The following transcript is intended to aid in your study. However, while we try to go through the transcript, our transcripts are primarily computer-generated and often contain errors. Please forgive the transcripts’ imperfections.
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Segment 1
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From our discussion last week, let me recap. The Saints are now arriving in Ohio, but now what? I mean, can you imagine moving to a new place and now you have to find a home or actually build one from scratch? Then find work, feed your family, all without a local Home Depot or target or store to get your stuff at.
Ah, the Saints had so much faith in the Lord and they believed and trusted in him. And they were about to also be asked to live a new law. In our study of doctrine and covenants, sections 41 through 44, we're going to discuss that law, and some of us might actually prefer building a home from scratch.
Welcome to the Sunday on Monday Study Group, a Desert Bookshelf plus original, brought to you by LDS Living, where we take the come Follow me lesson for the week and really dig into the scriptures together. I'm your host, Tammy Uzelac Hall. If you're new to our study group, please follow the link in our description and it will explain how you can best use this podcast to enhance your come Follow Me study, just like longtime listening, friend Colleen Nixon from Nevada.
Hello, Colleen. Now another awesome thing about our study group is each week we're joined by two of my friends, but this week it's just one and I could not be more thrilled to introduce you to Sharon Staples. Hi Sharon. Hi, Tammy. Hi. Everybody out there. Shalom, Shalom. Shalom, Shalom. Yeah. Uh, for those of you that are new or maybe don't know, Sharon, Sharon's kind of the reason we're even here because 10 years ago Sharon invited me to take a Hebrew class and Wow.
Hebrew we did. Right? Right. Has it been 10 years? Oh my gosh. I know. Let's not do dates. Okay. We won't do dates, but yeah, it's been an awesome ride, an incredible experience, and we've recently just finished taking a course on the Talmud. Wow. That kind of blew our minds. I don't know what I love more what we learned about the Talmud or our discussion after the class on the way home.[00:02:00]
I, I both, they're both. Well, to be able to discuss what we gleaned from what the Rabbi was trying to explain to us. I, I, it's amazing. And then, and to share each of our different interpretations, what you heard and what I heard, and share those. Yeah, it was great. I loved it. Yeah. Yeah. It's been fun. And we can't help but say that it's probably gonna find its way maybe in our discussion.
It just weaves into everything we've talked about, so, yeah. I'm thrilled now, Sharon, what's your feelings about section 41 through 44? Overwhelming. I'm, I was just, as I began to read it and, and every verse I thought, how did he, how did he know to do that? How did they know to do this? How, how can they follow this?
How can they, it was just question after question for me is, how are you going to pull this off? Yeah. And I was just overwhelmed. Um, it's an, oh, those, those sections to me are the gospel. Mm. You're right. And it's overwhelming that, that. The prophet was able to, to do that, to pull it off. I, I, yeah. I'm just awestruck.
Well, and the reason I only have Sharon on today, first of all, it's a lot of information and if we had another person, it would just be too much, too much talk with too. Like it just has to be concise, which is what we prayed for at the beginning. We'd be concise and straightforward. But when I read that we were talking about keeping God's law, those of you that know Sharon and you love her, one of the things I always receive feedback about you, Sharon, is they love that you're a straight shooter.
Sharon just says it like it is. Yeah. Is that, and she doesn't apologize for it at all. So if you're about, if you are 10 to get offended, don't be, because this is gonna be such a good discussion. Oh, I don't want to offend my gosh. No, no. But Sharon is all about keeping the law, so Yeah. It's gonna be good.
We'll see what, see what the [00:04:00] law is, how it came about. Mm-hmm. And what we're doing about it today. Absolutely. Yeah, it's amazing. Okay, well if you wanna know more about Sharon, go check out her bio. You're gonna find those in our show notes, which are at LDS living.com/sunday on Monday. So friends, grab your scriptures and definitely something to mark your scriptures with.
And we are going to dig into doctrine and covenants, sections 41 through 44. So right outta the gate, my first question, all my guests, as you know Sharon, is what did the Holy Ghost teach you? It taught me to put myself in their shoes, meaning to, to translate myself back to Joseph Smith's time, and Oliver Cowdry and Edward Partridge and all the ones we're gonna talk about today.
The Holy Ghost said, you need to know what they were going through. You need to know what was happening. You need to know. And so I did. I studied, I mean, I. The, the promptings were, you need to know this stuff. Mm-hmm. And not just for the podcast, I need to know this stuff for my own salvation and for the salvation of my family.
I, I, uh, the Holy Ghost said, this is important stuff. And I, I don't use the word stuff loosely because it, I mean, it's the, the meat of the gospel. Yeah. And, uh, the Holy Ghost, I think said, you, you know, this is not just passing through. You're not just passing through on these scriptures. You need to know why they were.
Saying this and why it became canonized, why it became doctrine. So it gave me, um, a kind of a heads up. Mm-hmm. Uh, pay attention to what was going on then and to what's going on now as a result of what was going on then. So it was, uh, kind of, uh, an eyeopener and an enlightening of trying to understand [00:06:00] what was being printed.
Well, I'm curious to know, as you studied about the men's lives and just like you said, all of the stuff you were prompted to study, how did that affect the way you read these sections? Um, we know that almost 63% of the doctrine and covenants are answers to questions. Oh, wow. Answers to questions and so.
Yeah. As I read this stuff, I, what popped into my mind were questions. Yeah. Why did they have to move to Ohio? Why did they have to gather and then separate? Why did they have to have loss? H how, how did this, how did this come about? What transpired? What was going on in their heads? What was going on in their families?
What was going on in the culture in the country? It was, well, I started asking lots of questions. Yeah, lots of questions. I think it was surprising for me to also think about how young all of these men were at this time and how this church is growing. And it just seems to me if Joseph Smith was a false prophet.
He would've gone the easy way out. He would've just said, you know what, let's just keep the commandments and be kind. Or he would've taken existing doctrine. Exactly. And just kind of made that, and it blows my mind when he receives this revelation. And I wonder if he was like, really? That seems like a lot.
But he just did it. He followed what he was told to do. And to think that he's what, 25 years old? Yeah. And, and Oliver Cowdry is what? 26. And they've only, the church was established, uh, in 1830, and we're talking about doctrine and covenant sections that were 18 31, 18 35, how to establish the parameters for a church.
Mm-hmm. And then how to present that to people who [00:08:00] will accept it, and then. People who are willing to change their lives. Mm-hmm. It's not just a church, it's not just a religion. It's a total lifestyle change. When they had to move from New York and Missouri to Ohio, a total and complete lifestyle change in a time when lifestyles weren't all that good, I mean, the poverty and, and dissension and everything that was going on, it just, uh, it just is amazing that they were able to solidify into doctrine what the Lord would have us know.
I like when you said that they were willing to change their lives. Yeah. That might be the theme of all of this, this whole discussion today, because everything they're asked to do would absolutely change their lives. And then it makes me wonder, am I, am I, how am I doing with that? How am I, how am I doing with changing my life?
Have I, wow. That's really great and, and being a convert. Mm-hmm. I, I had to ask that question when I was 18. I, I, you know, am I willing to believe this new to me? Yeah. This new religion, when I'd been reared in another faith, I had to contemplate, what are you getting into kiddo? Mm-hmm. You're getting into a, a total and complete life change.
Yeah. I mean, talk, you know, they talk about going through, you know, puberty or going through, you know, life changes, whatever it, but, well, at 18, um, I needed, I needed to know that if I were willing to, to do that life change. Wow. Awesome. Well, let's do this then. In the next segment, let's focus on this idea of changing their lives.
We're gonna just dig into sections 41 through 44, which is gonna ask the people to change their lives, and we'll find out if they did. We'll do that next.
Segment 2
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[00:10:00]
So at the very beginning I talked about a law that the people were going to have to live this new law, and it is a big law. I love that Dr. Steven Harper, he's church historian, he said this about the law we're gonna talk about. He says, it teaches us to love God and to love each other. I can't think of a better law.
I love it. It's gonna teach us to love God and love each other. So let's grab a highlighter. We're gonna go through these sections and we're gonna highlight when we see the word law, my law, or God's law. So first, let's go to section 38, verse 32. We're gonna go back a little bit because in section 38, verse 32, the Lord introduces the concept of this law.
It's sort of a little bit of an introduction to it. So section 38, verse 32 says, where for. For this cause I gave unto you the commandment that you should go into the Ohio, and there I will give unto you my law. So highlight right there. My law and underneath my law put sections 41 and 42. So now we're gonna go to section 41 and let's highlight some more laws or the word law in the section heading of section 41.
Highlight where it says like the third line down, that the elders pray to receive God's law. Then there's another one in section 41 verse three, highlight my law in that verse. Then you're gonna see it again in verse four. At the very end, you shall see that my law is kept. Then again in verse five, he that receive of my law and do with it.
Okay, all these laws then go to section 42, the section heading about the fourth line down. On the far right, it says, the Lord's promise previously made that the law would be given in Ohio. And then you notice it says Section 38, verse [00:12:00] 32, which you've already marked. So there's the law then in section 42, verse two.
There it is again. I say to you, harken in here and obey the law. Okay? Oh my goodness, all of these laws, my law, the law. But Sharon, what does the law mean to you? Okay, Tammy, before I answer your question, I wanna read the scripture in two Nephi, chapter two, verse 13. Okay? And if he shall say there is no law, you shall also say that there is no sin.
If you shall say there is no sin, you shall also say there is no righteousness. And if there be no righteousness, there be no happiness. And if there be no righteousness nor happiness, there be no punishment nor misery. And if these things are not, there is no God. And if there is no, God, we are not, neither the earth for, there could have been no creation of things, neither to act nor to be acted upon or for all things must have vanished away.
That scripture set me up for why we need laws. That was the question I asked when I started studying for this. Why do we need laws? You know? Mm-hmm. We've got the 10 commandments. What, what else do we need? Kind of stuff. And then I, I went to this particular scripture and thought, you have to have law, and you have to have obedience to law, and you have to love the Lord and love your neighbor.
And you have to, you have to transform your life. Mm Wow. So in the decision to keep these laws and transform our life. There's a very important aspect that's involved and it's this idea that we're gonna talk about. Let's go to a couple of verses of scripture and we're gonna highlight these. We're gonna go back to section 26, verse one.
We purposefully skipped this concept [00:14:00] when we studied section 26, because I wanted Sharon to be able to talk about this because she changed my life when she taught me about this concept, and there's a phrase in there that makes it so that these people agreed to keep this law. Sharon, will you please read verse two in section 26, and all things shall be done by common consent in the church, by much prayer and faith for all things you shall receive by faith.
Thank you. Let's highlight common consent, and we're gonna put a little cross reference next to it. We're gonna go to section 28, verse 13. It's gonna say that phrase again, section 28, verse 13. And Sharon, can you go to verse 13, please in section 28 and read that for us. Section 28 verse 13. Yes. Where all things must be done in order and by common consent in the church by the prayer of faith.
Okay, highlight that phrase right there. Common consent. So when the Lord is saying, you're going to obey my law, and he's about to introduce my law, the concept he taught before my law was this idea of common consent. What we know it as today is sustaining those who are called to serve in the church and sustaining what the Lord has asked us to do and the leaders who give us these rules and guidelines.
And a couple of months ago, Sharon gave the best talk on what it means to sustain or do things by common consent. So Sharon, teach us this idea. Why is it so important in our church? Um, well, for one thing, with no common consent, you, you have nothing. You have, you have just as bunch of people wandering around creating their own ideas, um, with common consent.
When, when we sustain our bishop, we raise our right arm to the square. Mm-hmm. And when we sustain the leaders, when we sustain President Nelson, when we sustain the general authorities, we, we raise our right arm to the square and we say, amen. We're, we're all in. We'll do [00:16:00] this. And then sometimes if the bishop asks us to help clean the chapel.
Our right arm comes down a couple of notches and it's not quite as high as it was. Right? The same thing with, um, teaching a class. If we're gonna accept a calling, um, and we say, oh, we're too busy, or I'm gonna be outta town, or I travel too much, or I have five children, whatever reasons we give subconsciously, maybe, well, actually subconsciously that right arm to the square isn't quite as square as it used to be.
It's pulled down now to maybe our shoulder and then down, and so I, I'm not sure that we realize that when we raise our arm to the square, we are saying, I sustain you, and that means I will. Follow your counsel. I will follow your callings. I will follow what you do. And in essence, we say, I will follow the will of the Savior.
I will follow the will of God. And, and for me internally, I'm saying I want to align my will with his will. And if I align my will with his will and we're both on the same page, then it, it's, it's common consent for me because I'm, I'm consenting with the savior. I'm consenting with God the Father. I'm consenting with the Holy Spirit.
I'm saying I'm all in. I'm all in. So I think in sustaining, maybe we don't realize that we're. Committing ourselves to what the Lord would have us do. Yeah. IEA life change. I mean, if you have to all of a sudden teach, you know, 13 and 14 year olds, your life changes. You're not just gonna [00:18:00] read a, a lesson and then go in and, and burp it back.
You, you, you're gonna have to understand that lesson. You're gonna have to know it and live it. Yeah. Like Brother Harper said, not only do we love God and, and love our neighbors, but with that love comes obedience. Mm-hmm. I mean, if I love of my Heavenly Father and he asks me to work in the temple four hours a week through the bishop and through the temple presidency, am I in tune with that?
Am am. Am I willing to say yes. If that is your will, then it needs to be my will. Wow. You know, when, when Sharon gave this talk and she was standing at the podium and her hand was up to the square, we all knew what that meant. And when you were giving your talk and you said, you know, and then when the bishop asked you to say a prayer in Sacra meeting or give a talk and you, I physically saw Sharon's arm go down and you were, and you said that it was a visual.
I'll never forget because I thought, oh my gosh, you're not wrong. Like, I absolutely sustain the prophet, I sustain the bishop, but if I have to clean the building on a Saturday, my arm kind of goes down. I'm not gonna lie. Yeah. It made me think of being in a court of law. My daughter's a lawyer and I've got to go watch and observe her in action a couple of weeks ago.
And it was so cool. And every person that came in had to be sworn in and they had to put their arm to the square and agree. You know, do you agree to, to tell the truth, the whole truth, whatever that saying is, but can you imagine if when they put their arm up, they were only putting it halfway? And that really did signify like, I'm not really gonna tell you all the truth.
I'll just tell you a partial truth. Right? And so that like, that wouldn't fly. You have to tell the truth when you're in a court. And then it made me think of the temple and all the times and how significant that that square, that arm is. When we agree, we're like, yes, I will [00:20:00] do that exactly, but I wonder if the Lord was like, well, if you're not really gonna do it, then just put your arm halfway there.
Just your arm kind of goes down. And so it just gave so much power to this idea of common consent, this idea of absolutely sustaining those who have been called. And up to this point, the church members have sustained Joseph Smith as a prophet, a seer, and a revelator, which is why they're willing to do what he's asked, which is why they're willing to go to Ohio, to leave everything, to move to a place that's completely unknown, kind of on the outskirts of Amer the Americas at this time.
And leave everything that's comfortable for them in New York. And the Lord even points this out in section 41 with a word. Go back to section 41, verse two, and we're going to, I, I wanna circle this word because in verse two it says, harken oe, elders of my church who might have called behold I given to you a commandment that you shall assemble yourselves together to agree upon my word.
And that's a common consent word right there, right? That, that, that idea of we're gonna agree all of us together or we're not doing it at all. And it's just so powerful. So it is powerful. And when I think that when the church was established, there were six, weren't there just six people? Yeah. Yep. In, in 1830.
And one of the questions that was asked, and we'll probably read about this in a minute, was. Do we gather as one body or do we spread out and spread the word? And the answer is yes. We, we, we, we have to gather to Ohio. But can you imagine asking all those people, you have to either sell your property, rent your property, give your property away, leave everything.
Mm-hmm. Leave everything that you've built, that's you, that's part of you, and go with us to Ohio. Not only [00:22:00] that, but then from Ohio, they had to go to England, to the Native Americans. They had to go to Missouri. They had to go so many places and willing to do that because of this principle of common consent.
Yeah. You know, I, I'm consenting, I'm agreeing, I'm doing, I'm sustaining. Um, I'm, I'm, I'm going to live. I. This gospel. Yeah. Oh, brilliantly, brilliantly said. So thank you Sharon. Thank you for teaching us that again, that principle. 'cause I loved it the day you taught it, and it's, it will forever stay with me.
So thank you. Thank you. It stayed with me. Yeah. So I have to be very careful sometimes, you know, you have a tendency, you see the bishop coming and you dash into the sister's restroom. Well, you don't, so that, or you don't answer the phone for fear that they're gonna call you and say, we need to have you speak in church, or we need to have you give a prayer.
Yeah. Or can you substitute for this class? And we have our little tricks of avoiding, uh, raising our hand totally. To the square, you know? Yeah. So it, it's an amazing principle. Common consent. It's just amazing. But going back to what you said before you began even studying these sections, when the spirit said, learn about these people, I think that's so important because there was such a fire in their bones.
They loved the gospel of Jesus Christ so much that they were willing to literally change their lives. Move their families and live this crazy law that we're gonna learn about today. And I just, the spirit keeps saying, will you? Yeah. Would you, how does that look for Tammy? Yeah. Do I, oh, do I live, do I live the law of common consent?
Do I live the law of consecration? Do I live the law of obedient? Mm-hmm. Do I live the laws that I raised my arm to the square for in the temple? Yeah. Do I, you know, how, how am I translating their experiences into my life? Yep. Brilliantly said. Wonderful. Thank you, Sharon. Thank you. So in the next segment then, Sharon and I are gonna talk about a Hebrew [00:24:00] word that goes along with common consent that you have to fully understand before you can start living any law.
We're gonna do that next.
Segment 3
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So by common consent, by agreeing, once we've sustained our leaders, our prophet as a prophet, sear and revelator, there's a word then that we need to know. And our prophet's actually spoken about this word in conference. It's very exciting to Sharon and I. Let's go to section 41 and we're gonna remark verse one.
Here we go. Section 41, verse one. Sharon, just read the very first three words, harken and hear. Highlight that Harken and hear. Okay. We're gonna go through and mark a couple of these words. Harken, you're gonna see it so much from here on out in the doctrine and covenants. It's in verse one, in section 41.
It's in verse two. There's Harken again. If you turn the page and you go to section 42, he's gonna start in verse one again with Harken. He's gonna say it again in verse two, harken. And then when you go to section 43, oh my goodness, you're going to see it a lot in Section 43. You'll see it in verse one.
You'll see it in verse 15, in verse 17, in verse 23. I know I'm going fast, but my goal of what I want you to do is in verse 34. Then in section 45, it's everywhere. I want you to be looking for that word from here on out because the word harken, it's going to appear in over 40 sections of the doctrine and covenants, and it's a Hebrew word that Sharon and I just love Sharon.
What does Harken mean? Uh, to listen out. Obey. Yes. Very good. It doesn't just mean, Hey, pay attention people. It is a action word physically too. We're gonna read a quote from our prophet. This is President Nelson in his Hear Him Talk in April of 2020, [00:26:00] and we're gonna read the little bit of a quote, but what you wanna pay attention to is footnote number 13 in this talk.
I'm gonna read the quote and then Sharon's gonna read the footnote. The very first word in the doctrine and covenants is harken. It means to listen with the intent to obey. To harken means to hear him, to hear what the savior says, and then to heed his counsel. In those two words, hear him. God gives us the pattern for success, happiness, and joy.
In this life, we are to hear the words of the Lord harken to them and heed what he has told us. Now, footnote 13 in his talk. This is what foot the footnote says, Sharon. Go ahead. The Old Testament, the word Harken is translated from a Hebrew word, Shama or Shama, S-H-A-M-A, which is a strong verb that means to listen with the intent to obey.
Harken is a scriptural word that occurs in 40 sections of the doctrine and covenants. Thank you. All right, Sharon, so going on with this word and everything we've talked about, why would the Lord use the word harken before he even introduces his law? This new law? Well, heads up. Heads up. Pay attention.
Mm-hmm. Uh, he, he wanted to get our attention. Okay. You guys harken listen up. Yeah. Um, that what I'm about to say is extremely important. Harken, Shama, hear what I have to say, and then follow through. It's, you know, raise your arm to the square, but then when I call you to do something, do it. Don't lower your hand.
So I did the two-pronged definition is inseparable. Listen and obey. Oh my [00:28:00] goodness, Sharon, I just had this connection. Okay, hold on for a minute. My mind is swirling because general conference, Saturday session, when we sustain all of our leaders, right? Right. It's one of the first things we do. Now I'm kind of thinking, tell me what you think about this.
When we sustain all of our leaders at general conference, we're doing the common consent right there. We're agreeing that what we're about to hear. Would it be fair to say then that every talk from when we sustain them until the end of conference would begin with the word harken then? Oh my gosh. Well, it would, it would be significant because I just sat here and thought, you know, it'd be really cool if every apostle and prophet started his talk by saying, harken in here what I'm about to tell you.
But he doesn't have to because we've just, we just finished sustaining them, so. Right. I feel like maybe the word harken is implied. Hearken and hear. Here we go. Get everything you just said. Get ready. Yeah. Well, why would we have general conference if we didn't need to listen, if we didn't need to hear what the Lord has told our prophet, what the Lord has told the 12, the presiding bishoprick, the general auxiliary leaders, I mean they don't come into talking in conference just by the seat of their pants.
They study, they ponder, they pray, they fast, they, they put their whole heart and soul into the words. Mm-hmm. That they're going to say if they're like everyone else who gives a talk anywhere and like in sacrament meeting you, you study it out in your mind and you then ask the Lord to fill in the gaps.
Wow. Now, I love even more that we do that every general conference I. We, the law of common consent is alive and well in our church. Absolutely. Well, okay. And then in section 41, and we've talked about this because Section 41 has a man who hearkened [00:30:00] and the people by the law of common consent agreed to this man having this calling.
Let's go to section 41, verse nine. We're gonna mark his name and we love this man so much. Sharon, will you please read for us? Verse nine. I love him too. It's just, he's an amazing man. And again, I have called my servant Edward Partridge, and I give a commandment that he should be appointed by the voice of the church, the voice of the church.
That's common consent folks. There it is, by the voice of the church and ordained a bishop unto the church to leave. Uh, here we go. To leave his merchandise and to spend all his time. In the labors of the church. I like you emphasized all, I'm gonna circle that right there. Talk about life changing. Leave his merchandise, leave it all, and, and do this new work.
And what's amazing is he didn't know what it was. No, he had no direction. He had no prior bishops. There wasn't a bishop's handbook. No, there wasn't a book of instructions. And he went to the prophet and said, duh, what, how, how, what am I? What am I gonna do? How am I gonna do this? And so then we have sections 42 and 43.
So we, we get the answers about, you know, how, how am I gonna do this? But he, he was the one quality that qualified him for this calling, was the prophet, said that he is pure of heart. And I thought. Can you be pure of heart, Sharon? What, what would it, what would it take for me to be pure of heart? I'm gonna have to give up a lot of biases, a lot of prejudices, a lot [00:32:00] of critical judgments.
I'm gonna have to give up so much of what I've learned through life about not being kind or not committing, not promising, not doing common con. I'm gonna have to do a lot to be pure in heart, and, and it's, it's a lifetime challenge. Absolutely. Highlight verse 11 in your scriptures, everyone. This is the verse that Sharon was talking about that describes him.
Verse 11 says, and this because of his heart is pure before me, for he is likened to Nathaniel of old in whom there was no guile. No guile. Could there be a greater compliment? Oh. No, they couldn't. No. I was fascinated to learn when it says right there to spend, the reason this stood out to me when you emphasized all his time to spend all his time in the labors of the church.
Mm-hmm. I thought of his sweet wife, Lydia. Yes. And their wonderful children that they are going to now share their husband with the entire church. He's the first bishop and this man, by the way, he will pretty much be Bishop until his dying day. He will die in 1840 at the age of 47 years old. He'll be tarred and feathered at some point in his life for the church.
He'll also spend time in Liberty Jail with Joseph Smith. I mean, this man. We love you Edward Partridge, and your wife Lydia. And I, I really thought it was cool how Stephen Harper said that Edward and Lydia Partridge were the pioneering family of the law that we're gonna get into in the next segment. But can you imagine the pioneering family of this law?
And when you find out what this law is, then you love them even more. Like you said, there was no bishop who did this before him. Mm-hmm. So he has got to figure this out and follow the promptings of the spirit and the like. The Holy Ghost is gonna guide him. Joseph's gonna guide him. This is a big job.
Especially if he had the power of discernment and could see what's [00:34:00] down the road, not only for the church, but the church. I think to those brethren in those days was the world they, they need, that's why they were sent out. It wasn't just preached to your. Neighbors. It was, we have to spread the word. You know, every nation kindred and Tongue will hear it.
And that was then. And if you think about the, what, 18 million people we have today in the church mm-hmm. And more coming in all the time. And the elders have been dispersed to gather. That's what they're, you know, they're to gather them into unto Christ. Yeah. And, uh, so he, I think he may have had an inkling after he got started about what we, what he was up against.
Wow. But he didn't falter. He didn't say, well, I'm too tired. I'm gonna sleep in, or, I'm not going to move. I'm not going to give up my merchandise. I'm not gonna give up my likelihood. I'm not gonna drag my wife and children to Ohio. I'm not gonna, he, he, he, he was all in, he. His arm was squared. Yes, it was high squared.
It never, it never was like, no, his arm was to the square and sustained by his whole essence. Yeah, his whole essence brilliantly said. I like how you said his whole essence. Well, I think we've done a great job setting up the law and I, I, I hope all of our listeners are like, what, what is this? 'cause it's a crazy one.
I think. I like how we set up that the people, the prophet and apostles, they're, they're young and there's just no way a young married couple or a young dad would agree to this law. It's crazy. We've set it up by saying that these people have done common consent and they're going to harken. And so in the next segment we're gonna jump into what this law exactly is.
Segment 4
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[00:36:00]
In early 1831, members of the church, they're living in New York and they are migrating now to Ohio, and many of these saints were poor and they left behind all of their possessions. It just kind of blows my mind. I. A lot of their possessions, they had to leave behind. And in Ohio there was this large group of new members and they lived on Isaac and Lucy Morley's farm.
So they had formed this communal group. I think this is such a fascinating part of our church history. Yeah. They formed this communal group called the Family. Mm-hmm. But they did it in a genuine attempt to imitate the New Testament Christians. So it was, it was, it was a good heart that they were doing this in.
And one of the beliefs they shared was that all personal possessions belong to everyone in the group. Mm-hmm. Well, the Lord addressed these practices and he made some important corrections and clarifications on this and some other topics. And he did this largely through the revelation recorded in Dr. A Covenant section 42, that he called my law to govern my church.
And he's going to reveal a very important law. So let's go to section 42. And I really like how the Come Follow Me manual says that this section might, when it was first received, it says it was one of the first revelations to be published. Many Saints called it the law, and it was to be one of the most important that the prophet received.
Right? I agree. Not only for the saints early, but for us today. Absolutely. This law is so important for us today. So section 42, let's go to verse three. We already know in verse one and two, it says, we're going to harken and we're going to hear in verse two says again, I say unto you, harken and hear and obey the law, which I shall give unto you.
And then we have in verse three, verily I say, as you have assembled yourselves together, according to the commandment, wherewith, I commanded you and are agreed, circle the word agreed. That means common consent as touching this one thing. Circle one thing and we're talking about the law. That's the one thing, [00:38:00] and I've asked the father in my name even so shall you receive.
So he is setting it up. Here you go. You've, we've all agreed by common consent you've prayed and asked for this law and I'm gonna give it to you now before I give you the exact law. We're gonna bracket off some of these verses 'cause this is a long section. And so here's what you wanna know about these verses.
So bracket off verses one through 17 and you're gonna label those general instruction. This is general instruction and you can put slash mission. So the first thing the Lord does is he gives general instruction to the saints and he calls people on missions. He says to them, we're going to serve, we're gonna go into on missions, like you said earlier, Sharon, you're gonna preach the gospel then bracket verses 18 through 29 and he repeats several of the 10 commandments.
So just write commandments next to those verses. Then we have verses 30 through 42, bracket off all of that verses 30 through 42. Label it as Sharon, tell everybody what the law is. What are we labeling it as? The law of consecration. Da da. That's the law. Label it the law of consecration. We're gonna get into that.
Then verses 43 through 52, label the Lord's will concerning blessing, the sick. I love these verses so much. They're so powerful. Verse 48 is probably my favorite in all of those. I just have to read it and again, it shall come to pass that he have faith in me to be healed and is not appointed unto death shall be healed.
Yeah, it's amazing. Oh, when I learned that verse, it changed. My prayers changes all the way I pray and fast for people. I just love that verse. Okay, and then verses 78 through 87, you're gonna bracket those off and label them the relationship between the law of the church and the law of the land. Okay, now let's go back.
Sharon introduced it, the Law of Consecration. So Sharon just explained to us, [00:40:00] how does this law work? What are we talking about here? Well, I think for me, in, in my layperson's terms, it's give what I can to help those in need and also be willing to receive what I need. So for me it is, well, we, we agree to it when we do our temple covenants, we all that we have, we give to build up the kingdom.
Mm-hmm. And when we give all that, we have to build up the kingdom. Um, we, we are to consecrate. Consecrate means to make holy. I think, and if we are pure in heart and are willing to consecrate that which we have extra, I mean we, the Lord is not asking us to go on welfare just because we wanna give everything else away.
He's acting, asking each of us to determine for ourselves, for our families what we can do to help everyone else in building the kingdom and in gathering and in doing the Lord's work. So it's, it's a willingness to even sanctify ourselves. And we do that of course, by keeping all the covenants, the baptismal covenants and the temple covenants, we then become sanctified.
And that helps us to. Listen and obey. Yeah, it helps us to do what the Lord would have us do. With regard to, um, consecration, let's read the two main verses of instruction on how to live this law in section 42. It's verses 32 and 33. Sharon, will you read verse 32 [00:42:00] and I'll read verse 33, and it shall come to pass that after they are laid before the bishop of my church and after that he has received these testimonies concerning the consecration of the properties of my church, that they cannot be taken from the church.
Agreeable to my commandments, every man shall be made accountable unto me, a steward over his own property, or that which he has received by consecration as much as is sufficient for himself and family. And again, if there shall be properties in the hands of the church or any individuals of it more than is necessary for their support.
After this first consecration, which is a residue to be consecrated unto the bishop, it shall be kept to administer to those who have not from time to time that every man who has need may be amply supplied to receive according to his wants. So go back to verse 32. We're gonna circle the word steward right there.
The word steward means a manager over something, a manager over given property. I thought that was pretty interesting because who gives us our property? The Lord. The Lord. And he has made us stewards over everything that we have, right? And so he's saying, everybody gives their property everything over to the church, and then the church or the Bishop, sweet Bishop Partridge is going to then distribute.
And I think it's interesting how he distributes to the people according to what they need. And what I love is the very end of verse 33 where it says that, um, every man who has need may be amply supplied. That word is profound because Stephen Harper says every person who gave got back more, which blows my mind.
I don't know how that works when everybody gives everything you have and then it's then distributed out to your needs or your wants. Mm-hmm. I go back to what you said, Sharon, because it teach you said, it also teaches me how to receive. Right. [00:44:00] Why did you say that? Why would it be hard to receive in this process?
Pride. What do you mean? Well, I don't want the bishop or army, any of my neighbors knowing that I'm needy, that I need food, that I, that I need a job that I need. Um, so we, we want to do it ourselves and, but the. The principle of common consent is being able to give and to receive to, to allow others to give.
If, if I keep giving to my neighbors and they never allow me to give back to them, they are shunting, IE damning my, my desire to fulfill the law of common consent and, and help them. Mm-hmm. So, and, and I've had friends who would not receive help and I just say, pride cometh before the fall. You, you, you need to get help so you can help others.
Yeah. You need to be sustained. Well, I like this concept. So are you talking about today, the world we live in? When we wanna take a meal to someone Uhhuh and they say, I don't need the meal. Like, I don't need, I don't need anything. I don't need your help. Right. That, that's a law of consecration that we're living right there, isn't it?
It is. And for them to deny you. Yes. That's, we have to be conscientious of their needs mm-hmm. In their need to give their need to help their need to live the law of consecration. One of the things I think you and I must have read the same Stephen Harper book mm-hmm. Because he mentions in his, um, a little booklet on consecration.
He says, within the law [00:46:00] I of consecration is agency accountability and stewardship. And you talked about the stewardship. So a, our own free agency and accountability to God and stewardship to act upon. What God owns. Okay, hold on for a second, everyone. In your scriptures, I want you to write down what Sharon just said because this is really important.
Stephen Harper teaches us, these are the three doctrines of the law of consecration, and I have them labeled in my scriptures too. So number one, Sharon said the first thing is agency, like everyone had free will. No one was forced to live this law, right? The second thing is, everyone is a steward. So they've been given, God gave them everything.
And then the third one is we're held accountable before God. So make sure you have those in your scriptures. Those are the three core doctrines. Now you need to know that, especially when you consider, for those of you that have received your endowment, these three laws will be very important to you when it comes to that endowment session.
And, and I think Tammy, that's, that's essential what you've said. And I think when I take a meal in to, you know, a family, I do not say to myself. Oh, Sharon, you're so good. You're living in the law of consecration. I, that doesn't even, you know, it's not even in the ballpark. It's, I love this person. They are in need.
I want to help them. Um, and so I'm doing, but who thinks of, you know, doctrine Covenant section 42, when they take cookies or a cake or Right. A meal that, we don't think of all of that, but if we are living the Law of consecration, the willingness and the desire to share is internal. It's already there.
Mm-hmm. It's, it's an automatic, it's just automatic. And when the Relief Society [00:48:00] presidency says, this sister needs, you know, meals Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday, and everybody signs up and you say, do you, do you ponder and say, oh, I can live the Law of Consecration by taking a meal in and say No. We say, oh, I'm so happy that I can share.
With their, him and her and the family. Mm-hmm. Um, so that it's, it's inbred. We, we have agreed to. Yeah. And we're using our agency and I've been given a stewardship to live the law of consecration and so I need to act on it. But none of that comes to mind when the Relief Society president says, Sharon, can you do this for this sister?
Can you take her kids to school this day? Can you mm-hmm. Take him for a ride. Can you do the, it's just part of that life change that we have experienced by coming, by becoming covenant consecrated, sanctified daughters, sons of, of our Heavenly father for the world we live in today. Sharon, will you please just share your thoughts about being stewards over agency?
'cause I love how you think about this. I, I think there are two things. One, the gift that he has given to all of us, which is agency, that I have the gift of agency, I can choose. I love that. And with that agency, I, I have the gift of being able to listen and obey. I can, I can listen to general conference and I can try my very best to implement the council that I get.
That to me, that's a gift that I agree. And to hear him recently at the Roots Tech Conference here in Salt Lake City, elder Holland was, [00:50:00] um, a surprise guest speaker. Oh. And, and, and everybody was thrilled, of course. 'cause it was a surprise. But here's a quote, um, that I quite like that he said, and he said, and it's from.
Praying, always. He said, I thought I prayed all the time, more or less. But the lesson was, pray more than you. Pray however much you've prayed, pray more and in however many places you've prayed, pray in more places. However many times during the day, you pray, pray more times in the day. And it started to give meaning to me an overwhelming meaning to that.
It was quite literal when God had said, pray, always close, quote, oh, that's good. And I think that's what the prophet Joseph Smith did. Absolutely. And I thought about that and I thought. Heavenly Father's gonna get tired of hearing my voice. He's gonna get tired of my coming to him. Prayer, da da da.
President Holland said. Mm-hmm. You pray because by praying, we grow closer to him, and by growing closer to him, we are more apt to and amenable to obeying anything that he would have us do because our relationship with him is being cemented. Hmm. It's a common consent. Heavenly Father, I, I, you say, do this.
I say, okay, I'll do this. That's a common consent. He says, I want you to do it, and this is your blessing, because we know that there are privileges and blessings for obeying. And so I don't think I have a, like a gift of speaking or a gift of, of teaching or you know, any of like you do, which, and you do.
You're an excellent teacher. But I do, I [00:52:00] do listen and I do try to obey and I think that that takes some doing. 'cause you have to immerse yourself into the doctrine and say, yeah, this is true, this is true, this is true, this is true. Well, and I'll just say this because as you were speaking, I looked back at that word in verse 33.
Here's how I have been amply supplied by your consecration, is I. You bear testimony and you teach what you preach. This idea of being obedient, you are 100. Like I, I love that. That is who you are and that's what people love about you is that you, you're a straight shooter and you just say obey. Just get it together.
You That's right, Darren. And say, but that is your gift and your, I am amply supplied by that. When you bear your testimony and when you share your example of how to obey and keep the commandments, and especially at your age, Sharon, I mean, you've been doing this for a long time, sister. Yeah. I don't know, and I love that about you.
Hmm. You're a good example of that amply supplied. And the other thing that's really fascinating, I love section 42. It is the law of consecration. The law of consecration is not the same as the United Order. It's sort of a precursor to that. Mm-hmm. And they're gonna try to live the United order. We're gonna get that, that later in the year, and it's not gonna work.
And I think today we are living, we've been asked to live this law of consecration in preparation for the United Order. And so here's the Lord saying, let's get it together. Let's figure out how to do this. Here's what it's gonna look like in everyday life. He gives a law of consecration to the saints.
And then he says, oh, and by the way, not only are you gonna consecrate to each other, but there's another group of people I want you to also take care of and consecrate to. And so in the next segment we're gonna talk about who that group of people is.
Segment 5
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In addition to consecrating their properties to each other, then they have to take care of this group of people. [00:54:00] Oh, here we go. Section 42. Let's read verse 30. Sharon, can you please read for us? Verse 30. Verse 30 of 42, and behold thou wilt, remember the poor and consecrate of thy properties for their support that which thou has to impart unto them with a covenant and a deed which cannot be broken.
And then verse 31 says, and in as much as you am part of your substance unto the poor, you will do it unto me and they shall be laid before the bishop of my church and his counselors, two of the elders or high priests, such as he shall appoint or has appointed and set apart for that purpose. Let's cross-reference these two verses now to verse 34.
Let's go down to verse 34. And Sharon, can you please read that? Therefore, the residue shall be kept in my storehouse to administer to the poor and the needy as shall be appointed by the high council of the church. I. And the bishop and his counsel. Okay, and now let's go down and highlight verses 38 and 39.
I'll read those for in as much as you do it unto the least of these, you do it unto me, for it shall come to pass. That which I span by the mouths of my prophets shall be fulfilled for I will consecrate of the riches of those who embrace my gospel among the Gentiles, unto the poor of my people who are of the house of Israel.
And I love how there's dual meaning in that verse. We're not just talking about monetary stuff, but the gospel of Jesus Christ. And then we're gonna go to one more reference next to verse 39. Put section 44 verse six. He's going to repeat this idea to take care of the poor and the needy. Section 44 verse six.
Sharon, can you please read that? Here we go. Behold, I say unto you that ye must visit the poor and the needy and administer to their relief that they may be kept until all things may be done according to my law, which he have received. [00:56:00] Now Sharon, when Sharon and I were talking about this law, I loved how Sharon was talking about the law of consecration, and then she says, oh, and then by the way, you have to take care of the poor.
Just the way you worded it was so great. Why did that strike you? Like keep the law of consecration and, well, I think of the church today. Mm-hmm. And we pay tithing and some of us pay for humanitarian work. Some of us pay to help with the elders and missionary work and whatever. It seems to me that the church as a whole is attending to the poor.
We send millions and millions and millions of dollars to people who are suffering in countries, well, I was gonna say outside the United States, but even here in the United States, we. Can't necessarily do everything by ourselves, but we can contribute, we can do the common consent and the consecration by paying our tithes and offerings, by adding a little extra to the humanitarian projects, adding a little extra to the missionary fund and all of the, not, all of the several funds that the church has to disperse to those less fortunate than we are.
I mean, I can forego a lot of the, the trappings and trimmings of life, of spending foolishly on things I don't need and dedicate that money to. The church who will then disperse it like, like Edward Partridge, did he, we have a storehouse. How many storehouses do we have? Mm-hmm. We have storehouses all over the world and we [00:58:00] have a headquarters that says, okay, we need to help the flood victims in California.
We need to help the typhoon victims in Fiji. We need to help. And, but, and I, and I can't fly to Fiji and do that, and I can't fly to California, although I'd like to fly to California and do that, but I can give of what I have, I can give extra in addition to tithing, I can give that extra that I have to help the poor and the needy.
Yeah. So by living the law of consecration, I can be part of the big picture. Oh, I like that a lot. I. Well now let's apply it to then verse 39, because there was a dual meaning right there for it shall come to pass, that which I span by the mouths of my prophet shall be fulfilled for I will consecrate the riches of those who embrace my gospel among the Gentiles, unto the poor of my people who are of the house of Israel.
And I think the riches right there is the riches of the gospel. And it just makes me think of in my own ward, who are the poor and needy. Now it's as a relief society President and Sharon, you were relief Society president in our ward. You were my favorite one because let me tell you right now, everybody, the day she got called as Relief Society president, the very first meeting we had as women, that's Sunday.
You got up and said, hi, I am your Relief Society president, and I'm telling you right now, I don't wanna do this. All right. I don't have what it takes. I didn't know you that well at that time. And I'm like, who is this woman? I love her. And you just said, we're gonna do this together and I'm gonna do my best.
Like you were just so real and raw. And as a Relief Society president, it's easy to know who the poor and the needy are because you're filling out forms. You're making sure they get to the bishop storehouse like you talked about, and they're getting the help that they need that way. But then I apply it to the riches of the gospel, who are the poor and needy spiritually.
Mm-hmm. And how are we making sure that they are amply supplied? Do you have any advice on that? [01:00:00] Um, well, yes, the Holy Spirit figures in all of this that we've talked about, everything we've said so far in this podcast, and what you do is you, you get down on your knees and you ask Heavenly Father, who needs what today?
Who needs what this week? Who needs what this year? And then you go to the temple and you do whatever you're gonna do in the, you know, the endowment or ceilings or whatever. And then you go to the celestial room and you say, heavenly Father, please direct me who, who do, who needs a visit. They may, they may be wealthy beyond belief, but who needs a visit?
Who needs a shoulder to cry on? And so you just rely on which Joseph Smith did and Oliver Cowrie did, and. All of the early leaders of the church, they relied on the spirit to tell them what laws to put in the doctrine and covenants, what laws to initiate, what, tell them that we have to take care of the poor and needy you.
You don't just come up with that on your own. Yeah. You have to ponder and pray and study and say who needs what. Absolutely. And you don't always, you don't see it by looking at them in church, you know, you have this perfect family. Mm-hmm. Husband and wife and children. They're all dressed beautifully and the latest fashion, and the mom is dressed to the nines and dad has on a three piece suit and, and you think she's, she needs help, but you don't get that information just by looking at them.
Right. You have to ask again, it's asking, ask heavenly father, who do I. Who do I talk to? Who do I offer food to? Who do I, whatever. So, [01:02:00] but with the intent that he will answer. Mm-hmm. Because if you listen and obey, you'll obey the answer that he gives you. And, and, and if he says, go visit sister so-and-so, and you think she needs counseling like the prophet, right?
Yeah. She doesn't need anything. But if you're close to the spirit and you're doing what the Lord would have you do, then it's the Holy Spirit that will tell you, go visit this woman. I mean, it, it couldn't be anything at any time, but it's like all the, the early leaders of the church who went to the prophet and said, ask God what I'm supposed to be doing, you know?
Oh gosh. So many of them. I mean, brother Partridge, brother Marsh brother Whitmer brother. Rigdon brother Cowdery. You know what? Ask God what I'm supposed to be doing. And so we do the same thing as leaders. What am I supposed to be doing? Who am I supposed to be talking to and visiting? Absolutely. In fact, to the outside of verses 30 through 34, put doctrine in covenant, section 11 verse 12.
We love that because people are wondering, well, how do I know if it's the spirit? And I will forever ever harp on this 'cause it's just such a great verse. Doctrine in covenant, section 11 verse 12 teaches you, and now verily, verily I say unto thee, put your trust in that spirit, which lith to do good. Yay to do justly, to walk humbly to judge righteously.
This is my spirit. Any thought that you have that is a thought for good is the spirit. Even if you think that's crazy, why would I do that? Just do it. Just do it. It's the spirit that's teaching you right there that is living the law of consecration. And then verse 13 says, barely verily I say unto you, I will impart unto you of my spirit, which shall enlighten your mind, which shall fill your soul with joy.
And it's just what Sharon said. That's how we live the law. [01:04:00] And then number 14, please and then shall ye know, yes, you don't have to have faith that you can know or by this shall you know all things whatsoever you desire of me, which are pertaining unto things of righteousness in faith, be believing in me that ye shall receive.
Uh, it it, I've got that marked in my scriptures and, and got parentheses around it and I've got it underlined. And, um, it, when you are serving others, you pray for the gift to know. Mm-hmm. I need to know Heavenly Father, tell me. And then you stay on your knees as long as you need to. Yeah. And that's how we live that law today.
That is how we're being prepared to be a holy people to live the United Order, to live the millennial reign, which we won't talk about now, but there is in doctrine cabinet section 43, it does talk about the millennium. And we don't get to talk about that in this episode. We're gonna talk about it later.
But it's, that is what this is preparing us for, is taking care of each other and taking care of the poor and the needy, and taking care of the poor and needy spiritually and involving the Holy Ghost in that ability to help them. So I think that is awesome, Sharon. Thank you for all of your thoughts.
Thank you. Great. Wow. So everything we've talked about is true. I just wanna say that like I've felt the spirit and this law of consecration, I'm so grateful I get to live it. And while I'm not the best at it, I am just, we're all doing our best. I would say that we're trying. And if, and like Hilder Halland says, if you're praying, pray more.
If you're trying, maybe try more. I don't know. Mm-hmm. Living the law of consecration is hard. But again, there are so many blessings that come from living this law, and it was hard for the early saints. I mean, they're, they come to this new place and they have to set up a whole new shop and home and everything.
Oh, and by the way, now give everything to the bishop and he's gonna make sure that everyone's taken care of. You really had to put your trust in the Lord for this. So, going into the next segment. [01:06:00] The history of the church background on section 43 is important, and I wanna share this with you before we end because section 43, here's what the history of the church says soon after section 42 was received.
So right after section 42 is received, a woman came making great pretensions of revealing commandments, laws, and other curious matters. And as almost every person has advocates for both theory and practice in the various notions and projects of the age, it became necessary to inquire of the Lord concerning her when I receive the following doctrine and covenants, section 43.
So in the next segment, we're gonna find out what the Lord has to say about someone who can receive knowledge or impressions for the church other than the prophet.
Segment 6
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Let's turn to doctrine and Covenant, section 43. And Sharon, can you please read this section heading for us? Revelation given through Joseph Smith, the prophet at Kirkland, Ohio in February, 1831. At this time, some members of the church were disturbed by people making false claims as Revelators, the prophet inquired of the Lord and received this communication addressed to the elders of the church.
The first part deals with matters of church policy. The latter part contains a warning that the elders are to give to the nations of the earth. Thank you. So doctrine and cabinet, section 43 verses one through seven. Highlight and bracket those off. This teaches us there's only one person who can receive a revelation.
And by the way, we all agreed by common consent. Let's remember we've set this up perfectly. So if you have not agreed by common consent when someone's trying to teach you doctrine. You probably should run if this is not someone who is the prophet Sierra Revelator. Right? You can't. I mean, that's one of the things I learned as a seminary teacher.
You can't get ahead of the brethren. I'm okay with that. Yeah. If they haven't taught it, I won't teach it. Right? And so that is [01:08:00] an important principle to know. And here's someone who's trying to get ahead of the brethren. So let's remember common consent. We already know who our prophet, our Sr, and our Revelator is.
And so we get into these verses and that's what we're talking about verses one through eight. Sharon, we're just gonna read verses one through three and then we'll skip to verse eight. So Sharon and I will each take a turn reading a verse. Sharon, we please start in section 43 verse one. Here we go. That wonderful word.
There it is. Oh. Harken the elders of my church and give ear to the words, which I shall speak unto you. For behold, verily, verily, I say unto you that you have received a commandment for a law unto my church through him whom I have appointed. Circle the word appointed. That means common consent unto you to receive commandments and revelations from my hand.
And verse three, and this, she shall know, assuredly that there is none other appointed unto you to receive commandments and revelations until he be taken. If he abide in me, well, you just love, that's the right there. That is mic drop for the Lord. Right? That's who can receive revelation that it's the, it's the prophet.
Now go to verse eight. And now behold, I give unto you a commandment that when you are assembled together, you shall instruct and edify each other that you may know how to act and to direct my church and how to act upon the points of my law and commandments, which I have given in verse eight, circle where it says my law.
And then verse nine says, and thus he shall become instructed in the law of my church. Circle that now there's something really important that we need to know. And Sharon, you kind of already taught us a little bit about this back in segment one, and we're gonna come back to this important word because when we keep the law and when we keep the Lord's law, there's something wonderful that happens to us.
Look at verse nine. And Sharon, can you please read verse nine for us? And thus, you shall become [01:10:00] instructed in the law of my church and be sanctified by that which he have received. And ye shall bind yourselves to act in all holiness before me. Okay? Circle and highlight the word sanctified. He's gonna use it several times in this chapter.
He says it again in verse 11. Sanctify he'll say it again in verse 16. You're to be taught from on high, sanctify yourselves. This word is so important when it comes to obeying God's law. So let's just mark the word sanctify in those verses in verse 9 11 16. Here's what the word is in Hebrew Kodesh, K-O-D-E-S-H.
That's how you would pronounce it. Kodesh. And the word, or this term, kodesh. Now this is a cool definition. It primarily denotes a state of being set apart for a special purpose. It's often in relationship to God. It's used to describe things, places, people that are consecrated. Isn't this awesome, consecrated or dedicated to the divine?
Mm-hmm. In the Old Testament, kardash is frequently associated with the holiness of God, the sanctity of the tabernacle and temple, and the consecration of priests and offerings. Sharon teaches us about the word sanctify. What role does sanctify play in keeping God's law? Well, you're made holy sanctification means to be, to made, to be made holy.
Mm-hmm. And you can't be made holy if you're not living the laws right. So I mean, it's, it's a, if if A equals B and B equals C, then A equals C. And it's just so, uh, so obvious that you have to be, as Ed Edward Partridge was, you have to be pure in heart, which is being made holy. And I think the only times that I ever feel sanctified or, and I don't [01:12:00] even know how to feel holy, but sanctified or holy is in the temple.
Um, tell me about that. Well, because I am in his house and I'm doing his work. And I'm dressed the way he wants me to be dressed in white and I'm paying attention. I'm listening and obeying. I'm hearkening, I'm, I'm putting my will in tune with his. And when his will and my will are on the same page and we're together on what we're do, then I am sanctified.
And then when I leave the temple, questions or problems or challenges or situations are made less traumatic and more under my charge and my agency and my ability to do anything because of the sanctification I've received in the temple. Oh, wow. So I, I may not get the answers that I really want when I'm in the celestial room and praying.
But during the next day or the next day or the next day and something comes up and I'm able to handle it, I'm able to do what he would have me do. Then I know that the sanctification is working. I didn't prepare you for this, and I'm just gonna throw this out there. Do you have a specific time in your life where you knew you were sanctified?
Was there something you were going through and because you were attending the temple, you felt sanctified and helped? Well, I was working in the Jordan River Temple the day I was released. I walked out of the temple and stood, you know, on the front steps and looked out over the valley and whatever, and a voice said to me, you are going to [01:14:00] be the next Relief Society president in your ward.
And at that point I knew that I was, I. That the sanctification I had received in the temple and in other areas was working. 'cause I, I, I knew I was gonna be the Relief Society president. I would not have known that, I don't think, had I not mm-hmm. Prepared myself with listening and obeying. So the sanctification process is not a spiritual, overwhelming incident for me with flames and fire and brightness and trumpets and, you know, thou shalt do this and thou wilt be this and none of the 10 commandment stuff.
It's just, you can be in the next relief society president, you know, get with, get with the program, get, get prepared. And I don't know if that's sanctification or if it's a result of having worked in the temple for that many years and doing what I was doing, but, but I think things come to you. We all get inspiration, we all get revelation.
And when we do, it's because we have been sanctified and can hear, can hear his voice in our mind's eye. Oh, I think for sure it's a result Sharon, and how beautiful that because of the sanctification process, because you're becoming holy, you were able to receive that revelation that prepared you for a calling that you didn't really want, if that's the same situation.
Mm-hmm. Right. And but then you did it because of the law of common consent. Mm-hmm. 'cause you're willing to live the law of consecration. Like you can see the full cycle of all of this and how the Lord works. And because you're willing to live that law, you were able to build God's kingdom for those three years in our ward as a wonderful relief society president.
I loved it. I love it. That is exactly how it works. Well, it worked for me. [01:16:00] It worked for all of us. We were amply supplied by your consecration. Yeah, those were good. Three. Those were fun. Three years. You did great. Wow. What a good discussion. And so now Sharon, I just wanna go back from what you said. I wanna go back to our Hebrew definition, especially the part where it says, being set apart for a special purpose, often in relation to God.
And I just wanna like in me the spirit saving, never ever doubt what the Lord has in store for you. That's exactly right. His special purpose for you is individual, for everyone. I think, I think the, the warning, and it's not even in there, is that if you're gonna ask something in sincerity of heart then and you don't obey the answer, whoa.
Trouble folks real trouble. So it's, it's. Takes courage. I think it takes a lot of courage to ask questions about situations. The answer to which may not be what you wanted to hear. Yeah. And so you, I think we have to be prepared. I think if I'm gonna ask the Lord anything I need to be prepared to listen and obey.
Yeah. That and when we're consecrated or dedicated to the divine mm-hmm. He will help us. Absolutely. He will help us, no matter how hard it is, he will help us to live the laws he's asked us to live. Yep. Wow. Awesome. Sharon. Thank you. Thank you. That was a great discussion. Those were, those were some packed chapters.
Those great. They're, and I need to read them again and again and again. Mm-hmm. And it, again, I'm overwhelmed at the astuteness. Of the prophet Joseph Smith in putting all this together in, [01:18:00] in formulating the restored church, in calling people to do things that were hard in calling them to leave their everything they own and have and, and, and to set up principles of the gospel.
How do you do that? Yeah. That are eternal. I mean, these principles are eternal. Mm-hmm. I mean, you just don't say, you know, do this and then it's done. It, it's, it's, it's what you live with forever and forever is a long time. I would say that that is what you just shared. Would you say that's your takeaway, your eternal truth that you learned studying for this episode?
Episode? Oh yeah. Yeah. Mm-hmm. I would agree with you. I think that was mine is these young men, I. And older, but just what they were willing to truly consecrate to the Lord. Right. That they were dedicated to the divine. Mm-hmm. And that by common consent, all of it, not only were they putting their arm to the square to support Joseph Smith as a prophet, but to support the savior Jesus Christ as the Lord and Savior of the world, and that this is his gospel and what he's asked us to do, we will be amply supplied.
I do believe that. I have, I'm witness of that in my own life. Absolutely. Absolutely. Um, you, you, I see it in you all the time. It's great. Yeah. Amply supplied, including my time because God knows I need more time. I pray for him to stretch time all the time. By the way, I need to get more time in my day, but savings didn't help, but Oh yeah.
But if you have the eternal perspective, you have all the time you need. All the time. I need. Absolutely. Wow. Because just goes on and on and on and on. Beautifully. It goes on and on. Yeah, it does. It is beautiful. Uhhuh. It's beautifully. It's, mm-hmm. Thank you, Sharon. Thank you, Tammy. That's having our discussion.
We're done. So what was your takeaway or the eternal truth that you've learned in this episode? Go join our group on Facebook or follow [01:20:00] us on Instagram to share what you've learned. You can even ask questions. That is so fun when people do. And then at the end of the week on a Saturday, we post a question from this discussion, comment on the post that relates to this lesson and share your thoughts.
You can get to both our Facebook and Instagram by going to the show notes for this episode at ldsliving.com slash Sunday on Monday. And it's not a bad idea to go there anyway because it's where we'll have links to all the references and a transcript of this whole discussion. So go check it out. The Sunday on Monday Study Group is a Deseret Bookshelf plus original, brought to you by LDS Living.
It's written and hosted by me, Tammy Uzelac Hall. And today our incredible study group participant was Sharon Staples, and you can find more information about her at lds living.com/sunday on Monday. Our podcast is produced by Cole Wissinger and me. It is edited and mixed by Cole Wissinger and our executive producer is Erin Hallstrom.
Thanks for being here. We'll see you next week, and please remember to pray always and that you are God's favorite.