Build Up My Church

As I studied Doctrine and Covenants 10, I was surprised to see how often the Lord used the word destroy. The word appears twelve times in the revelation. For example, the Lord said to Joseph about those who had stolen the 116 pages, “Behold, they have sought to destroy you; yea, even the man in whom you have trusted has sought to destroy you. And for this cause I said that he is a wicked man, for he has sought to take away the things wherewith you have been entrusted; and he has also sought to destroy your gift” (v6-7). Of the adversary the Lord also said, “And, on this wise, the devil has sought to lay a cunning plan, that he may destroy this work” (v12). He further described how these people who had stolen the pages were secretly trying to stop the Book of Mormon from coming forth: “Therefore we will destroy him, and also the work; and we will do this that we may not be ashamed in the end, and that we may get glory of the world” (v19). He further elaborated, “Satan stirreth them up, that he may lead their souls to destruction. And thus he has laid a cunning plan, thinking to destroy the work of God;… Yea, he saith unto them: Deceive and lie in wait to catch, that ye may destroy; behold, this is no harm. And thus he flattereth them, and telleth them that it is no sin to lie that they may catch a man in a lie, that they may destroy him” (v22-25). The Lord summarized the work of the adversary with these words, “And thus he goeth up and down, to and fro in the earth, seeking to destroy the souls of men” (v27). But the Lord was not going to let the devil or any mortal to thwart His work: “I will not suffer that they shall destroy my work; yea, I will show unto them that my wisdom is greater than the cunning of the devil” (v43).

               So what does it really mean to destroy things in this context? Despite how we might often use the word, in these scriptural context surely the Lord was not trying to suggest that our soul would be annihilated; rather, I think we get a clue about what it means with these verses: “And now, behold, according to their faith in their prayers will I bring this part of my gospel to the knowledge of my people. Behold, I do not bring it to destroy that which they have received, but to build it up. And for this cause have I said: If this generation harden not their hearts, I will establish my church among them. Now I do not say this to destroy my church, but I say this to build up my church” (v52-55). I think to destroy is the opposite of the phrase “to build up”—to destroy is to tear down. I fact, that is one of the definitions from the 1828 Webster dictionary: “To demolish; to pull down.” Our souls cannot actually be annihilated out of existence, but they can be pulled down. These people who stole the 116 pages weren’t actually trying to kill Joseph, but they would have destroyed him in the sense that he would be pulled down from his status as a prophet to the people.

               These verses highlight the need for us to seek to “build up” those people and things around us instead of following the adversary’s efforts to destroy. We should try both to build up the church as this revelation suggests as well as building up the individuals around us. Perhaps “building up” others can be summarized in this injunction: “Therefore, strengthen your brethren in all your conversation, in all your prayers, in all your exhortations, and in all your doings” (Doctrine and Covenants 108:7). In our prayers, conversations, and all our activities we should seek to strengthen and bless others, building them up with the love of the Lord.