D&C 34

Section 34 brings us a new player, Orson Pratt, who is Parley P. Pratt’s younger brother. DJR quotes JS as recording, “In the fore part of November, Orson Pratt, a young man nineteen years of age, who had been baptized at the first preaching of his brother, Parley P. Pratt, September 19th (his birthday), about six weeks previous, in Canaan, New York, came to inquire of the Lord what his duty was, and received the following answer (section 34):” I find it very interesting that so many people are coming to the Prophet to find out what their job was, what duty they had to God. This is very different from the attitude among some of us these days, I wonder how many of us go to God asking what our duty is, I know that I’m guilty of this. DJR gives us a journal entry from Orson Pratt commenting on his receipt of this revelation, which says, “In October, 1830, I traveled westward over two hundred miles to see Joseph Smith the Prophet. I found him in Fayette, Seneca County, New York, residing at the home of Mr. Whitmer. I soon became intimately acquainted with this good man, and also with the witnesses of the Book of Mormon. By my request, on the 4th of November, the Prophet Joseph inquired of the Lord for me and received the revelation published in the Doctrine and Covenants section 34.” 34:1-12 - I like here that DJR says, “In verses 1-3, the Savior personally introduces Himself to Brother Pratt.” Whenever I read these types of beginnings, it’s never occurred to me that that was the Lord’s way of introducing himself, that he was being polite, it’s just something that I never considered. The IM teaches of this greeting, “The Lord’s calling Orson Pratt ‘my son’ is one example of the many times he has taught that all mankind may come unto him and become his sons and daughters.” I actually had a conversation with someone yesterday in which she was saying that the Bible teaches that God has to call someone before they can be saved, and that’s doctrinally incorrect, and this explanation of this verse says that. Anyone can come to Christ, it’s our choice, we’ve already been called, that’s why we’re here. DJR also defines “sons of God” as “a scriptural term which means ‘exalted;’ see Mosiah 5:7, D&C 25:1, Moses 6:64-68).” The Lord calls Orson Pratt to “Preach my gospel… (and) Prophesy.” The IM quotes Elder Pratt as commenting “Life up your voice and prophesy, and it shall be given by the power of the Holy Ghost.’ This was a particular point in the revelation that seemed to me too great for me ever to attain to, and yet there was a positive command that I should do it. I have often reflected upon this revelation, and have oftentimes inquired in my heart- ‘Have I fulfilled that commandment as I ought to have done? Have I sought as earnestly as I ought to obtain the gift of prophesy, so as to fulfill the requirement of heaven? And I have felt sometimes to condemn myself because of my slothfulness, and because of the little progress that I have made in relation to this great, heavenly, and divine gift. I certainly have had no inclination to prophesy to the people unless it should be given to me by the inspiration and power of the Holy Ghost; to prophesy out of my own heart is something perfectly disagreeable to my feelings, even to think of, and hence I have oftentimes, in my public discourses, avoided, when a thing would come before my mind pretty plain, uttering or declaring it for fear that I might get something out before the people in relation to the future that was wrong.” The IM continues “Though Orson Pratt felt inadequate in this calling, a study of his writings clearly shows that he did indeed fulfill the lord’s admonition to prophesy. His writings are full of prophetic insights and promises.” I think that this is an excellent example of how a person grows in the gospel, despite where they came from and how they feel that they measure up. The Lord qualifies those he calls, and Orson Pratt is an excellent example of that. His revelation isn’t long nor is it very specific and it’s not anything that the Lord hasn’t told anyone else, but it is his, he took it to heart and worked in order to make the Lord proud of his efforts. We don’t have to have everything spelled out for us, we don’t have to have unique counsel in order to become our best selves, in fact part of the journey seems to be finding our own personal relationship with God. That’s the beautiful part, that’s where we grow, we don’t grow by having a check list or a direct map, we grow by learning to recognize the Holy Ghost in our lives, learning to listen and become obedient, righteous and patient.