5/4/2017 - Section 21:3-12

May 4, 2017

D&C 21:3-12

Prophet Listen Carefully, General Conference, Gates of Hell, Blessings of Working in the Church, Missionary Blessings, Protection In the Lord, Ways of the Lord, Obedience, Service, Testimony,

This revelation was given to Joseph Smith AND to the members of the Church. V’s 4 & 5 are included in this revelation and, thus, are given to Joseph AND to the members of the Church—probably very important for both Joseph & for us.

President Harold B Lee said, in the Oct 1970 Gen Conf that was important in 1830, in 1970, and maybe even more critical today. In his address, “Let’s keep our eye on the President of the Church”, after referring to D&C 21:4-5, he continued: “…Your safety and ours depends upon whether or not we follow the ones whom the Lord has placed to preside over his church, and he will make no mistake. The Lord doesn’t do things by accident…” Earlier in this same conference talk, he said: “…We must learn to give heed to the words and commandments that the Lord shall give through the prophet/as he receiveth them, walking in all holiness before me;…as if from mine own mouth, in all patience and faith.’ (D&C 21:4-5) There will be some things that take patience and faith. You may not like what comes from the authority of the Church. It may contradict your political views. It may contradict your social views. It may interfere with some of your social life.”

Elder Delbert L Stapley in speaking of the Lord’s living prophet: “I bear witness to you, my brothers and sisters, that God sustains [the living prophet], and no one else in the world today but him, because he has the holy calling of prophet, seer, and revelator, representing the Lord upon the earth in our time. He only has the holy calling of prophet, seer, and revelator, representing the Lord upon the earth in our time. He only has the right to revelation for the people of the Church, and if all people would understand that, they would not be tossed about by those who would seek to divert their minds from the Church and its glorious principles….They will be fortified against false teachers and anti-Christs, and we do have them among us .” (Oct 1953 Gen Conf)

Again from Harold B Lee, this time from an address to CES July 8, 1964) “We are not dependent only upon the revelations given in the past as contained in our standard works—as wonderful as they are….We have a mouthpiece to whom God does and is revealing his mind and will. God will never permit him to lead us astray. As has been said, God would remove us out of our place if we should attempt to do it. You have no concern. Let the management and government of God, then, be with the Lord. Do not try to find fault with the management and affairs that pertain to him alone and by revelation through his prophet—his living prophet, his seer, and is revelator.” (The Place of the Living Prophet)

This makes me want to re-read and re-listen—with keener eyes and more intense concentration-- to conference talks from our prophets. Their counsel is serious. And our willingness to follow that counsel could change the course of our lives here on here, as well as in the eternities. I don’t intend to follow blindly—I don’t have to—for I also have the gift of personal revelation. I know that I can take those things I don’t understand to the Lord, and through prayerful study, and pondering, I will be blessed to literally understand—and in some cases—feel ‘the truth of all things’.

The following verse, v 6, contains the words that were repeated to my mother as she first studied the Book of Mormon. “For by doing these things the gates of hell shall not prevail against you; yea, and the Lord God will disperse the powers of darkness from before you and cause the heavens to shake for your good, and his name’s glory.”

P 45 gives Elder Bruce R McConkie explanation of the phrase spoken to my mother: “The gates of hell are the entrances to the benighted realms of the damned where the wicked go to await the day when they shall come forth in the resurrection of damnation. Those beckoning gates prevail against all who pass through them. But those who obey the laws and ordinances of the gospel have the promise that the gates of hell shall not prevail against them.” (Doctrinal New Testament Commentary 1:388-89)

V 9 is a beautiful promise to all who work for the Lord….I almost said ‘sacrifice to do work for the Lord’, but after reading v 9, it is certainly no sacrifice for we are paid an amazing payment for what we do: “For, behold, I will bless all those who labor in my vineyard with a mighty blessing and they shall believe on his [Joseph Smith] words, which are given him through me by the Comforter…” Could our testimony be that blessing? For our testimony will most certainly keep us within the Lord’s truth, love, protection and guidance in His ways….and since it is He who created the world, then His paths & ways are the very best ways.