A New Concept of Glory

In the time of Joseph Smith, and even in our time, men thought that they were either saved or damned. Every man was bound to go to heaven or hell, depending on either his works or his faith or both, depending on his religious denomination. Amidst this belief, the Lord restored His Church to the earth, but the members of the Church continued with one belief that they had always held--those not of their faith were destined to go to hell, while those of their faith would go to heaven.

All of this changed in 1832, however, when Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon received a revelation on the three kingdoms of glory, which is now known as D&C 76. The revelation does not refute the concept of heaven and hell--in fact, the Lord confirms it. However, God explains that this state of paradise and hell, referred to as the spirit world, is not the end of being. There is more that will happen afterwards. Those who live good lives on the earth will enter into a paradise in the spirit world, and those who live unworthy lives will enter a prison or hell. Spirits will stay there until the resurrection of the just and unjust, when all will be given glorified, immortal bodies, and receive one of three kingdoms of glory. All of these kingdoms are of glory, meaning that every human being, including sinners, will receive glory and will receive many blessings from the Lord in a kingdom of glory. This is a huge departure from traditional thought of eternal reward or endless punishment, with nothing in between.

Section 76 also marks the beginning of the "exaltation revelations," when the Lord begins to explain what will follow this life in more detail. Salvation will come to all men--all will receive a kingdom of glory--but there will be rewards of varying degree within the kingdoms of glory, the highest of all being exaltation. Exaltation means being able to have an eternal family and continuing on forever in a path of perfection, just as God does. From this time on, the Lord explained to Joseph Smith and to the Church what it meant to be exalted, and what had to be done to receive the blessing of eternal lives.

This revelation also changed the world of the Saints by showing that the universe is not centered around the earth, or even around the Sun. Verses 23-24 explain that the worlds were all created through Christ, and all of their inhabitants are begotten sons and daughters of God. Nothing about world or earth mentioned--the worlds were made by God, and the people on each world are all subject to the same Gospel and the same Atonement. Gone was the concept that the Gospel is only for certain people, or that we are the center of God's creations. All men everywhere must repent, be it now, past, or future, all must forsake their sins and receive cleansing through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the Lord.

The Fulness of the Earth

Many of the revelations contained in the Doctrine & Covenants contained commandments or doctrine that was obviously against the wisdom of the time, but have proven correct with time. However, I had never seen the radical nature of the revelation concerning the use of the earth contained in D&C 59. It seems obvious given our present knowledge, but at the time of Joseph Smith, the revelation as truly revolutionary. It went against the wisdom and knowledge of the time, but has been proven correct with time, just like all the other revelations given through the Prophet Joseph Smith.

D&C 59 was given in 1831, when manifest destiny was running through the country, and settlers continually moved west. The common idea at the time was that the earth had inexhaustible resources. Settlers burned down forests to make room for farms, and never considered it necessary to replant them. Settlers considered it a right to take land it convert it to their own purposes, regardless of the long-term effects. These actions were supported by the U.S. government, and it was not until many years later that the land and resources started to be depleted. Many of the local and national elections centered on helping settlers acquire land and on forcing the Native Americans west. The land was there to be taken and used by the American settlers.

Verses 16-19 seem to support this idea. The fulness of the earth is given to the Saints. With it, they should build homes and barns, raise crops and animals, grow orchards, and multiply and replenish the earth. Verse 18 states that the resources of the earth are "both to please the eye and to gladden the heart." The Lord later says that the earth is "to strengthen the body and to enliven the soul." This makes it sound like the Saints could do whatever they want with the land if it strengthened their bodies or helped them spiritually, or even if it just pleases the eye. The land could be used for aesthetic purposes, and to make the lives of the people better and more fulfilling. The revelation was also utilitarian. The earth was to be used, not just to exist. The purpose of its creation is to bring us fulfillment and allow us to support our families and bring up children in the Gospel.

However, the Lord explains the limits to this promise in verses 20-21. The Lord is not pleased by extortion or excess. The earth is to be used with judgment and self-control. While the earth may appear limitless, the Saints were to control their consumption of it. This probably appeared ridiculous at the time, given that the huge majority of the land had not been used, but today we can see the wisdom of this commandment. Today, most of the land available is being used, and many parts of the earth have already been depleted. This revelation has new relevance for us today, and it falls to us to apply it and act prudently with the earth and its resources. We should use the land to bring up our families and make our lives better, but we also should not use the land beyond limits, what could be considered excess.

BYU MOA

This week, I visited the "Types and Shadows: Intimations of Divinity" exhibit at the BYU Museum of Art, and it was a treat. Rita Wright showed us the paintings, but before entering the exhibit, we talked a little bit about what to expect. Many things in the world suggest a type of Christ, or hint at aspects of His Gospel and the Plan of Salvation.

The first piece that struck me at the exhibit was one depicting Christ, the veil, and another person. Christ was behind the veil reaching out, and his arm was partially covered by the veil but the tip of his hand reached out from behind it. It seemed like a line (or rod) shot forth from his hand across the piece. The other person was either falling or grabbing hold of the rod. In my opinion, he was grabbing on, though just barely. His other hand covered his heart, as if he were in pain. The most symbolic part of the painting I did not notice, but our guide pointed it out to me. While Christ's right arm reached through the veil, his other arm was also raised to the left, holding his body in the shape of the cross, extending in both directions forever.

I also loved "Exchange No. 8," by Ron Richmond. The textures are absolutely beautiful, though the symbolism of the painting was not clear to me at first. At the center of the painting stands a chair covered by a white cloth. Another chair has been knocked down directly in front of it, and was covered by a red cloth. There are many ways to interpret the symbolism in the painting, but I feel that the standing chair covered in white represents Christ. I am the fallen chair covered by the red cloth. The white symbolizes the purity and innocence of Jesus, and the chair stands as his throne or symbol of power. Since I am imperfect and guilty in many ways, I am in a fallen state, but the blood of Christ can cover my imperfections, and help me become as he is. I also loved that all around the edge of the painting, a faintly drawn circle can be seen, drawing attention to the center, which is Christ.

My favorite piece in the exhibit was at the very end, titled "Jesus and Mary: The Moment After," by Trevor Southey. The backdrop is a stunning dark mural made up of several different colors, and the painting is divided into three sections. The first shows a pile of sheets rolled around some sort of object, probably a person. I suppose this alludes to a body before resurrection, and is still under the bondage of death. The central panel shows Christ, covered in surreal colors running like veins over his skin. Mary was in the third panel, ghostly pale, and staring anxiously at Christ. My favorite part are two flowers that the artist placed between Jesus and Mary, symbolizing each of them. Mary is symbolized by the red rose, flowering slowly and gracefully, while Jesus is symbolized by the almond blossom, bursting forth suddenly in its beauty. I found the colors to be beautiful and the symbolism powerful, and I enjoyed the exhibit as a whole.

A Modern Exodus

Nephi, a prophet who wrote in the Book of Mormon, was commanded to build a ship that could carry him and his family from Bountiful, on the Arabian Peninsula, to the New World. Nephi's response was instant and willing, and he began to build the ship, but his brothers expressed doubt about his ability to build it. To motivate his brothers to help him, he recounted the story of the exodus of Israel from Egypt. "I, Nephi, spake unto them saying, Do you believe that our fathers, who were the children of Israel, would have been led away out of the hands of the Egyptians if they had not hearkened unto the words of the Lord? Yea, do ye suppose that they would have been led out of bondage, if the Lord had not commanded Moses to lead them out of bondage?" Nephi later wrote, "And he raiseth up a righteous nation, and destroyeth the nations of the wicked. And he leadeth away the righteous into precious lands, and the wicked he destroyeth, and curseth the land unto them for their sakes."

The exodus of Israel from Egypt has provided inspiration and a foundation of faith to Israel throughout all of its history. Several miracles allowed Israel to escape from Egypt with many of their possessions, and i was a spiritual salvation as well as a physical one. They received the law of the Lord from Mount Sinai, and this law formed the basis of their worship and survival for the following centuries. Several decades of wandering brought them to the promised land, and the Lord helped them take the land from its former inhabitants and become established there.

This same situation has occurred in modern times as well. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints was organized, and almost immediately encountered opposition and persecution. Joseph Smith was the modern Moses, and after leaving New York, the Church established itself in Kirtland, Ohio, where it received "The Law of the Lord," a modern equivalent to the law given on Mount Sinai. Huge spiritual blessings were received in Kirtland, but the Church was driven out, first from Ohio, and then from many of the other cities that they built. Finally, they traveled across the wilderness under the leadership of Brigham Young and established themselves in the Rocky Mountains, a promised land free of persecution, but desolate and barren in physical respects.

To apply Nephi's words to this modern exodus: Do you believe that our fathers, the first converts to the Church, would have been led away out of the hands of tyranny of the mobs and enemies to the Church, if they had not hearkened unto the words of the Lord? Yea, do ye suppose that they would have been led out of bondage, if the Lord had not commanded Joseph Smith and Brigham Young to lead them out of bondage? I say no. Surely, the Lord has raised up a righteous people among the Rocky Mountains, and is destroying the wicked and the oppression that they bring. As Nephi wrote, "And he leadeth away the righteous into precious lands, and the wicked he destroyeth, and curseth the land unto them for their sakes."

The Law of the Lord

The Lord said, "Wherefore, for this cause I gave unto you the commandment that ye should go to the Ohio; and there I will give unto you my law; and there you shall be endowed with power from on high." Surely, many blessings awaited the Saints in Ohio, and they were given to them over several months in different forms. One of these blessings the Lord called, "The Law of the Lord," which we know as the 42nd section in the Doctrine & Covenants, a book of modern revelations given through Joseph Smith.

Section 42 addresses a myriad of topics, from Church administration, the Ten Commandments, the Priesthood, the New Jerusalem, and the Law of Consecration. Like all of Joseph Smith's revelations, they did not come as Joseph sat around, doing nothing. He was immersed in study and meditation, and had several questions that he asked the Lord. In the same way, we can receive revelation through the process of asking questions and seeking the answer from the Lord. Joseph's questions included, "Shall the Church come together into one place or continue in separate establishments?" "How are the Elders to dispose of their families while they are proclaiming repentance or are otherwise engaged in the service of the Church?" and "How far it is the will of the Lord that we should have dealings with the world and how we should conduct our dealings with them?"

The Law of the Lord formed a foundation for the Saints in many respects. It reiterated the Ten Commandments, but also explained more about Church organization and the Priesthood. The Elders are to preach, baptize converts, and build up the Church wherever they go. Also, for somebody to be an Elder, they must be called of God and receive the Priesthood by the laying on of hands.

This revelation also formed the basis for many of the early (and present-day) Church's disciplinary practices, explaining the punishments for each transgression, and how the councils ought to function. This revelation provided a framework upon which the leaders could build, in much the same way as Section 20. Joseph realized that the Church was expanding, and so more revelation was needed to guide the ever-growing Church.

The revelation was also part of developing the Law of Consecration, which the Church practiced in its infancy. Although the law failed due to the selfishness and dishonesty of some of the members, it provided a brief glimpse into the societies that existed in Enoch's city, and also among the Nephites after Jesus Christ's visit to the New World. Section 42 gave valuable insights and commandments to the Saints on how to keep the Law of Consecration, and its principles remain true today, even though the Saints were not (and still are not) capable of keeping them.

The last twenty verses of the section were added at a later time and have more to do with Church laws concerning discipline and Church membership. They complete what is a significant stone in the foundation of revelations that the early Church relied on.

Crandall Printing Museum

This week, I found a gem in Utah Valley, where I have lived my whole life but, apparently, did not know enough about. I visited the Crandall Printing Museum. When I entered, the host told me that it was the most advanced Gutenberg museum in the world. I acted amazed, but thought, "This guy needs to get out more." Over the next two hours, I was impressed over and over again, and learned a great deal about the miracle the printing press was.

Gutenberg developed his printing press in a very unspectacular way. He duplicated a wine press and added a bed in which to place the paper and set type. He invented a new metal alloy, now called "printer's metal," which expanded in the mold so that the type would be uniform. He even invented a new ink that was sticky enough to stay on the type, as opposed to the runny ink used by the monks. After all of this development and invention, he used it to do small printing jobs for merchants and officials in the area. His break came when he was asked by the Catholic Church to print the Bible in Latin, and developed type in Latin for that specific purpose. It was probably because of this job that his press prospered for some time.

He did make a financial miscalculation, however, when he trained six different teams of men to make type and print the Bible. These teams caused Gutenberg's bankruptcy, since it was too much expansion too fast. but these six teams then took the printing technology to neighboring villages, and it quickly expanded throughout Europe.

At this point in the tour, we jumped forward to Benjamin Franklin, and the press during the American Revolution. I never knew that Franklin was a printer, let alone one of the most powerful in the colonies. The press was essentially still Gutenberg's press, with almost no innovation. Franklin did a lot of things for the colonies and for the Union, but one of the best--he helped to get Thomas Paine's Common Sense published when negotiations with Great Britain failed. He was also essential in the writing of the Constitution and promoting it in the presses. In reality, the presses throughout the colonies made the Revolution possible, and without Franklin's influence, the Revolution very well could have failed.

We then jumped forward to the E. B. Grandin Print Shop, located in Palmyra, New York. Joseph Smith had translated the Book of Mormon, and was in need of a shop to print it. He and Oliver Cowdery approached E. B. Grandin, and wanted to print five thousand copies, a number unheard of at this time. Most books were printed in five hundred book runs, so that the printer could be assured of getting his money back, but the Martin Harris farm was mortgaged to provide collateral. Though it was a huge risk for Grandin, he printed the Book of Mormon in just a couple of months. The true miracle is that all the books were bound very quickly. Binding five thousand books should have taken several months, but it was completed quickly and the Church was able to start selling the books and spreading them throughout the country.

These three events combined show to me that the printing press and its spread throughout Europe and later to America was truly a miracle, and allowed the Revolution to be unified and the Book of Mormon to be published.

The Gathering

The gathering of the LDS saints under the leadership of Joseph Smith and then under Brigham Young and the successive prophets of the LDS Church has altered the course of this nation's history. The members of the Church, known as Saints, gathered first in Kirtland, Ohio. They were rejected from that location and settled in several different places only to be rejected from each in turn. Finally, after the death of Joseph Smith, Brigham Young began to lead the Church and led the Saints to what is now known as Utah. This gathering continued for several decades but was slowly phased out so that the Saints could begin to build the Church in their own countries. This gathering of Saints has affected me personally, mainly through my ancestors.

On my mother's side, the McBride family was among the first group of Saints that traveled across the Great Plains with Brigham Young. They established themselves and became steady members of the Church. Also on my mother's side, several families travelled to Utah in the following years. They all remained faithful to the Church and laid down a legacy that my family has been following. Polish immigrants on my father's side were also converted and also made their way to the Utah settlements. If it had not been for the gathering of the Saints, my family would not be what it is today, and I would definitely not have been born in Utah, and I might not have grown up in the Church.

Also, because of the gathering of the Saints, the church has been able to build many temples. The temple has always served as a rock and anchor for the Church and its members, and the gathering made the temples possible. If the members had remained separated and dispersed across the world, it probably never would have developed the resources to build any temples. But because they all came together and worked together, many temples have been constructed and millions of people have been blessed because of it. I personally have been very blessed by being able to attend the temple. I have also been blessed even more because my family was blessed enough to come to Utah and receive the blessings of the Gospel and of the gathering of the Saints.

Revelation For Families

Religion has often been charged that it represses women and and promotes male dominance. This idea is explicitly reinforced today by Islamic extremist governments that place women on a lower level, and it seems to be implicitly understood in the Bible, where very few women are mentioned. However, a revelation given through the Prophet Joseph Smith to his wife Emma in 1830 shows us what the true role of women is and should be.

In Joseph Smith's time, a woman's role was very different from what we might expect today. Women were not independent beings, but completely dependent on their husbands. The husband controlled and ruled over his wife. In fact, a women could be a minor her entire life, growing up under the rule of her father and then raising children under the rule of her husband later in life. This male dominance was evident in churches and government as well, since only men could preach and vote in the religious sector, and only men could vote and hold office in the civil sector.

Emma's revelation stands in contrast to these social norms. The Lord speaks directly to Emma, instead of telling Joseph what Emma needs to do, which would have been typical in this time. She is named "an elect lady" and her calling as Relief Society President is prophecied. She is even told to study, exhort and teach in the church, and act as scribe for the Prophet Joseph, clearly roles that were typically reserved for men.

Noteworthy is that Joseph is to help Emma in taking more responsibility in these roles. The implicit command is that he is to help around the house so that Emma can have time to study and improve herself. If she doesn't have time to do it, it was Joseph's fault.

While a couple of these instructions were specific to Emma, the majority can be construed as independent of time and place. This revelation placed Emma in a learning, teaching role, on par with her husband, and so the revelation places all women on par with their husbands in their responsibility to learn and improve themselves. From the time this revelation was received forward, women participated in church, sustaining their leaders and teaching others the Gospel. Women also began participating more in government roles later on in Church history because of the implications of this revelation. Mormon women were the first to vote, first to run for office, and were the pioneers in many respects to women's rights in the country, while still maintaining their roles in the family.

The implications of this revelation follow us still today. Women are to learn, teach, and participate just as men are, and men are to help the women in their lives have the time and resources to be able to do these things. We should be forever grateful for this revelation and how it restored women to their rightful position as equals in a marriage covenant between two people. Thanks to the Lord's guidance to Emma, we no have women that are prepared to teach not just children or other women, but women teach men about the mysteries of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And that is how God always desired it.

Guiding Documents

There have been many organized bodies throughout the history of the world. Each may have been created for a different purpose, such as governing a people, preaching their religion, or just to create a brotherhood of like-minded individuals. The most durable and influential of these organizations always has a guiding document, some sort of “constitution” or “law book.” From Hammurabi’s Code of Laws to the Magna Carta to the United States Consitution, all of these documents served to preserve a way of governing.
These examples illustrate the importance of the Articles and Covenants of the Church of Christ, also known as Section 20 in the current Doctrine and Covenants, a book of revelations published by the LDS Church. This section contains a summary of the restoration of the Church to the earth and basic beliefs of the Church and its members. More importantly, it explains the duties and responsibilities of each office in the church as well as the general organization of these offices into groups called quorums.
This section is more commonly known as the “Constitution” of the LDS Church since it serves the same purpose for the Church as the Constitution serves for the United States of America. The Constitution thoroughly explains the powers and rights of each branch of government, details about voting procedure and term limits, and the rights of the citizens. It is not the government itself, but it is a framework that the current Representatives and Senators can use as a guide to build on.
In the same way, the Articles and Covenants of the Church of Christ provides a framework of the offices of the Priesthood. It is not the church itself, but presents the Lord’s guide for us on how to build and organize His Church. It presents a divine framework to build on, so that His work can go forward on the earth.

A Marvelous Book

The phrase "a marvelous work is about to come forth among the children of men" appears in Joseph's revelations starting in section four, and appears frequently in many of his other revelations. This phrase refers to the translation and publication of the Book of Mormon from the golden plates. Mormon belief states that Joseph was given engraved gold plates by an angel of God. These plates contained a history of the ancient people of America, but more importantly, it contained the teachings of the prophets among them as they taught the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Joseph was commanded to publish these records as the Book of Mormon. The Lord called it "a marvelous work"
near the beginning of Joseph's translation work.
While Joseph may have partially understood the importance that the Book of Mormon would play in the world, certainly he did not understand the scope of it all. He understood that the plates would be an instrument in the hands of the Lord, but did he know how much? I don't believe so. Joseph was led by his revelations as much as the other Saints were led by the same revelations. Receiving golden plates and being told to translate them must have seemed like a big enough task in itself. He hadn't had experience translating anything, and he was asked to translate what turned out to be 600 pages of religious and secular history (not including the 116 lost pages). I can only imagine his anxiety as the Lord called it a marvelous work--much bigger than what Joseph had imagined it to be up to this point. He did not know where the translation of this book would lead him, and how it would define and prove his prophetic mission.
So what was so "marvelous" about the translation? While Joseph translated a large number of pages in very little time, this was not the only marvel. Thousands of people in the United States and in Europe read the Book of Mormon and accepted it, without ever meeting the prophet that translated it. Even after Joseph's death, thousands of people flocked to the Rocky Mountains because of the spiritual power the Book of Mormon lent them. Even today, millions more are joining the church after reading parts or all of the Book of Mormon, without ever meeting the long-dead Joseph Smith. I saw many families converted in the mission field after reading from the Book of Mormon and praying to know of its truth. The Book stands as a testament of the truth that God has called a prophet to the earth once again, and that His Church has also been restored to the face of the earth.
In short, the marvelous work that the Lord spoke about is still happening, and the Book of Mormon is the engine and force behind that work. While Joseph Smith knew the Book of Mormon was true before he even translated it, I don't think he understood right away how important it would be for the Church or for the Lord's people. The Book of Mormon has stood the test of time, and it is truly a marvelous work, as the Lord stated nearly two centuries ago.

A Necessary Loss

The loss of the Book of Lehi, the infamous 116 pages, had always been a tragedy in my mind. Would history have been different if we could have read them? What new mysteries (or old ones) do they contain? Who has them today? The curious mind is inevitably drawn towards the 116 pages and the "lost" knowledge that we could have had. However, as I was studying about the 116 pages and how they were lost by Joseph Smith and Martin Harris, I realize that it's probable, in fact, it was necessary that those pages be lost to cause a change of heart or growth in Joseph’s understanding of his prophetic mission.
There is a similarity between Joseph’s grueling experience with the lost pages and the conversion stories of many of the prophets in the Bible and the Book of Mormon. I think immediately of Saul of Tarsus in the New Testament, or Alma the Younger, a character from the Book of Mormon trying to destroy the church. Both had life-changing experiences when an angel or the Lord himself appeared and warned them to change their lives or perish. While Joseph had not sunk to the depths of Saul or Alma the Younger, he had made a mistake in releasing the pages despite repeated warnings from the Lord not to do so.
Alma and Saul could only be turned from their ways by a severe rebuking from the Lord. Although their experiences were glorious, they were frightening, and both were smitten down. However, after those horrible experiences, they were both healed by the Spirit and went on to build the Kingdom in great ways. In a similar way, Joseph had to experience a severe chastening, which brought him to the depths of sorrow and humility. It is only when he had been brought low that the Lord could raise him even more.
As I was studying about this episode in Joseph’s life, my mind kept going back to my mission in El Salvador, and I realized that most missionaries have that same experience on the mission. Many never learn the language or teach with the Spirit because they want to earn it themselves. Only the missionaries who allowed the Lord to bring them down were brought above their trials. I had learned about this time in Joseph’s life many times before, but never before had it brought a personal meaning to me. I saw it as curious that a prophet would be so stupid to ignore the warnings of the Lord, but then I realized that I do the exact same things. We all do. We refuse to be humble, and so the Lord must humble us through trial, until we allow him to lift us up. While studying the life of Joseph Smith, I learned that it is only when I have been brought low that the Lord can raise me to unforeseen heights. In the end, it doesn’t matter what was on the lost pages as much as what we have learned about ourselves from Joseph’s experience of repentance and humility.