Miss #2: The Priesthood is for and about Mormons.
Let's begin with a clarification. 'The terms "Mormon" and "Mormonite" were first used in the 1830s as pejoratives to describe those who followed Joseph Smith and believed in the divine origin of the Book of Mormon. The term was soon adopted by Mormons themselves, however, and has lost its generally pejorative status.'
'Mormon' is the name of the prophet in ancient America who compiled and abridged the records of his people, the Nephites, into a single, manageable volume. The translation of this volume is the book of scripture we now call The Book of Mormon. So ends the literal association between The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and the term "Mormon."
Further, the official name of the Church, though conceivably long and cumbersome, serves a defined purpose of its own. The Church of Jesus Christ is what we are. "How be it my church save it be called in my name? For if a church be called in Moses’ name then it be Moses’ church; or if it be called in the name of a man then it be the church of a man; but if it be called in my name then it is my church, if it so be that they are built upon my gospel" (3 Nep. 27:8). At any time that Christ's church has been on the earth by his authority, it has been called by his name and none other.
The phrase of Latter-Day Saints denotes the dispensation of time in which we now live. Elder David B. Haight said in 1991, "A dispensation is the dispensing of blessings or afflictions by Deity, as appropriate. A dispensation is also defined as a period when God has revealed his mind and will to man. It means 'the opening of the heavens to men; the … dispensing to them the word of God; the revealing to men … the principles and ordinances of the Gospel; the conferring of divine authority upon … chosen ones, by which they are empowered to act in the name … [and] authority of God.'
"The Dispensation of the Fulness of Times is the dispensation which includes all others, both in heaven and on earth. It is the dispensation which will fulfill all of the decrees of a loving Heavenly Father for 'the salvation of [all] men and the redemption of the earth itself.' (History of the Church, 1:xxiii.)
"An inspired Prophet Joseph Smith wrote, 'It is necessary … that a … welding together of dispensations … should take place … from the days of Adam even to the present time.'(D&C 128:18.)"
To this add the words of Russell M. Nelson: "The very first [dispensation] was in the time of Adam. Then came dispensations of Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Moses, and others. Each prophet had a divine commission to teach of the divinity and the doctrine of the Lord Jesus Christ. In each age these teachings were meant to help the people. But their disobedience resulted in apostasy. Thus, all previous dispensations were limited in time and location. They were limited in time because each ended in apostasy. They were limited in location to a relatively small segment of planet earth.
"Thus a complete restoration was required. God the Father and Jesus Christ called upon the Prophet Joseph Smith to be the prophet of this dispensation. All divine powers of previous dispensations were to be restored through him. This dispensation of the fulness of times would not be limited in time or in location. It would not end in apostasy, and it would fill the world."
We now live in 'The Dispensation of the Fulness of Times.' These are the last (or latter) days of mankind before the Second Coming of Christ. Thus, what we are called in order to distinguish us from other Christian sects is "of Latter-day Saints," but what we are is "The Church of Jesus Christ," for he is the head, as he was during every other dispensation.
This may seem like a detour from the original topic, but it's an important point to understand in order to extrapolate the next.
At the risk of waxing grammatical, we are not 'Mormons,' much the way a tomato isn't actually a vegetable but a fruit, and yet its culinary uses befit the vegetable category. The word 'Mormon' is for our time and place, a cultural reference we neither oppose nor fully embrace. Mormon is not the head of this church. Our doctrine and authority are not Mormon's. The Holy Priesthood is not the Mormon Priesthood.
So what are we, if not Mormons? We are the offspring of God the Father (Acts 17:28-29), and 'adopted' children of Christ (Ephesians 1:5, Mosiah 5:7), who purchased us with his blood that he might intervene in our behalf. This is The Church of Jesus Christ, and it is not just for those called Mormons--it is for every person, living, dead, or yet to be born. This is the Priesthood of God, delivered unto us for the salvation of the entire human family. The only feature that can limit its reach is the refusal of mankind to believe.
Having this information might not expand the borders of your personal 'reach' with the Priesthood. What a world it would be if everyone in it would invite the Priesthood power into his heart and welcome the attendant blessings. But everyone does not believe, and some of those would have others doubt as well, so they drive our doctrines repeatedly into a theological corner with stigmatized terms like 'Mormon,' 'Joe Smith,' or 'gold Bible.'
But a Priesthood holder cannot allow himself or the authority granted him by the Lord to be compartmentalized in such a way, particularly in his own mind. This Priesthood flows like an everlasting spring from the throne of the Almighty God (Rev. 22:1). His ordained servants are the vessel-bearers of this divine power, and they are meant to carry it to the world, as far as the world will allow.
"Mormon, the Prophet Warrior," by David Brickey (cropped)
"The First Vision" in stained glass, SLC Stake Center
"In Similitude," by David Brickey
"Moses Calls Aaron to the Ministry," by Harry Anderson
Wikipedia, "Mormon"
David B. Haight, “Linking the Family of Man,” Ensign, May 1991, 75
Russell M. Nelson, “The Gathering of Scattered Israel,” Ensign, Nov 2006, 79–82
Let's begin with a clarification. 'The terms "Mormon" and "Mormonite" were first used in the 1830s as pejoratives to describe those who followed Joseph Smith and believed in the divine origin of the Book of Mormon. The term was soon adopted by Mormons themselves, however, and has lost its generally pejorative status.''Mormon' is the name of the prophet in ancient America who compiled and abridged the records of his people, the Nephites, into a single, manageable volume. The translation of this volume is the book of scripture we now call The Book of Mormon. So ends the literal association between The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and the term "Mormon."
Further, the official name of the Church, though conceivably long and cumbersome, serves a defined purpose of its own. The Church of Jesus Christ is what we are. "How be it my church save it be called in my name? For if a church be called in Moses’ name then it be Moses’ church; or if it be called in the name of a man then it be the church of a man; but if it be called in my name then it is my church, if it so be that they are built upon my gospel" (3 Nep. 27:8). At any time that Christ's church has been on the earth by his authority, it has been called by his name and none other.
The phrase of Latter-Day Saints denotes the dispensation of time in which we now live. Elder David B. Haight said in 1991, "A dispensation is the dispensing of blessings or afflictions by Deity, as appropriate. A dispensation is also defined as a period when God has revealed his mind and will to man. It means 'the opening of the heavens to men; the … dispensing to them the word of God; the revealing to men … the principles and ordinances of the Gospel; the conferring of divine authority upon … chosen ones, by which they are empowered to act in the name … [and] authority of God.'"The Dispensation of the Fulness of Times is the dispensation which includes all others, both in heaven and on earth. It is the dispensation which will fulfill all of the decrees of a loving Heavenly Father for 'the salvation of [all] men and the redemption of the earth itself.' (History of the Church, 1:xxiii.)
"An inspired Prophet Joseph Smith wrote, 'It is necessary … that a … welding together of dispensations … should take place … from the days of Adam even to the present time.'(D&C 128:18.)"
To this add the words of Russell M. Nelson: "The very first [dispensation] was in the time of Adam. Then came dispensations of Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Moses, and others. Each prophet had a divine commission to teach of the divinity and the doctrine of the Lord Jesus Christ. In each age these teachings were meant to help the people. But their disobedience resulted in apostasy. Thus, all previous dispensations were limited in time and location. They were limited in time because each ended in apostasy. They were limited in location to a relatively small segment of planet earth."Thus a complete restoration was required. God the Father and Jesus Christ called upon the Prophet Joseph Smith to be the prophet of this dispensation. All divine powers of previous dispensations were to be restored through him. This dispensation of the fulness of times would not be limited in time or in location. It would not end in apostasy, and it would fill the world."
We now live in 'The Dispensation of the Fulness of Times.' These are the last (or latter) days of mankind before the Second Coming of Christ. Thus, what we are called in order to distinguish us from other Christian sects is "of Latter-day Saints," but what we are is "The Church of Jesus Christ," for he is the head, as he was during every other dispensation.
This may seem like a detour from the original topic, but it's an important point to understand in order to extrapolate the next.
At the risk of waxing grammatical, we are not 'Mormons,' much the way a tomato isn't actually a vegetable but a fruit, and yet its culinary uses befit the vegetable category. The word 'Mormon' is for our time and place, a cultural reference we neither oppose nor fully embrace. Mormon is not the head of this church. Our doctrine and authority are not Mormon's. The Holy Priesthood is not the Mormon Priesthood.So what are we, if not Mormons? We are the offspring of God the Father (Acts 17:28-29), and 'adopted' children of Christ (Ephesians 1:5, Mosiah 5:7), who purchased us with his blood that he might intervene in our behalf. This is The Church of Jesus Christ, and it is not just for those called Mormons--it is for every person, living, dead, or yet to be born. This is the Priesthood of God, delivered unto us for the salvation of the entire human family. The only feature that can limit its reach is the refusal of mankind to believe.
Having this information might not expand the borders of your personal 'reach' with the Priesthood. What a world it would be if everyone in it would invite the Priesthood power into his heart and welcome the attendant blessings. But everyone does not believe, and some of those would have others doubt as well, so they drive our doctrines repeatedly into a theological corner with stigmatized terms like 'Mormon,' 'Joe Smith,' or 'gold Bible.'
But a Priesthood holder cannot allow himself or the authority granted him by the Lord to be compartmentalized in such a way, particularly in his own mind. This Priesthood flows like an everlasting spring from the throne of the Almighty God (Rev. 22:1). His ordained servants are the vessel-bearers of this divine power, and they are meant to carry it to the world, as far as the world will allow."Mormon, the Prophet Warrior," by David Brickey (cropped)
"The First Vision" in stained glass, SLC Stake Center
"In Similitude," by David Brickey
"Moses Calls Aaron to the Ministry," by Harry Anderson
Wikipedia, "Mormon"
David B. Haight, “Linking the Family of Man,” Ensign, May 1991, 75
Russell M. Nelson, “The Gathering of Scattered Israel,” Ensign, Nov 2006, 79–82
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