D&C 30-36: CFM with SAM

Section 30

Section 30 has so far been the most impactful section for me this year. I have never heard great attention put to it but I find it most apropos for today.

Thats it. :D You will need to read the rest yourself and put what you find in the comments.

Section 31

In Section 31, my only note was for vs 4. Most of the time the wheat is white already to harvest. Now it is white already to be burned.

In the Book of Mormon earlier, there were multiple times where the command was to get out fast, and to labor in diligence until that moment. This passage reminds me of that.

H&S make a note that Thomas Marsh was promised that his tongue would be loosed in vs 3. In Clay County, he spoke so impressively as to move General Atchison to tears and to pass a favorable resolution for the saints, which as I understand it, was the creation of a new county for their refuge.

Section 32

H&S have some interesting commentary on Parley P. Pratt. Parley P Pratt was a campbellite preacher before converting. This is similar to Sidney Rigdon and other early leaders. However, it seems a trend that most preachers are particularly hard-hearted when the gospel comes. We can see this in the pharisaical class during Jesus' time, the treatment of Joseph Smith by preachers in his time, and the resistance by preachers in our time, or at the very least their reticense to seriously ask of God the meaning of the restoration and their subsequent duties. It is a strange, sad paradox that this continues to happen. One of the first things Jesus Christ told Joseph in the first vision was that all the religions 'draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.' For all the words I write here, and all the preachings multiplied to God, the only true sacrifice that brings one closer to God is the broken spirit, contrite heart, and the gospel of Jesus Christ lived as purely as Christ's example showed us.

Section 33

Section 33 ties together an interesting harmony of past present, and future discipleship. vs 1-3 is a call to the work similar to that which we have seen previously. 4-9 is a reminder of where the work comes from. God says the vineyard has been corrupted, probably referencing Jacob 5, and speaks of priestcrafts, and corrupted minds/influences which have led the world astray. God then says that 'this church have I established and called forth out of the wilderness, which sounds like the woman from revelations. In vs 8, He commands them to open their mouths to become like Nephi of old. vs 10-12 continue the commandment to open their mouths. 13-17 begins to look forward to preparation for the Savior's Second Coming. Note that God says that He will build His church and after that its just a matter of us following the commandments of God to be a part of it. vs 18 is a point to the Second Coming directly.

Section 34

Sonship

Speculation alert: - in the first three verses, God calls Orson 'My son', ad explains that He (Jesus) is the light and the life of the world, and that whoever believes can become a son (or a daughter) of God Avraham Gileadi, a member of Jewish heritage, has written much on the book of Isiaah and discusses a divine ladder to Heaven, whereby one can draw closer to God. It is worth studying out. I included a briefer version when comparing King Benjamins discourse to this work. 

Why we preach

In vs 9 and 10, God gets a little serious about why we preach. I know some missionaries are out for numbers, others preach because of the fulfillment they receive, or the duty that they discharge themself of. Some find a genuine joy in rejoicing in the gospel with brothers and sisters around the world. There is a more serious reason. When we fall away from the teachings of God, we set ourselves on a course of destruction that plays out spiritually and temporally. We have seen this play out over and over again in the scriptures. Here God is telling His missionaries: there are great destructions coming and if you want to get people out, lift up your voices and spare not, because if you spare today, people will not be spared tomorrow, but they can be spared tomorrow if you spare not today.

a note on this last point that this doesn't mean you are a fanatic, or that you break down people's doors or force people to hear your message, so don't do that. It means instead that you are called to the work and there are serious consequences so firmly, respectfully, spiritually, lift up your voice as a witness according to the knowledge that you have been given.

Section 35

There is a lot in Section 35 that we could talk about. Sidney Rigdon, as mentioned with Parley Pratt, was a preacher who was open enough to join the church. As you probably know, he did many great things for the church, but ultimately fell away. 

I believe Sidney was making fair money as a preacher, and all this obviously went away when he joined the church. Depictions of him in seminary suggest that he struggled with love of money throughout his life. In vs 3, God gently tells him that however great he thought his plans were, God has prepared him for a greater work. He says that Sidney was prepared for this moment, althought he did not know it.

This is such a powerful reminder to us that we too are going through opportunities and change that is part of a much larger plan. We are given gifts, talents, and resources because God knows what we can do with them. Sometimes we think our success is the gifts, the talents, or the resources, but they are a means to a much greater work. The success isn't what we have, it is how we use it to build the kingdom.

Section 36

Section 36, to Edward Partridge, is shorter. I want to focus again on the idea of peace brought up invs 2. The Comforter is promised to teach 'the peaceable things of the kingdom'. God's peace is much different from the world's peace, and so it can be hard to understand. The Savior of mankind, the Peacemaker, had to go through all the horrors of the world to get there. How can that bring peace? Well, its the kind of peace that is eternal. It isn't cessation of violence, or hiding from dangers, it is a peace that can ascend all things and be through all things.

It also means that if we want peace, we must turn to the Savior. There is no other being with the power to give peace than Him. He is truly the Peacemaker, not as the world giveth, but as He Himself gives. If you are part of any organization that purports to give any measure of peace, I would ask you to look for how closely they seek the way of Jesus Christ, because the only measure they can give is that same measure that they receive from the Peacemaker.