4/23/2018 0 Section 92:1-2

April 23, 2018

Section 92:1-2

United Order, Order of Enoch, Lively Members, Peace, Comfort, Sorrow, Trials, Growth,

If I understand the timing here, this section was given 1 year and 1 month after section 82. In that section, the saints were trying to live the United Order, but there were those who did not comply and lived selfishly among the saints. But in verses 11-12 of section 82, the leaders had been commanded to live the Order of Enoch and be examples to the rest of the saints on how to live the law of consecration. Those leaders were Joseph Smith, Oliver Cowdery, Martin Harries, Sidney Rigdon, Newel K Whitney and a few others. There were to unite their temporal interests under the rule of the Order of Enoch. Now, in Section 92 Frederick G. Williams—who is now one of the 2 counselors to Joseph Smith is being commanded to join the Order of Enoch. The Lord says to him: “…you shall be a lively member in the order; and inasmuch as you are faithful in keeping all former commandments you shall be blessed forever.”

The student manual says that “A lively member of a group is one who works diligently to advance the goals and principles of the group.”

I see Frederick Williams’ great potential and talents, but I also see that he struggles with pride and other weaknesses. The Lord has seen that too, and has given specific commandments to Brother Williams throughout the D&C. In this section, I was struck with the fact that when the Lord says that our blessings will be ‘added upon’, it may also mean that our responsibilities will be ‘added upon’. The Lord gives us so many chances to step up to those things that have the potential of helping us gain the very attributes that He illustrated in His life one earth. And those are the very attributes that bring us ever closer to Him.

It is so sad to see that Frederick Williams allowed irritations, misunderstandings, anger, and most probably pride to change his path so dramatically. His anger caused him to publish the very articles that contributed heavily to Missouri’s Extermination Order.  Toward the end of his life, he returned to the Church but that was after tremendous family sorrow and pain. When he came to Salt Lake and approached Brigham Young asking to be received back into the church, Brigham Young responded by opening his arms. Life lived close to Heavenly Father also includes sorrows and pain, but Heavenly Father is there at those times to blanket us His comfort and His peace—and that is what makes all the difference.

8/26/2021 - Section 92

This section consists of two verses. They are directed to Frederick G Williams, who had recently been called to the First Presidency. Frederick was a physician, and a sermon writer when he joined the church. Joseph once said of him: “Brother Frederik G Williams is one of those men in whom I place the greatest confidence and trust, for I have found him ever full of love and brotherly kindness. He is not a man of many words, but is ever winning, because of his constant mind. He shall ever have a place in my heart.”

In this section, Frederik called to join those who had been given charge over the financial and temporal matters of the Church. This is when the Lord was trying to teach the Saints to live a one loving family. He called it the United Order. The Lord gave guidance to Frederik in v 2 “to be a lively member in this order; and inasmuch as you are faithful in keeping all former commandments you shall be blessed forever.”  As I apply this to myself, I feel that our blessings will be ‘added upon’—but so will our responsibilities. The Lord loves to bless us, and He also wants us to grow and develop in multiple ways. Both these things can bring us closer to Him in our everyday lives.