[SPEAKER_03]: Welcome to the Come Follow Him Podcast. [SPEAKER_03]: This podcast is created by the Boise Nampah Institute of Religion for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. [SPEAKER_03]: Here, we hope to help young adults find relevant principles each week as they study the Assign Come Follow Me in Scripture Block as outlined by the Church.
[SPEAKER_03]: This episode is simply two-inch to two teachers talking about what they see in the Scriptures that might be relevant to your life. [SPEAKER_03]: It is not intended to speak for the church or to definitively define doctrines or policies. [SPEAKER_03]: And the opinions shared here are just that. [SPEAKER_03]: Our opinions as we have learned to come follow him. [SPEAKER_03]: I'm your host Matt Swanson. [SPEAKER_03]: Let's jump in. [SPEAKER_03]: Well, welcome back, everybody.
[SPEAKER_03]: You're going to be with you again this week. [SPEAKER_03]: I'm with Sister Piper. [SPEAKER_03]: Welcome back. [SPEAKER_03]: Glad to be here. [SPEAKER_03]: Good to have you. [SPEAKER_03]: Cassidy and I have been on the podcast. [SPEAKER_03]: I don't know, five or six times now. [SPEAKER_03]: I would guess over the course of the years. [SPEAKER_03]: And I always love sitting down with you and discussing scripture blocks.
[SPEAKER_03]: And you have a wonderful connection to the scriptures and your insights are very much young at don't like, because you are a young adult. [SPEAKER_03]: I think you're, I don't know, you look like you're 23 in. [SPEAKER_02]: But I'll take it, I got one more year because they expanded it. [SPEAKER_02]: It's actually one more year. [SPEAKER_02]: I'm still year, so, and I'll take it. [SPEAKER_03]: Well, your insights are always very relevant.
[SPEAKER_03]: I think to youth and young adults, and grateful for that. [SPEAKER_03]: Oh, with that, we are gonna be in section 11, 11 through 11, 14. [SPEAKER_03]: And it was kind of interesting because as we started talking about this, we weren't exactly sure what direction to take it.
[SPEAKER_03]: And there's some things that are a little bit confusing if you don't fully understand the context and and some things that way, but I think we've landed on some some things that will be relevant and have some good principles to discuss many in these three sections for sections so without let's let's just jump in and see what [SPEAKER_03]: see what happens. [SPEAKER_03]: Section 1111. [SPEAKER_03]: What context do you want to give us?
[SPEAKER_03]: What thoughts do you have about it? [SPEAKER_03]: I've got some things I could jump in and throw out it too, so we'll kind of tag team here. [SPEAKER_02]: And great. [SPEAKER_02]: Well, the beginning of the section, it's an interesting setup. [SPEAKER_02]: It talks about in the section header that they heard that there was some money in Salem, so they went to go find it.
[SPEAKER_02]: But if you look a little bit more into the background, it's [SPEAKER_02]: that this convert name Berges had persuaded church leaders that a large sum of money was hidden in the seller of a house in Salem. [SPEAKER_02]: It sounds very, if he, like, is a large amount of money hidden in this house. [SPEAKER_02]: It's totally legal, go find it, nobody has ever found it before. [SPEAKER_03]: Exactly.
[SPEAKER_02]: But they're kind of desperate because they are trying to build the temple. [SPEAKER_02]: And they're also having saints give up their land, their property, their lives moving. [SPEAKER_02]: So they're trying to take care of each other. [SPEAKER_02]: They're trying to live the love consecration. [SPEAKER_02]: They're trying to, [SPEAKER_02]: And they're just struggling financially.
[SPEAKER_02]: And so I think, I don't imagine they probably felt like this was a far shot, but they were like, let's try that. [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, that's the Lord's way of handling it and they go and there's it says there's no money to be forthcoming. [SPEAKER_02]: But I just love verse one.
[SPEAKER_02]: Um, because we've initially read this, you would, my thoughts are like, was it a waste of time, just lowering, rewit them more than I think, but the Lord says, I, the Lord, your God, I'm not displeased with your coming, this journey, notwithstanding your fallies. [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah. [SPEAKER_02]: I don't know.
[SPEAKER_02]: There's something covered again that there are going to be times in our lives where we just make silly mistakes or we may be jump on to something that we think is going to be the best thing ever with great intentions, but maybe not a lot of thought process.
[SPEAKER_02]: and we move forward and it doesn't work out and we come back to our home base and here they receive revelation from the Lord that it's all going to work out and the Lord is like it's okay it's okay it's all right it's okay this isn't this isn't the way it's supposed to go but you don't understand what you're doing so sure glad you're there thank you for trying yeah you maybe some thank you for my temple [SPEAKER_03]: Yeah, maybe some background contextual things.
[SPEAKER_03]: If you remember back to Dr. and Covenants, Section 24, verse 9, Joseph was given some counsel. [SPEAKER_03]: I'm so glad I wasn't given because I would have been like, What? [SPEAKER_03]: Verse 9, 624 says, and in temporal labors, thou shalt not have strength. [SPEAKER_03]: For this is not they calling.
[SPEAKER_03]: A tend to like calling a national have where with to magnify their office, or to land all scriptures and continue and laying on the hands of the confirming of the churches. [SPEAKER_03]: So in temporal things Joseph, you're not going to be successful. [SPEAKER_03]: This is not where you're going to like really rise and try to hear.
[SPEAKER_03]: So that's the first thing I think that's important to remember is Joseph in this setting is going after [SPEAKER_03]: a financial gain for the church. [SPEAKER_03]: Now, his intentions in doing that are good. [SPEAKER_03]: They're struggling to pay for the things that they need to pay for. [SPEAKER_03]: The church is struggling with financial matters a little bit.
[SPEAKER_03]: And if you remember back to [SPEAKER_03]: section 64 of verse 27, we called it is said in my laws or forbidden to get in debt to an enemies, but we hold it is not said at any time that the Lord should not take when these and pay as seem within good. [SPEAKER_03]: Therefore, as your agents here on the Lord's errand and whatever you do according to the will of the Lord is the Lord's business.
[SPEAKER_03]: So in other words, the Lord is saying, you shouldn't be in debt to your enemies, and it's okay to take when you need it and pay it when you can, that was kind of in relation to love consecration. [SPEAKER_03]: I think was being said about that, but in this case. [SPEAKER_03]: the brethren are trying to pay for the church, really, the welfare of the church and they're struggling to do so.
[SPEAKER_03]: So they go to Salem, as you've suggested, and they travel around, and William Burgess just is unable to find a house that she knows that there's this grand wealth hidden in. [SPEAKER_03]: And he just can't find it, and he says that Salem has changed so much since the last time he was there, he just doesn't know where the house is. [SPEAKER_03]: So they wander around for, [SPEAKER_03]: for a long period of time looking for this house and they just can't realize that.
[SPEAKER_01]: They don't even find the house. [SPEAKER_03]: No, they don't even get to the house. [SPEAKER_01]: It's not that there's no money in the house. [SPEAKER_03]: There's still going to be nothing's there.
[SPEAKER_03]: So they're there for about three weeks and there's some it's interesting to read the rest of this section and understand what's going on because while they're not there [SPEAKER_03]: to obtain riches, financial riches, they are there as we learn of verse two to obtain a treasure.
[SPEAKER_03]: So here we go, I have much treasure in this city for you, for the benefit of Zion and my people in this city, whom I will gather out in due time for the benefit of Zion through your instrumentality. [SPEAKER_03]: So there is a treasure there, but what it is? [SPEAKER_03]: I don't know. [SPEAKER_03]: We don't know. [SPEAKER_03]: He doesn't say it specifically.
[SPEAKER_03]: Then in verse three, therefore, it is expedient that you should form acquaintances with men in this city as you shall be led and as it shall be given to you. [SPEAKER_03]: So there's something they're supposed to do while in this city. [SPEAKER_03]: Now, if you're Joseph and you're receiving this revelation, you're not finding the wealth, [SPEAKER_03]: You're just all that sudden being told, they're the reason for you to be here and it's getting to know the people.
[SPEAKER_03]: Getting all the people are, and there will be treasure here for you. [SPEAKER_03]: I think that's just such an interesting contrast to what they thought they were going for, right? [SPEAKER_03]: Thought they're going for wealth. [SPEAKER_03]: The Lord's like, nope, you're here for a treasure. [SPEAKER_03]: Go meet people, right? [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah. [SPEAKER_03]: Kind of cool. [SPEAKER_02]: For there are more treasures than one for you in this city.
[SPEAKER_02]: It's not what you're expecting. [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah. [SPEAKER_02]: A couple of these stories are making me think of some personal experiences. [SPEAKER_02]: Can I share? [SPEAKER_02]: Wait. [SPEAKER_02]: One's mine, one's somebody else's. [SPEAKER_02]: But I just recalled. [SPEAKER_02]: When I was probably a software and college, I really, really, really wanted to be at the time. [SPEAKER_02]: It was EFY, now at this time.
[SPEAKER_02]: And EFY counselor, it was been my dream for years. [SPEAKER_02]: To be honest, still is never filled with it. [SPEAKER_02]: It's okay. [SPEAKER_02]: And so they had like team interviews. [SPEAKER_02]: And it was at BYU Idaho, and I was in the last group. [SPEAKER_02]: And they had kind of told us that a lot of the spots had been filled, but they would like use us as their backup. [SPEAKER_02]: And I called every week and they were like, we haven't even looked at your resume.
[SPEAKER_02]: Like they just had too many people play. [SPEAKER_02]: Like they never even got to me. [SPEAKER_02]: I wasn't even an option. [SPEAKER_02]: But I was banking on it. [SPEAKER_02]: So I was supposed to be on the spring track for BYU Idaho. [SPEAKER_02]: So I took half semester classes and I was going to finish up in June. [SPEAKER_02]: And then I was going to work. [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, fly at the rest of the summer.
[SPEAKER_02]: And you had a plan as we got closer and closer, EFI never called me when I called them they like it was just not even on their radar and so I basically had this like a whole summer with no job and no plans lined up. [SPEAKER_02]: And so I just went home, I went, let's like pal and hung out with my family. [SPEAKER_02]: I mean, I didn't really have any regrets.
[SPEAKER_02]: But I just wasn't really doing anything productive and I got a blessing from my dad and and the blessing kind of was like this, like it was like the Lord is not displeased with you taking some time off taking a little break, even though there's wasn't necessarily a break, but but it said, but don't do this forever was kind of the message and I just forgot that I was reading over this.
[SPEAKER_02]: Again, that yeah, there might be times where we wander a little bit or we had an a direction that's a little bit wrong or like not exactly what the Lord had intended. [SPEAKER_02]: But it's like, hey, it's okay, make the best of it. [SPEAKER_02]: But if they were to continue have searching for treasure, so to speak, the treasure they were thinking would be there, I think at that point the Lord would have come back and then like, okay, you're off course now.
[SPEAKER_02]: I know I'm displeased with you. [SPEAKER_02]: And so I think we've just got to find that balance. [SPEAKER_02]: So it's okay to take some time to figure it out, but make sure you don't stay in that space for too long.
[SPEAKER_03]: Yeah, yeah, I think that's very well said it's the it's the principle that verse 10 talks about there are more treasures than one for you in the city, right, that the summer that you had off there's probably things you did that summer or experience that summer that the Lord needed you to have and experiences that you didn't even and maybe not not even still being aware of right, but the treasures that the Lord would have us be aware of our present and where and we're there.
[SPEAKER_03]: Now, it's interesting. [SPEAKER_03]: The verse five says, concern not yourselves about your debts, for I will give you power to pay them, and then six concern not yourselves about Zion, for I will deal mercifully with her. [SPEAKER_03]: Terry in this place, and in the regions round about. [SPEAKER_03]: So just be here. [SPEAKER_03]: Don't worry about your debts, don't worry about Zion for a minute, just be here. [SPEAKER_03]: And we go back to verse four.
[SPEAKER_03]: Well, over three, therefore it's expedient that you should form acquaintances with men in the city and you should be led and as it shall be given and as it shall be given you it's interesting that later a couple of years later 1841 to 43 arrest the snow goes back to Salem and is ridiculously successful in the few weeks that he's there 90 people joined the church and are in a branch in Salem by the time he leaves there.
[SPEAKER_03]: Um, and that largely came because of the the these brethren's early time in town they're gathering and creating these relationships with people that.
[SPEAKER_03]: We have few years later they could come in and really kind of flourish those relationships that are really strong very quickly because of the relationships that they had clear back from 1836, you know, five years later they're able to be very successful by way of missionary work, which is, you know, then you go back and you re-read these phrases a little differently where it says, first two, I have much treasure in this city for you for the benefit of Zion.
[SPEAKER_03]: and many people in the city whom I will gather out in due time for the benefit of Zion through your instrumentality, right? [SPEAKER_03]: That verse makes a whole lot more sense, five years later, that it makes now in the earlys at the time, right?
[SPEAKER_03]: And so I think there's some some counsel to us here that we might find ourselves in places where we thought we were going for one thing, we ended up [SPEAKER_03]: Totally doing something else, and thinking maybe we're off track, and the Lord isn't going to be able to do anything with us while we're in this weird space to find ourselves. [SPEAKER_03]: But you're never living God's plan B. It's not a thing. [SPEAKER_03]: You don't have a plan B. There's plan A and that's it.
[SPEAKER_03]: And you're always going to be in plan A. [SPEAKER_03]: and even where you're going when you went there and what you're going to get out of it and what you're going to do later. [SPEAKER_03]: And then I think we just trust that a little bit more. [SPEAKER_03]: He never is like, oh, wait, where are you at? [SPEAKER_03]: What? [SPEAKER_03]: Okay, you're in Salem? [SPEAKER_03]: What are we? [SPEAKER_03]: Okay, well, go talk to that guy. [SPEAKER_03]: That'll work.
[SPEAKER_03]: We'll make that work out. [SPEAKER_03]: That's not how it works, right? [SPEAKER_03]: He doesn't do it that way. [SPEAKER_03]: He knew beforehand where you were going to go, what you're going to do. [SPEAKER_02]: I love that. [SPEAKER_02]: I I've often concerned about planty so that means a lot. [SPEAKER_02]: Yes, we're in planty. [SPEAKER_03]: He doesn't have a plant me. [SPEAKER_02]: Um, and I talk about verse three a little bit.
[SPEAKER_02]: Yep. [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah. [SPEAKER_02]: So I remember this particular also at BYU Idaho when I was there. [SPEAKER_02]: a girl got up in board testimony, and this is just a witness that God can use these scriptures to answer the specific prayers of our heart. [SPEAKER_02]: She was finishing up school and trying to figure out what she did to do next. [SPEAKER_02]: I can't remember. [SPEAKER_02]: I wasn't super close with her, so don't remember the specifics.
[SPEAKER_02]: of her story but she was visiting Logan and had gone to the temple and was sitting and reading her scriptures and she opened up to section 1111 verse 3 and it says therefore it is expedient that you should form acquaintance with men in the city as you shall be led and it shall be given you and she kind of chuckled and she felt like that was her answer that was like God said I need you to come to Logan and I need you to meet men here.
[SPEAKER_02]: And anyway, I followed her on Facebook and I don't know her full story, but I do know she got engaged out over there a year or two later. [SPEAKER_02]: And so I just think that the Lord, right? [SPEAKER_02]: Like, I think she was maybe gone there for her masters or maybe just even to work. [SPEAKER_02]: And the Lord had other things in mind for her specifically, the men in the city would be her.
[SPEAKER_02]: her future has been somewhere because of her moving over their shunt that beating him. [SPEAKER_02]: So I just think it's cool that these scriptures that meant something to them in their context can mean something different for us and us. [SPEAKER_03]: interesting. [SPEAKER_03]: I think that's fantastic and relevant even today, right?
[SPEAKER_03]: Very specific to some specific experience they're having, but that through the Lord's wisdom can be turned to be something that's very specific. [SPEAKER_03]: I think in verse 9, this place you may obtain by higher and then choir diligently concerning the more ancient inhabitants of the founders of the city. [SPEAKER_03]: By the time they leave there, they lease a house. [SPEAKER_03]: There's a house that the Saints own kind of in this area for the benefit of Saints coming through.
[SPEAKER_03]: Salem was kind of a place where people would kind of land and come into the country and the Saints had a place there that they, that people could kind of gather and be safe. [SPEAKER_03]: And then the latter part of that verse where they were supposed to learn [SPEAKER_03]: the more ancient inhabitants and founders of the city.
[SPEAKER_03]: Well, if you know anything about the history of the country, Salem was just a significant central space for the early inhabitants of the country. [SPEAKER_03]: And Joseph spent a lot of time over those three weeks that they were there learning about those inhabitants, those early founding fathers, who really were persecuted and [SPEAKER_03]: at some pretty horrific experiences because of their faith, because of some of the others that were gathering there in that same area.
[SPEAKER_03]: And so there's probably some instructive experiences that Joseph was having about [SPEAKER_03]: persecution for your faith, that he was learning from the forefathers of the country, you know, that the people that had come earlier on, and we're dealing with establishing a country in the city.
[SPEAKER_03]: And so you also have just probably learning some things that are going to help him in the coming years, as he is going to see firsthand persecution for the saints as a whole, but really personally as well, and going to some of the stuff we're going to do. [SPEAKER_02]: Now, it's beautiful. [SPEAKER_02]: I don't know a lot of these kind of stories back out of this or nine of its background, also like the future of what would happen here. [SPEAKER_03]: Yeah, sure.
[SPEAKER_03]: Then the very last person will jump into 112, verse 11 of 11 says, therefore, be as wise as serpents and yet without sin. [SPEAKER_03]: and I will order all things for your goodness fast as you are able to receive them. [SPEAKER_03]: That line is fast that you're able to receive them. [SPEAKER_03]: I kind of wonder sometimes if I'm not able to receive it and that's why I'm not being given it. [SPEAKER_02]: That has less things than I always felt that way.
[SPEAKER_02]: No. [SPEAKER_03]: No, it is, and then the other phrase and there that kind of makes me interested is, be wise as serpents be as wise as serpents. [SPEAKER_03]: I don't think of serpents as wise. [SPEAKER_03]: I think of them as slithery and not wise, but there's something there that the Lord would have us consider. [SPEAKER_02]: And it's specific to the persecution they're going to face soon that they've got to be careful.
[SPEAKER_02]: But usually it's certain even in our own scripture is associated with the devil and sin and stuff. [SPEAKER_02]: And so I like to be saying, you can be as wise as them, but be sinless too. [SPEAKER_03]: Yeah, and be sinless, right? [SPEAKER_03]: That's an important part of that is you can be as wise as a serpent, but being sinless keeps you, well, there's something to learn from everybody, then I guess, right?
[SPEAKER_03]: That there's something that, when I think of serpent, I think of the Garden of Eden, and I think of the adversary being described as a serpent, right? [SPEAKER_03]: Or the serpents that the children of Israel were bitten by, [SPEAKER_03]: You know, caused them to die and they had to look at look to the serpent on staff or for healing. [SPEAKER_03]: There is a cross-servence there that takes us to Matthew 10, 16, so let me just read that.
[SPEAKER_03]: Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves, be there for wise as serpents and harmless as dubs. [SPEAKER_03]: So he's used that phrase before that wise as serpents concept that
[SPEAKER_02]: Anyway, I think I just think there's something there that is probably worth studying at some point, but yeah, I wonder too if if a sheep is supposed to be wise as the serpent in the midst of the wolves it's great but like I think of like a serpent like slithering out of there and I wonder if it's like be wise enough to get yourself out of these situations and so maybe that's something that we can learn from the serpents.
[SPEAKER_03]: yeah you know that makes me think of the savior when you know he was pressed upon by those that were trying to take his life and then all of a sudden he's just not there and he had escaped out some side way right that there was some way that he was always aware and smart enough to get himself out of circumstances that maybe he didn't be in right yeah absolutely before we jump into one twelve can i just very testimony of a verse here please yeah
[SPEAKER_02]: I'm a verse five where it talks about to concern not yourselves about your debts, but I will give you power to pay them. [SPEAKER_02]: I know that probably a financial concerns are real for many people, especially in the young adult sphere, right, when you're maybe just starting off in your career, or trying to pay your bills while going to school and live on your own. [SPEAKER_02]: It's just hard.
[SPEAKER_02]: felt the power of the savior taking care of me and my family because we were paying our tithing and nothing crazy like one of those stories where everything's worked out. [SPEAKER_02]: We've just we bought our first home and then our car we took it at the shop and had $9,000 worth of damage and it was probably worth about $500 bucks.
[SPEAKER_00]: Oh no. [SPEAKER_02]: So we decided it was time to get a new car which we wanted to get just not in the same year as buying a house and filming my husband work so we were able [SPEAKER_02]: work out, but we're definitely like trying to be smart and budget and pay off our debts.
[SPEAKER_02]: And, and I'm really concerned, I don't, I- [SPEAKER_02]: avoid being a dead as I really am scared of death and so the car payment and the house payment at the same time I've never been in this much debt before and recently an opportunity came for us to pay to Duke some good with our money it was like literally 50 bucks a month and I was just like we were paying our typing or paying our faster we'd we'd maxed out like any extra money I'm setting to my debt and
[SPEAKER_02]: And as I we just prayed and talked about it felt like you can do this. [SPEAKER_02]: You can give this money. [SPEAKER_02]: And then just a couple days ago, my husband texted me and it's time for us to renew our car insurance. [SPEAKER_02]: And our car insurance wouldn't down almost the amount paying to kind of help someone out.
[SPEAKER_02]: And it was just a sweet little tender mercy to me that that God is like, hey, like, I as you continue to [SPEAKER_02]: Try to use your money for good and pay off your debts, but do what I ask you to do. [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, I'm gonna make sure you're okay. [SPEAKER_02]: And I'm not just okay, but like I'm gonna, I'm just gonna provide for you in all those ways.
[SPEAKER_02]: And so I just really do believe that if we turn to him for health even with our financial concerns for some people, those are gonna be pretty heavy, that she has power to help us, pay them, or, [SPEAKER_02]: He'll just provide a way. [SPEAKER_02]: I don't know how that will work, but he eventually provided a way for these these brethren. [SPEAKER_02]: It wasn't the way they expected. [SPEAKER_02]: It wasn't in the South and Salem, but he provided a way.
[SPEAKER_02]: They paid for it. [SPEAKER_03]: I didn't mean, man, look at look at the church today. [SPEAKER_03]: I was watching this morning. [SPEAKER_03]: I came across a little video of other bednars who had been asked about the church's billion dollar reserves. [SPEAKER_03]: And you know, why does a church need billions of dollars in reserves? [SPEAKER_03]: And his, maybe a three or four minute reply to that.
[SPEAKER_03]: He said, you know, everything that church has as an asset is a draw from our budgets. [SPEAKER_03]: Nothing makes money. [SPEAKER_03]: There's no temple income. [SPEAKER_03]: There's no church building income that the building by itself is provided for the Saints pay a tithe. [SPEAKER_03]: and that is something that is the income for the church on some levels. [SPEAKER_03]: But the vast majority of the church's assets are outgoing expenditures.
[SPEAKER_03]: In fact, every one of them, 20,000 meeting houses are all paid in cash. [SPEAKER_03]: prior to pay for in cash prior to being dedicated and so every time we build a new building it is paid for in cash. [SPEAKER_03]: The same is true. [SPEAKER_03]: It's all the temples that have been built or are announced. [SPEAKER_03]: They will be paid for in cash. [SPEAKER_03]: There is no debt on any of those structures of those facilities.
[SPEAKER_03]: And yet at the same time, [SPEAKER_03]: The reserves that the church has is in large measure going to assist the poor and the need now could you spend more than is currently being spent probably, but what the wisdom of maintaining a reserve because the church's stewardship is every child of God on the earth. [SPEAKER_03]: all the time. [SPEAKER_03]: It's not just the members of the church help them out more.
[SPEAKER_03]: It's every child of God on earth has to have somewhere to turn when there's a problem. [SPEAKER_03]: And so the church carefully and with measure goes in and assists when natural disasters happen or events that are causing people to lose things. [SPEAKER_03]: And at the same time, I think carefully the Lord is aware.
[SPEAKER_03]: and has the brethren in the church and the leaders of the church, be cognizant of their stewardship to make sure that the coffers of the church are always supplied enough that they can provide and give an moment for the entirety of the earth if needed the the Bishop's storehouse stacks of food not being given out, but in reserve for when there's a need [SPEAKER_03]: and then given out as measured, I think it's wonderful. [SPEAKER_03]: It's the way the Lord would do things, right?
[SPEAKER_02]: I think it's probably bringing Joseph Smith and his brother and a lot of peace on the sisters of the church, back then, to look down and go look out for him. [SPEAKER_02]: Oh, we were scrapping and screaming and trying anyway.
[SPEAKER_02]: And I think us kind of saving some of that reserve is honoring their name, just making sure that we have enough to help those who were in a situation like Joseph and they were [SPEAKER_03]: Yeah, well said, I think there's there's also some harkening maybe back to Joseph of Egypt, right? [SPEAKER_03]: That there were seven years of plenty.
[SPEAKER_03]: Can you imagine your six when they've got this massive storehouse of all this food and people are like dude, what do you give it to the poor and help people out? [SPEAKER_03]: but Joseph knew that during times of famine, there would be a need to supply the people of the earth effectively right there, that area, that region with enough to sustain life. [SPEAKER_03]: Does the billions that the church has in its reserves count enough to make everybody healthy and wealthy?
[SPEAKER_03]: No, probably not. [SPEAKER_03]: but as it enough to sustain life throughout the world, maybe, and maybe that's all point. [SPEAKER_03]: You know, we know that the earth is being plagued with famines and with pestilences and things that will cause problems and hardships in our day. [SPEAKER_03]: And I'm grateful that safety and exists at the Bloords established even in these days, you know, 1836. [SPEAKER_03]: Yeah, cool. [SPEAKER_03]: Pretty cool.
[SPEAKER_03]: Okay. [SPEAKER_03]: So let's take that conversation. [SPEAKER_03]: Let's move it into section 112. [SPEAKER_03]: 112 is a little bit more, well, it's an interesting conversation because it's being given to the president of the corps of the 12 apostles at this point, who is Thomas B. Marsh. [SPEAKER_03]: And Thomas B. Marsh, well, just anecdotally, there's a story that might help us understand what's going on here.
[SPEAKER_03]: The first day [SPEAKER_03]: of Orson Hyde and he received Kimbles service in England was kind of when this section was received and Thomas B. Marsh had really struggled with them going on this mission because the mission called came from Joseph, not Thomas B. Marsh who was the president of the church and Joseph gave direction [SPEAKER_03]: that those two brethren were supposed to go to England to serve a mission and Thomas B. Marsh got upset and was like, well, I'm the president.
[SPEAKER_03]: Why am I not calling these guys to serve? [SPEAKER_03]: And this is my responsibility. [SPEAKER_03]: And so this council being given to him is kind of interesting, especially when maybe just jump ahead a little bit and give us some context that might that context make me help us understand a couple of things.
[SPEAKER_03]: Verse 14, [SPEAKER_03]: Now I say unto you, and what I say unto you, I say unto all the twelve, a rise and gird up your lorings, take up your cross, follow me and feed my sheep, then verse 15, exalt not yourselves for a bell not against my servant Joseph, for verily I say unto you, I am with him, my hand shall be over him, and the keys which I have given unto him, and also to you, word.
[SPEAKER_03]: shall not be taken from him to like, Denver, 17, that thou mayest be my servant to unlock the door of the kingdom in all places where my servant Joseph and his servant Sidney and my servant Hieram cannot come. [SPEAKER_03]: So effectively, the Lord saying through Joseph, through a revelation that Thomas, you have a stewardship and your stewardship is anywhere the first Presidency can't [SPEAKER_03]: But what they're present, they're the directing influences there.
[SPEAKER_03]: So that context may help us just kind of understand where this section is even coming from and what those verses might be alluding to because there was a little bit of understanding that Thomas B. Marsh needed to get before he could maybe fully understand what he was tasked to do. [SPEAKER_02]: That makes sense when you kind of look at verse two when the Lord calls him out.
[SPEAKER_02]: I was reading this verse and I'd love to hear it, that's Matt, like, the Lord's pretty good at forgiving and forgetting. [SPEAKER_02]: What do you think the benefit is in him telling Thomas, barely I say into you there have been some few things in my heart and with which I'd Lord was not well-pleased. [SPEAKER_02]: Nevertheless, all your sins are forgiven thee.
[SPEAKER_02]: So he tells him a sins are forgiven thee, but he also wants to make sure he knows, like, [SPEAKER_02]: Hey, there were some things I'm not I'm not thrilled with and but looks like they've been taking care of so why do you think the lords bring it up or is this the first time Thomas has even heard of this is he not know that he's done some things wrong. [SPEAKER_03]: Yeah, no I don't know the answer the real answer I don't know but but I would suggest that.
[SPEAKER_03]: Thomas B. Marsh had a direct interaction with the late symbol. [SPEAKER_03]: He was a Kimber's wife, went to the door looking for Hebrew and the late said, well, he's on his mission to England. [SPEAKER_03]: And he kind of gets indignant with the late Kimber and says, well, I'm supposed to be the one calling when his mission won't be successful.
[SPEAKER_03]: And then I think he has this interaction with Joseph, [SPEAKER_03]: You know, the president of the quorum of the 12th, but Joseph's profit, you probably comes a little more humbly than he was standing in front of the late Kimble. [SPEAKER_03]: So I wonder if this is the Lord saying, I know you're heart. [SPEAKER_03]: I know what's going on. [SPEAKER_03]: Joseph doesn't necessarily need to know that right now, but I'm stuff going on.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah. [SPEAKER_03]: And, and I wonder sometimes [SPEAKER_03]: you know, being a priesthood holder and being having an opportunity to give blessings, I think even sisters have insights into things where sometimes there's something that I'm supposed to say in a blessing that eludes to something that I don't know anything about, but that the person receiving the blessing will know something very directly about, and I know that so I'm supposed to say something.
[SPEAKER_03]: I wonder sometimes if the Lord worked through us, [SPEAKER_03]: for a couple of reasons, one to give us the kids on the direction we need, but two to help us understand that he knows us and he sees us, and he can speak directly to us without giving away our weaknesses to our friends and neighbors, right? [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, you're right, because he does say it pretty kindly and veiled a little bit.
[SPEAKER_02]: But I also like that in verse four, then he says, let they heart be a good chair [SPEAKER_02]: There are times where we're going to make this, we have, we're going to make mistakes and at least for myself, I really can. [SPEAKER_02]: be hard on myself. [SPEAKER_02]: And the Lord, even when he tells me, oh, hey, Cass, when I feel impressed and I need to do something. [SPEAKER_02]: Sometimes I tend to spiral a little bit. [SPEAKER_02]: I think, oh, just so terrible at this.
[SPEAKER_02]: And I, I love the Lord of saying, listen, you've done something's wrong. [SPEAKER_00]: Yes. [SPEAKER_02]: I'm full of yourself. [SPEAKER_02]: You'll be exalted. [SPEAKER_02]: And then be a good cheer. [SPEAKER_02]: Let's move on. [SPEAKER_02]: You know, I think that we could follow this pattern in our own life. [SPEAKER_02]: So we made some mistakes. [SPEAKER_02]: Has your heart been a little bit off?
[SPEAKER_02]: Okay, [SPEAKER_02]: Go on being happy, don't worry yourself anymore with this Thomas. [SPEAKER_03]: Yeah, yeah, you know, it's interesting because with Thomas B. Marsh, you know, if, if hindsight's 2020 right, we can look back and see what happened to Thomas B. Marsh and me ended up disaffected from the church for about 19 years up until about 1839. [SPEAKER_03]: He was present on the form of the 12 right.
[SPEAKER_03]: never really returned to a leadership role, but was rejoined the church in 1857. [SPEAKER_03]: Now, a big period of his middle-aged life, he had kind of gone out of a stray, and you think about what could have been, you know, what got bring him young who leads to the saints across the plains, and to the Stolic Valley, [SPEAKER_03]: And that role would have been Thomas B. Marsh's role had a remains faithful, that would have been his assignment.
[SPEAKER_03]: And the Lord know what was neat. [SPEAKER_03]: He knew that he'd bring me on needed to be the one to lead that way, but it is interesting to look at what Thomas B. Marsh left because he got critical of Joseph in particular violence against non-warmen that he felt like was being perpetrated
[SPEAKER_03]: he was referred to as 1838 was excommunicated in 1839, but really his issues were with Joseph, and this section gives him plenty of warnings to stay, you know, faithful Joseph and understand his keys and your keys and how they relate to each other. [SPEAKER_03]: And I think even in today's world, we see a lot of people.
[SPEAKER_03]: Um, you know, see and rail against the cheese that preside over them, whether it's in their water, their steak or it's profits on the possils, um, thinking they know better and understand more. [SPEAKER_03]: I'm eventually, I'll come back and now I have to understand what where they step sideways right. [SPEAKER_02]: It's interesting that Thomas probably saw these warnings as just like, you need to be humble because of what's going on right now.
[SPEAKER_02]: but really the Lord is trying to course correct him long before he, yeah, you know, maybe leans a little bit off the path and wanders a little bit. [SPEAKER_02]: And you can just almost see the Lord's mercy where he's like, hey, if you're humble, right now, we can avoid some pain in your future. [SPEAKER_02]: I'm still gonna walk in you back later, but I just think that there's probably warnings, my pastry circle blessing gives me a couple warnings.
[SPEAKER_02]: And, you know, I need to hate them. [SPEAKER_02]: The Lord is trying to warn me of what could be.
[SPEAKER_03]: Yeah, well said, you know, that famous verse in verse 10, section 12, where the song comes from right, be that humble, humble and the Lord, that God shall lead thee by the hand and give the answers to thy prayers, speaks maybe to a section I think you and I already spoke about where we learn that if we are prayerful, the Lord won't have a step to be on that which we [SPEAKER_03]: But prayer is the precursor to that right?
[SPEAKER_03]: It's not by default the Lord's not going to have you tempted You will be regularly in in this case being humble and letting the Lord lead us Will be the way we receive answers to our prayers Not having confidence in our own knowledge in our own wisdom I think that's an important distinction here and and almost maybe falls right of that Yeah, the road maybe letting him lead us.
[SPEAKER_02]: I like that you know in ten I [SPEAKER_02]: just first 11, I think it's a really beautiful verse. [SPEAKER_02]: Again, he tells him, I know they heart. [SPEAKER_02]: He told him before, like, your heart's not right and has him at totally right with me. [SPEAKER_02]: But here he says, I know they heart and have heard they prayer. [SPEAKER_02]: So he also is like, I also know he's got good stuff. [SPEAKER_02]: You've been worried about good things concerning they'd brethren.
[SPEAKER_02]: And then this, be not partial towards them in love of many others. [SPEAKER_02]: But let, let, let, let, let, let, let, let, let, let, let, let, let, [SPEAKER_02]: but let they love be for them as for themselves and let they love a bound unto all men and to all who love my name.
[SPEAKER_02]: I just like picture him just being like, just be free with that love Thomas, like just give it to the brother-in that you work with, but also I wonder if there's kind of this buddy, you know, there's the twos, there's the twos, and I wonder if he's like love all the members of the church that way.
[SPEAKER_02]: Like the way you love and want to, [SPEAKER_02]: He is concerned about his brother and he wants to be the one to call them, maybe they're some pride there, but maybe just because he really cares and he's trying to take responsibility of his job and I wonder if God is saying, but feel that way about everybody, like all of my children just love them.
[SPEAKER_03]: Yeah, yeah, I, you know, it's interesting because as I read this section, I think it's generally instruction given to the core of the 12 about the core of the 12 and how they should treat each other and their role, right?
[SPEAKER_03]: But like you've said, it directly correlates to you and I, and how we ought to be in particular that that verse that you were just referencing and you know speaking about how they should love he should love those those in this case would be Joseph and the leaders of the church, right, that he was to have some reverence for them. [SPEAKER_03]: I think when we get to verse 4 to 19, it says, where for?
[SPEAKER_03]: When they're so ever they shall send you, remember we've just been talking about the first presidency, go ye, and I will be with you, and in whatsoever place ye shall proclaim my name, an effectual door shall be open unto you that they may receive my word. [SPEAKER_03]: It really goes back to, do you trust the first presidency to guide and direct your actions? [SPEAKER_03]: And if you do, [SPEAKER_03]: then wherever they send you, I will make you successful.
[SPEAKER_03]: Even if it's the bad place, even if they missed the mark or whatever, right? [SPEAKER_03]: The Lord will make do with whatever his servants establish. [SPEAKER_03]: Which I think is a pretty powerful priesthood key that the Lord allows for us to seal in heaven the things that we seal on earth and where we send a Thomas B. Marsh.
[SPEAKER_03]: He's going to be effective there because the Lord's going to make it happen, not because I received some brilliant revelation to send somebody on a mission to so-and-so place, right? [SPEAKER_03]: But the Lord's at the helm and Lord's one doing all the work, right? [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah. [SPEAKER_02]: It seems like this is a message that Thomas really needs to get, because in first 20, he's saying, who's so received if my word received me?
[SPEAKER_02]: And I think Thomas probably like, yeah, I received your word. [SPEAKER_02]: And who's always received me, receive it those the first presidency? [SPEAKER_02]: And that might be where Thomas is like, oh, you know, like, it's, and because usually you've heard the opposite, if you receive the first presidency received me, right? [SPEAKER_02]: But here I think you're saying, Thomas, if you received me, you've got to receive their words.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah. [SPEAKER_02]: You know, and I, I just, believe that I had a professor at BYU for my masters. [SPEAKER_02]: He explained it this way. [SPEAKER_02]: He said, I, I never want to be ahead of the brother-in because if you're walking ahead of somebody, you're, you're not going to know which way they went. [SPEAKER_02]: So he said, if I try to be a head saying like, I know better. [SPEAKER_02]: I know they're going to get this revelation soon.
[SPEAKER_02]: So I'm going to start living like it is. [SPEAKER_02]: He's like, I'm going to get lost because I'm not going to know if they turn right or left. [SPEAKER_02]: But I also said, but I also don't want to be so far behind them that I can't keep up in the way you described it. [SPEAKER_02]: He said, I want to be holding on to the coat tells of president Nelson and just wherever he goes, I go.
[SPEAKER_02]: That's kind of the way I visualize [SPEAKER_02]: He goes, President Nelson goes, I go, because wherever he goes, I'm an end at the Jesus' feet. [SPEAKER_03]: Yeah, that's great. [SPEAKER_03]: That's a great way to view it. [SPEAKER_03]: I think that's wonderful. [SPEAKER_03]: You know, the rest of this section versus 20, maybe to the end are counsel and is counsel that [SPEAKER_03]: that I think if you remember the form of the 12 would be really interesting counsel, right?
[SPEAKER_03]: Like, this is to the core, this is to them exactly what they're supposed to be doing in the way that they're supposed to be, and I think it's interesting to, there's a few sections in the doctrine of covenants where that counsel is given, you know, section 107, a form of the 12 is organized, the priest's organization, the columns are kind of directed and [SPEAKER_00]: Uh-huh. [SPEAKER_03]: Itals, their responsibilities are all laid out.
[SPEAKER_03]: But this is another section in here where that council in the form of the 12 is really to understand some very specific, maybe I'll just read a couple of things. [SPEAKER_03]: Verse 21, again, I say unto you that, who's whoever ye shall send in my name by the voice of your brethren, the 12, doly recommended and authorized by you shall have power to open the door of my kingdom unto any nation where there's whoever ye shall send them.
[SPEAKER_03]: And as much as they shall humble themselves before me and abide in my word and arch into the voice of my spirit, it's interesting because the prophets and apostles have keys to open the doors to the restoration in every country on earth, but only when they're humble and they go the right way and they go at the right time and they do the right thing. [SPEAKER_03]: It makes me wonder how frequently apostles are sent to lands where the gospel isn't
[SPEAKER_03]: and they get there and they just are taught nope it's not time and and so they do whatever they can do and then they leave and come back and report I got there it's just not time and it's and whatever it is whatever that looks like I don't know but you know there are places around the world where the gospel isn't allowed in and yet the key is exists on the earth to open that door as soon as the times right and through humility and
[SPEAKER_03]: and revelation, they'll know that, but I won't know that, and you won't know that, right, it will go there first, which I think is kind of cool. [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, that is really cool. [SPEAKER_02]: Responsibilities that are on their shoulders, and, you know, it's looking at versus 30s, 31, 32 that have to do with this, that power they have to do that, to you, the 12, and those first presidency.
[SPEAKER_02]: It's just like imagining told this where pointed with you to be your counselor, new leaders is the power of this priesthood given for the last days and for the last time in the which is a dispensation of the fullness of time, which power you hold in connection with all those who ever received a dispensation at any time from the beginning of the creation. [SPEAKER_02]: He's like, all those incredible profits you've read about you have that power for this day and this age.
[SPEAKER_02]: And this power is here for the last time. [SPEAKER_02]: And you have the keys that you need. [SPEAKER_02]: from heaven like I just the power that they've been given no wonder they're told to be humble and to listen closely to his leaders because they've been given a power that had a bit on the earth for over a thousand years and I think the Lord is saying you've got to use my power in my way or you can't have it. [SPEAKER_03]: Well, right, and it's exactly what it's exactly.
[SPEAKER_03]: It says in 33, barely I say into you, behold, how great is your calling? [SPEAKER_03]: I mean, like this is a significant hour that I've given you cleanse your hearts and your garments, less the blood of this generation be required at your hands.
[SPEAKER_03]: I'll share an experience that we had as an instant faculty with Elder Cook is this last semester, and I think we [SPEAKER_03]: We spoke about it on the podcast a little bit and we were kind of measured in how we talked about it, but the experience was actually very eye-opening to me and told me a lot about how they function as core members.
[SPEAKER_03]: I'll share it again and forgive me for those that have hurt this, but there was an opportunity we had to be with Elder Cook prior to his fire with the Elder
[SPEAKER_03]: and they were about dotted with 35 of us maybe in the room and we got to a point in the night where he allowed us to do a little Q&A with him and and he said well maybe there's time for one more question at the end of this Q&A and the young adult raised your hand and she asked the question would you would you bear your testimony of the Savior to us which I thought yes please I mean he's an apostle and let's hear that testimony of Savior and I think
[SPEAKER_03]: shocking everybody in the room he said no I'm not going to do that. [SPEAKER_03]: And I said I I born my testimony a couple of times this weekend and it's different in every congregation with every group and I'm not sure yet tonight what it's supposed to be. [SPEAKER_03]: I'm sure I will before the end of the night, but but if you're okay I'd rather not do that now. [SPEAKER_03]: And we were all like what isn't not like your whole job is very tested.
[SPEAKER_03]: Well, by the end of the night, and I won't share exactly what he said, but he bore a testimony that no one in the room could question his understanding of the Savior, his relationship with the Savior, his direct interactions with the Savior. [SPEAKER_03]: I mean, Cooper, awesome testimony born in the end of the night. [SPEAKER_03]: And one I will remember the rest of my life.
[SPEAKER_03]: And I remember thinking afterwards, if I hadn't had the previous experience where he declined bearing a testimony, then the second experience where he borrows testimony wouldn't have come with half as much power. [SPEAKER_03]: because what I learned was, oh, he is not speaking for himself ever. [SPEAKER_03]: His role, what he understands his role to be, is to speak for God all the time in all settings, and to represent Christ and to identify himself as a witness to Christ.
[SPEAKER_03]: And the flippant nature of, yes, me to bear my testimony Christ, I will totally do that. [SPEAKER_03]: Yeah, no problem. [SPEAKER_03]: But when you're asking someone that has a witness of Christ, like Prophets and Apostles have a witness of Christ, it is not a flippant experience. [SPEAKER_03]: It is not something that they take lightly. [SPEAKER_03]: They think heavily what am I supposed to say about him right now. [SPEAKER_03]: I know as much as I know, I could share at all.
[SPEAKER_03]: Am I supposed to, or am I supposed to be measured [SPEAKER_03]: that every moment of their lives has to be that measured now, because of what they know and how they know it, they have to be measured in the way that they speak to us. [SPEAKER_03]: And it's changed how I listen to general comfort, listen to their testimonies at the end of their talks. [SPEAKER_03]: Just the light praises that they use, things like, well, they're all on just recently said, I know as did Paul.
[SPEAKER_03]: Well, how did Paul know of the reality of Christ, right? [SPEAKER_03]: just little phrases that if you're listening and if you're aware, they're saying some things very specifically that those with eyes to see and here's to hear will hear and we'll see and we'll gain a testimony because of.
[SPEAKER_03]: But if you're just listening clipantly and trying to get through the talk because it's in assignment or it's on the afternoon and it's almost four o'clock or [SPEAKER_03]: or charged with, which is such a great establishment, what a wonderful calling they have.
[SPEAKER_02]: I had heard others testify of just how cool it was to be there, like, there, but I hadn't heard that previous story of the young women asking the question, and I almost wonder if for her, I imagine she probably felt, like, why didn't I ask that? [SPEAKER_02]: But I wonder if she was inspired to, and in the moment she was probably, why did I ask that if you just said no?
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah. [SPEAKER_02]: But then later for it to be like, yeah, to be that, no, there's a time in a place that I always wonder if the Lord was preparing her to listen to his and didn't want to miss it. [SPEAKER_02]: So, it's just, well, I wish I could interview that young woman and say, can you tell me your experience?
[SPEAKER_03]: Right, yeah, we have had conversations about it, because we have talked about it and at first it was kind, I think it was kind of an embarrassing moment because she's in a group of 35 people and you're asking a possible baritests when you've priced and you think you will, but then he doesn't [SPEAKER_03]: Yeah, and my wife was saying next to me, she kind of grabbed my leg, I was like, oh no, he's saying no. [SPEAKER_03]: And like, oh no, this is an awkward moment.
[SPEAKER_03]: But since then, we've had lots of conversations about what's been learned and what experiences has come from that.
[SPEAKER_03]: And I think you're right, I think that whether it was a prompting that came to her, or, I mean, to be honest with you, I have told class after class after class, after class for many years, if I ever get to ask a profit a question, I'm probably gonna ask, [SPEAKER_03]: However, they can do that because that's the thing that you should hear from an apostle, right?
[SPEAKER_03]: And, and, or the question, what can you tell me about the day you were called or sustained or set apart as a prophet or an apostle? [SPEAKER_03]: Because those experiences would be very sacred experiences. [SPEAKER_03]: So they never feel right to ask, right? [SPEAKER_03]: But the bare testimony of Christ is always felt like, yeah, you could ask that. [SPEAKER_03]: That'd be a cool thing to get. [SPEAKER_02]: They're always going to say yes, I just get it.
[SPEAKER_03]: Yeah, that's right. [SPEAKER_03]: But now I would think about that differently. [SPEAKER_03]: And I might ask that question slightly differently. [SPEAKER_03]: But I'm grateful for the experience because it sure taught me to see them in a different light. [SPEAKER_03]: Then greats over that. [SPEAKER_03]: It's just a pipe where I think we've generally gone through section one, 12.
[SPEAKER_03]: There's a whole bunch in there and a lot of stuff [SPEAKER_03]: But for lack of time, I wonder if maybe we just jumped a section 13 briefly, and then 14 is even shorter. [SPEAKER_03]: One 13 is really just an answer to some questions, and for those that are reading in the book of Mark, where we're talking about a STEM of Jesse and a staff, and it's just a [SPEAKER_03]: analogy, I think that's being drawn up. [SPEAKER_03]: The questions are asked, what does this mean?
[SPEAKER_03]: What is that? [SPEAKER_03]: Who is this? [SPEAKER_03]: What is this part? [SPEAKER_03]: And really just the answers are given here. [SPEAKER_03]: So I think, I don't know that there's much more here, other than just say, use the, [SPEAKER_03]: So anything else to add to this section? [SPEAKER_02]: No, yeah, I feel the same. [SPEAKER_03]: It's pretty straightforward.
[SPEAKER_03]: I would just send you to Mark because there's a couple of things there that might help understand this, maybe Mark chapter 16. [SPEAKER_03]: But the main of this is going to be found in Isaiah chapter 11. [SPEAKER_03]: So we'll just let it kind of rest there and turn to section 1114, which is even shorter and maybe just for reading, would you mind reading section 1114 for us?
[SPEAKER_02]: Barely, thus say it the Lord, it is wisdom in my servant, David W. Patton, that he set up all his business as soon as he possibly can and make a disposition of his merchandise that he may perform a mission unto me next spring. [SPEAKER_02]: In company with others, even 12, including himself, to testify of my name and bear glad tidings unto all the world.
[SPEAKER_02]: For Barely, thus say it the Lord that in his met is there are those among you who deny my name, others shall be planted in their state and receive their bishopric amen. [SPEAKER_03]: That's the whole of the verse, right? [SPEAKER_03]: One person being told, hey, get ready to serve. [SPEAKER_03]: And if you don't serve someone else, they're going to serve.
[SPEAKER_03]: And then, no, there's something maybe instructive to us there, you know, I think sometimes, and often in my life, I've ever seen Collins where I didn't quite know. [SPEAKER_03]: I've never ever received a calling where I felt totally inadequate to serve, but some callings felt much bigger than I was capable of. [SPEAKER_03]: and it didn't quite know how to facilitate that service. [SPEAKER_03]: And so I was probably slower than I probably other way should have been.
[SPEAKER_03]: But tell me in your experience, the council here is serve, go serve, or do your thing, or someone else will be asked to go serve in your state. [SPEAKER_03]: In your experience, when you're serving in a place where you didn't feel all that all of a side or all that capable, why doesn't the Lord [SPEAKER_03]: somebody else who's more capable. [SPEAKER_03]: But what he thinks that the counsel is because this guy, you know, I don't know how capable he was.
[SPEAKER_03]: I don't know if he thought he was not going to be a very good missionary or whatever, but the counsel to him was if he don't co-serve someone else's going to go serve. [SPEAKER_03]: So why not just send somebody else, right? [SPEAKER_03]: You're like, okay, then send somebody else. [SPEAKER_02]: So guys, we probably wanted to, yeah, right?
[SPEAKER_02]: Well, I think that almost makes it, because at first, my thought is like, we live in a world that's like, you're a replaceable, you know? [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, right. [SPEAKER_02]: And, yes, we are like, God wants us and he needs us and he loves us but at the same time, his works gonna move forward and if we choose something else, we choose something else.
[SPEAKER_02]: But I wonder if him saying, I want you, but I could cost someone else if you don't do it, I'll cost someone else, but he still chose me. [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, like he he chose me to do this work at this time and someone else could take my place, but that's not who he called.
[SPEAKER_02]: And for me, that almost makes it sweeter in some ways, that it's like versus the opposite, where it's like, you were the only person in the whole world that can do this when, I mean, like that's, it's like, no, other people could, but I chose you, can't. [SPEAKER_02]: And so what can you bring that it's just you, that maybe if I put some else in your place, they wouldn't do it that way. [SPEAKER_02]: So do it your way, because I called you.
[SPEAKER_02]: And you have certain talents that other people don't have, [SPEAKER_02]: So use you and I don't know if I'm even making sense, but I'm actually like encouraged by the name that he chose me when he could have chose someone else. [SPEAKER_03]: Yeah, yeah, that's a wonderful wonderfully insightful and uplifting thought.
[SPEAKER_03]: You know, I think sometimes I may be going back to what you said at the very beginning where, you know, you have chosen this occupation to be a [SPEAKER_03]: and assist and help and it's not the only occupation that has righteous outcomes and yet it is a very noble one. [SPEAKER_03]: It's one that, you know, as I think as close as you can get to, you know, being employed by God directly, it's pretty, it's pretty direct.
[SPEAKER_03]: I've had a couple of instances in my life where I've changed a career path and where I felt like I was expendable, [SPEAKER_03]: didn't fight for me to stay. [SPEAKER_03]: It was kind of like, okay, you're leaving souls or replace you with this person. [SPEAKER_03]: And as if the things I had done in the past were just totally a fill on the blank for the period, right? [SPEAKER_03]: That we need a body to fill that spot. [SPEAKER_03]: And so we're going to do it for now.
[SPEAKER_03]: And when you decide you're done, then we'll fill a body with somebody else's body. [SPEAKER_03]: And it'll be great. [SPEAKER_03]: And and I feel like sometimes that feeling exists. [SPEAKER_03]: especially in the church where we're given a calling and then we're released from a calling somebody else steps ahead and facilitates the same calling and does it a little differently.
[SPEAKER_03]: But I've learned something from my own words, so if I can be personal and share something here. [SPEAKER_03]: I have been in my ward for I think going on 18 years now and have I've gone from being a high school choir director to a full-time seminary and institute teacher.
[SPEAKER_03]: uh... to a part time center in his to teacher building houses on the side uh... i've served in three different bishops in that world i've served in uh... the high council twice i was i've been a stake in men's president i've been and currently on the high council i've been the stake music coordinator for eleven years of the nineteen eighteen years i've been there
[SPEAKER_03]: And it's interesting to me because in all of my service and all of my assignments, there are some assignments I've never been given. [SPEAKER_03]: And I often think, I wonder why, I wonder why I'm not given that. [SPEAKER_03]: And the last time I had that feeling, that thought came. [SPEAKER_03]: The feeling and thought at immediately after came, I have you where I need you. [SPEAKER_03]: You could do that, but that's not where I need you right now.
[SPEAKER_03]: I need you over here doing this thing because of these skills that you have, you're much more useful than me here than you would be over there. [SPEAKER_03]: As useful as you might be in that thing, here is where I need you. [SPEAKER_03]: And that's been a comforting thought to me that, yes, I can be replaced in my assignment over here. [SPEAKER_03]: And maybe correlating to what you've said, he chose me for this assignment.
[SPEAKER_03]: skills and talents and attributes into that thing, and he can foot more fully utilize me there, not that he's not six months or not going to change my assignment and move me over here where he's been utilized different skills and talents.
[SPEAKER_03]: But I think it's important to recognize that just because you haven't got the assignment that you think you could serve in and do well in, [SPEAKER_03]: doesn't mean that you're not being fully utilized in the best way possible by the Lord right now in the assembly you do have. [SPEAKER_03]: And that you're supposed to be learning some things probably along the way, right?
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, that's what I keep thinking is that maybe it's the thing where he's saying, listen, I can put another [SPEAKER_02]: I can replace you, but can you replace this experience with something better? [SPEAKER_02]: And I, I just think about my current calling, I teach the sunbeams. [SPEAKER_02]: There's nine girls, only nine little girls, and guarantee you could put somebody else in my place. [SPEAKER_02]: And they would still, I mean, they want to dance 90% of the time.
[SPEAKER_02]: I'm trying to teach them my best, but I don't necessarily think it's one of those things where they're going to remember me. [SPEAKER_02]: And I was, but. [SPEAKER_03]: Well, and before you go on, I think what a horrible injustice to the youth in your ward who aren't getting sister Piper, their Sunday school class, right? [SPEAKER_03]: So you and I might see it from our perspective, and it just is missing a mark, but now continue. [SPEAKER_02]: Great.
[SPEAKER_02]: Yes. [SPEAKER_02]: And even when I got put in primary, I kind of assumed it was a filler calling because that's what's happened in other works. [SPEAKER_02]: I get put in a hotel. [SPEAKER_02]: We're just so terrible because the kids need teachers. [SPEAKER_02]: But, but to that point, like, I'm definitely not using my teaching skills the same way.
[SPEAKER_02]: Right. [SPEAKER_02]: But I mean, my husband are experiencing some infertility and those little girls are the answer to my prayers. [SPEAKER_02]: One of them in particular comes and sits by us every single Sunday during Sacramento, which gives her mom a break. [SPEAKER_02]: She's told them. [SPEAKER_02]: And anytime she comes up, we also, we lost a little girl who is still born a couple years ago. [SPEAKER_02]: So she would be two in May and this girl is three.
[SPEAKER_02]: And so anytime she runs up, you better believe who I'm thinking about. [SPEAKER_02]: She sits on my lap, she colors the whole time, and she is, she's the answer to my prayers. [SPEAKER_02]: So I just think that, you know, yeah, I could be replaceable. [SPEAKER_02]: But this calling, there's nothing that could replace what it's doing for my heart.
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah. [SPEAKER_02]: So if I don't shirk for my responsibilities, I think God is saying, I'm going to do a work inside your soul, whether or not someone else could do this better, you need this cast for you to find some healing. [SPEAKER_03]: Uh, what a beautiful way to view it and perspective to take when such a hard thing, right? [SPEAKER_03]: Such a, such a thing you, you will be such a fantastic mother.
[SPEAKER_03]: And then, but think again, like what we've talked about, now the experiences and the timeframe that the Lord's on. [SPEAKER_03]: What are you learning over the course of your years teaching seminary that we're going to directly translate and correlate to the home and what you're going to do for your children and the experiences you're seeing in thousands of kids. [SPEAKER_03]: Man, you're not going to see anything your kids haven't gone through.
[SPEAKER_03]: Kids aren't going to go through something that you haven't seen and don't know how you might give some counsel to. [SPEAKER_03]: So what a wonderful thing that the Lord's giving you a little bit of tender mercy there at church on Sundays, right? [SPEAKER_03]: Absolutely. [SPEAKER_03]: I love you. [SPEAKER_03]: See you at that way too. [SPEAKER_03]: Well, Sister Piper, we got, we got it.
[SPEAKER_03]: This is one of the very first blocks I feel like we actually covered clear through. [SPEAKER_03]: Yeah. [SPEAKER_03]: We read all the verses in the last section even so. [SPEAKER_02]: We're doing great. [SPEAKER_03]: Feeling good about it. [SPEAKER_03]: Well, thank you. [SPEAKER_03]: I'm grateful for your time. [SPEAKER_03]: I know that it's always a sacrifice of time for my guests to come on. [SPEAKER_03]: And spend some time with me and I appreciate it.
[SPEAKER_03]: By way of closing today, would you share with us? [SPEAKER_03]: From this section, we've talked about a lot of different things, and a lot of different arenas of living with gospel. [SPEAKER_03]: Where would you say the meat is? [SPEAKER_03]: Where would you say if you're going to focus in one thing in a private study over the course of this next week, focus on this thing? [SPEAKER_03]: Where would you take us back?
[SPEAKER_03]: And what would you have a spent some more time on, then maybe we didn't cover enough, or just people need to have a different testimony of and maybe they have right now? [SPEAKER_02]: section 1111, but not even necessarily a specific verse, just that, you know, I start that experience at the beginning of that young woman that found an answer to her prayer.
[SPEAKER_02]: I would really invite you just to take like a very specific question because this, right, this covers like debts and this covers who they should talk to and what treasures they should look for. [SPEAKER_02]: So I want you to take like a mundane question, like a [SPEAKER_02]: Whatever it is that's on your mind that you kind of feel like, well, that's not really a Jesus thing. [SPEAKER_02]: So I think sometimes we can't do that.
[SPEAKER_02]: And but I think absolutely all things are Jesus things. [SPEAKER_02]: And just I'd invite you to read it, pray about it, and then read this section, and just seeing if God's answer are in the words themselves or in the feelings that you get in the words. [SPEAKER_02]: He tells them in section 1, 12, that about the 12, that after their temptation and much tribulation behold, [SPEAKER_02]: And I just feel like, I don't even know exactly what it means by that.
[SPEAKER_02]: But I like this idea that if we turn to the Lord, he's going to feel after us, and we'll help us to find answers to our prayers. [SPEAKER_02]: And I guess that goes back to verse 10 to just let the Lord lead you by your hand and be the answers to your prayers. [SPEAKER_02]: I just feel like maybe [SPEAKER_02]: Maybe someone who's been praying for a long time looking for an answer will find something very specific in these sections. [SPEAKER_02]: So I didn't really answer broadly.
[SPEAKER_02]: I mean, I gave it a little more broad than you were probably expecting. [SPEAKER_03]: No, that's great. [SPEAKER_03]: I'm writing down something you said. [SPEAKER_03]: Absolutely all things are Jesus things. [SPEAKER_03]: Love that. [SPEAKER_03]: I think that should be on a shirt. [SPEAKER_03]: Ha ha ha ha. [SPEAKER_03]: Sister Piper, what a wonderful council and time has been with you today. [SPEAKER_03]: I appreciate you finally come back and do it again with us.
[SPEAKER_03]: I would love to. [SPEAKER_03]: Perfect. [SPEAKER_03]: Thank you. [SPEAKER_03]: We'll see you next time.