He Goes before Us - Eyring - April 2020

He Goes before Us

By President Henry B. Eyring-Second Counselor in the First Presidency

The Lord is leading the Restoration of His gospel and His Church. He knows the future perfectly. He invites you to the work.

My beloved brothers and sisters, I am grateful to be with you in this general conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In his invitation to reflect on the way the Lord’s Restoration of His Church in this last dispensation has blessed us and our loved ones, President Russell M. Nelson promised that our experience would be not only memorable but unforgettable.

My experience has been memorable, as I am sure yours has been. Whether it will be unforgettable depends on each one of us. That matters to me because the experience of preparing for this conference has changed me in a way that I want to last. Let me explain.

My preparation took me to the record of an event in the Restoration. I had read about that event many times, but it had always been to me a report of an important meeting that involved Joseph Smith, the prophet of the Restoration. But this time I saw 

Be prepared to "see things you've never seen before" when you study the scriptures. Elder Bednar said this as well:“We would not choose this present set of circumstances, But given that they are upon us, it will help us have eyes to see things we have never seen before and ears to hear things that we have never heard before.

in the account how the Lord leads us, His disciples, in His Church.
How the Lord leads His disciples in His church
How the Savior of the world, the Creator-who knows all things past, present and future leads us mortals:

He teaches us step by step
He guides us, never forcing

I saw what it means for us mortals to be led by the Savior of the world, the Creator—who knows all things, past, present, and future. He teaches us step by step and guides us, never forcing.

The meeting I’m describing was a pivotal moment in the Restoration.
Is this pivotal moment in the Restoration going to parallel our present hingepoint moment in the ongoing Restoration?

It was a Sabbath-day meeting held on April 3, 1836, in the Kirtland Temple in Ohio, seven days after it was dedicated.Seven is symbolic of completion or perfection Joseph Smith described this great moment in the history of the world in a simple way. Much of his account is recorded in Doctrine and Covenants section 110:

“In the afternoon, I assisted the other Presidents in distributing the Lord’s Supper to the Church, receiving it from the Twelve, whose privilege it was to officiate at the sacred desk this day. After having performed this service to my brethren, I retired to the pulpit, the veils being dropped, and bowed myself, with Oliver Cowdery, in solemn and silent prayer. After rising from prayer, the following vision was opened to both of us.”¹

“The veil was taken from our minds, and the eyes of our understanding were opened.

“We saw the Lord standing upon the breastwork of the pulpit, before us; and under his feet was a paved work of pure gold, in color like amber.

“His eyes were as a flame of fire; the hair of his head was white like the pure snow; his countenance shone above the brightness of the sun; and his voice was as the sound of the rushing of great waters, even the voice of Jehovah, saying:

“I am the first and the last; I am he who liveth, I am he who was slain; I am your advocate with the Father.

“Behold, your sins are forgiven you; you are clean before me; therefore, lift up your heads and rejoice.

“Let the hearts of your brethren rejoice, and let the hearts of all my people rejoice, who have, with their might, built this house to my name.

“For behold, I have accepted this house, and my name shall be here; and I will manifest myself to my people in mercy in this house.

“Yea, I will appear unto my servants, and speak unto them with mine own voice, if my people will keep my commandments, and do not pollute this holy house.

“Yea the hearts of thousands and tens of thousands shall greatly rejoice in consequence of the blessings which shall be poured out, and the endowment with which my servants have been endowed in this house.

“And the fame of this house shall spread to foreign lands; and this is the beginning of the blessing which shall be poured out upon the heads of my people. Even so. Amen.

“After this vision closed, the heavens were again opened unto us; and Moses appeared before us, and committed unto us the keys of the gathering of Israel from the four parts of the earth, and the leading of the ten tribes from the land of the north.

“After this, Elias appeared, and committed the dispensation of the gospel of Abraham, saying that in us and our seed all generations after us should be blessed.

“After this vision had closed, another great and glorious vision burst upon us; for Elijah the prophet, who was taken to heaven without tasting death, stood before us, and said:

“Behold, the time has fully come, which was spoken of by the mouth of Malachi—testifying that he [Elijah] should be sent, before the great and dreadful day of the Lord come—

“To turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the children to the fathers, lest the whole earth be smitten with a curse—

“Therefore, the keys of this dispensation are committed into your hands; and by this ye may know that the great and dreadful day of the Lord is near, even at the doors.”²

Now, I had read that account many times. The Holy Ghost had confirmed to me that the account was true. But as I studied and prepared for this conference, I came to see more clearly the power of the Lord to lead in detail His disciples in His work.
What are the details of the Lord's leading his disciples in his work with power?

Seven years before Moses committed to Joseph the keys of the gathering of Israel in the Kirtland Temple, “Joseph learned from the title page of the Book of Mormon that its purpose was to ‘show unto the remnant of the house of Israel … that they may know the covenants of the Lord, that they are not cast off forever.’ In 1831, the Lord told Joseph that the gathering of Israel would commence in Kirtland, ‘And from thence [Kirtland], whosoever I will shall go forth among all nations … for Israel shall be saved, and I will lead them.’”³

Although missionary work was needed to gather Israel, the Lord inspired His leaders to teach the Twelve, who became some of our early missionaries, Are the leaders that taught the Twelve, the First Presidency? or these Resurrected prophets? “Remember you are not to go to other nations, till you receive your endowment.”⁴
Missionary work is STILL needed to gather Israel.
Were our modern day Twelve taught so they could be among the 144,000 end-time missionaries while they were in Rome?

It seems that the Kirtland Temple was important to the Lord’s step-by-step plan for at least two reasons:
Was the Rome temple important in the Lord's end time step by step plan?
First, Moses waited until the temple was completed to restore the keys of the gathering of Israel. And
Were they given authority to exercise the keys of the gathering?
second, President Joseph Fielding Smith taught that “the Lord commanded the Saints to build a temple [the Kirtland Temple] in which he could reveal the keys of authority and where the apostles could be endowed and prepared to prune his vineyard for the last time.”⁵
Were they further prepared in the temple there?
Although the temple endowment as we know it today wasn’t administered in the Kirtland Temple, in fulfillment of prophecy, preparatory temple ordinances began to be introduced there, along with an outpouring of spiritual manifestations which armed those called on missions with the promised endowment of “power from on high”⁶ that led to a great gathering through missionary service.
We may soon seen an outpouring of spiritual manifestations to arm us with "power from on high" in preparation for the great gathering that is coming.

After the keys of the gathering of Israel were committed to Joseph, the Lord inspired the Prophet to send out members of the Twelve on missions. As I studied, it became clear to me that the Lord had prepared in detail the way for the Twelve to go on missions abroad where people had been prepared to believe and sustain them. In time, thousands would, through them, be brought into the Lord’s restored Church.
The Lord has prepared in detail the way for his disciples to teach those that have been prepared to believe from this pandemic. Thousands will be coming in to the church!
According to our records, it is estimated that between 7,500 and 8,000 were baptized during the two missions of the Twelve to the British Isles. This laid the foundation for missionary work in Europe.
Elder Cook said that “This time (of pandemic)is foundational and will allow the Church to grow in the future and touch more lives and do more of the work of salvation than ever before. We will look back on this as a foundational time of preparation, and not just something we had to endure.”

By the end of the 19th century, some 90,000 had gathered to America, with the most of these coming from the British Isles and Scandinavia.⁷ The Lord had inspired Joseph and those faithful missionaries who went to work to achieve a harvest that must have, at the time, seemed beyond them. But the Lord, with His perfect foresight and preparation, made it possible.
The coming harvest will be beyond what we can imagine. The Lord has perfect foresight and preparation. He is going to make it possible!
You remember the apparently simple and almost poetic language from section 110 of the Doctrine and Covenants:

“Behold, the time has fully come, which was spoken of by the mouth of Malachi—testifying that he [Elijah] should be sent, before the great and dreadful day of the Lord come—

“To turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the children to the fathers, lest the whole earth be smitten with a curse—

“Therefore, the keys of this dispensation are committed into your hands; and by this ye may know that the great and dreadful day of the Lord is near, even at the doors.”⁸

Has the time "fully come" for the great gathering? Isn't this the ultimate expression of the hearts of the fathers turning towards their children? The Fathers have waited and waited for this great gathering. As the children respond, their hearts will turn in gratitude to their fathers whose faith and righteousness is the cause of them receiving this great blessing of having their eyes opened. It was the promise made to the Fathers that brought about their redemption.

And will this come just in time to prevent the whole earth from being smitten with a curse - the curse of unbelief and deception and tyranny of the adversary.

2 Nephi 27:28 But behold, saith the Lord of Hosts: I will show unto the children of men that it is yet a very little while and Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field; and the ^afruitful field shall be esteemed as a forest.

29 ^aAnd in that day shall the ^bdeaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity and out of darkness.

I testify that the Lord saw far into the future and how He would lead us to help Him accomplish His purposes in the last days.

Who's "future" is he talking about here? Malachi's? Josephs? Whoever is being referenced, the Lord saw OUR day, and how He would lead us to help Him accomplish His purposes. Notice the LORD does it. It's HIS work. We just assist Him.
While I was serving in the Presiding Bishopric many years ago, I was charged with overseeing the design and development group that created what we named FamilySearch. I am careful to say that I “oversaw” its creation rather than saying I “directed” it. Many brilliant people left careers and came to build what the Lord wanted.
The First Presidency will be the overseers of the creation of Zion. Are you brilliant enough to choose to leave your career to help build what the Lord wants?

The First Presidency had set a goal of reducing the duplication of ordinances. Their major concern was our being unable to know whether a person’s ordinances had already been performed. For years—or what seemed like years—the First Presidency asked me, “When will you have it done?”
Joseph Smith was charged with building up Zion. It's been 200 years. Are there not angels in heaven saying, "when will you have it done?"

With prayer, diligence, and the personal sacrifice of people of great ability, the task was accomplished. It came step by step.
Prayer
Diligence
Personal Sacrifice
Great Ability

Step by Step:
The
first task was to make FamilySearch
user-friendly for those who were not comfortable with computers. This last 'period' of preparation has been to make the church 'user-friendly'. Don't be too harsh. Speak softly. Praise. Encourage. Invite. Make use of technology so everything is within easy reach. Comfortable. Accessible.

More changes came,
Since Pres. Nelson has been prophet their have been lots of changes
and I know they will continue to come,We are not done getting announcements.
for whenever we proceed to resolve one inspired problem, What was the 'inspired problem' that making the church user-friendly solved? Prosperity? A distracted world? Generational deception and false traditions?
we open the door for further revelation for advancements at least equally important but not yet seen.What are these revelations for advancement?
Even today, FamilySearch is becoming what the Lord needs for part of His Restoration—and not just for avoiding duplication of ordinances.Family Search is part of the ongoing Restoration. As thousands come in to the church (even millions) they will use Family Search to connect and seal their families as their hearts turn towards their fathers.

The Lord let us make improvements to help people gain feelings of familiarity and even love for their ancestors and complete their temple ordinances. This will spread!Now, as the Lord surely knew would happen, young people are becoming computer mentors to their parents and ward members. All have found great joy in this service.

The spirit of Elijah is changing the hearts of young and old, children and parents, grandchildren and grandparents.
Temples will soon again be happily scheduling baptismal opportunities and other sacred ordinances. The desire to serve our ancestors and the bonding of parents and children are growing.

The Lord saw it all coming.Yes, even this pandemic and the evil agendas to take away our freedoms. He has planned for a way out of it as well. Wait. Watch. Be ready.

He planned for it, step by step, as He has done with other changes in His Church. We can easily see how Home Church was rolled out in preparation for this pandemic. We must trust the other changes were planned for as well.

He has raised up and prepared faithful people who choose to do hard things well.What do you consider a "hard thing"? and are you doing it well? I have pondered the "silence" of my local ward and stake leaders, and have decided that the Lord wants me to be more self-reliant. I know the organization is in place if I am in need. And if I'm not, then I'm to use my agency to reach out to others and learn how to truly minister.

He has always been lovingly patient in helping us learn “line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little.”⁹
This is perhaps why we haven't heard "repent or be destroyed" yet. 
He is firm in the timing and the sequence of His intentions, yet He ensures that sacrifice often brings continuing blessings that we did not foresee.

Be still and know that He is God. It will all happen as he's planned. There is timing to His work and sequence as well. We may have to sacrifice as we wait and endure the crosses of the world until we are delivered. But He promises blessing we do not foresee. Trust. Trust. Trust.
I close by expressing my gratitude to the Lord—He who inspired President Nelson to invite me to make a sacrifice to prepare for this conference. Pres. Eyring's sacrifice was time and study and pondering and prayer. For many, this pandemic has carved out time for this kind of sacrifice. That's just how merciful and loving God is.

Every hour and every prayer during my preparation brought a blessing.When we sacrifice, every hour and every prayer brings a blessing. Express gratitude for it, even if you can't see it. God may be "preparing" another step in your own future realized blessing.

I invite all who hear this message or read these words to
have faith that the Lord is leading the
Restoration of His gospel and
His Church. Faith is sooooo important! Leading means He is out front!
He goes before us.
He knows the future perfectly. He is not surprised by any of this
He invites you to the work. We were asked by our prophet to prepare

President Nelson extended a special invitation to Latter-day Saints: “We invite you to be a major part of sharing the message of the ongoing restoration of the Savior’s gospel. We will share more about this soon, but you can start today by acting on the invitations I extended to you at last general conference to immerse yourself in the glorious light of the Restoration.

“You may wish to begin your preparation by reading afresh Joseph Smith’s account of the First Vision as recorded in the Pearl of Great Price. Or ponder important questions such as, “How would my life be different if my knowledge gained from the Book of Mormon were suddenly taken away?” or “How have the events that followed the First Vision made a difference for me and my loved ones?”

“Select your own questions. Design your own plan. Act on any of these invitations to prepare yourself for sharing the important messages of the ongoing Restoration. It is your personal preparation that will help April’s general conference become for you not only memorable but also unforgettable. The time to act is now. This is a hinge point in the history of the Church, and your part is vital.”

Can you see it? The Lord is going to set His hand to recover His people! Millions will be asking YOU about the gospel. Will you be prepared to answer? The missionaries will be overwhelmed. Why will General Conference be unforgettable? Are you reading the talks to help you prepare to share the gospel? Will you look back and say "that was the Conference where it all began- The 200th Anniversary of the First Vision!" What is coming is going to be unforgettable!
He joins you in it.
He has in place a plan for your service.
And even as you sacrifice,
you will feel joy as you help others rise All these new converts. What if there are so many we can only have sacrament meeting and then we'll have to have the rest of church in our homes, inviting people in to share the gospel with them and teach them. Is this the "great day of unity" that Pres. Eyring saw?
to be ready for His coming.To be ready for His coming, we have to 'become His children, like the people of Alma, through unity.

I testify to you that
God the Father lives.
Jesus is the Christ.
This is His Church.
He knows and loves you.
He guides you.
He has prepared the way for you.Do you know what that 'way' is?
In the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.

A Perfect Brightness of Hope - Holland 4/20

A Perfect Brightness of Hope

By Elder Jeffrey R. Holland
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Because the Restoration reaffirmed the foundational truth that God does work in this world, we can hope, we should hope, even when facing the most insurmountable odds.

Last October, President Russell M. Nelson invited us to look ahead to this April 2020 conference by each of us in our own way looking back to see the majesty of God’s hand in restoring the gospel of Jesus Christ. I think we are looking back to see how God will SHOW his majestic hand in the CONTINUING restoration! This whole talk is about looking ahead.  Sister Holland and I took that prophetic invitation seriously. Now I will take his prophetic words seriously...We imagined ourselves living in the early 1800s, looking at the religious beliefs of that day.Consider the religious beliefs of our day... In that imagined setting,We can only imagine our future as well... we asked ourselves, “What’s missing here? What do we wish we had? What do we hope God will provide in response to our spiritual longing?” I ask the same questions?
What's missing here? (I have been feeling that we are missing one good clearing of the secret combinations, and one (or many)solid heavenly manifestation that Jesus is Lord).
What do we wish we had? (I wish we had more visitations, more direct "thus saith the Lord" revelation, more direct preaching.)
What do we hope God will provide in response to our spiritual longing? (I hope he will provide heavenly manifestations, mass conversions, and the "fire of the covenant" and a massive "born again" experience by the saints.)

Well, for one thing, we realized that two centuries ago we would have dearly hoped for the restoration of a truer concept of God than most in that day had, hidden as He often seemed to be behind centuries of error and misunderstanding. To borrow a phrase from William Ellery Channing, a prominent religious figure of the day, we would have looked for the “parental character of God,” which Channing considered “the first great doctrine of Christianity.”¹ Such a doctrine would have recognized Deity as a caring Father in Heaven, rather than a harsh judge dispensing stern justice or as an absentee landlord who had once been engaged in earthly matters but was now preoccupied somewhere else in the universe.Have we lost a correct concept of God? Do we have error and misunderstanding about him? As we await the "end times" do we forget the parental character of God? I think he wants very much to unveil himself to mankind before the final and total destruction. Before Noah, there was Enoch. As it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be now. We will become Enoch-like and be joined by them. What did they have/experience that took so many of them to that exalted state? Why did the Nephites get an appearance from the Savior? It wasn't his first coming or His Second Coming and they had a Zion society for 200 years afterwards. Why did they get that? They certainly weren't previously the most righteous of people. The Lord told them they were needed to repent and return to Him and be converted. Why did they need that experience? It would take 200 more years until total destruction of the Nephites. We are looking forward to a time where there will be total destruction of the wicked. Does that merit a similar "fulness" like the Nephites got? Yes, there is evil and wickedness that the angels have been held back from destroying, but there are also many many good people who don't deserve to be destroyed for lack of knowledge.

Yes, our hopes in 1820 would have been to find God speaking and guiding as openly in the present as He did in the past, a true Father, in the most loving sense of that word. Yes, let's have God speaking and guiding openly again, just as he did in the past, because our loving Father knows we need that right now!He certainly would not have been a cold, arbitrary autocrat who predestined a select few for salvation and then consigned the rest of the human family to damnation. If we head into the evil endtimes destructions that Satan has planned, many will enter Spirit Prison because they will die without the gospel. It seems like without massive conversion, people will just spiral into wickedness and the majority will be lost. Wouldn't God want to save as many children as he can? We always compare the Savior's appearance to the Nephites as representing the Second Coming in our day. What if it's not? What if He's going to come like He did to the Nephites to help us establish Zion? No, He would be one whose every action, by divine declaration, would be “for the benefit of the world; for he loveth the world”² and every inhabitant in it. God loves every sinner and wants them to turn from their wicked ways. He doesn't just want to throw the book at them and lock them up and throw away the key..That love would be His ultimate reason for sending Jesus Christ, His Only Begotten Son, to the earth.³

Speaking of Jesus, had we lived in those first years of the 19th century, we would have realized with great alarm that doubts about the reality of the Savior’s life and Resurrection were beginning to take significant hold within Christendom. This is happening in our day! I didn't know that was happening in the 19th century. Therefore, we would have hoped for evidence to come to the whole world that would confirm the biblical witness that Jesus is the Christ, the literal Son of God, Alpha and Omega, and the only Savior this world will ever know. TAKE THAT ANTI-CHRIST! I am looking for evidence to come to the whole world that confirms Jesus is the Son of God and the head of this church. I know the First Vision was evidence to the whole world, but the whole world did not know about it.  It would have been among our dearest hopes that other scriptural evidence be brought forward, something that could constitute another testament of Jesus Christ, enlarging and enhancing our knowledge of His miraculous birth, wondrous ministry, atoning sacrifice, and glorious Resurrection. Truly such a document would be “righteousness [sent] down out of heaven; and truth [sent] forth out of the earth.”⁴  We must receive new scripture too. It will enhance our knowledge and confirm our testimony of Christ. Receiving the promised sealed portion of the Book of Mormon should be one of our "dearest hopes". 

Footnote 4:this is a FUTURE prophecy!! This is one reason I think he's speaking in "code"

Moses 7:62

62 And righteousness will I send down out of heaven; and truth will I send forth out of the earth, to bear testimony of mine Only Begotten; his resurrection from the dead; yea, and also the resurrection of all men; and righteousness and truth will I cause to sweep the earth as with a flood, to gather out mine elect from the four quarters of the earth, unto a place which I shall prepare, an Holy City, that my people may gird up their loins, and be looking forth for the time of my coming; for there shall be my tabernacle, and it shall be called Zion, a New Jerusalem.

We could consider the Book of Mormon "truth out of the earth", and certainly the visitations of the Restoration were "righteousness sent down out of heaven", but...have righteousness and truth swept the earth as with a flood? Sweeping the earth as with a flood is quite an image. That is not the same as missionaries knocking on doors one by one. There is great hope in this image in our day of deep state control and conspiring men in secret chambers. Have all the elect been gathered from the four quarters of the earth to the New Jerusalem? Notice it is all before his coming. This is yet to happen! I believe the 144,000 aren't called until the ten tribes return. And what if....the return of the city of Enoch IS the righteousness sent down from heaven and the return of the ten tribes IS the truth sent forth out of the earth? (Some people say they live inside the earth somehow/somewhere...hollow earth theory? under the ice? Antarctica is consider "under" the world. THAT would be cool! And that would certainly cause truth to sweep the earth and would be followed by the gathering of the elect by the 144,000. What, oh what, do we still have ahead of us?

Observing the Christian world in that day, we would have hoped to find someone authorized by God with true priesthood authority who could baptize us, bestow the gift of the Holy Ghost, and administer all gospel ordinances necessary for exaltation.This was for all the other Christians watching. WE have that! In 1820, we would have hoped to see fulfilled the eloquent promises of Isaiah, Micah, and other ancient prophets regarding the return of the majestic house of the Lord.⁵ In the footnotes, one scripture is clearly early church fulfillment and one is clearly the Zion of Jerusalem and the New Jerusalem. This is another possible clue that these "hopes" are dual in nature...We would have thrilled to see the glory of holy temples established again,right now they are closed. We hope to see them open again. with the Spirit, the ordinances, the power, and the authority to teach eternal truths, heal personal wounds, and bind families together forever. When we go back to the temple we need to see and treat them as places of power. I would have looked anywhere and everywhere to find someone authorized to say to me and my beloved Patricia that our marriage in such a setting was sealed for time and all eternity, never to hear or have imposed on us the haunting curse “until death do you part.” I know that “in [our] Father’s house are many mansions,”⁶ but, speaking personally, if I were to be so fortunate as to inherit one of them, it could be no more to me than a decaying shack if Pat and our children were not with me to share that inheritance. And for our ancestors, some of whom lived and died anciently without even hearing the name of Jesus Christ, we would have hoped for that most just and merciful of biblical concepts to be restored—the practice of the living offering up saving ordinances on behalf of their kindred dead.⁷ The love of God will demand that the temple reopen and this work continues until Christ says "it is finished".  No practice I can imagine would demonstrate with more splendor a loving God’s concern for every one of His earthly children no matter when they lived nor where they died.

Well, our 1820 list of hopes could go on, but perhaps the most important message of the Restoration is that such hopes would not have been in vain. So my hopes are not in vain. The promises of this ongoing Restoration make that clear. Beginning in the Sacred Grove and continuing to this day, these desires began to be clothed in reality CONTINUING TO THIS DAY! In 1820, they just BEGAN! I love the expression "clothed in reality". All things are created spiritually. Even our hopes. And then through faith they are "clothed in reality". "clothed" also has temple implications...
"such" hopes -
- a truer concept of God
- God speaking and guiding openly in the present
- every action being done for the benefit of the world
- evidence to the whole world that Jesus is the Christ
- other scriptural evidence brought forward
- righteousness sent down from heaven and truth sent forth out of the earth
- prophecies fulfilled regarding the temple
- temples reopened
LOOK FOR ALL THESE TO COME
and became, as the Apostle Paul and others taught, true anchors to the soul, sure and steadfast.⁸ What was once only hoped for has now become history.And history always repeats itself...remember we are looking back to know how to look forward.

Thus our look back at 200 years of God’s goodness to the world.Come Follow Me this week emphasized that remembering the goodness of God is one of the ways we retain a remission of our sins  But what of our look ahead? We still have hopes that have not yet been fulfilled. Yes, so many hopes yet to be fulfilled! Even as we speak, we are waging an “all hands on deck” war with COVID-19, a solemn reminder that a virus⁹ 1,000 times smaller than a grain of sand¹⁰ can bring entire populations and global economies to their knees. Satan knows that and his terrorists and globalists know that. Pres. Ballard just said we'd see "increasingly man-caused calamities". At the time he gave this talk our hopes for deliverance via the first fast were not yet fulfilled. We pray for those who have lost loved ones in this modern plague,It's modern because it's man-made. "Normal" plagues are not "modern" plagues. This plague has been called the "novel" coronovirus. It's supposed to be a "new" strain. But the mother virus is not modern at all.  as well as for those who are currently infected or at risk. We certainly pray for those who are giving such magnificent health care. When we have conquered this—and we will—Conquered means to gain victory; subdue; It also implies, along with his saying we are at "war" with this virus, that the pandemic is our enemy and we all know who our ultimate enemy is may we be equally committed to freeing the world from the virus of hunger, freeing neighborhoods and nations from the virus of poverty. May we hope for schools where students are taught—not terrified they will be shot—and for the gift of personal dignity for every child of God, unmarred by any form of racial, ethnic, or religious prejudice. Take all this "concern" for the safety of others and their welfare, to the point of personal sacrifice and keep that attitude towards ongoing plagues. That concern won't be mandated by the government, but it is mandated by God. Who will you follow? I saw this quote today and want to save it somewhere. This might be as good a time as any:

Undergirding all of this is our relentless hope for greater devotion to the two greatest of all commandments: to love God by keeping His counsel and to love our neighbors by showing kindness and compassion, patience and forgiveness.¹¹ These two divine directives are still—and forever will be—the only real hope we have for giving our children a better world than the one they now know.¹ Interesting he chose the word "counsel" instead of "commandments". Perhaps that is to convey the "Fatherly" attribute of God instead of the "harsh dictator" God. It also speaks to agency. He can command, but we have to choose to obey. In that respect, it is not anything more than "counsel", although that doesn't mean it doesn't carry a consequence. But remember the punishment is affixed to the law, not to God. Notice we love God by keeping His counsel and isn't His counsel to show our love for Him by loving others? And we love others by showing compassion (when they are poor, sick, sad), patience (when they are weak, sin, make mistakes, choose wrong) and forgiveness.(when they are slow to change)
In addition to having these global desires, many in this audience today have deeply personal hopes: hope for a marriage to improve, or sometimes just hope for a marriage; hope for an addiction to be conquered; hope for a wayward child to come back; hope for physical and emotional pain of a hundred kinds to cease. Because the Restoration reaffirmed the foundational truth that God does work in this world, I am just hoping that we will SEE, really SEE God working in the world, with total ownership and visibility. Maybe that infringes on faith too much, but...we can hope, we should hope, even when facing the most insurmountable odds. Get used to this - insurmountable odds. Everything here on out will take faith and then the miracles will confirm your faith. And then something else will seem impossible and test your faith again, and then another miracle will confirm that faith. This pandemic is starting to seem like conquering it has insurmountable odds. He is telling us we can and should hope even against all hope. That is what the scripture meant when Abraham was able to hope against hope¹³—that is, he was able to believe in spite of every reason not to believe—that he and Sarah could conceive a child when that seemed utterly impossible.So believe and hope, in spite of every reason the world experts and the masses say is utterly impossible. Like we're going to open things soon, or get back to normal... So, I ask, “If so many of our 1820 hopes could begin to be fulfilled with a flash of divine light to a mere boy kneeling in a patch of trees in upstate New York, why should we not hope that righteous desires and Christlike yearnings can still be marvelously, miraculously answered by the God of all hope?” We all need to believe that what we desire in righteousness can someday, someway, somehow yet be ours.Right here, Elder Holland is "educating our desires". Believe more. Hope more. Hope bigger. Someday, someway, somehow, they can be ours! Remember He is the God of all hope. Why would He not have prepared marvelous, miraculous things to counter His greatest enemy?

Brothers and sisters, we know what some of the religious deficiencies in the early 19th century were. Furthermore, we know something of today’s religious shortcomings that still leave the hunger and hope of some unfulfilled. Here, he's bringing the parallel of hopes together, to show we can take the hopes of the past and make them ours today. We know a variety of those dissatisfactions are leading some away from traditional ecclesiastical institutions. We also know, as one frustrated writer wrote, that “many religious leaders [of the day] seem clueless” in addressing this kind of decline, offering in response “a thin gruel of therapeutic deism, cheap symbolic activism, carefully couched heresy, [or sometimes just] uninspiring nonsense”¹⁴—and all at a time when the world needs so much more, when the rising generation deserves so much more, and when in Jesus’s day He offered so much more. We all need sooo much more than we have right now in the world. Ironic that at the height of our prosperity, we've never been in more desperate need of "more"! As disciples of Christ, we can in our day rise above those ancient Israelites who moaned, “Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost.”¹⁵ Indeed, if we finally lose hope, we lose our last sustaining possession. It was over the very gate of hell that Dante wrote a warning to all those traveling through his Divina Commedia: “Abandon all hope,” he said, “ye who enter here.”¹⁶ Truly when hope is gone, what we have left is the flame of the inferno raging on every side.In this pandemic when it feels like our freedoms are being siphoned off, day by day, it feels like soon we might be down to our last "sustaining possession" - hope. Without it, it truly feels like the battle has already been lost, until Christ comes to free us from this bondage.

So, when our backs are to the wall and, as the hymn says, “other helpers fail and comforts flee,”¹⁷ among our most indispensable virtues will be this precious gift of hope linked inextricably to our faith in God and our charity to others.Is that where we are? Do we have to wait until our backs are to the wall and other helpers fail and there's no comfort? If so...we must never lose hope and we must never lose charity. Much as I rebel, maybe I'll have to wear a mask to show charity to others? 

In this bicentennial year, Remember it's not just the month of the First Vision we are remembering...it's the whole YEAR! when we look back to see all we have been given I assume he's referring to looking back since 1820, but could he also be saying, when we look back on this year? and rejoice in the realization of so many hopes fulfilled,I hope it will be an eventful year! I echo the sentiment of a beautiful young returned sister missionary who said to us in Johannesburg just a few months ago, “[We] did not come this far only to come this far.”¹⁸ This calms my "we're doomed until Christ comes" fears. We did not come this far to only come this far. There are so many amazing things to come - soon!

Paraphrasing one of the most inspiring valedictories ever recorded in scripture, I say with the prophet Nephi and that young sister:

“My beloved brethren [and sisters], after ye have [received these first fruits of the Restoration], I would ask if all is done? Behold, I say unto you, Nay. …

“… Ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. … If ye shall[,] … saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.”¹⁹ How does one obtain a "perfect" brightness of hope? How does it compare to an "imperfect" brightness of hope?

I give thanks, my brothers and sisters, for all we have been given in this last and greatest of all dispensations, Don't limit it being the greatest of all dispensations because of what happened 200 years ago. It is also because of what happens these coming years the dispensation of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. The gifts and blessings that flow from that gospel mean everything to me—everything—so in an effort to thank my Father in Heaven for them, I have “promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep, and miles to go before I sleep.”²⁰ I'm wondering what Elder Holland really meant by quoting this in response to his desire to thank his Father in Heaven. Does sleep represent death? Is he saying that he knows he's not going to die soon? That he has much to do before that day? Or that perhaps he knows he'll live on through the millennium? That would certainly be "miles" to go. How is enduring to the end of these 'miles' show his gratitude to Father in Heaven? Is he tired? Is he distressed by what still has to happen? What other possibilities do you see? May we press forwardmakes me think of the iron rod and the mist of darkness with love in our hearts, walking in the “brightness of hope”²¹ that lights the path of holy anticipation we have been on now for 200 years. And what have we been anticipating? The building of Zion; the gathering of Israel, including the return of the Ten Tribes, and of course the return of our Savior to rule and reign for 1000 years of peace. I testify that the future is going to be as miracle-filled and bountifully blessed as the past has been. We have every reason to hope for blessings even greater than those we have already received because this is the work of Almighty God, this is the Church of continuing revelation, this is the gospel of Christ’s unlimited grace and benevolence. I bear witness to all of these truths and so much more in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.When he speaks of the past and blessings already received, it follows he's speaking of the past 200 years and the blessings mentioned in this talk. Those are the one we can expect to compare to the even greater one we're going to receive. Believe in Christ's unlimited grace and unending desire to bless us and help us. What is the "so much more" he's witnessing to? Is it the unspoken? Is it the truths within these truths?  I HOPE so:)

Pres Nelson - Opening Message

This is my personal study of this talk. All words in blue font,highlights, bold type, and italics are mine only and reflect my personal impression about this talk and are not meant to reflect the author's intentions. 4/20

Opening Message

By President Russell M. Nelson
President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

We are to
seek,
in every way we can,Scriptures, General Conference Talks, Prayer, Pondering,
to hear Jesus Christ, Expect to "hear Him" in your study and prayer.
who speaks to us
through the power and ministering of the Holy Ghost.
A pattern we are taught in the temple and in the scriptures is that we pray to the Father, and then He says to us, "Hear Him" and then our Savior teaches us through the ministration of the Holy Ghost or other "angels".

What I Hear: There is a reason we need to be able to hear Jesus Christ. Because of the "enemy" the prophet may have to speak in code, or in a manner that they cannot understand his words. Like Nephi who spoke honestly to Zoram as they went to meet Nephi's brothers - where Zoram thought he was saying one thing and Nephi meant another. Nephi knew was Zoram misunderstood him, but for his own safety, he didn't correct him until it was safe to do so. Nephi wasn't lying, but he was allowing Zoram to believe his words meant something other than what he was saying. Pres. Nelson could be doing the same thing as he cooperates with the world on COVID restrictions and calls on us to be "good global citizens" to "stop the spread of COVID-19". But is that what he is really saying? What would God call a "good global citizen"? Wouldn't he want us to stand for truth and righteousness and defend our liberties? Elder Holland said we are at "war" with the virus and that we will "conquer" it. You only go to war with an enemy. Are they trying to get us to hear the Lord telling us who the enemy really is? And that the Lord's way to be a "good global citizen" is to spread the message of the the Restoration and a manifestation of the Love of God.

My beloved brothers and sisters, as we welcome you to this historic April 2020 general conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, for reasons you know, I stand before you in an empty auditorium!

Little did I know, when I promised you at the October 2019 general conference that this April conference would be “memorable” and “unforgettable,” that speaking to a visible congregation of fewer than 10 people see, he's making sure they know he's following their guidelines would make this conference so memorable and unforgettable for me! Yet the knowledge that you are participating by electronic transmission, and the choir’s beautiful rendition of “It Is Well with My Soul,” bring great comfort to my soul.

Listen to this last verse:
And Lord, haste the day when the faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.

This can be the Second Coming. Or it could be a coming spiritual awakening, when the clouds of darkness are rolled back and the Lord comes to establish Zion BEFORE the great tribulations and the GREAT GATHERING commences like never before.

As you know, attendance at this general conference has been strictly limited as part of our efforts to be good global citizens and do all we can to limit the spread of COVID-19. This virus has had a major impact throughout the world. Nothing has taken the world stage that I know of like this! It has also altered our Church meetings, missionary service, and temple work for a while."No unhallowed hand shall stop the work of God."

Though today’s restrictions relate to a virulent (def:marked by a rapid, severe, and destructive course) virus, life’s personal trials stretch far beyond this pandemic. Future trials could result from an accident, a natural disaster, or an unexpected personal heartache. Notice all three of these examples are "unexpected".

How can we endure such trials? The Lord has told us that “if ye are prepared ye shall not fear.”¹ Prepare for the unexpected.

Footnote
D&C 38:30
I tell you these things because of your prayers;
wherefore, treasure up wisdom in your bosoms, Are we not to broadcast these things?
lest the wickedness of men reveal these things unto you
by their wickedness,
in a manner which shall speak in your ears
with a voice louder than that which shall shake the earth;
but if ye are prepared ye shall not fear.

"President Ezra Taft Benson commented on this verse in one of his general conference addresses:

“What are some of the calamities for which we are to prepare? In section 29 the Lord warns us of ‘a great hailstorm sent forth to destroy the crops of the earth.’ (D&C 29:16.) In section 45 we read of ‘an overflowing scourge; for a desolating sickness shall cover the land.’ (D&C 45:31.) In section 63 the Lord declares he has ‘decreed wars upon the face of the earth. …’ (D&C 63:33.)

“In Matthew, chapter 24, we learn of ‘famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes. …’ (Matt. 24:7.) The Lord declared that these and other calamities shall occur. These particular prophecies seem not to be conditional. The Lord, with his foreknowledge, knows that they will happen. Some will come about through man’s manipulations; others through the forces of nature and nature’s God, but that they will come seems certain. Prophecy is but history in reverse—a divine disclosure of future events.

“Yet, through all of this, the Lord Jesus Christ has said: ‘… if ye are prepared ye shall not fear.’ (D&C 38:30.)
...“Here then is the key—look to the prophets for the words of God, that will show us how to prepare for the calamities which are to come [see D&C 1:38].” (In Conference Report, Oct. 1973, p. 89; or Ensign, Jan. 1974, p. 68.)(NT Manual)

And how have we been told to prepare? Food water, savings, faith, truth, ,testimony

Of course, we can store our own reserves of food, water, and savings. But equally crucial is our need to fill our personal spiritual storehouses with faith, truth, and testimony.

Key points
1. He said this in his opening talk
2. “of course...” meaning the commandment is not only still in force, but obviously so.
3. “Store our own”... should quell the theory that the church will provide or we can rely on manna
4. “Equally crucial”... meaning it’s not a lesser commandment or optional. So many say it's just about the spiritual preparation. Not so.
5. “Personal Spiritual Storehouse”... He made our Personal Temporal Storehouses EQUAL to our Personal Spiritual Storehouse. Both are CRUCIAL!

Our

ultimate quest in life is to
prepare to meet our Maker. We do this This should help us relax a little bit about the circumstances of our life. We are here to prepare to meet/return to God. You can do that no matter what is going on in the world.
by striving daily to become more like our Savior, Jesus Christ.² And
we do that as we
repent daily and
receive His cleansing, healing, and strengthening power.How do we accomplish our ultimate quest? We daily strive to become like the Savior through daily repentance. We should feel the cleansing, healing, strengthening power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Remember - HE is the one that perfects us. We become more like the Savior but, as James Ferrell says, "repenting of our inability to love" which is "all that we can do". Jesus was LOVE personified. If we are like Him then we love others. Daily we repent of NOT loving others fully and pray to be given a new heart and healed from the wounds that make it hard to fully love.
Then we can feel enduring peace and joy,
even during turbulent times. This is Repentance can happen daily no matter what is going on in the world.
exactly why the Lord has implored us to stand in holy places and “be not moved.”³

footnote:
D&C 87:8 Wherefore, ^astand ye in holy places, and be not moved, until the day of the Lord come; for behold, it cometh ^bquickly, saith the Lord. Amen.

footnote for "stand"

Doctrine and Covenants 101:21–22, 64

21 Until the day cometh when there is found no more room for them; and then I have other places which I will appoint unto them, and they shall be called stakes, for the curtains or the strength of Zion.

22 Behold, it is my will, that all they who call on my name, and worship me according to mine everlasting gospel, should gather together, and stand in holy places;

64 That the work of the gathering together of my saints may continue, that I may build them up unto my name upon holy places; for the time of harvest is come, and my word must needs be fulfilled.

footnote for "quickly"

Doctrine and Covenants 1:12

12 Prepare ye, prepare ye for that which is to come, for the Lord is nigh;


What I hear:

This year, we commemorate the 200th anniversary of one of the most significant events in the history of the world—namely, the appearance of God the Father and His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to Joseph Smith. During that singular vision, God the Father pointed to Jesus Christ and said: “This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!”⁴

That admonition given to Joseph is for each of us. We are to seek, in every way we can, to hear Jesus Christ, who speaks to us through the power and ministering of the Holy Ghost.

The purpose of this and every general conference is to help us to hear Him. We have prayed, and invite you to pray, that the Spirit of the Lord will be with us in such rich abundance that you can hear the messages that the Savior has especially for you—messages that will bring peace to your soul. Messages that will heal your broken heart. Messages that will illuminate your mind. Messages that will help you know what to do as you move ahead through times of turmoil and trial.

We pray that this conference will be memorable and unforgettable because of the messages you will hear, the unique announcements which will be made, and the experiences in which you will be invited to participate.

For example, at the conclusion of the Sunday morning session, we will convene a worldwide solemn assembly when I will lead you in the sacred Hosanna Shout. We pray that this will be a spiritual highlight for you as we express in global unison our profound gratitude to God the Father and His Beloved Son by praising Them in this unique way.(Thank offering?)

For this sacred experience, we use clean white handkerchiefs. But if you do not have one, you may simply wave your hand. At the conclusion of the Hosanna Shout, the congregation will join with the choir in singing “The Spirit of God.”⁵

My dear brothers and sisters, this conference will be magnificent. This year will be extraordinary as we focus intently on the Savior and His restored gospel. The most important lasting effects of this historic conference will be as our hearts change and we commence a lifelong quest to hear Him.

Welcome to April 2020 general conference! I know that God, our Heavenly Father, and His Son, Jesus Christ, are mindful of us. They will be with us throughout the proceedings of these two glorious days as we seek to draw closer to Them and honor Them. In the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.

D&C 107 Study

The women of the church were told to study this section to learn more about how the priesthood applies to them. Most of this is administrative, but the key verses teach that the purpose of the priesthood offices are to hold the keys to the spiritual blessings of the church, and those spiritual blessings bring us into the presence of God. We are to establish Zion, and there Christ will dwell, so we will need to be able to abide His presence (translated). This is our destiny!

Section 107

Revelation on the priesthood, given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Kirtland, Ohio, about April 1835. Although this section was recorded in 1835, the historical records affirm that most of verses 60 through 100 incorporate a revelation given through Joseph Smith on November 11, 1831. This section was associated with the organization of the Quorum of the Twelve in February and March 1835. The Prophet likely delivered it in the presence of those who were preparing to depart May 3, 1835, on their first quorum mission.

1–6,  

There are two priesthoods: the Melchizedek and the Aaronic; 7–12, Those who hold the 

Melchizedek Priesthood have power to officiate in all offices in the Church; 13–17, The 

bishopric presides over the Aaronic Priesthood, which administers in outward ordinances; 18–20, The 

Melchizedek Priesthood holds the keys of all spiritual blessings; the Aaronic Priesthood holds the keys of the ministering of angels; 21–38, The First Presidency, the Twelve, and the Seventy constitute the presiding quorums, whose decisions are to be made in unity and righteousness; 39–52,  

The patriarchal order is established from Adam to Noah; 53–57,  

Ancient Saints assembled at Adam-ondi-Ahman, and the Lord appeared to them; 58–67, 

The Twelve are to set the officers of the Church in order; 68–76, 

Bishops serve as common judges in Israel; 77–84,  

The First Presidency and the Twelve constitute the highest court in the Church; 85–100, 

Priesthood presidents govern their respective quorums.

1 There are, in the church,

 two ^apriesthoods, namely, the 

Melchizedek and 

^bAaronic, including the Levitical Priesthood.

2 Why the first is called the 

^aMelchizedek Priesthood is because ^bMelchizedek was such a 

great high priest.

3 Before his day it was called 

the Holy ^aPriesthood, 

after the ^bOrder of the Son of God.

4 But out of 

^arespect or ^breverence to the 

name of the Supreme Being, to 

avoid the too frequent repetition of his name, they, the church, in 

ancient days, called that priesthood after Melchizedek, or the 

Melchizedek Priesthood.

5 

All other authorities or offices in the church are

^aappendages to this priesthood.appendage: an ancillary or secondary part attached to a main part;subordinate in function or size.

6 But there are 

two divisions or grand heads—one is the 

Melchizedek Priesthood, and the other is the 

Aaronic or ^aLevitical Priesthood.

(Footnote)

Deuteronomy 10:8–9

Old Testament

8 ¶ At that time the Lord separated the tribe of Levi, to bear the ark of the covenant of the Lord, to stand before the Lord to minister unto him, and to bless in his name, unto this day.

9 Wherefore Levi hath no part nor inheritance with his brethren; the Lord is his inheritance, according as the Lord thy God promised him.Compare this to the deacons and teachers today. 

1. They are 'separated' from the congregation together where they sit

2. They 'bear' the symbols of the 'covenant' - the bread and water

3. They 'stand before the Lord' to 'minister' the tokens of His flesh and blood 'unto him' that partakes

4. They kneel and 'bless in his name' the emblems of the sacrament

 

7 The office of an 

^aelder comes under the priesthood of 

Melchizedek.

8 The ^aMelchizedek Priesthood holds the 

right of presidency, and has 

power and ^bauthority over all the offices in the church in all ages of the world, to 

administer in spiritual things.

Today, the President over all the Melchizedek priesthood holders is the Elders Quorum President. There is no High Priest group leader anymore.
Notice he "administers" (manages; brings into use or operation) in 'spiritual things'. It's easy to think that a president's job is to "get stuff done"; to delegate things to do to people. But this definition says they are to help manage and bring into operation 'spiritual things'. Can you see the importance in 'ministering' now? It's all about bringing people to Christ.

9 The 

^aPresidency of the High Priesthood, after the order of Melchizedek, have a right to 

officiate in all the offices in the church.This is the Prophet and his two counselors.

10 

^aHigh priests after the order of the Melchizedek Priesthood have a ^bright to officiate in their own ^cstanding, under the direction of the presidency, in administering spiritual things, and also in the office of an elder, ^dpriest (of the Levitical order), teacher, deacon, and member.

11 An

elder has a 

right to officiate in his stead when the high priest is not present.

12 The 

high priest and ^aelder are to 

administer in spiritual things, 

agreeable to the covenants and commandments of the church; and they have a right to officiate in all these offices of the church when there are no higher authorities present.

Notice it is said again twice, that they 'administer in spiritual things'. The footnote to the word 'right' in verse 10 is Doctrine and Covenants 121:35–46 which is the one that talks about unrighteous dominion when someone gets a little authority. It is in direct opposition to their real authority to exercise unrighteous dominion when their main purpose is to administer spiritual things.

13 The second priesthood is called the 

^aPriesthood of Aaron, because it was conferred upon Aaron and his seed, throughout all their generations.

14 Why it is called the 

lesser priesthood is because it is an

^aappendage to the greater, or the 

Melchizedek Priesthood, and has 

power in administering outward ordinances.

Remember that 'outward' ordinances represent 'inward' covenants. These covenants hold the 'key' to blessings and those 'keys' can only be given by one who has direct authority from God. Once given the 'key' through the outward ordinance, we then have to exercise our faith in Christ by doing what He has commanded, to actually 'turn' the key to open the door to the promised blessings. That is why, I think, it says the the Aaronic priesthood holds the 'keys' to the ministering of angels.

 

15 The 

^abishopric is the

presidency of this priesthood, and

holds the ^bkeys or authority of the same.

16

 No man has a legal right to this office, to hold the keys of this priesthood, except he be a ^aliteral descendant of ^bAaron.

17 But as a 

high priest of the ^aMelchizedek Priesthood has 

authority to officiate in all the lesser offices, he 

may officiate in the office of ^bbishop 

when no literal descendant of Aaron can be found, 

provided he is 

called and ^cset apart and ordained unto this power 

by the hands of the 

^dPresidency of the Melchizedek Priesthood.

18 The 

power and authority of the higher, or

Melchizedek Priesthood, is to

hold the ^akeys of 

all the spiritual blessings of the church—I am inclined to believe that this is saying that the ordinances and covenants of the temple leads to all the spiritual blessings of the church.

19 To have the

privilege of 

receiving the ^amysteries of the kingdom of heaven, to have the

What are the 'mysteries'? The footnote teaches us that it can be:
1. the mystery of His will

2. the greater portion of His word, according to our faith and diligence in being faithful to what we've been given

3. they are the "well of living water" that we are promised when we receive the Holy Ghost. Revelation

4. it is the knowledge of God and the power of godliness, or how to become like God

5. ultimately, the mysteries lead us to be able to be in the presence of the Father again.

^bheavens opened unto them, to
the footnotes to 'heavens' speak of visions; seeing God. Not really speaking of revelations like we speak of it. If you think about it, the veil we are born with, is having the heavens closed to us. Everything we do is about trying to first pierce that veil and then have the veil completely parted wherein we enter His presence. Think temple here...

commune with the ^cgeneral assembly and church of the ^dFirstborn, and to

enjoy the communion and ^epresence of 

God the Father, and Jesus the ^fmediator of the new covenant.

If we take this literally, this is the literal meaning of "all the spiritual blessings of the church" in vs 18.
To receive the mysteries
which teach how to receive the Holy Ghost, hear His voice, follow Him, until we are able to endure His presence and dwell with all those who have done the same.

20 The 

^apower and authority of the lesser, or

 ^bAaronic Priesthood, is to hold the 

^ckeys of the ministering of angels, and to

^dadminister in outward ^eordinances, 

the letter of the gospel, 

the baptism of repentance for the ^fremission of sins, 

agreeable to the covenants and commandments.

21 Of necessity there are 

presidents, or presiding ^aofficers growing out of, or appointed of or from among those who are ordained to the several offices in these two priesthoods.

22 Of the 

^aMelchizedek Priesthood, three ^bPresiding High Priests, chosen by the body, appointed and ordained to that office, and

 ^cupheld by the confidence, faith, and prayer of the church, form a quorum of the Presidency of the Church.

23 The

^atwelve traveling councilors are called to be the

 Twelve ^bApostles, or special ^cwitnesses of the name of Christ in all the world—thus differing from other officers in the church in the duties of their calling.

24 And they 

form a quorum,  

^aequal in authority and power 

to the three presidents previously mentioned.

25 The

^aSeventy are also 

called to ^bpreach the gospel, and to be 

especial witnesses unto the Gentiles and in all the world—thus differing from other officers in the church in the duties of their calling.

26 And they 

form a quorum, 

equal in ^aauthority to that of the 

Twelve special witnesses or Apostles just named.

27 And 

every decision made by either of these quorums 

must be by the ^aunanimous voice of the same; that is, 

every member in each quorum must be agreed to its decisions, in order to make their decisions of the same power or validity one with the other—  Here is a beautiful description of how this works today!

28 A majority may form a quorum 

when circumstances render it impossible to be otherwise—

29 Unless this is the case, their decisions are not entitled to the same blessings which the decisions of a quorum of three presidents were anciently, who were ordained after the order of Melchizedek, and were ^arighteous and holy men.

30 The 

decisions of these quorums, or either of them, 

are to be made in all ^arighteousness, in 

holiness, and 

lowliness of heart, 

meekness and  

^blong-suffering, and in

 ^cfaith, and ^dvirtue, and 

knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness and charity;

31 Because 

the promise is, 

if these things abound in them 

they shall not be ^aunfruitful in the knowledge of the Lord.

32 And in case that 

any decision of these quorums is 

made in unrighteousness, it 

may be brought before a general assembly of the several quorums, which constitute the spiritual authorities of the church; 

otherwise there can be no ^aappeal from their decision.

33 The 

^aTwelve are a ^bTraveling Presiding High Council, to 

officiate in the name of the Lord, under the direction of the Presidency of the Church, agreeable to the institution of heaven;

 to build up the church, and 

regulate all the affairs of the same 

in all nations, 

first unto the ^cGentiles and 

secondly unto the Jews.

34 The ^aSeventy are to act in the name of the Lord, under the direction of the ^bTwelve or the traveling high council, in building up the church and regulating all the affairs of the same in all nations, first unto the Gentiles and then to the Jews—

35 The Twelve being ^asent out, holding the keys, to open the door by the proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and first unto the Gentiles and then unto the Jews.

36 The standing ^ahigh councils, at the stakes of Zion, form a quorum equal in authority in the affairs of the church, in all their decisions, to the quorum of the presidency, or to the traveling high council.

37 The ^ahigh council in Zion form a quorum equal in authority in the affairs of the church, in all their decisions, to the councils of the Twelve at the stakes of Zion.

38 It is the duty of the traveling high council to call upon the ^aSeventy, when they need assistance, to fill the several calls for preaching and administering the gospel, instead of any others.

39 It is the duty of the ^aTwelve, in all large branches of the church, to ordain ^bevangelical ministers, as they shall be designated unto them by revelation—

40 The order of this priesthood was confirmed to be handed down from father to son, and rightly belongs to the literal descendants of the chosen seed, to whom the promises were made.

41 This ^aorder was instituted in the days of ^bAdam, and came down by ^clineage in the following manner:

42 From Adam to ^aSeth, who was ^bordained by Adam at the age of sixty-nine years, and was blessed by him three years previous to his (Adam’s) death, and received the promise of God by his father, that his posterity should be the chosen of the Lord, and that they should be ^cpreserved unto the end of the earth;

43 Because he (Seth) was a ^aperfect man, and his ^blikeness was the express likeness of his father, insomuch that he seemed to be like unto his father in all things, and could be distinguished from him only by his age.

44 Enos was ordained at the age of one hundred and thirty-four years and four months, by the hand of Adam.

45 God called upon Cainan in the wilderness in the fortieth year of his age; and he met Adam in journeying to the place Shedolamak. He was eighty-seven years old when he received his ordination.

46 Mahalaleel was four hundred and ninety-six years and seven days old when he was ordained by the hand of Adam, who also blessed him.

47 Jared was two hundred years old when he was ordained under the hand of Adam, who also blessed him.

48 ^aEnoch was twenty-five years old when he was ordained under the hand of Adam; and he was sixty-five and Adam blessed him.

49 And he ^asaw the Lord, and he walked with him, and was before his face continually; and he ^bwalked with God three hundred and sixty-five years, making him four hundred and thirty years old when he was translated.

When I read this, I was reminded that the Brother of Jared saw the Lord and was told "never have I shown myself unto man"...but clearly Enoch and the city of Zion were all shown the Lord, as was Adam. So what is the explanation? Read this. It says that the term "man" refers to those who have not become the "sons and daughters of God" through priesthood ordinances.

50 Methuselah was one hundred years old when he was ordained under the hand of Adam.

51 Lamech was thirty-two years old when he was ordained under the hand of Seth.

52 Noah was ten years old when he was ^aordained under the hand of Methuselah.

53 Three years previous to the death of Adam, he called Seth, Enos, Cainan, Mahalaleel, Jared, Enoch, and Methuselah, who were all ^ahigh priests, with the residue of his posterity who were righteous, into the valley of ^bAdam-ondi-Ahman, and there bestowed upon them his last blessing.

54 And the Lord appeared unto them, and they rose up and blessed ^aAdam, and called him Michael, the prince, the archangel.

55 And the Lord administered comfort unto Adam, and said unto him: I have set thee to be at the head; a multitude of nations shall come of thee, and thou art a ^aprince over them forever.

56 And Adam stood up in the midst of the congregation; and, notwithstanding he was bowed down with age, being full of the Holy Ghost, ^apredicted whatsoever should befall his posterity unto the latest generation.

57 These things were all written in the book of ^aEnoch, and are to be testified of in due time.
Will we receive this "lost record" before the New Jerusalem?

58 It is the duty of the ^aTwelve, also, to ^bordain and set in order all the other officers of the church, agreeable to the revelation which says:

59 To the church of Christ in the land of Zion, in addition to the church ^alaws respecting church business—

60 Verily, I say unto you, saith the Lord of Hosts, there must needs be ^apresiding elders to preside over those who are of the office of an elder;

61 And also ^apriests to preside over those who are of the office of a priest;

62 And also teachers to preside over those who are of the office of a teacher, in like manner, and also the ^adeacons—

63 Wherefore, from deacon to teacher, and from teacher to priest, and from priest to elder, severally as they are appointed, according to the covenants and commandments of the church.

64 Then comes the High Priesthood, which is the greatest of all.

65 Wherefore, it must needs be that one be appointed of the ^aHigh Priesthood to preside over the priesthood, and he shall be called President of the High Priesthood of the Church;

66 Or, in other words, the ^aPresiding High Priest over the High Priesthood of the Church.

67 From the same comes the administering of ordinances and blessings upon the church, by the ^alaying on of the hands.

68 Wherefore, the office of a bishop is not equal unto it; for the office of a ^abishop is in administering all ^btemporal things;

69 Nevertheless a ^abishop must be chosen from the ^bHigh Priesthood, unless he is a ^cliteral descendant of Aaron;

70 For unless he is a ^aliteral descendant of Aaron he cannot hold the keys of that priesthood.

71 Nevertheless, a high priest, that is, after the order of Melchizedek, may be set apart unto the ministering of temporal things, having a ^aknowledge of them by the Spirit of truth;

72 And also to be a ^ajudge in Israel, to do the business of the church, to sit in ^bjudgment upon transgressors upon testimony as it shall be laid before him according to the laws, by the assistance of his ^ccounselors, whom he has chosen or will choose among the elders of the church.

73 This is the duty of a bishop who is not a literal descendant of Aaron, but has been ordained to the High Priesthood after the order of Melchizedek.

74 Thus shall he be a ^ajudge, even a common judge among the inhabitants of Zion, or in a stake of Zion, or in any branch of the church where he shall be ^bset apart unto this ministry, until the borders of Zion are enlarged and it becomes necessary to have other bishops or judges in Zion or elsewhere.

75 And inasmuch as there are other bishops appointed they shall act in the same office.

76 But a literal descendant of Aaron has a legal right to the presidency of this priesthood, to the ^akeys of this ministry, to act in the office of bishop independently, without counselors, except in a case where a President of the High Priesthood, after the order of Melchizedek, is tried, to sit as a judge in Israel.

77 And the decision of either of these councils, agreeable to the commandment which says:

78 Again, verily, I say unto you, the most important business of the church, and the most ^adifficult cases of the church, inasmuch as there is not satisfaction upon the decision of the bishop or judges, it shall be handed over and carried up unto the council of the church, before the ^bPresidency of the High Priesthood.

79 And the Presidency of the council of the High Priesthood shall have power to call other high priests, even twelve, to assist as counselors; and thus the Presidency of the High Priesthood and its counselors shall have power to decide upon testimony according to the laws of the church.

80 And after this decision it shall be had in remembrance no more before the Lord; for this is the highest council of the church of God, and a final decision upon controversies in spiritual matters.

81 There is not any person belonging to the church who is exempt from this council of the church.

82 And inasmuch as a President of the High Priesthood shall transgress, he shall be had in remembrance before the ^acommon council of the church, who shall be assisted by twelve counselors of the High Priesthood;

83 And their decision upon his head shall be an end of controversy concerning him.

84 Thus, none shall be exempted from the ^ajustice and the ^blaws of God, that all things may be done in ^corder and in solemnity before him, according to truth and righteousness.

85 And again, verily I say unto you, the duty of a president over the office of a ^adeacon is to preside over twelve deacons, to sit in council with them, and to ^bteach them their duty, ^cedifying one another, as it is given according to the covenants.

86 And also the duty of the president over the office of the ^ateachers is to preside over twenty-four of the teachers, and to sit in council with them, teaching them the duties of their office, as given in the covenants.

87 Also the duty of the president over the Priesthood of Aaron is to preside over forty-eight ^apriests, and sit in council with them, to teach them the duties of their office, as is given in the covenants—

88 This president is to be a ^abishop; for this is one of the duties of this priesthood.

89 Again, the duty of the president over the office of ^aelders is to preside over ninety-six elders, and to sit in council with them, and to teach them according to the covenants.

90 This presidency is a distinct one from that of the seventy, and is designed for those who do not ^atravel into all the world.

91 And again, the duty of the President of the office of the High Priesthood is to ^apreside over the whole church, and to be like unto ^bMoses—

92 Behold, here is wisdom; yea, to be a ^aseer, a ^brevelator, a translator, and a ^cprophet, having all the ^dgifts of God which he bestows upon the head of the church.

93 And it is according to the vision showing the order of the ^aSeventy, that they should have seven presidents to preside over them, chosen out of the number of the seventy;

94 And the seventh president of these presidents is to preside over the six;

95 And these seven presidents are to choose other seventy besides the first seventy to whom they belong, and are to preside over them;

96 And also other seventy, until seven times seventy, if the labor in the vineyard of necessity requires it.

97 And these ^aseventy are to be ^btraveling ministers, unto the Gentiles first and also unto the Jews.

98 Whereas other officers of the church, who belong not unto the Twelve, neither to the Seventy, are not under the responsibility to travel among all nations, but are to travel as their circumstances shall allow, notwithstanding they may hold as high and responsible offices in the church.

99 Wherefore, now let every man learn his ^aduty, and to act in the office in which he is appointed, in all ^bdiligence.

100 He that is ^aslothful shall not be counted ^bworthy to stand, and he that learns not his duty and shows himself not approved shall not be counted worthy to stand. Even so. Amen.