Hear His Voice More Clearly
A Postscript to Our Study of Doctrine and Covenants 18
Meridian Magazine recently republished Jeffrey Marsh’s brief and excellent article “The Miracle of Joseph Smith Discovering and Translating an Ancient Record.” It is a great reminder of the miracle that the printed version of the Book of Mormon itself is, in addition to the miracle of its translation, origins, and composition. The Book of Mormon is true. The plates upon which it was inscribed are real. Joseph Smith, Jr. translated the Book of Mormon by the gift and power of God. All of the conspiracies that have arisen in the attempt to explain the Book of Mormon are a distraction from the joy of examining and appreciating its contents, and striving to live by its precepts.
This chronology is helpful for understanding the timing and context of each of the revelations in the Doctrine and Covenants. These brief biographies of Oliver Cowdery and David Whitmer help us to better understand two of Joseph Smith’s closest friends and their role in laying the foundations of the Church of Jesus Christ.
The miracle of the internet enables us to electronically visit the sites (such as the Whitmer farm) where many of the events in early Church history took place. The miracle of the internet also enables us to examine the earliest extant version of the revelation in D&C 18 in The Joseph Smith Papers.
A perusal of the footnotes to D&C 18 in The Joseph Smith Papers reminds us how the Book of Mormon influenced the content and the language of the revelations contained in the Doctrine and Covenants. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was modeled after the Nephite Church of Jesus Christ and the original Church of Jesus Christ in the Old World. Like the Nephite Church, the new Church had priests, teachers, and twelve apostles.
The Come Follow Me manual for the Doctrine and Covenants in 2025 contains several good questions to ponder in relation to our study of D&C 18. I list them here to conclude our study of D&C 18 for now:
How can we show others that “the worth of [their] souls is great” in our sight?
How does God show you that you are of great worth to Him?
How does this affect the way you feel about yourself and others?
How do these verses affect how you feel about repentance—your own repentance and the duty to invite other people to repent and improve?
What are some ways you’ve found to help others come unto the Savior and receive forgiveness? How have other people done that for you?
If someone asked you what the voice of the Lord is like, what would you say?
What have you learned about the voice of the Lord from reading Doctrine and Covenants?
What can you do to hear His voice more clearly?