Doctrine and Covenants 106-108
“The Order of the Son of God”
September 22 - September 28
scripture
quotes
What Priesthood Means
<p>Brethren, we hold “the Holy Priesthood, after the Order of the Son of God” (Doctrine and Covenants 107:3). It is the power God has granted to men on earth to act for Him. In order to exercise His power, we must strive to be like the Savior. This means that in all things we seek to do the will of the Father, just as the Savior did. It means that we give all glory to the Father, just as the Savior did. It means that we lose ourselves in the service of others, just as the Savior did.</p>
Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Pride and the Priesthood”, October 2010 General Conference
A Divine Established Appendage to the Priesthood
<p>I come now to the subject of priesthood authority. I begin with the three principles just discussed: (1) priesthood is the power of God delegated to man to act for the salvation of the human family, (2) priesthood authority is governed by priesthood holders who hold priesthood keys, and (3) since the scriptures state that “all other authorities [and] offices in the church are appendages to this [Melchizedek] priesthood” (D&C 107:5) all that is done under the direction of those priesthood keys is done with priesthood authority.</p> <p>How does this apply to women? In an address to the Relief Society, President Joseph Fielding Smith, then President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, said this: “While the sisters have not been given the Priesthood, it has not been conferred upon them, that does not mean that the Lord has not given unto them authority. … A person may have authority given to him, or a sister to her, to do certain things in the Church that are binding and absolutely necessary for our salvation, such as the work that our sisters do in the House of the Lord. They have authority given unto them to do some great and wonderful things, sacred unto the Lord, and binding just as thoroughly as are the blessings that are given by the men who hold the Priesthood.”</p> <p>In that notable address, President Smith said again and again that women have been given authority. To the women he said, “You can speak with authority, because the Lord has placed authority upon you.” He also said that the Relief Society “[has] been given power and authority to do a great many things. The work which they do is done by divine authority.” And, of course, the Church work done by women or men, whether in the temple or in the wards or branches, is done under the direction of those who hold priesthood keys. Thus, speaking of the Relief Society, President Smith explained, “[The Lord] has given to them this great organization where they have authority to serve under the directions of the bishops of the wards … , looking after the interest of our people both spiritually and temporally.”</p> <p>Thus, it is truly said that Relief Society is not just a class for women but something they belong to—a divinely established appendage to the priesthood.</p>
Dallin H. Oaks, “The Keys and Authority of the Priesthood”, April 2014 General Conference
commentary
The Twelve Apostles
<p>On March 28, 1835, the Prophet Joseph Smith received this revelation on priesthood. Within the revelation is a defining explanation of the role of the Twelve Apostles:</p> <blockquote> <p>The twelve traveling councilors are called to be the Twelve Apostles or special witnesses of the name of Christ in all the world—thus differing from other officers in the church in the duties of their calling. And they form a quorum, equal in authority and power to the three presidents. (D&C 107:23–24)</p> </blockquote> <p>The history of the call to the Twelve is as follows—six months after volunteers in Zion’s Camp had returned from Missouri to Kirtland, Brigham Young recorded, “My brother Joseph Young and myself had been singing after preaching in a meeting; and when the meeting was dismissed, Brother Joseph Smith said, ‘Come, go down to my house with me.’ ”<a id="_ftnref1" class="see-footnote" title="" href="#_ftn1">[1]</a> Brigham wrote simply, “We went and sung to him a long time, and talked with him.”<a id="_ftnref2" class="see-footnote" title="" href="#_ftn2">[2]</a></p> <p>At that private meeting, the Prophet Joseph told the Young brothers of a vision he had received of men who died of cholera in Zion’s Camp. He said, “Brethren, ... if I get a mansion as bright as theirs, I ask no more.” The prophet then wept before saying, “Brethren, I am going to call out Twelve Apostles. I think we will get together, by-and-by, and select Twelve Apostles, and select a Quorum of Seventies from those who have been up to Zion.”<a id="_ftnref3" class="see-footnote" title="" href="#_ftn3">[3]</a> The prophet instructed Brigham and Joseph Young to call a meeting the next Sunday of the brethren who had proven to the Lord their willingness to lay down their lives to redeem Zion.</p> <p>Word spread quickly that a meeting was to be held on Saturday, February 14, 1835, at the newly constructed schoolhouse near the Kirtland Temple. Although the meeting was open to all Church members, the intent of the meeting was for “those who journeyed to Zion for the purpose of laying the foundation of its redemption.”<a id="_ftnref4" class="see-footnote" title="" href="#_ftn4">[4]</a> The schoolhouse was crowded. Joseph Smith opened the meeting by reading from the New Testament in the Book of John about the Lord’s servants being chosen and ordained that “ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name he may give it you” (John 15:16).</p> <p>After the opening prayer, the Prophet Joseph spoke of having seen in vision those who had succumbed to cholera and death in Zion’s Camp. Then he wept and with difficulty told of another vision of the calling and order of the Twelve. He testified that it was the will of the Lord that the Twelve be chosen from those who had been willing to lay down their lives to help the exiles of Jackson County.</p> <p>Veterans of Zion’s Camp were invited to sit together. As others in attendance moved aside to make way for the veterans, the Prophet assured the assembly that it was the will of God that this meeting be held, for it was a meeting to ordain to the ministry men who had been tried like Father Abraham and proven themselves worthy. Following their singing of “Hark, Listen to the Trumpeters!” (the favorite song on the march to Zion), Joseph Smith prayed and the meeting was adjourned for an hour.</p> <p>As the meeting commenced an hour later, the Prophet Joseph announced that the purpose of this meeting was so “the three witnesses of the Book of Mormon [could] pray each one and then proceed to choose twelve men from the church as Apostles to go to all nations, kindred, tongues and people.”<a id="_ftnref5" class="see-footnote" title="" href="#_ftn5">[5]</a> The Three Witnesses—Martin Harris, Oliver Cowdery, and David Whitmer—stood up, prayed together, and were blessed by the laying on of hands by the First Presidency of the Church.</p> <p>Following the blessing, the Three Witnesses proceeded to choose twelve men “as apostles, to go to all the nations, kindreds, tongues, and people.”<a id="_ftnref6" class="see-footnote" title="" href="#_ftn6">[6]</a> Those named as apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ were Lyman Johnson, Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, Orson Hyde, David W. Patten, Luke Johnson, William E. McLellin, John F. Boynton, Orson Pratt, William Smith, Thomas B. Marsh, and Parley P. Pratt. Three of the Twelve were not present at the schoolhouse—Thomas B. Marsh, William E. McLellin, and John F. Boynton. These men had not marched to Missouri in Zion’s Camp.</p> <p>Lyman Johnson, Brigham Young, and Heber C. Kimball were invited to come to the front of the schoolhouse. Before the congregation, each in his turn was ordained an apostle by the Three Witnesses. The First Presidency affirmed the ordination and blessings of Elders Young, Johnson, and Kimball before prophesying of “many things which should come to pass.”<a id="_ftnref7" class="see-footnote" title="" href="#_ftn7">[7]</a> The meeting was then adjourned.</p> <div class="footnotes"> <p class="footnote"><a id="_ftn1" class="footnote-label" title="" href="#_ftnref1">[1]</a> Brigham Young quote, in John A. Widtsoe, <em>Discourses of Brigham Young</em>, 141–142.</p> <p class="footnote"><a id="_ftn2" class="footnote-label" title="" href="#_ftnref2">[2]</a> Brigham Young quote, in John A. Widtsoe, <em>Discourses of Brigham Young</em>, 141–142.</p> <p class="footnote"><a id="_ftn3" class="footnote-label" title="" href="#_ftnref3">[3]</a> Brigham Young, “Priesthood,” <em>Journal of Discourses</em>, 9:89.</p> <p class="footnote"><a id="_ftn4" class="footnote-label" title="" href="#_ftnref4">[4]</a> Kirtland High Council Minutes, 147.</p> <p class="footnote"><a id="_ftn5" class="footnote-label" title="" href="#_ftnref5">[5]</a> Minutes, Discourse, and Blessings, 14–15 February 1835, 149. Joseph Smith Papers.</p> <p class="footnote"><a id="_ftn6" class="footnote-label" title="" href="#_ftnref6">[6]</a> Joseph Young, <em>History of the Organization of the Seventies</em>, 102; Minutes of the 10 October 1864 Reunion of Zion’s Camp Veterans. Brigham Young Papers.</p> <p class="footnote"><a id="_ftn7" class="footnote-label" title="" href="#_ftnref7">[7]</a> “Extracts from Heber C. Kimball’s Journal,” <em>Times and Seasons</em>, April 15, 1845, 868.</p> </div>
Insights and Stories of the Doctrine and Covenants by Susan Easton Black
