Between November and December 1832, Joseph Smith received specific revelation about multiple topics:
- CHURCH ADMINISTRATION (Doctrine and Covenants 85): How to manage inheritances for church members who refused to consecrate their properties. The Lord answered the question while clarifying the duties of the clerk, including the responsibility for accurate record-keeping.
- SCRIPTURAL INTERPRETATION (Doctrine and Covenants 86): The meaning of the parable of the wheat and tares. (See Matthew 13:24-30.) The Lord explained the meaning of the symbols in the parable, and then related those symbols to us. It is important for us to be patient. Many injustices won’t be resolved until later.
- POLITICAL TURMOIL (Doctrine and Covenants 87): What to do about the Nullification Crisis, a standoff between the state of South Carolina and the federal government of the United States which dominated headlines at the time. The Lord explained that war would come but reiterated the principle that His disciples should “stand…in holy places, and be not moved.”
Here are some blog posts relating to some of the major themes of these sections:
Record-keeping
- Remembering spiritual experiences strengthens our faith: Record-keeping.
- A written record of our lives can help us see the hand of the Lord more clearly: What Is the “Book of Remembrance” Mentioned by Malachi?
- Taking the time and making the effort to record a spiritual experience is a way of showing that it is important to us: Bring Forth the Record Which Ye Have Kept – 3 Nephi 23:7-9.
Patience
- Waiting is a key component of discipleship: “They Shall Not Be Ashamed That Wait for Me” – 1 Nephi 21:23, 2 Nephi 6:7.
- We should be eager to do God’s work but also willing to submit to the Lord’s timing: Until the Time Should Come.
- As we share the gospel with others, we need to slow down, pay attention to their needs and abilities, and remember that learning takes time: Ye Shall Be Patient – Alma 17:11.
Holy Places
- Our homes can be places of refuge and peace in a troubled world: Holy Places.
- The ultimate goal of creating sacred spaces is for us to become more holy: A House of Prayer.
- Every home can be a place where the Spirit of the Lord dwells: Upon Every Dwelling Place – 2 Nephi 14:5.
- Those who recognize the importance of the temple are eager to visit: The Mountain of the Lord’s House – 2 Nephi 12:2-3.
Blog Posts: August 3-8
The Still Small Voice
During a particularly discouraging time, the prophet Elijah traveled to Mount Horeb, the same place Moses had seen the burning bush. In a cave on that mountain, he prayed, expressing frustration for his lack of success. In response, God told him to step out of the cave onto the side of the mountain. Standing there,…
Wheat and Tares
In one of the Savior’s parables, a farmer plants wheat in his field. In the middle of the night when no one is watching, his enemy plants tares in the same field. A tare is “an injurious weed resembling wheat when young” (Oxford English Dictionary). When the farmer’s servants realize what has happened, they ask…
Holy Places – 2 Nephi 14:5-6
The prophet Isaiah foretold a time when every home would be a holy place: And the Lord will create upon every dwelling-place of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night; for upon all the glory of Zion shall be a defence. And there shall be…
“A Record of My Proceedings” – 1 Nephi 1:1
Nephi opens his record by explaining why he is writing it: I, Nephi, having been born of goodly parents, therefore I was taught somewhat in all the learning of my father; and having seen many afflictions in the course of my days, nevertheless, having been highly favored of the Lord in all my days; yea, having had a great knowledge of the goodness…
Restoration of All Things
Malachi prophesied that Elijah the prophet would return to the earth “before the great and dreadful day of the Lord” and that he would “turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers” (Malachi 4:5-6). Peter, James, and John apparently had that prophecy in mind when…
“I Will Make Thee Mighty” – Helaman 10:5
An awareness of our potential can energize us to action. After preaching to an unreceptive audience in Zarahemla, the prophet Nephi was discouraged. His listeners had heard his words and seen a miracle which they could not deny. But instead of changing their minds at that point and accepting his message, they “divided hither and…
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