D&C 62

Section 62 is short, but comforting, DJR says, “This is a short section that contains sweet insights into the Savior’s personal attention and care for His humble followers here on earth.” I like that very much. The IM gives background information as follows: “While the Prophet and his party were on their way home from Missouri during August 1831, they met some of the elders who were going to Missouri. Joseph Smith wrote: ‘On the 13^th (of August) I met several of the Elders on their way to the land of Zion, and after the joyful salutations with which brethren meet each other, who are actually ‘contending for the faith once delivered to the Saints,’ I received the following: (D&C 62).’ The elders were not identified in the Prophet’s history, but Reynolds Cahoon named them as follows: Hyrum Smith, John Murdock, Harvey Whitlock, and David Whitmer.” Hyrum Smith is Joseph Smith’s brother, and they were/are very close, and John Murdock is the one who gave Joseph and Emma his twin babies because his wife died giving birth to them, and Emma’s twins died on the day they were born, so there are some very deep connections here amongst this group. I also think that it’s interesting because this is a similar reunion to Alma and the sons of Mosiah when they met in the road on the way back to Zarahemla. I actually just talked to a friend about that reunion the other day when we met in Indiana for dinner, I said how amazing it is to be with friends who you know and love but also to know that they’ve remained strong in the gospel too is even better. So I’d like to think that this revelation is some of the same thoughts that the Lord would have given Alma and Ammon as well as me and my friend a couple of days ago.

62:1-3 - The Lord begins by introducing himself but in a new way, saying, “Behold, and hearken, O ye elders of my church, saith the Lord your God, even Jesus Christ, your advocate, who knoweth the weakness of man and how to succor them who are tempted.” DJR comments on the word “advocate” saying, “in this context, mean ‘one who wants us to succeed and does everything in his power to help us.’” The IM teaches, “Succor means ‘to go to the aid of one in want or distress’ or ‘to relieve.’ Fortunately, the Savior succors those ‘who are tempted’ so they will not commit sin, and if they should sin he will succor them if they repent.’” I wonder why the Lord started this revelation out this way, when they had just met their brethren, a joyous event, I wonder if it’s possible that he’s telling them that this meeting, this validation of purpose and encouragement is part of his effort to support and uplift their missionary efforts. I don’t know what turmoil they were dealing with internally, maybe frustration or irritation with each other, maybe a sense of isolation or abandonment, these are just some of the feelings that I would have felt if I would have been in their shoes, and they are also feelings that might be lifted by meeting of others who are dear to you and dedicated to the same cause, tender mercies. The Lord continues with an interesting concept that I’ve not heard before saying, “Nevertheless, ye are blessed, for the testimony which ye have borne is recorded in heaven for the angles to look upon; and they rejoice over you, and your sins are forgiven you.” I love that the Lord repeatedly forgives sins in a blanket fashion, I think that it’s vital to understanding what repentance really is. The Lord says “your sins are forgiven you,” not “some of your sins are forgiven,” or “keep trying and I’ll think about forgiving you.” Forgiving sins totally demonstrates that he looks at the direction we are heading, he knows that we are not perfect and that we are not going to be able to be perfect in this life, but it’s kind of like telling us not to look back, that we don’t have to be burdened by the past and that we can be free of it if we follow him and believe him when he says that we are forgiven. It reminds me of running a really long, arduous race. The Lord doesn’t stand next to the sidelines and yell out everything that we are doing wrong, he doesn’t tell us to do wrong things or that it’s ok to do wrong things, but he doesn’t hang it over our heads, he tells us to stand up and keep on trucking. In regards specifically to these missionaries the IM teaches, “Missionary work has a redemptive effect for the missionary as well as the convert. The Apostle James wrote, ‘He which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.’ Of that teaching, Elder Bruce R. McConkie wrote: ‘By reclaiming an erring brother, we save him and ourselves. Our sins are hidden (remitted) because we ministered for the salvation and blessing of another member of the kingdom. In principle this special reward for Christ’s ministers applies also to those who preach the gospel and bring souls into the kingdom. The minister is rewarded with salvation and, of necessity, in the process, is freed from his own sins.’” Interestingly, this doesn’t say that we can do whatever we want and it’s ok because of the missionary work that we’ve done, it says that we are freed from sin, not guilt, it’s not a “trade the guilt of one soul (missionary’s) for the repentance of others (converted.)” Interesting concept, but I was thinking about it and thought that the reason that a missionary’s sins would be remitted because of the preaching that they were doing was because to be an effective teacher, you have to actually believe what you are teaching, and if you actually believe what you are teaching, you’re living those laws and improving every day. So it’s not really that you are forgiven because you’re doing missionary work, it’s that your character is changed by the work and therefore you are forgiven because you’re becoming sanctified. The other concept that is interesting is that their testimonies would be recorded in heaven for the angels to look upon. The IM quotes Smith and Sjodahl as commenting “in this revelation we are told that angels are scrutinizing the records kept of the testimonies of the Elders, and that they rejoice over the witnesses. It appears from this that the ministry of earth has its effects beyond the veil as well as on this side. An Elder who bears his faithful testimony to the truth does not know how far-reaching the result may be, though his visible audience may consist of but few.” DJR speculates that hopefully this “applies likewise to us. If it does, we may be able to hope that our loved ones who have already died might be able to read our testimonies when we bear them, provided that they too are recorded in heaven.” That’s a really interesting concept that I’ve never considered before, the fact that our testimonies could be shared across the veil.

62:4-9 - We have two groups here, Joseph Smith’s group is coming from Missouri back to Kirtland and Hyrum Smith’s group is heading from Kirtland to Missouri. The Lord addresses Hyrum’s group when he commands them to “continue your journey. Assemble yourselves upon the land of Zion; and hold a meeting and rejoice together, and offer a sacrament unto the Most High.” DJR comments that verse 4 indicates “that one of the major purposes of church meetings is so that we have an opportunity to get together and enjoy one another’s company?” This would strengthen the concept that rejoicing together in the Lord is fulfilling and uplifting, thus another reason why this meeting of Elders is so rewarding. The Lord gives one of his reasons for arranging for these men to meet together saying, “I, the lord, have brought you together that the promise might be fulfilled, that the faithful among you should be preserved and rejoice together in the land of Missouri.” And finally the Lord finishes up with a temporal matter saying, “if any among you desire to ride upon horses, or upon mules, or in chariots, he shall receive this blessing, if he receive it from the hand of the Lord, with a thankful heart in all things.” I don’t know if they were avoiding this method of transportation for some reason, or if the Lord was just giving them some suggestions, but this was important because, as the IM tells us, “John Murdock was so ill on this occasion that he was unable to pursue his journey without some assistance. After this revelation was given, the four missionaries (John Murdock, David Whitmer, Harvey Whitlock, and Hyrum Smith) put their money together and bough a horse for John Murdock to ride, by which means they were able to continue their travels.” Excellent section, short, but excellent.