Below are the quotes that were used in the video.
One of the great themes of the Doctrine and Covenants is how God works to prepare us to "stand in holy places" (45:32). He wants to ultimately prepare us to live again with Him and he wants us to have places where we can go today where we can feel that holiness. President Russell M. Nelson has encouraged us to “make your apartment, your dorm, your home, or your room a holy place where you can safely retreat from the dark distractions of the world.”
President Henry B. Eyring: "Simply hearing the words of doctrine can plant the seed of faith in the heart. And even a tiny seed of faith in Jesus Christ invites the Spirit." (The Power of Teaching Doctrine, https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/1999/04/the-power-of-teaching-doctrine?lang=eng)
To improve listening skills, we can:
1. Listen to the context of their speech.
President Henry B. Eyring: "The word of God is the doctrine taught by Jesus Christ and by His prophets… They can open the minds of people to see spiritual things not visible to the natural eye. And they can open the heart to feelings of the love of God and a love for truth…
"Doctrine gains its power as the Holy Ghost confirms that it is true. We prepare those we teach, as best we can, to receive the quiet promptings of the still, small voice. That takes at least some faith in Jesus Christ. It takes at least some humility, some willingness to surrender to the Savior’s will for us. The person you would help may have little of either, but you can urge that they desire to believe... Truth can prepare its own way. Simply hearing the words of doctrine can plant the seed of faith in the heart. And even a tiny seed of faith in Jesus Christ invites the Spirit." (The Power of Teaching Doctrine, https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/1999/04/the-power-of-teaching-doctrine?lang=eng)
What doctrine is taught in section 45 that will open our minds to see spiritual things not visible to the natural eye? And can open our heart to feelings of the love of God and a love for truth?
Elder Neal A. Maxell: "The entirety of Jesus' unique role as advocate cannot be understood if approached only legalistically and adversarily, such as when one mortal lawyer jousts with another lawyer before an impassive judge. In the sense here intended, an advocate seeks to plead, to persuade, to intercede, and to mediate in order to aid another's cause. This is surely part of what Jesus does for us. But He is, once again, both the advocate and the judge! No mortal lawyer has such a dual role.
"When commencing the agonies of the Atonement, Jesus declared of His atoning purpose, "For this cause came I into the world" (John 18:37).
"In calling upon the mercy available in Father's plan, Jesus thereby truly "advocateth the cause of the children of men" (Moro. 7:28). It is significant that He so pleads for us out of His full, personal knowledge and understanding of each of us, including our individual experiences and shortfalls set amid the shared general human condition. "Behold, and hearken, . . . saith the Lord your God, even Jesus Christ, your advocate, who knoweth the weakness of man and how to succor them who are tempted" (D&C 62:1).
"He can succor us in any form of the human condition because, as He reminded Joseph in the Liberty jail: "The Son of Man hath descended below them all. Art thou greater than he?" (D&C 122:8.) No person, therefore, who comes before Him can exclaim,
"You don't understand what I have been through!"
"How like the tender words cited earlier (D&C 45:3-5) are the following and amplifying words recorded in Alma, attesting to Jesus' personal knowledge of our individual and personal sufferings and sicknesses:
"And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.
"And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities." (Alma 7:11-12. See also Matt. 8:17.)
"Hence Jesus not only bore our sins personally in order to atone for them, but He also bore our pains, infirmities, and afflictions. Thereby ensured is the precious fact that Jesus' mercy would be full, because He knows how to succor us in a unique, merciful, and personal way--amid all of that through which we mortals individually pass. Having so purchased us once, His glad and great investment in us continues (see Acts 20:28). ...
"Therefore, beyond ensuring general immortality if, as to our sins, we are adequately and truly repentant, He likewise specifically succors and pleads for us as only He can. He does this out of His perfect love, a love which is fully informed by His perfect, personal familiarity with our individual situations. No wonder He is the wondrous Keeper of the entering gate to eternal life, and in His loving empathy He "employeth no servant there" (see 2 Ne. 9:41). ...
"Hence we see how Jesus is our advocate in the most unique way. After all, if all this were analogous to mere mortal advocacy, how many advocates know their clients perfectly? For example, how many mortal advocates have actually suffered deeply, physically and mentally, for their clients? Besides all this, we are not mere clients. We are Christ's spirit brothers and sisters! ...
"However, unlike the "finished" act of the Atonement achieved in that axis of atoning agony--Gethsemane and on Calvary--across an additional time frame Jesus' continuing advocacy for us mortals is spread. It continues in a special, ongoing process as we, individually, access and apply His atoning blood. (See Mosiah 4:1-4.) Having paid the price for us, the Grand Atoner is also the apparent judge as to our entitlement to access further His atonement, as we repent and become "the children of Christ" (Mosiah 5:7).
"Jesus did not retire to some corner of the universe for a well-earned vacation after performing the great Atonement, but He has remained constantly vigilant and vigorous, personally mindful of all of us.
"While the scriptures relevant to Jesus' advocacy are abundant, verb tenses vary, as already noted, suggesting something significant. For further examples consider the post-atonement scriptures, such as Heb. 7:25, which declares that "Jesus ever liveth to make intercession," suggesting a continuousness. Heb. 9:24 speaks of how He is to appear to make intercession for us, perhaps at the day of judgment. The Apostle John wrote that if we sin, we have an advocate with the Father, likewise suggesting an ongoingness to Jesus' advocacy and to our accessing and applying His atonement (1 Jn. 2:1). Moro. 7:28 notes Christ's atonement and declares that He "advocateth the cause of the children of men." D&C 45:3-5, as noted earlier, indicates that He "is pleading" in our behalf, again the indication of an ongoingness.
"Hence His pleading apparently continues for all specific and worthy individuals until the final judgment. ... Hence Jesus' advocacy appears to be a continuing process, as we struggle individually to overcome our weakness and thereby to "apply the atoning blood of Christ" by becoming more like Him (Mosiah 4:2). (One More Strain of Praise [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1999], pp. 34-48).
Section 45 teaches how listening to God will open our minds and hearts. To be a more effective listener, we can:
Our focus on God’s promises will open our minds to see spiritual things not visible to the natural eye and open our heart to feelings of the love of God and a love for truth.
A focus on God’s Promises opens our minds and hearts…
President Boyd K. Packer: “The chapel, the stake house, and the temple are sacred as they contribute to the building of the most sacred institution in the Church the home and to the blessing of the most sacred relationships in the Church, the family" (That All May Be Edified, Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1982, pp. 234-35).
Elder David A. Bednar: “Consider this teaching by President Benson:
"We will live in the midst of economic, political, and spiritual instability. When these signs are observed--unmistakable evidences that His coming is nigh--we need not be troubled, but "stand in holy places, and be not moved, until the day of the Lord come" (D&C 87:8).
“Holy men and women stand in holy places, and these holy places consist of our temples, our chapels, our homes, and stakes of Zion, which are, as the Lord declares, "for a defense, and for a refuge from the storm, and from wrath when it shall be poured out without mixture upon the whole earth" (D&C 115:6).
"I suppose it would now be predictable for me to separately describe each of these holy places and try to outline ways whereby we could most appropriately and effectively "stand" in holy places in our homes, in the temples, and in the stakes of Zion. But I am not going to do that.
"Could I recommend an exercise that you all might want to consider? The exercise would be to identify what is common in homes and temples and stakes of Zion as holy places. What is it that cuts across all three of these locations that makes them holy, sacred places where we would not be moved?" (Stand Ye In Holy Places, Mothers' Weekend, 22 March 2002).
President Russell M. Nelson: “Make your apartment, your dorm, your home, or your room a holy place where you can safely retreat from the dark distractions of the world.” (“Becoming True Millennials,” Russell M. Nelson, "Becoming True Millennials").
On October 24, 1841, Elder Orson Hyde traveled to Jerusalem, climbed the Mount of Olives, and dedicated the land for the return of the Jewish people. He offered a dedicatory prayer that focused on the gathering of Judah, the building up of Jerusalem, and the building of a temple. [Note: I include the entire dedicatory prayer below and not just the excerpt that I included in the video.]
"O Thou! who art from everlasting to everlasting, eternally and unchangeably the same, even the God who rules in the heavens above, and controls the destinies of men on the earth, wilt Thou not condescend, through thine infinite goodness and royal favor, to listen to the prayer of Thy servant which he this day offers up unto Thee in the name of Thy holy child Jesus, upon this land, where the Son of Righteousness set in blood, and thine Anointed One expired.
"Be pleased, O Lord, to forgive all the follies, weaknesses, vanities, and sins of Thy servant, and strengthen him to resist all future temptations. Give him prudence and discernment that he may avoid the evil, and a heart to choose the good; give him fortitude to bear up under trying and adverse circumstances, and grace to endure all things for Thy name's sake, until the end shall come, when all the Saints shall rest in peace.
"Now, O Lord! Thy servant has been obedient to the heavenly vision which Thou gavest him in his native land; and under the shadow of Thine outstretched arm, he has safely arrived in this place to dedicate and consecrate this land unto Thee, for the gathering together of Judah's scattered remnants, according to the predictions of the holy Prophets -- for the building up of Jerusalem again after it has been trodden down by the Gentiles so long, and for rearing a Temple in honor of Thy name.
Everlasting thanks be ascribed unto Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that Thou hast preserved Thy servant from the dangers of the seas, and from the plague and pestilence which have caused the land to mourn. The violence of man has also been restrained, and Thy providential care by night and by day has been exercised over Thine unworthy servant. (shadows of Rev 11)
Accept, therefore, O Lord, the tribute of a grateful heart for all past favors, and be pleased to continue Thy kindness and mercy towards a needy worm of the dust.
"O Thou, Who didst covenant with Abraham, Thy friend, and who didst renew that covenant with Isaac, and confirm the same with Jacob with an oath, that Thou wouldst not only give them this land for an everlasting inheritance, but that Thou wouldst also remember their seed forever. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob have long since closed their eyes in death, and made the grave their mansion. Their children are scattered and dispersed abroad among the nations of the Gentiles like sheep that have no shepherd, and are still looking forward for the fulfillment of those promises which Thou didst make concerning them; and even this land, which once poured forth nature's richest bounty, and flowed, as it were, with milk and honey, has, to a certain extent, been smitten with barrenness and sterility since it drank from murderous hands the blood of Him who never sinned.
"Grant, therefore, O Lord, in the name of Thy well-beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to remove the barrenness and sterility of this land, and let springs of living water break forth to water its thirsty soil. Let the vine and olive produce in their strength, and the fig-tree bloom and flourish. Let the land become abundantly fruitful when possessed by its rightful heirs; let it again flow with plenty to feed the returning prodigals who come home with a spirit of grace and supplication; upon it let the clouds distil virtue and richness, and let the fields smile with plenty. Let the flocks and the herds greatly increase and multiply upon the mountains and the hills; and let Thy great kindness conquer and subdue the unbelief of Thy people. Do Thou take from them their stony heart, and give them a heart of flesh; and may the Sun of Thy favor dispel the cold mists of darkness which have beclouded their atmosphere. Incline them to gather in upon this land according to Thy word. Let them come like clouds and like doves to their windows. Let the large ships of the nations bring them from the distant isles; and let kings become their nursing fathers, and queens with motherly fondness wipe the tear of sorrow from their eye.
"Thou, O Lord, did once move upon the heart of Cyrus to show favor unto Jerusalem and her children. Do Thou now also be pleased to inspire the hearts of kings and the powers of the earth to look with a friendly eye towards this place, and with a desire to see Thy righteous purposes executed in relation thereto. Let them know that it is Thy good pleasure to restore the kingdom unto Israel -- raise up Jerusalem as its capital, and constitute her people a distinct nation and government, with David Thy servant, even a descendant from the loins of ancient David to be their king.
"Let that nation or that people who shall take an active part in behalf of Abraham's children, and in the raising up of Jerusalem, find favor in Thy sight. Let not their enemies prevail against them, neither let pestilence or famine overcome them, but let the glory of Israel overshadow them, and the power of the Highest protect them; while that nation or kingdom that will not serve Thee in this glorious work must perish, according to Thy word --- Yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted. "
Though Thy servant is now far from his home, and from the land bedewed with his earliest tear, yet he remembers, O Lord, his friend: who are there, and family, whom for Thy sake he has left. Though poverty and privation be our earthly lot, yet ah! do Thou richly endow us with an inheritance where moth and rust do not corrupt, and where thieves do not break through and steal.
"The hands that have fed, clothed, or shown favor unto the family of Thy servant in his absence, or that shall hereafter do so, let them not lose their reward, but let a special blessing rest upon them, and in Thy kingdom let them have an inheritance when Thou shalt come to be glorified in this society.
"Do Thou also look with favor upon all those through whose liberality I have been enabled to come to this land; and in the day when Thou shalt reward all people according to their works, let these also not be passed by or forgotten, but in time let them be in readiness to enjoy the glory of those mansions which Jesus has gone to prepare. Particularly do Thou bless the stranger in Philadelphia, whom I never saw, but who sent me gold, with a request that I should pray for him in Jerusalem. Now, O Lord, let blessings come upon him from an unexpected quarter, and let his basket be filled, and his storehouse abound with plenty, and let not the good things of the earth be his only portion, but let him be found among those to whom it shall be said, `Thou hast been faithful over a few things, and I will make thee ruler over many.'
"O my Father in heaven! I now ask Thee in the name of Jesus to remember Zion, with all her Stakes, and with all her assemblies. She has been grievously afflicted and smitten; she has mourned; she has wept; her enemies have triumphed, and have said, `Ah, where is thy God?' Her Priests and Prophets have groaned in chains and fetters within the gloomy walls of prisons, while many were slain, and now sleep in the arms of death. How long, O Lord, shall iniquity triumph, and sin go unpunished?
"Do Thou arise in the majesty of Thy strength, and make bare Thine arm in behalf of Thy people. Redress their wrongs, and turn their sorrow into joy. Pour the spirit of light and knowledge, grace and wisdom, into the hearts of her Prophets, and clothe her Priests with salvation. Let light and knowledge march forth through the empire of darkness, and may the honest in heart flow to their standard, and join in the march to go forth to meet the Bridegroom.
"Let a peculiar blessing rest upon the Presidency of Thy Church, for at them are the arrows of the enemy directed. Be Thou to them a sun and a shield, their strong tower and hiding place; and in the time of distress or danger be Thou near to deliver. Also the quorum of the Twelve, do Thou be pleased to stand by them for Thou knowest the obstacles which they have to encounter, the temptations to which they are exposed, and the privations which they must suffer. Give us, [the Twelve] therefore, strength according to our day, and help us to bear a faithful testimony of Jesus and His Gospel, to finish with fidelity and honor the work which Thou hast given us to do, and then give us a place in Thy glorious kingdom. And let this blessing rest upon every faithful officer and member in Thy Church. And all the glory and honor will we ascribe unto God and the Lamb forever and ever. Amen." (History of the Church, "Elder Orson Hyde's Letter -- His Prayer of Dedication on the Mount of Olives chapter 26 of volume 4.)
Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin: "Satan shall be bound, that he shall have no place in the hearts of the children of men" (D&C 45:55). As people live the gospel of Jesus Christ, their righteousness will banish Satan from their midst. We look forward to that day of universal peace and justice, when Christ will reign upon the earth.
“… peace, whether in a city, a nation, or other society, develops from peace that begins within the hearts of individuals as they live by the precepts of the gospel. (Conference Report, Apr. 1991, 48; or Ensign, May 1991, 38).
Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin: “Our homes can become holy places, if we cultivate the Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ, the spirit of peace." (Conference Report, Oct. 1952, p. 107).
President Dallin H. Oaks: “Are we following the Lord’s command, “Stand ye in holy places, and be not moved, until the day of the Lord come for behold, it cometh quickly”? (D&C 87:8). What are those “holy places”? Surely they include the temple and its covenants faithfully kept. Surely they include a home where children are treasured and parents are respected. Surely the holy places include our posts of duty assigned by priesthood authority, including missions and callings faithfully fulfilled in branches, wards, and stakes." (Conference Report, Apr. 2004, 8 or Ensign, May 2004).
Teaching Thoughts:
President Henry B. Eyring: "Simply hearing the words of doctrine can plant the seed of faith in the heart. And even a tiny seed of faith in Jesus Christ invites the Spirit." (The Power of Teaching Doctrine, https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/1999/04/the-power-of-teaching-doctrine?lang=eng)
To improve listening skills, we can:
- Listen to the context of their speech.
- Listen to the content of their speech.
- Avoid internal and external distractions.
- Listen to the tone of their voice.
- Listen for the emotions the speaker is likely experiencing.
1. Listen to the context of their speech.
- Membership has more than doubled in Kirtland in a few months (December 1830 - Feb 1831).
- “The Law of the Church” given (Section 42).
- Clarification on Prophetic revelation and personal revelation (Section 43).
- John Whitmer: "In these days the Lord blessed his disciples greatly, and he gave revelation after revelation, which contained doctrine, instructions, and prophecies.” (Lyndon W. Cook, The Revelations of the Prophet Joseph Smith: A Historical and Biographical Commentary of the Doctrine and Covenants)
- Also “many false reports, lies, and foolish stories, were published in the newspapers, and circulated in every direction, to prevent people from investigating the work, or embracing the faith.” (Joseph Smith, History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints, 1: 158.)
President Henry B. Eyring: "The word of God is the doctrine taught by Jesus Christ and by His prophets… They can open the minds of people to see spiritual things not visible to the natural eye. And they can open the heart to feelings of the love of God and a love for truth…
"Doctrine gains its power as the Holy Ghost confirms that it is true. We prepare those we teach, as best we can, to receive the quiet promptings of the still, small voice. That takes at least some faith in Jesus Christ. It takes at least some humility, some willingness to surrender to the Savior’s will for us. The person you would help may have little of either, but you can urge that they desire to believe... Truth can prepare its own way. Simply hearing the words of doctrine can plant the seed of faith in the heart. And even a tiny seed of faith in Jesus Christ invites the Spirit." (The Power of Teaching Doctrine, https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/1999/04/the-power-of-teaching-doctrine?lang=eng)
What doctrine is taught in section 45 that will open our minds to see spiritual things not visible to the natural eye? And can open our heart to feelings of the love of God and a love for truth?
Elder Neal A. Maxell: "The entirety of Jesus' unique role as advocate cannot be understood if approached only legalistically and adversarily, such as when one mortal lawyer jousts with another lawyer before an impassive judge. In the sense here intended, an advocate seeks to plead, to persuade, to intercede, and to mediate in order to aid another's cause. This is surely part of what Jesus does for us. But He is, once again, both the advocate and the judge! No mortal lawyer has such a dual role.
"When commencing the agonies of the Atonement, Jesus declared of His atoning purpose, "For this cause came I into the world" (John 18:37).
"In calling upon the mercy available in Father's plan, Jesus thereby truly "advocateth the cause of the children of men" (Moro. 7:28). It is significant that He so pleads for us out of His full, personal knowledge and understanding of each of us, including our individual experiences and shortfalls set amid the shared general human condition. "Behold, and hearken, . . . saith the Lord your God, even Jesus Christ, your advocate, who knoweth the weakness of man and how to succor them who are tempted" (D&C 62:1).
"He can succor us in any form of the human condition because, as He reminded Joseph in the Liberty jail: "The Son of Man hath descended below them all. Art thou greater than he?" (D&C 122:8.) No person, therefore, who comes before Him can exclaim,
"You don't understand what I have been through!"
"How like the tender words cited earlier (D&C 45:3-5) are the following and amplifying words recorded in Alma, attesting to Jesus' personal knowledge of our individual and personal sufferings and sicknesses:
"And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.
"And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities." (Alma 7:11-12. See also Matt. 8:17.)
"Hence Jesus not only bore our sins personally in order to atone for them, but He also bore our pains, infirmities, and afflictions. Thereby ensured is the precious fact that Jesus' mercy would be full, because He knows how to succor us in a unique, merciful, and personal way--amid all of that through which we mortals individually pass. Having so purchased us once, His glad and great investment in us continues (see Acts 20:28). ...
"Therefore, beyond ensuring general immortality if, as to our sins, we are adequately and truly repentant, He likewise specifically succors and pleads for us as only He can. He does this out of His perfect love, a love which is fully informed by His perfect, personal familiarity with our individual situations. No wonder He is the wondrous Keeper of the entering gate to eternal life, and in His loving empathy He "employeth no servant there" (see 2 Ne. 9:41). ...
"Hence we see how Jesus is our advocate in the most unique way. After all, if all this were analogous to mere mortal advocacy, how many advocates know their clients perfectly? For example, how many mortal advocates have actually suffered deeply, physically and mentally, for their clients? Besides all this, we are not mere clients. We are Christ's spirit brothers and sisters! ...
"However, unlike the "finished" act of the Atonement achieved in that axis of atoning agony--Gethsemane and on Calvary--across an additional time frame Jesus' continuing advocacy for us mortals is spread. It continues in a special, ongoing process as we, individually, access and apply His atoning blood. (See Mosiah 4:1-4.) Having paid the price for us, the Grand Atoner is also the apparent judge as to our entitlement to access further His atonement, as we repent and become "the children of Christ" (Mosiah 5:7).
"Jesus did not retire to some corner of the universe for a well-earned vacation after performing the great Atonement, but He has remained constantly vigilant and vigorous, personally mindful of all of us.
"While the scriptures relevant to Jesus' advocacy are abundant, verb tenses vary, as already noted, suggesting something significant. For further examples consider the post-atonement scriptures, such as Heb. 7:25, which declares that "Jesus ever liveth to make intercession," suggesting a continuousness. Heb. 9:24 speaks of how He is to appear to make intercession for us, perhaps at the day of judgment. The Apostle John wrote that if we sin, we have an advocate with the Father, likewise suggesting an ongoingness to Jesus' advocacy and to our accessing and applying His atonement (1 Jn. 2:1). Moro. 7:28 notes Christ's atonement and declares that He "advocateth the cause of the children of men." D&C 45:3-5, as noted earlier, indicates that He "is pleading" in our behalf, again the indication of an ongoingness.
"Hence His pleading apparently continues for all specific and worthy individuals until the final judgment. ... Hence Jesus' advocacy appears to be a continuing process, as we struggle individually to overcome our weakness and thereby to "apply the atoning blood of Christ" by becoming more like Him (Mosiah 4:2). (One More Strain of Praise [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1999], pp. 34-48).
Section 45 teaches how listening to God will open our minds and hearts. To be a more effective listener, we can:
- Know Christ’s character and who He is (45:1-2, 7).
- Know your relationship with Him (45:3-5).
- Listen together with someone (45:6).
- Listen and then act – “harden not your hearts” (45:6) .
- Pay attention to God’s Promises …
Our focus on God’s promises will open our minds to see spiritual things not visible to the natural eye and open our heart to feelings of the love of God and a love for truth.
A focus on God’s Promises opens our minds and hearts…
- Christ is our advocate right now (45:3-5).
- Fullness of the Gospel will be a light (45:28).
- We will “stand in holy places” (45:32).
- “See signs and wonders” (45:40).
- Spiritual and physical gathering (45:25, 43, 46, 64-71).
- Saints will meet Christ when He comes again (45:44-45).
- “Satan shall be bound” (45:55).
- We can be prepared to meet Christ at His coming (45:56).
- Earth given as an inheritance (45:58).
- “The Lord shall be in [our] midst” (45:59).
- “Great things await you” (45:62).
- Zion will be established and be “a land of peace, a city of refuge, a place of safety for the saints of the Most High God” (45:66).
President Boyd K. Packer: “The chapel, the stake house, and the temple are sacred as they contribute to the building of the most sacred institution in the Church the home and to the blessing of the most sacred relationships in the Church, the family" (That All May Be Edified, Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1982, pp. 234-35).
Elder David A. Bednar: “Consider this teaching by President Benson:
"We will live in the midst of economic, political, and spiritual instability. When these signs are observed--unmistakable evidences that His coming is nigh--we need not be troubled, but "stand in holy places, and be not moved, until the day of the Lord come" (D&C 87:8).
“Holy men and women stand in holy places, and these holy places consist of our temples, our chapels, our homes, and stakes of Zion, which are, as the Lord declares, "for a defense, and for a refuge from the storm, and from wrath when it shall be poured out without mixture upon the whole earth" (D&C 115:6).
"I suppose it would now be predictable for me to separately describe each of these holy places and try to outline ways whereby we could most appropriately and effectively "stand" in holy places in our homes, in the temples, and in the stakes of Zion. But I am not going to do that.
"Could I recommend an exercise that you all might want to consider? The exercise would be to identify what is common in homes and temples and stakes of Zion as holy places. What is it that cuts across all three of these locations that makes them holy, sacred places where we would not be moved?" (Stand Ye In Holy Places, Mothers' Weekend, 22 March 2002).
President Russell M. Nelson: “Make your apartment, your dorm, your home, or your room a holy place where you can safely retreat from the dark distractions of the world.” (“Becoming True Millennials,” Russell M. Nelson, "Becoming True Millennials").
On October 24, 1841, Elder Orson Hyde traveled to Jerusalem, climbed the Mount of Olives, and dedicated the land for the return of the Jewish people. He offered a dedicatory prayer that focused on the gathering of Judah, the building up of Jerusalem, and the building of a temple. [Note: I include the entire dedicatory prayer below and not just the excerpt that I included in the video.]
"O Thou! who art from everlasting to everlasting, eternally and unchangeably the same, even the God who rules in the heavens above, and controls the destinies of men on the earth, wilt Thou not condescend, through thine infinite goodness and royal favor, to listen to the prayer of Thy servant which he this day offers up unto Thee in the name of Thy holy child Jesus, upon this land, where the Son of Righteousness set in blood, and thine Anointed One expired.
"Be pleased, O Lord, to forgive all the follies, weaknesses, vanities, and sins of Thy servant, and strengthen him to resist all future temptations. Give him prudence and discernment that he may avoid the evil, and a heart to choose the good; give him fortitude to bear up under trying and adverse circumstances, and grace to endure all things for Thy name's sake, until the end shall come, when all the Saints shall rest in peace.
"Now, O Lord! Thy servant has been obedient to the heavenly vision which Thou gavest him in his native land; and under the shadow of Thine outstretched arm, he has safely arrived in this place to dedicate and consecrate this land unto Thee, for the gathering together of Judah's scattered remnants, according to the predictions of the holy Prophets -- for the building up of Jerusalem again after it has been trodden down by the Gentiles so long, and for rearing a Temple in honor of Thy name.
Everlasting thanks be ascribed unto Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that Thou hast preserved Thy servant from the dangers of the seas, and from the plague and pestilence which have caused the land to mourn. The violence of man has also been restrained, and Thy providential care by night and by day has been exercised over Thine unworthy servant. (shadows of Rev 11)
Accept, therefore, O Lord, the tribute of a grateful heart for all past favors, and be pleased to continue Thy kindness and mercy towards a needy worm of the dust.
"O Thou, Who didst covenant with Abraham, Thy friend, and who didst renew that covenant with Isaac, and confirm the same with Jacob with an oath, that Thou wouldst not only give them this land for an everlasting inheritance, but that Thou wouldst also remember their seed forever. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob have long since closed their eyes in death, and made the grave their mansion. Their children are scattered and dispersed abroad among the nations of the Gentiles like sheep that have no shepherd, and are still looking forward for the fulfillment of those promises which Thou didst make concerning them; and even this land, which once poured forth nature's richest bounty, and flowed, as it were, with milk and honey, has, to a certain extent, been smitten with barrenness and sterility since it drank from murderous hands the blood of Him who never sinned.
"Grant, therefore, O Lord, in the name of Thy well-beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to remove the barrenness and sterility of this land, and let springs of living water break forth to water its thirsty soil. Let the vine and olive produce in their strength, and the fig-tree bloom and flourish. Let the land become abundantly fruitful when possessed by its rightful heirs; let it again flow with plenty to feed the returning prodigals who come home with a spirit of grace and supplication; upon it let the clouds distil virtue and richness, and let the fields smile with plenty. Let the flocks and the herds greatly increase and multiply upon the mountains and the hills; and let Thy great kindness conquer and subdue the unbelief of Thy people. Do Thou take from them their stony heart, and give them a heart of flesh; and may the Sun of Thy favor dispel the cold mists of darkness which have beclouded their atmosphere. Incline them to gather in upon this land according to Thy word. Let them come like clouds and like doves to their windows. Let the large ships of the nations bring them from the distant isles; and let kings become their nursing fathers, and queens with motherly fondness wipe the tear of sorrow from their eye.
"Thou, O Lord, did once move upon the heart of Cyrus to show favor unto Jerusalem and her children. Do Thou now also be pleased to inspire the hearts of kings and the powers of the earth to look with a friendly eye towards this place, and with a desire to see Thy righteous purposes executed in relation thereto. Let them know that it is Thy good pleasure to restore the kingdom unto Israel -- raise up Jerusalem as its capital, and constitute her people a distinct nation and government, with David Thy servant, even a descendant from the loins of ancient David to be their king.
"Let that nation or that people who shall take an active part in behalf of Abraham's children, and in the raising up of Jerusalem, find favor in Thy sight. Let not their enemies prevail against them, neither let pestilence or famine overcome them, but let the glory of Israel overshadow them, and the power of the Highest protect them; while that nation or kingdom that will not serve Thee in this glorious work must perish, according to Thy word --- Yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted. "
Though Thy servant is now far from his home, and from the land bedewed with his earliest tear, yet he remembers, O Lord, his friend: who are there, and family, whom for Thy sake he has left. Though poverty and privation be our earthly lot, yet ah! do Thou richly endow us with an inheritance where moth and rust do not corrupt, and where thieves do not break through and steal.
"The hands that have fed, clothed, or shown favor unto the family of Thy servant in his absence, or that shall hereafter do so, let them not lose their reward, but let a special blessing rest upon them, and in Thy kingdom let them have an inheritance when Thou shalt come to be glorified in this society.
"Do Thou also look with favor upon all those through whose liberality I have been enabled to come to this land; and in the day when Thou shalt reward all people according to their works, let these also not be passed by or forgotten, but in time let them be in readiness to enjoy the glory of those mansions which Jesus has gone to prepare. Particularly do Thou bless the stranger in Philadelphia, whom I never saw, but who sent me gold, with a request that I should pray for him in Jerusalem. Now, O Lord, let blessings come upon him from an unexpected quarter, and let his basket be filled, and his storehouse abound with plenty, and let not the good things of the earth be his only portion, but let him be found among those to whom it shall be said, `Thou hast been faithful over a few things, and I will make thee ruler over many.'
"O my Father in heaven! I now ask Thee in the name of Jesus to remember Zion, with all her Stakes, and with all her assemblies. She has been grievously afflicted and smitten; she has mourned; she has wept; her enemies have triumphed, and have said, `Ah, where is thy God?' Her Priests and Prophets have groaned in chains and fetters within the gloomy walls of prisons, while many were slain, and now sleep in the arms of death. How long, O Lord, shall iniquity triumph, and sin go unpunished?
"Do Thou arise in the majesty of Thy strength, and make bare Thine arm in behalf of Thy people. Redress their wrongs, and turn their sorrow into joy. Pour the spirit of light and knowledge, grace and wisdom, into the hearts of her Prophets, and clothe her Priests with salvation. Let light and knowledge march forth through the empire of darkness, and may the honest in heart flow to their standard, and join in the march to go forth to meet the Bridegroom.
"Let a peculiar blessing rest upon the Presidency of Thy Church, for at them are the arrows of the enemy directed. Be Thou to them a sun and a shield, their strong tower and hiding place; and in the time of distress or danger be Thou near to deliver. Also the quorum of the Twelve, do Thou be pleased to stand by them for Thou knowest the obstacles which they have to encounter, the temptations to which they are exposed, and the privations which they must suffer. Give us, [the Twelve] therefore, strength according to our day, and help us to bear a faithful testimony of Jesus and His Gospel, to finish with fidelity and honor the work which Thou hast given us to do, and then give us a place in Thy glorious kingdom. And let this blessing rest upon every faithful officer and member in Thy Church. And all the glory and honor will we ascribe unto God and the Lamb forever and ever. Amen." (History of the Church, "Elder Orson Hyde's Letter -- His Prayer of Dedication on the Mount of Olives chapter 26 of volume 4.)
Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin: "Satan shall be bound, that he shall have no place in the hearts of the children of men" (D&C 45:55). As people live the gospel of Jesus Christ, their righteousness will banish Satan from their midst. We look forward to that day of universal peace and justice, when Christ will reign upon the earth.
“… peace, whether in a city, a nation, or other society, develops from peace that begins within the hearts of individuals as they live by the precepts of the gospel. (Conference Report, Apr. 1991, 48; or Ensign, May 1991, 38).
Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin: “Our homes can become holy places, if we cultivate the Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ, the spirit of peace." (Conference Report, Oct. 1952, p. 107).
President Dallin H. Oaks: “Are we following the Lord’s command, “Stand ye in holy places, and be not moved, until the day of the Lord come for behold, it cometh quickly”? (D&C 87:8). What are those “holy places”? Surely they include the temple and its covenants faithfully kept. Surely they include a home where children are treasured and parents are respected. Surely the holy places include our posts of duty assigned by priesthood authority, including missions and callings faithfully fulfilled in branches, wards, and stakes." (Conference Report, Apr. 2004, 8 or Ensign, May 2004).
Teaching Thoughts:
- Make a list of the blessings that God makes in section 45. Which ones help you to:
- See spiritual things not visible to the natural eye?
- Feel the love of God?
- How will you [continue to] “make your apartment, your dorm, your home, or your room a holy place where you can safely retreat from the dark distractions of the world?”