In My Name

As I read Doctrine and Covenants 18 today, I was struck by the Savior’s emphasis on names. He called Oliver Cowdery by name three times and David Whitmer by name twice: “Now, behold, because of the thing which you, my servant Oliver Cowdery, have desired to know of me, I give unto you these words…. And now, Oliver Cowdery, I speak unto you, and also unto David Whitmer, by the way of commandment…. And now, behold, I give unto you, Oliver Cowdery, and also unto David Whitmer” (v1, 9, 37). He also used Joseph Smith’s name twice: “Wherefore, as thou hast been baptized by the hands of my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., according to that which I have commanded him…. if he shall be diligent in keeping my commandments he shall be blessed unto eternal life; and his name is Joseph” (v7-8). He also spoke specifically to the ancient apostle Paul by name (v9). From these references we see that our names are important to Him—He knows us by name and uses them to speak to and about His servants. He could have made this statement from verse eight about every person on the earth: “His/her name is….”    

More importantly, the Savior repeatedly emphasized the importance of His own name for those who seek to follow Him. He invited these early disciples, “Ask the Father in my name in faith, believing that you shall receive” (v18). Prayer must be done in His name. He also said, “Take upon you the name of Christ, and speak the truth in soberness” (v21). He continued, “And as many as repent and are baptized in my name, which is Jesus Christ, and endure to the end, the same shall be saved. Behold, Jesus Christ is the name which is given of the Father, and there is none other name given whereby man can be saved; Wherefore, all men must take upon them the name which is given of the Father, for in that name shall they be called at the last day; Wherefore, if they know not the name by which they are called, they cannot have place in the kingdom of my Father” (v22-25). If we are to be His followers, we must be willing to take upon us His name and do the works He asks in His name. The Savior also spoke of the Twelve—whom Oliver and David would help select—and how they would take upon them His name: “The Twelve shall be my disciples, and they shall take upon them my name; and the Twelve are they who shall desire to take upon them my name with full purpose of heart. And if they desire to take upon them my name with full purpose of heart, they are called to go into all the world to preach my gospel unto every creature. And they are they who are ordained of me to baptize in my name, according to that which is written” (v27-29). The first requirement of an apostle of Jesus Christ is that they take upon themselves His name with full purpose of heart. They are special witnesses to His name, and everything they do is to be accomplished in His name.

And so it is for all of us who seek to follow Him. The final two references to His name in this section invite us to worship the Father in His name and help others do the same: “And you shall fall down and worship the Father in my name. And you must preach unto the world, saying: You must repent and be baptized, in the name of Jesus Christ” (v40-41). In this revelation the Savior helped these young disciples see that He knew their name, and He asked them to truly come to know His name. Every week when we partake of the sacrament, we renew that commitment to take upon us His name. And every time we worship in the temple, we are reminded again that we have taken upon ourselves His name. We must strive in all we do to remember that we have taken His name upon us, doing our best to speak and serve and love and live as He would.