9/14/2018 - Section 110:4-16

September 14, 2018

Section 110: 4-16

Temples, Kirtland Temple, Memories, Family History, Genealogy, Elijah,

v 7 states the Lord’s promise to us: “I will manifest myself to my people in mercy in this house” and then in v 8 he gives our part of this promise: “…if y people will keep my commandments, and do not pollute this holy house.”

V 12 speaks of Elias who will bring back the “gospel of Abraham” which Bruce R McConkie stated is “the great Abrahamic covenant whereby the faithful receive promises of eternal increase, promises that through celestial marriage their eternal posterity shall be as numerous as the sands upon the seashore or as the stars in the heaven for multitude. Elias gives the promise—received of old by Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—that in modern men and in their seed all generations shall be blessed. And we are now offering the blessings of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to all who will receive them.” Gen Conf May 1983

V 15 speaks of Elijah’s coming that would “turn the heats of the father to the children, and the children to the fathers, lest the whole earth be smitten with a curse.” I remember--as a little girl in Muskogee, somewhere between the age of 5 & 7, because that is when Mother and Phyllis were baptized and we started meeting in the VFW hall with the little gathering of saints in the Muskogee branch—I remember walking from my house at 2446 Denver, around the end of the block to get to Patty Davidson’s house to play. And as I walked by the house on Patty’s corner where the lady grew those plants with huge elephant ear leaves, I was thinking about the phrase I heard in church “turn the hearts of the children to their fathers” and my thoughts were “do I love Daddy more than Mother??”. But now, I’ve learned that the word TURN can be translated as BIND or SEAL. And when I see the huge surge of genealogy—not just in the church—but in all the world, we ARE turning our hearts, and our efforts and our time to our fore-fathers. As I work on finding those names and the people who own those names, I am fulfilling a grand purpose of the Lord when he created the plan for this earth. Let me not tire of genealogy!

10/3/2021 – D&C 110

This section speaks of the events in the Kirtland Temple on Sunday, April 3, 1836. The saints there in Kirtland had been to the temple and had had the sacrament administered to them. After that Joseph explains “I retired to the pulpit, the veils being dropped, [the veils came down to section off the pulpit area] and bowed myself, with Oliver Cowdery, in solemn and silent prayer. After rising from prayer, the following vision was opened to both of us.” President Russell M. Nelson explained that this is when the keys of the priesthood were committed to Joseph and Oliver as part of  “the restoration of all things’(D&C 27:6) in the dispensation of the fulness of times.”

In v 1, Joseph states the “the veil was taken from our minds, and the eyes of our understanding were opened.” Christ appeared to them. He told them “Let the hearts of your brethren rejoice, and let the hearts of all my people rejoice, who have, with their might, built this house to my name. For behold I have accepted this house, and my name shall be here; and I will manifest myself to my people in mercy in this house. Yea, I will appear unto my servants, and speak unto them with mine own voice, if my peoples will keep my commandments, and do not pollute this holy house.” (v’s 6-8)

Christ continues to tell them that this is just the beginning: “Yea the hearts of thousands and tens of thousands shall greatly rejoice in consequence of the blessings which shall be poured out, and the endowment with which my servants have been endowed in this house. And the fame of this house shall spread to foreign lands; and this is the beginning of the blessing which shall be poured out upon the heads of my people” (V’s 9-10)

Because of my genealogy work, Bob and I are now going to the temple with the names of our ancestors. Going through these various temple ordinances: baptism, initiatory, endowment, and sealings for those of our family is a particularly tender and marvelous experience. I am amazed at the strength of the spirit as we participate in many of these ordinances for our family members. 

V 10: “And the fame of this house shall spread to foreign lands; and this is the beginning of the blessing which shall be poured out upon the heads of my people.” Bob and I have lived to see this promise. We have had the privilege to do work in temples in the United States from the east coast to the west coast, in Europe, and in Asia. We are living proof of the promise of ancient scriptures which promised that the hearts of the fathers would be turned to the children. I have felt that strongly as I have completed certain ordinances for some of our ancestors. And I feel I am also a part of the second part of that scripture--that the hearts of the children would be turned to the fathers! I am truly compelled to happily spend much of my time sitting at my computer and piecing together both Bob’s and my family lines. 

I love, AND FEEL, this quote from Richard G Scott: “I testify that the Spirit of Elijah is touching the hearts of many of Father’s children throughout the world, causing the work for the dead to accelerate at an unprecedented pace.

“But what about you? Have you prayed about your own ancestors’ work? Set aside those things in your life that don’t really matter. Decide to do something that will have eternal consequences. Perhaps you have been prompted to look for ancestors but feel you are not a genealogist. Can you see that you don’t have to be anymore? It all begins with love and a sincere desire to help those beyond the veil who can’t help themselves. Check around. There will be someone in your area who can help you have success. This work is a spiritual work, a monumental effort of cooperation on both sides of the veil, where help is given in both directions. Anywhere you are in the world, with prayer, faith, determination, diligence, and some sacrifice, you can make a powerful contribution. Begin now. I promise you that the Lord will help you find a way. And it will make you feel wonderful” (“The Joy of Redeeming the Dead,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2012, 95).