2/26/2018 - Section 88:1-5

February 26, 2018

Section 88:1-5

Desires of our Hearts, Holy Ghost, Peace Spiritual Peace, Service, Growth, Spiritual Growth,

This section was given during a 2-day conference in Kirtland where Joseph and 9 high priests had gathered to know what the Church should do “in view of the critical times that have been predicted.” Joseph referred to this section as “…the ‘Olive Leaf’ which we have plucked from the Tree of Paradise, the Lord’s message of peace to us”

In V’s 1-5 Christ tells them that by “assembling yourselves together to receive his will concerning you: Behold this is pleasing unto your Lord, and the angels rejoice over you; the alms of your prayers have come up into the ears of the Lord…” The Lord waits for us to come unto Him. He notes our righteous desires and actions. It is by continuing with those desires and actions that we really do receive the Olive Leaf. I know that I have felt His comfort settle over my mind and body—it is a gift I ask for, and a gift I take notice of and express my gratitude for. It is a gift that may not change my life directly, but it changes the way I deal with life’s daily surprises. Spiritual peace fosters deep comfort. And comfort—even in the midst of stressful times—affords me a view outside myself, it allows me to get past myself and think of others, it allows me to serve gladly, it allows me to grow without so many growing pains.

8/9/2021 – D&C 88:1-31

A quote from President Nelson from the Oct 2018 General Conference: “I promise that as you diligently work to remodel your home into a center of gospel learning ,…the influence of the adversary in your life and in your home will decrease.”  Possibly this is what the Lord had in mind as He revealed section 88 to Joseph, who referred to it as “the Lord’s message of peace to us”. It was given to Joseph during a conference of priesthood leaders in the upper room of the Whitney store after they had prayed to know the Lord’s will concerning the establishment of Zion.

I love the way the D&C describes the different parts revelation. 

“1-5: Faithful saints receive that Comforter which is the promise of eternal life”

Before this revelation, Joseph explained that in order for the revelation to be received, each person in the group should exercise faith in God and be of one heart and mind. He invited each person to take a turn praying aloud to know the Lord’s will. V 2: “Behold, this is pleasing unto your Lord, and the angels rejoice over you; the alms of your prayers have come up into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth, and are recorded in the book of names of the sanctified, even them of the celestial world.” To me this means that our righteous desires and actions are known to the Lord and are noted. The Lord’s response to the pleadings of the leaders of the Church, was to promise them the companionship of the Comforter “that it may abide in your hearts”.

6-13: “All things are controlled and governed by the light of Christ”

V 6 speaks of Christ and His light: “He that ascended up on high, as also he descended below all things, in that he comprehendeth all things that he might be in all and through all things, the light of truth. 

And then in v 11 explains that the Holy Ghost is “the light which shineth” and it is through the Holy Ghost that  1) we are enlightened and that 2) our understanding is quickened.  

14-16: “The resurrection comes through the redemption”

These are words I don’t usually use, but I know that Christ was the first person to be resurrected. And I know that the resurrection is the reuniting of our body with our spirit after our mortal death.

17-31: “Obedience to celestial, terrestrial, or telestial law prepares men for those respective kingdoms and glories”

V 19 speaks of what happens after our resurrection, telling us that our reunited body and spirit “shall be crowned with glory, even with the presence of God the Father.” And then the Lord goes on to describe how the heavens are organized as the celestial kingdom, the terrestrial kingdom, and the telestial kingdom, and that we will go to the specific kingdom which we “can abide”. 

V 21 tells us that we are sanctified (made holy…which I always think of us made better) by our following the “law of Christ”.  And then v 25 tells us that the earth, also, will be sanctified, and will become the place of the celestial kingdom of God. He continues to tell us the terrestrial kingdom, and the telestial kingdom. All kingdoms will be a place of glory in which all will be ‘quickened’ to abide there and to receive ‘a fullness’.

It must be difficult for the Lord to describe these places of glory that we, in our mortal lives, cannot imagine. But I believe that when the veil is lifted from our minds, that we will understand all that we understood before we had our journey on earth. It is from the scriptures and from the power of the Holy Ghost that we get intimations of what is to come, and those intimations prompt us to shift our ways of living closer and closer to the way our Father taught us in the heavens prior to our earthly journey. 

While it is hard for me to imagine the things that are currently hidden from my mind by that veil, I have felt enough of the sweetness of the Holy Ghost, and the amazing comfort of prayer, that I am happy to continue in my efforts follow His scriptures ever more closely.