Searle Midterm 2 Foundations of the Restoration

How did we get D&C?

Creation of Book of Commandments and Revelations (Revelation Book 1) and Kirtland Revelation Book (Revelation Book 2) *used as a record to preserve and publish revelation texts

Two lines of communication

priesthood, personal

How did we get D&C?

Creation of Book of Commandments and Revelations (Revelation Book 1) and Kirtland Revelation Book (Revelation Book 2) *used as a record to preserve and publish revelation texts

Two lines of communication

priesthood, personal

Gathering of Israel Past vs Present

Past

•Physical gathering to a place

Present

•Spiritual gathering of those who are willing to let God prevail

•Gathering on both sides of the veil

•God gathers his people to the temple

Heber C. Kimball

first missionary to cross the ocean to share the gospel in Europe

Oliver Cowdery, Parley Pratt, Ziba Peterson, and Peter Whitmer Jr

Called to preach gospel to the lamanites

Elizabeth McCune

•Tour of Europe

•Speech against Anti-Mormon literature

•Effect of her words led to the introduction of Sister Missionaries

Samuel Smith

•First Missionary

•Didn't baptize anyone on his first mission

•Placed a Book of Mormon that made its way to Brigham Young

D&C 57-58

Building Zion

We should be anxiously engaged in a good cause

After much tribulation comes that blessing

We should confess and forsake our sins

God will use us and our talents. Everyone has a role.

Be one.

Law of Consecration

-a divine principle whereby men/women voluntarily dedicate time/talents/material wealth to establishment and building up of God's kingdom.

-Eternal law

Law of Consecration Today

•Covenant of the temple

•We still live it

How we live it

•Welfare program

•Tithing

•Perpetual education fund

•Fast offerings

•Consecrate our time and talents to the Lord's purposes

United Firm

Union of Church's literary firm (publishing interests) and its mercantile firm (storehouses) in Kirtland and Zion.

Didn't apply Churchwide and was eventually was disbanded.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF THE JOSEPH SMITH TRANSLATION

The Book of Moses is a portion of the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible

Several sections of the Doctrine and Covenants are a result of the Prophet' s work in translating the Bible

•Contrary to popular belief among early members of the Church, the RLDS Church did not make any changes to the JST

•They published the later or Final Drafts of the JST for the Old and New Testament.

HOW DID JOSEPH TRANSLATE THE BIBLE?

-Joseph Smith used scribes to help with translation Joseph did not complete the translation of the Bible in sequential order

translated from June 1830 - July 1833

-Genesis - New Testament - Genesis through Malachi

-Study and thought process accompanied by revelation

-Long Method: every chapter written out

-Short method: only corrections written out

Types of changes included in the JST

1.Inclusion of actual historical events that were not recorded.

2.Restoration of content material once written by biblical authors

3.Inspired commentary by the Prophet Joseph Smith

4.Harmonization of doctrinal concepts that were revealed to the Prophet Joseph Smith independently of his translation of the Bible

"PLAIN AND PRECIOUS" TRUTHS RESTORED IN THE JST

•Our True Identity

•God's work and purpose

•Satan's origin and purpose

•Knowledge about Enoch and His people

*most changes occurred in the gospels

ORIGIN OF THE BOOK OF ABRAHAM

•Antonio Lebolo discovered discovered some mummies

•Michael Chandler sold some to Joseph Smith in Kirtland

•Some of the papyri had the writings of Abraham

Possible Scenarios for Translation Process for the Book of Abraham

1.Power of God - translate written text on the long scroll

2.Received revelation about the text not on the papyri

3.Received revelation about the life of Abraham unrelated to any specific document

4.Combination of the above choices

Contributions of the Book of Abraham

•Elements of the Abrahamic Covenant

•Greater understanding of the premortal life and life's purpose

Elements of the Abrahamic Covenant

1.Make the Lord's name known

2.Covenant of Exaltation

3.Carry the ordinances of the Gospel (so the Priesthood)

4.All families of the earth would be blessed by Abraham's seed

Who will be in the Celestial Kingdom?

They are they who received the testimony of Jesus and are just men made perfect through Jesus.

Presence of God and Christ.

Are gods...all things are theirs

Who will be in the Terrestrial Kingdom?

These are they who are not valiant in the testimony of Jesus.

Presence of the Son

Glory, but not of his fulness

Who will be in the Telestial Kingdom?

These are they who received not the gospel of Christ, neither the testimony of Jesus.

Holy Spirit

Thrust to hell...last resurrection...not of his fulness

Purpose of the School of Prophets

Help the Elders be edified by the Spirit and learn the operations of the Spirit upon the minds of man

D&C 109 -- Blessings of Temple Worship

Go forth armed with power

They may know this is thy work

Thy name may be upon them

No weapon formed against them shall prevail

No combination of wickedness shall have power to prevail

May be prepared against the day of burning

Receive grace to say Thy will be done, O Lord, and not ours

KIRTLAND SAFETY SOCIETY

Kirtland Safety Society was a village bank

Fell for various reasons:

•People hoarded bank notes

•No charter

•Newspaper casted doubt on it

•Businesses refused banks notes

•People failed to make payments

•National Financial Crisis

Kirtland's economy struggled

Factors leading to Kirtland Apostasy

1.Desire to get rich

2.Pride

3.Unwillingness to follow the Prophet

4.Fall of the Kirtland Safety Society

CAUSES OF THE SAINTS BEING EXPELLED FROM MISSOURI

1.Joseph came to Missouri

2.Saints settled outside Caldwell County

3.Salt Sermon/ Dissenters living in Missouri

4.Sidney Rigdon's 4th of July Speech (Extermination of one side or the other)

5.Fights between members and native Missourians

Lessons from Liberty Jail

•Thine afflictions shall be but for a small moment... endure it well, God shall exalt you over your enemies

•God will stand by us forever

•Not yet as Job

•Trials give us experience and shall be for our good

Elder Holland lessons from Liberty Jail

•Prison Temple Experience: We can have sacred revelatory experiences while going through the difficult things

•Everyone faces hard times (even and especially the righteous)

•Even the worthy will suffer: Going through trials does not mean we are unworthy

•Remain calm, patient, charitable, and forgiving

Sidney Rigdon

Gave the 4th of July Sermon

Gave the Salt Sermon

Phoebe Rigdon

responded to husband, "I have counted the cost, it is my desire to do the will of God come life or come death"

Amanda Smith

She prayed to know how to heal her sons hip. Haun's Mill.

Agnes Smith

The mob burned her home and she was left to trek in the snow with her two young children to Adam-ondi-Ahmen.

Sister in law of the prophet Joseph.

Drusilla Hendricks

Her husband was shot at the Battle of Crooked River and paralyzed.

General Alexander Doniphan

He would not shoot Joseph Smith after he was ordered to execute him.

General Samuel Lucas

He ordered Joseph Smith to be executed and kicked the Saints out of Independence.

Edward Partridge

•Chastened by the Lord for being unbelieving and blind

•Repented and told Joseph he would stay

•Became first bishop

Ezra Booth

•Disappointed with Missouri

•Critical of the Church and Joseph

•Left church and became agnostic

Events

Destruction of the printing press

Camp of Israel

Establishment of the Kirtland Safety Society

Command to build the temple in Far West

Extermination Order

Joseph is put in Liberty Jail

D&C 38

Go to Ohio

Gathering:

•I am with you

•God is facilitating the gathering

•Be one

•He gathers us to the temple

•As we gather we learn more about His law

•If ye are prepared ye shall not fear

Where will Zion be built?

Independence, Missouri

What Elder Christofferson teaches about building Zion

•Become unified and be of one heart and one mind

•Become a holy people collectively and individually

•Care for the poor and needy

What principle can we learn from the Word of Wisdom?

As we take care of our body, we are better able to receive revelation

D&C 89

Word of Wisdom

D&C 137

Vision of the Celestial Kingdom.

Joseph saw Alvin in the Celestial Kingdom.

Adam-Ondi-Ahman

•Place where Adam built an altar and offered sacrifices unto the Lord after being expelled from the Garden of Eden

•Place where Adam blessed his posterity

•Place where a grand sacrament meeting will be held prior to the Second Coming. The Savior, Adam and all the Saints past and present will be there.

Evolution of Baptisms for the Dead

•Initial Idea (1840 funeral)

•Ordinance belongs in the temple

•Recorder and witness needed

•General and local recorders needed

•Gender specific

•Priests can baptize

•Witness changes

First Endowment

•Washings and anointings

•Men were given a sacred undergarment

•Accounts of the Creation and the Garden of Eden

•Guided step-by-step through the plan of salvation

•Received knowledge that enabled them to return to the presence of God

•Along the way they made covenants to live righteous lives and dedicate themselves to God

•Joseph called the ordinance the endowment

Covenants of the Endowment

1.Law of Obedience

2.Law of Sacrifice

3.Law of the Gospel of Jesus Christ

4.Law of Chastity

5.Law of Consecration