Last week we invited the person over security at Sugar
Valley Lakes (where we live), to come by for a visit. He is a member of the
Community of Christ Church, but is somewhat disenchanted with his church
because of all the changes that have taken place. One of the differences
between our beliefs and theirs is how a prophet is called and how the Keys are transferred.
We shared with him several sections from D&C 107 where it explains that the
twelve hold the same keys and authority as the first presidency. They have kept
that section in their Doctrine and Covenants but it has a different number.
D&C 107: 22-24, 64-66,
22 Of
the Melchizedek Priesthood, three Presiding High Priests, chosen by the body, appointed and
ordained to that office, and upheld by the confidence, faith, and
prayer of the church, form a quorum of the Presidency of the Church.
23 The twelve traveling
councilors are called to be the Twelve Apostles, or
special witnesses of the name of Christ in all the world—thus
differing from other officers in the church in the duties of their calling.
24 And
they form a quorum, equal in authority and power to the three
presidents previously mentioned.
65 Wherefore,
it must needs be that one be appointed
of the High Priesthood to preside over the priesthood, and he shall
be called President of the High Priesthood of the Church;
66 Or, in other words,
the Presiding High Priest over the High Priesthood of the Church.
91 And
again, the duty of the President of the
office of the High Priesthood is to preside over the whole church,
and to be like unto Moses—
92 Behold,
here is wisdom; yea, to be a seer, a revelator, a translator, and
a prophet, having all the gifts of God which he bestows upon the
head of the church.
D&C 112:30
30 For
unto you, the Twelve, and those, the First Presidency, who are
appointed with you to be your counselors and your leaders, is the power of this priesthood
given, for the last days and for the last time, in the which is the
dispensation of the fulness of times,
31 Which
power you hold, in connection with all those who have received
a dispensation at any time from the beginning of the creation;
32 For
verily I say unto you, the keys of the dispensation, which ye have
received, have come down from the fathers, and last of all, being
sent down from heaven unto you.
We shared this quote
from Brigham Young about the Prophet Joseph Smith with him:
“I feel like shouting,
hallelujah, all the time, when I think that I ever knew Joseph Smith, the
Prophet whom the Lord raised up and ordained, and to whom he gave keys and
power to build up the kingdom of God on earth and sustain it. These keys are
committed to this people, and we have power to continue the work that Joseph
commenced, until everything is prepared for the coming of the Son of Man” (Deseret
News, Oct. 31, 1855, 268).
Joseph Smith
taught that leadership of the Church was to be under the direction of the
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
President Wilford
Woodruff wrote concerning the final meeting the Prophet Joseph Smith had with
the Apostles:
“The Prophet Joseph, I
am now satisfied, had a thorough presentiment that that was the last meeting we
would hold together here in the flesh. We had had our endowments; we had had
all the blessings sealed upon our heads that were ever given to the apostles or
prophets on the face of the earth. On that occasion the Prophet Joseph rose up
and said to us: ‘Brethren, I have desired to live to see this temple built. I
shall never live to see it, but you will.
I have sealed upon your heads all the keys of the kingdom of God. I have sealed
upon you every key, power, principle that the God of heaven has revealed to me.
Now, no matter where I may go or what I may do, the kingdom rests upon you’”
(“The Keys of the Kingdom,”Millennial Star, Sept. 2, 1889, 546).
We also shared how a new apostle was called in New Testament
times.
Acts 1:
23 And they appointed two,
Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias.
24 And they prayed, and
said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of
these two thou hast chosen,
25 That he
may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by
transgression fell, that he might go to his own place.
26 And
they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered
with the eleven apostles.
We then shared with him the testimony of many who said that Brigham
Young took on the voice and appearance of Joseph Smith during a meeting in
Nauvoo after the death of the prophet. See the following blog post titled How did
the mantle of prophethood pass from Joseph Smith to Brigham Young?
I suggested to our Security friend that he download the LDS
Gospel Library and took him through some of what is available on that site. He later called and asked about it, so I know
he was at least making the attempt to download the gospel library. It truly is
amazing all the resources we have available to share the Gospel.
