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

September 13–19

The material we talk about today gives us specifics about a dramatic, heart-rending series of events from the 19th century, but is also so relevant for our times, as if the story was written just for us. It simply could not be more to the point.

September 6-12

How would it feel to move a thousand miles by foot and wagon, taking all your belongings you could carry—with a mission to gather to a specific place and build a community and society called Zion. You’ve barely been introduced to the concept of Zion—a people of one heart, striving with all their might to stay close to God and live the commandments He has given them. You’ve gathered in families and close-knit friend groups. You’ve purchased beautiful, verdant, fertile lands to build your homes and raise your crops. It’s truly an idyllic setting and situation. Except, what happens when opposition is introduced in the form of hundreds of people who don’t want you there are will do anything, including kill you, to get you out of their county?

August 30-September 5

How important are temples to the Lord? When Joseph Smith was on his first mission to Missouri in the summer of 1831, only 17 months after the Church was organized, on August 3, 1831, he received a revelation about a temple to be built in Independence in Jackson County. (D&C 57:3). Then, on December 27, 1832 in Section 88 (v. 119), the Lord revealed that a temple was to be built in Kirtland. So, the Saints had been commanded to build two temples, one in Jackson County and one in Kirtland, but, honestly, in mortal eyes, it was a task that looked impossible.

August 23-29

In this marvelous book of scripture, the Doctrine and Covenants, we learn things that we can know from no other source, including in rich measure the doctrine of pre-mortality, that we lived with Heavenly Parents, before this world was. In this week’s lesson we will explore the purpose of mortality and this, one of the least known doctrines in the world of religion, the reality of a pre-mortal existence.

August 16-22

In Section 89, the Lord gave Joseph Smith the Word of Wisdom, which we often take to be a list of do’s and don’ts about how to care for our bodies, but there is more deep doctrine there then we often see, and we will share some of those ah-ha’s and surprises with you in this episode, two of which you may have never considered before.

August 9-15

Maurine, I used to look forward to the tail end of our Thanksgiving and Christmas feasts in Missouri because my Dad, a brilliant and world-renowned geologist and geological engineer, and Darrell Ownby, part of our family and a world-class ceramic engineer, and Nord Gale, a celebrated, favorite professor and brilliant microbiologist and Harold Romero, also a brilliant physicist, would stay at the table and discuss deep gospel questions. Many times, the conversations would go way over my head, as they talked about creation, celestial worlds, spirit elements, atomic elements and the qualities of light—but I tried to follow along as best I could. Hey, I was only 12 years old! But this was the beginning of my yearning, thirst and hunger for knowledge. I could not get enough of it. These discussions around the table were amazing. And then I was introduced to Section 88 of the Doctrine and Covenants. I was blown away. This deep water is the subject of this episode.

August 2-8

How distressingly human it is that some people want to build Zion and want an inheritance in Zion, but don’t want to keep the very laws that create Zion. That’s like saying, I want to live in the Lord’s kingdom, but I want to do it my way. That’s what was happening to some people who went to build Zion in Missouri, and that is the context behind one of the sections of the Doctrine and Covenants that we will look at in this episode.

July 26-August 1

We were just in Nauvoo a few days ago leading a tour. On Sunday morning we attended Church with all the missionaries serving there. It was a beautiful sight to see! They were full of joy, enthusiasm, radiance, happiness and just plain excitement for being there. We talked to a number of the senior couples for a few minutes. “Oh, this is our seventh mission,” one sister said. “We love this work so much.” Another said, “Our only regret is we only get to serve here for two years. We so wish it could be longer!” Could these missionaries in Nauvoo be a testimony to the fulfillment of promises given by the Lord in Section 84 of the Doctrine and Covenants? We’ll talk about that in this episode.

July 19-25

“Peter may have given the best description of the Savior’s mortal ministry in five words when he referred to Jesus, “who went about doing good” (M. Russell Ballard, Precious Gifts). You want to know what to do with your life? There it is, simply put. If we are to be like him, we go about doing good. In Doctrine and Covenants Section 81, we are given the same charge with more detail: “succor the weak, lift up the hands which hand down, and strengthen the feeble knees” (Doctrine and Covenants 81:5). That is a very vivid picture.

July 12-18

In the last two podcasts we have talked about the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible and the tremendous blessings that came to the Prophet Joseph and to Sidney Rigdon as they carefully studied, pondered and meticulously prayed over the Bible. One of the great blessings that came was The Vision of the Three Degrees of Glory. In this week’s lesson we get a micro-specific peek into the process of coming to understand a very difficult passage of scripture. The Prophet is asking the Lord very specific questions about Chapters 4 and 7 through 11 in the book of Revelation. And it’s not so much what was revealed to Joseph that was important to us as it was the pattern for studying the scriptures and receiving personal revelation.