Welcome.

The recent admonition of our prophet to spend time in Doctrine and Covenants section 109 has proven to be a gold-digging experience for me. I’ve come away with some meaningful nuggets, precious finds for my soul’s health.

Every time I’m in this section, there are three things that always cause me both pause and reflection. I want to write of them briefly at Untoalltheworld today.

The first is the very first word.

Thanks.

The section heading states, “…According to the Prophet’s written statement, this prayer was given to him by revelation…” Of all the myriad of ways Joseph could have begun this revelation, he started it with gratitude. He felt impressed to do so, despite the terrible persecutions under which he miraculously survived (until God called him home) and thrived. In this revelation, he was – first and foremost – thankful to God.

Thankful for what exactly?

For a God that “keepest covenant and showest mercy”…a God that “commanded [His] servants to build a house to [His] name.” (Doctrine and Covenants 109:2)

A God that was at that time asking a very hard thing of Joseph and the poverty-stricken saints. “For thou knowest,” the revelation states, “that we have done this work through great tribulation; and out of our poverty we have given of our substance to build a house to thy name, that the Son of Man might have a place to manifest himself to his people…” (Doctrine and Covenants 109:5)

That God.

The One who wasn’t rescuing Joseph at that moment (in fact, Joseph had about eight more years to endure before he would find rest in death). The One who was eyewitness to fleeing, homeless saints, to innocent cries, spilt blood, mob spoils, rants, injustices, oppression, and burdens of every imaginable kind.

That God.

The One who was asking something really hard: build a temple in the midst of your poverty.

That God.

Enough said perhaps! But what a lesson! Thanks be to that God! The One who will forever and always keep His covenant and the One whose mercies are always hidden in the mess.

That God.

I love this lesson from Joseph Smith – the lesson of gratitude in the trenches. “Thanks be to thy name…” (Doctrine and Covenants 109:1). How much more I ought to say those words when a heavenly ask or denial seems untimely. What would a prayer (or all of them!) begun that way do for my soul? For my heart? For the trial at hand? For perspective? For faith in Christ? For joy?

Thanks be to that God.

As I’ve poured over this revelation, I have been astounded by all the references to mercy and repentance, all of Joseph’s pleadings with Diety to forebear the hand of justice if both friend and foe of the church will just u-turn by repenting.

For any saint who might transgress, Joseph pled, “And when thy people transgress, any of them, they may speedily repent and return unto thee, and find favor in thy sight, and be restored to the blessings which thou hast ordained to be poured out upon those who reverence thee in thy house…” (Doctrine and Covenants 109:21)

Fall back into His favor again. A full restoration of blessings. A pouring out of them in fact. Armored with heavenly power. Branded with his name. Encircled by His glory. Angels attending.  No worldly weapon able to wound. No pit to unsuspectingly swallow. No combination of wickedness to be victorious! No spiritual syncope in time of trouble.

All because of the miracle of Christ’s Atonement – begun by willing repentance.

What an impressive list for the saints, for friends of the church, but what of foe – of the mobs? How about this? “Have mercy, O Lord, upon the wicked mob…that they may repent of their sins if repentance is to be found…” (Doctrine and Covenants 109:50)

Have mercy – pending their repentance – on this mob that is constantly ransacking us and despoiling and displacing the saints and their possessions? That mob?

Yes, that mob.

What a prophet! What a God! One inspired to speak for the other, both of whom love mercy and heart and soul stand by the promise and miracle of repentance.

I know justice cannot rob mercy, and mercy cannot rob justice. Both must yield to a perfectly balanced scale, but there will be no justice without offered mercy. I love how Joseph prayed for this to a God whose perfectness sees to it.

And finally, one of my most favorite verses in all of section 109 is verse 68. Of himself, Joseph rightly wrote, “and…he hath sincerely striven to do thy will.” (Doctrine and Covenants 109:68) That sentence alone is one of the most accurate telling sentences about Joseph Smith and his life. So much like Nephi, Joseph lived by the same personal edict: “for thus hath the Lord commanded me, and I must obey.” (2 Nephi 33:15) Joseph’s life was taken from him for that obedience, but he went on to his rightful grandeur and physical rest.

“Sincerely striven.”

As in honest. Genuine. His mortal best day after day after day in the struggle, devoted to the victory, assured of it.

I love Joseph Smith so much, and I love his inspired prayer of Doctrine and Covenants 109. He and the saints got just what he prayed for at the Kirtland temple dedication. Why wouldn’t they when they had a thankful, merciful focused, and sincerely striving man of God leading them?

Unto all the world: Although there are so many take aways, I especially love this threefold lesson from Doctrine and Covenants 109: thank God in it all, repent and find mercy, and sincerely strive. God bless us to that end!