October 25-31: D&C 124

Not a lot of people know about the Center for Latter-day Saint Arts. They have a series of artwork for the Come Follow Me lessons, here:

https://www.centerforlatterdaysaintarts.org/come-follow-me

For this week, they have a fascinating sculpture that you can see here:

https://www.centerforlatterdaysaintarts.org/come-follow-me/2021/10/23/october-25-31nbsp-a-house-unto-my-namenbsp-dampc-124.

The description is insightful: Lowell Fitt began work on the sculpture above three or four years ago when he amassed small steel cuttings. In his mind’s eye, he could imagine the pieces coming together, “…the mix of the scrap pretty closely resembled the confusion and lack of focus in our ever more non-religious world view and the lack of any focus let alone a di-vine focus.” From his cuttings, he created a globe and then decided to use a small gem stone to represent each of the temples (including announced and those under construction) in the world. It was his goal to replicate the Church’s mission to “fill the earth with sacred edifices that will bless the lives of God’s children throughout the world.”

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This week's lesson has a lot of important teachings about life and death. For example, this verse explains what has happened with two specific individuals.

19 That when he shall finish his work I may receive him unto myself, even as I did my servant David Patten, who is with me at this time, and also my servant Edward Partridge, and also my aged servant Joseph Smith, Sen., who sitteth with Abraham at his right hand, and blessed and holy is he, for he is mine.

(Doctrine and Covenants 124:19)

These verses reflect the way the sites for temples are chosen. Sometimes there are little-known reasons why particular sites are chosen. For example, the site chosen for the Oklahoma City temple had been blessed by local Native Americans before the Church announced the location.

42 And I will show unto my servant Joseph all things pertaining to this house, and the priesthood thereof, and the place whereon it shall be built.

43 And ye shall build it on the place where you have contemplated building it, for that is the spot which I have chosen for you to build it.

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Another interesting point is the non-biblical Edwardsian language, such as in this verse:

6 For, behold, I am about to call upon them to give heed to the light and glory of Zion, for the set time has come to favor her. 

"light and glory" appears only once in the scriptures, but it is a term that Jonathan Edwards used frequently. E.g., "when the morning, the appointed time of the church's light and glory comes, then Christ will wonderfully appear."

9 And again, I will visit and soften their hearts, many of them for your good, that ye may find grace in their eyes, that they may come to the light of truth, and the Gentiles to the exaltation or lifting up of Zion.

"Light of truth" appears three times in the D&C and nowhere else in the scriptures. Edwards used it six times, such as here. "And then, or after that time, was first fulfilled what was typified by God's voice and light going forth from Mt. Sinai, and spreading abroad into all nations round about; for then first did the powerful voice of God's Word, and the powerful and glorious light of truth, go forth and spread abroad into Gentile nations. Then was the coming of Christ in the gospel, as "the lightning that cometh out of the east, and shineth even to the west."

one thing that may be intended by fruit and flowers succeeding one another in this candlestick, may be the continuance of the church and gradual increase, her bringing forth fruit, and that in order to the bringing forth more fruit, till she hath reached the latter-day glory, when God [shall] bring forth her righteousness as the light, and her salvation as a lamp that burneth. Then shall she come to a state of glorious light, of truth, knowledge, holiness, and joy.