The first part of this year, we’ve studied a collection of revelations Joseph Smith received while he lived in New York and Pennsylvania. For purposes of this post, I’m labeling Joseph Smith—History and Doctrine and Covenants 1-40 as the “Northeastern Revelations” to distinguish them from the subsequent revelations, received as church members moved west.
These early revelations span from Joseph’s First Vision in 1820 to the organization of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ten years later, as well as a number of additional revelations received during the first year of the new church.
As I’ve studied and pondered these revelations in conjunction with the Book of Mormon, I’ve noticed four patterns which characterize true disciples of Jesus Christ:
1. Disciples of Jesus Christ are good gift-receivers.
Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon “by the gift and power of God.” Joseph and Oliver Cowdery experienced spiritual power after they received the priesthood and chose to be baptized. And the Lord sent multiple spiritual messengers who restored keys, which can open doors for us that would otherwise remain closed.
James Covel provides a cautionary tale: We may be offered gifts of untold value, but we may fail to receive them because we fail to recognize their significance.
Prophets can help us recognize the gifts that are available to us. Joy D. Jones and Emily Belle Freeman both gained a greater appreciation for the divine privileges available to them by accepting President Russell M. Nelson’s invitation to study the revelation to Emma Smith in Doctrine and Covenants 25.
2. Disciples of Jesus Christ seek revelation.
The Restoration began with a burst of light overcoming thick darkness. Most of the time, revelation comes to us less dramatically, as rays rather than pillars of light. But Joseph Smith’s experience teaches us that God’s light can overcome all of the darkness in our lives and help us avoid deception.
The following activities invite revelation:
- Prayer, especially when we pray vocally, asking well-formed questions, with a desire to know the truth and with confidence that He will answer
- Pondering, meditating, and engaging in serious reflection
- Devoting energy to scripture study—when the Spirit confirms that what we have read is true, we have heard God’s voice.
- Speaking with trust that the Holy Ghost will “give utterance“
- Making and keeping appointments with God
God taught Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery how to receive personal revelation. Among other things, they learned:
- Messages from God enlighten us and evoke positive emotions
- We should pray with the intent to learn, not to persuade.
- Sometimes, we receive an answer before we realize that we have received an answer.
- It’s important to seek revelation about your own appointed responsibilities and respect the revelation received by others within theirs.
Just as God is restoring His gospel globally, He is also restoring it in our individual lives. We can all receive revelation from Him: He has promised to pour out His Spirit upon “all flesh.”
3. Disciples of Jesus Christ strive to overcome pride and cultivate unity.
The Savior encourages us to esteem others as ourselves. We must be mindful of this: We can only avoid pride if we realize that we are vulnerable to it.
He also invites church members to “be one,” warning that “if ye are not one, ye are not mine” (Doctrine and Covenants 38:27). A key to building unity is spending time together, which is why the Lord has commanded the church to “meet together oft.”
And our desire for unity is not limited to members of our own church. The Savior counseled early church leaders to “contend against no church,” and He explained that the Book of Mormon is intended to build up what people already have, not to destroy it. Joseph Smith’s father modeled appropriate behavior when he recognized that his son’s vision was of God and encouraged him to follow the instructions of the angel. When we trust one another to be fair-minded, we are more willing to share our personal spiritual experiences.
When we feel alone, we can take comfort in knowing that God remembers the islands of the sea. He is mindful of us, and we may be more connected and unified with other people than we realize.
4. Disciples of Jesus Christ are preparing the world for His return.
In the Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard and in the Allegory of the Olive Tree, people are recruited at the eleventh hour to complete the work that must be done. This represents the urgency with which we work as the Savior’s return grows closer. God loves hard work and blesses His servants abundantly for their efforts. He also labors alongside us personally.
God intentionally chooses ordinary people to do this extraordinary work. He encourages them to focus on the work they have been called to do and to avoid distractions.
Followers of Christ are not daunted by the turbulent events which will precede His Second Coming. They recognize that those upheavals are redemptive, not punitive, and that they represent a pleading from a merciful God to those who have gone astray.
Those who are with the Savior at His Second Coming will be called, chosen, and faithful. We are all called. We choose to be chosen by humbling ourselves and exercising faith. When we act consistently with the call over time, we are faithful.
Thankyou!!!