#42 Continuing Revelation to Latter-day Prophets

D&C 1:38; 68:1-4; 84:109-110; 107:25; 34; 93-98; 132:8; Official Declar. #2; Our Heritage pps. 117-119, 125-129

by President Harold B. Lee:
“Elder John A. Widtsoe of the Council of the Twelve once told of a discussion he had with a group of stake officers. In the course of the discussion someone said to him, ‘Brother Widtsoe, how long has it been since the Church received a revelation?’ Brother Widtsoe rubbed his chin thoughtfully and said in reply, ‘Oh, probably since last Thursday’ ” (Stand Ye in Holy Places [1974], 132–33).
p. 129 of Our Heritage records one such revelation:
Another major development during President Kimball’s administration occurred in 1979 when the Church published a new English-language edition of the King James Bible. The text was unchanged, but footnotes were added that cross-referenced the Bible with the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price. A large Topical Guide and Bible Dictionary provided insights unique to modern-day scriptures. This edition had new headings for all chapters and also included excerpts from Joseph Smith’s inspired revisions of the King James Bible.
In 1981 new editions of the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price were also published. These included the new system of footnotes, new chapter and section headings, maps, and an index. At about this time, the Church also began to place increased emphasis on translating the latter-day scriptures into many other languages.
A statement given to us about revelation given by President Spencer W. Kimball says,
“We testify to the world that revelation continues and that the vaults and files of the Church contain these revelations which come month to month and day to day. We testify also that there is, since 1830 when The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was organized, and will continue to be, so long as time shall last, a prophet, recognized of God and his people, who will continue to interpret the mind and will of the Lord. …
According to this quote from a past prophet, the church, meaning He received revelation often, daily in fact. How many of you would like to read some of those? Would it be interesting what the Lord revealed daily to the prophet? Some things may blow our minds because we aren’t ready, but I think that as a whole they receive the very things we are told in conferences and ensign articles. We know exactly why we get those same basic revelations-we aren’t ready to receive anything else.

Once I was in an institute class where the instructor said, “did you know there is a 14th and 15th article of faith written and recorded on the church documents?” We were surprised-he had piqued our curiosity; he read them and they were beautiful and amazing. Someone in the class raised her hand and asked, “how come the church doesn’t print those in an updated copy of the scriptures”? He said 2 things that really stuck with me. 1-could you imagine how onry people would get if they had to buy new scriptures every year just to keep up with all the new revelations? And 2-he asked, “Do you have the 1st 13 articles memorized and do you use them daily? Then why would you need 2 more? It struck me because where I had most of them memorized I didn’t have all of them, and I never used them daily by any means. That got me thinking about the scriptures a little more reverently. I committed back then to do a little better. I am happy to say I have done better than I did back then, but I have to admit there is still so much I could learn from them.

How acquainted are you with your scriptures? Let’s open them together shall we? Don’t let your neighbor hear the creaking if it’s been a while. Just thumb through them. How much action have your scriptures had lately? If you view your scriptures as too sacred to write in they won’t have much in them and that’s okay-but if you are like me, you may be turning pages and notice highlighted passages, you may notice notes of your own thoughts and revelations written in margins so you wouldn’t forget what that passage meant to you. You may have question marks next to passages that you still have questions about. You may notice written in numbers from classes you’ve taken where the lesson points out so many things to look for. You may have marked with ears or post-it notes, passages that you wanted to keep handy. Perhaps you and your scriptures have had good times and sad times, learning moments and revelatory epiphanies.

Now that you are reacquainted with your scriptures we’re going to have a little scripture chase. You know how it works-close your scriptures and I give you the thing to look for and you find it, when you have it you raise your hand, 1st one done get a ‘treasure’.

-Okay find a proper name in the scriptures that is hard for you to pronounce, or you aren’t sure how to pronounce it.
-Find the pronunciation guide
-Find my scripture you have highlighted and see if you remember why you highlighted it. (mastery scrip, on your mission, during lesson, personal scripture reading)
-Find a scripture that got you through a tough time of your life
-Find a favorite scripture or favorite passage of scripture
*Ask 2 people what their references are. Notice they are different and have different reasons.
-Find a definition
-Find a Reference by topic
-Find a highlighted footnote
-Find the story of Christ’s birth
-Find the story of Christ’s coming to the Nephites and Lamanites
-Find your favorite scripture about Christ
-Find any scripture you have memorized or had memorized once upon a time.
-Find your favorite book of scripture to read from

Based on the items we just found how acquainted are you with your scriptures?
Soon after the new scriptures with footnotes and references were printed Elder Boyd K. Packer prophesied, “With the passing of years, these scriptures will produce successive generations of faithful Christians who know the Lord Jesus Christ and are disposed to obey His will. … The revelations will be opened to them as to no other [generation] in the history of the world. Into their hands now are placed the sticks of Joseph and of Judah. They will develop a gospel scholarship beyond that which their forebears could achieve. They will have the testimony that Jesus is the Christ and be competent to proclaim Him and to defend Him” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1982, 75; or Ensign, Nov. 1982, 53).

Do you find that is true in your life? Do you read more than your parents, do your kids read more than you? Do you think you and your children know more and have stronger testimony than your parents did or you do?
In the April 1995 general conference, President Gordon B. Hinckley made an observation that shows that Elder Packer’s words are being fulfilled: “I look back to my own youth. Neither young men nor young women were doing much scripture reading at that time. What a marvelous change has been wrought. A new generation is arising who are familiar with the word of the Lord” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1995, 117; or Ensign, May 1995, 87).
Now that we’ve thumbed through let’s dive in and see some of the treasures we can find in the D&C.
D&C 1:38 Here is the Lord, Jesus Christ introducing himself to us in 1st person. That is a treasure you don’t find in too many non-scriptural books.

D&C 68:3-4 A real treasure- a promise to us! That as we speak by Holy Ghost those words and feelings become scripture, become God’s will, become the power of God-Because as we speak, God’s will, it comes as power to those who are listening and when they conform to God’s will God gets more power because now He has another who will speak His will.

Another promise, attached with instructions.
93:1-5 things we can do to meet Jesus Christ was during His mortality and who he is after death.

93:6-17Testimonies are treasures. Strong words from those who are full of truth and conviction, powerful enough to penetrate any heart ready to feel their power.

What a powerful treasure.

93:29-30 Treasures that answer the questions most asked in life such as who am I? Where did I come from?

93:49-50, 95:1-2 A Rebuke or chastisement-when we take every scripture personally and follow the advice just as if our name was inserted there how can that be a treasure? How? Because we’ve been promised if we constantly repent we will receive the inheritance he wants to give us. He rebukes us as a friend issuing a friendly warning 93:45 taking those friendly reminders can be a treasure if we turn those warnings into things we immediately repent of.

97:1 We can find the Lord’s will for our lives. Have you ever asked yourself, “What am I supposed to do with my life?” Well he’s just told us that he will show us his will. We know that he tells us his will and answers those questions for us through the treasures in the scriptures!

98-This revelation came in response to the saints right after they were driven from their homes. What treasures could come from this section?
98:1-3 how about comfort during a trying time?
He give us reasons for our struggles; this too can be a comfort.
98:12-13 He gives us treasures of advice of what we should do about our enemies or even satan our greatest enemy 98:23-31 what do we get out of this passage. We learn patience and Christ-like attitudes we are rewarded for our faithfulness-he will fight our battles if and when the time is right including the judgment time.

Jeremiah 31:3 The greatest treasure-he tells us of His love-How much he loves us and how he Loves us by drawing us to him!

I have a testimony that the scriptures are treasures. I love the scriptures, I know that if we are acquainted with them then we can and will find those treasures that will help us in every area we need them too. In the name of Jesus Christ amen.