Doctrine and Covenants Week 8: D&C 2934

1) D&C 29. a) [SLIDE 2] Background: i) This section was received by Joseph Smith just prior to the church conference of 26 September 1830, in the presence of Six Elders.1 ii) This is the first of Josephs revelations that treats, at length, the calamities of the last days that lead up to the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. (1) There are other revelations that cover this material that Ive grouped into the upcoming lesson 11, and so Id like to hold off covering section 29s end times material until then. b) This revelation contains the first discussion of the important principle of agency: D&C 29:3440
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Wherefore, verily I say unto you that all things unto me are spiritual, and not at any time have I given unto you a law which was temporal; neither any man, nor the children of men; neither Adam, your father, whom I created. 35 Behold, I gave unto him [Adam] that he should be an agent unto himself; and I gave unto him commandment, but no temporal commandment gave I unto him, for my commandments are spiritual; they are not natural nor temporal, neither carnal nor sensual. 36 And it came to pass that Adam, being tempted of the devilfor, behold, the devil was before Adam, for he rebelled against me, saying, Give me thine honor, which is my power; and also a third part of the hosts of heaven turned he away from me because of their agency; 37and they were thrust down, and thus came the devil and his angels; 38and, behold, there is a place prepared for them from the beginning, which place is hell. 39And it must needs be that the devil should tempt the children of men, or they could not be agents unto themselves; for if they never should have bitter they could not know the sweet40wherefore, it came to pass that the devil tempted Adam, and he partook of the forbidden fruit and transgressed the commandment, wherein he became subject to the will of the devil, because he yielded unto temptation.

i) The entire train of thought runs from verse 22 to the end of the section, but this passage contains the main idea. ii) This section was revealed at approximately the same time that chapter 4 of the Book of Moses was produced as part of Josephs new translation of the Bible.2 It has some additional details on Satans plan and the agency of men: Moses 4:14
1

And I, the Lord God, spake unto Moses, saying: That Satan, whom thou hast commanded in the name of mine Only Begotten, is the same which was from the beginning, and he came before me, sayingBehold, here am I, send me, I

1 History of the Church 1:111 (http://byustudies2.byu.edu/hc/1/13.html#111). At the time the office of elder was the highest in the Church, and only a handful of menincluding Oliver Cowdery and David Whitmerhad been ordained to this office. 2 Well cover Josephs translation of the Bible in more detail in lesson 15.

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will be thy son, and I will redeem all mankind, that one soul shall not be lost, and surely I will do it; wherefore give me thine honor. 2 But, behold, my Beloved Son, which was my Beloved and Chosen from the beginning, said unto meFather, thy will be done, and the glory be thine forever. 3 Wherefore, because that Satan rebelled against me, and sought to destroy the agency of man, which I, the Lord God, had given him, and also, that I should give unto him mine own power; by the power of mine Only Begotten, I caused that he should be cast down; 4and he became Satan, yea, even the devil, the father of all lies, to deceive and to blind men, and to lead them captive at his will, even as many as would not hearken unto my voice.

iii) 29:3435. All things unto me are spiritual, and not at any time have I given unto you a law which was temporal. (1) But God has never given man a temporal law (one designed for this world and this body), but all his laws are spiritual (designed to exalt man and bring him or her to the next world). (a) The things that we do as part of our service in the Churchdelivering a meal to a sick individual, mowing the widows lawn, picking peaches at the stake farmmay appear to be temporal, but they are all ultimately designed to bless others, and thereby exalt ourselves. (b) [SLIDE 3] Elder Dallin H. Oaks applied this principle to the pioneers who settled in Utah:
The Latter-day Saint men and women who settled these valleys of the mountains acted upon [the] principle [of spiritual interpretation and understanding]. Judged in terms of the values and aspirations of the world, some pioneer enterprises were failures. The iron mission did not succeed in making significant quantities of iron. The cotton mission did not give the Utah Territory self-sufficiency in cotton production. Efforts to manufacture sugar did not achieve material success for forty years. The Perpetual Immigration Fund did not perpetuate itself because many immigrants were unable to pay their debt to it. But, when measured against the eternal values of loyalty, cooperation, and consecration, some of the most conspicuous worldly failures are seen as the pioneer enterprisers greatest triumphs. Whatever their financial outcome, these enterprises called forth the sacrifices that molded pioneers into Saints and prepared Saints for exaltation.3

iv) [SLIDE 4] 29:35, 39. I gave unto [Adam] that should be an agent unto himself. And it must needs be that the devil should tempt the children of men, or they could not be agents unto themselves. (1) Here we find the first revelation on agency, a doctrine that is central to Latterday Saint understanding of human existence. (2) Lets start by defining terms: (a) Mormons often incorrectly speak of free agency.

Dallin H. Oaks, Spirituality, General Conference, October 1985 (http://www.lds.org/ensign/1985/11/spirituality). http://bit.ly/ldsarc For personal use only. Not a Church publication.

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(i) [SLIDE 5] Elder Boyd K. Packer:

The phrase free agency does not appear in scripture. The only agency spoken of there is moral agency, which, the Lord said, I have given unto him, that every man may be accountable for his own sins in the day of judgment. (D&C 101:78; italics added.)4

(b) There is also a widespread misunderstanding among Latter-day Saints that agency is merely free will, or the ability to make choices.5 This is a component of agency, but not all of it. (c) [SLIDE 6] In his 1828 English dictionary, Noah Webster defined agency as:
1. The quality of moving or of exerting power; the state of being in action; action; operation; instrumentality; as, the agency of providence in the natural world. 2. The office of an agent, or factor; business of an agent entrusted with the concerns of another; as, the principal pays the charges of agency.6

(3) The first definition indicates the power and ability to act. It is similar to the Book of Mormon prophet Lehi1s division of Gods creations into things which act and things which are acted upon (2 Nephi 2:13, 14, 26). Lehi1 explains: 2 Nephi 2:26
26

And the Messiah cometh in the fulness of time, that he may redeem the children of men from the fall. And because that they are redeemed from the fall they have become free forever, knowing good from evil; to act for themselves and not to be acted upon, save it be by the punishment of the law at the great and last day, according to the commandments which God hath given.

(a) According to Lehi1, agency is a gift from God made possible because of the atonement of Jesus Christ. (b) Therefore, because we are agents, and therefore have the ability to act, we are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil (2 Nephi 2:27). (4) Websters second definition of agency refers to the ability of a person to function as an agent, one entrusted with the business of another.7 (a) This is the concept of stewardship, in which God gives us responsibilities and makes us accountable for our actions with regard to them. D&C 64:29
29

Wherefore, as ye are agents, ye are on the Lords errand; and whatever ye do according to the will of the Lord is the Lords business.

moral-environment).

Boyd K. Packer, Our Moral Environment, General Conference, April 1992 (http://www.lds.org/ensign/1992/05/our-

5 For an exploration into the meaning and implications of agency in LDS scripture, see David Bokovoy, Agency in LDS Theology: A Misunderstood Concept?, Worlds Without End: A Mormon Studies Roundtable, 5 August 2012 (http://www.withoutend.org/agency-lds-theology-misunderstood-concept/). 6 Noah Webster, American Dictionary of the English Language, 1828 ed., s.v. Agency, defs. 1 and 2 (http://www.1828dictionary.com/d/word/agency). 7 Webster, s.v. Agent, def. 3 (http://www.1828-dictionary.com/d/word/agent).

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(i) To be agents, therefore, is to be entrusted with the Lords business and accountable to him for how we carry it out. (b) After showing Enoch a vision of the inhabitants of the earth: Moses 7:32
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The Lord said unto Enoch: Behold these thy brethren; they are the workmanship of mine own hands, and I gave unto them their knowledge, in the day I created them; and in the Garden of Eden, gave I unto man his agency.

(i) When God placed man in Eden, he gave them him agencythe responsibility to act as an agent (and therefore have dominion) over his choices on earth, including the way he used its resources: D&C 104:1718
17

For the earth is full, and there is enough and to spare; yea, I prepared all things, and have given unto the children of men to be agents unto themselves. 18 Therefore, if any man shall take of the abundance which I have made, and impart not his portion, according to the law of my gospel, unto the poor and the needy, he shall, with the wicked, lift up his eyes in hell, being in torment.

(c) Its in this sense that the passage in Moses explains that Satansought to destroy the agency of man (Moses 4:3) before the world was created. Satan cant take away our ability to act (definition 1), but he tried to take away any responsibility and accountability we had for our actions (definition 2). v) In summary, agency is not free will. It refers to men acting as agents, given stewardship over the things of the earth, having power to act, and being responsible to God for their actions. c) [SLIDE 7] The following passage from the end of section 29 has some connection to the principle of agency: D&C 29:4647
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But behold, I say unto you, that little children are redeemed from the foundation of the world through mine Only Begotten; 47wherefore, they cannot sin, for power is not given unto Satan to tempt little children, until they begin to become accountable before me.

i) Children are unable to sin because Satan does not have power to tempt them. Therefore they are not moral agents, and are not responsible for their actions. ii) Instead, they are alive in Christ and have no need of repentance (Moroni 8:22).8 iii) Their actions, which would otherwise be sinful if committed by someone with agency, are instead covered by the atonement of Jesus Christ. 2) Up to this point we havent talked about the missionary effort of the early Church. This evening were hopefully going to make up for that. a) Sections 30 to 34 all concern themselves with missionary work and commandments to the early missionaries. b) Earliest missionary efforts:
8 The Book of Mormon prophet-king Benjamin also explained that Jesus Christ blood atoneth for the sins of those who have fallen by the transgression of Adam, who have died not knowing the will of God concerning them, or who have ignorantly sinned (Mosiah 3:11).

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i) [SLIDE 8] Samuel Smith, brother of the Prophet, was the first missionary of the restored Church. (1) Samuel was one of the Eight Witnesses to the Book of Mormon. He was set apart by his brother, Joseph Smith, Jr. (2) On 30 June 1830, he filled his knapsack with copies of the Book of Mormon and traveled through neighboring towns in upstate New York to acquaint people with the newly published book of scripture. (3) After traveling 30 miles the first day, he slept under an apple tree, having been turned out of doors that day for the fifth time.9 (4) [SLIDE 9] He sold a copy to Phinehas H. Young, who read the book and later joined the Church. [9.1] The same book came into the hands of Phinehas younger brother, Brigham, which, in conjunction with additional contacts, led to Brighams conversion. (5) [9.2] Samuels mission also led to the baptism of Heber C. Kimball, who later served the first mission to Great Britain and as a counselor to Brigham Young. (6) [SLIDE 10] Samuel Smiths first mission lasted 15 months, during which he traveled over 4,000 miles, preaching from Maine to Missouri. ii) Other early missionaries included: (1) Joseph Smith, Sr. and Don Carlos Smith, the Prophets father and brother, who shared the Book of Mormon with relatives in St. Lawrence County, New York. (2) Hyrum Smith served a mission in the Palmyra, Fayette, and Colesville, New York, area. (3) Jared Carter preached in Ohio, New York, Vermont, and Pennsylvania. (4) Thomas B. Marsh preached in Massachusetts. (5) Solomon Chamberlain was the first missionary to Canada. c) [SLIDE 11] The Lamanite mission of 183031. i) One of the Churchs earliest missionary expeditions commenced in October 1830 with the call of four missionaries to preach to Native Americans. (1) Oliver Cowdery (D&C 28:8). (2) Peter Whitmer, Jr. (D&C 30:56). (3) Parley P. Pratt and Ziba Peterson (D&C 32:13). ii) Background on these men: (1) Were previously discussed Oliver Cowdery and Peter Whitmer Jr. (2) Ziba Peterson was baptized 18 April 1830 by Oliver Cowdery. On 9 June 1830 he was one of five elders to be ordained, bringing the total to seven (Joseph and Oliver had been ordained on 6 April). (3) [SLIDE 12] Parley P. Pratts story is one of the most inspiring in Church history:

Lucy Mack Smith, Lucys Book: A Critical Edition of Lucy Mack Smiths Family Memoir, Lavina Fielding Anderson, ed. (Salt Lake City: Signature Books, 2001), 479 (http://signaturebookslibrary.org/?p=9209).
9

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(a) After an early life of unsuccessful farming in New York, he moved to northeast Ohio 1827 and built a successful wilderness farm. (b) In Ohio he became a follower of restorationist Christian movement. He strongly felt that he was called upon by the Holy Ghost to forsake [his] house and home for the gospels sake,10 so he sold his farm and set out to preach the gospel. (c) While journeying through western New York via the Erie Canal, he felt compelled to leave the boat and his wife and travel into the countryside to preach. [SLIDE 13] He was introduced to
an old Baptist deacon by the name of Hamlin. After hearing of our appointment for evening, he began to tell of a book, a STRANGE BOOK, a VERY STRANGE BOOK! in his possession, which had been just published. This book, he said, purported to have been originally written on plates either of gold or brass, by a branch of the tribes of Israel; and to have been discovered and translated by a young man near Palmyra, in the State of New York, by the aid of visions, or the ministry of angels. I inquired of him how or where the book was to be obtained. He promised me the perusal of it, at his house the next day, if I would call. I felt a strange interest in the book. Next morning I called at his house, where, for the first time, my eyes beheld the BOOK OF MORMON,that book of booksthat recordwhich was the principal means, in the hands of God, of directing the entire course of my future life. [SLIDE 14] I opened it with eagerness, and read its title page. I then read the testimony of several witnesses in relation to the manner of its being found and translated. After this I commenced its contents by course. I read all day; eating was a burden, I had no desire for food; sleep was a burden when the night came, for I preferred reading to sleep. As I read, the spirit of the Lord was upon me, and I knew and comprehended that the book was true, as plainly and manifestly as a man comprehends and knows that he exists. My joy was now full, as it were, and I rejoiced sufficiently to more than pay me for all the sorrows, sacrifices and toils of my life. . [SLIDE 15] I esteemed the Book, or the information contained in it, more than all the riches of the world. Yes; I verily believe that I would not at that time have exchanged the knowledge I then possessed, for a legal title to all the beautiful farms, houses, villages and property which passed in review before me, on my journey through one of the most flourishing settlements of western New York.11

(d) [SLIDE 16] Parley was baptized on 1 September 1830 by Oliver Cowdery in Seneca Lake, and met the Prophet Joseph Smith at Fayette at the 26 September conference of the Church. (e) Parley converted and baptized his brother Orson, and they both became founding members of the Quorum of the Twelve.
10 The Autobiography of Parley Parker Pratt (Chicago: Law, King & Law, 1888), 3536 (http://archive.org/stream/autobiographyofp1874prat#page/35). 11 The Autobiography of Parley Parker Pratt, 3738, 40.

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(f) [SLIDE 17] In the Utah period, Parley was the leader of the expedition commissioned by Brigham Young to explore this region. They first crossed the Virgin River just north of here, where Hurricanes Main Street dead-ends at the river gorge. (A historical marker has been placed there, commemorating the expedition.) (g) Parley P. Pratt was one of the great missionaries, writers, and apostles of the restored Church, and he gave his life in 1857 as a martyr for the gospels sake. iii) Historical background: (1) [SLIDE 18] In the early 1800s the U.S. government began removing Native Americans in the eastern states to the American frontier west of Missouri, in modern-day Nebraska, Kansas, and Oklahoma.12 (2) The missionaries ultimate destination was to the west of Independence, Missouri, the last American outpost before Indian country. iv) Preaching by the way. (1) [SLIDE 19] The missionaries left Fayette on 18 October 1830, and preached to both white settlers and Indians as they traveled. (2) Their first stop was Buffalo, New York, where they taught the Catteraugus Indians and gave them two copies of the Book of Mormon. (3) [SLIDE 20] By the end of October 1830 they had made their way to northeastern Ohio. While preaching throughout the area they contacted Parley Pratts friend and former pastor, Sidney Rigdon. (a) Rigdon was part of a Reformed Baptist group that believed in the necessity of a restoration of the ancient Christian church. (i) His beliefs were similar to those of Alexander Campbell and Campbells Disciples of Christ movement. (ii) They believed that all existing churches were in error, and that the creeds were of human, not biblical, origin. (iii) Non-Mormon historians see the Latter-day Saints as only a faction within a larger restorationist movement that was taking place in early 19th century America, but we know that this spirit of restoration prepared many people to receive the true gospel once it was preached to them. (b) Sidney Rigdon read the Book of Mormon and was convinced of its truth. He was baptized on 14 November 1830. Many of his congregation followed him into the Church. (c) In four weeks in northeastern Ohio, the missionaries baptized approximately 130 converts, 50 of them from Kirtland. These new members made Kirtland their headquarters. (i) Among the converts were men who would become leaders in the Church: Frederick G. Williams, Lyman Wight, Newel K. Whitney, Levi Hancock,
12 This was authorized by the Indian Removal Act of 1830, which resulted in the (largely forced) relocation of the Cherokee, Muscogee, Seminole, Chickasaw, Choctaw, and other Indian tribes. Many Native Americans suffered from exposure, disease and starvation en route to their destinations, and many died, resulting in their journey being given the name the Trail of Tears.

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and John Murdock. Edward Partridge and Orson Hyde joined the Church soon after the missionaries departed. (ii) By the end of 1830, membership in Ohio had reached 300, nearly triple the number of members in New York. (4) [SLIDE 21] Frederick G. Williams joined the missionaries, and they continued west in late November 1830. (a) They visited the Wyandot Indians at Sandusky, Ohio, where their message received a very positive response. (b) They were unable to interest anyone in Cincinnati. (c) In late December, they took passage down the Ohio River toward St. Louis. However they encountered ice near Cairo, Illinois, which forced them to walk overland. (i) [SLIDE 22] Their journey became increasingly arduous. Snowstorms were some of the most severe on record. Food was scarce, and they were forced to survive on meager rations of frozen bread and pork. v) [SLIDE 23] In late January 1831, still in the midst of intense cold, the missionaries arrived at Jackson County. They had traveled 1,500 miles, mostly on foot, in midwinter. (1) Independence was the wild west of its day. It was a rough and undisciplined frontier village where people went to get away from it all, especially if it all included the law. (2) However, the town was only twelve miles from the western border between the United States and Indian territory, which made it ideal for preaching to the Native Americans. (3) Peter Whitmer and Ziba Peterson set up a tailor shop to earn money to support the missionary effort, while Oliver Cowdery, Parley Pratt, and Frederick Williams crossed the boundary into Indian territory. (4) The missionaries began teaching the Delaware Indians, and made plans to establish a permanent school among the Delawares and to baptize converts. However, they were stopped by an order to desist from the federal Indian agent, Richard W. Cummins. After issuing a second warning, he threatened to arrest the elders if they did not leave Indian lands. (a) Parley Pratt believed that the jealousy of the missionaries of other churches and Indian agents precipitated the order. (b) Cummins claimed that the elders did not possess a certificate authorizing their presence on government Indian lands. Cowdery wrote Cummins superintendent requesting a license to return to Indian lands, but the request was never granted, and that effectively ended the Lamanite mission. (5) Oliver Cowdery dispatched Parley Pratt to the east to report on the mission while the remaining four missionaries preached to white settlers in Jackson County. (a) In June 1831, Joseph Smith himself came to Jackson County to meet the missionaries. Through revelation the Prophet identified a site a half mile from Independence as the temple lot for the New Jerusalem (D&C 57:1-3).
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vi) [SLIDE 24] The mission to western Missouri in 183031 was important for three reasons: (1) It demonstrated the Churchs commitment to preach to the descendants of the Lamanites of the Book of Mormon, a commitment which continues to this day and has led to the conversion of millions of people in North and South America. (2) It helped establish a stronghold for the Church in Kirtland, Ohio, where the missionaries found numerous unexpected converts. Kirtland soon became the headquarters for the Church. (3) It ultimately brought Joseph Smith to Jackson County, Missouri, to lay the foundation of Zion, or the New Jerusalem. (a) The location of Zion had been revealed to Joseph Smith just prior to the departure of the Lamanite missionaries (28:9). vii) Like many of the Churchs other so-called failed endeavors, the Lamanite mission had unexpected and fortuitous side effects that grew the Church and kingdom. 3) [SLIDE 25] Next week: a) D&C 3540, 47.

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