Lessons from the Doctrine and Covenants 2021
Lesson No. Ten
The Two Booster Shots that Will Immunize Us Against the Evils of Our Day - D&C 20-21
Covid-19 immunization – After a year of living with Covid-19, vaccinations are beginning to make a significant impact on this worldwide threat. Many of us believe the hand of the Lord is in creating a vaccine so quickly and so effective. We were very anxious to receive our vaccinations, and now we are very grateful that we have been vaccinated. We look forward to life returning to normal, but hopefully it will be a new normal of greater appreciation for our blessings and a greater desire for righteousness.
How to be immunized against the evils of our day – It is a great blessing to be immunized against Covid-19, but it is a greater blessing to be immunized against the evils of our day. These evils are worldwide, and they are more prevalent and a greater threat to our wellbeing and happiness than Covid-19. In D&C 20 the Lord testifies of the importance of the Book of Mormon, and in D&C 21 He commands us to give heed to His living prophet. In doing these things we will be immunized against the evils of our day.
Those who accept the Book of Mormon and live its teaching will be given eternal life – In D&C 20 the Lord said Joseph Smith was given “power from on high…to translate the Book of Mormon” and that the Book of Mormon “contains…the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ” (D&C 20:8-9). Then He emphasized why the Book of Mormon is so important: “And those who receive [the Book of Mormon] in faith, and work righteousness, shall receive a crown of eternal life; But those who harden their hearts in unbelief, and reject it, it shall turn to their own condemnation” (D&C 20:14).
President Russell M. Nelson further explained how the Book of Mormon immunizes us against the evils of our day – “My dear brothers and sisters, I promise that as you prayerfully study the Book of Mormon every day, you will make better decisions—every day. I promise that as you ponder what you study, the windows of heaven will open, and you will receive answers to your own questions and direction for your own life. I promise that as you daily immerse yourself in the Book of Mormon, you can be immunized against the evils of the day, even the gripping plague of pornography and other mind-numbing addictions” (The Book of Mormon: What Would Your Life Be Without It?, Ensign, Nov 2017).
The Book of Mormon is a great sieve which separates those who believe from those who do not – People in the latter days who have been given the Book of Mormon will be judged by whether they accept it and live its teachings, or if they do not. (See D&C 20:13). Nephi also saw in vision how teaching the doctrines of the Restoration, particularly the Book of Mormon, separates people in the latter days: “For the time cometh, saith the Lamb of God, that I will work a great and a marvelous work among the children of men; a work that shall be everlasting, either on the one hand or on the other – either to the convincing of them unto peace and life eternal, or unto the deliverance of them to the hardness of their hearts and the blindness of their minds unto their being brought down unto captivity…according to the captivity of the devil” (1 Nephi 14:7).
Giving heed to the living Prophet will immunize us against the gates of hell, and it will bring marvelous blessings – In D&C 21 the Lord commands members of His Church to “give heed to the words and commandments which [the living prophet] shall give unto you as he receiveth them, walking in all holiness before me; For his word ye shall receive, as if from mine own mouth, in all patience and faith. For by doing these things the gates of hell shall not prevail against you; yea, and the Lord God will disperse the powers of darkness from before you, and cause the heavens to shake for your good and his name’s glory” (D&C 21:4-6).
Unlike the Covid-19 vaccinations, the two booster shots against the evil of our day should be administered daily – Fortunately, these two boosters are readily available and are self-administered. Furthermore, the side effects of these boosters are always very positive and are certain to happen. I have learned from personal experience that if we daily study the Book of Mormon and apply the counsel of our living Prophet in our daily life we will be blessed in many ways, including the following:
We will have “Today’s News Today.” We receive the Prophet’s counsel and teachings at General Conference, and in Church publications, and at Church media sites. The things he teaches and the counsel he gives are most important to our safety and happiness day to day.
We will love our family with a deeper love; the spirit of respect and consideration will grow, and the spirit of contention will depart
Righteousness will increase and the power of godliness will come into our lives
We will have greater power to resist temptation, avoid deception, and to stay on the strait and narrow path
We will make better decisions every day
The windows of heaven will open and we will receive answers to our questions and direction for our life