8/9/2017 - Section 60:1-27

August 9, 2017

Section 60:1-17

Open Your Mouth, Missionary Use of Time, Spiritual Growth, Missionaries Show Love, Concern & Care, Go Forward in Faith and Confidence,

In v’s 1-3 the Lord speaks to the 28 missionaries who have completed the mission they had been called to in June 1831 and who are now ready to return home. The Lord is happy with the service of many of them, but there are those few who “will not open their mouths, but they hide the talent which I have given unto them, because of the fear of man…” (v 2). President Joseph Fielding Smith comments on this verse are recorded in Church History and Modern Revelation 1:220-21: … “…There are many who have been sent forth who have had a fear of man, yet the Lord has promised to support them in the labors if they will trust in him.” Spiritual growth almost always requires faithful steps into a new path for us, where we go forward with confidence that the Lord will help us as we struggle to do our very best, and to work—accompanying that work with our prayers and faith-- on those things that are so very difficult for us.

V 5 answers the question the elders had of the Lord, which was “how they should proceed, and by what route and manner they should travel”. Couldn’t this be much like our ‘ where shall we go today and what message would be best to present’? In this case, the Lord first said what He was happy with, and then pointed out problems that some of them were struggling with, and then He answered their question: “But verily, I will speak unto you concerning your journey unto the land from whence you came. Let there be a craft made, or bought, as seemeth you good, it mattereth not unto me, and take your journey speedily….” Sometimes when the Lord gives us a task, he wants us to handle it in the manner in which we feel is best. The important thing is to accomplish the task we have been given by Him.

In v 7 He is speaking to the missionaries and telling them to “declare my word with loud voices, without wrath or doubting…For I am able to make you holy, and your sins are forgiven you.” Once again, go forward in faith, and with confidence in the Lord. Our efforts to serve Him will bring blessing to us and to our families.

In v 13 & 14 He continues to instruct missionaries: “Thou shalt not idle away they time, neither shalt thou bury thy talent that it may not be know….proclaiming my word…not in haste, neither in wrath nor with strife.” (Mat 25:14-30 – parable of the talents-also speaks to this) We are called as missionaries for a relatively short period of our entire lives. Let us make the best use of our time and efforts as possible. Ours is a message of hope, and joy. Not everyone will recognize it, but we should teach through our words, our actions, and our sincere feelings of love for all men. Again, from President Joseph Fielding Smith: “The elders were to seek out from among the people the honest in heart and leave their warning testimony with all others….”

6/2/2021 – Section 60

It was the very next day (Aug 8, 1831) that this revelation was given. Those who had been asked to leave Ohio and travel to Missouri, preaching along the way and continuing to do the same once they were in Missouri. It was now time for them to return to their families in Ohio. They came to Joseph asking what route and manner of travel they should take.

In v’s 1-3 the Lord tells them to “return speedily” to Ohio, as they have done their work. But then He teaches them an important lesson. He told them He had seen two types of missions: The ones who pleased Him did exactly as he had requested them to do, but there were others who came all that way, but they were hesitant or fearful for “they will not open their mouths, but they hide the talent which I have given unto them, because of the fear of man.” It is in v 3 that He explains how we grow spiritually: “…If they are not more faithful unto me, it shall be taken away, even that which they have.” I am reminded that I cannot simply sit back, happy that I have a strong testimony. Instead, there are many things I can do to GROW that testimony. I can read the scriptures daily, and try to liken them unto myself. I can keep in close contact with Heavenly Father through my daily prayers—that should include some quiet moments of time for me to listen to any heavenly advice that the Lord may have in answer to those prayers. I can work to grow in charity by reaching out to those around me, and by seeing the good in people and not looking for their weaknesses.

In v 5 the Lord answers all of these men: the ones who have done what He asked, and the ones who fell a bit short of what He had asked. He tells them all to get “a craft made, or bought, as. Seemeth you good, it mattereth not unto me, and take your journey speedily for the place which is called St Louis.”  There are times when we merely need to complete the task we have been given in the manner we think is best.”

Once they arrive in St Louis, they are to do missionary work again without fear or anger or doubt, and the Lord’s gift to them is that “I am able to make you holy, and your sins are forgiven you.” (v 7) I love it that He tells those who have not done well with the task they were given, and that He then makes sure they know they have not done their best, and then He gives them another chance to grow spiritually.

In v’s 13-14 the Lord explains just HOW they should work: “Thou shalt not idle away thy time, neither shalt thou bury thy talent that it may not be known”…and they should not work “in haste, neither in wrath nor with strife.”  What a helpful explanation of how we should handle our callings. To me this is a more direct message than Christ gave when He gave us the parable of the talents when He was on the earth.

Elder M. Russell Ballard spoke of some of the ways we idle away our time and the dangers of doing so:

“One of the ways Satan lessens your effectiveness and weakens your spiritual strength is by encouraging you to spend large blocks of your time doing things that matter very little. I speak of such things as sitting for hours on end watching television or videos, playing video games night in and night out, surfing the Internet, or devoting huge blocks of time to sports, games, or other recreational activities.  Don’t misunderstand me. … Games, sports, recreational activities, and even television can be relaxing and rejuvenating, especially in times when you are under stress or heavily scheduled. You need activities that help you to unwind and rest your minds. …

“But I speak of letting things get out of balance. …One devastating effect of idling away our time is that it deflects us from focusing on the things that matter most. Too many people are willing to sit back and let life just happen to them. It takes time to develop the attributes that will help you to be a well-balanced person. …

“… So focus the best that you can on those things in life that will lead you back to the presence of God—keeping all things in their proper balance” (“Be Strong in the Lord,” Ensign, July 2004, 13–14).

BALANCE is the important word. Idle time has done wonders in bringing Bob and me closer to one another. But if we only have idle time, we lose the time we need for growth, for learning, for helping others, for organizing ourselves in a way that will help us instead of hindering us.   BALANCE is so important—it keeps us from falling.