Prayer Meetings at FSC can be so inspiring!

 Friday, 11/12/21 Hello Brandon, Did you know sections 126 & 127 were written about baptisms for the dead while Joseph Smith was in hiding? I studied this lesson on Wednesday night with Mareea who lives in Canada. I get to listen to any sections I want from my cell phone. There is also a Revelation in Context story that goes with them. Here it is: Letters on Baptism for the Dead\D&C 127, 128\Matthew McBride

When the Lord restored through Joseph Smith the doctrine of the redemption of the dead through the performance of proxy baptisms, He answered age-old questions and satisfied deep longings. For centuries, Christians had debated what would happen after this life to the untold millions who lived without knowledge of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Joseph Smith himself had agonized over the fate of his beloved brother Alvin, an honest but unbaptized Christian.

In January 1836, Joseph Smith saw a vision of the celestial kingdom in which he learned that those who did not receive the fulness of the gospel in this life but would have if given the chance, such as his brother Alvin, would not be denied the highest rewards in the life to come. With this vision, the Lord began to gradually reveal the doctrines and practices surrounding baptism for the dead to Joseph Smith and his successors over the course of several years.

Joseph’s vision affirmed God’s mercy, but it was not entirely clear whether the scriptural requirement of baptism would be waived for Alvin and others like him or whether it would be fulfilled in some other way. Some Latter-day Saints recognized this gap in their knowledge. Joseph Fielding, for example, “thought much on the subject of the redemption of those who died under the broken covenant” and speculated that “perhaps those who receive the priesthood in these last days would baptize them at the coming of the Savior.”1

But at the funeral of Seymour Brunson on August 15, 1840, Joseph Smith taught the principle that men and women on earth could act for their deceased kin and fulfill the requirement of baptism on their behalf. The Saints joyfully embraced this opportunity and began almost immediately to be baptized for departed loved ones in rivers and streams near Nauvoo.

Then, in January 1841, Joseph Smith received an important revelation that not only called for the construction of a temple in Nauvoo but forever linked the ordinance of baptism for the dead with temples: “For a baptismal font there is not upon the earth; that they, my saints may be baptized for those who are dead, for this ordinance belongeth to my house.”2 The Nauvoo Saints rapidly pushed forward construction on the temple, and by November 1841, the basement was enclosed, and a suitable font had been carved out of wood.

Baptism for the Dead Letters

Further instructions and clarification on this new practice were to come. In August 1842, Joseph Smith was accused as an accessory in the attempted murder of Lilburn W. Boggs, the former governor of Missouri. To avoid arrest, Joseph remained more or less in hiding for about three months in the homes of trusted friends. Wilford Woodruff wrote in his journal that though “Joseph has been deprived of the privilege of appearing openly,” yet “the Lord is with him as he was upon the Isle of Patmos with John,” intimating that Joseph had experienced spiritual manifestations during his absence from public life.3

On August 31, Joseph appeared briefly to speak to a small gathering of Female Relief Society members and communicated for the first time on record what he had learned in the previous weeks: “All persons baptized for the dead must have a recorder present, that he may be an eyewitness to record and testify of the truth and validity of his record. It will be necessary, in the Grand Council, that these things be testified.”4

The following day, he began writing a letter to the Church that would later become Doctrine and Covenants 127. In this letter, Joseph explained his absence due to the charges against him and reassured the Saints that when “the storm is fully blown over, then I will return to you again.” He said the Lord had revealed to him the necessity of a recorder for baptisms for the dead and explained the reason why: “That in all your recordings, it may be recorded in heaven. … And again, let all the records be had in order, that they may be put in the archives of my Holy Temple, to be held in remembrance from generation to generation, saith the Lord of Hosts.”5

He concluded his letter by saying that he desired to speak “from the Stand, on the subject” but would have to be content to “send it you by Mail.” He accordingly had Erastus Derby deliver the letter to William Clayton that Sunday, September 4, “to be read before the saints when assembled at the Grove.” Joseph’s journal reports with satisfaction, “When this letter was read before the brethren it cheered their hearts and evidently had the effect of stimulating them and inspiring them with courage, and faithfulness.”6

On September 7, Joseph Smith dictated a second letter on the same subject, “which he ordered to be read next Sabbath,” September 11. This second letter is now found in Doctrine and Covenants 128. In it, the Prophet gave a more detailed record-keeping proposal, calling for witnesses, a recorder in each of Nauvoo’s 10 wards, and a general recorder who would compile all the ward records into a “general Church Book.”7

Joseph then offered a lengthy scriptural justification for the practice of baptisms for the dead and the necessity of a recorder. He taught that ordinances for the dead created necessary and eternal bonds between generations: “The earth will be smitten with a curse, unless there is a welding link of some kind or other, between the fathers and the children, upon some subject or other. And behold! what is that subject? It is the baptism for the dead. For we without them, cannot be made perfect. Neither can they, without us, be made perfect.”8

He concluded with this rousing and well-known call to action: “Brethren, shall we not go on in so great a cause? Go forward and not … backward. Courage, brethren! and on to the victory. Let your hearts rejoice and be exceeding glad. Let the earth break forth into singing. Let the dead speak forth anthems of eternal praise to the king Immanuel, who hath ordain’d, before the world was, that which would enable us to redeem them out of their prisons; for the prisoner shall go free. … Let us present in his holy Temple, when it is finished, a Book, containing the Records of our dead, which shall be worthy of all acceptation.”9

These two letters from Joseph Smith were canonized in 1844 and have been a part of the Doctrine and Covenants ever since. The Saints minutely followed the directions given in these letters, and recorders for each ward were called. The recorders used a common certificate or form to record baptisms: “I certify that upon the day of the date hereof, I saw and heard the following Baptisms take place in the Font in the Lord’s House in the City of Nauvoo, Illinois; to wit [blank] and that [blank] and [blank] were present as Witnesses to said Baptisms, and also that said Record has been made by me and is true.”10

“Line upon Line”

After Joseph Smith’s death in June 1844, Brigham Young assumed leadership of the Church as President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. During the winter of 1844–45, he introduced an additional refinement to the practice of baptisms for the dead and explained this development at the April 1845 conference.

In their hurry to administer this ordinance for their loved ones, the Saints had performed the baptisms without regard to gender, men being baptized for women and women for men. Henceforth, Young taught that the Saints “never will see a man go forth to be baptized for a woman, nor a woman for a man.” Why, then, had this practice been allowed to persist? “When an infinite being gives a law to his finite creatures, he has to descend to the capacity of those who receive his law, when the doctrine of baptism for the dead was first given, this church was in its infancy. … The Lord has led this people all the while in this way, by giving them here a little and there a little, thus he increases their wisdom, and he that receives a little and is thankful for that shall receive more.”

Alluding to Joseph Smith’s letters, Young explained, “When it was first revealed all the order of it was not made known, afterwards it was made known, that records, clerks, and one or two witnesses were necessary or else it will be of no value to the saints.” He concluded, “Joseph in his life time did not receive every thing connected with the doctrine of redemption, but he has left the key with those who understand how to obtain and teach to this great people all that is necessary for their salvation and exaltation in the celestial kingdom of our God.”11

So in the Prayer Meeting this morning Sister Shy and Sister Spence (they accepted calls to serve here 2 months ago and they really are sisters!) took part. Sister Spence led the music and Sister Shy did the spiritual thought. Here is the spiritual thought and it is a story about her ancestor. I was floored by this story. I asked her for a copy and she said it was on Family Search. It took me 30 minutes to find it but here it is:

Orson Spencer 14 March 1802 – 15 October 1855 Orson Spencer, teacher, former Baptist minister, convert, missionary, pioneer, Chancellor of the University of Deseret (first president of what is now the University of Utah), was born with a twin sister in Massachusetts in 1802. A nurse was helping take care of the 5-month-old twin, and, sleeping too soundly, lay upon the baby and caused her death. Orson's dad, Daniel, was in Washington's bodyguard. Daniel enlisted in the Continental Army at age 16 and remained until the surrender at Yorktown. Orson loved sports. At age 14, Orson caught typhus fever and battled the sickness for 9 months. For 2 weeks they thought they would lose him. The sickness caused a fever sore in his leg and he limped the rest of his life. He was a boy of delicate health but with a brilliant mind. Orson attended upper level schools, graduating with high honors. For a time, he studied law and taught Astronomy, Hebrew, Philosophy and Mathematics. When Orson was 27, he married Catherine Curtis, age 19. Orson earned a living as a Baptist minister until his brother Daniel shared the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ with him. Orson and Catherine were soon baptized, along with his brother, Hyrum. The 3 brothers together with their families, decided to gather with the Saints in Nauvoo. In Nauvoo, Orson ran a store, taught school and served as mayor in 1845. He also formed a close friendship with the Prophet Joseph Smith, which became a blessing to him all of his life. Orson was asked to write letters to U. S. President Polk and Governor Thomas Ford, telling of the persecutions the Saints were facing. After the death of the Prophet Joseph Smith, Orson and his brothers followed the leadership of President Brigham Young and headed west. But in freezing cold weather, his sick wife Catherine passed away at age 35. Orson turned back 30 miles to bury Catherine in Nauvoo, next to their baby Chloe who had died 6 months earlier. Orson was left with 6 motherless children, all under the age of 13. Brigham Young called Orson to preside over the European Mission. He built them a cabin, tearfully hugged each child and set out for England. Kind relatives checked on his 6 children who kept house, herded the cattle, made their own clothes and fended for themselves. Food was scarce, so the children ate lots of cornmeal. Wilford Orson Spencer 20 Woodruff learned of the children’s situation, admired their sacrifices, and brought them flour and pork. The first winter was hardest. The children came down with the measles. Letters from their Dad arrived from England, but the money he sent never made it. Brigham asked Orson's children if they would be okay with their Dad being gone another year. Brigham said he would help them be safe on the trek west. “If it is thought best,” said Ellen, the eldest, “we would like it so, for we want to do for the best.” The others agreed. During his 2 years in England, Orson wrote a series of letters, sharing gospel principles with a Reverend Crowel, which he later published under the title of "Spencer's Letters". A copy of the letters was put in the Salt Lake Temple Time Capsule in 1892 and opened 128 years later, in 2020. Following Orson's release from his mission, he returned to his family in Utah. Orson was named as Chancellor of The University of Deseret. (President of what is now The University of Utah), with 40 pupils. Orson was called again to preside in Europe in 1852. He served a mission in Cincinnati, and was sent to the Cherokee Nation, where he became ill. He returned to St. Louis, and died at age 53. His remains were brought in a covered wagon by a family to the Salt Lake Cemetery.

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Elder Jerry Vincent Peterson

 Thurs. 11/4/21 6:01 Class starts at 7pm. :)

Hello Brandon, I had one cool experience today and one marvelous one. Sister Beacham was married to an attorney and he was as loud and teasing as someone from New Jersey can be. I reminded her this morning of bringing fried rainbow trout one night back to the FSC 6 years ago. Her husband loved fishing. She showed me pictures of the bass and blues and other big fish he caught off the coast of Rhode Island. He had had 3 heart attacks back then and was expecting to die with his next one. Sis. Beacham said he had another but lived a year after having it. He said he had never caught a freshwater fish and had never tasted one. He made fun of the tiny trout I cooked and had them taste. I told his wife, only someone crazy would do what I did that night. [run home, cook the fish and bring it back for them to taste before the FamilySearch center closes.] Next, you never know when the stars will line up and something you have always wanted to happen does. Elder Jerry Vincent Peterson was born in ‘43 and loved David O McKay. This is what I wrote last week: Elder round tummy Jerry Peterson took a break from Classroom A. He spent 16 hours at Dixie in a Spanish class and didn’t learn a thing. :( He figured out 1979 from the morte certificate. I showed him a long s and a short s. :) His grandson asked to be changed to a Spanish speaking mission in CA. His companion was Spanish, he had Spanish in HS. A month later the mission president told him he had a language change. RUSSIAN! So he taught them English and he can read the Russian BoM. He said the record I was looking at was written in a nice hand. I asked him about Pontirolo - He thought it was a D. We used google to check. He uses google for spelling of counties regularly. . . Experienced man. [Utah and Arizona have free death records. Not Nevada! Arizona is the most organized. I showed him my Italian Death Certificates. He is thinking about indexing. ]  He sat down and visited until Ray- temple security came to visit me. Thank heavens Ray knows me and is in my stake. Sister Powell, new manager at the apartments, is a bit over reactive. Her lip was quivering and she tried to grab my phone. I apologized for escalating her blood pressure. MarcoPolo is OK but videoing on private property is not. It’s true. . . the apartments are private property. The hospital parking lot is not. He has no idea what the big cement 5ton blocks are for. I told him about the mattress and beer cans. He told me they asked that the emergency trailer be moved to remove the fire hazard. I park by the biggest emergency trailer now. It is fall/winter. “You are not the man that Sister Powell described.” :) ha 

-There are 12 different security guards at the temple each week.

- The East Stake Center burned down during his watch at the temple. He called the stake president and asked at midnight if he could smell smoke. Yep. Look out your window.

- The contractor’s  bond covered the expense of the arsonist. Not church insurance! :) relief to me.

Jerry Peterson came to visit for an hour, again. . .  Danish is his name. I told him that the Diary of Ann Frank was written in Danish, which I just learned this week having written Dahlquist family. Dear Kitty, Dear Brandon.

His mother was semi active and got them all baptized LDS. But his sister Joined Lutheran with first husband, Joined Catholic with second husband, and Assembly of God with the 4th. Her son is the Assembly of God minister in SLC and second in line for all the western states. Rev. Lucero. Jerry Peterson and I became quite some friends today.

 

This is what I wrote today: 11/4 Thursday, I got kicked out 3 times today. An elder took my round table in the discovery center, I had to leave rm. A for the morning class. Rm B was broken. I had to leave rm. A for the afternoon class! (3) But Elder Jerry Peterson brought a Spanish indexing manual! He was anxious to show me. After looking through it he sat in the middle row and started practicing reading a spanish form: capilla, presbitero etc.. I sat next to him and said “there is something I have to show you.” I googled SPANISH INDEXING RESOURCES/HELPS and ITALIAN INDEXING RESOURCES/HELPS and begged him to spend a few minutes with me analyzing them. He is such a tease. He seemed to be interested in how close Italian was to Spanish. Using the help for Nati we did 1-10 numbers. He was wondering about first, second, third, fourth versus one two three four. I was able to tell him it is the difference between cardinal and ordinal numbers. Ha. “Just for fun I would like you to download one birth batch from Lecce.” He was so ready!!! I don’t know if he would have admitted he was ready but he was chomping at the bit! We opened 4 tabs on his computer. FamilySearch Indexing, Project instruction nati example, Indexing resources with all the translation on it and something else. Italian nati Resource said there were only 6 things he had to know to be able to index in Italian!!!! ONLY SIX!  It was awesome. He picked up on it wonderfully! He completed all of the records in the batch and turned it in. We celebrated the confetti parade! REAL BIRTH CERTIFICATES!!! I downloaded 5 more batches for him and I showed him how to return them. No he has 4 left in his cue. “I like this. I think I can do these at home. I will get these done by next week.” Did you hear that? It brings tears to my eyes just writing this. He indexed heavily in the 90’s but now it is 2020’s. He asked me why I would do Italian with no Italian ancestry? I told him about their excitement 7 years ago with the anticipated Rome temple and the recruiting in my stake. There are lots of Spanish countries and each with its own forms or no forms. There is only one Italy and usually the forms are the same! Del di, comparso, da, bambino, sesso are the markers to look for. 5:30pm Cosima vs. Cosinna-I am proud of him. He picked Cosinna even with me discouraging him! 

11/12/21 Friday. So Elder P says he returned his 3 batches of Italian Birth Certificates. He has just been too busy. He said he copied off 30 or 40 pages teaching how to do the Italian Indexing. I told him he was quite a student! Looks like my wild crazy effort to copy all the strange surnames for him on Tuesday will not be of any use. At least I was able to give a copy to Elder Ellsworth. :)

HUGE remodeling and landscaping and fencing JOB!

Sunday, 10/24/21 Good evening Brandon, Hope you are doing well. KJ said she was off to Oregon to try to settle her old house which has been an albatross around her neck. David Hughes was in EQ today and I shook his hand. Our EQ pres was once our bishop: Kent Perkins. He was also the SG Leisure Services director for over 30 years. I went without a home teaching quarterly interview for about 10 years. When I was in the presidency we followed through on those conscientiously. So I was disappointed when they didn’t happen. Now they do! Yay Kent! @@ Thomas S Monson got to give zillions of talks. He told wonderful stories in my opinion. He told one about a beat up old house that the whole ward jumped in and remodeled when the family was away. Last week Pres. Kent Perkins wrote his first quorum update. I was amazed at all they have done for Sister Forsberg’s home. What a project! No other EQ president I have ever known could have taken this on, even though it was step by step. There are many to pray for too. Can you see the difference that having one Quorum makes? Instead of splitting us into Elders and High Priest. This is one adjustment/revelation that makes total sense to me.

Brethren,

Here are a few quorum updates:

As many of you know, Brother Sam Hales is in the Hurricane Health and Rehab facility (416 North State Street, Hurricane).  It can be quite lonely for Sam, especially when you consider that he may be there for the long run. Visitors will lift his spirits, and it is great opportunity to "comfort those that stand in need of comfort). Because he has dialysis on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, it is best to visit between 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM. Please consider grabbing a friend and making the trip to help Sam feel remembered.

Our project to help Sister Forsberg renovate her home and yard is almost complete. To date we have torn down the wood fence and the wood deck, and removed old asphalt. We took down the gazebo in the front entry, cut down her dead tree, and cleaned and hauled away junk and weeds from the yard. We have coordinated the building of a new deck, a retaining wall, new roof gutters, and block wall; the installation of a new front window, and repairs and painting of stucco. A landscape contractor has been selected to restore the front and backyard landscapes. We will schedule one more service project to remove the remaining weeds and misc. materials, then the landscaper will finish up. Sister Forsberg is especially grateful for all the care and concern from members of the quorum.

As a ward we have set a goal to index 200,000 names that can be added to the FamilySearch database. At present we have done an amazing 179,000+ names. We would encourage all who have signed up to begin or continue indexing to help us reach and hopefully exceed our goal.

Brother Palmer has created a survey regarding personal histories. The Bishop emailed the survey as part of his weekly message to the ward. Please consider having each of your family members take a minute to fill out the survey.  

Please remember in your prayers brothers Hale-t, Bagley-t, Stauffer-s, Hardman-a, Johnson-c and Gibbs-c, who are recovering from treatments, surgery, an accident, and Covid. [v- I added the letters to identify their issues. Kent sure did figure out how to abbreviate that sentence! :)]

Please join us Tuesday evening at 6:00 for our last picnic in the park.

It is blessing to serve with you in the Elder's Quorum.

Bloomington Hills 2nd Ward Elder's Quorum Presidency.

E Brandon, last week I forwarded your three letters to KJ. She had texted me so since she is retired I thought maybe she would be interested to see what I sent you. The last one about our ward indexing challenge, I explained to her was just to let you know that good saints are continuing to perform good works. I suppose that is the the same reason I am sharing this week. @@I listened to a talk by JEF today. I was surprised to hear this paragraph: In my lifetime I have seen the faithfulness of Church members increase. Measured by fixed standards, there are greater manifestations of faithfulness than ever before. On any given Sunday, percentagewise more than twice as many people partake of the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper worldwide than when I was growing up. April ‘98 “Search Me, O God, and Know My Heart”James E. Faust

I don’t quite understand that. Perhaps because they had huge wards then and the people did not feel important and responsible. I get to sit on in the middle of the top row of the choir seats to lead the music. I see everyone and feel they are family each week. I am so blessed. I feel important. I get thanked by the bishopric twice each week. Once in the announcements and again in person after the meeting. I doubt anyone gets more acknowledgement for less effort than I do. Ha. Just because I can sing. What a blessing for me. Tyhf. GBY-BLTPJS Love,  Vern

I hunted for giant Snickers candy bars this week for Josh Crane and Brooks Barney. The picture at the top shows a 1 pounder. I ended up buying 32oz bags of Snickers instead. :) Long live INDEXING!

Yay Isaac Morley!

 

The law of consecration contained in the Doctrine and Covenants is not the law many Latter-day Saints believe it to be. The intervening history between when and why the revelations were given and the present day has resulted in what some historians have called a “folk memory” among Latter-day Saints. This version of the past recalls that early Saints could not live the law of consecration, so the Lord rescinded the higher law and gave the lower law of tithing instead. Someday we will live the higher law again.[1] No matter how widely believed it is, that is not the law of consecration contained in the Doctrine and Covenants.

Hello Brandon, That is a paragraph from RiC=Revelations in Context. Doesn’t that match with what you have heard and believe? It does me!

I was both pleased and surprised when I learned that JC did not reveal the above “Law of Consecration” until Joseph asked for it. There was a good brother(Lucy and Isaac Morley) who joined the church who had been trying to live the NT teachings with a group of people near Kirtland including this law. Do you remember how JS asked about Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and their wives and how JC answered? That revelation shocked and alienated Emma. It took JS 10 years to put it into writing. Hyrum Smith thought he could convince Emma to understand it and accept it and Joseph told him: “You don’t know Emma as well as I do. Good luck..“ Hyrum failed to convince Emma. So I am learning that JC answered JS questions but sometimes Joseph wished he would not have asked! So Funny!!! Too late now. Now you know. And eventually you will have to live it. J-Oh crud! RiC-here is another one I absolutely love:

The Law\D&C 42\Steven C. Harper\Ohio. Lake Co. Kirtland. Isaac Morley Farm.

“We have received the laws of the Kingdom since we came here,” Joseph Smith wrote to Martin Harris in February 1831, “and the Disciples in these parts have received them gladly.”1

Joseph had been in Ohio less than a month when he wrote those words to Martin Harris, who was still in Palmyra, New York. Prior to Joseph’s own move from New York, the Lord gave him a commandment to gather the Church in Ohio and promised: “There I will give unto you my law.”2 Shortly after Joseph’s arrival in Kirtland, he received the promised revelation, which in early manuscripts was entitled “The Laws of the Church of Christ.” It is now canonized as Doctrine and Covenants 42:1–73.

The Church’s need for the revelation at this time was acute. When he arrived in Ohio, Joseph found the Saints there to be sincere but confused about the biblical teaching that early Christians “were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common” (Acts 4:32).

Many of the Church’s converts in Ohio were members of “the Family,” a communal group that shared the home and farm of Lucy and Isaac Morley in an effort to be true Christians. While their intentions were in keeping with the account Joseph himself had recently received of Enoch’s Zion, where the people had achieved the ideal “of one heart and one mind” and completely eliminated poverty (Moses 7:18), the Prophet found the Ohio converts following practices that undermined personal agency, stewardship, and accountability—though they were “striving to do the will of God, so far as they knew it.”3 As a result, the converts were, in the words of Joseph Smith’s history, “going to destruction very fast as to temporal things: for they considered from reading the scripture that what belonged to a brother belonged to any of the brethren.”4

Very shortly after Joseph arrived in Ohio, the Lord revealed that “by the prayer of your faith ye shall receive my law that ye may know how to govern my Church.”5 A few days later, Joseph gathered several elders and in “mighty prayer” asked the Lord to reveal His law as promised.6

“Consecrate of Thy Properties”

The revelation Joseph received in response upheld the first great commandment, loving God wholeheartedly, as the motivation for keeping all the others, including the law of consecration, suggesting that love for God is the reason for the practice. To consecrate, the early Saints were taught, meant to make their property sacred by using it for the Lord’s work, including purchasing land on which to build New Jerusalem and crowning it with a temple. The law revealed that consecration was as much about receiving as it was about giving, since the Lord promised that each faithful Saint would receive “sufficient for him self and family” here and salvation hereafter.7

The law clarified that consecration did not envision communal ownership of property. Rather, it required the willing to acknowledge that the Lord was the owner of all and that each of the Saints was to be a hardworking “Steward over his own property”8 and thus accountable to the actual owner, the Lord, who required that the Saints freely offer their surplus to His storehouse to be used to relieve poverty and build Zion.9

The Ohio converts’ faith in Joseph’s revelations led them to align their practices with the Lord’s revealed plan. As Joseph’s history put it, “The plan of ‘common stock,’ which had existed in what was called ‘the family,’ whose members generally had embraced the ever lasting gospel, was readily abandoned for the more perfect law of the Lord.”10

As time went on, Bishop Edward Partridge implemented the law as best he could, and willing Saints signed deeds consecrating their property to the Church. But obeying the law was voluntary, and some Saints refused. Others were untaught, and many were scattered.11 Some rebellious Saints even challenged the law in court, leading to refinements in its language and changes in practice.

Other early Saints understood that the eternal principles of the law—agency, stewardship, and accountability to God—could be applied in changing situations, as when Leman Copley decided not to consecrate his farm in Thompson, Ohio, sending the Saints gathered there on to Missouri to live the law, or again when a mob drove Church members from Jackson County in 1833, ending the bishop’s practice of giving and receiving consecration deeds but not the law itself. Just as the law of consecration, though revealed in February 1831, did not begin then, it did not end when some refused to obey and others were thwarted in their attempts. President Gordon B. Hinckley taught that “the law of sacrifice and the law of consecration have not been done away with and are still in effect.”12

Answers to Various Questions

In addition to expounding the law of consecration, the revelation answered many questions of importance to the Church at that time. Joseph and the elders who gathered in February 1831 in pursuit of the revelation first asked if the Church should “come to gether into one place or continue in separate establishments.” The Lord answered with what are now essentially the first 10 verses of Doctrine and Covenants 42, calling on the elders to preach the gospel in pairs, declare the word like angels, invite all to repent, and baptize all who were willing. By gathering Saints into the Church from every region, the elders would prepare for the day when the Lord would reveal the New Jerusalem. Then, “ye may be gathered in one,” the Lord said.13

The Lord then answered a question that had troubled Christianity for centuries: was Christ’s Church an orderly, authoritative institution or an unfettered outpouring of the Spirit and its gifts? Some people made extreme claims to spiritual gifts, and others responded with an equal and opposite reaction, stripping away the spontaneity of the Spirit, completely in favor of rigid rules. This dilemma existed in the early Church in Ohio, and the Lord responded to it with several revelations, including His law. The law did not envision the Church as either well ordered or free to follow the Spirit; rather, it required that preachers be ordained by those known to have authority, that they teach the scriptures, and that they do it by the power of the Holy Ghost.14

Other portions of the law restated and commented on the commandments revealed to Moses15 and included conditional promises of more revelation depending on the Saints’ faithfulness to what they had received, including sharing the gospel.16

“How,” the elders wondered, should they care for “their families while they are proclaiming repentance or are otherwise engaged in the Service of the Church?”17 The Lord answered with what has become verses 70–73, then elaborated further in later revelations, now found in Doctrine and Covenants 72:11–14 and 75:24–28. The concept was further clarified in the 1835 edition of the Doctrine and Covenants.

Early versions of the law also include short answers to two additional questions: Should the Church have business dealings—especially get into debt—with people outside the Church, and what should the Saints do to accommodate those gathering from the East? The answers have been left out of later versions of the text, perhaps because Doctrine and Covenants 64:27–30 answers the first question, while the answer to the second is so specific to a past place and time that it may have been considered unimportant for future generations.18

“How to Act upon the Points of My Law”

During that same month (February 1831), Joseph received what became Doctrine and Covenants 43, which commanded him to assemble a counsel to “instruct and edify each other, that ye may know how to act, and direct my church how to act upon the points of law and commandments, which I have given.”19 With that commandment in mind, Joseph convened a meeting of seven Church elders to determine how to act on disciplinary cases regarding the law of chastity revealed in the law20 and how the Church should enact the law in situations ranging from murder to meanness. These additional regulations were added to published versions of the law and now comprise verses 74–93 of Doctrine and Covenants 42.

The law, together with the Church’s founding “Articles and Covenants” (now Doctrine and Covenants 20), organized the rapidly growing Church under one set of regulations and unified the various budding congregations in their teaching and practice. It shows how the Lord has revealed, does reveal, and will yet reveal His will to the Saints. From clarifying parts of the law given to Moses and specifying how the Saints in 1831 should apply it in their circumstances, to promising further revelation as sought and needed in the future, this living document continues to serve as a law of the Church of Jesus Christ.

Over a year since someone earned a canary yellow tie!

 

 

Hello Brandon, 

I was surprised the Sunday Darrin Salmon reported his mission. He spoke so long we put the choir last, instead of in the middle. He was very quiet and soft spoken and shy before his mission. Today he even raised his hand in EQ!

Today we first got to hear from Macie Barney back from Seattle Mandarin-speaking missionary.

BBB said his daughter started loving Mandarin in the 7^th grade and so wanted to be able to serve there.

As I looked at the audience they had their eyes peeled as she bore her closing testimony. The bishop (BBB) said he has been studying Mandarin but could only understand 2 words. I know Spanish so I can usually understand Spanish or most of Portuguese when I hear a testimony. We all know that at the end they will say, “In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen” We could not even understand that part today!!!!!! The audience did not even know it was time to say, Amen!

Dark and wet. That’s Seattle according to Macie. Severe Seasonal Affective Disorder sounded very distant from her most cheerful attitude during her talk. But I heard her say they tried tons of things and her counselor struggled to help pull her through. She thanked an angel companion who would play the piano until she could fall asleep at night. Did you notice how vulnerable and frank she was?

I started to see the miracle of her. And I realized Darrin Salmon was a miracle as well. God allows us to glean from these missionaries. What a divine program!

Thank you Heavenly Father.

@@@ Lloyd Simpson has dedicated himself to indexing since we started our EQ team 12 days ago. It is so wonderful. I have always wanted to help someone who would be as consumed and dedicated by it as I am. When the US Business Directories project ran out this week he asked me what’s next?

Tuesday, Sep 28 · 2:47 PM Vern, Could we meet tomorrow at the FHC in the morning?-L

Tuesday, Sep 28 · 4:26 PM Of course-V

Great see you at 11:00?-L

Sure-V

[Later that night, after an outstanding letter was sent out about how to join each team: EQ, RS, YM, YW. Both he and Pres Perkins contacted me about our team.]

Vern I'm having issue joining the group. Have you tried?-L

Tuesday, Sep 28 · 6:45 PM BBB, Roger Eves n I just barely set it up. I tested it and it works. -V [The competition was starting at 7pm. As you can see we cut it close.]

Thanks-L

Thursday · 1:43 PM Vern Need help, run out of directories to index, looking for the muster rolls but can't find them. Lloyd

Thursday · 3:16 PM Can you Review?-V

I can learn but know not how?-L [So Brandon, I called him and I looked at my computer and he on his and I guided him through reviewing his first batch. When he hit a gitch/issue/problem he couldn’t understand I walked Hace down to his house and figured it out. I have also always wanted to figure out how to use a tool called “Share a batch”. We looked at it together while I was there and later we even used it! I was so pleased.-v]

Thursday · 5:17 PM Look at batch #M3HS-6FB And call me Thanks

Friday · 6:39 PM I did it right hooray Thank you

Today-Sunday Oct 10|1:15 PM [Brandon, This man is so gifted when it comes to running our committee. I wanted to help when he told me at EQ that the EQ counselor and RS counselor had canceled for out monthly meeting today. I stepped up and wrote the presidents a text and forwarded a copy to the bishop. Lloyd ended up canceling the meeting since so few could attend. But when I shared this text with him it matched what he had felt and told Kent Perkins.]

Dear Pres. Perkins & Pres. Buckway,

Lloyd Simpson is feeling ignored and disappointed.

We have our monthly T&FH committee meeting at 2 today and he is expecting no one from your presidencies to be there.

He even ordered 3 pies n cheesecake on Friday and picked them up after a trip to Las Vegas on Saturday.

He has an agenda and an average of 3 other pages he hands out each month.

Is there any way you could send a secretary or someone as a substitute? One hour from now.

Thank you so much for your consideration.

Vern-Indexing specialist.

-Lloyd, here is what I sent them. Just had to give you a copy. I haven't ever done this before but I have never had a committee leader like you before.-V

Thank you🙂-L

So Brandon, the bishop followed up on that text immediately and checked with Lloyd. It all served its purpose. I was distinctly uncomfortable with having stuck my neck out but it was not something he/Loyd could have written. He needed some help. I hope I was inspired/guided to do it.

I also delivered him a canary silk tie at 2 pm and then went to choir practice. This part makes me smile.

1 Nephi 4 :6 And I was led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things which I should do.

Hello Brandon, I got a letter from you this week. Yippee! Hooray! Thank you! I just finished sending this to my ministering families:

Hello ministering families:

R & J Whipple,

S & R Gibbs,

N & A Bird, (Flora, Lola, Ezra, Pearl, Hazel)

Did you feel oppressed by 9/11. I saw a display at the FSC that reminded me of more than I wanted to remember.

It has been 20 years! Teenagers today were not even alive! But that awful occasion made the world a much less safe place.

I had a couple come into the FSC and index 911 records. What a fantastic idea. And our ward was assigned to clean up the trail from the Webb Hill to River Road. What wonderful ways to show our gratitude to HF. Doing things like that can turn those oppressed feelings right around.

Our ward T&FH committee is up and running. So is our ward Mission committee. Lloyd Simpson and Duane Derfler are those leaders. I am grateful for them.

I may have shared the fact that our ward hosts the stake’s full-time missionaries to dinner and 3 lessons every 13 days. There are 13 wards in the stake and that is how long the rotation runs. Yes, Duane Derfler has his hands full!

McKay Bird announced in sacrament meeting today that there will be a ward indexing project kickoff on Tuesday Sept 28-Tuesday Nov 9. The last time the bishop did this it was only for a week and it was a competition between the young men and young women and their leaders. This time it will cover the month of October and includes everyone. Since I am the ward indexing specialist this makes me very happy. Our temple is closed so let’s serve by indexing!

Our new primary presidency were wonderful in sacrament meeting today. I have never considered PEACE as a goal. It made me ponder and analyze to consider it.

Sister Randalyn Hilton arranged the hymn the choir will sing next Sunday: Secret Prayer. I have woken up a number of mornings with it running through my head since we have been practicing it.

Darin Salmon will have his mission homecoming next Sunday. He is done. Congratulations Darin S!

Thank you for letting me share thoughts with you regularly. It benefits me.\God bless you.\Vern & Roger

So Brandon, 1- Shadow was being walked in the park in the dark last night by Dave and Katrina. Hace had to go sniff and say hello and then bark obnoxiously. I did not recognize them in the dark until I heard their voices. 2- Lloyd Simpson changed our T&FH committee time to 2 pm. I have been praying and in a turmoil about what to do since I read his email on Friday. That is choir practice time. And I so wish to be supportive of both organizations/ people. I did not know how to resolve the conflict. I don't want to tell Robyn Whipple because she will feel unimportant/ ignored/ unsupported if she finds out. After praying about it again last night I decided to  catch Lloyd Simpson before he left sacrament meeting. He tried to do the same! I walked him out to his car and we visited 10- 15 minutes. Do you remember that one of my favorite scriptures is 6 And I was led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things which I should do. It worked! Again! @@ I was so worried. After finding out what was on the agenda I asked Lloyd which he would rather have me there for, first 15 minutes or last 15 minutes. I knew this was a super important meeting. All 11 of us were assigned to capture a story from someone's life last month and we would be reporting today. Alex Gardine is our EQ rep/counselor and it was his proposal. Lloyd chose the first 15 minutes. He has a grandfather clock that chimed twice at 2 and then once at 2:15. The second was my reminder to excuse myself. I texted Robyn after church explaining I would be 15 - 20 minutes late, and I never had to explain why. She even texted me: Thank you for letting her know. @@ This was a big deal to me Brandon and I am so grateful that HF sort of helped me work it out. @@ GBY BLTPJS  LOVE VERN--

vern\live and learn\life is good\I am blessed\onward and upward

THIS IS MY STAKE. NORTH HALF AND SOUTH HALF. IT WILL SPLIT SOON. :)