BLESSINGS

Hello all!

Today I want to discuss two verse from Doctrine & Covenants section 90.

14 And from time to time, as shall be manifested by the Comforter, [you shall] receive revelations to unfold the mysteries of the kingdom;

15 And set in order the churches, and study and learn, and become acquainted with all good books, and with languages, tongues, and people.

I am going to 1) explain what this verse means to me, 2) explain the principle in this passage, and 3) apply it to our own lives.

What do these verses mean to me? Here I see a promise from God. There are several times in the scriptures where we are told that, "if you do ____, I will reward you with _____." Here we can see some incredibly powerful blessings that are actually given through God's command for Joseph Smith to continue his work. The unfolding of the mysteries of the kingdom, the ability to become acquainted with all people, and even the promise to study and learn are incredible opportunities. These verses first drew my attention when I read in verse 15 of "(becoming) acquainted with all good books."Lately my education has been something I have been pondering, and how I want to utilize it in my life, so this mention of good books really fascinated me. Following this, I wanted to see what preceded this verse to try to better understand what was being said.

The principle that can be found in this passage is that often God requires great things of us, however what we gain is even greater. This may not be an apparent principle, however looking at the context helps. God is telling Joseph Smith what he is to do. However within this command are some incredibly opportunities. Leading and organizing a church is no easy task, and yet by doing so he will be able to unfold the mysteries of the kingdom. It is through his sacrifice that he will directly receive great blessings.

How can we apply this to our own lives? We may not be called as a prophet or asked to sacrifice our lives for this gospel, however we need to be more willing to give up what we do have. Sacrificing our Wednesday nights to lead a youth group may not be something we want to do, but over time we will see that we can be blessed directly when doing so. I am a temple worker and I miss a lot of activities on Thursday nights. It has been difficult to miss Relief Society activities, apartment complex socials, and BYU athletic events, however I am so grateful for the time I have to serve in the temple. I can see how if I had not had that consistent temple attendance, this past year would have been much more overwhelming and unfavorable. It is through our adherence to God's commands that we can be happy.