Doctrine and Covenants 117: 1-11

 

What are you choosing to give up or dedicate to God—and how has that deepened your relationship with Him?

"1 Verily thus saith the Lord unto my servant William Marks, and also unto my servant Newel K. Whitney, let them settle up their business speedily and journey from the land of Kirtland, before I, the Lord, send again the snows upon the earth.

2 Let them awake, and arise, and come forth, and not tarry, for I, the Lord, command it.

3 Therefore, if they tarry it shall not be well with them.

4 Let them repent of all their sins, and of all their covetous desires, before me, saith the Lord; for what is property unto me? saith the Lord.

5 Let the properties of Kirtland be turned out for debts, saith the Lord. Let them go, saith the Lord, and whatsoever remaineth, let it remain in your hands, saith the Lord.

6 For have I not the fowls of heaven, and also the fish of the sea, and the beasts of the mountains? Have I not made the earth? Do I not hold the destinies of all the armies of the nations of the earth?

7 Therefore, will I not make solitary places to bud and to blossom, and to bring forth in abundance? saith the Lord.

8 Is there not room enough on the mountains of Adam-ondi-Ahman, and on the plains of Olaha Shinehah, or the land where Adam dwelt, that you should covet that which is but the drop, and neglect the more weighty matters?

9 Therefore, come up hither unto the land of my people, even Zion.

10 Let my servant William Marks be faithful over a few things, and he shall be a ruler over many. Let him preside in the midst of my people in the city of Far West, and let him be blessed with the blessings of my people.

11 Let my servant Newel K. Whitney be ashamed of the Nicolaitane band and of all their secret abominations, and of all his littleness of soul before me, saith the Lord, and come up to the land of Adam-ondi-Ahman, and be a bishop unto my people, saith the Lord, not in name but in deed, saith the Lord." (Doctrine and Covenants 117: 1-11)

And here's the beginning part of the commentary entitled: "My sacrifices are sacred to the Lord." :

"Imagine you were Newel K. Whitney or his wife, Elizabeth, who were experiencing a prosperous life in Kirtland and then asked to leave. What do you find in Doctrine and Covenants 117:1–11 that might have helped you make this sacrifice? What sacrifices do you make for God? What do these verses teach you about who God is and what He does?"

What I find in Doctrine and Covenants 117:1–11 that might have helped me make the sacrifice to leave Kirtland:

• The Lord wants me to settle up my business speedily and journey from the land of Kirtland, before He sends again the snows upon the earth. (The Lord wants me to follow His timeline because He wants to protect me.)
• The Lord wants me to awake, and arise, and come forth, and not tarry for He command it. (To leave, and not to stay in Kirtland, is the Lord's commandment)
• If I tarry, it shall not be well with me. (To leave Kirtland is what's best for me.)

• The Lord wants me to repent of all their sins, and of all my covetous desires, before Him, saith the Lord; for what is property unto Him? (The Lord knows my sins and my tendency to value property more than His will, while property came from Him, and if I lose one, He can give me another, even more.)

• The Lord wants me to let the properties of Kirtland be turned out for debts. The Lord wants me to go, and whatsoever remaineth, let it remain in my hands. (The Lord wants me to sell off my properties to pay off my debts, and keep whatever amount remains.)
• The Lord asks: "Is there not room enough on the mountains of Adam-ondi-Ahman, and on the plains of Olaha Shinehah, or the land where Adam dwelt, that you should covet that which is but the drop, and neglect the more weighty matters?" (The Lord doesn't want me to neglect the more weighty matters and covet that which is but the drop--my property, material possessions, or worldly wealth.)

• The Lord admonishes me to come up hither unto the land of His people, even Zion.

Replacing the names in verses 10-11 with my own name makes the instructions of the Lord more powerful for me: 

The Lord says, "Let my servant Wilmenda R. Mina be faithful over a few things, and she shall be a ruler over many. Let her preside in the midst of my people in the city of Far West, and let her be blessed with the blessings of my people."

The Lord says, "Let my servant Wilmenda R. Mina be ashamed of the Nicolaitane band and of all their secret abominations, and of all her littleness of soul before me, saith the Lord, and come up to the land of Adam-ondi-Ahman, and be a bishop unto my people, saith the Lord, not in name but in deed, saith the Lord.

"For have I not the fowls of heaven, and also the fish of the sea, and the beasts of the mountains? Have I not made the earth? Do I not hold the destinies of all the armies of the nations of the earth?

Therefore, will I not make solitary places to bud and to blossom, and to bring forth in abundance? saith the Lord." (verses 6-7)

I love how the Lord reminds me in these verses of who God is and what He does. It's so clear that He is the most powerful being. He holds my destiny, and He will make my solitary place bud and blossom, and bring forth in abundance as He did in His Church, as I make my sacrifices for Him, for my sacrifices are sacred to Him. My sacrifices of putting Him first in my thoughts, the affections of my heart, words, and actions are sacred to Him.