D&C 94-97: Come Follow Me with Sam

 Welcome Welcome!

Section 94

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Section 95

Whom I Love and Chasten

Chastening is a difficult thing for us to receive properly and to give properly. This came up during Helaman 15 when Samuel the prophet spoke about it.

Without going too far into depth, here are some salient points we can learning about chastening

- God chastens that our sins may be forgiven

- "with chastisement I prepare a way for their deliverance"

- everyone needs chastening at some point

Temple work

God speaks directly about not building a temple as the reason for the chastening. This was a good reminder to me after covid to make a renewed effort to go to the temple. Now that we have to reserve a session, it feels more complicated and like I need to plan it out (yes, I'm a spoiled Utahn with temples anywhere I look :D) but if Joseph the Prophet was chastened for not building a temple, with all the sacrifice there, how much more should we be willing to go to the temple?

I'm thinking of putting together a temple course sometime. I'm not sure that it will be appropriate for online, but please let me know in the comments if you are interested.


Section 96

Section 96 is a very simple section. I don't think I can profitably add to this quote

5 For behold, verily I say unto you, this is the most expedient in me, that my word should go forth unto the children of men, for the purpose of subduing the hearts of the children of men for your good. Even so. Amen.


Section 97

unpacking the first two verses (spoiler, I'm not going to)

Section 97 is another section where I find it a challenge to unpack everything that is going on. Here are the two verses

1 Verily I say unto you my friends, I speak unto you with my avoice, even the voice of my Spirit, that I may show unto you my will concerning your brethren in the land of bZion, many of whom are truly humble and are seeking diligently to learn wisdom and to find truth.

2 Verily, verily I say unto you, blessed are such, for they shall obtain; for I, the Lord, show mercy unto all the ameek, and upon all whomsoever I will, that I may be bjustified when I shall bring them unto judgment.

Notably I went to a church event this week where the speaker said that Jesus loved but never judged. I then read this that same night. Dear speaker, I hope you do your come follow me this coming week, you are going to get a humdinger between 96/97.

The key here is that God constantly judges, His very presence is a judgment for good and for bad on all of creation, whether it fulfills its measure or not. But he does not condemn. even to the last judgment, 'for your iniquities you have condemned yourselves, and for your transgressions is your mother put away' is what God taught us through Isaiah. In the meantime, God is helping us, despite sins certainly worthy of condemnation, to get to a better state. For God will show mercy to all the meek, that He may be justified when He brings them to judgment. I mentioned meekness in Christ's ministry. I am more convinced than ever that the church is losing understanding of the meaning of this word. 

You don't get Zion just by being a member

The early saints were constantly striving to build Zion. Did they get there? I don't know. Nauvoo certainly was a beautiful place and the temples were constructed, but like Thor, Zion is not a place, its a people. You have to really strive for it. here God specifically highlights those who are truly humble and are seeking diligently to learn wisdom and find truth.

As my good friend once said, to the humble few, I will see you in Zion.

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