D&C 121

As I listened to general conference I realized that D&C 121 has to be one of the most quoted sections of scripture. There is so much taught there, and the leaders teach from it again and again.  I’d be surprised if there was any general conference in recent years that didn’t have at least one speaker that referred to it.  Here are a few samplings from the four most recent conferences:

·         April 2016:

o   President Monson said, “We read in the Doctrine and Covenants, section 121, verse 36, ‘The rights of the priesthood are inseparably connected with the powers of heaven.’  What a wonderful gift we have been given. Ours is the responsibility to guard and protect that priesthood and to be worthy of all the glorious blessings our Father in Heaven has in store for us” (A Sacred Trust).

o   Elder Christofferson said, “But in discipline a father must exercise particular care, lest there be anything even approaching abuse, which is never justified. When a father provides correction, his motivation must be love and his guide the Holy Spirit: ‘Reproving betimes with sharpness, when moved upon by the Holy Ghost; and then showing forth afterwards an increase of love toward him whom thou hast reproved, lest he esteem thee to be his enemy; That he may know that thy faithfulness is stronger than the cords of death’” (Fathers).

o   President Eyring said, “You will treat your wife and children the way Heavenly Father has treated you. You will follow the example and direction of the Savior to lead your family in His way. ‘No power or influence can or ought to be maintained by virtue of the priesthood, only by persuasion, by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned; By kindness, and pure knowledge, which shall greatly enlarge the soul without hypocrisy, and without guile—Reproving betimes with sharpness, when moved upon by the Holy Ghost; and then showing forth afterwards an increase of love toward him whom thou hast reproved, lest he esteem thee to be his enemy’” (Eternal Families).

·         October 2015:

o   President Eyring said, “The Lord taught us that the Holy Ghost will be our constant companion when our hearts are full of charity and when virtue garnishes our thoughts unceasingly” (The Holy Ghost as Your Companion).

o   Elder Francisco J. Vinas said, “These and many other afflictions inherent to this probationary state sometimes cause us to ask ourselves the same question that the Prophet Joseph Smith asked: ‘O God, where art thou?’ (D&C 121:1).  In those difficult moments in our lives, the pleasing word of God that heals the wounded soul brings the following message of comfort to our heart and mind: ‘Peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment; And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high’” (D&C 121:7–8) (The Pleasing Word of God).

·         April 2015:

o   President Uchtdorf said, “Therefore, our obedience to God’s commandments comes as a natural outgrowth of our endless love and gratitude for the goodness of God. This form of genuine love and gratitude will miraculously merge our works with God’s grace. Virtue will garnish our thoughts unceasingly, and our confidence will wax strong in the presence of God” (The Gift of Grace).

o   President Monson said, “I love the words found in the Doctrine and Covenants, section 121, verse 45, which tell us what we must do to be worthy: “Let thy bowels … be full of charity towards all men, and to the household of faith, and let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God; and the doctrine of the priesthood shall distil upon thy soul as the dews from heaven” (The Priesthood—A Sacred Gift).

o   Elder Wilford W. Anderson said, “Second, when we can hear the music ourselves, we must try our best to perform it in our homes. It is not something that can be forced or compelled. ‘No power or influence can or ought to be maintained by virtue of the priesthood’—or by virtue of being the dad or the mom or the biggest or the loudest—‘only by persuasion, by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, …  by love unfeigned; [and] by kindness’ (D&C 121:41–42) (The Music of the Gospel).

·         October 2014

o   Elder Lynn G. Robbins said, “May His inspiring example strengthen us against the pitfalls of flattery from without or of conceit from within. May it give us courage to never cower or fawn at the feet of intimidation. May it inspire us to go about doing good as anonymously as possible and not ‘aspire to the honors of men’ (D&C 121:35) (Which Way Do You Face?)

o   Elder Jorg Klebingat said, “I testify of a loving Savior who is anxious for your “confidence [to] wax strong in the presence of God” (D&C 121:45) (Approaching the Throne of God With Confidence).

I’m sure if we reviewed other conferences we would find as well in nearly all of them a reference to the 121^st section.  Out of such a dark experience in Liberty Jail has come to us an incredible message about the love of God, the way to access the powers of heaven, the great blessings of the Spirit, and much more.  How blessed we are today because of Joseph’s faithfulness during such great suffering in the jail!