Section 26

“Behold, I say unto you that you shall let your time be devoted to the studying of the scriptures, and to preaching, and to confirming the church at Colesville, and to performing your labors on the land…”

What I learn from this is the Lord places a high priority on studying the scriptures and putting him first in our lives.  Then we are to share his word by living the gospel in our homes and communities.  Finally, we need to work and support our families both in the home and in our employment.

He concludes this revelation by reminding Joseph that all things were to be done by common consent in the church and to us we need to do all these things by faith.

Faith is the key.  We need the spiritual gift of faith which is one of the greatest of all of the gifts of the Spirit.  It is essential in casting out fear.  It is what gets us through each day!

 

Section 25

Emma Smith is one of my heroes.  I put her in the same category as Eve, Mary, Queen Esther, Abish, and the other great women of the scriptures.  Emma was the first Relief Society President of this dispensation.  She compiled the first hymn book for the church.  She was told by the Lord that a "song of the heart is a prayer unto me," emphasizing the importance of music.  She was a faithful wife and mother.  She endured unthinkable hardship and sorrow.

In my personal list of heroic women I put my daughters Emily and Michelle, my wife, Jean, my mother, Beverlee Bee, my grandmothers, Sarah and Lottie, Jean's mother, Mary Elizabeth (Mimi), my daughters-in-law, Tina and Hayley, my sisters-in-law, and all of those women who loved and tutored me throughout my life in the church and school.  God bless these amazing women!

Section 24

8 Be patient in afflictions, for thou shalt have many; but endure them, for, lo, I am with thee, even unto the end of thy days.

Even though the church was only a few months old, the persecution was intense.

Sometimes we feel that we are not loved or that the world is crumbling around us.  Jesus said, "Peace, be still."  Let the peace of Christ enter our hearts and our homes.  Let us have confidence and faith in his tender love.

Section 23

Have you ever wondered what your current status is with the Lord?  Have you ever wanted him to tell you what you could do to please him the most?  Several of Joseph's associates wanted to know these things too.  This is what the Lord told them:
You are blessed
You are not under condemnation
Exhort others to live the gospel
Preach
Pray vocally, in secret, in your family, and in public
Strengthen the church
 

Section 22

Ordinances of the gospel, including baptism, give us the opportunity to do things the Lord's way.  In Joseph's day, some individuals wanted to join with the church and have their old baptism count.  The Lord was very clear on this matter.  No baptism does a person good unless it is done under the authority of the priesthood, restored to the earth through John the Baptist and Peter, James, and John. This is the Lord's Priesthood.  This is his will.

My dad baptized me.  I was baptized in the font at the Logan Tabernacle.  That font is still used today.  These are the words of the baptismal prayer which are repeated for all who are baptized:
(Walter James Stone) having been commissioned of Jesus Christ, I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, Amen.  Then he immersed me in the water and brought me up again.  At this moment I took upon myself the sacred name of Jesus Christ.  I take the sacrament every week to renew this covenant.  Simple and beautiful.

Section 21

Joseph Smith was given authority from Jesus Christ to organize his church again on the earth.  This was done April 6, 1830.  This is also Christ's birthday!  Remember the Christmas story: The shepherds watched the sheep by night in the early spring.  They were watching for the birth of the lambs.  It was birthing season.  What a surprise for them when the angel came and told them that the Lamb of God was born!  Luke records:
9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

Section 20

The church was established legally April 6, 1830.  The Book of Mormon proves the truth of the scriptures and the church. Joseph Smith was a prophet. There is no way to dismiss the Book of Mormon.  It is amazing, deep in doctrine, full of nuances and varied voices from the ancient Americas.  Prophets then and now affirm that God lives and Jesus is our Savior.
Through the grace of Christ we can be forgiven of sin immediately, today, as needed, by way of repentance.  This is justification.  We are covered in the short run by his Atonement.  Also, we are covered in the long run, line upon line, a little at a time until we are completely clean.  This is sanctification.  We are sanctified by Christ through the Holy Ghost.
If we listen to and obey the voice of the Spirit we will born again and eventually have no desire to sin.

Section 19

16 For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent;
17 But if they would not repent they must suffer even as I;
18 Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit—and would that I might not drink the bitter cup, and shrink—
19 Nevertheless, glory be to the Father, and I partook and finished my preparations unto the children of men.
Jesus declares that one of his names is "Endless."  Therefore, when he speaks in the scriptures of endless punishment he is not saying that it is forever; rather, he is saying that he is in charge of the judgment and the duration of the punishment.  For those who repent the there is no punishment.  But for those who refuse his grace, they must be punished according to the law for their disobedience. Nevertheless, Jesus does not mete out punishment that does not fit the sin.  Punishment will end when the price is paid.  The notion of burning forever in one's sins is nonsense.  It is Christ's work and glory to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of all of God's children.  His work is not done until even the most rebellious and vial of sinners is brought out of mental and spiritual prison. Remember that Christ's Atonement covers all of us.  All will be resurrected and all will someday be cleansed for all sin and pronounced clean.

Section 18

Piece by piece, the Gospel of Jesus Christ was restored to the earth again through the Prophet Joseph Smith.  In this section it was revealed that the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles was to be reestablished.  The Apostles were to go unto all the world preaching repentance.  They go in the name of Jesus Christ whose name they have taken upon themselves through baptism.  The keys of the apostleship were restored by Peter, James, and John to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery!  Those keys have been passed down as each new apostle has been ordained since Joseph Smith's time. Today we have fifteen apostles on the earth.  Three apostles serve in the First Presidency; the other twelve apostles serve in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.  The keys will never be lost again from the earth.

Every soul is precious to God.  When a soul accepts the gospel how great the joy for God, the individual, and the person(s) who preached the word.  One of the greatest joys a person can feel comes when they bring a beloved son or daughter to God.  And if that is great for one soul, imagine how great the joy that comes to someone who brings many souls back home to the Father!