5/15/2018 - Section 97:1-9

May 15, 2018

Section 97:1-9

Saints Quality Of, Gifts of the Spirit, Callings and How to Go About, Obedience, Progression, Humility Meekness Seekers,

In v 1the Lord tells us how he can speak to us directly: “Verily (truly)I say unto you my friends (and that is how he sees us), I speak unto you with my voice, even the voice of my Spirit, that I may show unto you my will….” And so, as I read this, I realize that I need to continue to work to be able to recognize the voice of his spirit…and recognize it quickly, in order that I may act on it quickly. He also praises many of the saints who “are truly humble and are seeking diligently to learn wisdom and to find truth.” This, to me, is simply reinforcement to pray—at the very least in the morning when I wake to talk about my plans and hopes for that day, and at the end of my day to report on my success, or lack thereof, and my plans for changing what needs to be changed, for continuing in that which is good. And then he wants us to recognize that not ALL the saints are doing the right things. All the people he is speaking about had the faith and determination to leave their homes and make the not-easy journey to Jackson County Missouri. And yet he points out to us that among that group of SAINTS, he finds both the humble and the haughty. The student manual has an interesting take on this: “Even though any of the Saints did not live as required and were eventually driven out, the Lord indicated here that some truly were worthy. Sometimes the wickedness of some individuals brings suffering to all, even those who are righteous.” (P 228)

V’s 3-5 are specifically to one of the saints, Parley P Pratt, who truly was humble and seeking diligently to learn wisdom and to find truth. An interesting part of his autobiography speaks of this time. His calling was as President of Branch #8 in Jackson County: “…in the latter part of the summer and in the autumn [1833], I devoted almost my entire time I ministering among the churches; holding meetings; visiting the sick; comforting the afflicted and giving counsel. A school of Elders was also organized, over which I was called to preside. The class, to the number of about sixty, met for instruction once a week The place of meeting was in the open air, under some tall tees, in a retired place in the wilderness, where we prayed, preached and prophesied, and exercised ourselves in the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Here great blessings were poured out, and many great and marvelous things were manifested and taught. The Lord gave me great wisdom, and enabled me to teach and edify the Elders, and comfort and encourage them in their preparations for the great work which lay before us. I was also much edified and strengthened. To attend this school I had to travel on foot, and sometimes with bare feet at that about six miles. This I did once a week, besides visiting and preaching in five or six branches a week.” This part of his autobiography helped me to more fully understand the final part of the Lord’s words to Parley: v 5 “And I will bless him with a multiplicity of blessings, in expounding all scriptures and mysteries to the edification of the school and of the church in Zion.” All of us can receive the same help in our callings and in our lives, if we “are truly humble [and meek is another characteristic He speaks about in v 2] and are seeking diligently to learn wisdom and to find truth.” And finally I come to v 8: “Verily I say unto you, all among them who know their hearts are honest, and are broken, and their spirits contrite, and are will to observe their covenants by sacrifice—yea, every sacrifice which I, the Lord, shall command—they are accepted of me.” That’s quite a standard. The good thing is that I all I have to do is to EACH DAY get closer to those qualities that bring us closer to Him. The important thing is that each day of my life’s journey should take me a few steps closer to Him, and when it does not, I need to get busy the next day and fix things and make up for that lost time on my journey.

9/2/2021 – D&C 97

The section was received on August 1833. Joseph was in Kirtland. He had gone to the Lord in prayer with his concerns over the Saints who were in Jackson County MO. They were experiencing great persecution in Missouri. Violence against the Saints broke out on July 20th, and then just 3 days later, on July 23, the Saints had been forced to sign an agreement to leave Jackson County. Joseph, in Kirtland Ohio was not at this time aware of these terrible circumstances. 

This section from Christ comes with great compassion: “Verily [truly] I say unto you my friends, I speak unto you with my voice, even the voice of my Spirit, that I may show unto you my will concerning your brethren in the land of Zion, many of whom are truly humble and are seeking diligently to learn wisdom and to find truth. Verily, verily I say unto you, blessed are such, for they shall obtain; for I, the Lord, show mercy unto all the meek, and upon all whomsoever I will, that I may be justified when I shall bring them unto judgment.” (v’s 1-2) The Saints in Missouri at that time, included all kinds of people, much like our wards do now. I find it important  that the Lord certainly recognized the differences in the hearts of the various Saints there. It is a lesson to me that as the Lord watched over them and guided them, that both the haughty AND the humble went through the terrible trials that came to them in Independence MO. I wonder if the Lord allowed that to happen to know the hearts of all of those involved in those terrible times: the humble Saints, the haughty Saints, the kind Missourians, and the mean and hardened Missourians—so that in the coming judgement there would be proof of the status of their hearts. Sometimes the wickedness of some individuals brings suffering to all, even those who are righteous. The easiness or the difficulties of our mortal lives do not indicate our spiritual status in the Lord’s eyes. 

If I skip ahead a bit to v 7, there is a warning to all of us to consider our ways: “The ax is laid at the root of the trees; and every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit shall be hewn down and cast into the fire. I, the Lord, have spoken it.” The good part about this is that the Lord has made what He considers to be His fruit very clear, and He continually directs us through His scriptures, and through His spirit, on the things we need to do that will help us produce good fruit. In fact v 8 is one of those times he teaches us: “Verily I say unto you, all among them who know their hearts are honest, and are broken [I read this as open and ready to receive His directions], and their spirits contrite, and are willing to observe their covenants by sacrifice—yea, every sacrifice which I the Lord shall command—they are accepted of me.” He goes further in v 9 speaking of how He will cause the fruit trees he has planted to bring forth much fruit. I remind myself that fruit ripens in its own time. Let’s give each other, and ourselves, time to ripen.

But back to verses 3-6, which are about the School of the Prophets. It was like the MTC’s of our time, as its purpose was to prepare the elders to be ready to go forth as missionaries. Here is what Parley P Pratt wrote about his work in teaching the School of the Prophets: “in the latter part of summer and in the autumn [1833], I devoted almost my entire time in ministering among the churches; holding meetings; visiting the sick; comforting the afflicted, and giving counsel. A school of Elders was also organized, over which I was called to preside. This class, to the number of about sixty, met for instruction once a week. The place of meeting was in the open air, under some tall trees, in a retired place in the wilderness, where we prayed, preached and prophesied, and exercised ourselves in the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Here great blessings were poured out, and many great and marvelous things were manifested and taught. The Lord gave me great wisdom, and enabled me to teach and edify the Elders, and comfort and encourage them in their preparations for the great work which lay before us. I was also much edified and strengthened. To attend this school I had to travel on foot, and sometimes with bare feet at that, about six miles. This I did once a week, besides visiting and preaching in five or six branches a week.” (Autobiography of Parley P. Pratt, pp. 93–94.)

Then in v 10 He speaks of the temple He wants the Saints to build in Missouri. He speaks of the sacrifices that will require. And then in v’s 13 & 14, He tells us the purpose of the temple: “For a place of thanksgiving [I need to always remember this part of temple worship] for all saints, and for a place of instructions for all those who are called to the work of the ministry in all their several callings and offices; that they may be perfected in the understanding of their ministry in theory, in principle, and in doctrine, in all things pertaining to the kingdom of God on the earth, the keys of which kingdom have been conferred upon you.”

There is a beautiful quote from John A. Widtsoe: “Temple work . . . gives a wonderful opportunity for keeping alive our spiritual knowledge and strength. . . . The mighty perspective of eternity is unraveled before us in the holy temples; we see time from its infinite beginning to its endless end; and the drama of eternal life is unfolded before us. Then I see more clearly my place amidst the things of the universe, my place among the purposes of God; I am better able to place myself where I belong, and I am better able to value and to weigh, to separate and to organize the common, ordinary duties of my life, so that the little things shall not oppress me or take away my vision of the greater things that God has given us.”

In V 18 the Lord gives us a glorious promise: “And, now, behold, if Zion do these things she shall prosper, and spread herself and become very glorious, very great, and very terrible.” That is followed by a description of all the calamities that will befall the world. And then in v 25, He gives us our path of safety: “Nevertheless, Zion shall escape if she observes to do all things whatsoever I have commanded her.” And if we do that then this shall be our reward: “And I will bless her with blessings, and multiply a multiplicity of blessings upon her, and upon her generations forever and ever, saith the Lord your God. Amen” I love the part of His blessings being poured upon our generations. In fact, everyday, that is what I pray for.