Mon, Mar 9th: Doctrine and Covenants 4; DC 11–12
I had visions of reciting Section 4 at high speed at missionary zone and district conferences. A general authority made us slow it down, much like I want to do with the Young Women reciting their theme (which has changed again, by the way, by adding the value VIRTUE). When I read throught section 4 today though, I imagined the voice of the Lord giving it to Joseph Smith, patiently and knowingly, listing off all of the qualifications and attributes for those who want to do the work of the Lord.
This section of course is not missionary specific. In fact, this time around I realized that it is much of what we covenant to do when we are baptized. This section has just about every instuction and character trait to attain in order to have joy and share the joy. It's quite the power packed section. Elder Joseph Fielding Smith said of it: "it contains sufficient counsel and instruction for a lifetime of study. No one has yet mastered it." It is awesome.
Regarding sections 11 & 12, some of the same traits in these sections are the traits mentioned in section 4. I love that the Lord, in opening this new dispensation and in order to organize the church tells the people (and us) what sort of people we need to be in order to accoplish what He and we need. These sections are revelations given to Hyrum Smith and Joseph Knight, Sr., both having felt the spirit and import of these new things they were learning, asked what they could do to help the Lord move the work forward. Part of their answers were to wait until they are called to do the work. The Lord was by no means turning them down, but encouraged their continued growth. As it is with missionaries today, there are many who are called, but their effectiveness depends on how much they have studied the gospel and had a true change of heart, where they can teach properly.
A big part of these encouraging sections call for these men (and us) to obtain humility. Here is a really great quote from Spencer W. Kimball about what humility is:
"Humble and meek properly suggest virtues, not weaknesses. They suggest a consistent mildness of temper and an absence of wrath and passion. Humility suggests no affectation, no bombastic actions. It is not turbid nor grandiloquent. It is not servile submissiveness. It is not cowed nor frightened. No shadow or the shaking of a leaf terrorizes it. How does one get humble? To me, one must constantly be reminded of his dependence. On whom dependent? On the Lord. How remind one's self? By real, constant, worshipful, grateful prayer."
I have never heard a better definition of humility (not that my knowledge is that extent, but still, it's a great quote).
Grandiloquent is my new favorite word.
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Yes, good word and good quote. We had the Joseph Smith lesson "Living together in peace and harmony," last Sunday, and so in that frame of mind, section 4 for me this week is how to do that!
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