God’s Diversity of Gifts
Filed under: Doctrine & Covenants, Finding joy within the gospel, Gospel Principles, Practices & Precepts, LDS Practices, Men & Priesthood, Priesthood, Priesthood, Self-Worth, Service, Uncategorized, Women
Mormon scriptures teach that every person God creates is given gifts, talents, traits, and experiences from Him, to be used to help others, as well as to bless our own lives. They are His gifts to us. What we choose to do with them is our 
gift to God. It does no good, for instance, to be given a gift to teach powerful spiritual messages if we refuse to learn about Jesus or turn down an opportunity to teach Sunday School.
11 For all have not every gift given unto them; for there are many gifts, and to every man is given a gift by the Spirit of God.
12 To some is given one, and to some is given another, that all may be profited thereby. (See Doctrine and Covenants 46: 11-12.)
Everyone, male and female, can receive spiritual gifts. The scriptures list many of these gifts, and it can be interesting, as we read, to highlight each gift mentioned. The gifts bless the holder of the gifts if he uses them wisely, but they can also be used to bless others. A person who has the gift of faith can use it to find the truth among conflicting and confusing choices. This gift can be used to help that person become a member of the Savior’s church. It comes to her through the Spirit of Christ. After receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost, her faith grows even more. She might then choose to use that gift to pray for others or to share her faith with those who were not given as strong a gift as she received.
We’re taught that it is appropriate to pray for certain gifts, if we are prepared to use them wisely in the service of others, rather than to glorify ourselves. A person who is invited to teach a class, but lacks the gift to teach can begin to pray for it. While praying, of course, she must do what she can to improve her teaching skills, but God will step in and honor righteous requests if they are part of His plan for us. A prayer to become the greatest teacher in the world is not likely to be honored, because this is a prideful request, but a prayer to have the ability to teach the class one has agreed to teach will be honored.
The diversity of the human race is one of God’s best ideas. If we all had the same talents, gifts, and assignments, most things wouldn’t get done. The world needs writers, but it doesn’t need everyone to be a writer. It needs gardeners, but everyone doesn’t need a talent for gardening. Because each of us has different talents and passions, everything that needs doing gets done. If we each had all the talents possible in equal proportion, we might find ourselves spread too thin, and most things wouldn’t get accomplished. We’d all be doing whatever was easiest or created the most wealth, given human nature.
In the same way, God divided up certain tasks and assigned them to specific genders. Only women were given the ability to give birth. This doesn’t mean God loves men less; it only means that doesn’t happen to be one of the tasks assigned to them. Only men hold the priesthood, but that does not say women aren’t worthy or capable of holding it. Priesthood is an office, not a gender, but assigning it to men keeps it focused, just as assigning childbirth only to women keeps that aspect of life focused.
Within the Mormon Church, there are a great many tasks to be completed, because we have a lay religion and very complex programs. Everyone is asked to take on his or her share of the work. Tasks are assigned in various ways that make the church run more smoothly. Some are assigned by age: Only a twelve or thirteen year old girl may serve as a youth leader in the Beehive Program. (Beehives are girls of that age in the Young Women’s program for teenagers.) Others are assigned by gender: Only women can serve as Primary or Relief Society Presidents. (These are, respectively, the organizations for children and women.) Some tasks are open to anyone who is an adult: Anyone may teach the children or the literacy classes, even though only women can lead those programs. Some tasks are assigned by office: Only a person who holds the office of a high priest can serve as a bishop (the leader of a congregation.) It might appear that the rule is that only men can be bishops, but actually, the rule is that only high priests can be bishops. A good and worthy man who does not hold the office of high priest in the priesthood cannot be a bishop, no matter how qualified he is otherwise.
While it’s true that only men are to hold the Mormon priesthood (as we see from even a casual study of the Bible), this does not limit a woman from serving God, anymore than not being able to be the Primary president limits a man’s ability to serve God. There are many ways to serve, and God does not love the priesthood holders more than the Primary president—or the door greeter. We don’t get bonus points for serving in certain kinds of positions. God asks us to serve wherever He needs us, and if we do this well, we are blessed for our attitude and willingness to serve, not for the specific task accomplished.
Men holding the priesthood receive no special blessings over the women. It isn’t about power or blessings, or God’s love. It is, rather, about our trust in God and His plan. If we have a testimony that the Savior is at the head of the church, and that He sees with a vision greater than our own, we won’t waste valuable mortality hours fretting over what gifts or offices we don’t have. Instead, we’ll work hard to develop those God has asked us to take on. As with every other aspect of the gospel, it really comes down to a testimony. How much do you trust God?
When I was first investigating the church, the priesthood issue concerned me. As a teenager raised in the 1970s, I thought women’s lib was what I was supposed to be living, even though I was known for my love of taking care of children. In other words, my nature was fairly traditional, if you leave out housework. The missionaries, when asked about priesthood at the first lesson, told me they’d be happy to discuss it with me, but I needed more background and training in prayer first. They asked me to learn to pray, and to continue to study, and then we’d discuss it. By the time I was able to understand the answers, I no longer needed to ask the question. I had learned to get my own answers through prayer and I had come to see how much God valued the woman’s place in His kingdom. I understood that being told I had to turn into a man was degrading to women and insulting to God, who created gender. It was no longer a problem for me. I had become proud of the person God created in me.
Over the years, I’ve longed for certain gifts. Some I’ve been able to receive, such as an improved ability to teach. Others were not my calling, such as a desire to sing. Over the years, as I’ve grown and matured, I’ve stopped wasting time fretting over what I don’t have, and have begun to be thankful for what I do have. God gave me a most interesting gift box of traits, talents, and experiences. I would be ungrateful and unworthy of those gifts if I wasted my life whining they weren’t good enough.
“If Ye Have Desires to Serve God”
In the fourth section of the Doctrine and Covenants we read in the third verse: “Therefore, if ye have desires to serve God ye are called to the work.”
The Doctrine and Covenants is accepted as scripture by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (commonly called “Mormons”). It’s unique among scripture because it came to us through the mouths of modern-day prophets. So we can view the counsel between its pages as uniquely geared toward us in the latter days.
We’ve discussed the marvelous work that the Lord has brought forth, and the importance of serving with all our hearts, might, minds, and strength. These are points that are addressed earlier in the fourth section of the Doctrine and Covenants. But this third verse poses an interesting question: Do we truly desire to serve God?
On some level, perhaps anyone who fears God might desire to serve Him – or at least not offend Him. Mormons understand that God is our loving Father in Heaven who wants only the best for us. In the book of Moses in the Pearl of Great Price (another book of scripture of the LDS Church) we learn that God’s “work and glory” is “to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.” (Moses 1:39)
With this in mind, we can understand that serving God will help Him to bring about His purposes – which are to bring about our own eternal life and the eternal life of His other children. It’s interesting to realize that our service to God isn’t actually for His benefit. It’s for ours. It’s for the benefit of all of His children.
Now, this might seem like a good idea. And some desires are relatively easy for many of us to fulfill. For instance, if I desire a candy bar, I can go to the store and buy one. If a child desires a new doll or a new sled for Christmas, he or she may need to wait until Christmas to receive what they desire. But many will still get them without having to do more than wait. But what if we desire to serve God?
Elder Marvin J. Ashton (1915-1994), who was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the LDS Church, shared the following story:
One night a young idealist had a dream. He dreamed there was a new store in a nearby shopping mall. He went in and saw an angel behind a counter. Nervously, he asked what the shop sold.
“Everything your heart desires,” replied the angel.
“Then I want peace on earth,” exclaimed the idealist. “I want an end to famine, sorrow, and disease.”
“Just a moment,” replied the angel. “You haven’t understood. We don’t sell fruit here-only seeds.” Marvin J. Ashton, “The Measure of Our Hearts,” Ensign, Nov 1988, 15
It isn’t enough to hope in the backs of our minds that God’s work goes forth, especially if someone else does all the work. It isn’t enough to hope in passing that our friends and families will be saved in the kingdom of God. If we truly desire these things, we must work and bring these seeds to fruition. And if we truly desire them – we will.
Standing Blameless Before God
Therefore, O ye that embark in the service of God, see that ye serve him with all your heart, might, mind and strength, that ye may stand blameless before God at the last day. (D&C 4:2)
It’s natural for people to want to be blameless. Or rather, it may not be so much that many humans truly want to be blameless as it is that they don’t want to be blamed. How often do we see individuals (maybe ourselves) caught at something they’ve done wrong then turn around and pin the blame on someone else or on external circumstances?
But truly being able to stand blameless before God doesn’t mean we have wiggled out of blame that we deserve. Instead, it means that we have lived our lives in a way that we sincerely don’t have anything to be blamed for.
The prophet Alma in the Book of Mormon asked us some probing questions that we can in turn ask ourselves about how blameless we really are.
14 And now behold, I ask of you, my brethren of the church, have ye spiritually been born of God? Have ye received his image in your countenances? Have ye experienced this mighty change in your hearts?
15 Do ye exercise faith in the redemption of him who created you? Do you look forward with an eye of faith, and view this mortal body raised in immortality, and this corruption raised in incorruption, to stand before God to be judged according to the deeds which have been done in the mortal body?
16 I say unto you, can you imagine to yourselves that ye hear the voice of the Lord, saying unto you, in that day: Come unto me ye blessed, for behold, your works have been the works of righteousness upon the face of the earth?
17 Or do ye imagine to yourselves that ye can lie unto the Lord in that day, and say-Lord, our works have been righteous works upon the face of the earth-and that he will save you?
18 Or otherwise, can ye imagine yourselves brought before the tribunal of God with your souls filled with guilt and remorse, having a remembrance of all your guilt, yea, a perfect remembrance of all your wickedness, yea, a remembrance that ye have set at defiance the commandments of God? (Alma 5:14-18)
Alma makes it clear that we cannot hide our shortcomings from the Lord. We may be able to fool those around us, but we cannot hide our sins from the Lord. At that point, we won’t even be able to hide our sins from ourselves.
Now as humans, we all make mistakes. The Lord has provided the process of repentance to help us to change and grow and overcome these mistakes. So certainly someone who can stand blameless before God would turn to the power of repentance.
Alma’s words are powerful. Certainly they are questions we should ask ourselves often. But I admit that the power behind them can make them slightly unnerving. Hang in there and don’t get discouraged. Our Heavenly Father wants nothing more than to see His children return home to Him, and this is possible through the Atonement of His Son, Jesus Christ.
How else can we stand blameless before God? D&C 4:2 gives us another way: “See that ye serve (the Lord) with all your heart, might, mind and strength, that ye may stand blameless before God at the last day.”
So one thing that we need to do in order to stand blameless before God is to serve the Lord diligently, with all we have to give and more. As we strive to serve the Lord, something interesting happens. Those people we serve as we do the Lord’s will may or may not draw closer to the Lord and enter His kingdom. Some will. Others will not. They have their free agency to make these choices. But at that point, we will have done what the Lord has asked of us. And at that point, perhaps we can imagine with confidence that, in Alma’s words, the Lord will say unto us, “Come unto me ye blessed, for behold, your works have been the works of righteousness upon the face of the earth.” (Alma 5:16)
Serving the Lord With All Your Might, Mind, and Strength
1 Now behold, a marvelous work is about to come forth among the children of men.
2 Therefore, O ye that embark in the service of God, see that ye serve him with all your heart, might, mind and strength, that ye may stand blameless before God at the last day. (D&C 4:1-2)
Earlier we discussed serving the Lord with all our hearts. How about our might? How could you go about “serving with all your might”? “Might” is a word we use often in phrases like “trying to do something with all my might.” But frankly, I looked this one up just to make sure I truly understood the definition. It means “power, force, or influence.” This brings up some interesting ideas. Certainly we can refer to physical power. But what about our influence? Does the example we set reflect our commitment to serving God? Do those things we have influence over – perhaps through our professions, or our friends, or our families – reflect that commitment?
Then there’s serving with all our minds. Our minds are where our intellectual capabilities come in. Do the things we think about reflect a devotion to the Lord and building up His kingdom? Do we use all of our intellectual capabilities to serve the Lord? And here’s an interesting question: What do we think about when we don’t have to think about anything?
And we also are to serve with all our strength. This can refer again to our physical power. Those who truly seek to serve the Lord can find that their natural capabilities are enhanced so they can do all that is required of them. President Howard W. Hunter, for example, experienced years of poor health. But as he served the Lord, he was preserved and became our prophet for a season.
Certainly we are seeing the same thing in President Gordon B. Hinckley, our prophet today. His job is a large one for a man of any age, let alone one who’s 97 years old. The Lord in His wisdom will preserve those who fulfill His purposes at that time.
Serving the Lord with all our hearts, mights, minds, and strength truly encompasses yielding all that we are to the Lord. As we do that, we will find that the Lord can make more out of us than we can of ourselves.
Things As They Really Are
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has a system of religious education for college-age students called the “Institute of Religion.” When I was in college at the University of Oklahoma, we had a Latter-day Saint Institute instructor who warned us against the fallacy of “we used to think but now we know.” How many times have you heard the scientific or medical community say that? “We used to think such -and-such, but now we know this other thing.”
Here’s a familiar example: “We used to think that Pluto was a planet, but now we know it’s actually a part of a group of planetoids that exist past Neptune.” But does our new definition of Pluto’s role in the solar system actually change what it really and truly is, or ever was? Did our calling it a planet before change the fact that those other planetoids existed? Just because we hadn’t previously discovered those planetoids in the Kuiper Belt, does that mean that they hadn’t been there long before we were?
And just because we “know now” that Pluto is one of these planetoid objects, does that mean that there isn’t some other undiscovered aspect of the solar system that these objects belong to? Once we discover it, might we change our definitions again and “know” something else?
It’s interesting how our perceptions can change just from new discoveries. Man through science has made vast strides forward in the understanding of scientific truth. Each discovery and each experiment brings us a step closer to understanding the true nature of the universe. But the universe itself hasn’t changed. Only our understanding of it has.
Doctrine and Covenants 93:24 tells us: “And truth is knowledge of things as they are, and as they were, and as they are to come.” That tells us that regardless of man’s definition of the day, truth exists. The knowledge of things as they really are, were, and are to come, is truth – regardless of whether we currently possess that knowledge or whether we even want the knowledge. Truth itself doesn’t change.
Truth also applies to a knowledge of right and wrong. Regardless of what the current trends of the world are, regardless of how people around us choose to live their lives, what is right and wrong does not change. Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve was specifically speaking of the standards of chastity when he said:
Too many of our young men and women are succumbing to the pressures imposed by a world saturated with evil messages and immoral behavior. Lucifer is waging a vicious war for the souls of young and old alike, and the casualty count is climbing. The standards of the world have shifted like the sands of a windblown desert. That which was once unheard of or unacceptable is now commonplace. The world’s perspective has been so dramatically altered that those who choose to adhere to traditional standards of morality are viewed as strange, almost as though they must justify their desire to keep the commandments of God.
But one thing is certain: the commandments have not changed. Let there be no mistake about that. Right is still right. Wrong is still wrong, no matter how cleverly cloaked in respectability or political correctness. We believe in chastity before marriage and fidelity ever after. That standard is an absolute standard of truth. It is neither subject to public opinion polls nor dependent upon situation or circumstance. There is no need to debate it or other gospel standards. (Ensign, May 1999, 85-87)
Why is a knowledge of the truth important to us? One reason is because the truth is as a light to us. It is a beacon that shows us the way to go:
45 For the word of the Lord is truth, and whatsoever is truth is light, and whatsoever is light is Spirit, even the Spirit of Jesus Christ.
46 And the Spirit giveth light to every man that cometh into the world; and the Spirit enlighteneth every man through the world, that hearkeneth to the voice of the Spirit.
47 And every one that hearkeneth to the voice of the Spirit cometh unto God, even the Father. (D&C 84:45-47)
And once we have that truth to guide us, something wonderful happens that may seem strange in the eyes of the world. Many believe that commandments and rules restrict our freedoms, but on the contrary, Christ tells us in the book of John: “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:32)
Serving the Lord With All Your Heart
1 Now behold, a marvelous work is about to come forth among the children of men.
2 Therefore, O ye that embark in the service of God, see that ye serve him with all your heart, might, mind and strength, that ye may stand blameless before God at the last day. (D&C 4:1-2)
The second verse of Doctrine and Covenants, section 4, makes it clear that these words are addressed to all of us who would serve God. They aren’t just intended to reach a few people but are spoken to all of us who embark on the great adventure of serving the Lord in His way.
The words that follow tell us how we need to serve the Lord: with all our hearts, mights, minds, and strength. Let’s look at each of these words individually. Today we’ll look at the word “heart” and what “serving the Lord with all our hearts” might entail.
Our hearts are considered the seat of our true emotion and devotion. It symbolizes where our true characters lie. 1 Samuel 16:7 says, “The Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.” In other words, the Lord looks at who we really are.
Elder Marvin J. Ashton, a former member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, said:
Why the heart? Because the heart is a synonym for one’s entire makeup. We often use phrases about the heart to describe the total person. Thus, we describe people as being “big-hearted” or “goodhearted” or having a “heart of gold.” Or we speak of people with faint hearts, wise hearts, pure hearts, willing hearts, deceitful hearts, conniving hearts, courageous hearts, cold hearts, hearts of stone, or selfish hearts.
The measure of our hearts is the measure of our total performance. As used by the Lord, the “heart” of a person describes his effort to better self, or others, or the conditions he confronts.
A question I pose to you is this: How do you measure up? Ultimately you and I will be judged not only for our actions, but also for the desires of our hearts. (“The Measure of Our Hearts,” Ensign, Nov 1988, 15)
Sometimes we serve, but our hearts aren’t really there. We don’t truly desire to serve; we’re only serving because we were asked to, or because we feel like we have to. Serving with our hearts involves bending our true desires toward serving God.
It isn’t always easy. Sometimes we may truly wish to serve with our whole hearts, only to feel bogged down by life’s challenges. Henry B. Eyring, now the second counselor in the First Presidency of the Church, promises us this:
For those who are discouraged by their circumstances and are therefore tempted to feel they cannot serve the Lord this day, I make you two promises. Hard as things seem today, they will be better in the next day if you choose to serve the Lord this day with your whole heart. Your circumstances may not be improved in all the ways which you desire. But you will have been given new strength to carry your burdens and new confidence that when your burdens become too heavy, the Lord, whom you have served, will carry what you cannot. He knows how. He prepared long ago. He suffered your infirmities and your sorrows when He was in the flesh so that He would know how to succor you. (“This Day,” Ensign, May 2007, 89-91)
What a marvelous promise. As we turn our hearts over to the Lord and let Him work through us, we will be blessed and have our abilities expanded many times over.
D & C 4: A Marvelous Work
The first verse of Doctrine and Covenants section 4 reads: “Now behold, a marvelous work is about to come forth among the children of men.”
The first question I have about this verse is: What’s the marvelous work?
The prophet Isaiah in the Old Testament spoke of a “marvellous work and a wonder.” In his words:
13 Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:
14 Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid.
(Isaiah 29:13-14)
This scripture speaks of a people who have fallen away from truly following God. They may speak of God, but they do not truly seek to do God’s will. But through His infinite mercy, the Lord has promised to “do a marvellous work among this people” that will supercede the understanding of men.
Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will tell you that the “marvellous work” is the restoration of the gospel and the coming forth of the Book of Mormon through the prophet Joseph Smith.
The fact that the Book of Mormon came forth at all is truly miraculous. Originally written on gold plates in reformed Egyptian by prophets in the Americas over the span of a thousand years, and then preserved in the ground at the Hill Cumorah to come forth at a later time, that Joseph Smith was able to receive the plates at all is a miracle beyond comprehension.
He then translated them in the midst of persecutions and “strenuous exertions” of opponents to get them from him. A young, unlearned farm boy, he proceeded to translate the entire 532-page book in only about 65 working days. And the days Joseph spent were not consecutive; there were times that he had to stop to procure supplies or even relocate his family because of persecution.
But when Joseph was able to return to translating, he would start up exactly where he had left off. “After meals, or after interruptions, [Joseph] would at once begin where he had left off, without either seeing the manuscript or having any portion of it read to him” (“Last Testimony of Sister Emma,” Saints’ Herald, 1 Oct. 1879, 290; quoted in Neal A. Maxwell, “‘By the Gift and Power of God’,” Ensign, Jan 1997, 36). Most people engaged in a writing project find it helpful to go back over what they wrote the day before. It’s easy to lose track of a narrative after some time away. But Joseph didn’t do that.
These are only some of the “marvels” that have come along with this work. Along with the translation of the Book of Mormon, priesthood keys were restored to the earth by the laying on of hands through angelic messengers. These keys enabled men on the earth once again to perform saving ordinances such as baptism with the proper authority, and gave them the authority to organize Christ’s church. What a miracle that is, to have the power of God on the earth once more, received directly from messengers from heaven!
Like a row of dominoes falling one into another, more blessings followed the restoration of the priesthood. The priesthood enabled Christ’s church to be organized on the earth again. It allowed the building of temples, and the participation of ordinances therein such as the sealing of families and work for the dead. The restored Church, the kingdom of God on the earth, is like the stone cut from the mountain without hands that rolls would become a great mountain and would fill the whole earth mentioned in Daniel 2:44-45.
Works don’t get much more marvelous than this.
As I think of all this, it makes sense to me. If the true church were not to be found on the earth, but the Lord in His mercy saw fit to bring it forth again, that He would do so through angelic messengers and a book of scripture that testifies of Christ really makes sense. It also makes sense that He would choose someone unlearned in the eyes of men but humble and teachable as His prophet. Truly it is a marvelous work and a wonder that we see the fruits of today. I am grateful to live at a time when I can be a part of it.
D & C 4: An Overview
Section 4 of the Doctrine and Covenants is a great example of a little scripture that says a lot. The book is considered by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to be scripture, and this particular section is a revelation received through the prophet Joseph Smith for his own father.
There are several sections of the Doctrine and Covenants that came about in the early days of the Church when people believed in the work that Joseph Smith was doing, and then wanted to know what the Lord would have them do. Joseph’s father was no exception; it must have been both a humbling and marvelous thing for him to receive this instruction from the Lord at the hands of his own son.
As we read through these revelations directed at specific people, an interesting theme emerges. While some people are given specific assignments, such as preaching the gospel in a certain geographic location, everyone is given the same general counsel. Perhaps this counsel could be summed up in a couple of phrases such as “seek the Lord,” “share the gospel,” and “develop the Christlike qualities that will help you in these labors.” But perhaps it is all summed up most vividly in D&C 4.
Only seven verses long, it’s not too difficult to commit to memory. In fact, full-time missionaries of the Church have been advised to memorize it and recite it regularly because it gives such a great perspective to the things that they are doing. The fact that similar counsel comes up for others shows that these words are important for all of us.
Here it is, in its entirety:
1 Now behold, a marvelous work is about to come forth among the children of men.
2 Therefore, O ye that embark in the service of God, see that ye serve him with all your heart, might, mind and strength, that ye may stand blameless before God at the last day.
3 Therefore, if ye have desires to serve God ye are called to the work;
4 For behold the field is white already to harvest; and lo, he that thrusteth in his sickle with his might, the same layeth up in store that he perisheth not, but bringeth salvation to his soul;
5 And faith, hope, charity and love, with an eye single to the glory of God, qualify him for the work.
6 Remember faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, brotherly kindness, godliness, charity, humility, diligence.
7 Ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. Amen.
The words are simple, yet powerful. We are told that something glorious (the restored gospel) is about to come forth to the whole world. Those of us who wish to serve the Lord should do so with our whole hearts.
And this next part really means something to me: if we have desires to serve God, if we truly want to serve Him, then we are called. There will be a place for each of us to serve and build the kingdom of God, no matter how untalented or inexperienced we might think we are. The Lord knows our abilities and where we can best contribute, and He will augment those abilities as we seek to do His will. For there is much work to do and many who are ready for and even searching for the gospel. Those who labor with their all their might “layeth up salvation” unto their souls.
Powerful Christlike qualities are listed next. Each of these words could be a sermon in and of themselves – including faith, knowledge, charity, humility, and diligence. And finally, we are reminded that as we earnestly seek the Lord and the truth, we will be given those things. What a wonderful promise!
In upcoming blogs, we’ll look at some of the specific words and phrases used in this section of scripture in greater detail.
The Doctrine and Covenants: God Speaks to Man Today
Maybe you already know that members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Mormons, believe in the Bible as well as the Book of Mormon. But what about these other books we call scripture-the Doctrine and Covenants and Pearl of Great Price?
Joseph Smith, the first prophet and founder of the Church, translated the Book of Mormon and saw to its publication. He also compiled these other two books of scripture.
The Doctrine and Covenants is largely comprised of revelations Joseph received throughout his ministry. Unlike much of the Bible and the Book of Mormon, which give historical background as well as commandments from God, the Doctrine and Covenants does not give much history. Almost all of it is made up of words directly from the mouth of the Lord. Headings have been added to each section of the Doctrine and Covenants that fill in some of the historical context of each revelation. It is helpful to study Church history as you study the Doctrine and Covenants to help you understand what questions and situations the Lord was addressing.
The book begins in the early years of Joseph’s ministry, just as he’s beginning the work of translating the Book of Mormon. He chronicles the restoration of the Aaronic Priesthood and the Lord’s counsel to him and his early helpers. At one point early on, Joseph failed to follow the wishes of the Lord, and he was chastised for it. He even records what the Lord said to him here.
“For behold, you should not have feared man more than God … you should have been faithful, and he would have extended his arm and supported you against all the fiery darts of the adversary … But remember, God is merciful; therefore, repent of that which thou hast done which is contrary to the commandment which I gave you, and thou art still chosen, and art again called to the work … “(D&C 3:7-8, 10)
This incident, while it must have been painful for Joseph, is something that we can all learn from.
As the book continues, the Lord reveals how the Church is to be organized and what the Saints are to do from there. We also see the growth of Joseph as a prophet, and receive answers to doctrinal questions that he and other Latter-day Saints had. The prophet bears his own testimony of the Savior throughout the book, but perhaps most notably in D&C 76:
“And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he lives! For we saw him, even on the right hand of God; and we heard the voice bearing record that he is the Only Begotten of the Father” (D&C 76:22-23).
One of the last sections in the Doctrine and Covenants was written by Brigham Young after Joseph’s death. As Joseph’s successor, he received and recorded the will of the Lord regarding the journey of the Saints to Utah. Another was received through Joseph F. Smith, a prophet who served in the early 1900’s, regarding the salvation of the dead. Although the Church has not added any new sections to the Doctrine and Covenants in recent years, it is not considered a “closed book” and new revelations may be added in the future. Our prophet and apostles continue to speak to us today, helping us to understand and do all those things the Lord would have us do.