“Two Gems: Agency and Sabbath!” GET TO THE POINT™ Come Follow Me: D&C 58-59

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Opening Hymn: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DoNcyXETXk

Intro
i. You're looking good today and it feels good to be with you.
II. Theme: "Two Gems: Agency and Sabbath"
III. Point I: The Land and The Law
i. Parallels to Moses
ii. 58
1. Church in Missouri and Kirtland. GBH "Truth Restored" split like Two towers
2. Cannot behold at present time tribulation. Foreshadowing mods, persecutions, and the Exterminating Order. "After much tribulation, cometh blessing."
3. Gathering: First rich, then poor. Rich have money and education for infrastructure, help poor and sick become rich. v. 61, blessed exceedingly.
4. Partridge oversee gathering and inheritances
5. Obey laws of land, AF 12. buy lands, not redeem with blood in OT
6. Agency, not meet command in all things.
7. Commandments: God commends, we don't obey, and God revokes blessing. Then we curse God for our own folly.
8. Martin Harris assignments
9. "By this ye may know if a man repenteth of his sins—behold, he will confess them and forsake them." Prov. 28:13. Look at what people do. Friend was addicted to OTC painkillers in law school. She publicly posed how she wanted the church to change the WofW
10. Fasting but sucking on a packet of breath mints.
11. Sidney Rigdon. Subscription is a collection; dedicate land with a covenant
a. On the 2nd day of August 1831, Brother Sidney Rigdon stood up and asked saying: Do you receive this land for the land of your inheritance with thankful hearts from the Lord? answer from all, we do. Do you pledge yourselves to keep the laws of God on this land, which you never have kept in your own lands? we do. Do you pledge yourselves to see that others of your brethren who shall come hither do keep the laws of God? we do. After prayer he arose and said, I now pronounce this land consecrated and dedicated to the Lord for a possession and inheritance for the Saints (in the name of Jesus Christ having authority from him.) And for all the faithful servants of the Lord to the remotest ages of time. Amen. "The day following, eight elders, viz., Joseph Smith, Jr., Oliver Cowdery, Sidney Rigdon, Peter Whitmer, Jr., Frederick G. Williams, Wm. W. Phelps, Martin Harris, and Joseph Coe, assembled together where the Temple is to be erected. Sidney Rigdon dedicated the ground where the city is to stand: and Joseph Smith, Jr., laid a stone at the northeast corner of the contemplated temple in the name of the Lord Jesus of Nazareth. After all present had rendered thanks to the great ruler of the universe, Sidney Rigdon pronounced this spot of ground wholly dedicated unto the Lord forever: Amen." 
iii. 59
1. Gathering in Missouri, Zion.
2. Life or death, Polly Knight died the day before. Traveled while ill,. even prebuilt her coffin. Came and stood on Zion, and passed on.
3. Commandments and revelations. Distinction for W of W. Commandment is specific assignment, or patriarchal blessing; revelation is on doctrinal matters.
4. New Set of Commandments, reminds us of Ten Commandments
a. Kill, anything like unto it. Abortion and euthanasia
b. Focus on sabbath
5. Use natural resources:
a. fullness of earth yours. Discussion of sustainable development.
b. JS Letter to Emma:
i. October 13, 1832
ii. This day I have been walking through the most splendid part of the city of New York— the buildings are truly great and wonderful, to the astonishing of to every beholder. And the language of my heart is like this: "Can the great God of all the Earth, maker of all things magnificent and splendid, be displeased with man, for all these great inventions sought out by them?" My answer is: "No, it cannot be, seeing these works are are calculated to make men comfortable wise and happy." Therefore, not for the works can the Lord be displeased, only against man is the anger of the Lord kindled, because they give him not the glory. Therefore, their iniquities shall be visited upon their heads, and their works shall be burned up with unquenchable fire.
c. Study doctrine, not political party dictates.
IV. Point II: Agency: Clearing the Air
i. Pericope:
1. For behold, it is not meet that I should command in all things; for he that is compelled in all things, the same is a slothful and not a wise servant; wherefore he receiveth no reward.
a. Problem with micromanaging leaders
b. Need for constant reminder calls and texts
2. Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness;
a. Own initiative. Is this church-approved? Not needed.
b. MRB N 2006: We have handbooks of instruction, and their guidelines should be followed. But within that framework are substantial opportunities to think, to be creative, and to make use of individual talents. The instruction to magnify our callings is not a command to embellish and complicate them. To innovate does not necessarily mean to expand; very often it means to simplify.
3. For the power is in them, wherein they are agents unto themselves.  And inasmuch as men do good they shall in nowise lose their reward.
4. But he that doeth not anything until he is commanded, and receiveth a commandment with doubtful heart, and keepeth it with slothfulness, the same is damned.
a. 1. wait until commanded
b. Doubtful heart
c. Slothful execution
i. Dropped the ball, slipped my mind
ii. Nothing you read used the word choice. Action, 2 N 2
iii. Agire: act not choice, not to act.
V. Point II Sabbath
i. Read in context of Law of Moses, Isaiah 58.
ii. Always about simplification
1. Meals preparation. Culturally  Sunday biggest meal, families gathered around for conversation, like Blue Bloods. Saints Vol. 2, ch. 25, and lavish meals. Sister who duck out of church to prepare food for a missionary farewell.
2. Focus on devotions, vows, oblations, and sacrament
iii. Manuals
1. JS no statement, save this revelation EJST
2. SWK ch 16; and JFS ch 26, lists
3. RMN sign April 2015
a. Shift in thinking
b. Can be abused: if no difference in behavior, and intent, then not right
VI. Christ Quotient
i. Atonement Quotient
1. Lands and the atonement
a. Mideast with Israel and Palestine
b. Gathering for temple work JS Ch 19
i. Why gather the people together in this place? For the same purpose that Jesus wanted to gather the Jews-to receive the ordinances, the blessings, and glories that God has in store for His Saints.
2. Agency and the atonement
a. War in heaven
b. Can't act, can’t be saved
3. Sabbath and Atonement
a. Ordinance
b. Refocus
c. Physical rest
d. Personal study "commanded in all things"
e. Love 2 hour church, some people social butterflies, need an audience or social orientation.
i. Church is not time to stop ignoring families.
4. Imagine entering the promised land, with this clean slate, how improve life? what principles (not rules, but ptinicples) need for success. Great principle is Christ: That's the point.
 
 
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