The Secret Life of Trees—and What It Teaches Us About Zion

Why Did the Lord Talk About One Mighty and Strong?

“And it shall come to pass that I, the Lord God, will send one mighty and strong, holding the scepter of power in his hand, clothed with light for a covering, whose mouth shall utter words, eternal words; while his bowels shall be a fountain of truth, to set in order the house of God, and to arrange by lot the inheritances of the saints whose names are found, and the names of their fathers, and of their children, enrolled in the book of the law of God.” Doctrine and Covenants 85:7

The Know

In November 1832, the Prophet Joseph Smith wrote a letter to William W. Phelps after returning to Kirtland, Ohio. At the time, Phelps was responsible for Church publications in Independence, Missouri, and was an influential Latter-day Saint there. In his letter, Joseph addressed issues that the Church in Missouri was facing. Most prominent among these was the issue of Saints receiving inheritances in Zion under the law of consecration.¹ During this time, “at least some individuals had not followed the commandment to consecrate their properties and had consequently not received an inheritance.”²

In this context, Joseph clarified, “It is the duty of the Lord’s clerk, whom he has appointed, to keep a history, and a general church record of all things that transpire in Zion,” including the actions of the faithful and those who apostatized from the Church (Doctrine and Covenants 85:1–2). Furthermore, only those who lived the law of consecration could receive all the blessings promised to them by the Lord.³

In the letter, Joseph also included a prophecy that would eventually become Doctrine and Covenants 85. According to this prophecy, “one mighty and strong, holding the scepter of power in his hand, clothed with light for a covering” would be called by God “to set in order the house of God, and to arrange by lot the inheritances of the saints whose names are found . . . in the book of the law of God.” Furthermore, “that man, who was called of God and appointed, that putteth forth his hand to steady the ark of God, shall fall by the shaft of death, like as a tree that is smitten by the vivid shaft of lightning” (Doctrine and Covenants 85:7–8).

Due to the strong language of this prophecy, many have wondered whom the “one mighty and strong” might refer to. Some individuals, after having left the Church, have even claimed that they were this individual, often in an effort to gain notoriety or form their own splinter organization. However, in so doing they ignore the context behind this prophecy and misread what position is being referred to by the Lord.

The most comprehensive and authoritative commentary on this section was provided in 1905 by the First Presidency, then consisting of Presidents Joseph F. Smith, John R. Winder, and Anthon H. Lund.⁴ In their statement, the First Presidency rightly noted that “this whole letter, as also the part of it subsequently accepted as a revelation, relates to the affairs of the Church in Missouri, the gathering of the Saints to that land and obtaining their inheritances under the law of consecration and stewardship; and the Prophet deals especially with the matter of what is to become of those who fail to receive their inheritances by order or deed from the bishop.”⁵ As such, the prophecy must be viewed in this light.

Before Joseph wrote his letter, the Lord had called Edward Partridge to be the bishop of the Church and oversee the Church in Missouri. As a part of his duties, Bishop Partridge would “divide unto the saints their inheritance, even as I have commanded,” and he was “appointed to be a judge in Israel, like as it was in ancient days, to divide the lands of the heritage of God unto his children” (Doctrine and Covenants 57:7; 58:17). In other words, the bishop’s duty in Zion was to “to set in order the house of God” as a judge in Israel, and he was appointed “to arrange by lot the inheritances of the saints whose names are found . . . in the book of the law of God” (Doctrine and Covenants 85:7).

Furthermore, between 1831 and 1833 there was much conflict between the Church leaders in Independence and Kirtland. As the First Presidency observed in 1905, “The brethren in those days were limited in their experience. The Church had been organized but as yesterday. The order of the Priesthood was not understood then, as it is today.”⁶ Thus, corrections had to be issued frequently to preserve the unity of the Church. Occasionally, these corrections even had to be issued to Edward Partridge.⁷ It would appear that this was one such correction: “[Edward Partridge] was warned of the judgment of God impending, and the prediction was made that another, ‘one mighty and strong,’ would be sent of God to take his place, to have his bishopric —one having the spirit and power of that high office resting upon him . . . in other words, one who would do the work that Bishop Edward Partridge had been appointed to do, but had failed to accomplish.”⁸

However, Bishop Partridge repented and faced some of the most intense persecution for his testimony when the Saints were driven out of Jackson County, Missouri. In an uncanonized revelation to Joseph Smith given on November 7, 1835, the Lord expressed that He was pleased with Bishop Partridge and that Partridge was forgiven of his sins.⁹ As such, he “undoubtedly obtained a mitigation of the threatened judgment,” so the coming forth of one mighty and strong “may also be considered as having passed away and the whole incident of the prophecy closed.”¹⁰ Furthermore, in instructions to Oliver Cowdery delivered in 1834, Joseph Smith clarified that the warning against steadying the ark of God was a general warning to all the Saints and did not refer to anyone in particular.¹¹

In their statement, the First Presidency also noted that if this prophecy was not just a conditional warning and entailed a future fulfilment, the one mighty and strong “will be a future bishop of the Church who will be with the Saints in Zion, Jackson county, Missouri, when the Lord shall establish them in that land. . . . He will be designated by the inspiration of the Lord, and will be accepted and sustained by the whole Church, as the law of God provides.”¹² Furthermore, the phrase “set in order the house of God” in this revelation “should most certainly be interpreted by the whole subject of the revelation”; therefore, this phrase is “limited to setting in order the house of God by arranging by lot the inheritances of the Saints.”¹³ As such, this will not entail the overturning of God’s Church or His prophet.¹⁴

The Why

Ever since this revelation was received, it “has been used by vain and foolish men to bolster up their vagaries of speculation, and in some cases their pretensions to great power and high positions they were to attain in the Church,” noted the First Presidency in 1905.¹⁵ However, the Lord’s Church is a house of order, and such claimants to special power or authority outside of the Church can therefore be summarily dismissed.

This was not a new issue at the time of the prophecy. In 1830, Hiram Page had a seer stone through which he claimed to receive revelations regarding the upbuilding of Zion and the Church. As the Lord revealed through Joseph, however, such was not the case: “No one shall be appointed to receive commandments and revelations in this church” except the prophet (Doctrine and Covenants 28:2). This doctrine has been repeatedly emphasized by the prophets and apostles of the Church since this time.¹⁶ As with any calling or priesthood office, “no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron” (Hebrews 5:4). If this prophecy was not merely a conditional prophecy and does pertain to some future bishop of the Church, he will likewise be called of God through the proper revelatory channels.

Because there are those who do make these claims, however, it is important for Latter-day Saints to be aware of the context and full meaning behind this revelation. This is especially important so they can avoid accidentally seeking to steady the ark of God, as this revelation warns against. As the First Presidency taught, “The Latter-day Saints . . . should be so well settled in the conviction that God has established his Church in the earth for the last time, to remain, and no more to be thrown down, or destroyed; and that God’s house is a house of order, of law, of regularity. . . . The Church of Christ is with the Saints.”¹⁷

Further Reading

Casey Paul Griffiths, Scripture Central Commentary on the Doctrine and Covenants, 4 vols. (Scripture Central; Cedar Fort, 2024), 3:89–96.

Steven C. Harper, Making Sense of the Doctrine and Covenants: A Guided Tour Through Modern Revelations (Deseret Book, 2008), 304–6.

Joseph F. Smith, John R. Winder, and Anthon H. Lund, “One Mighty and Strong,” Improvement Era, October 1907, 929–43.

For a deeper spiritual discussion on this section and how to apply it today, listen to the Come Follow Me Podcast on D&C 85–87.

Endnotes

• 1. For a discussion on how the law of consecration was practiced in 1832 and why Latter-day Saints still keep this commandment today, see Scripture Central, “Why Are Saints Invited to Live the Law of Consecration? (Doctrine and Covenants 42:30),” KnoWhy 791 (May 6, 2025).
• 2.  “Letter to William W. Phelps, 27 November 1832,” historical introduction, The Joseph Smith Papers; see also Casey Paul Griffiths, Scripture Central Commentary on the Doctrine and Covenants, 4 vols. (Scripture Central; Cedar Fort, 2024), 3:89–90.
• 3. Doctrine and Covenants 85:3–5. See Steven C. Harper, Making Sense of the Doctrine and Covenants: A Guided Tour Through Modern Revelations (Deseret Book, 2008), 304–6, for a discussion on how this section clarifies aspects of the law of consecration and the Saints’ agency.
• 4. Joseph F. Smith, John R. Winder, and Anthon H. Lund, “One Mighty and Strong,” Improvement Era, October 1907, 929–43. This statement was originally published in Joseph F. Smith, John R. Winder, and Anthon H. Lund, “First Presidency Statement,” Deseret News, November 11, 1905. This statement has also been made available in James R. Clark, ed., Messages of the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 6 vols. (Bookcraft, 1965–71), 4:107–20.
• 5. Smith, Winder, and Lund, “One Mighty and Strong,” 933.
• 6. Smith, Winder, and Lund, “One Mighty and Strong,” 934.
• 7. See, for example, Doctrine and Covenants 58:14–16; 84:54–58; 90:34–36.
• 8. Smith, Winder, and Lund, “One Mighty and Strong,” 937.
• 9. This revelation reads, in part, “I am well pleased with my servant Isaac Morley and my servant Edward Partridge because of the integrity of their hearts in laboring in my vineyard for the salvation of the souls of men. Verily, I say unto you, their sins are forgiven them.” Stephen O. Smoot and Brian C. Passantino, eds., Joseph Smith’s Uncanonized Revelations (Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University; Deseret Book, 2024), 77.
• 10. Smith, Winder, and Lund, “One Mighty and Strong,” 939–40. The First Presidency goes on to liken this incident to the sickness and healing of Hezekiah recorded in 2 Kings 20:1–6. In that prophecy, Hezekiah was told he would soon die, but it was then rescinded when Hezekiah prayed to the Lord. As such, the coming forth of one mighty and strong could likewise be a conditional prophecy that passed without incident due to Bishop Partridge’s repentance.
• 11. These instructions have been preserved in a letter from Oliver Cowdery to John Whitmer dated January 1, 1834: “Brother Joseph says, that the item in his letter that says, that the man that is called &c. and puts forth his hand to steady the ark of God, does not mean that any one had at the time, but it was given for a caution to those in high standing to beware, lest they should fall by the shaft of death as the Lord had said.” “Letter to William W. Phelps, 27 November 1832,” p. 3n14, The Joseph Smith Papers.
• 12. Smith, Winder, and Lund, “One Mighty and Strong,” 941. They continue: “His coming will not be the result of a wild, erratic movement, or the assumption of authority by a self-appointed egotist seeking power that he may lord it over the people; God’s house is one of order, and admits of no such irregular procedure.”
• 13. Smith, Winder, and Lund, “One Mighty and Strong,” 942.
• 14. Stephen E. Robinson and H. Dean Garrett, A Commentary on the Doctrine and Covenants, 4 vols. (Deseret Book, 2000–2005), 3:73–74, also note that Jesus Christ is the archetypal one mighty and strong and that should there be a future or millennial presiding bishop, he will need to be called by God in the proper order established by God.
• 15. Smith, Winder, and Lund, “One Mighty and Strong,” 930.
• 16. For more on this, see Scripture Central, “Why Does God Give Revelation for the Church Only to the Presiding Prophet? (Doctrine and Covenants 28:2),” KnoWhy 783 (March 18, 2025).
• 17. Smith, Winder, and Lund, “One Mighty and Strong,” 942. See also Mark E. Peterson, “Salvation Comes Through the Church,” Ensign, July 1973.

How Did the Joseph Smith Translation Serve as a Springboard for Many Revelations?

The Know

Between June 1830 and July 1833, the Prophet Joseph Smith spent much of his time working on a new translation of the Bible (commonly referred to as the Joseph Smith Translation, or JST, today). Significantly, Kent P. Jackson and other scholars have noted, “Over half of the revelations in the Doctrine and Covenants came between June 1830 and July 1833, the time during which Joseph Smith was working on his New Translation of the Bible.”1

What is Your Ebenezer?

We are thrilled with the addition of the hymn “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing” to the new hymnbook. We sing:

Here I raise my Ebenezer,
Here by Thy great help I’ve come,
And I hope by Thy good pleasure,
Safely to arrive at home.

An Ebenezer is a stone of help. A stone was originally set up by Samuel as a token of gratitude for deliverance from the Philistines. An Ebenezer is a sign to Heavenly Father to express our gratitude for all He has blessed us with.

One of the questions I am asked most often when teaching Emergency Preparedness and on Facebook is: “I’m spending all this time, effort, and money to prepare and I have friends and family who tell me they will just come to our house when disaster strike. I don’t really want to share when they had money, time and space to do it themselves. Am I wrong?”

We were recently watching a show interviewing survivors of the Lahaina fire and telling their story. At one point we commented that there were a lot of homeless and wondered how many people opened their homes to survivors. There are only so many rentals and hotel rooms available following a disaster.

Imagine a fire storm such as in southern California or a hurricane such as in North Carolina this past year. The stores are gone, as is everything you owned. There are only so many things you can purchase on your credit card and financial help from agencies is extremely small. What do you do? Hopefully, there will be people around to fill in the gaps. That can be us!

 “And behold, thou wilt remember the poor, and consecrate of thy properties for their support that which thou hast to impart unto them, with a covenant and a deed which cannot be broken. And inasmuch as ye impart of your substance unto the poor ye will do it unto me…..” D&C 42: 30-13

Who are the poor? Joseph Smith reminds us. Poor does not refer just to those who are having trouble paying their bills but also those who are poor in spirit. Those who have lost hope. Those who have lost faith.

Bishop H. David Burton, Presiding Bishop: “The Prophet Joseph Smith taught that it is our responsibility ‘to feed the hungry, to clothe the naked, to provide for the widow, to dry up the tear of the orphan, to comfort the afflicted, whether in this church or in any other, or in no church at all, wherever he finds them’ (Times and Seasons, 15 Mar. 1842, 732). May we be generous with our time and liberal in our contributions for the care of those who suffer” (“Go, and Do Thou Likewise,” Ensign, May 1997, 77).

Matthew 25:37–40: “Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”

“Thou wilt remember the poor, and consecrate of thy properties….”  What is consecration if we are asked to consecrate?

“But consecration is more than the act of giving. It is the sanctification that comes of giving willingly, for the right reasons, which section 82 describes as “every man seeking the interest of his neighbor and doing all things with an eye single to the glory of God” (v. 19). To consecrate is not to give away; it is to sanctify or make sacred or holy. Possessions, time, and spiritual gifts can be made sacred by offering them

Consecration is setting something apart as holy for the Lord’s work. Latter-day Saints voluntarily dedicate their time, talents, and means to establishing the kingdom of God. As Elder David A. Bednar taught, consecration “is motivated by charity and produces an increased desire to serve.” In the temple, Church members covenant to live the law of consecration. The highest form of consecration is giving all we are and all we can become to building the kingdom of God.” (Gospel study guide)

When considering disasters and our preparedness, we have been told to refer to this as Emergency Preparedness and Response. Are we prepared to respond?

Would you be prepared to provide toothpaste and toothbrushes, soap, food, cleaning supplies when the Stake president asks for them for a shelter being set up at the church? Would you be prepared to provide housing for a family when the Bishop calls to ask?

Years ago, I interviewed a man, we’ll call him John, who lived 50 miles from a devastating hurricane. A friend called and asked if they could bring their motor home and live on their property until power was restored and people were let back into the area. The man said of course and when the friends showed up, they had two other families with their motor homes who they brought with them. They had nothing. They needed everything from toothpaste to toilet paper to food. John shared all the supplies he had and since the power was out even 50 miles away from landfall, stores were only accepting cash. Guess what…those families didn’t have cash, but John did, so there went his stash. He was committed to being more stocked up on supplies just in case he was called on again to provide help without it affecting his savings.

Many of the items needed following a disaster are inexpensive and easy to store for years. Consider the dollar store.

Toothbrushes with cap, family size toothpaste and of course dental floss. Dental floss has many uses during an emergency when supplies may be limited.

Hygiene items: Deodorant, shampoo, shaving cream, 6 combs, or 3 large bars of soap

Medical needs: antibacterial cream, cortisone cream, bandages, and 2 pack hand sanitizers. Teething gel is available and a great addition to kits even if you don’t have a child; adults get toothaches too and a dentist may not be an option for a day or two.

Five glow bracelets or 2 glow sticks: Glow bracelets are the perfect way to keep track of kids in a crowd. Glow sticks can provide light without running down precious batteries.

Baby wipes: Great for cleaning up after working or eating as well as for use with a baby.

My favorite cleaner is just $1.25 at the dollar store.

Start there. Start small but start now. You may have food storage, but do you have those things that may be needed by someone else?

I enjoyed the movie Horton Hears a Who. I still think about the reaction of Whoville’s city council, “Nothing ever happens here and nothing ever will”. These days we need more people like Horton, who recognize that even when others are oblivious to wise counsel, we must not doubt ourselves when it is time to be smart – time to be educated about world conditions and prioritize our preparedness.

No matter where you live, things are happening, and they will affect you and your family. Your home may not be destroyed by an earthquake, hurricane, tornado, wildfire or terrorism, but your current way of life could be permanently altered. Certainly, those who believe in the Lord’s return, trust that some big changes will accompany those events and will want to be prepared in every way for themselves and anyone who may need them.

As you sing “Here I raise my Ebenezer” ask yourself “what is my Ebenezer?”. Our emergency preparations can be our Ebenezer. It can be our way of showing gratitude for all we have been blessed with as we follow the prophets and prepare to respond.

To ask a question or get help please contact Carolyn through the comment section or by sending a message through the Totally Ready Facebook page.

Why Are Saints Invited to Live the Law of Consecration?

View the original post on Scripture Central. 

Come, Follow Me for Sunday School: “Ye Are the Children of the Covenant”, 3 Nephi 20-26

Cover image: Illustration of Christ appearing to the Nephites by Andrew Bosley.

The ministry of Jesus Christ was divided into two parts: pre- and post-resurrection. In 3 Nephi, we are blessed to receive both parts, which He calls “the fulness of the gospel” (20:30).

In the four Gospels, we get the pre-resurrection teachings of the Savior, which are called “the law of the Gospel.” Then, in Acts 1:3, we read that He taught the disciples the “things of the kingdom of God” for forty days after His resurrection, but we get only hints of what those things were.

In 3 Nephi, we get the pre-resurrection teachings of the Savior, such as the Sermon on the Mount. Then, in 3 Nephi 26, He teaches that there are “greater things” to be learned—those things he taught the disciples in his forty-day post-resurrection ministry but were not recorded.

To prepare the Nephites for these “greater things,” He first administers the sacrament to them in a miraculous way (20:3-9). Now filled with the Spirit, they are ready to receive their covenants. “Ye are the children of the covenant,” He tells them (20:26), speaking of the covenant which the Father made with Abraham that “in [his] seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed—unto the pouring out of the Holy Ghost” (20:27).

What is a covenant?

Like a contract, a covenant is an agreement between two or more parties that they will perform certain things and receive certain rewards if they perform those things. However, unlike an ordinary contract, a gospel covenant is based on love. The parties in a contract are not asked to love one another, but the parties in a gospel covenant commit to something higher. It is a commitment of love, which is why the Lord speaks of His relationship to Israel as like a marriage covenant between loving spouses (for example, see Isaiah 62:5, Hosea 2:14-23, John 3:29, Revelation 21:2, 9-10).

What does the gospel covenant require us to do?

First, we are invited into the covenant. “If they will repent and hearken unto my words,” the Lord says, “I will establish my church among them, and they shall come into the covenant and be numbered among this the remnant of Jacob” (21:22).  We are to repent and call upon the Lord all our lives. Repentance, as President Russell M. Nelson says, is not a one-time thing. “Repentance is not an event; it is a process. It is the key to happiness and peace of mind. . . . Focus on daily repentance” (“We Can Do Better and Be Better,” April 2019 General Conference).

We also covenant to “hearken unto [the Savior’s] words” forever. How do we do this? By scripture study and following the prophet of the Lord, of course. But we also seek and listen for revelation to ourselves. President Nelson also says, “I plead with you to increase your spiritual capacity to receive revelation. . . . . Pray in the name of Jesus Christ about your concerns, your fears, your weaknesses—yes, the very longings of your heart. And then listen! Write the thoughts that come to your mind. Record your feelings and follow through with actions that you are prompted to take. As you repeat this process day after day, month after month, year after year, you will ‘grow into the principle of revelation’” (“Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives,” April 2018 General Conference). Note that the people of Nephi kept a covenant of obedience strictly after the Savior’s visit: “They did do all things even as Jesus had commanded them” (26:20).

A second covenant we make is to “offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness. Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the Lord” (24:3-4).  Although this commandment is given specifically to priesthood holders, it applies to all. What offerings should we give? Jesus commands the people to write down this commandment: “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse . . . and prove me now herewith . . .  if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it” (24:10). Our greatest offering is the sacrifice of a broken heart and a contrite spirit (D&C 59:8-10).

Another key covenant is chastity. “Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence; touch not that which is unclean; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord” (20:41). Quoting Isaiah, the Lord instructs us to leave “spiritual Babylon” and stay strictly away from the sexual immorality Babylon represents. The “vessels of the Lord” refer to the temple implements the priests of Israel were to return to Jerusalem after the Babylonian exile. We also covenant to be a pure and chaste priesthood as we serve in the temple of the Lord.

Finally, the people covenanted to consecrate everything they had to the work of the Lord. Elder Bruce R. McConkie taught, “The law of consecration is that we consecrate our time, our talents, and our money and property to the cause of the Church: such are to be available to the extent they are needed to further the Lord’s interests on earth” (“Obedience, Sacrifice, and Consecration,” April 1975 General Conference). We learn that the people of Nephi “had all things in common among them.” They also performed consecrated service: “They taught and did minister one to another” (26:19).

We too are called to consecrate our time, talents, and wherewithal to the great work of gathering Israel. “Awake, awake again, and put on thy strength, O Zion. . . . Shake thyself from the dust; arise” (20:36-37). If we are sleepy and gathering dust in our work for the Lord, let’s “awaken, arise, and inspire the inhabitants of the earth as a mighty force for righteousness,” as President Nelson has asked (“Daughters of Zion,” New Era, Nov. 1985, 9). In our time “shall the Father work a work, which shall be a great and a marvelous work” (21:9); we have the opportunity to be part of that work, which President Nelson has called “the greatest challenge, the greatest cause, and the greatest work on earth”—the gathering of Israel (“Hope of Israel,” Worldwide Youth Devotional, June 3, 2018).

How do we serve in this “greatest work on earth”? “Enlarge the place of thy tent and let them stretch forth the curtains of thy habitations; spare not, lengthen thy cords and strengthen thy stakes” (22:2). We gather “scattered Israel” by enlarging our “tents,” that is, bringing people into our homes and hearts—family members, neighbors, less-active members, and those who don’t yet belong to the Church. President Nelson asks us to “expand our circle of love to embrace the whole human family.” We “strengthen the stakes” by faithfully fulfilling our callings.

As children of the covenant, Elder Bruce R. McConkie explained, “It is our privilege to consecrate our time, talents, and means to build up his kingdom. We are called upon to sacrifice, in one degree or another, for the furtherance of his work. Obedience is essential to salvation; so, also, is service; and so, also, are consecration and sacrifice” (“Obedience,” op. cit.).

To this point in the Savior’s ministry to the people of Nephi, He has been preparing them for even greater knowledge and covenants. Just as He taught “the things of the kingdom” to the disciples in Palestine for forty days after His resurrection, so He taught the people in the New World the “greater things” of the kingdom. In 3 Nephi 26, He presents to them what we might call an “apocalyptic” revelation: an account of the Lord’s entire plan from first to last. “He did expound all things, even from the beginning until the time that he should come in his glory—yea, even all things which should come upon the face of the earth” (26:3).

Prophets such as Adam, Enoch, Abraham, Moses, and Joseph Smith have received such apocalyptic (“opening of the veil”) presentations since the beginning. The Lord wants His people to understand His plan, but that understanding is only for those who are prepared to receive it. We note that Mormon is commanded not to record the things of chapter 26: “Behold, I was about to write them . . . but the Lord forbade it” (26:11). saying, I will try the faith of my people” (26:11).

Why did the Lord permit Mormon to record only the “lesser part of the things which he taught the people” (26:8)? Clearly, Mormon’s readers were not to have access to the greater things of the plan of salvation until they were ready for them. “When they shall have received this [the Book of Mormon], which is expedient that they should have first,” Mormon explains, “if it shall so be that they shall believe these things then shall the greater things be made manifest unto them” (26:9). Readers of the book will be blessed with greater knowledge and covenants once they have demonstrated enough faith to accept and live by the covenants revealed in the Book of Mormon: “I will try the faith of my people,” says the Lord (26:11). We are told that not “even a hundredth part” of those hidden teachings could be written; those who are prepared can have access to the richness of those truths in the holy temple.

Every covenant is associated with a sign or a token. The sign of the covenant to us is the Book of Mormon itself: When in the latter days people “shall begin to know these things—it shall be a sign unto them, that they may know that the work of the Father hath already commenced unto the fulfilling of the covenant which he hath made unto the people who are of the house of Israel” (21:7). So the Book of Mormon is not just a guidebook to the gospel: in itself, it is the sign of the fulfillment of his covenant in his glorious coming.

The covenant of the Lord is a “covenant of peace.” If we are faithful to that covenant, the Lord says, “My kindness shall not depart from thee . . . O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted!. . . thou shalt be far from oppression for thou shalt not fear, and from terror for it shall not come near thee” (22:10-11, 14).

How Can The Book Of Mormon Help Saints Live The Law Of Consecration?

Sign up for Meridian’s Free Newsletter, please CLICK HERE

Visit Book of Mormon Central’s Website
Follow Us on Facebook

What is the Law of the Celestial Kingdom?

(Receive a free PDF copy of Zion—Our Origin and Our Destiny. Please click here: www.pillarsofzion.com)

To consecrate something is to sanctify, purify and set it apart for a sacred use, to make it holy, to dedicate it solemnly to a special service, or to give it religious sanction as with an oath or a vow.[i] When we make the covenant of consecration, we agree to consecrate our lives, including everything that we have, will have, are or will be. According to President Kimball, we consecrate “our time, talents and means to care for those in need-whether spiritually or temporally-and in building the Lord’s kingdom.” [ii]

Hugh Nibley asks, “And how much is one able to give? Exactly as much as the Lord has given him—all that which the Lord has blessed you, or with which he will bless you.”[iii] Lived properly, the covenant of consecration paves the way and lays the foundation for the establishment for Zion in a righteous person’s life.

A Brief History of Consecration

The first recorded revelation concerning consecration was April 7, 1829, when the Lord instructed Joseph Smith to “seek to bring forth and establish the cause of Zion.”[iv] This was no small task. Zion is the celestial order of things, for both individuals and societies.[v]

Some descriptions of consecrated Zion people include: their belief that all things belong to God and that they are stewards[vi]; their willingness to be unified by esteeming other people as themselves[vii]; their retaining and exercising their free agency[viii]; their willingness to set aside selfishness and become equal with all the saints of God, according to their wants, needs and family situations[ix] by consecrating their “time, talents, strength, properties, and monies”[x]; and their being accountable to the Lord for the discharge of their covenant and stewardships.[xi]

Anciently, Enoch managed to establish the ideal of Zion among his people, who later joined to create Zion, the city. These people exercised faith in Jesus Christ, repented of their sins, embraced the fullness of the New and Everlasting Covenant, and thereby became “of one heart and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there was no poor among them.”[xii] The vehicle that made this condition possible, and that will make it possible in the latter-days, was the Law of Consecration.

At the beginning of 1831, “the Lord revealed to the Prophet Joseph Smith in Fayette, New York, that anciently he had taken the Zion of Enoch to himself and then commanded him to go to Ohio to receive the law [the law of Zion].”[xiii]

A month later, February 9, 1831, the Lord revealed to the Prophet “the law,” or thelaw of Zion, that which the Prophet specified as “embracing the law of the Church.”[xiv] This law became known as Section 42 of the Doctrine and Covenants, and in it the Lord revealed the cornerstones of the Law of Consecration.

D&C 42—The Cornerstones of Consecration

The “Law of the Church,” Section 42 of the Doctrine and Covenants, lists four cornerstones of the Law of Consecration:

1. Mutual assistance–the Lord expects his disciples to sustain and help one another.
2. Proper use of priesthood–the priesthood is to be used to benefit those who are physically and spiritually ill or in need.
3. The need for faith—according to God’s will, a person can be healed [physically, emotionally and spiritually] by the power of the priesthood if that individual has faith in Jesus Christ and if he is “not appointed unto death,” information that gives confidence to the person as he realizes that the Lord has given him time to work out his exaltation.
4. Reciprocal love–the Lord expects his disciples to love one another and to become one.[xv]

The Law We Must Live to Achieve the Celestial Kingdom

President Ezra Taft Benson said, “The law of consecration is a law for an inheritance in the celestial kingdom. God, the Eternal Father, His Son Jesus Christ, and all holy beings abide by this law. It is an eternal law.”[xvi] People whose lives are consecrated to the Lord “set their hearts on righteousness and having actually put first in their lives the things of God’s kingdom.”[xvii]

The Church Welfare Plan describes a consecrated person as one who does not seek for worldly riches; who esteems his brother as himself; who, through tithes and offerings, helps to build up the Kingdom of God by caring for the temporal needs of those General Authorities whom God has called into full-time service; who makes his worldly goods available, over and above his family’s necessities, for the Lord’s work; and who, with his time, talents and means, takes care of the temporally and spiritually poor.[xviii] Quoting the Church Welfare Plan, Bruce R. McConkie wrote,

“The practice of the law of consecration is inextricably intertwined with the development of the attributes of godliness in this life and the attainment of eternal life in the world to come. ‘The law pertaining to material aid is so formulated that the carrying of it out necessitates practices calculated to root out human traits not in harmony with requirements for living in the celestial kingdom and replacing those inharmonious traits with the virtues and character essential to life in that abode.’ (Bowen, The Church Welfare Plan, p. 13).”[xix]

Then quoting a supporting scripture, Elder McConkie added, “For if you will that I give you a   place in the celestial world, you must prepare yourselves by doing the things which I have commanded you and required of you.”[xx]

Consecration’s Foundational Principles

Elsewhere in the scriptures, we learn that the Law of Consecration is built on the foundational principles of agency, stewardship, accountability and labor.

• Agency. An agent is someone who has the power and authority to act.[xxi] Therefore, agents have agency, which is the ability to “act for themselves,”[xxii] or to the ability to act for himself with respect to a given responsibility or obligation.[xxiii] Agents have the capacity to be accountable for their actions. Whereas freedom is the power and privilege to exercise our will and act upon it,agency is the power, independence of mind and individual will to choose in the first place.
  

Elder McConkie wrote: “Four great principles must be in force if there is to be agency: 1. Laws must exist, laws ordained by an Omnipotent power, laws which can be obeyed or disobeyed; 2. Opposites must exist–good and evil, virtue and vice, right and wrong–that is, there must be an opposition, one force pulling one way and another pulling the other; 3. A knowledge of good and evil must be had by those who are to enjoy the agency, that is, they must know the difference between the opposites; and 4. An unfettered power of choice must prevail.”[xxiv]

Moral agency describes our ability to act upon and be accountable for spiritual matters.[xxv] Zion people exercise their God-given agency to choose to make and keep the New and Everlasting Covenant (the Covenant), and to reject the enticements of Babylon. And choose we must. Posing the choice between Zion and Babylon, Elijah asked, “How long halt ye between two opinions? if the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal [Babylon], then follow him.”[xxvi] Being lukewarm on the issue is not acceptable: “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.”[xxvii]

That these opposites (hot and cold) exist makes agency possible: “And it must needs be that the devil should tempt the children of men, or they could not be agents unto themselves; for if they never should have bitter they could not know the sweet.”[xxviii] Therefore, we are free to choose our destiny: Zion, to our salvation, or Babylon, to our condemnation. “Behold, here is the agency of man, and here is the condemnation of man; because that which was from the beginning is plainly manifest unto them, and they receive not the light.”[xxix]

Having chosen Zion and thus having overcome Babylon, Zion people enjoy the highest degree of moral agency and its resulting freedom. Agency and freedom flourish in Zion: “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.[xxx] “And because that they are redeemed from the fall they have become free forever, knowing good from evil; to act for themselves and not to be acted upon….”[xxxi]

Conversely, agency and freedom decrease in Babylon: “And the whole world [Babylon] lieth in sin, and groaneth under darkness and under the bondage of sin.”[xxxii] Choosing Babylon results in fewer choices and less freedom to exercise agency, while choosing Zion results in limitless choices and unequalled freedom to exercise agency.

• Stewardship. When a person exercises his agency to live the Covenant, he makes a conscious choice to become a steward of the Lord’s property. His approach to ownership is “the earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof….”[xxxiii] Elder Bruce R. McConkie said, “Underlying this principle of stewardship is the eternal gospel truth that all things belong to the Lord. ‘I, the Lord, stretched out the heavens, and built the earth, my very handiwork; and all things therein are mine …. Behold, all these properties are mine, … And if the properties are mine, then ye are stewards; otherwise ye are no stewards.’ (D&C 104:14, 55-56).”[xxxiv]
  

We are expressly forbidden to hoard property or claim it as our own: “I command thee that thou shalt not covet thine own property….”[xxxv] Therefore, a Zion person’s claim to his property is subordinate to the Lord’s claim. As Martin Harris learned, property must be consecrated for the building up of the Kingdom of God and the establishment of Zion, which provides that no poor should exist among us. Ultimately we will be held accountable for the discharge of our stewardship.[xxxvi]

A Zion person’s stewardship, sometimes referred to as “portion,”[xxxvii] or “inheritance,”[xxxviii] is to be used to support his own family, and then “conveying back to the Lord’s storehouse any surplus which accrued [for the poor]. (D&C 42:33-34, 55; 70:7-10).” Elder McConkie added, “It is by the wise use of one’s stewardship that eternal life is won.”[xxxix] Zion people do not take their covenant of stewardship lightly; they know that everything depends on their faithfulness in this responsibility: “And whoso is found a faithful, a just, and a wise steward shall enter into the joy of his Lord, and shall inherit eternal life.”[xl]

• Accountability. The Lord said, “…every man shall be made accountable unto me, a steward over his own property….”[xli] Upon the principle of moral agency, stewards are free to manage their stewardships, but they are not free from being accountable to the Lord: “…it is required of the Lord, at the hand of every steward, to render an account of his stewardship, both in time and in eternity. For he who is faithful and wise in time is accounted worthy to inherit the mansions prepared for him of my Father.”[xlii] Clearly, we will one day stand before God to give an accounting of our deeds, which will include the management of our stewardship. Our performance will determine the trusts and stewardships given to us in eternity.
  

Zion people are under covenant to account for their earthly stewardships to the Lord’s servant, the bishop: “Verily I say unto you, the elders of the church in this part of my vineyard shall render an account of their stewardship unto the bishop, who shall be appointed of me in this part of my vineyard. These things shall be had on record, to be handed over unto the bishop in Zion.”[xliii] For this reason, we report to the bishop each year regarding our tithes and offerings, and we account to him during our temple recommend interview. Elder David A. Bednar said that we account to God every night in prayer.[xliv]

• Labor. Elder Bruce R. McConkie wrote, “Work is the great basic principle which makes all things possible both in time and in eternity. Men, spirits, angels, and Gods use their physical and mental powers in work.”[xlv] Work, like other principles, exists in degrees ranging from telestial to celestial. Adam was commanded to work to support his family,[xlvi] which is a celestial endeavor, but he was not commanded to set his sights on empire building, plundering, extorting, leveraging, competing, augmenting his balance sheet or amassing personal wealth on the backs of the poor, all of which are telestial. Adam worked to create the first Zion upon the earth: Adam-ondi-Ahman. There he labored to sustain his immediate family and to bless the lives of others.
  

Likewise, Enoch worked to establish Zion, as did Melchizedek and Nephi: “And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did cause my people to be industrious, and to labor with their hands.”[xlvii] They worked together for the benefit of all. They labored to establish righteousness. They worked in unity to raise crops, smelt ore to create weapons for defense, and fashion objects of beauty. Together, they built buildings and a temple. Because of their celestial level of labor they were blessed with prosperity and familial strength: “And it came to pass that we began to prosper exceedingly, and to multiply in the land.”[xlviii]

Things began to fall apart when the Nephites became selfish and began to work on a telestial level. Jacob chastised them for searching “for gold, and for silver, and for all manner of precious ores” for the purpose of obtaining riches “more abundantly than that of your brethren,” causing the errant one to be “lifted up in the pride of your hearts, and …suppose that ye are better than they.”[xlix] This kind of labor is not justified in Zion; it is condemned. President Kimball said, “As I understand these matters, Zion can be established only by those who are pure in heart, and who labor for Zion, for the ‘laborer in Zion shall labor for Zion; for if they labor for money [riches] they shall perish’ (2 Ne. 26:30).2 Ne.26:31).”[l]

Jacob taught the celestial law of labor and its underlying motivation: “Think of your brethren like unto yourselves, and be familiar with all and free with your substance, that they may be rich like unto you. But before ye seek for riches, seek ye for the kingdom of God. And after ye have obtained a hope in Christ ye shall obtain riches, if ye seek them; and ye will seek them for the intent to do good–to clothe the naked, and to feed the hungry, and to liberate the captive, and administer relief to the sick and the afflicted.”[li] Clearly, we must work, but what we work for determines if the work is telestial or celestial.

Conversely, “idleness has no place [in Zion],” said President Benson, “and greed, selfishness, and covetousness are condemned. [Zion] may therefore operate only with a righteous people.”[lii]

Conclusion

The Law of Consecration is a subject as glorious as its Founder. It is the law of the Celestial Kingdom revealed to us in this telestial setting for our salvation and exaltation. By this law the Kingdom of God prepares the way for the establishment of Zion as a holy community and Zion as individual people. We must learn all we can about this law then live it, otherwise we cannot expect to obtain an inheritance in the Celestial Kingdom.

The foundational principles and cornerstones of Consecration are equality, unity, mutual assistance, proper use of the priesthood, faith, reciprocal love (charity), agency, stewardship, accountability and labor. This is the law by which hearts are purified, and by which we are ushered into the presence of God. Only upon the Law of consecration can we become one in our marriages, families, wards, stakes, the Church, and one with the Father and the Son.

Author’s Note:

Receive a free PDF copy of Zion—Our Origin and Our Destiny. Please click here: www.pillarsofzion.com. Follow our Internet missionary project: www.gospelideals.org. And LIKE us on www.facebook.com/gospelideals.