Missionary Work and Callings D&C 79, 80, 81, 99, 106,
108
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The Big IFs Callings are conditional These revelations may not
include fascinating content, but they do set an important example
Missionary work was a novel concept in the Church, but a well-known
practice in broader culture
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Missiology and Ecclesiology A Proselytizing Nation Circuit
ministers Influence of Baptists and Methodists Mix of Amateurs and
Professionals
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Missiology and Ecclesiology Began before the Organization of
the LDS Church Led to settlement of Ohio and Missouri Saturated
Ohio in 1830s Mix of Long and Short missions Sent without Purse or
Scrip
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Section 79 Origin Jared Carter returned from a successful
mission that had taken him through parts of Pennsylvania and New
York to Vermont and back. He continued preaching the gospel locally
in northeastern Ohio after his return. Then in March 1832 he went
to Hiram, Ohio, home of Joseph the seer to inquire the will of the
Lord concerning my ministry the ensuing season. And the word of the
Lord came forth.
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Section 80 Origin John Murdock baptized and confirmed Stephen
Burnett, who was filled with the Holy Ghost and a desire to take
the gospel to his relatives. He led his parents into the church and
was called to preach in January 1832 (D&C 75:35) and again in
Section 80.
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Section 79 Outcome Jared noted that April 25, 1832 marked the
commencement of a mission by Jared Carter, a servant of the Lord.
He followed the revelation specifically, going from town to town in
the power of his ordination, which was to the high privilege of
administering in the name of Jesus Christ. Jared went northeast
along Lake Erie and continued on to Benson, Vermont, his
birthplace, proclaiming the everlasting gospel in each location. He
battled opposition and bouts of deep discouragement. He kept
careful track of his obedience to the revelation and the
fulfillment of the promised blessings. His records testify that, as
promised, the Lord sent him the Comforter, the Holy Ghost, to teach
him the truth and where he should go. And since Jared was faithful
to Section 79, the Lord crowned him again with a bountiful harvest.
Jared summarized his service after returning in October. I have
been gone six months and two days. The Lord has permitted me to
administer the Gospel to 79 souls and many others by my
instrumentality have been convinced of this most glorious work. He
rejoiced on the completion of his difficult yet successful mission.
God has blessed me according to the prophecy of Brother Joseph
before I went from Ohio, Jared wrote. He has blessed me with
sheaves.
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Section 80 Outcome Stephen and Eden Smith started on their
mission on July 15 and spent a few days together declaring the
gospel in villages south of Kirtland, Ohio. Stephen also went east
with success. He was the first one that sounded the glad tidings of
the everlasting gospel in Dalton, New Hampshire. But then he
apostatized in the wave of disaffection from the church in 1837 and
1838. Stephen allied with Warren Parrish and others who were
finding fault with Joseph Smith. The Prophet attributed Stephens
apostasy to materialism. His heart was so set on money that he
would at any time sell his soul for fifty dollars; and then think
he had made an excellent bargain; and who had got wearied of the
restraints of religion, and could not bear to have his purse taxed.
When Stephen tried but failed to regain the Holy Spirit he
proclaimed all revelation lies and, tragically, left the
church.
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Section 81 Origin The Lord began organizing his First
Presidency in early 1832. A conference in Amherst, Ohio sustained
Joseph Smith as president of the high priests in January. On March
8, 1832, Joseph chose and ordained Sidney Rigdon and Jesse Gause. A
week later Joseph received Section 81, giving Gause instructions
for fulfilling his calling.
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Section 81 Outcomes Jesse Gause left the church by 1833 and the
Lord appointed Frederick Williams to replace him. In an early
manuscript of Section 81, Jesse's name is simply crossed out and
Frederick's inserted. As a free agent, Jesse chose not to abide by
the Lord's terms and conditions. But here as elsewhere in the
revelations, the Lord simply replaced him and the kingdom rolled
forward. (See D&C 56 and 124:91-95). Kirtland Revelation Book,
10-11, Church History Library, Salt Lake City.
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Section 99 Origin John Murdock, an early convert, said, The
spirit of the Lord rested on me, he wrote, witnessing to me of the
truth. John's wife Julia believed. He wrote that he was filled with
the spirit as I read to her. He asked Oliver and his companions to
baptize him in the cold Chagrin River. He was immersed, confirmed,
and ordained an elder by the power of the Holy Priesthood. It was
truly a time of the outpouring of the spirit. John wrote. I know
the spirit rested on me as it never did before. Many families
received the good news of the gospel from John Murdock as he
consecrated himself and his family to the church Julia died just
hours after giving birth to twins in April 1831, leaving John to
care for five children Section 52 called John to preach and travel
to Missouri in the summer of 1831 John shouldered and balanced his
priesthood responsibilities to nurture the children and preach the
gospel the best he could Made a selfless decision to accept an
invitation from Joseph Smith to let he and Emma, whose twins had
just perished, to adopt his John left his other children in the
care of relatives and fellow saints and endured a long, sickly, and
extremely successful mission to Missouri and back, where he found
his children well with the exception of little Joseph, who had
succumbed to measles after being exposed when the Prophet was
mobbed in March 1832 (See Section 71). John nurtured his children,
regained his health, and served in the church in Ohio until August
1832, when Section 99 called him back to the mission field.
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Section 99 Outcomes John wrote that having received Section 99,
I immediately commenced to arrange my business and provide for my
children and send them up to the Bishop in Zion, Edward Partridge.
Then John set out to preach the gospel. Some received him as the
revelation predicted. Others, including his in- laws, rejected.
They met with a Dr. Matthews, a very wicked man who rejected their
offering. John documented how they applied Section 99: We bore
testimony according to the commandment and the Lord helped us in
tending to the ordinance of cleansing their feet. John Murdock, An
Abridged Record of the Life of John Murdock, Taken from His Journal
by Himself, typescript, L. Tom Perry Special Collections, Harold B.
Lee Library, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah.
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Section 106 Origin When Joseph and others went east in March
1834 to recruit volunteers to march to the aid of Saints who had
been exiled from Zion in Missouri, he visited Warren A. Cowdery, an
older brother of Oliver and convert living at Freedom, New York,
where he was a leading citizen practicing medicine and operating a
pharmacy. Warren housed and fed Joseph and his companions
generously as they preached the gospel and gained converts. In
November, Joseph received Section 106 as a call for Warren Cowdery
to preside over the growing number of Saints in his area. Jessee,
Papers of Joseph Smith, 2:24.
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Section 106 Outcomes Warren presided over his fellow Saints in
New York until he and his family moved to Kirtland early in 1836.
There he served the Church as a scribe and recorder but by 1838 he
became one of many who did not continue in their faithful witness
as lights to the Church. Elders Journal, August 1838, 59; Jessee,
Personal Writings of Joseph Smith (2 nd ed.), 667.
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Section 108 Origin Joseph Smith was studying his Hebrew lesson
on 26 December 1835 when Lyman Sherman, who was serving in the
quorum of the seventy, came to his home and said he had been
wrought upon to make known to you my feelings and desires, and was
promised that I should have a revelation which should make known my
duty. Joseph received Section 108 and recorded it in his journal.
Joseph Smith, Journal, 26 December 1835, Joseph Smith Collection,
1827-1844, Church History Library, Salt Lake City.
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Section 108 Outcomes The way Section 108 came to Lyman Sherman
reveals much about the order of revelation. Joseph Smith taught
that revelations were universally available to mankind directly,
but also that there was order to revelation. Lyman's role as a
general authority and his invitation to the upcoming solemn
assembly were matters to be revealed through Joseph Smith. In verse
1, the Lord forgave Lyman because he submissively acknowledged and
followed this order. He was a loyal, devoted saint. In January
1839, the First Presidency called Lyman as an apostle but he died
before he could fill the calling.
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Discussion Reflections on Parley Pratt and William McLellin The
paradox: important to the Church, not important to the Church
Interpreting if/then clauses Dissent