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SECTION 12
ICEBREAKER
Section 12 is very short, but I still believe you can have a meaningful experience with it. I often introduce it with yet another scripture study skill. And for an icebreaker I display the following slide and ask, what do all these photos have in common?
Answer. Something very interesting is in the background. The main subject is fine, but in some cases what's in the background is even more compelling.
Well, in the case of the scriptures, the same can be true. Oftentimes, exploring and examining the background can really add to your understanding and insight. This is especially true when it comes to the Doctrine and Covenants. Because the stories behind the revelations aren't always printed directly on the page. It's not like the Book of Mormon or the Bible where the story is usually right there in front of you in black and white. The Doctrine and Covenants just provides the revelation that came as a result of the story. So what do we do about that? Well, there are a lot of resources out there to help us fill in the gap. The Section Heading, first of all can offer some help, there are countless manuals and books on the subject. But let me point you to one of the best and easiest ways to access that help. If you have the gospel library app, or you are studying from the church website, you have this little icon to the right of the title of each section. If you click on that, it will link you to a resource called "Revelations in Context". Now these give you are very concise and helpful synopsis and background of the characters and events surrounding the revelation. So I encourage you to read those each time you come to a new section and I promise, it will make a big difference in your study.
Section 12 offers us a good example of the power of context. It's directed to an early convert of the church named Joseph Knight, Senior and the story of the Knight family in church history is truly fascinating. With so many other stories of early church members abandoning their faith or falling into apostasy, the Knight family is an example of a group of individuals who stayed through it all. They remain faithful all the way from Palmyra to Salt Lake.
So allow me to give you a short synopsis of the Knight family. Joseph first meets the Knights while working for Josiah Stowell as a young man, who was a business partner with Joseph Knight Sr. Here are just some of the things the Knights gave or sacrificed to advance the work of the Restoration.
• Joseph Knight Sr. lends Joseph and Emma his carriage to go and retrieve the gold plates.
• Joseph Knight Sr. provides food and paper during the translation.
• Joseph Knight Sr. helps Joseph financially on more than one occasion.
• The Knight family faces persecution in Colesville after their baptism.
• They leave behind their successful farm and mill to join the saints in Kirtland.
• Forced to leave their home in the Kirtland area because of the apostasy of Lemon Copley.
• The Knights are sent to establish Zion in Jackson County Missouri.
• Polly Knight, Joseph Knight’s wife, dies of sickness.
• Esther Knight, his daughter, dies shortly thereafter.
• They are forced from their home in Jackson County.
• Newell Knight’s newborn son and wife die due to the harsh conditions.
• Newell travels back to Kirtland to help build the Kirtland temple.
• Forced from Caldwell County and settles in Nauvoo.
• Joseph Knight Sr.’s daughter Polly dies in Nauvoo.
• Forced to leave their home in Nauvoo to follow the Saints West.
• Newell Knight dies of pneumonia at Council Bluffs, Iowa.
• Joseph Knight Sr. will die less than a month later at Mount Pisgah, Iowa.
• Newell’s son, Jesse Knight, will survive all the hardships of his youth, and establish himself as a successful businessman in Utah.
• Jesse Knight will frequently help the church financially and gave large endowments to help establish Brigham Young University.
Well, just take a look at that list of sacrifices and dedication. This family left an extraordinary legacy for the church. They certainly were Knights of the Restoration. I imagine it's likely that even some of you listening may be descendants of the Knight family. Put that in the comments below if you are, and if you are, what an incredible heritage your ancestors gave you and all of us as members of the church.
SEARCH
Now, with that as a background, what does that add to your study of Section 12?
Read it and mark any phrase that stands out to you.
What do I see? In verse 6. Seek to bring forth and establish the cause of Zion. Doesn't that phrase take on a whole new meaning, knowing what we now know. With our background, the significance of that sentence is magnified exponentially isn't it. The Knight family truly lived that phrase. When Joseph Knight Sr received that revelation at the beginning of his journey of faith, I'm not sure he realized the cost of that heavenly instruction. We often view phrases like this so positively, which we should. But we also have to recognize that establishing the cause of Zion requires sacrifice.
TRUTH
Establishing Zion requires sacrifice.
For this family, it was deep sacrifice; they gave so much to establish that cause.
LIKEN THE SCRIPTURES
Are we willing to make a similar effort in our discipleship? Do we realize that discipleship carries a cost; that establishing Zion isn't free? Verse 7 tells us that this revelation applies to ALL who have desires to bring forth and establish this work. Now it probably won't cost us what it cost them, but maybe we could ask ourselves "How can I help to establish the cause of Zion like the Knights?" . And we can say, "If they could endure and give THAT, then shouldn't I be able to give and endure what's been asked of me? To give my time as a full-time missionary? To offer my best in my church calling? To dedicate 10% of my income to tithing? To sacrifice my own will, to follow the will of the Father? The Knights can inspire us to do so.
What will help us to give as they gave? We can be humble, full of love, have faith, hope, charity, temperance, and be trustworthy. The Knight family possessed these qualities in spades. If we wish to accomplish and give half as much as they did, we too need to develop a measure of these attributes.
One more phrase. The Knights were certainly a family that gave heed with their might. They didn't just give heed; they gave heed mightily. I hope that we can follow their amazing example. I also love the fact that Joseph Knight is not really as notable and big a name in the early leadership of the church as many others. He's not a Brigham Young, a Sidney Rigdon, or a Parley P. Pratt. Instead he and his family were just devout, dedicated, and humble latter-day saints who faithfully sought to establish the cause of Zion without notoriety or expectation of reward.
CONCLUSION
I hope we can do the same; that we can be Knight's! and seek to establish the cause of Zion as they did, with all of those qualities that they possessed, and do it mightily.
DOCTRINE & COVENANTS 13
ICEBREAKER
The section where the section heading is longer than the section itself. The importance of this small one verse section though, can't be overstated and represents one of the most significant events of the Restoration, and indeed the last 1000 years. For the first time in centuries, on May 15, 1829, an ordinance was performed under the proper and real authority of God's priesthood power.
As an icebreaker, and to specifically help young people to understand the importance of priesthood authority, I often have them imagine the following scenario.
I say: I want you to close your eyes and imagine that you are driving down the freeway in your dream car. Now, since it's your dream car, there is a good possibility you may be driving a little fast. Am I right? I mean, if you're in a Lamborghini, chances are you're not going to want to stay under 65. So you're going a little fast, you've got your music on, sunglasses, just enjoying the drive. When all of sudden, you look to your side and you notice there's somebody in the car driving next to you trying to get your attention. They're waving their arms and honking. And then you recognize them. It's actually me, Brother Wilcox, in my suit and tie, driving my old Mazda, waving at you and motioning for you to pull over. And you think to yourself, "Well, I've always known he was a little strange, but OK, I guess I'd better see what he wants. And so you pull over and I pull up right behind you. In the rear-view mirror, you see me get out of my car slowly and saunter up to the driver's side window and I knock on it. You roll the window down and say, Hi, Brother Wilcox, can I do something for you? Well, I'm wearing some aviator sunglasses, and I slowly take them off my face and say, Ummm, do your realize how fast you were going? And you say, Ahh, no, I'm not really sure. And I say "I had to go 85 mph just to keep up with you. And you say, OK, thanks for the information, can I go now. I kind of frown a little bit and say, You know, I don't think I can let this go this time. And I pull out a pad of sticky notes, and I write, You are hereby fined to pay 200$ for speeding. And I rip off that sticky note, place it on your dashboard, and say "Now you drive more carefully, I'll see you next week in class". And I walk back to my car which has steam coming from the hood because it's not made to go that fast. Well, a question. What are you going to do with that ticket? Do you have to pay it? And sometimes my students will say, "I'd rip it up", "I'd throw it away", "I'd ignore it". And I ask them why? I mean , you were speeding, you did break the law, and I legitimately caught you, and I can even say the reason I did it was because I truly want the streets to be safer, I'm sincere in my desire. But why don't you have to pay the ticket? And they always get it. Because I'm not a police officer. I don't have the authority to give a ticket. I don't have a badge. I have not been granted that power by those who possess it. We believe that there must be order to these things. You can't just have anybody out there writing tickets.
TRANSITION
Well I tell them that, in a similar but more holy way, that's why we have the priesthood. Because we believe that God, is a god of order. And that those who act and teach in his name, must be given authority to do so. That's why we say in the 5th Article of Faith,
“We believe that a man must be called of God, by prophecy, and by the laying on of hands by those who are in authority, to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof.”
Now while they were translating the Book of Mormon, Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery found the ordinance of baptism mentioned in the plates and they wondered about it. We know from Oliver Cowdery's footnote that they had already translated the account of the Savior's ministry to the Americas. Perhaps 3 Nephi chapter 11 where Jesus teaches the proper method of baptism prompted this. It's at this point in the lesson that I like to invite my students to take turns reading Joseph Smith-History verses 68-73 out loud as a class which describes what happens to Joseph and Oliver as they pray for wisdom. Now I won't read that with you here, but I invite you to do so and then let's return back to section 13.
SEARCH
This is a section where we may want to go phrase by phrase to understand it better. At this point I would assign each student a number from 1-4. Then I would give each a numbered handout that highlights one of the phrases from section 13 and ask them to study it, ponder it, and be prepared to share something they learned about it with the rest of the class. Each handout provides some resources to help them understand it. Either quotes from the brethren or some cross references.
Give them about 5 minutes to study and prepare, then have them share their findings with their group of 4. Then, you could also have some share with the entire class.
Here's how I divide up the verse:
1. "Upon you my fellow servants, in the name of Messiah I confer the Priesthood of Aaron,"
2. "which holds the keys of the ministering of angels"
3. "and of the gospel of repentance, and of baptism by immersion for the remission of sins;"
4. "and this shall never be taken again from the earth, until the sons of Levi do offer again an offering unto the Lord in righteousness."
"Upon you my fellow servants, in the name of Messiah I confer the Priesthood of Aaron,"
"To be considered a fellow servant with John the Baptist, who baptized the Savior and prepared the way for His coming must have been humbling, perhaps even overwhelming to these two young men in their twenties. At the time, Joseph and Oliver were relatively unknown, much as Harmony was. But service in God’s work has always been about how we serve, not about who notices. However small or unseen your contribution may seem at times, you too are a fellow servant in the Lord’s great work." (Come Follow Me for Individuals and Families, Doctrine and Covenants 2021)
Matthew 3:1–6
As a result of the failure of the Israelites to observe the gospel law administered by Moses under the authority of the Melchizedek Priesthood, the Lord gave an additional law of performances and ordinances and “confirmed a priesthood also upon Aaron and his seed, throughout all their generations” to administer it. This priesthood was of lesser power and authority than the priesthood of Melchizedek and was used to administer the outward ordinances, particularly as characterized by the ceremonies of the law of Moses. (Aaronic Priesthood--Bible Dictionary)
"which holds the keys of the ministering of angels"
The ministering of angels. I don't know about you but as an Aaronic priesthood holder, I don't recall any time when an angel appeared to me. So I've wondered about that promise. What does it mean? I'm not sure I've got a deeply profound answer to that question but there are a few quotes from apostles and prophets that can help.
"With the bestowal of the priesthood comes the right to receive marvelous and wonderful blessings. John declared that the Aaronic Priesthood “holds the keys of the ministering of angels.” (D&C 13:1.) How marvelous a gift, that if we live worthily, we shall have the right to the company of angels. Here is protection, here is guidance, here is direction—all of these from powers beyond our own natural gifts."
(Gordon B. Hinckley, October 1988, 69)
"As a young holder of the Aaronic Priesthood, I did not think I would see an angel, and I wondered what such appearances had to do with the Aaronic Priesthood. But the ministering of angels can also be unseen. Angelic messages can be delivered by a voice or merely by thoughts or feelings communicated to the mind."
(Dallin H. Oaks, "The Aaronic Priesthood and the Sacrament," Ensign, Nov. 1998)
"I have spoken here of heavenly help, of angels dispatched to bless us in time of need. But when we speak of those who are instruments in the hand of God, we are reminded that not all angels are from the other side of the veil. Some of them we walk with and talk with—here, now, every day. Some of them reside in our own neighborhoods. Some of them gave birth to us, and in my case, one of them consented to marry me. Indeed heaven never seems closer than when we see the love of God manifested in the kindness and devotion of people so good and so pure that angelic is the only word that comes to mind."
(Jeffrey R. Holland, "The Ministry of Angels," Conference Report, Oct. 2008)
"and of the gospel of repentance, and of baptism by immersion for the remission of sins;"
"What does it mean that the Aaronic Priesthood holds “the key of the ministering of angels” and of the “gospel of repentance and of baptism, and the remission of sins”? The meaning is found in the ordinance of baptism and in the sacrament. Baptism is for the remission of sins, and the sacrament is a renewal of the covenants and blessings of baptism. Both should be preceded by repentance.
We cannot overstate the importance of the Aaronic Priesthood in this. All of these vital steps pertaining to the remission of sins are performed through the saving ordinance of baptism and the renewing ordinance of the sacrament. Both of these ordinances are officiated by holders of the Aaronic Priesthood under the direction of the bishopric, who exercise the keys of the gospel of repentance and of baptism and the remission of sins."
(Dallin H. Oaks, "The Aaronic Priesthood and the Sacrament," Ensign, Nov. 1998)
Doctrine and Covenants 84:26-28_
The keys of repentance and baptism in relation to Aaronic priesthood are a little more straightforward. We're used to seeing the Aaronic priesthood act in the ordinances of baptism and the sacrament. Both of these ordinances are focused on justifying and purifying us from sin and transgression. The gospel of repentance is evident in their work. Baptism and the sacrament purifies and justifies us and brings us back into a state of worthiness and blamelessness. It allows the power of the atonement to work in our lives. It is only then that the powers and ordinances of the higher priesthood can lift us to a more Celestial plane and sanctify us.
As the Bishop of my ward, one of my roles is to act as the president of the Aaronic priesthood. Bishop is an office in the Aaronic priesthood. Now I also act with Melchizedek priesthood as well, but my office is Aaronic in nature. So when people come into me to confess and to work through the repentance process, I am acting in an Aaronic priesthood role. I am using the keys of the gospel of repentance. Aaronic priesthood justifies, while Melchizedek priesthood sanctifies. That's why it's often referred to as the preparatory priesthood. It prepares us for greater spirituality and blessings. We'll explore that dynamic more in depth when we get to section 84.
"and this shall never be taken again from the earth, until the sons of Levi do offer again an offering unto the Lord in righteousness."
1 Chronicles 6:48
Doctrine and Covenants 84:31
Doctrine and Covenants 128:24
Now a lot of members wonder about this last phrase, and you'll notice that all gave my students mostly scripture references. I didn't come up with these on my own, they're all right there in the footnotes. And this is a perfect place to demonstrate a scripture study skill that can come in very useful in understanding the scriptures. Cross references and scripture chains. A scripture chain is when you have a list of references, one naturally leading and linking to the next; each adding to your understanding as you follow the chain. So we can use these references to help us understand the meaning of this passage.
So first, who are the sons of Levi? If you go to 1 Chronicles 6:48 you'll be reminded of what the Levites did in Old Testament times. They were the tribe of Israel responsible for performing the ordinances of the temple.
1 Chronicles 6:48 Their brethren, also the Levites were appointed unto all manner of service of the tabernacle of the house of God.
What priesthood power did they hold? Levitical priesthood or Aaronic priesthood. Now if you want to go into greater detail on the distinction between the two, I invite you to read the definition of Aaronic priesthood written in the Bible Dictionary. There is some distinction between the two, but for our purposes, we're going to say that when section 13 speaks of the sons of Levi, it is referring to holders of the Aaronic priesthood.
So, now we understand that Aaronic priesthood holders will someday make an offering unto the Lord in righteousness.
Now what we're going to see next is a perfect example of the "line upon line, precept upon precept" principle. It's the way God works. He didn't give Joseph a complete understanding of all facets of the priesthood right at the outset. Over time, and with additional revelation, the meaning of significance of that phrase starts to come into view.
So let's go to our next reference in this scripture chain. Go to Doctrine and Covenants 84:31. We're given additional light there. Section 84 is another very important revelation on priesthood. It says:
31 Therefore, as I said concerning the sons of Moses--for the sons of Moses and also the sons of Aaron shall offer an acceptable offering and sacrifice in the house of the Lord, which house shall be built unto the Lord in this generation, upon the consecrated spot as I have appointed
Ah. So now we have an additional group of people and a location. The sons of Moses are included in this body of priesthood holders. Who were the sons of Moses or what priesthood did Moses hold? Melchizedek priesthood. Earlier in that section we see Moses's line of authority, so to speak, and it indeed stretches back to Melchizedek. So not only will the Aaronic priesthood make this offering, but all priesthood holders will be a part of it. And we now know where it will take place. In the temple. Some kind of offering will be made in the temple by the priesthood.
We still don't know what the offering is though. Let's finish our scripture chain by going to 128:24. And here, another group of people participates in the offering and we finally discover what the offering is.
24 Behold, the great day of the Lord is at hand; and who can abide the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appeareth? For he is like a refiner's fire, and like fuller's soap; and he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness.
So there's our signal. We're talking about this offering spoken of by John the Baptist way back at the restoration of the Aaronic priesthood. The matching language signals it.
Let us, therefore, as a church and a people, and as Latter-day Saints, offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness;
So who do we get to add? Every member of the church. It's not just priesthood holders. Men, women, youth, any latter-day saint that wishes to take part in this great work. And together as a people, we make an offering. And where do we do it?
and let us present in his holy temple,
We offer it in the temple. But what is it?
when it is finished, a book containing the records of our dead, which shall be worthy of all acceptation.
The offering is the work we have done for the dead. Our temple work. When Christ returns, he's going to ask for that offering. And, I don't know, maybe instead of a book, it will be stack of hard drives. But we will present the names of all those for whom we have the done the work of salvation. And it will be worthy of his acceptation.
Now I' not suggesting that this is the only manifestation of the fulfillment of that prophecy. God often fulfills things in multiple ways. The offering could also refer to the offering of a broken heart and a contrite spirit, or the offering of our covenants within the temple, and I've heard of a few other possible interpretations. However, I do believe that the offering as a book of our temple work to be the major fulfillment of that phrase.
So, right from the beginning of the restoration of the priesthood, God is already pointing to the work for the dead. It may even be one of the major reasons we even have priesthood on the earth. So we can do this work. It hearkens back to section 2 as the first written and canonized revelation of this dispensation, chronologically speaking. And that section was all about the work for the dead. Both Moroni and John the Baptist had their eye on temple work from the beginning.
LIKEN THE SCRIPTURES
A few questions you might consider asking your students to help them apply them.
• How have you been blessed by the keys of the Aaronic priesthood? (The ministering of angels, repentance, and baptism)
• Have you contributed to "the great offering" recently? What can you do to more fully engage in the work for the dead?
CONCLUSION
I testify that the power of the priesthood is real. I've seen what it can do. I've had the privilege to be blessed by it, and the privilege of blessing others with it. I am grateful that our Heavenly Father is a God of order and has provided us with a framework of authority to work under and in and with. It is an amazing and sobering thing to think that God is willing to trust us enough to take on a portion of his incredible power and authority. I believe that what happened on the banks of the Susquehanna river on May 15, 1829 stands as a testament to God's mercy, trust and love for his children. I testify that I know it happened because I have personally felt the power that has flowed down through the generations from that moment to me. It's real.
JSH 1:66-75
Let's shift back to Joseph Smith-History now to look at a few final ideas. There is a brief insight I'd like to point out here at the end of Joseph's account. He makes a really remarkable statement about the Holy Ghost in verses 73-74. He says:
We were filled with the Holy Ghost, and rejoiced in the God of our salvation.
74 Our minds being now enlightened, we began to have the scriptures laid open to our understandings, and the true meaning and intention of their more mysterious passages revealed unto us in a manner which we never could attain to previously, nor ever before had thought of.
So he tells us that with the Holy Ghost , now they could understand the scriptures in a way that they never could before. The reason I find that so remarkable is because, well, what did Joseph already have in his possession at the time to help him understand the scriptures and receive intelligence from God? He had the Urim and Thummim. This special instrument provided by God to aid him in revelation and translation. He still has it in his possession at this time because at the time, they are still in the midst of translating the plates. And in my mind, I'm thinking, I would love to have a Urim and Thummim, how helpful would that be! Maybe it would make it easier to prepare these lessons. But according to this, bearing the gift of the Holy Ghost is even more effective at helping us connect with the intelligence of God. Of those two means, which has God made available to all of us that have been baptized by the authority and power of the priesthood? We have the more powerful one. We may not have a personal Urim and Thummim, but we do have the gift of the Holy Ghost. And it can lay open the true meaning and intention of the scriptures in a way that just isn't possible without it.
And a quick side note: I know there is a lot of modern criticism leveled at Joseph and his use of sacred objects or physical instruments imbued with spiritual powers. The Urim and Thummim, his seer stone, at this point even Oliver Cowdery carried with him a divining rod of sorts that apparently held some measure of sacred power. I know I didn't mention it a few weeks ago, but the original version of Doctrine & Covenants section 8 referred to this rod of Oliver's. The current version refers to it as the gift of Aaron, but it originally spoke of his "rod of nature", or the "sprout". Now the modern skeptic is going to laugh at that kind of thing. They mock the images of Joseph and his hat with the stone inside, Oliver and his divining rod, but I believe that God works with and speaks to people according to their understanding and culture. Joseph Smith's culture at the time was steeped in this kind of thing. Sacred objects, magic, divining rods, and seer stones. Well, God used these things with them to act as a sort of steppingstone (no pun intended) into a more mature understanding of the things of the Spirit. Eventually, Joseph won't need the Urim and Thummim to translate. The future revelations of the Doctrine and Covenants will come through the Holy Ghost. The mention of Oliver's rod of nature is changed to the gift of Aaron. Evidence of their spiritual maturation. Just like the expression of testimony of a returned missionary is going to differ from the testimony of a primary child. And the testimony of a 60-year-old lifelong member of the church is going to differ from the testimony of the returned missionary. There is a maturing of understanding and experience. This is what happens to Joseph. But the physical objects helped these early leaders to make that transition. It was the kind of experience that they could understand. Also, consider the fact that we still continue to believe in and use sacred physical objects that aid spiritual understanding. We partake of actual bread and water in the sacrament to teach us the nature of Christ's sacrifice, we give priesthood blessings with consecrated oil, we wear CTR rings to give us strength against temptation, and temple clothing carries loads of symbolic significance. Not that we imbue these objects with mystical and other-worldly powers. But they help teach us and aid our spiritual understanding. That's why object lessons can be so effective. They help us to grasp some of the more abstract doctrines and principles of the gospel. So I don't think it's quite fair for us to criticize or dismiss Joseph's divine prophetic calling because of his use of these things.
"THE" FOOTNOTE
ICEBREAKER
And speaking of object lessons, I'd like to focus on one more idea or lesson with you, and it comes from this footnote of Oliver Cowdery's included at the end of Joseph Smith-History. I call it "the" footnote. Or the mother of all footnotes. Now what I love about this is, if you remember our lesson a few weeks ago, Oliver really wanted to translate scripture. He asks for the opportunity, tries, and fails and he doesn't end up translating any portion of the Book of Mormon. But it's almost as if God said, Oliver, I know how much you wanted to add some scripture to the Latter-day canon. And it was a good desire. Now, you weren't able to translate from the gold plates, but you know what, I'll give you a footnote, and you can make it as long as you want. So Oliver does actually get something into the scriptures, doesn't he? It's just a footnote, but it's quite a footnote. And I think that Oliver really hits a home run here. There are some beautiful ideas and phrases here. To be fair, he stumbles just a little bit as he rounds the bases, at certain points, you get the sense that he's starting to "wax eloquent". His style is very different from Joseph's. There's a real contrast between the two. Perhaps there is a bit of "promoting religious feeling" here, but I think we can forgive him because, well, that's how they wrote back then, and I do sense his sincerity here.
And to introduce his footnote, I like to do this little object lesson. I bring in a level. You know, the kind that have the little bubble in the tube and I ask. What do you use this for? And they'll say, it’s used to balance things, to put things straight and level. Pictures, beams in construction, shelves. I just used one of these a few weeks ago to install some shelves for my daughter to hold all the things she's built out of Legos. What might happen if you don't use a level in these projects? Things will get out of alignment. They'll be crooked. The structure won't be as strong. In the case of a shelf, things might slide off and get broken. Let's focus on the image of a shelf that is in perfect alignment. That represents our lives. And what do we put up there on that shelf? Faith, testimony, belief, commitment to God. As long as our shelf is in balance or level, we'll be safe. Our faith and obedience remain intact. But what does Satan seek to do? He's always seeking to tip that balance, to weigh down one side in the hopes that he can unbalance our lives and cause our faith and testimony and commitment to slide off and come crashing to the ground. To counteract that attack, we need to make sure that we are giving God ample opportunities to place weight and substance and truth on the other side of the shelf to keep our lives in balance and our faith intact. God will never let us fall if we give him that opportunity.
TRANSITION
So in this footnote. Oliver is going to describe his experience with the visit of John the Baptist and his ordination to the Aaronic priesthood. What I love about this is that Oliver clearly delineates between the two sides.
SEARCH
We're going to focus our attention on this second page of text, or the final four paragraphs. As you read these four paragraphs, I want you to have this sheet of paper nearby and write down all the words and phrases that suggest the kinds of things and feelings that Satan is going to attempt to place on the shelf of our life to tip our balance. On the other side, I want you to write down all the things and feelings that God gives to help restore our balance and keep us level and steady in our discipleship. Or you could take two different colored pencils and mark the two sides as you study and let's see what you find.
Now I'm not going to take the time to read each paragraph word for word with you. I'm going to invite you to pause the video and do that yourself. I believe you'll have a powerful experience if you read slowly and prayerfully. I hope that you will be able to feel the power of Oliver's testimony here. I'll borrow an expression from Alma the younger here and say that he's "singing the song of redeeming love". This was an intense spiritual experience for him as you can imagine. It's not every day you meet John the Baptist. Let's see what you can find.
Now if you did that, what did you mark and why? In a class, I would allow my students to share some of their words and phrases and discuss them. Here are some of the possible things they could find.
For Satan's side of the balance:
• His darkness covers the earth
• Gross darkness covers our minds
• great strife and noise concerning religion
• Denies revelations
• World was racked and distracted
• Groping as the blind for the wall
• All men resting upon uncertainty
• fear
• doubt
• fiction
• deception
• Man may deceive his fellowmen, deception may follow deception, and the children of the wicked one may have power to seduce the foolish and untaught, till naught but fiction feeds the many, and the fruit of falsehood carries in its current the giddy to the grave;
That's what I would put on the Satan side. But what about the other? What does God have to place on the other side of the shelf? To help level us?
• The Lord is rich in mercy
• Ever willing to answer
• Condescends to manifest his will to us
• The voice of the Redeemer speaks peace to us
• He parts the veil
• and delivers anxiously looked for messages
• He fills us with Joy
• Wonder
• Amazement
• our ears hear things, our eyes behold
• He sheds brilliancy of his light on us
• His mild voice can pierce us to the center
• and Dispel every fear
• And cause us to rejoice
• and we'll feel his love enkindled upon our souls
• Uncertainty will flee
• Doubt will sink no more to rise
• Fiction and deception will flee forever
• Again, joy will fill our hearts
• and he'll surround us with majestic beauty and glory
• I love this phrase:
• nor has this earth power to give the joy, to bestow the peace, or comprehend the wisdom which was contained in each sentence as they were delivered by the power of the Holy Spirit!
• one touch with the finger of his love
• rays of glory from the upper world
• words from the mouth of the Savior, from the bosom of eternity
• the assurance, the certainty
• wonder and thanksgiving
LIKEN THE SCRIPTURES
Now let's liken the scriptures. Can you relate in any way to Oliver's description here? Is our world similar to the one he's describing?
Do we find gross darkness in our world? Are there individuals out there that deny revelation and tell us our scriptures are a sham and our prophets are frauds? Are there people who seek to deceive their fellow man? Does deception follows deception? Are the children of the wicked given power to seduce the foolish and the untaught? Do we live in a world where fiction feeds the many (a perfect description of the internet), AND where the fruit of falsehood caries in its current the giddy to the grave? Oliver gets a little alliterative in his wording there. But can we relate?
Have you ever experienced these feelings? Fear, doubt, uncertainty
Have you ever felt darkness covering your mind?
Have you heard the great strife and noise about religion?
Ever felt racked or distracted, like you were blind groping for something?
Just as the Holy Ghost speaks to our minds with faith and fills our hearts with peace, the adversary speaks doubt to the mind, and fear to the heart.
At this time, the faith of many members of Christ's church is being tested in a way unlike any time before. And unfortunately, there have been a number who have succumbed to the deception, the seduction, the fiction and the fruit of falsehood. They've allowed their shelves to be filled so much with these things or have given too much audience to that side that it has tipped them out of balance so that their faith and commitment has come tumbling down to be shattered to pieces on the ground.
So what are we to do? We allow the Lord to balance things out on the other side. We give him space and time and focus to do so. We spend time in the scriptures like Joseph and Oliver were doing here as they translated the Book of Mormon. Like them, we kneel in prayer, to the Lord, who is rich in mercy, and ever willing to answer the consistent prayer of the humble, after we call upon Him in a fervent manner, aside from the abodes of men. If we give the Lord that space through all the little things he asks of us. Scripture study, prayer, church and temple worship, ordinances, conference.
Then, He will condescend to manifest his will to us. The voice of the Redeemer will speak peace to us. The veil will be parted, and he will fill us with Joy, wonder, and amazement, peace and love. The light of heaven will shed its brilliancy on us. Every fear will be dispelled, uncertainty will flee, doubt will sink no more to rise, fiction and deception will flee forever.
When all the darkness and doubt and fear and uncertainty surround us, we need but turn to the Lord in prayer, or keep in our minds the vivid memory of these kinds of experiences that I believe God grants to all who turn to him. Perhaps my favorite part of this whole footnote is in that concluding thought of Oliver’s. All we need is:
one touch with the finger of his love, yes, one ray of glory from the upper world, or one word from the mouth of the Savior, from the bosom of eternity, strikes it all into insignificance, and blots it forever from the mind. The assurance that we were in the presence of an angel, the certainty that we heard the voice of Jesus, and the truth unsullied as it flowed from a pure personage, dictated by the will of God, is to me past description, and I shall ever look upon this expression of the Savior’s goodness with wonder and thanksgiving while I am permitted to tarry; and in those mansions where perfection dwells and sin never comes, I hope to adore in that day which shall never cease.”
Have you ever had one of those moments in your life? The touched by the finger of his love, and ray of glory moments? I believe in a loving Heavenly Father who provides these kinds of thoughts, and feelings, and experiences at critical times in our lives. Sometimes they're big and sometimes they're small. Answered prayers, minor miracles, assurances, thoughts and feelings as study the scriptures, listen to the words of living prophets, or worship in chapels and temples. God gives us these things to help us balance out and overcome the darkness and the uncertainty.
It reminds me of this passage from the Chronicles of Narnia, in the Magicians Nephew, when the children meet and speak with Aslan, who is a symbol for Jesus. They have been touched by the finger of his love and have felt that ray of glory from him. It says this:
"Both the children were looking up into the Lion's face as he spoke these words. And all at once (they never knew exactly how it happened) the face seemed to be a sea of tossing gold in which they were floating, and such a sweetness and power rolled about them and over them and entered them that they felt they had never really been happy or wise or good, or even alive and awake, before. And the memory of that moment stayed with them always, so that as long as they both lived, if ever they were sad or afraid or angry, the thought of all that golden goodness, and the feeling that it was still there, quite close, just round some corner or just behind some door, would come back and make them sure, deep down inside, that all was well." (C. S. Lewis, The Magician's Nephew)
Isn't that beautiful. A perfect description of the kind of moment Oliver is describing.
LIKEN THE SCRIPTURES-SHARE
And at this point I would ask my class: Have you ever had a "touched by the finger of his love, ray of glory, golden goodness" experience? Would you be willing to share?
Share some of your own ray of glory moments as a teacher.
TRUTH
If I give my time, attention, and will to Him, then God will give me touches of love and rays of glory that can dispel my fears, sink my doubts, chase away my uncertainties and strike them all into insignificance.
CONCLUSION
Well I love that footnote. You really get that sense that Oliver is overwhelmed with emotion and faith by the memory of that moment. And Oliver is going to face some challenges and dark times in his future. At one point, he will even leave the church and abandon the Saints. But he eventually comes back. And I wonder if it was the memory of experiences like this that inspired and helped him to return. If you have strayed, maybe the same thing can help you as well. Think back to your ray of glory moments. I hope that you and I, when we are faced with the gross darkness that covers the earth, will still be able to recognize the joy, the wisdom, the rays of glory, the touches of love, the voice of the Redeemer speaking peace to us. I know that those experiences will cause your fears to be dispelled, your uncertainties to flee, your doubts to sink no more to rise, and they will take the adversary's efforts and strike them into insignificance and blot them forever from your mind. May we all sing the song of redeeming love and be filled with wonder and thanksgiving, and one day adore in those mansions, where perfection dwells, and sin never comes. That is my sincere hope and prayer for all of us.
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