Great Worth and Great Joy

Doctrine and Covenants 18 was given to Oliver Cowdery and David Whitmer as they were finishing the translation of the Book of Mormon. The church did not yet exist as an organization and there were only a handful of those who believed in the work Joseph was doing. And yet, despite that, the Lord invited them in these words: “If you shall build up my church, upon the foundation of my gospel and my rock, the gates of hell shall not prevail against you” (v5). In an earlier revelation the Lord had described what constituted His church, even in this time before it was formally organized: “Behold, this is my doctrine—whosoever repenteth and cometh unto me, the same is my church” (Doctrine and Covenants 10:67). The call then to build up the church was a call to Oliver and David to perform missionary work, to help others repent and come unto Christ. The Lord then explained to them the why of missionary work. The first reason was simple: “Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God. For, behold, the Lord your Redeemer suffered death in the flesh; wherefore he suffered the pain of all men, that all men might repent and come unto him” (v10-11). We preach the gospel and invite others to repent because they are of great worth to God. Christ paid an unthinkable price for all of us, thus making us in effect of great worth. The second reason for doing missionary work relates to what it will do for the missionary: “How great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father!” As we bring others to repentance we are promised great joy, to feel as does God, “How great is his joy in the soul that repenteth” (v13). Missionary work should be, above all, an opportunity to feel great joy as we and others are brought to repentance.

               A second related theme of this revelation to Oliver and David is the need to take upon us the name of Christ. The invitation for all of us is simple: “Take upon you the name of Christ, and speak the truth in soberness” (v21). The Savior explained further, “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” (v23-24). The message of all missionaries to the world is this: “You must repent and be baptized, in the name of Jesus Christ” (v41). As we repent and are baptized, we take upon us a new name, we covenant to try in all ways possible to be like Him. Ultimately this is a lifelong process to take His name upon us as we become more and more like Him, seeking to speak and see and hear as He would. We strive to do all that we do in the name of the Son; we “ask the Father in [His] name in faith, believing that [we] shall receive” and we “fall down and worship the Father in [His] name” (v18, 40). The purpose of missionary work is to help us all come unto the Savior and take upon us His name, to worship and pray in His name and seek to live our lives as He would so that others can understand who He is through us. As we do that then surely we can partake of that “great joy” He feels over every soul that repenteth.