10/15/2018 - Section 115:8-10

October 15, 2018

Section 115: 8-10

Do it Do it Now, Unity, Obedience, Follow the Prophet, Gird Up Your Loins, Service, Ministering,

I’ve had some computer troubles and thought I had lost much of this scripture journal, but I only lost 1 day. So today, for the second time, I will study the last part of section 115. And I’m am doing that because it brought a new insight to me as I read it. I will try to recapture those thoughts.

The Lord is speaking to a people who have joined the church, have made a long move to the edge of civilization, who have built communities in Jackson County Missouri, and who have been forced out of their home and to a new place where they will start, once again to build and to settle. Did they do everything right through all of these difficult journeys? No. They were prideful within and without church communities. They were sometimes stingy in how they obeyed commandments. They did not always try to help those near to them…whether they were church members or simple people of other faiths or people of no faith. They allowed contention to enter so many of their relationships and felt unity begin to dissolve. They loved having a prophet, but when revelations came, they were slow to take heed.

They were in Far West now, and new revelations came. I found this entry in the student manual so interesting: “In earlier revelations the Lord had directed the Saints not to gather in haste (see D&C 58:56; 63:24; 101:68). Now He encouraged them to gather speedily in Far West. Smith and Sjodahl suggested a possible reason for the change: “It is quite probable that if the Saints had gathered in greater numbers and built up their stakes and cities more rapidly, the enemies would have had less power to execute their designs. That they did not do their duty in this respect, may be inferred from Section 117:1-6” Commentary p 743”

There are times—especially in this particular mission calling of mission nurse—that I am so tired physically, and so tired emotionally, and so ‘brain dead’, and so tired of trying to decide if the symptoms these young missionaries report are in reality much more innocuous than they think, OR in reality much more serious than they think. Fortunately there have been times that I suddenly know which direction to go in my instructions. And I now take a moment to pause when that happens, and thank Heavenly Father for coming to their aid…. and to my aid. If I keep going along and doing my best and drawing strength from every source I can think of—I, and those around me, are truly blessed. If I throw up my hands and say ‘I’m done!’, I can let important things, that if not done in a timely manner, can allow negative effects to build up.  I can see that with physical symptoms and physical health. Is it not the same as with spiritual symptoms and spiritual health?

And looking at this from second view point: these saints did go to Far West. They picked themselves up and made it up there, but not in haste. They were tired, and hurt, and sorrowful. But the Lord said ‘make haste’! And now, we are listening daily to general conference on our computers. These messages for me, are like the revelations that Joseph Smith received for the early Saints. The things that touch my heart in these conference addresses are things that I must make haste to do—for my own good

There is a primary song and frequently comes into my mind these days: “When my mother calls me, quickly I obey for mother knows just what to do, each and every day.” That’s all I could remember for now, so I looked it up: “1.When my mother calls me, Quickly I’ll obey. I want to do just what is best Each and ev’ry day. 2. When my father calls me, Quickly I’ll obey. I want to do just what is best Each and ev’ry day. 3. Heav’nly Father loves me, Blesses me each day. I want to do just what is best Each and ev’ry day.” That truly was never my favorite song, but it is one that stayed in my heart, and now, at 68, has an even stronger impact on my life.

In speaking of the prophet of that time, the Lord said in V 19: “For Behold, I will be with him, ad I will sanctify him before the people; for unto him have I given the keys of thes kingdome and ministry. Even so, Amen.”