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INTRO
Section 102 is a record of the very first high council meeting in the church. The major focus of that meeting was to determine procedures for dealing with individuals within the church that had committed serious sin.
It’s important to note that recently, there have been some major changes to the way disciplinary situations are conducted in the church. There are certain terms that we don’t use anymore. We don’t call them “Disciplinary Councils”, but “Membership Councils”. We don’t say “Excommunicated” anymore, but “Membership Withdrawal”. And another significant change is that members don’t typically stand before the entire high council anymore, but meet personally with the Stake President and his counselors and anyone else that may add to the understanding of the case, such as the Bishop. Personally, I really like these changes and feel that they better reflect the loving and protective nature of Membership councils. This is perhaps an example of line upon line or policy change in the church. Principles don’t change, but policies do. So rather than focus on the particulars and outdated procedures of a high council church court that we find in this section, I’d just like to spend a little time on some of the big picture principles that are still relevant and applicable to our day.
ICEBREAKER
I’m often surprised to discover how little people understand about the process and purpose of a church membership council, especially the youth. Many don’t know that such a thing as a church court even exists. So for an icebreaker, I like to ask a few trivia questions to help them gain a better understanding of what’s going on there.
Question #1
What is the purpose of church membership councils or church court? Mark all that apply.
A. To settle legal issues between members.
B. To help transgressors repent of serious sin.
C. To punish members for inactivity.
D. To identify unrepentant predators or apostates to protect innocent members.
E. To safeguard the integrity of the church.
F. To investigate why members are not fulfilling their callings.
Question #2
What situations would require a person to have a church membership council? Mark all that apply.
A. Criminal acts
B. Abuse of spouse or children
C. Failure to pay tithing
D. Word of Wisdom problems
E. Abortion
F. Struggles with faith or testimony
G. Adultery
H. Apostasy
Question #3
What are the possible outcomes of a church membership council? Mark all that apply
A. Corporal punishment
B. Counseling with Church Leaders
C. Formal membership restriction
D. Prison Time
E. Membership withdrawal
F. Community service
G. Remains in good standing
Question #4
What principles guide church membership councils? Mark all that apply
A. Love
B. Fairness
C. Kindness
D. Justice
E. Repentance
F. Mercy
G. Protection of the innocent
MATCHING ACTIVITY
Well, with that as an introduction, I would explain to my class that section 102 is a description of the way church court or membership council proceedings were done in the early church. I would also want them to understand what I explained above—that the church handles these situations a little differently nowadays. So instead of spending our time on older policies, let’s focus on the principles behind these councils that are still relevant and applicable to us.
You could approach this as a matching activity with the following handout. Match the verse with the principle that most accurately describes what is being taught. Once they’ve finished that activity, you can correct it and encourage discussion.
Here are the answers:
:2 The answer is: High councils help to resolve questions and problems within the church.
:2 The high council was appointed by revelation for the purpose of settling important difficulties which might arise in the church, which could not be settled by the church or the bishop's council to the satisfaction of the parties
There are a couple of things going on here. There is an admission and recognition that sometimes difficulties will arise in the church. Even though we claim to be Christ’s Church and Kingdom on the earth, even though we operate with sacred priesthood power, even though we’ve been blessed with the fulness of everlasting gospel, things won’t always go smoothly. There will always be important difficulties that might arise. Sometimes wards face these. Sometimes stakes face these, and sometimes the entire church faces these. There is wisdom in a council coming together to seek for resolution and answers. I also love the fact that there is an order to these things. Bishops can and do receive revelation and instruction for their wards but are not considered infallible or qualified to render judgment in all situations. There may be certain matters that are better dealt with on a stake, area, or general church level. It may be better for a leader with more experience or knowledge to review certain matters. It’s ok for us to admit and recognize that. God is allowing for growth and development in his leaders as well. So, if certain parties aren’t satisfied with the counsel or judgment they’ve received, there is another level of authority that they can appeal to. This is fair and recognizes both the divine and the human in church leadership. This truth is reiterated later in the section where the appeals process is explained.
:10 The answer is: It is a privilege to serve with councilors.
10 And it is according to the dignity of his office that he should preside over the council of the church; and it is his privilege to be assisted by two other presidents, appointed after the same manner that he himself was appointed.
As a Bishop, I can personally attest to this truth. I am so grateful for my counselors. I could not fulfill my calling without them. Their support, their feedback, their counsel has been invaluable to me in my calling. In whatever type of presidency, we serve in, we can always be grateful for the privilege of serving with counselors. There is strength in numbers.
:17 God cares about the well-being of the individual. Even those guilty of serious sin.
17 Those councilors who draw even numbers, that is, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12, are the individuals who are to stand up on behalf of the accused and prevent insult and injustice.
Now this is not how the church works these kinds of councils anymore, but the principle can still guide those that are involved in them. This was describing what happened when a member of the church was facing disciplinary actions. In this type of scenario, the accused had the right to one half of the council to help prevent insult and injustice. That doesn’t mean that half the council was defending the accused or trying to convince the other side that they were innocent. If a council was being held at all, that had already been established. What they were trying to decide was what measures to take. Half the council considered and was concerned about the well-being of the individual involved. Were they being treated fairly? What decision would be best for them and serve them the greatest. The other half of the council was to consider the good of the church and protect its integrity. If the church allowed members to remain in good standing after committing serious sin or encouraging apostasy, then what would that say about the Church? How would that reflect on its good name? Would that communicate a condoning of the behavior, or that we didn’t feel it was that big a deal? Look what happened in the Catholic Church when there were clearly issues of sin amongst certain priests, but the church decided not to do anything about it, or to hide it? That was damaging to the entire Roman Catholic church. So both sides must be considered in any church disciplinary measures. This is yet another great example of the balance between justice and mercy. The Lord is concerned about the well-being of the transgressor, and the well-being of the church, as well as a consideration of the victims of the transgressor. As a bishop, I try to keep this balance in mind when I work with the repentant. I want to make sure that I don’t care so much about the well-being of the transgressor that I forget to remember the protection of the principle. I’m doing a disservice to the church or those affected if I just say to a transgressor that their sin is ok, that there will be no repercussions or actions taken. However, I do a disservice to the individual if I just chew them out, emphasize their mistakes, or inflict harsh disciplinary actions against them with no thought for their future or well-being. Balance and consideration to both sides is vital in making those decisions as well as relying on the guidance of the Spirit.
:23 Before we ask the Lord for revelation and guidance, we should check to see what He has already revealed concerning the matter.
:23 In case of difficulty respecting doctrine or principle, if there is not a sufficiency written to make the case clear to the minds of the council, the president may inquire and obtain the mind of the Lord by revelation.
SECTION 104-A CONSECRATION REVIEW
Now we’re going to skip ahead to section 104. Sections 103 and 105 go more naturally together as they both deal with Zion’s Camp. So, we’ll do those two together next. But section 104 is a revelation specifically about consecration. The Saints are still struggling with this law and apparently need a refresher course on its basic principles. We’ve seen and discussed most of them already in previous sections such as 38, 42, 51, and 78.
With a class of youth, I would probably use this as an opportunity to play a bit of a review game to reiterate those principles.
One game you could play is what I call a Scripture Animal Race. It’s kind of a fun way to review and move quickly through a large block.
Depending on the size of your class, divide them up into teams of two or three or four and give each one a small whiteboard. They’ll also need a marker and something to erase it with.
Next, they’ll need to decide on a team mascot or marker. I just have these little cardstock animals I printed out and put a piece of magnet tape on the back. I’ll make a printout of some animals available with the handouts this week so you could put that together if you like. On my whiteboard I make a “racetrack” like this and place each team’s piece at the beginning.
Then to play, you ask the class questions from the block of scripture. The team that can write the correct answer on their whiteboard first and raise it up in the air wins the round. Their mascot gets to move forward TWO spaces on the track. But it doesn’t end there. They also have to make two more choices. They have to choose another team to move forward ONE space with them. AND, they also get to choose a team to move back ONE space. They can’t choose their own mascot for this of course, and they can’t move the same team forward and then back again. It has to be two different teams. The genius of that is that it keeps the teams fairly even on the track. If you have a team that dominates, or a team that doesn’t answer many questions, they still all seem to stay pretty even since the winning team usually gets moved back, and the losing team usually gets moved forward. And it also creates a bit of fun and bargaining between the teams as some beg to be moved forward and others moan about being moved back. The team that is in the lead by the final question, wins. Just be sure that you keep things lighthearted and fun with this activity so that it doesn’t become too competitive. Encourage them to not to get too upset if they are moved back a space on occasion. That’s just the name of the game. This probably isn’t the kind of lesson where you’re going to go very deeply or reverently into the principles. But it’s a good game for review and a change of pace in class. With the youth especially, you need that on occasion.
Here are the questions and answers I would use accompanied by just a little bit of commentary.
1. If we are faithful in living the principles of Consecration, what does the Lord promise us? It’s a promise repeated over and over in this section in the following verses, :2, :23, :25, :31, :33, :35, :38, :42, :46.
He constantly promises a multiplicity of blessings. What a great phrase. I love it even more when he doubles it up and says that he will multiply and multiplicity of blessings. When we put the Lord’s kingdom first, he will take care of his Saints. It doesn’t mean that we won’t ever have any financial difficulties or problems in life, but blessings will be forthcoming. A multiplicity of them. Whether those blessings are spiritual, financial, physical, or familial, they will come. I believe that if we could just see how our lives and circumstances would be altered had we not made those consecration sacrifices, such as tithing and fast offerings, that we would notice a huge difference.
2. What attitude is the biggest threat to consecration? :4
Covetousness. Greed will destroy consecration quicker than anything. When we start to focus more on building up our own kingdom rather than God’s, or we break our covenant with Him, then, as it says here, we are mocking him, and bringing a curse upon our heads. Once we’ve satisfied the needs and wants and circumstances of our own families, then we’re instructed to consecrate the surplus to God to build up his kingdom and help the poor.
3. Verses 11-13 tell us something that we will be accountable for in the day of judgment. What is it?
We will be held accountable for our earthly blessings. He uses the word stewardship multiple times there. We are stewards over our earthly blessings. At some point in the future, we will render an account of what we did with all the things God blessed us with. So perhaps he comes to us and says, “You know, I sent you to a very prosperous home and parents. I provided you with a sound mind that could think clearly and learn quickly. I blessed you with opportunities for education and advancement. I helped you to get a good paying job so that you could provide more than enough for you and your family. I blessed you with great prosperity. Not all of my children have been given what you had. What did you do with those blessings?” How would we answer that question? Would we feel comfortable saying, “Well you should see my house. It’s a gorgeous mansion with more rooms than I knew what to do with. You should see all the fancy cars I had in my several garages, and I’d love to show you what I’ve done with the backyard. I traveled the world extensively and lived a very luxurious lifestyle”. Is that what we’ll want to say? Or would we want to say, “Lord, I always paid a full tithe, I was generous in my fast offerings, I looked for opportunities to help and bless my fellowman and community. Yes, I was able to provide a comfortable living for myself and my family. We had nice things, and we enjoyed many opportunities. But your work always came first. We honored your commandments and served faithfully in your church.” Which of those two scenarios would we rather be able to say?
4. What truth does the Lord emphasize in verses 14-15?
The truth is that all things belong to Him. He created all things, and therefore they are His. The things that we say are ours, are really only on loan from God. That’s why he calls us stewards over our property and earthly blessings. We are taking care of somebody else’s property. Consecration will be so much easier for us to live if we can just let that thought sink deep into our hearts. It’s much easier to give away something that doesn’t really belong to you. So when the Lord asks for tithing, or a generous fast offering, we can easily make that sacrifice because, well, it already belongs to Him.
5. What’s the Lord’s way of providing for the poor? Verse 16
The phrase is. The poor shall be exalted, in that the rich are made low. Like it or not, that’s the way the Lord has set things up. He acknowledges the fact that there will be differences in levels of prosperity in his church. Some will have much, and others will have little. Those that have been given much, are under an obligation to bless and help those who have been given little. That doesn’t mean that the rich need to be made poor, or that the poor are made rich. Then we just end up with the same problem in reverse. No, the poor are lifted from their state of need, while the rich are humbled a little through the act of giving. In that way, all members of the church can have sufficient for their families, circumstances, wants and needs.
6. What interesting fact do we learn about the earth from verses 17-18?
There is enough for everyone. Too often we may look at wealth as a zero-sum game—as one big pie. And if you get more of it, that means less for me. What God is assuring us of here is that there is enough on this earth for everyone to live comfortable and prosperous lives. There’s enough to go around. It’s when people begin to take more than they need, that too little is left over for the rest. This is possible because God has made us “agents unto [ourselves]”. With that agency came the possibility that some would hoard resources and think only of themselves. The curse of covetousness. What’s the Lord’s message to those people? 18 Therefore, if any man shall take of the abundance which I have made, and impart not his portion, according to the law of my gospel, unto the poor and the needy, he shall, with the wicked, lift up his eyes in hell, being in torment.
7. From verses 57-59, what is the main purpose of consecration?
To build up God’s church and kingdom and prepare for the return of the Savior. This should be our mindset with everything we have and are. It’s not about getting ahead, or keeping up with the Jones’s, or achieving some level of prosperity. Our net worth will mean absolutely nothing to God when we die. Our earthly financial success will have no bearing on our judgment. We’ve got to strive to keep an eternal perspective with these things. Consecration prepares the church, our own souls, and the souls of others for the return of the Savior.
8. From verse 68, how many different money amounts are mentioned?
The answer is five. Hundreds, fifties, twenties, tens, or fives. The point I think the Lord is making here is that it doesn’t matter how much we give, as long as we truly consecrate. Not all are able to give the same amount. The person who gives by hundreds is not accounted more worthy than the one who gives by fives. It’s not the quantity that matters, but the quality of the sacrifice. This principle is most clearly shown by the story of the widows mites in the New Testament. She only gave two little mites. But it was all that she had.
9. What from verses 78-86 is something that the Lord really wants us to avoid?
Debt. God doesn’t really like us to be in debt. You can’t consecrate something that you don’t own. So the Lord wants us to work hard to stay out of it. Now obviously, there are legitimate reasons for going into debt. The early church went into debt over a number of things and the Lord doesn’t seem to be chastising them for that. But he does want them to strive to get out of it, as quickly as possible. Recent prophets have also encouraged us to stay out of debt as much as possible.
10. What three things will help us to get out of debt? (:79-80)
Diligence, humility, and the prayer of faith. Diligence in staying focused on the end goal and continuing to work hard to eliminate it. Humility in the lifestyle we decide to live and letting go of luxuries. And the prayer of faith to call upon the powers of heaven to help us stay diligent and humble. The Lord can and will help us to overcome our financial difficulties if we turn to him in faith.
11. What does the Lord compare debt to in :83-84?
Bondage or slavery. We don’t want to become slaves to our debts. The Lord loves freedom in all its forms. Having to live under the tyrannical hands of debt can be crushing and discouraging. The Lord wants us to be happy in this life and it’s hard to be happy when you feel like you’re living under somebody’s else thumb. So release yourselves from bondage. Pay off your debts!
SECTION 103 BEHOLD A ROYAL ARMY
ICEBREAKER
As an icebreaker I would invite my students to sing one of the great battle hymns of the Church. We have a number of them, and each one draws on the imagery of battle to describe the spiritual struggle we face in the last days. You could sing Onward Christian Soldiers, We are all Enlisted, Carry On, or Hope of Israel. Personally, I like “Behold a Royal Army” for this one. You could display the words of the hymn or have them look in the hymnbook after they sing and find their favorite line and share why they like it. My favorite part of this hymn is the chorus--that deep and confident repetition of the word victory. That victory will only come through our devotion to and reliance on Jesus Christ our Lord.
BACKGROUND
Sections 103 and 105 are the Zion’s Camp revelations. 103 came at the beginning of Zion’s Camp as they are called to band together and travel to Missouri, and 105 is received while in Missouri and calls for the disbanding of the camp. Both revelations teach great principles. What was the supposed purpose of Zion’s Camp? To redeem Zion. After the Saints had been pushed out of Jackson County, word traveled back to Joseph Smith in Kirtland informing him of the situation. Everyone wondered if the Church was going to do anything about it. Joseph went to the Lord for guidance, and section 103 was the result. The Lord instructed them to gather an army together, go to Missouri, and redeem Zion from their enemies. What may surprise you is that this revelation is not full of military drills, war tactics, and weapons instructions. The Lord was apparently much more concerned with preparing them spiritually for this experience than he was about preparing them physically. Which, if you know how the story ends, makes a lot of sense. But we’ll get to that in section 105. For now, it’s “prepare for battle”. Prepare to fight for Zion.
I feel the best way to liken the scriptures in this section is to put ourselves in their boots and compare their struggle for Zion to ours. We too are in a battle for Zion and face an intimidating foe. Thank heavens that the instructions here are more spiritual in nature because it makes it that much easier to apply them to ourselves.
Section 103 has some great spiritual war strategies for fighting the adversary. What I might do is invite my students to fill out the following chart as a class on the whiteboard. Students may come forward and fill in the boxes with the strategy they see. The only rule is that it must be a different student that fills in each box. One per student. That way, no one student dominates the activity, and more are encouraged to participate.
Let’s go over the answers.
:5-8 _____________ is my greatest weapon. Obedience
This is our secret weapon of mass destruction on the adversary. If there’s one thing he can’t defend himself from, it’s obedience. He has nothing to shield himself from it. Satan can’t win as long as we’re hearkening unto the counsels of God.
:9-10 Be like these two things ____________ and __________.
We need to be like light and like salt. This is a direct reference to Jesus’s teachings in the Sermon on the Mount. Ye are the light of the world. If we wish to defeat the adversary, we must be willing to stand up and stand out. We are not meant to hide our light under a bushel, but to place it on a candlestick for all to see. Sometimes we may want to be good, but we’re not super wild about everyone else knowing that we’re good. This is especially typical amongst the youth. They may want to do the right thing, but they may not want anyone else to know that they want to do the right thing. They just want to shine their light under their bushel. But God wants us to let it shine. We are supposed to let people see that we’re good. Captain Moroni is the perfect example of this. He was not ashamed to wave what he stood for before the world. We also need to be salty, but in a good way. Christ also taught in the sermon on the Mount that we are to be the salt of the earth. Salt brings out the good in what’s around it. Salt preserves. Salt heals. Salt was precious in Jesus’s day. All of those connotations work here. The war strategy here? Don’t be ashamed of the gospel of Christ. Be conspicuously good. Not self-righteous, but unashamed of what you stand for.
:12 Remember that it won’t be easy. Keep in mind this principle:
What’s that principle? After much tribulation cometh the blessings. This battle is not going to be a quick and easy one. We’re going to be in it for the long haul. Notice he says, “much tribulation”. Nobody ever said war was pleasant or easy. There is an effectual struggle to be made. We must take up our cross daily in our fight for Zion. But the Lord assures us that one day the battle will end. We will be victorious, it is assured. Christ wins, Satan loses, there is no doubt about how this war ends.
:14 A WARNING:
The warning? In the words of Woodsy the Owl, “Give a Hoot, Don’t Pollute”. We can’t expect to win our battles if we pollute our inheritances. Don’t pollute your life with sin, with worldly concerns, with worldly media and sin.
:16 I will send you a _________.
The answer they could put in there could be leader or prophet. God has not sent us into battle without a captain. We are much more likely to win our battles if we choose the right leaders. Be sure to make the prophet your leader. Don’t choose the stars and celebrities to be your examples and heroes. It reminds of the stripling warriors. Who did they choose to be their leader? Helaman. A prophet. And therefore, under his leadership, they were successful and undefeated in battle. Not one of them perished. I believe that not one of us will perish in our spiritual battles if we remember to follow the prophet.
:20 ____________________ shall go with you
20 But I say unto you: Mine angels shall go up before you, and also my presence, and in time ye shall possess the goodly land.
God and angels shall go with you. We have unseen help. Angels surround and support us. Our loved ones that have passed on. Our ancestors. Our unborn posterity. God’s servants. Just like Elisha reminded his servant when they were under attack. “Fear not, there are more that be with us, than they that be with them” and then showed him the army of chariots of fire protecting the city.
:27-28 Don’t be afraid to _____________
Give your life for the gospel. I don’t imagine many of us are going to literally have to do that. But are we willing to? More importantly. Will we live for it? When the scriptures tell us to lay down our lives for the gospel, that’s how I interpret it. I am willing to lay down my own will, my talents, my time, my effort in the work of the Lord. I lay it down before him and offer it with my whole soul.
:36 Three More Weapons: ______________, ________________, ______________
All victory and glory is brought to pass by diligence, faithfulness, and prayers of faith
Along with obedience, I also arm myself with these three things. Diligence. Diligence in keeping the commandments, diligence in sharing the gospel, diligence in redeeming the dead, diligence in my callings. Faithfulness to my beliefs, to my church, to my family, to my God. And prayers of faith. I should always be connected with the source of victory and keep an open communication with God.
LIKEN THE SCRIPTURES
Which of these war strategies has worked for you? How?
CONCLUSION
Just like Zion’s Camp, we too are being asked to rally and fight for Zion. Our spiritual preparation is what matters most here. We already know who is going to win the war in the end. Satan knows that he can’t win that war. But he can win individuals. Don’t let Satan win his battle with you! Remember victory, victory, victory, through Him that redeemed us. Victory, victory, victory through Jesus Christ our Lord. I know that victory will be ours as we remember these strategies we just learned, and as rely on the teachings and atonement of Jesus Christ.
Section 105 THOU SHALT KNOW HEREAFTER
BACKGROUND
Now all those principles were taught before they left for Zion’s Camp. You also get this somewhat melancholy request from the Lord in section 103. There’s almost a hint of frustration and resignation in the Lord’s requirements as far as numbers go for Zion’s Camp. He says that it is his will that they gather together a group of five hundred men to march to Missouri. That was the Lord’s will. And then this sad statement. But men do not always do my will, Therefore, if ye cannot obtain 300, seek diligently that peradventure you may obtain 300. It’s like he’s saying “I’d like to get 500 men, but I know we’re not going to get that many, so try to get 300. But even then, he’s not that optimistic. And if ye cannot obtain 300, 100. But no less. It’s not even worth trying if we can’t even get that many. Now there were enough men in Kirtland to put together a force of 500, but many were just not willing to go. They were safe there in Kirtland. Everything seemed fine for them. Why march 1000 miles across the frontier. It makes me wonder if God ever has to do this kind of thing with me. Does he ever reduce his requirements because he knows that asking for what he would really like out of me probably wouldn’t work? I hope not. I want to be the kind of disciple who’s always willing to go above and beyond what is expected. God will accept less, because he’s gracious, but wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could give more than just the bare minimum of his requirements.
With Zion’s camp, they end up with around 200 when all is said and done.
MOVIE
If you want to help your students gain a better historical understanding of this episode in church history, the church has produced a wonderful little film that covers the highlights of Zion’s Camp. If you’ve never seen it, I encourage you to watch it and consider showing it to your class. The only downside to this is that the movie is rather long, so think about that as you plan for time and perhaps consider just giving a brief summary. I’ll provide a link to the movie in the video description below.
ICEBREAKER
For an icebreaker, other than the movie, I like to begin by telling the beginning of a few stories that come to my mind when I consider Zion’s Camp.
It reminds me of the story of Abraham and Isaac in the Old Testament when the Lord asked Abraham to sacrifice his son, his promised son, the one that he and Sarah had waited for, for so many years. I know that Abraham must have wondered why? Why would the Lord ask me to do such a thing? It just doesn’t make sense.
It reminds me of the story of Adam and Eve, when God gave them a number of instructions after they had left the Garden of Eden. He said to multiply and replenish the earth, to work by the sweat of their brow, and then he added this interesting command. On occasion, Adam and Eve, I want you to kill a baby lamb. Not to eat. Not to use its coat, but just kill it, sacrifice it, for my sake. I wonder if Adam and Eve paused for a minute to wonder, Why would the Lord ask us to do such a thing?
It reminds me of Peter and the apostles at the Last Supper where Jesus begins to wash their feet, and Peter, shocked, refuses to allow it at first. I’m sure he wondered, why would Jesus do this? He’s the King of Kings. And so Peter resists and says, “Thou shalt never wash my feet”.
It also reminds me of something that happened to one of my college roommates. He had spent years studying French in school and had become nearly fluent in the language. So, he wasn’t surprised when he received a mission call to serve in France. And he was so excited. He was more than prepared to go. He wouldn’t even really need the MTC much to train in the language. He would be able to go, and immediately be effective at communicating with people. Well, early in his mission, some medical issues began to appear, and the mission department decided to change his call from France, to the Ogden, Utah mission. And, as you can imagine, he was quite disappointed by this. He had spent all those years learning French, and now it wasn’t going to do him any good on his mission. This talent, this gift, was going to go to waste, when he could have done so much good with it. He wondered, “Why would God prepare me with this skill, this ability, ask me to serve a mission in France, then have it switched to an area where I’m never going to be able to use it?” You can imagine that there’s not a lot of French speaking people in the Ogden area.
Well, we’ll come back to these stories later in the lesson. And if you’re a teacher, I might come up with a Zion’s camp experience of my own. Perhaps you have had something of that nature come up in your life. The kind of situation that makes you ask, “Why would God want me to do this?”
Well, Zion’s camp was just such an occasion. This was a group of men who were asked to do something that they didn’t understand. If you’ve watched the little movie, or read the chapter in Saints, or studied it in Church History, you know that this journey was quite that sacrifice. They marched 1000 miles. They suffered, they sacrificed, they trained, they anticipated fighting literally for Zion and redeeming it. Once there, the Lord sent them back home without a fight and without redemption. Zion was lost and would remain lost. Many wondered why the Lord would ask them to do what they did, when in the end it seemed pointless.
Maybe you’ve experienced something similar in your life. Are there any commandments or counsels of the Lord that you have found difficult to accept? Has there ever been something that happened in your life that seemed pointless? A calling? An experience? A commandment?
The story of Zion’s camp can offer us some insight into these kinds of situations. There are three verses in section 105 that I want to draw your attention to. This is the Lord’s explanation for the (quote unquote) “failure” of Zion’s camp.
SEARCH
I want to focus our attention on how we explain difficult or hard to understand commandments.
How do the following verses shed light on those situations? What explanations might there be for difficult and hard to understand instructions from the Lord?
:6, :10, :19
:6
Sometimes the Lord gives us commandments to help us learn obedience. Not that he just makes up commandments for the sake of commandments (I earnestly believe that all commandments are given with purpose and with our good in mind) but that he knows obedience in smaller things prepare the way for us to be obedient in larger things. Some commandments and counsels are more serious and weighty than others, just like some sins are more serious and weighty than others. There is a spectrum of gravity when it comes to these things. Some of those smaller things prepare us to live the greater ones. As a teacher of youth, I’ve often heard the question “Why is it such a big deal if we date before we’re 16”. And in the grand scheme of things, it really isn’t a huge serious sin to date before you’re 16. That isn’t necessarily going to throw your life into chaos, and inevitably lead you down the path to sin and immorality. Although, that could happen, it’s still far from inevitable. Other things of this nature? The way we wear our garments, grayer areas of the Word of Wisdom, how we keep the Sabbath day holy. I remember when President Hinckley asked the women to wear one pair of earrings. Yes. Smaller counsels. Not on the level of thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not commit adultery, thou shalt not bear false witness. But still counsels that bear significance.
So why does God sometimes ask us to do things that are hard to understand? Because they help us to learn obedience. They are preparatory standards and directives. They keep us distant from the bigger, more serious ones. They are indicator counsels. They indicate to God, his leaders, and ourselves where our hearts lie. They do, in fact, make a difference. Therefore, in a manner of speaking, there really is no such thing as a small commandment or standard. By small and simple things are great things brought to pass.
A story from the life of Ephraim Hanks I think illustrates this.
This was in the early days of the church in Salt Lake City. This was back in the day where all the men had large flowing beards. It was almost a symbol of your manhood. Well Ephraim Hanks came to a Church dance where Brigham Young was present. And without any explanation, the prophet walked across the room and told Ephraim to go home and shave. To get rid of his beard. And then Brigham walked away. Well, that was a strange request. Ephraim wondered why the prophet would ask him to do this. But, he trusted the prophet. And he went home, and he shaved off his beard. And you know, being somewhat of a mountain man, that part of his face had not seen sunlight for a long time, while the rest of his face had. You might say, he had a beard tan. So he said he looked and felt ridiculous. That he looked like a peeled onion. But he shaved it. Although, he decided to leave his mustache. To keep some semblance of his manhood intact, and he returned to the dance. Well, Brigham, saw him come in. And again, without explanation, made a sweeping motion with his hand across his face, indicating that he wanted Ephraim to shave the moustache too. You know, all of it, Ephraim. Ephraim very well could have gotten offended by this. He could have balked at the command as something he didn’t need to do because of its seemingly insignificant nature. Who was Brigham Young to tell him to shave his face? But humbly, and obediently, he returned home and shaved his moustache. From that test of obedience, Brigham knew that Ephraim Hanks was the kind of man that could be trusted to do what the Lord needed him to do, with exactness. Though a small thing, it was an indicator of his heart. So when the Martin and Willy handcart companies were freezing and dying on the plains of Wyoming, and the prophet needed a trusted man to lead a rescue party to them, who did he call on with this most serious of responsibilities? Ephraim Hanks.
So, remember, when the Lord asks “hard to understand” things of us, lets learn obedience and he’ll be able to accomplish even greater things with us in the future.
:10
10 That they themselves may be prepared, and that my people may be taught more perfectly, and have experience, and know more perfectly concerning their duty, and the things which I require at their hands.
Another reason for “hard to understand” commands: To prepare us and give us experience. We may not always see the preparation or the purpose of that experience while we’re going through it. But hindsight is a wonderful thing. Eventually, that purpose will become evident.
In the case of Zion’s camp. Some wondered for a long time what good came of it. Some called it a useless journey. Some called it an absolute failure. But in hindsight, the value of Zion’s camp in church history cannot be dismissed. Zion’s camp was a PTC. A Prophet Training Center. 9 of the original 12 apostles served in Zions’ camp. As well as all the presidents of the 70 and all the members of that quorum. You’ll certainly recognize some of the names of the brethren who took part in that journey.
Lyman Wight, Jedediah Grant, Brigham Young, Willard Richards, Heber C. Kimball, Wilford Woodruff, Parley P. Pratt, Orson Pratt, John Tanner, George A. Smith, Orson Hyde. These are significant future leaders of the Church. No doubt, that event prepared them, taught them more perfectly, gave them experience, and helped them to know more perfectly their duty. Who can deny that having that kind of a close experience with Joseph Smith the prophet, over that period of time, changed and prepared these brethren for what they would eventually face? You know, there’s something about camping together or facing difficult ordeals together that changes relationships between people. This summer, I had the chance to attend both Young Men’s and Girls camp in our ward and witnessed firsthand that miracle of forging stronger relationships in such circumstances. At young men’s camp we actually had a lot of rain and lightning storms pass through, which made for some trying and miserable circumstances. But that shared hardship bonded us closer together. No doubt Zion’s camp had a similar effect on a much grander scale. These brethren were privileged to spend nearly two months with the Prophet and watch him teach, and lead, and correct, and pray and work, not just in the same neighborhood, but at the same campsite. If you watched the little video, I love Brigham Young’s comment, “I would not exchange the knowledge I have received this season for the whole of Geauga County”.
Joseph Smith was later quoted as saying the following:
“Brethren, some of you are angry with me, because you did not fight in Missouri; but let me tell you, God did not want you to fight. He could not organize His kingdom with twelve men to open the Gospel door to the nations of the earth, and with seventy men under their direction to follow in their tracks, unless He took them from a body of men who had offered their lives, and who had made as great a sacrifice as did Abraham. Now the Lord has got His Twelve and His Seventy” Joseph Smith (Joseph Young, “History of the Organization of the Seventies,” quoted in HC 2:182).
The Lord created leaders out of Zion’s camp. These men would eventually lead the church through very difficult times. Think of what Brigham Young learned from this ordeal. In a short time in the future, Joseph Smith will be thrown into Liberty Jail for months, leaving the Saints to journey across the whole of the State of Missouri. Who filled the gap left behind by Joseph? Who had experience in leading a group of people across the wilderness? Brigham Young. Along with others who had been a part of Zion’s camp. In a sense, Zion’s camp really did redeem Zion.
One more explanation
:19 I have heard their prayers, and will accept their offering; and it is expedient in me that they should be brought thus far for a trial of their faith.
Another reason for “hard to understand” commands. They may be trials of faith. God knows that one of the best ways to make something stronger is to test it. To push it. That’s how muscle is built and made stronger. You continually test its capacity with a heavy weight. Our faith needs to be tested in order to grow.
In Ether 12:6
6 And now, I, Moroni, would speak somewhat concerning these things; I would show unto the world that faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith.
Zion’s camp was, for these brethren, a trial of their faith. And they passed! I’m sure God already knew this about them, but, after this ordeal, they knew something about themselves, and church leaders and others knew something about them—that they were willing to fight for Zion. And if they were willing to fight for Zion, that means they were also willing to die for Zion. Greater love hath no man than this, that he layeth down his life for his friends. As they left for Zion’s camp, they probably wondered if they would ever return or see their families again. But because of the mercies of God, most of them did return, there were a few that died of sickness. What if they had been permitted to fight? Which of these great brethren would we not have to lead the church later? What if a Brigham Young, a Heber C. Kimball, a Parley P. Pratt, a Wilford Woodruff had perished in that battle? How might that have affected the history of the church? Later, each of these brethren would look back on that experience and see the purpose and God’s hand in it all.
TRUTH
So what’s the big truth that I see in the story of Zion’s Camp?
From their perspective:
God asked Zion's camp to do something hard that they didn't understand and seemed pointless to teach them obedience, to prepare them, give them experience, and to try their faith. Later they understood the purpose of their journey.
From our perspective:
When God asks me to do something hard, that I don't understand and seems pointless, I can know that it is to teach me obedience, to prepare me, give me experience, and to try my faith. Later, I will understand the purpose.
LIKEN THE SCRIPTURES
Have you ever had a Zion’s Camp experience? Please share.
CONCLUSION
Now back to the stories that we started this portion of the lesson with. What happened in each of those above situations?
With Abraham and Isaac, the Lord eventually revealed his purpose. This was a trial of Abraham’s faith. This was one way for the Lord to help Abraham know something about himself and his willingness to obey. It also helped to serve the purpose of placing all other requests to sacrifice in their proper perspective. The Lord knew that we would all hear that story in the future and find strength in the fact that if Abraham could be willing to make that kind of sacrifice, we should be able to make sacrifices of a smaller nature.
With Adam and Eve. One day an angel comes along and asks him why he was performing sacrifices. His answer: “I know not, save the Lod commanded me”. It’s at that point, that the angel explains the purpose of the commandment. Adam, this is done in similitude of the sacrifice that Jesus would one day make. That this act would help them to understand and rely more on the atonement of Jesus Christ. What a wonderful tribute to Adam and Eve’s trust in God to do this thing without completely knowing why. Some may call that blind obedience. I don’t call it that. I call it trust obedience. They do it, because they have 100% trust and conviction in the being asking them to do it. They know that God would never ask them to do something without purpose or meaning. The great thing about trust obedience, is that it always eventually becomes enlightened obedience. Just like with Zion’s camp, the Lord will reveal the purpose at some future time.
With my roommate in college. He did end up serving his mission in Ogden and wondered almost the whole time if his French speaking skills would ever do him any good in a gospel context. Well, late in his mission a group of 11 native African dancers from the small country of Togo came to perform in a cultural celebration in Bountiful. These dancers were captivated by the hospitality and kindness of their hosts and became curious about the beliefs of the members of this Church they had never heard of. They wanted to know more, but they didn’t speak English. The hosts reached out to the mission president of the Ogden mission to see if he could arrange to have a missionary who spoke French to come and teach them. And he realized, ah yes, we do have an Elder here in the mission who just happens to speak French fluently. My former roommate was called to teach them. They felt the Spirit, they expressed their desire to follow Christ, and were baptized. They became some of the first members of the Church in that country and they returned to spread the message of the restored gospel to their friends, families, and neighbors.
My friend later said:
"I definitely see the hand of the Lord in this one. After about a year here, I'd given up hope of ever using my French. Now I know what the Lord knew all along."
If you’re interested in knowing a little bit more about that story, it actually appeared in an article in the Deseret News. I’ll provide a link to it in the video description below. (https://www.deseret.com/1998/10/2/19404666/conversion-of-africans-starts-already)
I’d like to end with the story of Peter at the last supper when Jesus begins to wash his feet. The Savior’s answer applies beautifully to what we’re talking about here. Jesus says:
7 Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.
In other words, “Peter, I know it’s hard for you to understand what I’m doing at this moment. I know this doesn’t make a lot of sense to you. But some day, you will look back at this moment and understand why. Until then, trust me.”
I hope that when we find ourselves in similar situations, when we’ve been asked to do or obey or undergo something difficult that we don’t understand, that we will remember Zion’s camp. That we will hear the Lord’s voice calmly assuring us “What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.” Until then, my friends, I plead for all of us to trust Him.
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