D&C 84: Come Follow Me with Sam

Its another D&C mega chapter! This one is best known for its emphasis on the priesthood. There are a lot of treasures in here. There is also a building pattern. God teaches a short history of the priesthood, and uses it to show the meaning of the priesthood, and the blessings of the priesthood, then to how we fall short of those blessings, then what we can do to receive those blessings, then to how he will strengthen us to be able to accomplish this task. There is more after this, but I didn't get that far this time around. The last treasures in D&C 84 are up to you to find ;) until I can come back and add more. 

Also, the treasures are always up to you to find anyway :D. I am just acting in my best capacity as a guide but the gospel isn't something that is transmitted through teaching, it is something that is manifested by the spirit, and only God can give that.


Section 84

Short History of the Priesthood

Check out this history of the priesthood in vs 6-17. We can learn so much here about the patterns of the priesthood in the world. Today, check out this reflection of Abraham on the priesthood, taken from the book of Abraham.

2 And, finding there was greater ahappiness and peace and rest for me, I sought for the blessings of the fathers, and the right whereunto I should be ordained to administer the same; having been myself a follower of brighteousness, desiring also to be one who possessed great cknowledge, and to be a greater follower of righteousness, and to possess a greater knowledge, and to be a father of many dnations, a prince of peace, and edesiring to receive instructions, and to keep the commandments of God, I became a rightful heir, a fHigh Priest, holding the right belonging to the fathers.

3 It was aconferred upon me from the fathers; it came down from the fathers, from the beginning of time, yea, even from the beginning, or before the foundation of the earth, down to the present time, even the right of the bfirstborn, or the first man, who is cAdam, or first father, through the fathers unto me.

4 I sought for mine aappointment unto the Priesthood according to the appointment of God unto the bfathers concerning the seed.

The meaning of the priesthood 

fair warning - I'm going to butcher this part. But this is a really important part. It has been taught through the history of the church in the latter days. I guess I just don't understand it completely yet. here goes anyway.

God says that the priesthood was made to open up the mysteries, even the key of the knowledge of God, which, I don't feel right guessing at today. He then says that "in the ordinances thereof, the power of godliness is manifest. And without the ordinances thereof, and the authority of the priesthood, the power of godliness is not manifest unto men in the flesh."

So there is this tie between God bringing His power on earth to mankind, mankind using this power to follow proscribed rites and ordinances, and this combination of priesthood power and these rites opening up the heavens, 'the power of godliness', on the earth. "For without this no man can see the face of God, even the Father, and live."

God reveals that Moses 'plainly taught' this to Israel, that the goal was to bring this power of godliness on the earth, but Israel turned away and rejected this and for this, they lost the priesthood, and the rest of God.

The blessings of the priesthood, or the Oath and Covenant

more on this later. check out what the priesthood means and how we are supposed to act, vs. 33-48

The curse on the church

vs 48-59 talk about how to identify sin and the curse of the church. notice that vanity and unbelief of treating things lightly is what got us into it. 

Lifting the curse and the power of God manifest

vs 60-~75 is about how to lift the curse and what happens after. as a first suggestion, I would take the Book of Mormon pretty seriously :D. God also says in vs 61 - minds in solemnity, spirit of prayer, bearing of testimony. 

strikingly, vs 65-70 list miracles that can be unlocked when we do these things.



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