Meridian Magazine--Come Follow Me Latter-day Saint Podcast

March 24-30

In August of 1830, Newel Knight and his wife Sally visited Joseph and Emma in Harmony, Pennsylvania. Since neither woman had yet been confirmed, they agreed to perform the ordinance and have the sacrament together. Joseph set out to buy some wine for the occasion, when after he had traveled only a short distance, he was met by a heavenly messenger with a new instruction. The Church was rolling forth with understanding coming line upon line.

March 17-23

After the sacred gathering of nearly four dozen Saints in the Whitmer Home in Fayette, New York on Tuesday, April 6, 1830, this tiny band was given the commission to take the restored gospel of Jesus Christ to all the world. What an overwhelming task! How could so few bless so many? And yet, the Lord knew who He was calling and what various converts would do. One eager young man, twenty-two-year-old Samuel Harrison Smith, younger brother of the Prophet Joseph, stepped forward and volunteered to start the work. And within 100 days, a remarkable woman was called to give her gifts and talents to the kingdom—Emma Hale Smith.

March 10-16

When that group of 40 or more gathered in the 20 by 30-foot Whitmer cabin that April 6, 1830 to organize the “only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth” (Doctrine and Covenants 1:30), they could not have entirely foreseen what lay ahead for this church that would, as the prophet Daniel said, “roll forth to fill the whole earth” (See Daniel 2: 31-45), but they did know they were about a great work inspired by God Himself. Let’s take you to that scene in this episode.

March 3-9

Martin Harris found himself in a tight spot when he agreed to put up the money to pay for the printing of the Book of Mormon. He began to have doubts and “stagger in confidence” at the amount of debt he was entering into, whose payback would depend entirely on sales of the Book of Mormon. He was a wealthy and respected farmer in Palmyra. He had repented of his sins and become one of the Three Witnesses, but now he was putting up his farm as collateral and everything was at stake. What would he lose if people didn’t pay for copies of the Book of Mormon and redeem his debt? Everything! What a trial of his faith.

February 24-March 2

The Doctrine and Covenants is a book full of affirmations that individuals count—that each of us is important in the sight of God. Message after message is to individuals, some we have heard of like Oliver Cowdery or Hyrum Smith, and some to less familiar people like Leman Copley or Northrop Sweet, but then the Lord often adds this note: What I say unto one, I say unto all.  But if that is not enough to let us know WE count; He gives us these 12 words in our lesson this week: “Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God.”

February 17-23

I love the natural unfolding of the restoration. Much of what happens is a result of questions that come to the minds of Joseph and Oliver in the course of the translation of the record. The more carefully you study the translation and the coming forth of the Book of Mormon, the more you are amazed at the gift and power of God that was given to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery as they translated the record. These are two very young men: Joseph is 23 and Oliver is 22 years old!

February 10-16

As you read the Doctrine and Covenants, section 10 seems out of place chronologically. Since it talks about Martin Harris and the translation of the 116 pages, shouldn’t it come after Section 3?  What happened? We’ll tell you in this episode.

February 3-9

Just a few months after the 116 manuscript pages of the Book of Lehi were lost, a young man arrived in Manchester, New York.  He had dark brown eyes, a slight build, a prominent lower jaw, high forehead and, as one described, a roman nose.  He was hired to be a teacher in New York’s Joint District 11. The small frame schoolhouse was located just about a mile south of the Joseph and Lucy Mack Smith Farm on Stafford Road. In this first teaching job, he had 107 little “scholars.”  Little did he know he would become a teacher for millions yet unborn. His name…was Oliver Cowdery.

January 27-February 2

Joseph does not shy away from humbly including Section 3 in the Doctrine and Covenants, where he is severely chastened by the Lord for a failing. He could have hid it or polished it up to preserve his image, but because he is so honest, we not only get to see firsthand, the spiritual development of a prophet, but he also gives us all a deep teaching: “You should not have feared man more than God” (Doctrine and Covenants 3:7).

January 20-26

Do we know every scripture that Moroni told Joseph Smith on his September 21 visit in 1823? Our first answer is, “They are listed right here in Joseph Smith’s history.” Yet Oliver Cowdery told us there are many more. And here’s another surprise—all but two are from the Old Testament.