https://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0Asn9ApSGamdcdDFaYXNvWVFXbF9DaHZEM1gyVVRPbVE&hl=en

The Exodus West

It's interesting looking at section 136 of the Doctrine and Covenants and comparing it to the exodus during the time of Moses. In both instances the Lord's people had been rejected and were seeking safety elsewhere. Obviously the circumstances were different in each case, but both were to get away from a nation who rejected their beliefs and persecuted them. For both camps, they were led by the Lord, but only by their faith and obedience. One of the opening statements is that any who were to travel west were to do so with a covenant and a promise to follow the commandments of God. God was willing, and did, lead both of these times of his people seeking refuge elsewhere. He provided miracles of food, protection, and growth for them. As long as they followed the commandments the Lord would watch over them. What I think is interesting that in both cases the Lord never said that it was going to be an easy journey. The Lord in these days told the Saints that they needed to bare all chastisement from the Lord, as it would prepare them for the blessings he had in store for them. Likewise, it was not easy during the exodus from Egypt as the Israelite's suffered much, yet saw the miracles of God during their suffering. In both instances, having the Lord watch over them didn't meant that there would be no death or pain, but that if they would be faithful they would grow and become who the Lord wanted them to be. If they were faithful, both groups would be protected from their enemies. If they were faithful, the Lord had tremendous blessings prepared for them. It's cool to see that the Lord gives the same principles and promises as long as there are people willing to listen and follow, all throughout different periods of time.

Crandall Museum

The Crandall Museum was a very cool experience for me. I went a few years ago, but I didn't remember much from that visit. It was amazing to see a replica of the Gutenberg press, and understand everything that Gutenberg went through in order to make a printing press that truly worked, and served as the guide for all printing presses for hundreds of years. Truly, he must have been inspired by God to be able to come up with all of the designs of the press, what metals to be used to make the perfect alloy for the type, what inks to use, etc. It was interesting to me to see how he started his presses in secret because he was scared of what would be done with him for creating something new. Yet, before he knew it he was making copies of the Bible for the Catholic Church.
The other aspect of the Museum that I found fascinating was of the printing of the Book of Mormon. I thought it was really cool how much of a miracle it was that there were even resources in Palmyra to allow for the printing of the Book of Mormon. The mentioned there too, how quickly they would have had to print the pages to the Book of Mormon to make the 5,000 copies in time, and just how much strength that would have taken. Just the printing and binding aspects of the Book of Mormon are miracles. It truly was set up and made possible by God. It is an evidence to me that if we put our faith in the Lord, anything can happen. We just need to do our best and leave the rest to Him.

Before Nauvoo, Joseph Smith received many revelations from the Lord, forming much of the Doctrine and Covenants we have to day. In the early days of the church, the Prophet Joseph Smith was receiving revelation about how the Lord’s church was to be run and organized. They addressed specific questions and restored doctrine. Like everyone though, Joseph did not learn everything all at once. It took time to study it out and to fully put all the pieces of a puzzle together. It seems that upon reaching Nauvoo, he started to see the whole picture. As a result, he began to expound on the further truths of the gospel. He didn’t just get up and tell the people “Thus saith the Lord,” but he taught true truths and doctrines.
This was only one reason that some of his earlier discourses were not recorded and saved as scripture. Very few of Joseph Smith’s sermons were recorded, and most of them were only small excerpts. In Nauvoo, we have the records of people writing down his words as he spoke, plus some letters from Joseph to congregations. These sermons contained true doctrine, which shed more light upon who we are, and our relationship to deity. As a result, they were and are considered scripture.
What I find interesting today is that we work in much the same way as the Nauvoo era. We don’t hear the prophet get up in conference very often and teach us brand new doctrine, or receive groundbreaking revelations. Instead he teaches us the truths of the God. As he does so by the Spirit, it is as though his words are scripture, for they are words of God.

Joseph Smith Papers

I really enjoyed reading the minutes from February 17, 1834. It gave me a lot of insight as to the origins of the high council system, and even disciplinary councils in these last days. It was cool to see how it was set up for a council of people to gather together to discuss very hard issues in the church. What particularly stuck out was that regarding what sounded like the disciplinary councils of the church. I didn't realize it was during this time that the order and manner of these councils was established. My dad is on the high council for my stake, so I've talked to him a little bit about how disciplinary councils work and function. After reading these minutes, I realized that the church still follows this very order of things. It all sounded so familiar to what my dad had told me. I think it's amazing how it is set up though--that there are six members who represent and defend that accused, and then twelve who basically prosecute. But all of it done in love to be sure that both justice and mercy are able to take place. I think the important part of this too, is that was not just for the everyday cases. It was only for those cases where bishops and their councils, or other smaller councils could not resolve an issue. It was only for major issues. I think that's an important thing to remember.
The other thing I found interesting about the readings was the revelation talking about wars. It's interesting to see that these two events happened on the same day-the organization of the high council, and a revelation prophesying of the civil war.
It's really cool to read in the Joseph Smith Papers and see the origins of some of the procedures, and the actual documents for revelations I had known of for a long time.

Museum of Art

This past week we went to the Museum of Art on BYU campus to view religious art, much of which was focused on types and shadows of Christ. The experience was very touching personally. Initially I stayed with the class as people discussed their ideas of what they felt different aspects of a painting represented to them. Part way through though, I wandered off on my own and studied pieces of art on my own. It was a great to be able to sit by myself and look at different paintings and draw my own parallels and ideas. To be there studying on my own and see how it touched me, and not everyone else around me. Not that I didn’t like, or agree with, their ideas, I just didn’t get the same experience from it. I think had I studied those specific pieces of art beforehand, I would have enjoyed the conversation more, but I really just wanted to take it in on my own this first time. It was a great blessing to me to be able to look at paintings of Christ, of the Prodigal Son, and even paintings of nature and see how they were all works of God—that pointed to Christ and His divine role. I’m sad that it’s leaving and that I won’t get a chance to go and study more of the paintings on my own.

Joseph Smith Papers

It was cool to read the original manuscript for Doctrine and Covenants section 88. What was interesting to me was to see how many small revisions were made before it was finally published. Most of them were done by Joseph Smith, yet there are a lot of changes made by others who were scribes for Joseph. It was really cool for me to see how although there are a lot of changes, they were only for small grammatical errors really. It helped me to realize even more that Joseph Smith wouldn’t receive a revelation, and then go back and change and rewrite everything he wrote. It’s a testimony to me that these revelations truly are from God. Joseph Smith received these revelations from God, and through mistakes of scribes, or just general grammatical errors, there were a few changes. It’s evidence that the Prophet Joseph Smith did not just sit and contemplate what was going to be written. He didn’t sit and write, then scribble out a few sentences to make it sound better. He would sit and read what the Lord would dictate he should read. Although I haven’t studied many of the other revelations, I assume they’re very similar in nature. No real major revisions. It gives me hope that I can read the Doctrine and Covenants and know that it’s the undefiled word of God.