Oliver Cowdery and Desire

The Come, Follow Me lesson this week says, “Notice how many times words like ‘desire’ or ‘desires’ appear in sections 6 and 7. What do you learn from these sections about the importance God places on your desires?” Section 6 was given to Oliver Cowdery, and the Lord indeed focused on teaching him about the importance of his desires. He declared that desire was a key prerequisite to participate work of the Lord: “Behold, the field is white already to harvest; therefore, whoso desireth to reap, let him thrust in his sickle with his might, and reap while the day lasts, that he may treasure up for his soul everlasting salvation in the kingdom of God” (v3). He then gave this incredible promise to Oliver about his own desires: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, even as you desire of me so it shall be unto you; and if you desire, you shall be the means of doing much good in this generation” (v8). He told Oliver that the reason he received a revelation from Joseph was because of these desires he had: “Behold, thou art Oliver, and I have spoken unto thee because of thy desires; therefore treasure up these words in thy heart” (v20). He also spoke specifically about Oliver’s desire to translate: “And, behold, I grant unto you a gift, if you desire of me, to translate, even as my servant Joseph…. And now I command you, that if you have good desires—a desire to lay up treasures for yourself in heaven—then shall you assist in bringing to light, with your gift, those parts of my scriptures which have been hidden because of iniquity” (v25, 27). The Lord promised him that he could help translate too if he truly desired it—Oliver must have been thrilled to know that this desire could be fulfilled.

He soon thereafter received another revelation, section 8, whose preface states that “Oliver, who continued to serve as scribe, writing at the Prophet’s dictation, desired to be endowed with the gift of translation.” The Saints book records, “After the revelation, Oliver was excited to translate. He followed Joseph’s example, but when the words did not come easily, he grew frustrated and confused. Joseph saw his friend’s struggle and sympathized. It had taken him time to tune his heart and mind to the work of translation, but Oliver seemed to think he could master it quickly. It was not enough to have a spiritual gift. He had to cultivate and develop it over time for use in God’s work. Oliver soon gave up on translating and asked Joseph why he had not been successful.” The Lord then gave Oliver another revelation, recorded in section 9, in which he said: “Behold, you have not understood; you have supposed that I would give it unto you, when you took no thought save it was to ask me. But, behold, I say unto you, that you must study it out in your mind; then you must ask me if it be right, and if it is right I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore, you shall feel that it is right” (v7-8). In other words, though Oliver had had a desire, that desire had not been strong enough. It is not enough to simply want something and ask it of the Lord, we must work with all our heart to make it come to pass. We must take much more thought than to ask—we must go to work to see our desire fulfilled.

Later in June 1829 Oliver and David Whitmer received a revelation in which they were told to seek out the Twelve, and one of the key attributes that they were to look for was desire: “The Twelve are they who shall desire to take upon them my name with full purpose of heart…. And by their desires and their works you shall know them” (v27, 38). Oliver and David were to recognize the Twelve by their desires and their works. Certainly for us our works also must match our desires to show the Lord that those desires are real. Like Oliver we can all “be the means of doing much good in this generation,” but if we desire that we must go to work to make it happen.