11/13/2018 - Section 123:1-17

November 13, 2018

Section 123:1-17

Personal Journal, Persecution How to React, Callings Cheerfully Fulfilled, Lord’s Fairness, Go Forward in Faith, All is Right With Our World,

It’s been hard to be away from my scripture study, but we’ve had amazing and tender times with Elder Stevenson (Australian) who went from neck pain he thought was an insect bite to full right side paralysis in 36 hours. He had an emergency air medical evacuation him from Palawan to Manila. I met him in the hospital here, and then spent 11 days with him and watched as he worked to hard to understand the diagnosis of Conversion Disorder, and to get his brain and muscles reconnected once again, and plan his physical and mental recovery with spiritual insight. We’re now waiting for his exit visa. And in the meantime, we have had Sister Calagui diagnosed with active TB—very evident by the lesion in her lung. We started with a poorly trained doctor on Palawan, and then had to convince her that not only was she truly ill and facing a 9 month recuperation, but that she was also contagious and a danger to all around her. She’s now started the right road to recovery. Now my concern is, how do we follow the missionaries that she served with and the people she taught…

This section instructs the saints how to react to the persecutions they have received. It begins by describing all types of persecutions that they are to gather “up a knowledge of all the facts, and sufferings and abuses (v 1), And also of all the property and amount of damages which they have sustained, both of character and personal injuries, as well as real property (v2)”. And in v 3 & 4  it is described as “all that are in the magazines,  and in the encyclopedias, and all the libelous histories that are published….present the whole concatenation of diabolical rascality and nefarious and murderous impositions…(6) not only publish to all the world, but present them to the heads of governments” 

Joseph Fielding Smith wrote “…Punishment for sin does not always follow in this mortal life, the greater part of it quite generally is held in reserve for a future day.” President Smith added that records should certainly be kept on earth, but they are most certainly kept in heaven. And in April 1980 General Conference, President Spencer W Kimball concluded his talk with “Brothers and sisters, pray for the critics of the Church; love your enemies. Keep the faith and stay on the straight and narrow path. Use wisdom and judgment in what you say and do, so that we do not give cause to others to hold the Church or its people in disrepute. Do not be surprised or dismayed if trails and challenges come upon us. This work, which Satan seeks in vain to tear down, is that which God has placed on earth to lift mankind up!”

What more can I add to this section except to repeat the end of this section: “12. For there are many yet on the earth among all sects, parties, and denominations, who are blinded by the subtle craftiness of men, whereby they lie in wait to deceive, and who are only kept from the truth because they know not where to find it.  13. Therefore, that we should waste and wear out our lives in the bringing to light all the hidden things of darkness, wherein we know them; and they are truly manifest from heaven—14. These should be attended to with great earnestness. 15. Let no man count them as small things; for there is much which lieth in futurity, pertaining to the saints which depends upon these things. 16. You know, brethren, that a very large ship is benefited very much by a very small helm in the time of a storm, by being kept workways with the wind and the waves. 17. Therefore, dearly beloved brethren, let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed.”

That’s what Bob and I are doing now. What we do here is truly a small thing in the scheme of the world. But if we cheerfully do all things within our power, then we are doing exactly what the Lord would have us do. And when that is the case, then all is right with the world…or maybe I should say that all will be right with OUR world….we still have to wait for all to be right with THE world.

    

10/21/2021 – D&C 123

This section speaks of the “Duty of saints in relation to their persecutors, as set for by Joseph Smith, the Prophet, while a prisoner in the jail at Liberty, Missouri, March 1839.”

Just what had the saints been going through? This is what is said in the Joseph Smith Papers: 

“From January through March 1839, after facing intense persecution and threats of violence, approximately eight to ten thousand Church members from Caldwell and Daviess Counties fled the state of Missouri in harsh winter conditions. Many of them found refuge across the Mississippi River in Quincy, Illinois, and in other areas of Illinois and Iowa.” We know that Emma left Far West, Missouri, with her children in February 1839. The Mississippi River had temporarily frozen, and Emma was able to cross the river by walking on the ice with her four small children. Emma and many other Church members were helped through the kindness and compassion of residents of Quincy, Illinois. By early April 1839, most Church members had left Missouri. 

But back to March 1839 with Joseph still in Liberty Jail. He is telling the Saints work in “gathering up a knowledge of all the facts, and sufferings and abuses put upon them by the people of this State [Missouri]. And also, all the property and amount of damages which they have sustained, both of character and personal injuries, as well as real property” (v’s 1-2)

“Hundreds of Church members went before civil authorities in Illinois and Iowa and completed petitions for redress—requests for compensation for their losses and justice for the wrongs they had suffered. In late fall 1839 the Prophet Joseph Smith traveled to Washington, D.C. with a small delegation of Church members to meet with the United States President, Martin Van Buren and members of the United States Congress. These officials refused to act on behalf of the Saints. For example, President Van Buren was sympathetic to the circumstance of the Saints but exclaimed, “What can I do? … If I do anything, I shall come in contact [conflict] with the whole State of Missouri” (in Joseph Smith and Elias Higbee, Letter to Hyrum Smith and Nauvoo, Illinois, High Council, Dec. 5,

1839, page 85, josephsmithpapers.org). 

In the early 1840s, Church leaders again attempted several times to obtain redress from the United States government, but their efforts failed. But they had done what the Lord required of them (v 6).”

In v’s 7-8 Joseph speaks of those who have worked to harm the Saints: their deeds were “supported and urged on and upheld by the influence of that spirit which hath so strongly riveted the creeds of the fathers, who have inherited lies, upon the hearts of the children and filed the world with confusion, and has been growing stronger and stronger, and is now the very mainspring of all corruption, and the whole earth groans under the weight of its iniquity. It is an iron yoke, it is a strong band; they are the very handcuffs, and chains, and shackles, and fetters of hell.”

Joseph also wrote in a letter from Liberty Jail to the Saints: “…The opposition of these men is moved by the spirit of the adversary of all righteousness. …I have learned by experience that the enemy of truth does not slumber, nor cease his exertions to bias the minds of communities against the servants of the Lord, by stirring up the indignation of men upon all matters of importance or interest. (Teachings: Joseph Smith, 372-73)

Many years later—in our days—Ezra Taft Benson spoke about Satan’s influence in the world: 

“We live in a day of great challenge. We live in that time of which the Lord spoke when he said, ‘Peace shall be taken from the earth, and the devil shall have power over his own dominion.’ (D&C 1:35.) … Satan is waging war against the members of the Church who have testimonies and are trying to keep the commandments. And while many of our members are remaining faithful and strong, some are wavering. Some are falling. …”

Joseph’s teachings in the last verses of this section, say a great deal: “you know, brethren, that a very large ship is benefited very much by a very small helm in the time of a storm…Therefore, dearly beloved brethren, let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance to see the salvation of God….” 

I liked what David Butler said this about that time: “These words came from Joseph while he was still sitting on the straw and stone of the Liberty Jail floor, with no prospects of being set free, Joseph wrote to the Saints—who were living in makeshift structures on borrowed land with no money and no hope—to cheerfully do all that they could, and to wait and watch for the Lord to do His greatest work.”

So much can be accomplished when we stand up and cheerfully do the work we are called to do.

In the October 2002 General Conference, Elder Henry B Eyring said: “You can have the utmost assurance that your power will be multiplied many times by the Lord. All He asks is that you give your best effort and your whole heart. Do it cheerfully and with the prayer of faith. The Father and His Beloved Son will send the Holy Ghost as your companion to guide you. Your efforts will be magnified in the lives of the people you serve. And when you look back on what may now seem trying times of service and sacrifice, the sacrifice will have become a blessing, and you will know that you have seen the arm of God lifting those you served for Him, and lifting you.”