"Thy Kingdom Come"

"Many have asked, 'How is it that the Prophet Joseph Smith, age 14, could go into a grove, never having prayed before vocally, according to his own account, and in that first prayer receive such great and marvelous blessings?' Does that mean that he simply had far greater faith and worthiness than the rest of us?
"One response is that the visitations received by the Prophet Joseph Smith weren't just an answer to his own prayer, but to the prayers of literally millions, maybe even those beyond the veil, who had been seeking and reaching for generations for the restoration of the gospel and the reestablishment of the kingdom of God on the earth; fulfillment, in fact, of a phrase offered by billions, 'Thy kingdom come.' (Matthew 6:10.)
"That is an important insight. You and I pray not alone. We pray as part of a great modern movement and, in effect, we can be empowered in that very process. And if we care - or even care enough to try to care - to be instruments, unique privileges descend upon us, among them the authorities and gifts and blessings of the Holy Ghost and the crowning blessings of the priesthood." - Truman Madsen

Monday, November 12, 2012

Links and Questions Relating to CHFT 15-16

This Thursday, November 15, we will discuss Chapter 15, "The Church in Northern Missouri, 1836-38," and Chapter 16, "Missouri Persecutions and Expulsion" in the institute manual, Church History in the Fulness of Times. Here are a few study questions for this week's reading: (Ch. 15) 1. What five reasons were given from the citizens of Clay County for their opposition to the Saints? 2. Look at map 5 in your scriptures (Church History Maps), or click here to see the map online. Locate Far West, Adan-ondi-Ahman, Gallatin, DeWitt and Liberty on the map. What do the map notes say about Far West? 3. What caused discord between the stake presidency and the high council in Missouri? 4. What does "Adam-ondi-Ahman" mean? (Ch. 16) 1. Why was there conflict in Gallatin on election day, 1838? 2. How did Governor Boggs respond to the reports of mob rule in his state? 3. Who were the Danites? 4. How long were Joseph Smith and his companions incarcerated at Liberty Jail? Why is the jail at Liberty sometimes referred to as a "Prison Temple"? Here are a few extra resources for those who would like to read more about this period or the principles involved in this part of Church history: 1. "Eliza R. Snow Letter from Missouri" - pdf - BYU Studies 2. "The Test" - Ensign, October 2008 3. "The Haun's Mill Massacre" - pdf - BYU Studies 4. "Where is the Pavilion?" - Ensign, October 2012
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