Lynne's Scripture Journal D&C

June 27, 2017 Section 46:11-33 Spiritual Gifts, Holy Ghost, Missionary Gifts, Wisdom, Knowledge, Testimony, Discernment of Spirit, Gift of Tongues, Section 46 is one of the places I look when I want to know about spiritual gifts. P 100 has a great quote from Elder Orson Pratt: “ whenever the Holy Ghost takes up its residence in a person, it not only cleanses, sanctifies, and purifies him, in proportion as he yields himself to its influence, but also imparts to him some gift, intended for the benefit of himself and others. No one who has been born of the spirit, and who remains sufficiently faithful, is left destitute of a spiritual gift….for all Saints who constitute the Church of Christ, are baptized into the same Spirit; and each one, without any exception, is made a partaker of some spiritual gift….Each member does not receive all these gifts; but they are distributed through the whole body [of the Church], according to the will and wisdom of the Spirit….Some may have all t...

June 26, 2017 Section 46:1-10 Spiritual Gifts How To, Journal Personal, The historical background given in the student manual is quite interesting. John Whitmer records in his history that ‘ in the beginning of the Church, while yet in her infancy, the disciples used to exclude unbelievers which caused some to marvel and converse of this matter because of the things written in the Book of Mormon (3 Nephi 18:22-24). Therefore, the Lord deigned to speak on this subject, that his people might come to an understanding, and he said that he had always given to his elders to conduct all meetings as led by the Spirit.’   After the Lord gave this revelation this practice of forbidding non-members (I can see how a non-member intent on causing trouble might have started this practice) to attend the sacrament services ceased. Hopefully, the spirit of that meeting will calm agitated hearts. Along with giving guidelines for conducting Church services, the Lord also gives instructions as...

June 25, 2017 Section 45:57-75 Last Days, Second Coming, Lord’s Promises, After describing the tumultuous times that will precede and accompany the second coming, Christ gives His assurance in v’s 57-59: “ For they that are wise and have received the truth, and have taken the Holy Spirit for their guide, and have not been deceived—verily [truly] I say unto you, they shall… abide the day….and they shall multiply and wax strong, and their children shall grow up without sin unto salvation.    For the Lord shall be in their midst, and his glory shall be upon them, and he will be their king and their lawgiver. ” While I have prayed to be able to do well my part in preparing the world for Christ’s second coming, I believe I have always quietly hoped to be ‘safely dead’ by that time. And yet this beautiful promise of the Lord of having our children wax strong and grow up unto salvation—makes me wish my time on earth might have been a little later than it was—but that – for m...