Keys

Keys open doors.

Last week, while visiting my son and daughter-in-law in Mexico, I inadvertently locked myself out of my bedroom. The owner of the apartment they are temporarily renting doesn’t have a key to that lock, so we hired a locksmith to get me back in. During the brief time that I was locked out, I realized how many things I couldn’t do because I had no access to my things. I couldn’t drive my rental car, because I didn’t have the key. I couldn’t buy anything because my wallet was in there. I couldn’t work on most of the projects I have in flight because I couldn’t get to my laptop.

Jesus told Peter, “I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” (Matthew 16:19). The Lord made the same declaration to the prophet Nephi in the Book of Mormon:

I give unto you power, that whatsoever ye shall seal on earth shall be sealed in heaven; and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven

Helaman 10:7

We often focus on the “binding” or “sealing” part of that promise, linking it to the power to unite families eternally. (See Doctrine and Covenants 128:14, Doctrine and Covenants 132:46.)

Today, I’m more focused on the second half of the promise: the power to loose things, to make things easier, to give us access to blessings that would be inaccessible to us without divine help.

In August and September 1830, Joseph Smith received two revelations in which the Lord spoke extensively about keys He had delegated to specific people. Here’s a list of those keys with some thoughts about doors they can open for us:

• Moroni: “The keys of the record of the stick of Ephraim.” God gave Moroni power to complete and preserve the Book of Mormon. Without him, we wouldn’t have access to that priceless volume of scripture.
• Elias: “The keys of bringing to pass the restoration of all things spoken by the mouth of all the holy prophets since the world began, concerning the last days.” The ongoing restoration of the gospel blesses all of us, as covenants between God and ancient prophets are fulfilled in our lives.
• Elijah: “The keys of the power of turning the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to the fathers, that the whole earth may not be smitten with a curse.” Our families can be stronger, more loving, more united across generations because of these keys.
• Peter, James, and John: “The keys of your ministry,” and “the keys of the kingdom.” The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints enables us to participate in a collective work of salvation on behalf of all of God’s children.
• Joseph Smith: “The keys of the mysteries.” Prophets clarify things that are mysterious for us: concepts and principles which we might struggle to understand without their help.

(See Doctrine and Covenants 27:5, 6, 9, 12-13; Doctrine and Covenants 28:7.)

President Russell M. Nelson said, “Consider how your life would be different if priesthood keys had not been restored to the earth” (“Rejoice in the Gift of Priesthood Keys,” General Conference, April 2024).

Today, I will think about all of the doors that priesthood keys have opened for me. I will express my gratitude to God for the opportunities I have because of keys He has delegated to His children.