Below are the quotes that were used in the video.
Responding with faith to God’s commandments invites God’s blessings into our lives. This is true even when God asks us to do difficult things. One example is found in section 37 where the Lord asks the saints to move to 'the Ohio.' In section 38, he then explains why. In our study this week we will also focus on God's encouragement to receive the word of God, understand it (or deepen our roots in the gospel of Christ), and act on what we have learned.
Book of John Whitmer: "After the Lord had manifested the above words section 38, through Joseph the Seer, there were some divisions among the congregations, some would not receive the above as the word of the Lord: but that Joseph had invented it himself to deceive the people that in the end he might get gain. Now this was because, their hearts were not right in the sight of the Lord, for they wanted to serve God and man; but our Savior has declared that it was impossible to do so." (1832-1846, Typescript, HBLL; Holograph RLDS Archives)
Joseph Smith: "Without the knowledge of all things, God would not be able to save any portion of his creatures; for it is by reason of the knowledge which he has of all things, from the beginning to the end, that enables him to give that understanding to his creatures by which they are made partakers of eternal life; and if it were not for the idea existing in the minds of men that God had all knowledge it would be impossible for them to exercise faith in him." (Lectures on Faith, 4:43).
Responding with faith to God’s commandments invites God’s blessings into our lives.
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland: “I testify that God lives, that He is our Eternal Father, that He loves each of us with a love divine. I testify that Jesus Christ is His Only Begotten Son in the flesh and…a joint-heir with God, and now stands on the right hand of His Father. I testify that this is Their true Church and that They sustain us in our hour of need—and always will, even if we cannot recognize that intervention. Some blessings come soon, some come late, and some don’t come until heaven; but for those who embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ, they come. Of that I personally attest. I thank my Father in Heaven for His goodness past, present, and future, and I do so in the name of His Beloved Son and most generous high priest, even the Lord Jesus Christ.” (“An High Priest of Good Things to Come,” Ensign [CR], Nov. 1999.)
Some of the 'Whys' and the Promises made for us from Section 38
President Ezra Taft Benson: “Essentially, pride is a ‘my will’ rather than ‘thy will’ approach to life. . . .
“Pride is characterized by ‘What do I want out of life?’ rather than by ‘What would God have me do with my life?’ It is self-will as opposed to God’s will. It is the fear of man over the fear of God” (Conference Report, Apr. 1986, 5–6; or Ensign, May 1986, 6–7)
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland: “I testify that God lives, that He is our Eternal Father, that He loves each of us with a love divine. I testify that Jesus Christ is His Only Begotten Son in the flesh and…a joint-heir with God, and now stands on the right hand of His Father. I testify that this is Their true Church and that They sustain us in our hour of need—and always will, even if we cannot recognize that intervention. Some blessings come soon, some come late, and some don’t come until heaven; but for those who embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ, they come. Of that I personally attest. I thank my Father in Heaven for His goodness past, present, and future, and I do so in the name of His Beloved Son and most generous high priest, even the Lord Jesus Christ.” (“An High Priest of Good Things to Come,” Ensign [CR], Nov. 1999.)
President Harold B. Lee: " Now, just one final thought. I sat in a class in Sunday School in my own ward one day, and the teacher was the son of a patriarch. He said he used to take down the blessings of his father, and he noticed that his father gave what he called “iffy” blessings.
"He would give a blessing, but it was predicated on “if you will not do this” or “if you will cease doing that.” And he said, “I watched these men to whom my father gave the ‘iffy’ blessings, and I saw that many of them did not heed the warning that my father as a patriarch had given, and the blessings were never received because they did not comply.” (“Admonitions for the Priesthood of God,” Ensign, Jan 1973, 104).
President Joseph Fielding Smith: “[James Covel] was convinced of the truth, for it is clear that the Lord revealed to him things which he and the Lord alone knew to be the truth. However, when he withdrew from the influence of the Spirit of the Lord and had time to consider the fact that he would lose the fellowship of the world, and his place and position among his associates, he failed and rejected the promises and blessings which the Lord offered him” (Church History and Modern Revelation, 2 vols. [1953], 1:174).
Teaching Thoughts:
Book of John Whitmer: "After the Lord had manifested the above words section 38, through Joseph the Seer, there were some divisions among the congregations, some would not receive the above as the word of the Lord: but that Joseph had invented it himself to deceive the people that in the end he might get gain. Now this was because, their hearts were not right in the sight of the Lord, for they wanted to serve God and man; but our Savior has declared that it was impossible to do so." (1832-1846, Typescript, HBLL; Holograph RLDS Archives)
Joseph Smith: "Without the knowledge of all things, God would not be able to save any portion of his creatures; for it is by reason of the knowledge which he has of all things, from the beginning to the end, that enables him to give that understanding to his creatures by which they are made partakers of eternal life; and if it were not for the idea existing in the minds of men that God had all knowledge it would be impossible for them to exercise faith in him." (Lectures on Faith, 4:43).
Responding with faith to God’s commandments invites God’s blessings into our lives.
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland: “I testify that God lives, that He is our Eternal Father, that He loves each of us with a love divine. I testify that Jesus Christ is His Only Begotten Son in the flesh and…a joint-heir with God, and now stands on the right hand of His Father. I testify that this is Their true Church and that They sustain us in our hour of need—and always will, even if we cannot recognize that intervention. Some blessings come soon, some come late, and some don’t come until heaven; but for those who embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ, they come. Of that I personally attest. I thank my Father in Heaven for His goodness past, present, and future, and I do so in the name of His Beloved Son and most generous high priest, even the Lord Jesus Christ.” (“An High Priest of Good Things to Come,” Ensign [CR], Nov. 1999.)
Some of the 'Whys' and the Promises made for us from Section 38
- We will be protected from the enemy (Satan).
- We will be given power to escape the power of the enemy.
- God will give us His law.
- We have the promise of being “endowed with power from on high”
- We can be a part of the gathering of Israel on both sides of the veil.
- We can better take care of the poor.
- We do have the comfort and promise that God is with us and one day “ye shall see me.”
- This will help “cleanse” our hearts and minds.
- Unite us with the Lord, and His church.
President Ezra Taft Benson: “Essentially, pride is a ‘my will’ rather than ‘thy will’ approach to life. . . .
“Pride is characterized by ‘What do I want out of life?’ rather than by ‘What would God have me do with my life?’ It is self-will as opposed to God’s will. It is the fear of man over the fear of God” (Conference Report, Apr. 1986, 5–6; or Ensign, May 1986, 6–7)
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland: “I testify that God lives, that He is our Eternal Father, that He loves each of us with a love divine. I testify that Jesus Christ is His Only Begotten Son in the flesh and…a joint-heir with God, and now stands on the right hand of His Father. I testify that this is Their true Church and that They sustain us in our hour of need—and always will, even if we cannot recognize that intervention. Some blessings come soon, some come late, and some don’t come until heaven; but for those who embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ, they come. Of that I personally attest. I thank my Father in Heaven for His goodness past, present, and future, and I do so in the name of His Beloved Son and most generous high priest, even the Lord Jesus Christ.” (“An High Priest of Good Things to Come,” Ensign [CR], Nov. 1999.)
President Harold B. Lee: " Now, just one final thought. I sat in a class in Sunday School in my own ward one day, and the teacher was the son of a patriarch. He said he used to take down the blessings of his father, and he noticed that his father gave what he called “iffy” blessings.
"He would give a blessing, but it was predicated on “if you will not do this” or “if you will cease doing that.” And he said, “I watched these men to whom my father gave the ‘iffy’ blessings, and I saw that many of them did not heed the warning that my father as a patriarch had given, and the blessings were never received because they did not comply.” (“Admonitions for the Priesthood of God,” Ensign, Jan 1973, 104).
President Joseph Fielding Smith: “[James Covel] was convinced of the truth, for it is clear that the Lord revealed to him things which he and the Lord alone knew to be the truth. However, when he withdrew from the influence of the Spirit of the Lord and had time to consider the fact that he would lose the fellowship of the world, and his place and position among his associates, he failed and rejected the promises and blessings which the Lord offered him” (Church History and Modern Revelation, 2 vols. [1953], 1:174).
Teaching Thoughts:
- What are we willing to give up today for the Kingdom of God?
- We need to look for and teach the ‘whys.’
- Know that the promises the Lord makes are for us today!
- Receive the word of God, understand it (or deepen our roots in the gospel of Christ), and act on what we have learned.