Lesson 42
– D&C 1:38; 68:1-4; 84:109-10; 107:25,34, 93-98; 132:8;
Official
Declaration 2 (pgs. 293-94 in the D&C); Our Heritage, 117-19,
125-27.
President Harold B. Lee shared the following story: “Elder John A. Widtsoe of
the Council of the Twelve once told of a discussion he had with a group of
stake officers. In the course of the discussion someone said to him, ‘Brother
Widtsoe, how long has it been since the Church received a revelation?’ Brother
Widtsoe rubbed his chin thoughtfully and said in reply ‘Oh, probably since last
Thursday’ ” (Stand Ye in Holy Places [1974], 132-33).
Declaring that the Church continues to receive regular revelation and guidance, President Kimball said: “We testify to the world that revelation continues and that the vaults and files of the Church contain these revelations which come month to month and day to day. We testify that there is, since 1830 when the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was organized, and will continue to be, so long as time shall last, a prophet, recognized of God and his people, who will continue to interpret the mind and will of the Lord… Expecting the spectacular, one may not be fully alerted to the constant flow of revealed communication. I say, in the deepest of humility, but also by the power and force of a burning testimony in my soul, that from the prophet of the Restoration to the prophet of our own year, the communication line is unbroken, the authority is continuous, a light, brilliant and penetrating, continues to shine. The sound of the voice of the Lord is a continuous melody and a thunderous appeal. For nearly a century and a half there has been no interruption” (Ensign, May 1977, 78).
D&C 1:38 and 68:1-4. The members of the First Presidency
and the Quorum of the Twelve are latter-day prophets, seers, and
revelators. They continue to receive
revelations which guide the Church.
Their direction is “the will of the Lord, …the mind of the Lord, …the word of the Lord,
the voice of the Lord, and the power of God unto salvation” (D&C
68:4).
Church correlation was initiated and continues today by revelation from the Lord and his prophets. Church correlation preserves “the right way of God” (Jacob 7:7). It helps accomplish the Church’s mission to invite all people to “come unto Christ, and be perfected in him” (Moroni 10:32).
Correlation includes:
§
Maintaining purity of doctrine
§
Emphasizing the importance of the family and the home
§
Placing all of the work of the Church under priesthood
direction
§
Establishing proper relationships among the organizations of
the Church
§
Achieving and maintaining unity and order in the Church
§
Ensuring simplicity of Church programs and materials
Elder Bruce R. McConkie said that correlation is a process “ in which we take all the
programs of the Church, bring them to one focal point, wrap them in one
package, operate them as one program, involve all members of the Church in the
operation—and do it under priesthood direction” (Let
Every Man Learn His Duty [pamphlet 1976], 2).
Operation of Church auxiliaries: One
important role of correlation is to unify and coordinate the auxiliaries—relief
Society, Primary, Sunday School. While
once independent with their own magazines and conferences, these organizations
grew to become increasingly complex and often duplicative in some functions.
Correlation has reduced complexity and duplication and priesthood direction has
helped these auxiliaries function in a complementary manner.
Preparation of Church publications: Lesson
manuals and magazines are produced to assist members in living Christ-like
lives and learning gospel principles.
Correlation helps assure that the publications are scripture-based,
doctrinally accurate, and appropriate for the intended audience. The Church’s publications are planned,
prepared, reviewed, approved, and implemented under the direction of the First Presidency
and Quorum of the Twelve. As a result,
both adult and youth Gospel Doctrine classes and most Primary classes study the
same book of scripture during the year, so family discussions of that scripture
are facilitated and encouraged by the bond of common, concurrent study by
family members. If planned by the
parents, lessons taught at home are reinforced by lessons taught in Church
classes.
Home Teaching:
D&C 20:53-55. Visits to members’ homes have been part of the
inspired Church program since the beginning of this dispensation. In the 1960’s these visits were reemphasized
and began to be called “home teaching”—a vital responsibility and opportunity
for priesthood holders. Priesthood
leaders have long taught their quorum members the purposes and importance of
fulfilling home teaching assignments faithfully and diligently.
D&C 84:109-10;
D&C 132:8. These scriptures
teach our mutual dependence on each other and the divine wisdom and order of
the Church’s correlated approach to church programs and activities.
Revelation extending the blessings of the priesthood to every worthy male member
Official Declaration 2 was announced by President Kimball in
June 1978. This revelation has been a great blessing to the Church and all
worthy male members. Our Heritage, pages
125-127 reveal details about the reception of this important revelation.
Under the direction of the First Presidency, a new edition
of Bible was published in 1979 after years of careful work. The Bible has the
same text as the King James Version, but it is supplemented with study aids
such as the Topical Guide, the Bible Dictionary, and LDS footnotes that
reference other Standard Works and the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible.
Then, in 1981, a new edition of the triple combination (Book of Mormon,
D&C, and Pearl of Great Price in a single volume) was published with
expanded footnotes and index entries.
Read Ezekiel 37:15-19 and you will see that the new editions of the LDS
scriptures help the sticks of Joseph and Judah become one. Elder Boyd K. Packer observed: “The stick or record of
Judah—the Old Testament and the New Testament—and the stick or record of
Ephriam—the Book of Mormon, which is another testament of Jesus Christ—are now
woven together in such a way that as you pore over one you are drawn to the
other; as you learn from one you are enlightened by the other. They are indeed
one in our hands” (Ensign, Nov. 1982, 53).
Elder Boyd K. Packer prophesied: “With the passing of years,
these scriptures will produce successive generations of faithful Christians who
know the Lord Jesus Christ and are disposed to obey His will...The revelations
will be opened to them as to no other [generation] in the history of the world.
Into their hands now are placed the sticks of Joseph and Judah. They will
develop a gospel scholarship beyond that which their forebears could achieve.
They will have the testimony that Jesus is the Christ and be competent to
proclaim Him and to defend Him” (Ensign, Nov. 1982,
53).
As the Church has grown to 11 million members, the Lord
revealed how Church administration should change to meet the needs of the
members across the face of the earth. Especially visible has been the
addition of Quorums of the Seventy.
Responsibilities of the Seventy are found in D&C 107:25,
34. For many years, there were only seven General Authorities who served as
Seventies. They made up the First
Council of the Seventy. In 1975 as others were called, they served in the First
Quorum of the Seventy. Expanded again in 1989, the Second Quorum of Seventy was
formed. In April 1995, President
Hinckley announced the calling of Area Authorities. In 1997, it was announced
that the Area Authorities would be ordained Seventies and form the Third,
Fourth, and Fifth Quorums of the Seventy.
Area Authority Seventies serve in the area in which they live and
continue in their present employment.
These expansions of the Quorums of the Seventy are fulfillment of
instruction in D&C 107:93-97.
President Hinckley said: “With these respective quorums in place, we have
established a pattern under which the Church may grow to any size with an
organization of Area Presidencies and Area Authority Seventies, chosen and
working across the world according to need. Now, the Lord is watching over His
kingdom. He is inspiring its leadership to care for its ever growing
membership” (Ensign, May 1997, 6).