04. Your favorite D&C scripture and why?
The Doctrine and Covenants is just FULL of amazing scriptures just like all the other books. I'm going to have to say it's a three way tie this time between D&C 18: 10-16:
This scripture holds a very special place in my heart. For a few reasons. The first being the first line of that scripture, "Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God" and then it goes on to talk about how the Savior died on the cross for each and every one of us individually. No matter how much I dislike somebody, the Savior still loved them enough to die on the cross for their sins. Who am I to treat them any differently or think of them as anything less than a Son or Daughter of our Heavenly Father?!? The second reason I love this scripture is because of my dear husband. He was my first "successful" missionary endeavor. I had talked to other people about the church but he was the first one to fully accept the gospel. It was a very long process for him. He didn't grasp on for dear life right away and then there was some personal things that happened. But eventually he entered the waters of baptism and became a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. At his baptism, it really hit me that this man I love was taking the plunge and that I was the one who had forever changed his life and not just because he would be stuck with me forever as his wife. And the last reason is my little brother on his mission in Salt Lake City. He writes every week about the wonderful people that he is baptizing and I can only imagine the joy he will feel in heaven as he sees this sweet brothers and sisters again.Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God; For, behold, the Lord your Redeemer suffered death in the flesh; wherefore he suffered the pain of all men, that all men might repent and come unto him. And he hath risen again from the dead, that he might bring all men unto him, on conditions of repentance. And how great is his joy in the soul that repenteth! Wherefore, you are called to cry repentance unto this people. And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father! And now, if your joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me into the kingdom of my Father, how great will be your joy if you should bring many souls unto me!
The second and third scriptures I love really go together. D&C 58:2-4 and D&C 122:5-7:
For verily I say unto you, blessed is he that keepeth my commandments, whether in life or in death; and he that is faithful in tribulation, the reward of the same is greater in the kingdom of heaven. Ye cannot behold with your natural eyes, for the present time, the design of your God concerning those things which shall come hereafter, and the glory which shall follow after much tribulation. For after much tribulation come the blessings. Wherefore the day cometh that ye shall be crowned with much glory; the hour is not yet, but is nigh at hand.
OK, I know this are super long scriptures but I just love them because the Lord tells Joseph Smith over and over in the Doctrine and Covenants that "Everything is going to be OK." I can't even imagine the pain and discouragement Joseph, his wife Emma and the early Saints must have felt as they were tarred and feathered, beaten, their homes burned down, chased out of town after town and persecuted verbally. But they endured to the end because they knew the Lord was on their side and that if they just kept on going they would make it to heaven and receive the greatest reward of all. So it is really thought provoking to me to think of the things that I am going through. Because as the first scriptures says, "after much tribulation come the blessings" and as the second one says, "these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good." And as I said in my post yesterday, I can already feel the blessings and greater experience that I am receiving from my current trial.If thou art called to pass through tribulation; if thou art in perils among false brethren; if thou art in perils among robbers; if thou art in perils by land or by sea; If thou art accused with all manner of false accusations; if thine enemies fall upon thee; if they tear thee from the society of thy father and mother and brethren and sisters; and if with a drawn sword thine enemies tear thee from the bosom of thy wife, and of thine offspring, and thine elder son, although but six years of age, shall cling to thy garments, and shall say, My father, my father, why can’t you stay with us? O, my father, what are the men going to do with you? and if then he shall be thrust from thee by the sword, and thou be dragged to prison, and thine enemies prowl around thee like wolves for the blood of the lamb; And if thou shouldst be cast into the pit, or into the hands of murderers, and the sentence of death passed upon thee; if thou be cast into the deep; if the billowing surge conspire against thee; if fierce winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness, and all the elements combine to hedge up the way; and above all, if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good.
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