Teach the Principles of my Gospel

This past week I studied Elder Bednar's most recent general conference talk entitled The Principles of my Gospel.  I noticed that the title of his talk was based on a scripture found in the Come, Follow Me study for this week. D&C 42:12 states "And again, the elders, priests and teachers of this church shall teach the principles of my gospel, which are in the Bible and the Book of Mormon, in the which is the fullness of my gospel." The Come, Follow Me manual also suggested to search these sections (41-44) for some of the principles that the Lord uses to guide His church. Here's a list of principles that I found:

• Principle of hearken and hear the Lord (41:1, 43:1,17)
• Principle of assembling together (41:2, 43:8)
• Principle of urgency (41:4, 43:17-18)
• Principle of fulfilling commitments (41:5)
• Principle of missionary work (42: 4-9, 11-17, 56-58)
• Principle of order (42:11)
• Principle of teaching (42:12-15)
• Principle of controlling our behaviors (42: 18-29)
• Principle of consecration/caring for the poor (42: 30-35)
• Principle of stewardship (42:32, 70)
• Principle of simplicity (42:40)
• Principle of work/self-reliance (42:42)
• Principle of faith in the healing process (42: 43-52)
• Principle of unity (42:45)
• Principle of receiving personal revelation (42:61,68)
• Principle of obedience to laws (42:79-87, 43:35)
• Principle of reconciliation (42:88)
• Principle of prophets receiving revelation for the church (43:2-7)
• Principle of instructing and edifying each other (43:8)
• Principle of sanctification (43:11, 16)
• Principle of repentance (43:11, 21-22)
• Principle of teaching by the Spirit (43:15)
• Principle of preparation (43:20)
• Principle of compassion (44:6)

Joseph Smith said "I teach them correct principles, and they govern themselves." It's empowering to know that as we teach correct principles the Spirit can then guide and direct individuals through personal revelation. We can act on this revelation to change and make improvements that the Lord would have us make. Additionally, as we understand that everyone can receive revelation about the changes they need to make in their own lives, we learn to be less judgmental. We don't need to compare the changes that we are making to what others are doing. We can trust that everyone is governing themselves according to the principles they've been taught and how the Spirit is inspiring them to live.

Doctrine of Gathering

As I was preparing for General Conference a few weeks ago, I read an article by Elder Bednar in the Church News (Learn Elder Bednar's pattern for studying conference messages). In this article he talked about one way we can study the general conference messages every six months. He said, “the basic pattern is to identify the fundamental doctrine or principle that is being taught, find invitations to act related to that doctrine or principle, and then also recognize the promised blessings that will come as we act in accordance with that invitation.” By following this counsel, I've been able to see how the Come, Follow Me study program has been organized to help us find and study these patterns.

While reading D&C 37-40 this week, one of the principles that was emphasized was that of gathering. The commandment/invitation that was given to the saints was to move to Ohio (37:3). Section 38 contains the following blessings related to gathering:

• strength (v. 15)
• confidence (v. 15)
• greater blessings (v. 17)
• learn how to be one (v. 27)
• safety and protection from the enemy (v. 28-31)
• receive God's law (v. 32)
• endowed with power from on high (v. 32)

As I looked over that list I realized that as we follow the latter-day commandment/invitation to gather people together in our stakes, wards, branches, homes and temples, we also are given these same promised blessings which are invariably much greater in scope than what we are asked to do.

Missionary Work

There were a couple of things that I felt were emphasized to me as I studied about missionary work this week in Doctrine and Covenants 30-36.  

First: missionary work is for everyone. In Section 30 we read of three brothers (David, Peter and John Whitmer) who were all given missionary assignments, but they differed in their scope and reach. David was told to start first in his father's home, then to minister to the church and finally to the world and regions round about (v. 4). His brother, Peter was asked to go on a journey to declare the gospel to the Lamanites (v. 5-6), and John was told to go to Phillip Burroughs' home and then to the region round about (v. 10). In these verses I see different places that missionary work can take place...

• In our own homes 
• Through our church callings. 
• Full-time mission (Peter was told to travel and share the gospel with the Native Americans)
• Through ministering (John was given a specific person to go to-like ministering assignments)

Second: companions are important. Peter Whitmer was told to go with Oliver Cowdery (v. 5), and they would be joined by Parley P. Pratt and Ziba Peterson (Section 32).  In our homes, most of  us have a spouse. When we minister, we are assigned a companion. In most church callings you are linked to one or more people to work with. It is important to use these different "companions" we are given to help us in our missionary efforts because they each have been given different gifts, strengths, talents, knowledge, backgrounds and insights that can compliment what we have to offer. As we learn to combine our abilities, we can become more powerful and effective missionaries.

Third: declare gospel with the voice of a trumpet. I love the imagery of a trumpet that is used in connection to sharing the gospel (30:9, 33:2, 34:6, 36:1). To me this means that we should not be ashamed about our beliefs and what we are teaching, and in order to have that kind of confidence we need to be living what we are teaching. Trumpets are powerful instruments and they are not quiet. We can be powerful instruments for the Lord as we speak up and share our knowledge and testimonies of the gospel of Jesus Christ with others. In history, trumpets have also been used to call soldiers to the battlefield. As we declare the gospel with the voice of the trumpet we are helping to gather the soldiers that God needs in His army to fight against Satan.

No matter what stage of life we are in, we can participate in missionary work and we can make a difference.

I Know That My Redeemer Lives

As I approached this week of Come, Follow Me study for Easter, I read through the manual and figuratively rolled my eyes at the suggestion to write an additional verse to the hymn "I Know That My Redeemer Lives, thinking to myself "how could anyone add anything of importance to that majestic and tender hymn?" But as I listened to the Podcast called "Don't Miss This", they encouraged their listeners to break apart the hymn into different categories in order to study it more in depth. The three categories I chose to make were...Who He Is, What He does, and What does this knowledge do for me. Based on the lyrics of this hymn, here is what I discovered.

Who He Is....

• my ever-living Head
• kind
• wise
• heavenly Friend
• Prophet
• Priest
• King
• my Savior
• still the same (constant)

What He Does....

• blesses me with His love
• pleads for me above
• feeds my hungry soul
• blesses me in times of need
• grants me rich supply
• guides me with His eye
• comforts me when faint
• hears my souls complaint
• silences my fears
• wipes away my tears
• calms my troubled heart
• imparts all blessings to me
• loves me to the end
• grants me daily breath
• gives me the ability to conquer death
• prepares a mansion for me and a way to bring me safely to it.

What does this knowledge do for me...

• brings joy
• brings comfort
• makes me want to sing
• I feel glory for His name
• brings sweetness into my life

After I looked over these lists I challenged myself to think of other words that I associate with Jesus Christ that weren't listed in the original hymn. These are the words that came to my mind...lifts up, mercy, light, forgiving and understanding. With these words as my guide, here's my attempt to write an additional verse to the hymn "I Know That My Redeemer Lives." 

"He lives to understand my needs.

He lives to listen when I plead.

He lives to lighten my dark path.

He lives to walk me safely back.

He lives to forgive all my sins.

He lives and I know I shall win.

He lives to show me mercy, how?

He lives to lift me up right now."

Happy Easter Everyone!!!