Doctrine and Covenants 1: 19-28

 

How do you feel about knowing that the Lord uses "the weak and the simple" to accomplish His work"?

"19 The weak things of the world shall come forth and break down the mighty and strong ones, that man should not counsel his fellow man, neither trust in the arm of flesh—

20 But that every man might speak in the name of God the Lord, even the Savior of the world;

21 That faith also might increase in the earth;

22 That mine everlasting covenant might be established;

23 That the fulness of my gospel might be proclaimed by the weak and the simple unto the ends of the world, and before kings and rulers.

24 Behold, I am God and have spoken it; these commandments are of me, and were given unto my servants in their weakness, after the manner of their language, that they might come to understanding.

25 And inasmuch as they erred it might be made known;

26 And inasmuch as they sought wisdom they might be instructed;

27 And inasmuch as they sinned they might be chastened, that they might repent;

28 And inasmuch as they were humble they might be made strong, and blessed from on high, and receive knowledge from time to time." (Doctrine and Covenants 1: 19-28)

And here's the commentary entitled: "The Lord uses “the weak and the simple” to accomplish His work." : 

"As you read Doctrine and Covenants 1:19–28, you might ponder what it means to be a servant of the Lord. What characteristics does the Lord want His servants to have? What is the Lord accomplishing through His servants? How are the prophecies in these verses being fulfilled throughout the world and in your life?

The Lord wants His servants to speak in His name instead of counseling his fellowmen and trusting in the arm of flesh. He wants them to open up about their mistakes. He wants them to seek wisdom and be instructed. He wants them to repent when they sin. He wants them to be humble so that they might be made strong, and blessed from on high, and receive knowledge from time to time. 

The Lord is proclaiming the fullness of His gospel unto the ends of the world, and before kings and rulers, through His servants, the weak and the simple. 

The prophecies in these verses are being fulfilled throughout the world indeed. The number of missions has been increasing as the number of young missionaries are more willing to serve as full-time missionaries to proclaim the fullness of His gospel unto the ends of the world. My home country, the Philippines, used to be covered by only one mission. The very first mission, the Philippines Manila Mission used to cover the whole of the Philippine Islands. Now, every one of the three biggest islands (Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao) has already a number of missions. Every region is covered by one mission or two. My home Region (Bicol Region) got covered by one mission before, the Naga Philippines Mission. Now it has another mission, the Legazpi Philippines Mission. 

When my father met the missionaries for the first time, the Philippines was under the Philippines Manila Mission. When I served as a full-time missionary, our home region was already under the Naga Mission. I served in the former Philippines Ilagan Mission. My only brother served in the Philippines Angeles Mission. My baby sister served in the Bacolod Philippines Mission. 

I was one of those weak and simple whom the Lord called to proclaim the fullness of His gospel. At 21, I was young and needed to learn and grow to become the kind of servant the Lord wanted me to be. I did trust in the Lord to be able to speak in His name. I did open up about my mistakes. I did seek wisdom and was instructed. I did repent when I sinned. The Lord did make me strong as I humbled myself before Him. I did receive blessings from on high, and received knowledge from time to time.