The apostle Paul described himself and the other apostles as “stewards of the mysteries of God” (1 Corinthians 4:1).
In 1831, the Lord gave a similar responsibility to six church leaders:
I, the Lord, have appointed them, and ordained them to be stewards over the revelations and commandments which I have given unto them, and which I shall hereafter give unto them;
And an account of this stewardship will I require of them in the day of judgment.
Doctrine and Covenants 70:3-4
Joseph Smith wrote that this revelation shows “that the keys of the mysteries of the kingdom of our Savior are again entrusted to man.” (See Doctrine and Covenants 70, section heading.)
Nephi believed that the mysteries of God would be revealed to earnest seekers after truth. (See 1 Nephi 10:19.) He and his descendants were conscientious about preserving their spiritual records. They considered the writing and preserving of these records to be a sacred trust they held on behalf of future generations. (See 1 Nephi 6; Words of Mormon 1:1-2; Alma 37:2-5.)
As President Russell M. Nelson has taught, there is “so much more that [our] Father in Heaven wants [us] to know” (“Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives,” General Conference, April 2018). One of the ways God reveals truth to us is through the words of prophets, carefully recorded and preserved over time. How grateful we can be for inspired servants who have written and safeguarded God’s words so that we can access spiritual knowledge!
Today, I will be mindful of the numerous people whose collective efforts have enabled me to access so much of God’s word. I will remember their efforts as I strive to better understand the mysteries of God by studying His revelations.
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