Lessons from the Doctrine and Covenants 2021
Lesson No. Forty-Three

A Voice of Gladness for the Living and the Dead - D&C 128

The temple endowment and baptisms for the dead was restored in Nauvoo – On May 4, 1842 Joseph knowing that he may not live to see the Nauvoo Temple completed, introduced the endowment to other leaders on the second floor of his Red Brick Store.  A pastoral scene, similar to the Garden Room in later temples, was painted on a wall, and evergreen branches were put about the room.  About the time the endowment was introduced the first baptism for the dead took place in the Mississippi River near Nauvoo.  To explain this ordinance, and to establish order, and to insure these baptisms were being properly recorded the Prophet wrote two epistles in September 1842 as recorded in D&C 127 and 128.  We still follow these directives in temples today.

The temple endowment strengthened our ancestors – The saints in Nauvoo continued to work on the temple after the martyrdom.  Persecution increased but Brigham Young understood the importance of the saints being endowed before they moved west.  The temple was finished and many members, including some of our ancestors, were endowed before they left Nauvoo.  It was “the fire of the covenant” they “made in the House of the Lord that burned in their hearts” that gave them strength to endure the hardship they encountered going west.

The coming of Elijah is understood by children in our dispensation – When I served as the president of the Louisville Kentucky Temple we lived in a condominium near the Standard Country Club which was established in the 1870’s by the Jewish community in Louisville.  Each of the three years we were in Louisville we were invited to their Passover celebration.  One year some children and grandchildren were visiting at Easter and we took them the Seder meal where a cup of wine is left untouched in honor of Elijah who, by Jewish tradition, will arrive one day as a guest to herald the advent of the Messiah.  Afterwards, we talked about the coming of Elijah and our grandchildren knew more about the coming of Elijah than any Rabbi.  They knew that Elijah came to the Kirtland Temple on April 3, 1836 and delivered the sealing keys of the priesthood to Joseph Smith.  They knew that these keys are held by the living Prophet and President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  We know that in our dispensation there will be things  “…which never have been revealed from the foundation of the world, but have been kept hid from the wise and prudent, and shall be revealed unto babes and sucklings in this, the dispensation of the fullness of times” (D&C 128:18).  Our experience at the Standard Country Club is an example of the fulfilment of that prophecy.

We live at a marvelous time – Alma prayed diligently to know more about the resurrection and the spirit world.  His prayers were answered when an angel revealed to him the additional knowledge found in Alma 40.  However, the knowledge our children have of the resurrection (see D&C 76) and the spirit world, including work for the dead, (see D&C 138) far surpass the knowledge that Church had in Alma’s day.  All previous dispensations rejoiced in our dispensation because a new dimension and magnitude of vicarious temple work would be revealed.  Elder James E. Talmage wrote of our dispensation:  “The present is the age of greatest import in all history, embodying as it does the fruition of the past and the living seed of the yet greater future.  The present is the dispensation of fullness, for which the dispensations of bygone centuries have been but preliminary and preparatory.  The saving and sanctifying labor incident to modern Temples surpasses that of the Temples of earlier times as the light of the full day exceeds the twilight of the dawn” (The House of the Lord, p. 197).

Our dispensation welds together in “a whole and complete and perfect union” all prior dispensations - The Prophet Joseph was visited by all dispensation heads from “Adam down to the present time, all declaring their dispensations, their rights, their keys, their honors, their majesty and glory, and the power of their priesthood….”  These dispensation heads taught Joseph “giving line upon line, precept upon precept; here a little, and there a little; giving us consolation by holding forth that which is to come, confirming our hope” (D&C 128:18, 21)

Redeeming the dead pertains to the dispensation of the fulness of times – Any temple work performed for the Dead in New Testament times or among the Nephites was very limited in time and place.  In our dispensation the Lord has provided modern technology, communications, and transportation to overcome the limitations of the past and move his work forward worldwide. 

Testimony – We commonly see parents and primary classes bring children to the temple where they touch the marble and look at Angel Moroni.  They are taught that “families can be together forever.”  Children look forward to when they can do baptisms for the dead.  Youth, on their own initiative, are coming in unprecedented numbers.  These young people,” babes and sucklings” know more about temple work than did the “wise and prudent” (D&C 128:18) of prior dispensations.

Joseph’s prophecy that the temple endowment “will be made known to all the Saints of the last days as soon as they are prepared to receive it…and are diligent in building temples” is being fulfilled every day as the Lord hastens his work.  The work of this dispensation that is taking place on both sides of the veil will expand until it touches every person who has ever lived on this earth.  We all can be part of it as we worship and serve in the temple.