1/26/2018 - Section 78:9-16

January 26, 2018

Section 78: 9-16

Councils, Unity of the Saints, Satan’s Tactics, Spiritual Growth, United Order,    

In v 8 the Lord instructs Newell Whitney, Joseph Smith & Sidney Rigdon to sit in council with the saints, and then in v 10 He tells them why: “Otherwise Satan seeketh to turn their hearts away from the truth, that they become blinded and understand not the things which are prepared for them.” This is pertinent to us at all time, and I find it especially here as we are working with both senior and junior missionaries from vastly different backgrounds and different viewpoints—but that really isn’t that different from every ward we’ve ever been in—it just seems to more evident here because we go to church with them, as well as working with them every day and into the evening, as well as living in the same high rise apartment building—and until we get our car—we spend hours crammed together in the Philippine traffic as we go to and from the Mission Office, and the government offices, and the bill paying sites, and grocery stores—where everyone shops at a different pace. Bob and I spoke of this in our early morning (3 AM….I’ll be glad when jet lag is no longer a part of our life) talks in bed. Part of our solution was to work harder to show not just an elimination of internal eye-rolling, and not just an acceptance of the different patterns of action and thought, but to show forth an increase of love for each person individually. For we are all trying our best to contribute, we just do it in different ways. If we establish our ‘council’ times, and if we go to them in a humble, loving manner—ready to serve in our callings with gentle ‘love unfeigned’ for all—then we will begin to see a subtle, but powerful, change. Everyone here is devoted to being here, and everyone wants to do their work correctly and completely. The answer is to simply do it in an atmosphere of love, concern, support, caring, & humility. The Spirit is delicate & can only stay in an atmosphere such as this. Thus it is to Lucifer’s great advantage to disrupt—in any way possible-- the atmosphere the Spirit requires.

V 13 further clarifies that there are several different reasons for the United Order. It is not only to make sure there is no suffering due to need or righteous want, but it is also “the preparation wherewith I prepare you, and the foundation, and the ensample which I give unto you, whereby you may accomplish the commandments which are given you” (and then in v 15) He adds that it is that we may “come up unto the crown prepared for you” in His kingdom. That makes our little plan-- for contributing to peaceful resolutions of viewpoints and love aid given to one another—a plan that can take us much deeper and higher than a level of simply ‘getting along with one another’.  The little plan Bob and I have come up with is not just a good goal, but just may be an essential part of our spiritual development!