Enrichment M
Priesthood and Church Government, Part 1

(M-1) Introduction

The most powerful force known to mankind in time or eternity is the holy priesthood (see N. Eldon Tanner, in Conference Report, Oct. 1979, p. 61; or Ensign, Nov. 1979, p. 42). By it the earth was created and the planets are held in their orbits, but even more impressive is the knowledge that to have “the power of the Melchizedek Priesthood is to have the power of ‘endless lives’” (History of the Church, 5:554). By the authority of the Melchizedek Priesthood, the entire Church and kingdom of God on earth functions, is administered, and rolls triumphantly to its foreordained destiny.

What is the meaning and purpose of the priesthood? How is the Church organized and administered through the priesthood? By what means is the Lord’s will made known to the membership of the Church through the priesthood? The Doctrine and Covenants not only answers these questions but in a sense could be viewed as a divinely revealed handbook on the priesthood. In this section and Enrichment N, the doctrines and the covenants of the priesthood will be examined, particularly in three major areas: the meaning of the priesthood, priesthood organization, and Church government and administration (which is discussed in Enrichment N).

(M-2) What Is the Priesthood?

Out of respect for the name of deity and to avoid making the Lord’s name too common by overuse, the name of the priesthood was changed from the Holy Priesthood after the Order of the Son of God to the Melchizedek Priesthood, “because Melchizedek was such a great high priest” (D&C 107:2; see also vv. 1–4).

What is the priesthood? The Melchizedek Priesthood is God’s power, vested in His authorized servants, that enables them to speak and act on His behalf in performing and administering every covenant, contract, vow, ordinance, or expectation that He has in store for the blessing of His faithful children, all being ratified by the sealing of the Holy Spirit in this world and in the world to come (see D&C 132:6–7).

Every prayer for salvation would be in vain without the holy ordinances being performed by those who have been anointed and appointed to the priesthood. Every hope would be dashed upon the rocks of futility without the voice of authorized servants whose function it is to speak for the Lord in guiding His children in the paths that lead to exaltation and bestowing the blessings of eternity (see D&C 130:20–21). In short, the priesthood is the divine power needed by every son and daughter of God to lift them from a life of corruption, through the merits of the Redeemer, to a spotless life of splendor in the presence of their eternal Father.

Ordination is the transfer of God’s power.

(M-3) The Powers and Keys Associated with the Priesthood

President Joseph Fielding Smith said: “This matter of holding the priesthood is not a light or a small thing. We are dealing with the Lord’s power and authority, which he has given to us by the opening of the heavens in this day so that every blessing might again be available to us, as they were when man was first placed upon the earth.” (In Conference Report, Oct. 1971, p. 108; or Ensign, Dec. 1971, p. 98.)

Not only does one receive the power and authority to act in God’s name when he has the priesthood conferred upon him, but he receives an endowment, or gift, of spiritual blessings. When Edward Partridge was called to receive the Melchizedek Priesthood, he was told by the Lord: “I will lay my hand upon you by the hand of my servant Sidney Rigdon, and you shall receive my Spirit, the Holy Ghost, even the Comforter, which shall teach you the peaceable things of the kingdom” (D&C 36:2). Commenting on that scripture, Elder Harold B. Lee said: “Do you get the significance of that? When one is ordained by authority it is as though the Lord Himself were laying also his hand upon that person by the hand of His authorized servant, for them to receive the gifts and endowments of the spirit which come under his jurisdiction and administration.” (Church News, 8 July 1961, p. 5.)

Inherent in the priesthood is the principle of representation. Priesthood is the delegated authority of God, and so far-reaching are its powers that when those holding them are in harmony with their duties and have the spirit of their calling, their official words and acts are as valid as if God Himself were personally present saying and doing those things.

A distinction needs to be made between the rights of the priesthood in general and the keys of the priesthood. When the priesthood is bestowed upon a worthy man, he receives an endowment of power. However, the range of what he can do with that power is determined by the keys he has received. President Joseph F. Smith explained:

“The Priesthood in general is the authority given to man to act for God. Every man that has been ordained to any degree of the Priesthood, has this authority dedicated to him.

“But it is necessary that every act performed under this authority, shall be done at the proper time and place, in the proper way, and after the proper order. The power of directing these labors constitutes the keys of the Priesthood. In their fullness, these keys are held by only one person at a time, the prophet and president of The Church. He may delegate any portion of this power to another, in which case that person holds the keys of that particular labor. Thus, the president of a temple, the president of a stake, the bishop of a ward, the president of a mission, the president of a quorum, each holds the keys of the labors performed in that particular body or locality. His Priesthood is not increased by this special appointment, for a seventy who presides over a mission has no more Priesthood than a seventy who labors under his direction; and the president of an elders’ quorum, for example, has no more Priesthood than any member of that quorum. But he holds the power of directing the official labors performed in the mission or the quorum, or in other words, the keys of that division of that work. So it is throughout all the ramifications of the Priesthood—a distinction must be carefully made between the general authority, and the directing of the labors performed by that authority.” (Improvement Era, Jan. 1901, p. 230.)

The keys to administer the kingdom are not obtained automatically. When the priesthood was restored to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery by John the Baptist, and then Peter, James, and John, not all of the rights to function in all of the ordinances of the gospel were restored at the same time. It was required that Elijah, Moses, Elias, and others come to bestow the keys that they held, in order to release the power of the priesthood already held by the Prophet for the work of the ministry. Without the restoration of these keys, the work of the Lord would have been frustrated and the earth would have been utterly wasted at the coming of the Lord (see D&C 2:1; 128:17).

Though keys of the priesthood always involve the right to use the priesthood powers, some keys are inherent in the priesthood and are held by each priesthood holder to exercise in his family or whenever the need arises, while other keys must be given in connection with special callings or assignments. Generally, when keys of the priesthood are spoken of, it is the specific, delegated keys for offices and callings that are meant.

The right of presidency is part of the Melchizedek Priesthood. Any Melchizedek Priesthood bearer may preside in righteousness over his family. But to preside in other capacities in the kingdom, specific keys are given for the period of service for which a man is called to an office in the priesthood. President Joseph Fielding Smith clarified this concept in his last conference address to the priesthood:

“Now I shall say a few words to you about the priesthood and those keys which the Lord has conferred upon us in this final gospel dispensation.

“We hold the holy Melchizedek Priesthood, which is the power and authority of God delegated to man on earth to act in all things for the salvation of men.

“We also hold the keys of the kingdom of God on earth, which kingdom is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

“These keys are the right of presidency; they are the power and authority to govern and direct all of the Lord’s affairs on earth. Those who hold them have power to govern and control the manner in which all others may serve in the priesthood. All of us may hold the priesthood, but we can only use it as authorized and directed so to do by those who hold the keys.” (In Conference Report, Apr. 1972, p. 98; or Ensign, July 1972, p. 87.)

These keys belong to the First Presidency. President Smith continued:

“May I now say—very plainly and very emphatically—that we have the holy priesthood and that the keys of the kingdom of God are here. They are found only in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

“By revelation to Joseph Smith, the Lord said that these keys ‘belong always unto the Presidency of the High Priesthood’ (D&C 81:2), and also, ‘Whosoever receiveth my word receiveth me, and whosoever receiveth me, receiveth those, the First Presidency, whom I have sent’ (D&C 112:20).” (In Conference Report, Apr. 1972, p. 99; or Ensign, July 1972, pp. 87–88.)

In other words, all men who hold priesthood keys do so under the direction of the living prophet. He can restrict or withdraw those keys at any time.

It is important for every priesthood holder to understand the keys he holds. By virtue of having the Melchizedek Priesthood, a man holds the keys to exercise his priesthood for the good of himself and his family. He has the keys to function in the presidency of his home. He may exercise the priesthood to bless and comfort those in need, such as the sick. The bishop, however, holds the keys of presidency in a ward, and so even though a man may have the office of an elder, he can only baptize and confirm members of the Church under the direction of the bishop or branch president who presides over him. The presiding authority extends the keys to him to perform such priesthood duties. It should be clear that the keys of the priesthood are necessary for a man to preside in any capacity, whether in the Church, in the quorum, or in the home. Some keys, however, such as the keys to the power of resurrection, are not yet held by any mortal man.

(M-4) The Doctrine of the Priesthood: Principles for Controlling the Powers of the Priesthood

The Doctrine and Covenants teaches that priesthood power can only be handled and controlled on the basis of righteous principles (see D&C 121:36). This fundamental doctrine of the priesthood is one of the most important contributions of latter-day revelation, for the history of the world is replete with examples of individuals who have claimed to have authority from God and to act for Him, but who have operated on principles of unrighteousness.

After listing principles of righteousness needed to exercise the priesthood, the Prophet revealed the promise to those who live these principles: “The doctrine of the priesthood shall distil upon thy soul as the dews from heaven” (D&C 121:45).

(M-5) Divisions of the Priesthood

The powers of the holy priesthood flow from “two divisions or grand heads—one is the Melchizedek Priesthood and the other is the Aaronic . . . Priesthood” (D&C 107:6).

The Aaronic Priesthood, organized on a local level, includes (1) a deacons quorum, made up of twelve members who are presided over by one of their number who has been called as the president of the quorum; (2) a teachers quorum, which is made up of twenty-four members, led by a president called from among their number; and (3) a priests quorum comprised of forty-eight members. The bishop is the president of the priests quorum and is also the president of the Aaronic Priesthood in the ward. Even though the office of bishop is considered the highest office of the Aaronic Priesthood, it is an appendage to the high priesthood (see D&C 84:29) and requires a worthy high priest who is recommended by the stake presidency and high council and approved by the First Presidency of the Church. (See Smith, Teachings, p. 112; see also Widtsoe, Priesthood and Church Government, p. 240.)

The purpose of these quorums of the lesser priesthood is to organize their members to give service to the Church and to prepare them to receive the higher priesthood. President Marion G. Romney stated: “As a general rule, great and noble men have been noble boys who built their foundations for greatness while in their Aaronic Priesthood years” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1978, p. 59; or Ensign, May 1978, p. 40).

Although the Saints speak of the Melchizedek and Aaronic Priesthoods, it is important to understand that all priesthood is Melchizedek and that the Aaronic Priesthood is an appendage to it. The Aaronic Priesthood holds the keys of the ministering of angels (see D&C 13) and of the preparatory gospel of repentance, baptism, and the law of carnal commandments given by Moses to Israel when they rebelled (see D&C 84:26–27).

Elder Orson Pratt said: “The Priesthood of Aaron, being an appendage to the higher Priesthood, has power to administer in temporal ordinances, such as that of baptism for remission of sins, the administration of the Lord’s Supper, and in attending to temporal things for the benefit of the people of God. Among the privileges that are granted to this lesser Priesthood is to hold communion with holy angels that may be sent down from heaven.” (In Journal of Discourses, 18:363–64.)

The Melchizedek Priesthood is the power by which God controls the universe and administers to humanity’s needs. It embraces every other power, office, ordinance, and principle pertaining to the salvation and exaltation of God’s children. The greater priesthood has been termed the Holy Priesthood after the Order of the Son of God, the Holy Priesthood, the Melchizedek Priesthood, and the higher priesthood (see D&C 107:1–9). Its organization has varied according to our needs through the history of God’s dealings with His children. In the early periods of Old Testament history, the patriarchal order of the priesthood was the type of administrative government of the Church (see D&C 107:53–56). Today, a different organization administers the same priesthood power.

The presence of the holy priesthood is essential in every dispensation of time and without it no manifestation of heavenly gifts and powers can be bestowed. The kingdom of God functions through the priesthood.

The Prophet Joseph Smith said: “Some say the kingdom of God was not set up on the earth until the day of Pentecost, and that John did not preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins; but I say, in the name of the Lord, that the kingdom of God was set up on the earth from the days of Adam to the present time. Whenever there has been a righteous man on earth unto whom God revealed His word and gave power and authority to administer in His name, and where there is a priest of God—a minister who has power and authority from God to administer in the ordinances of the gospel and officiate in the priesthood of God, there is the kingdom of God.” (History of the Church, 5:256.)

If a man holds all of the keys of the Melchizedek Priesthood, he holds the keys of the kingdom and is the president of the high priesthood and, therefore, is President of the Church (see Harold B. Lee, Priesthood [address delivered to seminary and institute of religion personnel], 17 July 1958). The keys of presiding are vested in the Melchizedek Priesthood. Without that power of God, the progress of the kingdom would be frustrated by the powers of the adversary.

(M-6) Quorums in the Priesthood

Though reference is made throughout the scriptures to various priesthood offices, only in the Doctrine and Covenants is there a clear outline of priesthood quorums and their functions. Elder John A. Widtsoe defined a quorum as “a specified group of men, holding the same office in the Priesthood, organized for the more efficient advancement of the work for which the Priesthood in the Church is responsible” (Priesthood and Church Government, p. 134).

The bishop governs the affairs of the Aaronic Priesthood quorums on a local level, guiding them in their work of training of each individual member, and taking the lead in all temporal affairs of the members of the ward.

The stake president is the local presiding officer of the Melchizedek Priesthood and directs the work of the Lord in all the spiritual needs of the stake.

The purpose for the organization of the quorums of the Church is at least two-fold. One purpose is to organize the body of the priesthood into effective work forces to accomplish the work of building the kingdom throughout the earth. The second purpose is to form a brotherhood strong enough to secure the spiritual freedom of each member of the quorum. If this spirit of brotherhood is properly cultivated and wisely and persistently applied, “no other organization will become more attractive to the man who holds the Priesthood” (Widtsoe, Priesthood and Church Government, p. 135).

Elder Rudger Clawson said: “Those ordained to the priesthood, both Aaronic and Melchizedek, are organized into quorums in order that both old and young may be taught and become familiar with the order of the priesthood which they hold, its keys and authorities: the field of endeavors occupied by each quorum, and its limitations. The method of conducting quorum meetings should always have this purpose in mind.” (Church News, 8 July 1961, p. 11.)

President Marion G. Romney added: “The Priesthood quorums must look after their needy brethren as a continuing problem, until not only their temporal needs are met but their spiritual ones also” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1977, p. 116; or Ensign, Nov. 1977, p. 80).

President David O. McKay also taught how quorums should function to help others: “It is the duty of leaders in Priesthood quorums to watch over their members, to teach them their duty. They can do that independently of the Ward bishopric. They do it because it is their responsibility; it is their duty to have their members fit to be called into ward activity, stake activity [and] missionary activity.” (In Conference Report, Apr. 1960, p. 22.)

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(M-7) The Offices of the Priesthood

The office of an elder is an appendage to the higher priesthood (see D&C 84:29). An elders quorum is organized on a ward level with ninety-six members. When a man is ordained to that office, he first has conferred upon him the Melchizedek Priesthood, and then he is ordained to the office of elder in that priesthood. The Melchizedek Priesthood is conferred only once upon a man, for when it has been done that man holds all the power of the priesthood. After that ordination, when a man is called to an office in the higher priesthood, no further priesthood is conferred, but he is given the necessary keys that pertain to the new calling.

High priests hold the keys of presiding over the affairs of the kingdom, and thus stake presidencies, bishoprics, and patriarchs are ordained as high priests. The quorum of high priests consists of all high priests in a stake, with no maximum number. The stake presidency form the presidency of the high priests quorum, though generally each local ward or branch has group leaders who assist in administering the affairs of the quorum.

Patriarchs hold a special office in the Melchizedek Priesthood. A patriarch is called to give patriarchal blessings to the members of the Church and to seal special blessings upon them. The scriptural term for patriarch is evangelist (see Smith, Teachings, p. 151). There is no quorum of patriarchs; they serve under the direction of the General Authorities through the stake president.

The office of Seventy is also an office of the higher priesthood. The Seventy are called “to act in the name of the Lord, under the direction of the Twelve . . . in building up the church and regulating all the affairs of the same in all nations” (D&C 107:34). The Seventy are called “to be especial witnesses unto the Gentiles and in all the world” (v. 25). The Twelve “call upon the Seventy, when they need assistance, to fill the several calls for preaching and administering the gospel, instead of any others” (v. 38). The assignments and organization of seventies quorums have changed many times since 1835 to meet the needs of the growing Church. Quorums were first designated numerically, and then by geographic locations. For much of the twentieth century, each stake had a seventies quorum, and the quorums were presided over collectively by seven General Authorities known as the First Council of the Seventy. In 1975 the First Quorum of the Seventy was organized as a General Authority quorum, followed by the Second Quorum of the Seventy in 1989. Stake seventies quorums were dissolved in 1986. In 1997 the Third, Fourth, and Fifth Quorums of the Seventy were added. Members of these quorums are Area Authority Seventies and have jurisdiction within specific geographical areas, whereas members of the First and Second Quorums of the Seventy are General Authorities with jurisdiction throughout the Church. The Church may call “other seventy, until seven times seventy, if the labor in the vineyard of necessity requires it” (v. 96).

To receive the office of Apostle is to receive the sacred call of being a “special witness of the name of Christ in all the world” (D&C 107:23), which makes this office different from all other offices of the priesthood. The quorum that they comprise is “equal in authority and power” to the Quorum of the First Presidency of the Church (see D&C 107:24; Notes and Commentary on D&C 107:22–26). As a quorum the Twelve hold in common every key and authority of the higher priesthood. By their common voice the living prophet is ordained and set apart as the Lord’s mouthpiece to declare the doctrine of the kingdom. The Quorum of the Twelve joins the Quorum of the First Presidency in serving as the policy-making body for the Church. It should be noted that other Apostles may be called, in addition to the Quorum of the Twelve, as the prophet deems necessary for the advancement of the kingdom. However, they are not members of the quorum. (See Widtsoe, Priesthood and Church Government, pp. 260–63; N. Eldon Tanner, in Conference Report, Oct. 1979, pp. 64–65; or Ensign, Nov. 1979, p. 45).

The Presiding High Priest, or the President of the Church, is the highest office of the priesthood held by mortals. He speaks for and represents Jesus Christ in the affairs of all people throughout the earth. He calls counselors to serve with him, and together they form the Quorum of the First Presidency of the Church (see D&C 107:22). This quorum presides over all Church affairs.

Magnify your calling.

(M-8) Summary

The revelations in the Doctrine and Covenants give Latter-day Saints a clearer idea of priesthood and its functions than any other people on earth. From its sections one learns the name of the priesthood, its divisions, its keys, its operating principles, its doctrine, its organization, and its powers. Since priesthood is the power of God and the power by which we come to Him, these revelations are one of the greatest blessings of the Restoration.

At the close of the great revelation on priesthood (D&C 107), the Lord gave this charge: “Wherefore, now let every man learn his duty, and to act in the office in which he is appointed, in all diligence. He that is slothful shall not be counted worthy to stand, and he that learns not his duty and shows himself not approved shall not be counted worthy to stand. Even so. Amen.” (D&C 107:99–100.)

Enrichment N
Priesthood and Church Government, Part 2

(N-1) Introduction

The government of the Church is to provide for the temporal and spiritual welfare of its members to the extent possible under the laws of the land where the Church may be found. The government of the Church has no purpose but to bless the lives of its members by organizing their individual efforts into a beautiful, harmonious society. Unlike human governments, the government of God exists to give individuals more power and to assist them in securing their exaltation. The kind of government that operates in the kingdom of God is explained in Enrichment M, which examines the meaning of the priesthood and priesthood organization. This enrichment section examines how the priesthood functions in administering the affairs of the kingdom.

The voice of the people is fundamental to Church government.

(N-2) Church Government

The Church is directed by revelation from God. Although all members may receive revelation for their personal lives, the revelations necessary for the administration of the government of the earthly kingdom is given only to the Lord’s authorized servants. These individuals are “called of God, by prophecy, and by the laying on of hands, by those who are in authority to preach the gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof” (Articles of Faith 1:5). The moving power of the Church governmental organization is revelation; the organization itself is the priesthood, or government, of God.

Is the Church a democracy? This question is different from asking whether it is democratic. A democracy is a system of government in which the majority rules, especially “a government in which the supreme power is vested in the people” (Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary, s.v. “democracy”). In other words, an organization can be said to be democratic if the will and the rights of the people or the membership are always the primary concern and if force is never exercised. By such criteria The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is democratic, though not a democracy, for a fundamental element of the government of the Church is the exercise of the law of common consent. This law allows Church members the privilege of voting to sustain or to refuse to sustain any person called to preside over them (see D&C 20:65; 28:13).

The law of common consent was explained by Elder Orson F. Whitney:

“Man’s free agency, his right to worship as his conscience dictates, and to act in all things willingly and without compulsion—a principle handed down from the eternal past, where Lucifer was overthrown for seeking to destroy it—is an integral part of Liberty’s Perfect Law. As such it found expression, a concrete illustration, and that by direct, divine command, when this Church was organized. . . .

“Speaking of the word of the Lord that came to him and his co-laborer in the farmhouse of Peter Whitmer, Sr., at Fayette, Seneca County, N. Y., a word directing them to ordain each other to the office of Elder, the Prophet says:

“‘We were, however, commanded to defer this our ordination until such time as it should be practicable to have our brethren, who had been and who should be baptized, assembled together, when we must have their sanction to our thus proceeding to ordain each other, and have them decide by vote whether they were willing to accept us as spiritual teachers, or not.’ . . .

“What!—exclaims one. After these men had communed with heavenly beings and received from them commandments for their guidance; after receiving divine authority to preach the Gospel, administer its ordinances, and establish once more on earth the long absent Church of Christ! After all this must they go before the people and ask their consent to organize them and preside over them as a religious body? Yes, that was precisely the situation. Notwithstanding all those glorious manifestations, they were not yet fully qualified to hold the high positions unto which they had been divinely called. One element was lacking—the consent of the people. Until that consent was given, there could be no church with these people as its members and those men as its presiding authorities. The Great Ruler of all never did and never will foist upon any of his people, in branch, ward, stake or Church capacity, a presiding officer whom they are not willing to accept and uphold.

“Happily for all concerned, the brethren associated with Joseph and Oliver on the memorable sixth of April of the year 1830, did sanction their ordination, did ‘decide by vote’ to accept them as their ‘spiritual teachers.’

“But suppose it had been otherwise. Suppose the brethren in question had not been willing to accept the men whom the Lord had chosen, but had lifted their hands against instead of for them. What would have been the result? Would such action have taken from Joseph and Oliver their Priesthood or their gifts and powers as seers, prophets and revelators of the Most High? No. Any more than it would have blotted out the fact that Joseph had seen God, and that he and Oliver had communed with angels sent from Heaven to ordain them. Their brethren had not given them the Priesthood, had not made them prophets and seers, and they would have remained such regardless of any adverse action on the part of their associates. The Gospel, the Priesthood, the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven are not within the gift of the membership of the Church. They are bestowed by the Head of the Church, Jesus Christ, in person or by proxy, and without his consent no power on earth or under the earth could take them away.

“But if the vote had been unfavorable, this would have resulted: The brethren and sisters who were waiting to be admitted into the Church would have closed the door in their own faces, would have cut themselves off from a most precious privilege, would have deprived themselves of the inestimable benefits flowing from the exercise of the gifts and powers possessed by the men divinely commissioned to inaugurate this great Latter-day Work.” (In Conference Report, Oct. 1930, pp. 44–46; see also Orson Pratt, in Journal of Discourses, 19:118–19.)

(N-3) The Earthly Kingdom Is a Type of the Heavenly Kingdom

The source of all joy is living the laws of God which were designed and given for that purpose. Since these laws are transmitted to the Saints through the government of God, the servants of the Lord play a crucial role as custodians of the happiness and welfare of the Saints. It is instructive to remember that workers in the Church bless the lives of others through selfless service and that in so doing they find that they receive an increased measure of love and joy in return.

Since the earthly kingdom of God is a type of the heavenly one, the joy experienced through Church service in mortality foreshadows that enjoyed in the celestial kingdom. The earthly kingdom is actually an extension of the heavenly kingdom. On earth the servants of the Lord experience the loftiest joy when they are engaged in His service. In other words, if a fulness of joy is available only to exalted beings whose existence is glorified by the presence of God, then the greatest joy available to mortals is to serve in His earthly kingdom.

The direct relationship between the earthly and heavenly kingdoms was mentioned in Jesus’ prayer: “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:10.) To carry the analogy further, members of the Church who look to their Church leaders for guidance are symbolically looking to their God. The government of the Church is the means the Lord provides by which a person, through obedience to the laws of the Church, qualifies as a child of Christ, a fit candidate for a place in His kingdom.

The Lord set various offices in the priesthood and in the Church to help administer His laws and the day-to-day functioning of the kingdom. Each office in the priesthood is important in the overall function of the organization, but central to all is the role of the living prophet.

(N-4) The Prophet and the Presidency of the Church

The role of the mouthpiece of the Lord is interwoven with that of the priesthood. All the various keys and functions of the priesthood come from the Lord and are measured against His standard of performance. The prophet is the only one authorized to speak for the Lord and to give commandments to the Church (see D&C 107:8–9).

The Presidency of the Church are “chosen by the body, appointed and ordained to that office, and upheld by the confidence, faith, and prayer of the church” and “form a quorum of the Presidency of the Church” (D&C 107:22).

The prophet, seer, and revelator of the Church, then, is the President of the Church and is the “living oracle of God to whom the Lord reveals whatever is necessary for the conduct of the Church” (Widtsoe, Priesthood and Church Government, p. 131). He possesses all the keys of the kingdom, including the keys to bind on earth and in heaven, and it is from him that the keys are delegated to other officers of the Church according to their needs or stewardships. All the sealing powers, including those of the new and everlasting covenant of marriage (see D&C 131:2), depend on the keys given by the Lord to the prophet, seer, and revelator.

The one key that the Presidency alone holds, and which cannot be delegated to others, is to declare the mind and will of the Lord by way of commandment and doctrine to the Church. Once it is declared, however, the members of the Quorum of the Twelve and other general authorities sustain it and teach it to the members of the Church. (See Enrichment F for a discussion of the role of a prophet.)

Though the wicked may scorn and the world scoff, the Lord speaks peace to the hearts of the righteous and causes their bosoms to burn at the sound of the voice of the Lord’s anointed. Little wonder the Saints in latter days sing, “We thank thee, O God, for a prophet” (Hymns, no. 19).

(N-5) Membership in the Kingdom

Governing the Church includes judging who meets the requirements of membership in the kingdom. Some criticize the Church for taking disciplinary action against its members, saying that it is not fair that the Church have that power. But every organization in a free society has the right to determine what requirements and rules it may expect its members to follow, as long as those rules and requirements are in harmony with the laws of the land. By direct revelation the Lord has made it known that certain offenses may put a member’s right to participate in the kingdom in jeopardy (see, for example, D&C 42:78–93; 85:11). To tolerate members who violate such laws without taking action suggests to the world that the Church teaches one standard and allows its members to live by another.

The Lord revealed the requirements for entry into the Church (see D&C 20:37). Without direct revelation to change the requirements for entry and maintenance of membership, no one in the Church has the right to set or change requirements.

(N-6) Conferences

Conferences are an important means of governing the Church. These include general conference, stake conference, ward conference, and other, special conferences. In these meetings the presiding officers instruct and give direction to the membership of the Church, and officers, policies, and procedural changes are presented to the membership for a sustaining vote. The Lord commanded that these conferences be held often for the progress and unity of the kingdom (see D&C 20:61–62).

(N-7) Church Councils and Committees

In April 1979 the announcement of the organization of Church councils at every level in the Church signaled a step forward in bringing all the affairs of the kingdom under the direction of the priesthood (see Ezra Taft Benson, in Conference Report, Apr. 1979, pp. 120–25; or Ensign, May 1979, pp. 86–88). It portended a fulfillment of a prophecy of President Joseph F. Smith when he said: “We expect to see the day, if we live long enough (and if some of us do not live long enough to see it, there are others who will), when every council of the Priesthood in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will understand its duty; will assume its own responsibility, will magnify its calling, and fill its place in the Church, to the uttermost, according to the intelligence and ability possessed by it. When that day shall come, there will not be so much necessity for work that is now being done by the auxiliary organizations, because it will be done by the regular quorums of the Priesthood.” (Gospel Doctrine, p. 159.)

Church councils operate on the principle of inspired unity described by Elder Ronald E. Poelman: “The priesthood council is a form of management unique to the divine Church. It assembles to receive the Lord’s law by the prayer of faith, to agree upon his word, and to learn how to govern the Church and have all things right before the Lord (see D&C 41:2–3). The council’s strength and effectiveness derive from coordinating individual skills and abilities united with a shared purpose.” (In Conference Report, Apr. 1980, p. 126; or Ensign, May 1980, p. 91.)

(N-8) Church Councils Facilitate Communication

The government of the Church is administered through councils. Councils help fulfill the leadership needs of the Church from the highest officer to the newest member. Stephen L Richards, a counselor to David O. McKay in the First Presidency of the Church, said:

“As I conceive it, the genius of our Church government is government through councils. The Council of the Presidency, the Council of the Twelve, the Council of the Stake Presidency, . . . the Council of the Bishopric. . . . I have had enough experience to know the value of councils. . . . I see the wisdom, God’s wisdom, in creating councils: to govern his Kingdom. In the spirit under which we labor, men can get together with seemingly divergent views and far different backgrounds, and under the operation of that spirit, by counseling together, they can arrive at an accord.” (In Conference Report, Oct. 1953, p. 86.)

The underlying purpose of councils has not changed from the days of the Prophet Joseph Smith: they are to “facilitate communication and unity at various Church levels and help move the kingdom forward” (Benson, in Conference Report, Apr. 1979, p. 120).

The council stewardship at each level needs to be “comprehensive in representing all Church programs so that there will be a correlating, coordinating, planning, and resolving body” for all ecclesiastical and temporal affairs (Benson, in Conference Report, Apr. 1979, p. 121). In other words, the Church is to continue to work, through its officers, toward the “perfecting of the Saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come in the unity of the Faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:11–14.)

This charge to the Church is fulfilled through Church councils. The decisions of these councils are to be unanimous, so that the spirit of unity will pervade the working of Church government (see D&C 107:27). Such unity, manifest in the Lord’s earthly kingdom, is a type of the pattern of heaven. Elder Ronald E. Poelman said: “Unity in temporal matters, as in spiritual matters, is essential to our success. At each step, consensus of the council members must be obtained, through prayer and discussion, to achieve that unity which is prerequisite to the Lord’s help. To be effective, decisions must be reached by divine consensus, not by compromise. Participants are not competing advocates, representing special interests, but rather contributing members of a unified body.” (In Conference Report, Apr. 1980, p. 126; or Ensign, May 1980, p. 91.)

(N-9) The Miracle of Church Councils

Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve taught: “For the past eight and one-half years I have served as a member of a council of twelve men. We come from different backgrounds, and we bring to the Council of the Twelve Apostles a diverse assortment of experiences in the Church and in the world. In our meetings we do not just sit around and wait for President Howard W. Hunter to tell us what to do. We counsel openly with each other, and we listen to each other with profound respect for the abilities and experiences our brethren bring to the council. We discuss a wide variety of issues, from Church administration to world events, and we do so frankly and openly. Sometimes we discuss issues for weeks before reaching a decision. We do not always agree during our discussions. But once a decision is made, we are always both united and determined.

“This is the miracle of Church councils: listening to each other and listening to the Spirit! When we support one another in Church councils, we begin to understand how God can take ordinary men and women and make of them extraordinary leaders. The best leaders are not those who work themselves to death trying to do everything single-handedly; the best leaders are those who follow God’s plan and counsel with their councils.” (In Conference Report, Apr. 1994, p. 34; or Ensign, May 1994, p. 26.)

(N-10) Stake Councils and Committees

The stake organization includes the stake priesthood executive committee, the stake council, the stake welfare committee, the stake Melchizedek Priesthood committee, the stake Aaronic Priesthood–Young Women committee, the stake bishops’ welfare council, and other councils and committees.

(N-11) Ward Councils and Committees

Elder Ballard describes how committees in the ward can bless the lives of members:

“For my purpose today, let me review three ward committees and councils. . . .

“First is the priesthood executive committee. It consists of the bishopric, high priests group leader, elders quorum president, ward mission leader, Young Men president, ward executive secretary, and ward clerk. This committee meets weekly under the direction of the bishop to consider ward priesthood programs, including temple and family history, missionary, welfare, home teaching, and member activation.

“Second is the ward welfare committee. It includes the priesthood executive committee plus the Relief Society presidency. This committee meets at least monthly, again under the direction of the bishop, to consider the temporal needs of ward members. Only the bishop may allocate welfare resources, but the committee helps care for the poor by planning and coordinating the use of ward resources, including the time, talents, skills, materials, and compassionate service of ward members. In this and in other committee and council meetings, delicate matters often are discussed, requiring strict confidentiality.

“The third is the ward council. It includes the priesthood executive committee; the presidents of the Relief Society, Sunday School, Young Women, and Primary; and the activities committee chairman. The bishop may invite others to attend as needed. This council meets at least monthly to correlate planning for all ward programs and activities and to review ward progress toward accomplishing the mission of the Church. The ward council brings a varied group of priesthood and women leaders together to focus on the broad range of issues that affect ward members and the community. The council reviews suggestions from home teachers and visiting teachers.” (In Conference Report, Apr. 1994, p. 32; or Ensign, May 1994, p. 25.)

(N-12) The Family Council

“The family is the basic unit of the kingdom of God on earth” (Spencer W. Kimball, in Conference Report, Apr. 1978, p. 67; or Ensign, May 1978, p. 45). Since the family is the most important organization in eternity, the family council is the most fundamental government in eternity. It was just such a family council in which the plan of salvation was revealed to all the children of God.

The family council is led by the father, or by the mother if no father is present in the home. Its purpose is to develop and maintain family unity. It is convened as often as necessary, and its impact has eternal consequences. Parents should remember that the “most important work that they would ever do would be done within the walls of their own homes” (Harold B. Lee, Ye Are the Light of the World, p. 80). Family unity must not be just the goal of the family council but the reality of it. Failure in that stewardship is a serious matter. The Doctrine and Covenants includes several rebukes by the Lord of individuals who were not doing enough for their families (see D&C 93:41–44, 47–49).

The councils of the Church are to correlate priesthood activity on every level, assuring that the programs of the Church effectively support the home.

The family is the most important unit in time and in eternity.

(N-13) How Can Councils and Committees Function Best?

Elder M. Russell Ballard explained: “The scriptures state clearly that while our respective callings may be different and may change from time to time, all callings are important to the operation of the Church. We need the priesthood quorums to assert themselves and fulfill their divinely mandated stewardship, just as we need the Relief Society, the Primary, the Young Women, the Sunday School, and the activities committees to perform their vital functions. And we need the officers and members of all of these inspired organizations to work together, assisting each other as needed for the benefit of individuals and families.

“This is not man’s work or woman’s work; it is all God’s work, which is centered on the atonement of our Lord Jesus Christ. I have some specific suggestions that, if followed, I believe can help us be more effective with our families and in our Church callings.

“First, focus on fundamentals. We have certainly been taught about these fundamentals during this conference. Those who teach must make sure the doctrine remains pure and that it is taught. Teach by the Spirit, using the scriptures and the approved curriculum. Do not introduce or dwell on speculative and questionable topics. Study the teachings of this conference in family home evenings and in family discussions; they will strengthen your homes. In a world that is filled with sin, conflict, and confusion, we can find peace and safety in knowing and living the revealed truths of the gospel.

“Second, focus on people. Coordination and calendaring have their time and place, but too many council meetings begin and end there. Rather than reciting a litany of organizational plans and reports, spend most of the time in council meetings reviewing the needs of individual members. In doing so, confidentiality is critical. Council members must hold all matters discussed in council meetings in strict confidence.

“Third, promote free and open expression. Such expression is essential if we are to achieve the purpose of councils. Leaders and parents should establish a climate that is conducive to openness, where every person is important and every opinion valued. The Lord admonished, ‘Let one speak at a time and let all listen unto his sayings, that when all have spoken that all may be edified’ (D&C 88:122; italics added). Leaders should provide adequate time for council meetings and should remember that councils are for leaders to listen at least as much as they speak.

“Fourth, participation is a privilege. With that privilege comes responsibility—responsibility to work within the parameters of the organization, to be prepared, to share, to advocate vigorously the position you believe to be right. But just as important is the responsibility to support and sustain the final decision of the council leader, even if you do not agree fully.

“President David O. McKay told of a meeting of the Council of the Twelve Apostles where a question of grave importance was discussed. He and the other Apostles felt strongly about a certain course of action that should be taken, and they were prepared to share their feelings in a meeting with the First Presidency. To their surprise, President Joseph F. Smith did not ask for their opinion in the matter, as was his custom. Rather, ‘he arose and said, “This is what the Lord wants.”

“‘While it was not wholly in harmony with what he had decided,’ President McKay wrote, ‘the President of the Twelve . . . was the first on his feet to say, “Brethren, I move that that becomes the opinion and judgment of this Council.”

“‘“Second the motion,” said another, and it was unanimous. Six months did not pass before the wisdom of that leader was demonstrated’ (Gospel Ideals [Salt Lake City: Improvement Era, 1953], p. 264).

“When a council leader reaches a decision, the council members should sustain it wholeheartedly.

“Fifth, lead with love. Jesus taught that the first and greatest commandment in the law is to ‘love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. . . . And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself’ (Matthew 22:37, 39).

“Priesthood leaders are to lead with ‘persuasion, . . . long-suffering, . . . gentleness and meekness, . . . love unfeigned; . . . kindness, and pure knowledge’ (D&C 121:41–42). Those are the principles that should guide us in our relationships as neighbors in the Church of Jesus Christ.” (In Conference Report, Oct. 1993, pp. 104–5; or Ensign, Nov. 1993, pp. 77–78.)

(N-14) What Does It Mean to Magnify a Calling in the Priesthood?

Every priesthood holder who wishes to be approved of the Lord must be “faithful unto the obtaining these two priesthoods of which I have spoken, and the magnifying their calling” (D&C 84:33). If a man has been ordained, he has obtained the priesthood, but he must then magnify his calling in it. Elder Carlos E. Asay wrote: “What does it mean to magnify one’s calling? According to Webster’s Third New International Dictionary, ‘to magnify’ is ‘to increase the importance of: cause to be held in greater esteem or respect . . . to make greater.’ One magnifies a calling—

• By learning one’s duty and executing it fully. (See D&C 107:99–100.)
• By giving one’s best effort in assigned fields of labor.
• By consecrating one’s time, talents, and means to the Lord’s work as called upon by our leaders and the whisperings of the Spirit. . . .
• By teaching and exemplifying truth.

“Jacob, the Book of Mormon prophet, testified, ‘We did magnify our office unto the Lord, taking upon us the responsibility, . . . [teaching] them the word of God with all diligence; . . . [and] laboring with our might’ (Jacob 1:19).

“I underscore the words taking responsibility, teaching the word of God, and laboring with might in this inspired quotation. These are critical actions related to the exercise of priesthood power.” (In Conference Report, Oct. 1985, p. 57; or Ensign, Nov. 1985, p. 43.)

President Joseph Fielding Smith said:

“Priesthood offices or callings are ministerial assignments to perform specially assigned service in the priesthood. And the way to magnify these callings is to do the work designed to be performed by those who hold the particular office involved.

“It does not matter what office we hold as long as we are true and faithful to our obligations. One office is not greater than another, although for administrative reasons one priesthood holder may be called to preside over and direct the labors of another.” (In Conference Report, Oct. 1970, p. 91.)

A magnifying glass has two abilities. It can take rays of light and magnify them so an object appears to be larger. It can also focus and concentrate the rays of light so they have greater power. When we magnify our callings in the priesthood, we do both. We enlarge the calling, expand it, make it more full and useful. We also focus the light and power we have on specific problems so they can be solved in the Lord’s way. This process applies to all Church callings, whether or not an individual holds the priesthood, because all Church callings come through the authority of the priesthood. As we magnify our calling, the Lord magnifies us, making us stronger, more capable, and wiser in the use of the gifts and powers He gives us, which in turn enables us to better magnify our call.

The process of magnifying one’s callings is the foundation for the oath and covenant of the priesthood. When the priesthood is given, it is given with an oath and received by covenant (see Notes and Commentary on D&C 84:33–41). If a man covenants to magnify his callings in the priesthood (see D&C 84:33) and pledges to “live by every word that proceedeth forth from the mouth of God” (D&C 84:44), then the Lord swears with an oath that He will give to that priesthood holder everything that He Himself has (see D&C 84:38).

(N-15) Summary

A major theme of the Doctrine and Covenants is that the Lord will bless and preserve His Saints: “What power shall stay the heavens? As well might man stretch forth his puny arm to stop the Missouri river in its decreed course, or to turn it up stream, as to hinder the Almighty from pouring down knowledge from heaven upon the heads of the Latter-day Saints.” (D&C 121:33.)

President Brigham Young said: “An individual who holds a share in the Priesthood, and continues faithful to his calling, who delights himself continually in doing the things God requires at his hands, and continues through life in the performance of every duty, will secure to himself not only the privilege of receiving, but the knowledge how to receive the things of God, that he may know the mind of God continually; and he will be enabled to discern between right and wrong, between the things of God and the things that are not of God. And the Priesthood—the Spirit that is within him, will continue to increase until it becomes like a fountain of living water; until it is like the tree of life; until it is one continued source of intelligence and instruction to that individual.” (In Journal of Discourses, 3:192.)

In such a favored state, a person is prepared to “live by every word that proceedeth forth from the mouth of God” (D&C 84:44) and so receives the Lord’s promise of eternal life. That is what it means to make one’s calling and election sure and to have peace in this world and eternal life in the world to come (see Marion G. Romney, in Conference Report, Apr. 1974, p. 115; or Ensign, May 1974, pp. 79–80).

Enrichment O
Salvation for the Dead

(O-1) Introduction

According to the Prophet Joseph Smith, “The greatest responsibility in this world that God has laid upon us is to seek after our dead” (History of the Church, 6:313).

The Apostle Paul wrote that there are some doctrinal matters that are only “spiritually discerned” (1 Corinthians 2:14). The subject of salvation for the dead is one of those subjects. Latter-day Saints’ knowledge of this vital doctrine is almost entirely dependent on the Doctrine and Covenants. It is a subject comprehended only by the spiritually minded, yet its scope is so great as to include all of Heavenly Father’s children, both living and dead.

(O-2) The World of Spirits

To understand the doctrine of salvation for the dead, one should understand where departed loved ones reside. President Brigham Young taught that when individuals die they “all pass through the veil from this state and go into the world of spirits; and there they dwell waiting for their final destiny” (Discourses of Brigham Young, p. 376). This world of spirits, as taught by President Young, is very close:

“It is not beyond the sun, but is on this earth that was organized for the people that have lived and that do and will live upon it. . . .

“Where is the spirit world? It is right here. Do the good and evil spirits go together? Yes, they do. Do they both inhabit one kingdom? Yes, they do. Do they go to the sun? No. Do they go beyond the boundaries of the organized earth? No, they do not.” (Discourses of Brigham Young, p. 376; italics added.)

President Young continued this theme:

“It no doubt appears a singular idea to you that both Saint and sinner go to the same place and dwell together in the same world. You can see the same variety in this world. You see the Latter-day Saints, who have come into these valleys,—they are by themselves as a community, yet they are in the same world with other communities. . . .

“When they are in the world of spirits, there is the Prophet and the Patriarch; all righteous men are there, and all wicked men also are there.” (In Journal of Discourses, 6:294.)

The wicked and the righteous live together in the spirit world much the same as they do in mortality, not that the righteous do the things of wickedness, nor that the wicked enjoy the blessings bestowed on the righteous, but that the righteous may preach the gospel to the wicked. If they accept it, they too may lay claim upon the blessings of the Lord through the Atonement. Elder Bruce R. McConkie wrote:

“Although there are two spheres within the one spirit world, there is now some intermingling of the righteous and the wicked who inhabit those spheres; and when the wicked spirits repent, they leave their prison-hell and join the righteous in paradise. Hence, we find Joseph Smith saying: ‘Hades, sheol, paradise, spirits in prison, are all one: it is a world of spirits. The righteous and the wicked all go to the same world of spirits until the resurrection.’ (Teachings, p. 310.)” (Mormon Doctrine, p. 762.)

The state of wicked spirits is described in Alma 40:13–14 and Mosiah 2:38. The Prophet Joseph Smith said, “The great misery of departed spirits in the world of spirits, where they go after death, is to know that they come short of the glory that others enjoy and that they might have enjoyed themselves, and they are their own accusers (History of the Church, 5:425).

The Doctrine and Covenants is the primary source of knowledge concerning what took place when the Savior entered the world of spirits. During the three days that His body lay in the tomb, Jesus visited the spirits in paradise. He appeared only to the righteous dead, to whom He taught the fulness of His gospel. From among this vast throng He organized and commissioned missionaries to proclaim the gospel to those in spirit prison (see D&C 138:18–20, 29–31).

The message of those who labor in the spirit world is the same as the message of those who labor in the flesh. With the Restoration of the gospel, the Lord told His servants that they should open their mouths and call upon people to repent, for the kingdom of heaven was at hand. They were to repent and be baptized of water and fire so that “the gates of hell shall not prevail against you” (D&C 33:13). That is exactly the message that is being preached by those in the spirit world, and in that realm the promise has particular poignancy. If “hell” refers to suffering the natural consequences of sin in the spirit prison, the promise is that through accepting the gospel and having their work done (vicarious baptisms, endowments, and so forth) on earth, the gates of hell shall not prevail against them. Spirit prison will not have power to hold those who accept the gospel in the world of spirits.

Those who never heard the gospel while in mortality are given that opportunity so that if they accept the gospel they might be heirs to the celestial kingdom (see D&C 137:7–9). Those who had an opportunity to hear the gospel while in the flesh but rejected it are again taught the gospel so that they might be redeemed from their misery, anguish, and captivity and come forth in the terrestrial kingdom. Otherwise they would inherit a telestial kingdom. (For an explanation of why people who have heard and rejected the gospel in mortality can only inherit the terrestrial kingdom, see Notes and Commentary for D&C 76:72–74.)

Righteous spirits, those who have been converted to the gospel in spirit prison, are still held in spirit prison until the ordinance work is done (see Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, 2:230). These loyal believers are not able to fully progress because, while they can have faith and repent in their spirit state, such ordinances as baptism and confirmation must be done in mortality, if not by themselves, then by proxies. They too await a day of deliverance. Speaking on this delay President Spencer W. Kimball said: “Some of us have had occasion to wait for someone or something for a minute, an hour, a day, a week, or even a year. Can you imagine how our progenitors must feel, some of whom have perhaps been waiting for decades and even centuries for the temple work to be done for them?” (“The Things of Eternity—Stand We in Jeopardy?” Ensign, Jan. 1977, p. 7.)

(O-3) The Mission of Elijah the Prophet

The earliest recorded revelation in the Doctrine and Covenants occurred about seven years before the restoration of the Church. That revelation gives important information for understanding the purpose of the dispensation of the fulness of times (see D&C 2). The following promises were revealed by Moroni:

1. The priesthood was to be revealed by Elijah.

2. Elijah would plant in the hearts of the children the promises made to their fathers.

3. The whole earth would be utterly wasted at the Second Coming if the hearts of the children and the hearts of the fathers were not turned to each other (see D&C 27:9; 128:17).

The Prophet Joseph Smith explained that Elijah would be sent “because he holds the keys of the authority to administer in all the ordinances of the Priesthood” (Teachings, p. 172). To this statement President Joseph Fielding Smith added: “In order that the binding power should come which is recognized in the heavens, and by which we pass by the angels and the Gods to exaltation, it had to come from Elijah, who held that power upon the face of the earth, for the Lord had given it to him” (Elijah the Prophet, p. 36).

President Joseph Fielding Smith also 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.” (Doctrines of Salvation, 2:121.)

Elder Joseph Fielding Smith said that the promises made to the fathers were made to 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. (“The Promises Made to the Fathers,” Improvement Era, July 1922, p. 829.)

The earth would be wasted at the Second Coming “simply because,” said President Joseph Fielding Smith, “if there is not a welding link between the fathers and the children—which is the work for the dead—then we will all stand rejected; the whole work of God will fail and be utterly wasted. Such a condition, of course, shall not be.” (Doctrines of Salvation, 2:122.)

Before Elijah could come, however, a temple had to be erected. During a three-year period from 1833 to 1836, the Saints labored at great sacrifice to construct a temple acceptable to the Lord. On 3 April 1836 Elijah came in fulfillment of Malachi’s prophecy (see Malachi 4:5–6; D&C 110:14–16).

Elijah restored the sealing power.

(O-4) How the Dead May Receive Ordinances of Salvation

When the Savior appeared in the world of spirits, He organized those who had been faithful and commissioned them to proclaim His gospel. They were to teach faith in Christ, repentance, vicarious baptism for the remission of sins, the Holy Ghost, and “all other principles of the gospel that were necessary for them to know in order to qualify themselves” as heirs of salvation (D&C 138:34).

In September 1842 the Prophet Joseph Smith wrote an epistle to the Saints detailing the doctrine of baptism for the dead and how it was to be accomplished (D&C 128).

It is the responsibility of mortals to vicariously perform the ordinances of salvation for those who are dead. According to the Prophet Joseph Smith, this work is important, not only for the dead but for the living Saints as well. He taught that the Saints must go forth “building their temples, erecting their baptismal fonts, and going forth and receiving all the ordinances, baptisms, confirmations, washings, anointings, ordinations and sealing powers upon their heads, in behalf of all their progenitors who are dead, and redeem them that they may come forth in the first resurrection and be exalted to thrones of glory with them; and herein is the chain that binds the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the children to the fathers, which fulfills the mission of Elijah. . . .

“The Saints have not too much time to save and redeem their dead, and gather together their living relatives, that they may be saved also, before the earth will be smitten, and the consumption decreed falls upon the world.

“I would advise all the Saints to go with their might and gather together all their living relatives to this place, that they may be sealed and saved, that they may be prepared against the day that the destroying angel goes forth.” (Teachings, p. 330.)

The Prophet further stated: “It is not only necessary that you should be baptized for your dead, but you will have to go through all the ordinances for them, the same as you have gone through to save yourselves” (History of the Church, 6:365; italics added). These ordinances include baptism, priesthood ordinations, endowments, and sealings. Elijah’s mission included, but was more than, vicarious baptism for the dead.

Once the revelation on baptism for the dead was received, the Saints knew that the work of their progenitors must be done. “At first they made no distinction as to who would be baptized for whom, and males were baptized for females and vice versa. That was . . . corrected later.” (Packer, Holy Temple, p. 217.)

The Saints also knew that families needed to be united by sealings. Some of the Saints were sealed to the prophets, a practice changed by a revelation to President Wilford Woodruff: “When I went before the Lord to know who I should be adopted [sealed] to (we were then being adopted to prophets and apostles), the Spirit of God said to me, ‘Have you not a father, who begot you?’ ‘Yes, I have.’ ‘Then why not honor him? Why not be adopted to him?’ ‘Yes,’ says I, ‘that is right.’ I was adopted to my father, and should have had my father sealed to his father, and so on back; and the duty that I want every man who presides over a Temple to see performed from this day henceforth and forever, unless the Lord Almighty commands otherwise, is, let every man be adopted to his father.” (“The Law of Adoption,” Deseret Weekly, 21 Apr. 1894, p. 543.)

This revelation establishes that we should be sealed to our own progenitors. By so doing our heart will be turned to them, and their hearts will be turned to us.

(O-5) How One’s Heart May Be Turned to His Fathers

The salvation of the living depends to a large extent on the interest they show in their dead ancestors. The Doctrine and Covenants records that “they without us cannot be made perfect—neither can we without our dead be made perfect” (D&C 128:15).

The ordinances on behalf of the dead can only be done when the dead are properly identified. This identification is a major purpose of family history research in the Church. Research is just a means to an end; the end is to submit the names of our ancestors to the temple so they can receive the ordinances. Researchers try to find (1) the name of each person, in full; (2) dates of birth, marriage, and death; (3) places of birth, marriage, and death; and (4) relationships to parents, brothers, sisters, spouses, and children.

We can begin by recording information about ourself, our parents, our grandparents, and our great-grandparents. We do this by obtaining information from living parents and grandparents and then from other sources. To help us gather this information, the Church maintains the largest genealogical library in the world, with branch libraries in many states and mail order service available almost worldwide. In 1978 a name extraction program was inaugurated to extract names from civil records for temple work to be done.

President Wilford Woodruff said: “We want the Latter day Saints from this time to trace their genealogies as far as they can, and to be sealed to their fathers and mothers. Have children sealed to their parents, and run this chain through as far as you can get it.” (“The Law of Adoption,” p. 543.)

Elder Mark E. Petersen taught: “We must trace our own genealogy as far as we can. . . . Four generations are not enough. We have the extraction program and it will help, but it does not relieve us of our own personal responsibility. Our own research will tie in with the extraction program and that is good, but it will augment our efforts only; it will not replace our effort.” (General Authority Board Meeting, 7 Oct. 1980.)

Elder Boyd K. Packer wrote: “Name extraction becomes an important part of genealogical work. However, this does not relieve each member from the responsibility to seek after his own kindred dead. We are all responsible, individually, to link our families in proper order.” (Holy Temple, p. 228.)

Because of life circumstances, individuals may have adoptive parents or parents by sealing as well as birth parents. Members are encouraged to research and do temple work for ancestors on any or all of these lines.

The Family History Library in Salt Lake City

(O-6) Two Forces at Work

Elijah’s mission was to bind the hearts of living children to those of their parents and the hearts of living parents to those of their children. Evidence of this binding can be seen as families are united by the sealing ordinances of the temple, as families do family history research for their departed loved ones, and as families live together in love and unity. The mission of Elijah commences with living parents turning to their own children so that they are not lost to the adversary’s influence.

But there are also other forces at work. Speaking of these times, Jesus prophesied: “The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law” (Luke 12:53). “And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household” (Matthew 10:36). Evidence of this opposing influence is seen in families that are split apart by contention, separation, and divorce. President Spencer W. Kimball warned: “Many of the social restraints which in the past have helped to reinforce and to shore up the family are dissolving and disappearing. The time will come when only those who believe deeply and actively in the family will be able to preserve their families in the midst of the gathering evil around us.” (“Families Can Be Eternal,” Ensign, Nov. 1980, p. 4.)

The early brethren of this dispensation taught that in the spirit world, as on earth, the righteous live in family units (see Heber C. Kimball, in Journal of Discourses, 4:135–36). Some families, however, cannot dwell together because the ordinance work has not been done for them. Many of the hearts of those ancestors yearn over their living posterity because they have yet to rise up and see that their progenitors’ ordinance work is done. Those ancestors remain powerless to unite their families.

Through our own neglect or diligence, we contribute to the dissolution or uniting of our own family. “Somebody,” said President Wilford Woodruff, “has got to administer for them by proxy here in the flesh, that they may be judged according to men in the flesh and have part in the first resurrection” (Discourses of Wilford Woodruff, p. 149).

(O-7) Summary

Vicarious ordinance work done by living proxies enables them to be saviors to the dead. It is no wonder that the Prophet Joseph Smith exclaimed: “Shall we not go on in so great a cause? Go forward and not backward. Courage, brethren; and on, on to the victory! Let your hearts rejoice, and be exceedingly glad. Let the earth break forth into singing. Let the dead speak forth anthems of eternal praise to the King Immanuel, who hath ordained, before the world was, that which would enable us to redeem them out of their prison; for the prisoners shall go free.

“. . . Let us, therefore, as a church and a people, and as Latter-day Saints, offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness; and let us present in his holy temple, when it is finished, a book containing the records of our dead, which shall be worthy of all acceptation.” (D&C 128:22, 24.)

If the work to be done here is of such urgency to those who have gone before, one would expect that these departed spirits would take a great interest in their posterity’s efforts to do family history work and perhaps even assist in certain cases where all efforts have been in vain. Elder Orson Pratt taught: “Do you inquire how we are to obtain the genealogies of our fathers, so as to do this work for them which they, when living, had not the opportunity of doing, and which they, as spirits in prison, cannot do? We answer, that it is the duty of all Saints among all nations to search out, as far as possible, their family records, and their genealogies, and their kindred, both the living and the dead; and when you have been diligent and procured all the information within your reach, and have gone into the holy Temple of the Most High, and done what is required of the living for the dead[, then] God will show you, by his Prophets and Seers, and by holy messengers and angels, the genealogies of your fathers, back from generation to generation unto the beginning, or unto the time when the powers, and keys, and ordinances of the priesthood were upon the earth.” (“Celestial Marriage,” The Seer, Sept. 1853, p. 141.)

Elder Melvin J. Ballard said:

“I recall an incident in my own father’s experience. How we looked forward to the completion of the Logan Temple! It was about to be dedicated. My father had labored on that house from its very beginning, and my earliest recollection was carrying his dinner each day as he brought the rock down from the quarry. How we looked forward to that great event! I remember how in the meantime Father made every effort to obtain all the data and information he could concerning his relatives. It was the theme of his prayer night and morning that the Lord would open the way whereby he could get information concerning his dead.

“The day before the dedication while writing recommends to the members of his ward who were to be present at the first service, two elderly gentlemen walked down the streets of Logan, approached my two younger sisters, and, coming to the elder one of the two placed in her hands a newspaper and said:

“‘Take this to your father. Give it to no one else. Go quickly with it. Don’t lose it.’

“The child responded and when she met her mother, her mother wanted the paper. The child said, ‘No, I must give it to Father and no one else.’

“She was admitted into the room and told her story. We looked in vain for these travelers. They were not to be seen. No one else saw them. Then we turned to the paper. The newspaper, The Newbury Weekly News, was printed in my father’s old English home, Thursday, May 15th, 1884, and reached our hands May 18th, 1884, three days after its publication. We were astonished, for by no earthly means could it have reached us, so that our curiosity increased as we examined it. Then we discovered one page devoted to the writings of a reporter of the paper, who had gone on his vacation, and among other places had visited an old cemetery. The curious inscriptions led him to write what he found on the tombstones, including the verses. He also added the names, date of birth, death, etc., filling nearly an entire page.

“It was the old cemetery where the Ballard family had been buried for generations, and very many of my father’s immediate relatives and other intimate friends were mentioned.

“When the matter was presented to President Merrill of the Logan Temple, he said, ‘You are authorized to do the work for those because you received it through messengers of the Lord.’

“There is no doubt that the dead who had received the gospel in the spirit world had put it into the heart of that reporter to write these things, and thus the way was prepared for my father to obtain the information he sought, and so with you who are earnest in this work, the way shall be opened and you will be able to gather data far beyond your expectations. I will tell you what will happen. When you have gone as far as you can go, the names of your righteous dead who have embraced the gospel in the spirit world will be given you through the instrumentality of your dead kindred. But only the names of those who have received the gospel will be revealed.” (In Hinckley, Melvin Joseph Ballad, pp. 249–51.)