Doctrine and Covenants 2

Moroni, Malachi, and Elijah

The zip lock was introduced July 11,1986‑

Revelation 14:6And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people.

WHO?

John the Revelator ‘saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people.’ That angel has come. His name is Moroni. His is a voice speaking out of the dust, bringing another witness of the living reality of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Gordon B. Hinckley, Oct. 1995 Gen. Conf.

22 total visits have been documented.

1st visit: Sept 21, 182322nd visit: June, 1829

Is there anything wrong with this picture?

What did Moroni tell Joseph?

JSH 1:33-35, 42

Doctrine and Covenants 2

Doctrine and Covenants 2 is so important it is in all of the standard works!

Malachi 4:5-6 Old TestamentLuke 1:16-17 New Testament3 Nephi 25:5-6 Book of MormonJSH: 36-39 Pearl of Great Price

Elder John A. Widtsoe: “The beginning and the end of the gospel is written in section two of the Doctrine and Covenants. It is the keystone of the wonderful gospel arch; and if that center stone should weaken and fall out, the whole gospel structure would topple down in unorganized doctrinal blocks” (Elway L. Christiansen, C.R., April, 1960, 48).

Group 1Doctrine and Covenants 2:1—Who is Elijah? What priesthood power did Moroni say Elijah would restore?

Group 2Doctrine and Covenants 2:2—Who are the fathers and the children referred to in this verse? How is this prophecy fulfilled?

Group 3Doctrine and Covenants 2:3—Why would the earth be utterly wasted if the sealing power had not been restored?

1) Who is Elijah? (GROUP 1) 2) Has Elijah come or are we still waiting?3) How can the Second Coming of the Lord be both “great” and “dreadful”?4) Who are the fathers and who are the children? (GROUP 2) Joseph Fielding Smith said: “Those who died without a knowledge of the Gospel and without the opportunity of receiving the sealing ordinances of the Priesthood. According to these promises, the children in the latter days are to perform all such ordinances in behalf of the dead.” (I.E. Vol. 25 p. 829, July 1922)5) Has this prophecy been fulfilled?

6) Why would the earth be “utterly wasted” if Elijah did not come? (GROUP 3)Joseph Fielding Smith said: “The sealing power of Elijah makes it possible for this joining of the families, generation to generation, back to the beginning. Now, if these units of authority were not here, then the work of sealing, by which the family units are preserved, could not be performed; then the binding power by which all blessings are sealed in heaven, as well as on earth, would be lacking. If this were so, the earth would be smitten with a curse, for all work which had been done, without these binding or sealing ordinances, would fall to the ground unfulfilled.” (Doctrines of Salvation 2:121 22)‑

ca 900 BC 1 Kings 17:1 Elijah receives the sealing power

897 BC 2 Kings 2:11-12 Elijah is translated and taken to heaven

420 BC Malachi 4:5-6 Malachi prophecies Elijah’s return

AD 33 Mathew 17:3 Elijah returns and gives the sealing power to Peter, James and John on the Mount of Transfiguration

21 Sep. 1823 D&C 2 Moroni appears to Joseph Smith and repeats Malachi’s prophecy

3 April 1836 D&C 110:13-16 Elijah returns and gives the sealing power to Joseph Smith in the Kirtland temple on Passover

11 June 1998Eric and Megan Richards are sealed in the San Diego Tempe

Sealing Power Time Line

The Spirit of ElijahIt is no coincidence that tools have come forth at a time when young people are so familiar with a wide range of information and communication technologies. Your fingers have been trained to text and tweet to accelerate and advance the work of the Lord—not just to communicate quickly with your friends [but] to contribute to the work of salvation.

Elder David A. Bednar, October 2011

The Spirit of ElijahI invite the young people of the Church to learn about and experience the Spirit of Elijah. I encourage you to study, to search out your ancestors, and to prepare yourselves to perform proxy baptisms. And I urge you to help other people identify their family histories.

Elder David A. Bednar, October 2011

The Spirit of ElijahYour testimony of and conversion to the Savior will become deep and abiding. And I promise you will be protected against the intensifying influence of the adversary. As you participate in and love this holy work, you will be safeguarded in your youth and throughout your lives.

Elder David A. Bednar, October 2011

The Lord has prepared social networks where his children are connected

• Internet created in 1969• 1985: 1% of homes have computers• 1990: 50% of homes have computers• 2014: 94% of homes have computers• Facebook began in 2004

– 1 in 9 human beings is on Facebook– 23% of Facebook users login at least 5 times daily– Americans spend 15 hours/month on Facebook

• Instagram reached 1 million users 9 months after being founded.

• Pinterest (2011) has over 70,000,000 users with 30 billion pins• Youtube: 92 billion views/month

– Collectively, humans have spent 13,687 years watching the “Gangum Style” video

“Your fingers have been trained to text and tweet…”

– 72 hours of video is uploaded on YouTube– 250,000 pictures posted on Pintrest– 2 million searches on Google– 6 million Facebook views– 320 new Twitter accounts are created

• 100,000 tweets are sent

– $83,000 in sales on Amazon– 47,000 apps are downloaded– 200 million emails are sent– 130 people buy a cell phone– 57 new websites are created– 1.4 million minutes are used on Skype– 78 million ‘Likes’ in Facebook

What Happens In An Internet Minute?

Use your digital skills to further the work of redeeming the dead.

Use your digital skills to further the work of redeeming the dead.

CHANGE YOUR TEMPLE EXPERIENCES AND YOUR LIFE (VIDEO)

• Engage in digital missionary work or family history once a week

• www.createfan.com• www.indexing.familysearch.org• Ask the families you Home Teach• Invite New Members to let you help

them prepare a name for the Temple

5 Ways You Can Help

Blessings Promised

Why work to Redeem the Dead?

Why work to Redeem the Dead?

"Do you young people want a sure way to eliminate the influence of the adversary in your life? Immerse yourself in searching for your ancestors." Elder Richard G. Scott

Why work to Redeem the Dead?

"The devil with one third part of the spirits of Father's Kingdom got here before us. You can now comprehend how it is that they are always trying to get possession of the bodies of human beings; you may now see people with legions of evil spirits in and around them there are men who walk our streets that have more than a hundred devils round about them prompting them to all manner of evil." (Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses Vol 3, p. 369)

Why work to Redeem the Dead?“One of the things we need to teach…is the

reality of angels, their work, and their ministry. Personal ministering angels who are with us and around us, empowered to help us, and who do exactly that.

“I believe we need to speak of and believe in and bear testimony to the ministry of angels more than we sometimes do. They constitute one of God's great methods of witnessing through the veil…” Elder Holland, ES Symposium on the Book of Mormon • 9 August 1994

"Our fathers and mothers, brothers, sisters and friends who have passed away from this earth may have a mission given them to visit their friends and relatives upon the earth again, bringing messages of love, of warning, of reproof or instruction to those whom they had learned to love in the flesh." (Joseph Fielding Smith, Gospel Doctrine, p. 436)

Why work to Redeem the Dead?

“Enveloped in flaming fire, they [in the spirit world] are not far from us, and know and understand our thoughts, feelings, and emotions, and are often pained therewith.” Joseph Smith, History of the Church, 6:52

Why work to Redeem the Dead?

“When you were baptized, your ancestors looked down on you with hope. … They rejoiced to see one of their descendants make a covenant to find them. Their hearts are bound to you. Their hope is in your hands.” Elder Henry B. Eyring, Hearts Bound Together, Conference April 2005

Why work to Redeem the Dead?

• Do you attend the temple regularly?

• How do you feel as you attend the temple?

• How has your life been blessed by the temple?

• Do you participate in genealogy?

• How do you feel as you engage in genealogical work?

Doctrine and Covenants 2

Moroni and Malachi