Missouri was tough. Church members were just beginning to establish a community in Jackson County when they were violently driven out. Clay County provided temporary refuge, and Caldwell and Daviess Counties also ended in violence and expulsion in 1838. As Joseph Smith languished in Liberty Jail, he wrote letters to the Saints containing some of the most sublime truths, including insights into leadership which he would carry to the work of building a new city in Illinois.
Here are some lessons I’ve learned from these revelations:
1. We can cultivate joy and cheerfulness, even in difficult circumstances.
God wants us to savor the feast that He has provided for us, recognizing and finding joy in our blessings. As we exercise faith in Him, we can hush our fears and choose to be of good cheer.
Connecting with elemental experiences is key. We can celebrate “the fulness of the earth”, including food, nature, and beauty, which God has provided “to please the eye and to gladden the heart” (Doctrine and Covenants 59:15-19).
As we remember that we live in a time anticipated by ancient prophets, we can be enthusiastic about the new tools and opportunities God has given us.
2. We can find satisfaction and fulfillment in work.
God celebrates laborers, saying that they are “worthy of [their] hire” (Doctrine and Covenants 31:5). There are times when we need to move quickly, and others when we need to move more methodically, but we can keep pressing forward, balancing eager initiative with careful restraint.
As we act on what we know we should do, more instructions will follow.
It’s important to remain focused and committed on our long-term goals, enduring well through difficult and discouraging experiences. And it’s important to let go of commitments which divert time and energy from our most important responsibilities.
3. God has called us to serve one another.
Disciples of Christ are willing to “descend” as He did, empathizing with and uplifting others. He has given us talents so that we can serve and bless others, and He wants us to develop those talents unselfishly.
We have all been called. When we accept those callings, we are chosen. When we fulfill them consistently, we are faithful. We should strive to be all three.
We care for God’s children in ever expanding circles: self, family, and others. Sometimes, our service to others requires our families to make sacrifices. When that happens, the Lord provides compensatory blessings.
When we calibrate our efforts properly, we can find joy in our service.
4. We must lead and teach with patience and love.
God leads by persuasion, not coercion, because His goal is our long-term growth, not immediate compliance. As His disciples, we should lead the same way: sharing truth with clarity and gentleness as we humbly and patiently persuade others to make wise decisions.
How we teach is as important as what we teach. We should listen, inspire, and gently guide. We can teach enthusiastically and spontaneously by removing barriers to engagement and share uplifting messages through a variety of channels—digital and personal.
5. Repentance is liberating.
We confess our sins not to obsess over them but to externalize them and let them go.
Of course, the goal is not temporary relief but permanent deliverance. The Savior can help us set aside our sins and avoid picking them up again.
Regular worship enables us to “more fully” keep ourselves unspotted from the world and to eventually become sanctified.
6. Jesus Christ can unite us with each other and with God.
Adam-ondi-Ahman is both a place and a state of reconciliation with God, a reminder that Jesus Christ can bring us back into God’s presence.
Zion is a state of unity and peace, built upon the principles of celestial law, including obedience, purity, and equality.
We contribute to the community of saints by using the correct name for the Savior’s church, upholding Church leaders, and paying tithing.
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