7/15/2018 - Section 103:15-40

July 15, 2018

Section 103:15-40

Lord’s Protection, Angels Round About You, Growth, Faith, Preparation, Obedience, Prayer, Diligence, Perseverance, Lord Keeps Promises, Draw Near Unto Me,

What beautiful verses to saints who have been forced from their homes and belongings and land: “Therefore, let not your hearts faint….But I say unto you: Mine angels shall go up before you, and also my presence, and in time ye shall possess the goodly land.”  (v 19-20) The student manual speaks of some saints who then crossed the plains (and this is after Jackson County, after Nauvoo) were anxious to return to Jackson County because that is what had been prophesied. They were so anxious that they were reluctant to make improvements to their homes and lands in Utah, as they figured they were soon be heading back east. The Lord lets us know his promises, but not his timelines. And I understand that. If we knew just when the major things would happen, so many of us would wait until the last minute to make physical and spiritual preparations. The Lord wants us growing spiritually all the time. He tells us in general what is coming and we are to prepare ourselves NOW for the THEN—because it is the refining of ourselves that brings us greater happiness and greater closeness with the Lord—and that is what makes all the difference.

V 31 is a big lesson in a short verse: “Behold this is my will: ask and ye shall receive; but men do not always do my will.” That says to me: Ask, receive, but be sure to DO. I guess it may work even better if I: Do, Ask, then receive… and that way may be those times when I ask and then receive more than I ever expected. The other important clue is given in v 35 “pray earnestly”.

V 36: “All victory and glory is brought to pass unto you through your diligence, faithfulness, and prayers of faith.” One of my favorite phrases from the Grateful Dead: “Keep on Keeping On”

And finally v 40: “…my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., shall counsel them, in obtaining the fulfillment of these commandments which I have given unto you, and leave the residue in my hands” All I need to do is to do my part and trust in the Lord… that has sometimes proven to be a tall order, but I have always proven it to be a true promise.

9/14/2021 – D&C 103

The Missouri Saints had been driven from their homes in the first week of November 1833. The Smith and Sjodahl Commentary, pp 659-60 describes some of the following months: “In a previous Revelation (Section 101:55–60), it was made known to the Prophet that he would be required, at some future time, to lead ‘the strength of mine house’ to the land of Zion, in order to ‘redeem’ it. The Revelation in this Section was received four months and twelve days afterwards, directing him to begin to gather up the strength of the Church for a relief expedition. . . . The messengers from Zion [Parley P Pratt & Lyman Wight] told the Council that the scattered Saints had obtained food and clothing in exchange for labor, and that they were quite comfortable for the time being; but they were grief-stricken because they had been driven from their homes in Zion, and they earnestly desired to know, if possible, how and by what means Zion was to be redeemed. This Revelation [D&C 103], given before the meeting of the Council was held, is an answer to that very question. When the messengers had stated the case, the Prophet had the answer ready. He had prepared to announce that he was going to Zion and that he would call for volunteers to accompany him. The Council endorsed this, and between thirty and forty men volunteered to go, whereupon the Prophet Joseph was elected Commander-in-Chief of the expedition.” 

With all the things the Saints had done to get to Missouri, they had neglected the most important things: “…those that call themselves after my name might be chastened for a little season with a sore and grievous chastisement, because they did not harken altogether unto the precepts and commandments which I gave unto them.” (v 4). The Lord reminds them in v 9 “for they were set to be a light unto the world, and to be the saviors of men.”  But so many of those who had gone to Missouri, did not live up to the Lord’s expectations and warnings: “But inasmuch as they keep not my commandments, and hearken not to observe all my words, the kingdoms of the world shall prevail against them.” (v 8)

After the Lord explains where they fell short of His expectations, He promised: “But verily I say unto you, I have decreed that your brethren which have been scattered shall return to the lands of their inheritances, and shall build up the waste places of Zion. For after much tribulation, as I have said unto you in a former   commandment, cometh the blessing.” (v’s 11-12) When going through difficult times, I often remind myself that the scriptures speak of the importance of both patience and perseverance, especially when we find ourselves in very difficult times. 

In v’s 21-23 the Lord tells the Saints, in both Missouri and Kirtland, just how He wants them to proceed: “Verily, Verily [truly, truly] I say unto you, that my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., is the man to whom I likened the servant to whom the Lord of the vineyard spake in the parable which I have given unto you. Therefore let my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., say unto the strength of my house, my young men and the middle aged—Gather yourselves together unto the land of Zion…” The Saints did just that by organizing Zion’s Camp—an endeavor that helped many of those who went, to grow in spirit and in strength, and unfortunately it was also a time that others became depressed and hardened to the spirit of the Lord.

In V 31 the Lord reminds us all” Behold this is my will; ask and ye shall receive; but men do not always do my will.” He’s telling us that the process is to ASK, to RECEIVE (and that takes a spiritual effort on our part), and to DO! He reminds us again in v’s 35-36: “Therefore, as I said unto you, ask and ye shall receive; pray earnestly….All victory and glory is brought to pass unto you through your diligence, faithfulness, and prayers of faith.” We grow when we keep on keeping on.

The Lord ends this section with v 40, where he explains: “…my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., shall counsel them, in obtaining the fulfilment of these commandments which I have given unto you, and leave the residue in my hands. Even so. Amen.” We need to do our part in following our Prophet, and we need to trust in the Lord.

These were hard and difficult times—very hard and very difficult times. The Lord has warned us that hard and difficult times will come again. These commandments that helped the early saints will also help us, not just to survive, but to grow and to help others along the way. And to me, that’s just doing my part the best I can, reaching out to help others, and trusting in, and staying in contact with, the Lord.