12/7/2018 - Section 127:1-12

December 7, 2018

Section 127:1-12

Persecution Living With, Callings in Hard Circumstances, Family History Work, Genealogy,

Section 127 is a letter from Joseph Smith who is in hiding due to accusations that he had been behind an attempt to kill Governor Bogg. This was later proved to be a conspiracy to extradite Joseph to Missouri, in which the governor of Illinois was a co-conspirator. Brigham Young wrote “Why was [Joseph Smith] hunted from neighborhood to neighborhood, from city to city, from state to state, and at last suffered death? Because he received revelations from the Father, from the Son, and was ministered to by holy angels, and published to the world the direct will of the Lord concerning his children on the earth. Again, why was he persecuted? Because he revealed to all mankind a religion so plain and so easily understood, consistent with the Bible, and so true. It is now as it was in the days of the Savior, let people believe and practice these simple, God-like truths, and it will be as it was in the old world.” Journal of Discourses 18:231

The amazing thing to me was Joseph’s attitude toward this truly life-altering persecution.

V’s 2-3 “And as for the perils which I am called to pass through, they seem but a small thing to me, as the envy and wrath of man have been my common  lot all the days of my life; and for what cause it seems mysterious, unless I was ordained from before the foundation of the world for some good end, or bad, as you may choose to call it. Judge ye for yourselves. God knoweth all these things, whether it be good or bad. But nevertheless, deep water is what I am wont to swim in. It all has become wont to swim in. It all has become a second nature to me; and I feel, like Paul, to glory in tribulations; for to this day has the God of my father s delivered me out of them all, and will deliver me from henceforth: for behold, and lo, I shall triumph over all my enemies for the Lord God hath spoken it.    Let all the saints rejoice, therefore, and be exceedingly glad; for Israel’s God is there God…”

After speaking of himself, he speaks to the saints, who are also undergoing persecution. They are to continue with the work of completing the temple. In fact he tells them to ‘redouble’ their work with diligence, perseverance and patience. That is what I need to hear—and to do—in this role as mission nurse, that seems to consume so much of my time and my mind and my energy. I want to continue, with the Lord’s help…which I do significantly feel from time to time. And that is enough to let me know that I am in the right place doing the right thing.

One of the purposes of the temple is to do work for the dead. Joseph explains that it must be done with care, and order, and accuracy—for they will “be held in remembrance from generation to generation”.

And finally Joseph ends with his desire to do what he has been called to do: “And I subscribe myself your servant in the Lord, prophet and seer of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.” (v 12)

11/3/2021 – D&C 127

Section 127 reveals the doctrine of baptisms for the dead. Joseph first spoke of this during a funeral service for Seymour Brunson. In a letter to the members of the Quorum of the Twelve who were on missions in England, Joseph described it this way: “The saints have the privilege of being baptized for those of their relatives who are dead, who they feel to believe would have embraced the gospel if they had been privileged with hearing it, and who have received the gospel in the spirit through the instrumentality of those who may have been commissioned to preach to them while in the prison” (josephsmithpapers.org)

This work was so important that before the Nauvoo Temple was completed, the Lord explained to the saints that they could temporarily perform baptisms for the dead in places other than the temple: “This ordinance belongeth to my house, and cannot be acceptable to me, only in the days of your poverty, wherein ye are not able to build a house unto me. … I grant unto you a sufficient time to build a house unto me; and during this time your baptisms  shall be acceptable unto me.” (124:29-31) This indicates just how important this work is to the Lord, and to others who can be helped & lifted in no other way.

Things were not easy for the saints at this point in time. They were in Nauvoo, and yet those people from Missouri who had chased the saints out of their state, were now blaming the May 6, 1842 assassination of Governor Lilburn W. Boggs in Missouri on Joseph. Joseph tells the saints of the threats to his life, and that he must go into hiding, and he does so with great understanding: “As for the perils which I am called to pass through, they seem but a small things to me. … And I feel, like Paul, to glory in tribulation; for to this day has the God of my fathers delivered me out of them all, and will deliver me from thenceforth; for behold, and lo, I shall triumph over all my enemies. … Let all the saints rejoice, therefore and be exceedingly glad; for Israel’s God is their God. (v’s 2-3)

Elder Robert D. Hales explained why God permitted the Prophet Joseph Smith to experience adversity: “There is meaning and purpose in our earthly challenges. Consider the Prophet Joseph Smith: throughout his life he faced daunting opposition—illness, accident, poverty, misunderstanding, false accusation, and even persecution. One might be tempted to ask, ‘Why didn’t the Lord protect His prophet from such obstacles, provide him with unlimited resources, and stop up the mouths of his accusers?’ The answer is, Each of us must go through certain experiences to become more like our Savior. In the school of mortality, the tutor is often pain and tribulation, but the lessons are meant to refine and bless us and strengthen us, not to destroy us”

In v 4 the Lord, though Joseph, counsels the saints: “Let the work of my temple, and all the works which I have appointed unto you, be continued on and not cease; and let your diligence, and your perseverance, and patience, and your works be redoubled, and you shall in nowise lose your reward, saith the Lord of Hosts.” 

I love this revelation. For me, it certifies the truth of eternal progression. If, in our days on earth, we were unaware of baptism and its importance, or if we knew of baptism decided against that ordinance, then the Lord gives us yet another way to come unto Him. But baptism for the dead must include help from those of us who are still on earth. That’s what keeps me spending my days searching for our relatives who just may be longing for this new beginning, and then spending my time and effort to go to the temple to make those wonderful ordinances and opportunities available to all who seek them—and at the same time it helps me to better understand the great blessings of the temple. It’s amazing to me that I can be such an intimate helper to those who long for these amazing blessings and possibilities.