Lesson 15: "Preparation for a Greater Work"

D&C Sections 35, 37, 39, 40, 47

Section 35

Section 35 was given when the church was a mere eight months old (December, 1830).  At this point, Joseh Smith was in Fayette, New York, working on the translation of the Bible.  

"The Prophet Joseph Smith recorded: “In December Sidney Rigdon came to inquire of the Lord, and with him came Edward Partridge; the latter was a pattern of piety, and one of the Lord’s great men. Shortly after the arrival of these two brethren, thus spake the Lord: [D&C 35].” (History of the Church, 1:128.)"  (https://www.lds.org/manual/doctrine-and-covenants-student-manual/section-30-40/section-35-i-have---prepared-thee-for-a-greater-work?lang=eng)

Sidney Rigdon's ecclesiastical history to this time had been characterized by movement.  He had been a Baptist and later became a Campbellite minister.  Verses 4-5 indicate that while Sidney had been chosen to minister for the Lord throughout his life, he had lacked something previous to accepting Parley P. Pratt's invitation to be baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  What did Sidney gain in joining the Church and accepting ordination to the Priesthood?

From the Student Manual:

D&C 35:3–6. “Sidney, … Thou Wast Sent Forth … to Prepare the Way”

President Joseph Fielding Smith showed how Sidney Rigdon had been prepared long before the missionaries came to Ohio and met him: “The Lord told Sidney that he had looked upon him and his works, having reference to his ministry as a Baptist and later as one of the founders of the ‘Disciples’ with Alexander Campbell and Walter Scott. During those years the hand of the Lord was over him and directing him in the gathering of many earnest souls who could not accept the teachings of the sects of the day. His prayers in which he sought further light than the world was able to give, were now to be answered. The Lord informed him that he had been sent to prepare the way, and in the gathering of his colony and the building up of his congregation in and around Kirtland, the hand of the Lord was directing him, and the way for the reception of the fulness of truth was being prepared. It should be carefully noted that a great number of forceful, intelligent men who became leaders in the Church had been gathered by Sidney Rigdon, with the help of the Lord, in this part of the land. Without any question, the Spirit of the Lord had rested upon these men, as it did on Sidney Rigdon and Parley P. Pratt, to direct them to gather in Kirtland at that early day. When, therefore, Parley P. Pratt, Ziba Peterson and their companions came to Kirtland they found the way prepared for them through the preaching, very largely, of Sidney Rigdon, so that it was not a difficult matter for these missionaries to convince this group of the truth. While Sidney was preaching andbaptizing by immersion without authority, which the Lord informed him in this revelation, yet it all resulted in good when the Gospel message reached them. These men were not only convinced and ready for baptism, but were in a condition by which the Priesthood could be given them, and this was done.” (Church History and Modern Revelation, 1:160.)" (https://www.lds.org/manual/doctrine-and-covenants-student-manual/section-30-40/section-35-i-have---prepared-thee-for-a-greater-work?lang=eng)

In 35:19, Sidney is given instruction to watch over the Prophet that his (Joseph's) "faith fail not."  (See also v. 22)  What is the care we should extend to our leaders?  What can we do to sustain the Prophet?  The Stake President?  The Bishop or Branch President?  The Primary Chorister?  Our Home or Visiting Teachers?  Does the Lord view these callings as being of greater or lesser significance?

Elder Neal A. Maxwell stated, "Since patience is one of the traits of a saint (see Mosiah 3:19), it should not surprise us that we must sometimes learn patience not only by physical suffering, but also by sometimes having something to offer which, for one reason or another, we are prevented from offering, at least on the terms we would like to make the contribution. To trust God enough to accept the reality that he knows perfectly both what we have to offer and what we desire is a special form of trust. After all, when we sing in the hymn, “I’ll go where you want me to go, dear Lord” (Hymns, no. 75), presumably our pledge includes a willingness to stay right where we are, if that is where the Lord wants us."  ("It's Service, Not Status, That Counts."  Elder Neal A. Maxwell, Assistant to the Council of the Twelve.  Ensign, July 1975.  https://www.lds.org/ensign/1975/07/its-service-not-status-that-counts?lang=eng)

Sidney Rigdon was a good preacher (he was known as "the golden throat"), but at this point in his membership, he was called to be a scribe for the Prophet.  Why do you feel the Lord may have asked Sidney to stay in Fayette with the Prophet rather than return to Kirtland to stay with the congregation that had joined the Church with him?

In Verse 24, the Lord makes a promise to Sidney Rigdon.  Is that (or a similar) blessing offered to us on the same condition?

Section 36

Section 36 introduces us to Edward Partridge, whom Joseph Smith described "was a pattern of piety, and one of the Lord's great men." (See D&C 36 section heading.)  What do you suppose one must do to be considered a pattern of piety and great int he sight of the Lord?  In verse 1, Edward is called a servant, blessed, forgiven, and called.  May we accept those titles as well?  How?

Section 36 begins and ends with the identity of the Lord (vv 1-8).  What do the titles the Lord ascribes to himself mean to you?

Section 39

"Shortly after the Church conference of 2 January 1831, the Prophet Joseph Smith recorded: “There was a man came to me by the name of James Covill, who had been a Baptist minister for about forty years, and covenanted with the Lord that he would obey any command that the Lord would give to him through me, as His servant, and I received the following: [D&C 39].” (History of the Church, 1:143.)"  (https://www.lds.org/manual/doctrine-and-covenants-student-manual/section-30-40/section-39-40-revelations-to-james-covill?lang=eng)

Verses 1-3 of this section give us more titles that describe the Lord.  Which stands out most to you and why?

In verse 6, the Lord defines the Gospel.  What "good news" do you find in that verse?  What promise is given to those who receive the Gospel?  (v.22)  Compare this description with that of the "doctrine" given by Christ in 3 Nephi 11:31-33.

Verses 10-11 contain a material conditional statement.  What is John Covill's responsibility (the if part of the conditional)?  What is the Lord's promise (the then part of the conditional)? 

From the Student Manual:

"

D&C 39:10–11. The “Iffy” Blessings

In these verses the use of the word if is an indication that the blessings James Covill was to receive were conditional. President Harold B. Lee said:

“I sat in a class in Sunday School in my own ward one day, and the teacher was the son of a patriarch. He said he used to take down the blessings of his father, and he noticed that his father gave what he called ‘iffy’ blessings. He would give a blessing, but it was predicated on … ‘if you will cease doing that.’ And he said, ‘I watched these men to whom my father gave the “iffy” blessings, and I saw that many of them did not heed the warning that my father as a patriarch had given, and the blessings were never received because they did not comply.’

“You know, this started me thinking. I went back into the Doctrine and Covenants and began to read the ‘iffy’ revelations that have been given to the various brethren in the Church. If you want to have an exercise in something that will startle you, read some of the warnings that were given through the Prophet Joseph Smith to Thomas B. Marsh, Martin Harris, some of the Whitmer brothers, William E. McLellin—warnings which, had they heeded, some would not have fallen by the wayside. But because they did not heed, and they didn’t clear up their lives, they fell by the wayside, and some had to be dropped from membership in the Church.” (In Conference Report, Oct. 1972, p. 130; or Ensign, Jan. 1973, pp. 107–8.)" (https://www.lds.org/manual/doctrine-and-covenants-student-manual/section-30-40/section-39-40-revelations-to-james-covill?lang=eng) 

What promise is given to those who receive the Gospel in v.22?

Section 40

"President Joseph Fielding Smith explained that James Covill “was convinced of the truth, for it is clear that the Lord revealed to him things which he and the Lord alone knew to be the truth. However, when he withdrew from the influence of the Spirit of the Lord and had time to consider the fact that he would lose the fellowship of the world, and his place and position among his associates, he failed and rejected the promises and blessings which the Lord offered him.” (Church History and Modern Revelation, 1:174.)" (https://www.lds.org/manual/doctrine-and-covenants-student-manual/section-30-40/section-39-40-revelations-to-james-covill?lang=eng)

Why do some people reject our efforts to share the Gospel with them?  (See verse 2.)  How should we treat such people?  (See verse 3.)

Section 47

"In the dispensation of the fulness of times, the Lord commanded the Prophet Joseph Smith to keep a regular history of the Church. Oliver Cowdery and others were called to assist in the important task. John Whitmer, who previously had served as a secretary to the Prophet in Fayette, New York, was later asked to write the history of the Church. John’s reaction to the call was by his own report quite negative. He did say, however, “The will of the Lord be done, and if He desires it, I wish that He would manifest it through Joseph the Seer” (in History of the Church, 1:166n). Accordingly, on 8 March 1831 at Kirtland, Ohio, the Prophet inquired of the Lord and received the revelation known as section 47."  (https://www.lds.org/manual/doctrine-and-covenants-student-manual/section-41-49/section-47-the-importance-of-church-records?lang=eng)

How can John Whitmer's reaction to a calling he did not want serve as an example for us?  How do we react when we receive a calling for which we feel over- or under-qualified?  How should we react?

Why do we need to keep records if we have a Prophet on the earth to reveal the will of the Lord to us?  

From the Student Manual:

"

D&C 47:1. Why Is Keeping Accurate Records So Important?

The Prophet Joseph Smith said of the value of accurate records:

“It is a fact, if I now had in my possession, every decision which had been had upon important items of doctrine and duties since the commencement of this work, I would not part with them for any sum of money; we have neglected to take minutes of such things, thinking, perhaps, that they would never benefit us afterwards; which, if we had them now, would decide almost every point of doctrine which might be agitated. But this has been neglected, and now we cannot bear record to the Church and to the world, of the great and glorious manifestations which have been made to us with that degree of power and authority we otherwise could, if we now had these things to publish abroad.

“Since the Twelve are now chosen, I wish to tell them a course which they may pursue, and be benefited thereafter, in a point of light of which they are not now aware. If they will, every time they assemble, appoint a person to preside over them during the meeting, and one or more to keep a record of their proceedings, and on the decision of every question or item, be it what it may, let such decision be written, and such decision will forever remain upon record, and appear an item of covenant or doctrine. An item thus decided may appear, at the time, of little or no worth, but should it be published, and one of you lay hands on it after, you will find it of infinite worth, not only to your brethren, but it will be a feast to your own souls.

“Here is another important item. If you assemble from time to time, and proceed to discuss important questions, and pass decisions upon the same, and fail to note them down, by and by you will be driven to straits from which you will not be able to extricate yourselves, because you may be in a situation not to bring your faith to bear with sufficient perfection or power to obtain the desired information; or, perhaps, for neglecting to write these things when God has revealed them, not esteeming them of sufficient worth, the Spirit may withdraw and God may be angry; and there is, or was, a vast knowledge, of infinite importance, which is now lost.” (History of the Church, 2:198–99; see also Alma 37:8.)" (https://www.lds.org/manual/doctrine-and-covenants-student-manual/section-41-49/section-47-the-importance-of-church-records?lang=eng)