”
The Relief Society general presidency — President Jean B. Bingham; Sister Sharon Eubank, first counselor, and Sister Reyna Isabel Aburto, second counselor — have reiterated that invitation, encouraging the Relief Society’s 7.5 million women worldwide to take up the prophet’s charge of learning and understanding what the priesthood means to them.
Sister Jean Barrus Bingham general president of the Relief Society, center, with her councilors Sister Sharon Eubank first counselor in the general presidency of the Relief Society, left, and Sister Reyna I. Aburto second counselor in the general presidency of the Relief Society, right, in Salt Lake City on Monday, April 3, 2017.Credit: Scott G Winterton, Deseret News, Deseret News
In a recent interview with the Church News, President Bingham explained President Nelson’s direction will help women in the Church to focus on what is most important for them and the Relief Society today.
“One of the beautiful things about President Nelson’s invitation is that he encourages us to learn to receive revelation individually, because what the Holy Ghost will teach me may be a little different than it is for you,” President Bingham said. “Women have much in common, but we also have unique circumstances, so we invite the women of the Church to follow the counsel of the prophet and really study about what the priesthood means for them.”
An invitation and a blessing
Priesthood power for an individual comes from a covenantal connection to Jesus Christ, Sister Eubank said. “The more carefully we keep our promises with Him, the more power and blessing we can call down on the people we love.”
There are many tough problems in the world right now, Sister Eubank continued. “The prophet is giving us the key to something important. If you need a specific blessing for yourself or someone you love, my invitation is to take up President Nelson’s challenge and study more about priesthood power.”
The prophet’s invitation is an outpouring of love from Heavenly Father and the Savior to all the women of the Church, Sister Aburto said, adding that it shouldn’t feel like a burden or one more addition to a long list of things to do. Rather, Relief Society sisters should look at it as “an invitation from God through His prophet to expand our understanding of a beautiful and basic doctrine of the gospel.” This invitation from the Lord is an opportunity for every person to be blessed with a deeper knowledge, vision and insight about the power of God in their lives, she said.
When Sister Aburto heard President Nelson’s invitation last October “the spirit immediately testified to me that if — as women of the Church — we study the sections in Doctrine and Covenants that he pointed out, and other revelations regarding the priesthood, our understanding of the power God has given to His children will expand.”
Learning by individual study
Through her own personal study, President Bingham said she has come to a better understanding of “what the priesthood means to me as a woman.” And she has learned so much more than she understood when she was younger.
The power of God is much more than just a single entity known as “the priesthood,” President Bingham explained. It is the literal power of God and, as such, it is multifaceted.
There is a difference between priesthood keys, priesthood offices, priesthood authority, and priesthood power, she said. And reading and studying the sections of the Doctrine and Covenants suggested by President Nelson, Sister Bingham said, has increased her understanding of those differences and how they function in the home and in the Church.
“The more I’ve learned and studied, the more I understand how the priesthood is relevant to me in my life,” she said. “I can look back and see experiences I’ve had with the power of the priesthood in my life and priesthood authority in callings I’ve had that I may not have realized before.”
Sister Jean Barrus Bingham, general president of the Relief Society, reads scriptures in her office in the Relief Society Building in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2020.Credit: Laura Seitz, Deseret News
For Sister Eubank, studying sections 84 and 107 in the Doctrine and Covenants has increased her understanding of the importance of temple ordinances in relation to the priesthood.
“One thing I learned is that an ‘endowment’ means a gift so large that just the interest alone can be used to pay all the expenses and still not touch the original gift,” she said. “If we are endowed with priesthood power, then it’s a source that constantly renews and can never be exhausted.”
Recognizing there isn’t a question of whether or not she has priesthood power, Sister Eubank said her focus shifted to better questions. She began asking herself: “What am I doing with that endowment of priesthood power? How does it affect my calling? What does it mean for my most important relationships? And how might I use it to help someone else?”
Asking those deeper questions changed her, Sister Eubank said. “I realized I was unconsciously living below my priesthood privileges, and I want to be better.”
Having read Doctrine and Covenants sections 25, 84, and 107 many times before, Sister Aburto said reading them again following President Nelson’s invitation helped her gain new insights and feel the Spirit in a different way.
D/C 25:
SECTION 25
Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Harmony, Pennsylvania, July 1830 (see the heading to section 24). This revelation manifests the will of the Lord to Emma Smith, the Prophet’s wife.
1–6, Emma Smith, an elect lady, is called to aid and comfort her husband; 7–11, She is also called to write, to expound scriptures, and to select hymns; 12–14, The song of the righteous is a prayer unto the Lord; 15–16, Principles of obedience in this revelation are applicable to all.
1 Hearken unto the voice of the Lord your God, while I speak unto you, Emma Smith, my daughter; for verily I say unto you, all those who areceive my gospel are sons and daughters in my bkingdom.
2 A revelation I give unto you concerning my will; and if thou art faithful and awalk in the paths of bvirtue before me, I will preserve thy life, and thou shalt receive an cinheritance in Zion.
4 aMurmur not because of the bthings which thou hast not seen, for they are cwithheld from thee and from the world, which is wisdom in me in a time to come.
5 And the office of thy calling shall be for a acomfort unto my servant, Joseph Smith, Jun., thy bhusband, in his cafflictions, with consoling words, in the spirit of dmeekness.
6 And thou shalt go with him at the time of his going, and be unto him for a scribe, while there is no one to be a scribe for him, that I may send my servant, Oliver Cowdery, whithersoever I will.
7 And thou shalt be aordained under his hand to expound scriptures, and to exhort the church, according as it shall be given thee by my bSpirit.
8 For he shall lay his ahands upon thee, and thou shalt receive the Holy Ghost, and thy time shall be given to writing, and to learning much.
9 And thou needest not fear, for thy ahusband shall support thee in the church; for unto them is his bcalling, that all things might be crevealed unto them, whatsoever I will, according to their faith.
10 And verily I say unto thee that thou shalt lay aside the athings of this bworld, and cseek for the things of a dbetter.
11 And it shall be given thee, also, to make a selection of asacredbhymns, as it shall be given thee, which is pleasing unto me, to be had in my church.
12 For my soul adelighteth in the bsong of the cheart; yea, the dsong of the righteous is a prayer unto me, and it shall be answered with a blessing upon their heads.
13 Wherefore, alift up thy heart and brejoice, and cleave unto the covenants which thou hast made.
14 Continue in the spirit of meekness, and beware of apride. Let thy soul delight in thy bhusband, and the cglory which shall come upon him.
15 Keep my commandments continually, and a acrown of brighteousness thou shalt receive. And except thou do this, where I am you ccannot come.
16 And verily, verily, I say unto you, that this is my avoice unto all. Amen.
D/C 84:
SECTION 84
Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Kirtland, Ohio, September 22 and 23, 1832. During the month of September, elders had begun to return from their missions in the eastern states and to make reports of their labors. It was while they were together in this season of joy that the following communication was received. The Prophet designated it a revelation on priesthood.
1–5, The New Jerusalem and the temple will be built in Missouri; 6–17, The line of priesthood from Moses to Adam is given; 18–25, The greater priesthood holds the key of the knowledge of God; 26–32, The lesser priesthood holds the key of the ministering of angels and of the preparatory gospel; 33–44, Men gain eternal life through the oath and covenant of the priesthood; 45–53, The Spirit of Christ enlightens men, and the world lies in sin; 54–61, The Saints must testify of those things they have received; 62–76, They are to preach the gospel, and signs will follow; 77–91, Elders are to go forth without purse or scrip, and the Lord will care for their needs; 92–97, Plagues and cursings await those who reject the gospel; 98–102, The new song of the redemption of Zion is given; 103–10, Let every man stand in his own office and labor in his own calling; 111–20, The Lord’s servants are to proclaim the abomination of desolation of the last days.
1 A arevelation of Jesus Christ unto his servant Joseph Smith, Jun., and six elders, as they bunited their hearts and clifted their voices on high.
2 Yea, the word of the Lord concerning his church, established in the last days for the arestoration of his people, as he has spoken by the mouth of his bprophets, and for the cgathering of his dsaints to stand upon eMount Zion, which shall be the city of fNew Jerusalem.
3 Which city shall be abuilt, beginning at the btemple lot, which is appointed by the finger of the Lord, in the western boundaries of the State of Missouri, and cdedicated by the hand of Joseph Smith, Jun., and others with whom the Lord was well pleased.
4 Verily this is the word of the Lord, that the city aNew Jerusalem shall be built by the gathering of the saints, beginning at this place, even the place of the temple, which btemple shall be creared in this dgeneration.
5 For verily this generation shall not all apass away until an bhouse shall be built unto the Lord, and a ccloud shall rest upon it, which cloud shall be even the dglory of the Lord, which shall fill the house.
6 aAnd the bsons of Moses, according to the Holy Priesthood which he received under the chand of his father-in-law, dJethro;
7 And Jethro received it under the hand of Caleb;
8 And Caleb received it under the hand of Elihu;
9 And Elihu under the hand of Jeremy;
10 And Jeremy under the hand of Gad;
11 And Gad under the hand of Esaias;
12 And Esaias received it under the hand of God.
13 aEsaias also lived in the days of Abraham, and was blessed of him—
14 Which aAbraham received the priesthood from bMelchizedek, who received it through the lineage of his fathers, even till cNoah;
15 And from Noah till aEnoch, through the lineage of their fathers;
16 And from Enoch to aAbel, who was slain by the bconspiracy of his brother, who creceived the priesthood by the commandments of God, by the hand of his father dAdam, who was the first man—
18 And the Lord confirmed a apriesthood also upon bAaron and his cseed, throughout all their generations, which priesthood also continueth and dabideth forever with the priesthood which is after the holiest order of God.
19 And this greater apriesthood administereth the gospel and holdeth the bkey of the cmysteries of the kingdom, even the key of the dknowledge of God.
21 And without the ordinances thereof, and the aauthority of the priesthood, the power of godliness is bnot manifest unto men in the flesh;
22 For without this no aman can see the face of God, even the Father, and live.
23 Now this aMoses plainly taught to the children of Israel in the wilderness, and sought diligently to bsanctify his people that they might cbehold the face of God;
24 But they ahardened their hearts and could not endure his bpresence; therefore, the Lord in his cwrath, for his danger was kindled against them, swore that they should not eenter into his rest while in the wilderness, which rest is the fulness of his glory.
25 Therefore, he took aMoses out of their midst, and the Holy bPriesthood also;
27 Which agospel is the gospel of brepentance and of cbaptism, and the dremission of sins, and the elaw of fcarnal commandments, which the Lord in his wrath caused to continue with the house of Aaron among the children of Israel until gJohn, whom God raised up, being hfilled with the Holy Ghost from his mother’s womb.
28 For he was baptized while he was yet in his childhood, and was aordained by the angel of God at the time he was beight days old unto this power, to overthrow the kingdom of the Jews, and to cmake straight the way of the Lord before the face of his people, to prepare them for the dcoming of the Lord, in whose hand is given eall power.
29 And again, the aoffices of elder and bishop are necessary bappendages belonging unto the high priesthood.
30 And again, the offices of ateacher and deacon are necessary appendages belonging to the lesser priesthood, which priesthood was confirmed upon bAaron and his sons.
31 Therefore, as I said aconcerning the sons of Moses—for the sons of Moses and also the sons of Aaron shall offer an acceptable boffering and sacrifice in the house of the Lord, which house shall be built unto the Lord in this generation, upon the consecrated cspot as I have appointed—
32 And the sons of Moses and of Aaron shall be filled with the aglory of the Lord, upon bMount Zion in the Lord’s house, whose sons are ye; and also many whom I have called and sent forth to build up my cchurch.
38 And he that receiveth my Father receiveth my Father’s akingdom; therefore ball that my Father hath shall be given unto him.
39 And this is according to the aoath and covenant which belongeth to the priesthood.
40 Therefore, all those who receive the apriesthood, receive this boath and covenant of my Father, which he cannot break, neither can it be moved.
41 But whoso breaketh this acovenant after he hath received it, and altogether turneth therefrom, shall bnot have forgiveness of sins in this world nor in the world to come.
42 And wo unto all those who come not unto this priesthood which ye have received, which I now confirm upon you who are present this day, by mine own voice out of the heavens; and even I have given the heavenly hosts and mine angels acharge concerning you.
43 And I now give unto you a commandment to beware concerning yourselves, to give adiligentbheed to the words of eternal life.
44 For you shall alive by every word that proceedeth forth from the mouth of God.
45 For the aword of the Lord is truth, and whatsoever is truth is blight, and whatsoever is light is cSpirit, even the Spirit of Jesus Christ.
46 And the aSpirit giveth blight to cevery man that cometh into the world; and the Spirit enlighteneth every man through the world, that hearkeneth to the voice of the Spirit.
47 And every one that hearkeneth to the voice of the Spirit acometh unto God, even the Father.
48 And the Father ateacheth him of the covenant which he has brenewed and confirmed upon you, which is confirmed upon you for your sakes, and not for your sakes only, but for the sake of the cwhole world.
49 And the whole aworld lieth in sin, and groaneth under bdarkness and under the cbondage of sin.
50 And by this you may know they are under the abondage of sin, because they come not unto me.
51 For whoso cometh not unto me is under the abondage of sin.
52 And whoso receiveth not my voice is not acquainted with amy voice, and is not of me.
53 And by this you may know the righteous from the wicked, and that the whole aworldbgroaneth under sin and darkness even now.
54 And your aminds in times past have been bdarkened because of cunbelief, and because you have treated dlightly the things you have received—
55 Which avanity and unbelief have brought the whole church under condemnation.
56 And this condemnation resteth upon the children of aZion, even all.
57 And they shall remain under this condemnation until they repent and remember the new acovenant, even the bBook of Mormon and the cformer commandments which I have given them, not only to say, but to ddo according to that which I have written—
58 That they may bring forth afruit meet for their Father’s kingdom; otherwise there remaineth a bscourge and judgment to be poured out upon the children of Zion.
59 For shall the children of the kingdom apollute my holy land? Verily, I say unto you, Nay.
60 Verily, verily, I say unto you who now hear my awords, which are my voice, blessed are ye inasmuch as you receive these things;
61 For I will aforgive you of your sins with this commandment—that you remain bsteadfast in your minds in csolemnity and the spirit of prayer, in bearing dtestimony to all the world of those things which are communicated unto you.
62 Therefore, ago ye into all the world; and unto whatsoever place ye cannot go ye shall send, that the testimony may go from you into all the world unto every creature.
63 And as I said unto mine apostles, even so I say unto you, for you are mine aapostles, even God’s high priests; ye are they whom my Father hath bgiven me; ye are my cfriends;
64 Therefore, as I said unto mine apostles I say unto you again, that every asoul who bbelieveth on your words, and is baptized by water for the cremission of sins, shall dreceive the Holy Ghost.
65 And these asigns shall follow them that believe—
66 In my name they shall do many wonderful aworks;
69 In my name they shall aopen the eyes of the blind, and unstop the ears of the deaf;
70 And the tongue of the dumb shall speak;
71 And if any man shall administer apoison unto them it shall not hurt them;
72 And the apoison of a serpent shall not have power to harm them.
73 But a commandment I give unto them, that they shall not aboast themselves of these things, neither speak them before the world; for these things are given unto you for your profit and for salvation.
74 Verily, verily, I say unto you, they who believe not on your words, and are not abaptized in water in my name, for the bremission of their sins, that they may receive the Holy Ghost, shall be cdamned, and shall not come into my Father’s kingdom where my Father and I am.
75 And this revelation unto you, and commandment, is in force from this very hour upon all the aworld, and the gospel is unto all who have not received it.
76 But, verily I say unto all those to whom the kingdom has been given—from you it amust be bpreached unto them, that they shall repent of their former evil works; for they are to be upbraided for their evil chearts of unbelief, and your brethren in Zion for their drebellion against you at the time I sent you.
77 And again I say unto you, my friends, for from henceforth I shall call you afriends, it is expedient that I give unto you this commandment, that ye become even as my friends in days when I was with them, traveling to preach the gospel in my power;
78 For I suffered them not to have apurse or scrip, neither two coats.
79 Behold, I asend you out to bprove the world, and the laborer is worthy of his chire.
80 And any man that shall go and preach this agospel of the kingdom, and fail not to continue bfaithful in all things, shall not be weary in mind, neither darkened, neither in body, limb, nor joint; and a chair of his head shall not fall to the ground unnoticed. And they shall not go hungry, neither athirst.
81 Therefore, take ye no athought for the morrow, for what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, or wherewithal ye shall be clothed.
82 For, aconsider the blilies of the field, how they grow, they toil not, neither do they spin; and the kingdoms of the world, in all their glory, are not arrayed like one of these.
83 For your aFather, who is in heaven, bknoweth that you have need of all these things.
84 Therefore, let the morrow take athought for the things of itself.
85 Neither take ye thought beforehand awhat ye shall say; but btreasure up in your minds continually the words of life, and it shall be cgiven you in the very hour that portion that shall be meted unto every man.
86 Therefore, let no man among you, for this commandment is unto all the afaithful who are called of God in the church unto the ministry, from this hour take purse or scrip, that goeth forth to proclaim this gospel of the kingdom.
87 Behold, I send you out to areprove the world of all their unrighteous deeds, and to teach them of a judgment which is to come.
88 And whoso areceiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go bbefore your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my cSpirit shall be in your hearts, and mine dangels round about you, to bear you up.
89 Whoso receiveth you receiveth me; and the same will feed you, and clothe you, and give you money.
90 And he who feeds you, or clothes you, or gives you money, shall in nowise alose his reward.
91 And he that doeth not these things is not my disciple; by this you may know amy disciples.
92 He that receiveth you not, go away from him alone by yourselves, and acleanse your feet even with water, pure water, whether in heat or in cold, and bear testimony of it unto your Father which is in heaven, and return not again unto that man.
93 And in whatsoever village or city ye enter, do likewise.
94 Nevertheless, search diligently and spare not; and wo unto that house, or that village or city that rejecteth you, or your words, or your testimony concerning me.
95 Wo, I say again, unto that house, or that village or city that rejecteth you, or your words, or your testimony of me;
97 And aplagues shall go forth, and they shall not be taken from the earth until I have completed my work, which shall be cut bshort in righteousness—
98 Until all shall aknow me, who remain, even from the least unto the greatest, and shall be filled with the knowledge of the Lord, and shall bsee eye to eye, and shall lift up their voice, and with the voice together csing this new song, saying:
99The Lord hath brought again Zion;The Lord hath aredeemed his people, bIsrael,According to the celection of dgrace,Which was brought to pass by the faithAnd ecovenant of their fathers.
100The Lord hath redeemed his people;And Satan is abound and btime is no longer.The Lord hath gathered all things in cone.The Lord hath brought down dZion from above.The Lord hath ebrought up Zion from beneath.
101The aearth hath travailed and bbrought forth her strength;And truth is established in her bowels;And the heavens have smiled upon her;And she is clothed with the cglory of her God;For he dstands in the midst of his epeople.
102Glory, and honor, and power, and might,Be ascribed to our God; for he is full of amercy,Justice, grace and truth, and bpeace,Forever and ever, Amen.
103 And again, verily, verily, I say unto you, it is expedient that every man who goes forth to proclaim mine everlasting gospel, that inasmuch as they have afamilies, and receive bmoney by gift, that they should send it unto them or make use of it for their benefit, as the Lord shall direct them, for thus it seemeth me good.
104 And let all those who have not families, who receive amoney, send it up unto the bishop in Zion, or unto the bishop in Ohio, that it may be consecrated for the bringing forth of the revelations and the printing thereof, and for establishing Zion.
105 And if any man shall give unto any of you a coat, or a suit, take the old and cast it unto the apoor, and go on your way rejoicing.
106 And if any man among you be astrong in the Spirit, let him take with him him that is bweak, that he may be cedified in all dmeekness, that he may become strong also.
107 Therefore, take with you those who are ordained unto the alesser priesthood, and send them bbefore you to make appointments, and to prepare the way, and to fill appointments that you yourselves are not able to fill.
108 Behold, this is the way that mine apostles, in ancient days, built up my church unto me.
109 Therefore, let every man stand in his own aoffice, and blabor in his own calling; and let not the chead say unto the feet it hath no need of the feet; for without the feet how shall the body be able to stand?
110 Also the body hath need of every amember, that all may be bedified together, that the system may be kept perfect.
111 And behold, the ahigh priests should travel, and also the elders, and also the lesser bpriests; but the cdeacons and dteachers should be appointed to ewatch over the church, to be standing ministers unto the church.
112 And the bishop, Newel K. Whitney, also should travel round about and among all the churches, searching after the poor to aadminister to their wants by bhumbling the rich and the proud.
113 He should also employ an aagent to take charge and to do his secular business as he shall direct.
114 Nevertheless, let the bishop go unto the city of New York, also to the city of Albany, and also to the city of Boston, and warn the people of those acities with the sound of the gospel, with a loud voice, of the bdesolation and utter abolishment which await them if they do reject these things.
115 For if they do reject these things the hour of their judgment is nigh, and their house shall be left unto them adesolate.
116 Let him atrust in me and he shall not be bconfounded; and a chair of his head shall not fall to the ground unnoticed.
117 And verily I say unto you, the rest of my servants, go ye forth as your circumstances shall permit, in your several callings, unto the great and notable cities and villages, areproving the world in righteousness of all their unrighteous and ungodly deeds, setting forth clearly and understandingly the desolation of babomination in the last days.
118 For, with you saith the Lord aAlmighty, I will brend their ckingdoms; I will not only dshake the earth, but the estarry heavens shall tremble.
119 For I, the Lord, have put forth my hand to exert the apowers of heaven; ye cannot see it now, yet a blittle while and ye shall see it, and know that I am, and that cI will dcome and reign with my people.
Revelation on the priesthood, given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Kirtland, Ohio, about April 1835. Although this section was recorded in 1835, the historical records affirm that most of verses 60 through 100 incorporate a revelation given through Joseph Smith on November 11, 1831. This section was associated with the organization of the Quorum of the Twelve in February and March 1835. The Prophet likely delivered it in the presence of those who were preparing to depart May 3, 1835, on their first quorum mission.
1–6, There are two priesthoods: the Melchizedek and the Aaronic; 7–12, Those who hold the Melchizedek Priesthood have power to officiate in all offices in the Church; 13–17, The bishopric presides over the Aaronic Priesthood, which administers in outward ordinances; 18–20, The Melchizedek Priesthood holds the keys of all spiritual blessings; the Aaronic Priesthood holds the keys of the ministering of angels; 21–38, The First Presidency, the Twelve, and the Seventy constitute the presiding quorums, whose decisions are to be made in unity and righteousness; 39–52, The patriarchal order is established from Adam to Noah; 53–57, Ancient Saints assembled at Adam-ondi-Ahman, and the Lord appeared to them; 58–67, The Twelve are to set the officers of the Church in order; 68–76, Bishops serve as common judges in Israel; 77–84, The First Presidency and the Twelve constitute the highest court in the Church; 85–100, Priesthood presidents govern their respective quorums.
1 There are, in the church, two apriesthoods, namely, the Melchizedek and bAaronic, including the Levitical Priesthood.
3 Before his day it was called the Holy aPriesthood, after the bOrder of the Son of God.
4 But out of arespect or breverence to the name of the Supreme Being, to avoid the too frequent repetition of his name, they, the church, in ancient days, called that priesthood after Melchizedek, or the Melchizedek Priesthood.
5 All other authorities or offices in the church are aappendages to this priesthood.
6 But there are two divisions or grand heads—one is the Melchizedek Priesthood, and the other is the Aaronic or aLevitical Priesthood.
7 The office of an aelder comes under the priesthood of Melchizedek.
8 The aMelchizedek Priesthood holds the right of presidency, and has power and bauthority over all the offices in the church in all ages of the world, to administer in spiritual things.
9 The aPresidency of the High Priesthood, after the order of Melchizedek, have a right to officiate in all the offices in the church.
10 aHigh priests after the order of the Melchizedek Priesthood have a bright to officiate in their own cstanding, under the direction of the presidency, in administering spiritual things, and also in the office of an elder, dpriest (of the Levitical order), teacher, deacon, and member.
11 An elder has a right to officiate in his stead when the high priest is not present.
12 The high priest and aelder are to administer in spiritual things, agreeable to the covenants and commandments of the church; and they have a right to officiate in all these offices of the church when there are no higher authorities present.
13 The second priesthood is called the aPriesthood of Aaron, because it was conferred upon Aaron and his seed, throughout all their generations.
14 Why it is called the lesser priesthood is because it is an aappendage to the greater, or the Melchizedek Priesthood, and has power in administering outward ordinances.
15 The abishopric is the presidency of this priesthood, and holds the bkeys or authority of the same.
16 No man has a legal right to this office, to hold the keys of this priesthood, except he be a aliteral descendant of bAaron.
17 But as a high priest of the aMelchizedek Priesthood has authority to officiate in all the lesser offices, he may officiate in the office of bbishop when no literal descendant of Aaron can be found, provided he is called and cset apart and ordained unto this power by the hands of the dPresidency of the Melchizedek Priesthood.
18 The power and authority of the higher, or Melchizedek Priesthood, is to hold the akeys of all the spiritual blessings of the church—
19 To have the privilege of receiving the amysteries of the kingdom of heaven, to have the bheavens opened unto them, to commune with the cgeneral assembly and church of the dFirstborn, and to enjoy the communion and epresence of God the Father, and Jesus the fmediator of the new covenant.
20 The apower and authority of the lesser, or bAaronic Priesthood, is to hold the ckeys of the ministering of angels, and to dadminister in outward eordinances, the letter of the gospel, the baptism of repentance for the fremission of sins, agreeable to the covenants and commandments.
21 Of necessity there are presidents, or presiding aofficers growing out of, or appointed of or from among those who are ordained to the several offices in these two priesthoods.
22 Of the aMelchizedek Priesthood, three bPresiding High Priests, chosen by the body, appointed and ordained to that office, and cupheld by the confidence, faith, and prayer of the church, form a quorum of the Presidency of the Church.
23 The atwelve traveling councilors are called to be the Twelve bApostles, or special cwitnesses of the name of Christ in all the world—thus differing from other officers in the church in the duties of their calling.
24 And they form a quorum, aequal in authority and power to the three presidents previously mentioned.
25 The aSeventy are also called to bpreach the gospel, and to be especial witnesses unto the Gentiles and in all the world—thus differing from other officers in the church in the duties of their calling.
26 And they form a quorum, equal in aauthority to that of the Twelve special witnesses or Apostles just named.
27 And every decision made by either of these quorums must be by the aunanimous voice of the same; that is, every member in each quorum must be agreed to its decisions, in order to make their decisions of the same power or validity one with the other—
28 A majority may form a quorum when circumstances render it impossible to be otherwise—
29 Unless this is the case, their decisions are not entitled to the same blessings which the decisions of a quorum of three presidents were anciently, who were ordained after the order of Melchizedek, and were arighteous and holy men.
30 The decisions of these quorums, or either of them, are to be made in all arighteousness, in holiness, and lowliness of heart, meekness and blong-suffering, and in cfaith, and dvirtue, and knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness and charity;
31 Because the promise is, if these things abound in them they shall not be aunfruitful in the knowledge of the Lord.
32 And in case that any decision of these quorums is made in unrighteousness, it may be brought before a general assembly of the several quorums, which constitute the spiritual authorities of the church; otherwise there can be no aappeal from their decision.
33 The aTwelve are a bTraveling Presiding High Council, to officiate in the name of the Lord, under the direction of the Presidency of the Church, agreeable to the institution of heaven; to build up the church, and regulate all the affairs of the same in all nations, first unto the cGentiles and secondly unto the Jews.
34 The aSeventy are to act in the name of the Lord, under the direction of the bTwelve or the traveling high council, in building up the church and regulating all the affairs of the same in all nations, first unto the Gentiles and then to the Jews—
35 The Twelve being asent out, holding the keys, to open the door by the proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and first unto the Gentiles and then unto the Jews.
36 The standing ahigh councils, at the stakes of Zion, form a quorum equal in authority in the affairs of the church, in all their decisions, to the quorum of the presidency, or to the traveling high council.
37 The ahigh council in Zion form a quorum equal in authority in the affairs of the church, in all their decisions, to the councils of the Twelve at the stakes of Zion.
38 It is the duty of the traveling high council to call upon the aSeventy, when they need assistance, to fill the several calls for preaching and administering the gospel, instead of any others.
39 It is the duty of the aTwelve, in all large branches of the church, to ordain bevangelical ministers, as they shall be designated unto them by revelation—
40 The order of this priesthood was confirmed to be handed down from father to son, and rightly belongs to the literal descendants of the chosen seed, to whom the promises were made.
41 This aorder was instituted in the days of bAdam, and came down by clineage in the following manner:
42 From Adam to aSeth, who was bordained by Adam at the age of sixty-nine years, and was blessed by him three years previous to his (Adam’s) death, and received the promise of God by his father, that his posterity should be the chosen of the Lord, and that they should be cpreserved unto the end of the earth;
43 Because he (Seth) was a aperfect man, and his blikeness was the express likeness of his father, insomuch that he seemed to be like unto his father in all things, and could be distinguished from him only by his age.
44 Enos was ordained at the age of one hundred and thirty-four years and four months, by the hand of Adam.
45 God called upon Cainan in the wilderness in the fortieth year of his age; and he met Adam in journeying to the place Shedolamak. He was eighty-seven years old when he received his ordination.
46 Mahalaleel was four hundred and ninety-six years and seven days old when he was ordained by the hand of Adam, who also blessed him.
47 Jared was two hundred years old when he was ordained under the hand of Adam, who also blessed him.
48 aEnoch was twenty-five years old when he was ordained under the hand of Adam; and he was sixty-five and Adam blessed him.
49 And he asaw the Lord, and he walked with him, and was before his face continually; and he bwalked with God three hundred and sixty-five years, making him four hundred and thirty years old when he was translated.
50 Methuselah was one hundred years old when he was ordained under the hand of Adam.
51 Lamech was thirty-two years old when he was ordained under the hand of Seth.
52 Noah was ten years old when he was aordained under the hand of Methuselah.
53 Three years previous to the death of Adam, he called Seth, Enos, Cainan, Mahalaleel, Jared, Enoch, and Methuselah, who were all ahigh priests, with the residue of his posterity who were righteous, into the valley of bAdam-ondi-Ahman, and there bestowed upon them his last blessing.
54 And the Lord appeared unto them, and they rose up and blessed aAdam, and called him Michael, the prince, the archangel.
55 And the Lord administered comfort unto Adam, and said unto him: I have set thee to be at the head; a multitude of nations shall come of thee, and thou art a aprince over them forever.
56 And Adam stood up in the midst of the congregation; and, notwithstanding he was bowed down with age, being full of the Holy Ghost, apredicted whatsoever should befall his posterity unto the latest generation.
57 These things were all written in the book of aEnoch, and are to be testified of in due time.
58 It is the duty of the aTwelve, also, to bordain and set in order all the other officers of the church, agreeable to the revelation which says:
59 To the church of Christ in the land of Zion, in addition to the church alaws respecting church business—
60 Verily, I say unto you, saith the Lord of Hosts, there must needs be apresiding elders to preside over those who are of the office of an elder;
61 And also apriests to preside over those who are of the office of a priest;
62 And also teachers to preside over those who are of the office of a teacher, in like manner, and also the adeacons—
63 Wherefore, from deacon to teacher, and from teacher to priest, and from priest to elder, severally as they are appointed, according to the covenants and commandments of the church.
64 Then comes the High Priesthood, which is the greatest of all.
65 Wherefore, it must needs be that one be appointed of the aHigh Priesthood to preside over the priesthood, and he shall be called President of the High Priesthood of the Church;
66 Or, in other words, the aPresiding High Priest over the High Priesthood of the Church.
67 From the same comes the administering of ordinances and blessings upon the church, by the alaying on of the hands.
68 Wherefore, the office of a bishop is not equal unto it; for the office of a abishop is in administering all btemporal things;
70 For unless he is a aliteral descendant of Aaron he cannot hold the keys of that priesthood.
71 Nevertheless, a high priest, that is, after the order of Melchizedek, may be set apart unto the ministering of temporal things, having a aknowledge of them by the Spirit of truth;
72 And also to be a ajudge in Israel, to do the business of the church, to sit in bjudgment upon transgressors upon testimony as it shall be laid before him according to the laws, by the assistance of his ccounselors, whom he has chosen or will choose among the elders of the church.
73 This is the duty of a bishop who is not a literal descendant of Aaron, but has been ordained to the High Priesthood after the order of Melchizedek.
74 Thus shall he be a ajudge, even a common judge among the inhabitants of Zion, or in a stake of Zion, or in any branch of the church where he shall be bset apart unto this ministry, until the borders of Zion are enlarged and it becomes necessary to have other bishops or judges in Zion or elsewhere.
75 And inasmuch as there are other bishops appointed they shall act in the same office.
76 But a literal descendant of Aaron has a legal right to the presidency of this priesthood, to the akeys of this ministry, to act in the office of bishop independently, without counselors, except in a case where a President of the High Priesthood, after the order of Melchizedek, is tried, to sit as a judge in Israel.
77 And the decision of either of these councils, agreeable to the commandment which says:
78 Again, verily, I say unto you, the most important business of the church, and the most adifficult cases of the church, inasmuch as there is not satisfaction upon the decision of the bishop or judges, it shall be handed over and carried up unto the council of the church, before the bPresidency of the High Priesthood.
79 And the Presidency of the council of the High Priesthood shall have power to call other high priests, even twelve, to assist as counselors; and thus the Presidency of the High Priesthood and its counselors shall have power to decide upon testimony according to the laws of the church.
80 And after this decision it shall be had in remembrance no more before the Lord; for this is the highest council of the church of God, and a final decision upon controversies in spiritual matters.
81 There is not any person belonging to the church who is exempt from this council of the church.
82 And inasmuch as a President of the High Priesthood shall transgress, he shall be had in remembrance before the acommon council of the church, who shall be assisted by twelve counselors of the High Priesthood;
83 And their decision upon his head shall be an end of controversy concerning him.
84 Thus, none shall be exempted from the ajustice and the blaws of God, that all things may be done in corder and in solemnity before him, according to truth and righteousness.
85 And again, verily I say unto you, the duty of a president over the office of a adeacon is to preside over twelve deacons, to sit in council with them, and to bteach them their duty, cedifying one another, as it is given according to the covenants.
86 And also the duty of the president over the office of the ateachers is to preside over twenty-four of the teachers, and to sit in council with them, teaching them the duties of their office, as given in the covenants.
87 Also the duty of the president over the Priesthood of Aaron is to preside over forty-eight apriests, and sit in council with them, to teach them the duties of their office, as is given in the covenants—
88 This president is to be a abishop; for this is one of the duties of this priesthood.
89 Again, the duty of the president over the office of aelders is to preside over ninety-six elders, and to sit in council with them, and to teach them according to the covenants.
90 This presidency is a distinct one from that of the seventy, and is designed for those who do not atravel into all the world.
91 And again, the duty of the President of the office of the High Priesthood is to apreside over the whole church, and to be like unto bMoses—
92 Behold, here is wisdom; yea, to be a aseer, a brevelator, a translator, and a cprophet, having all the dgifts of God which he bestows upon the head of the church.
93 And it is according to the vision showing the order of the aSeventy, that they should have seven presidents to preside over them, chosen out of the number of the seventy;
94 And the seventh president of these presidents is to preside over the six;
95 And these seven presidents are to choose other seventy besides the first seventy to whom they belong, and are to preside over them;
96 And also other seventy, until seven times seventy, if the labor in the vineyard of necessity requires it.
97 And these aseventy are to be btraveling ministers, unto the Gentiles first and also unto the Jews.
98 Whereas other officers of the church, who belong not unto the Twelve, neither to the Seventy, are not under the responsibility to travel among all nations, but are to travel as their circumstances shall allow, notwithstanding they may hold as high and responsible offices in the church.
99 Wherefore, now let every man learn his aduty, and to act in the office in which he is appointed, in all bdiligence.
100 He that is aslothful shall not be counted bworthy to stand, and he that learns not his duty and shows himself not approved shall not be counted worthy to stand. Even so. Amen.
“I can see more clearly now that God’s priesthood has no end and that it has the power to bless all generations of humanity,” she said. “This new insight helps me as I reflect on how I can be part of making that promise a reality in my life and in the life of people in my sphere of influence.”
Understanding priesthood power
In many ways, covenant women and men in the Church are already drawing upon the power with which they have been endowed, Sister Aburto said. They are probably using it in ways they don’t even realize.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has progressed over nearly 200 years in part because of the women and men who have accessed that power to share the gospel throughout the world and connect families for eternity. However, Sister Aburto said, by being more conscious of that power and what it means, “we would be able to draw upon it even more.”
The Church and its members are receiving more revelation regarding priesthood power because “the Lord is accelerating His work on this earth and He needs all of us to truly understand that we are His ‘covenant people’ and that through our covenants and our faithfulness we can ‘be armed with righteousness and with the power of God’” (1 Nephi 14:14), she said.
Sister Jean Barrus Bingham, general president of the Relief Society, reads scriptures in her office in the Relief Society Building in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2020.Credit: Laura Seitz, Deseret News
Women will receive more vision and purpose in their personal lives, as ministering sisters, and as leaders in the Church when they follow the prophet’s invitation, Sister Aburto promised.
The women of the Church don’t need to wait, Sister Eubank added. They can act now, they can seek for God to bless their homes, the people in them and others within their spheres of influence.
In a concluding thought, President Bingham said, “When, as women, we come to truly understand the privileges and power we have because of the priesthood, we will rejoice.”
One aspect of that perfect love is our Heavenly Father’s involvement in the details of our lives, even when we may not be aware of it or understand it. We seek the Father’s divine guidance and help through heartfelt, earnest prayer. When we honor our covenants and strive to be more like our Savior, we are entitled to a constant2 stream of divine guidance through the influence and inspiration of the Holy Ghost. — Elder Brook P. Hales
For Times of Trouble 