Lesson 26: Elijah & the Sealing Power

Today's lesson was on the restoration of the sealing power through Elijah. We discussed the remarkable events that occurred the week prior to the April 3, 1836 revelation to Joseph and Oliver. The Kirtland temple dedication and the spiritual manifestations associated with this event were a great blessing to the saints. Yet, the Lord had more in store for them. A week later, the Savior, followed by Moses, Elias, and Elijah, appear to Joseph & Oliver in the temple. The latter restored the keys of the sealing power thus enabling the Church to have the authority to bind in heaven what is bound on earth.
We puzzled over why this restoration of sealing powers came so late after the re-organization of the Church, and why it was that Elijah (rather than another prophet, or the Lord Himself) was the messenger of this great power.
Finally, we discussed the great unity that comes from the restoration of this power to seal. What Elijah brought was not simply a heightened spirit of family history work, or even the ability to seal parents and children together for the eternities. In fact, through this divine power, the entire family of God can be united - past, present, and future. Jesus prayed to the Father more than once that we would be one as They are one. Coming to a "unity of the faith" (Eph. 4:13) is inextricably tied to the establishment of Zion. The sealing power is a merciful gift from heaven made possible by the Lord Jesus Christ and committed into the hands of His faithful servants for the unification of His Father's children. Without this, the Lord would(as Malachi states) "smite the earth with a curse" (Mal. 4:6).

Lesson 27: Apostasy

Today's lesson on apostasy was led by Brandon Westover. He started by discussing the difference between "inactivity" and "apostasy". It was posited that inactivity is passive neglect whereas apostasy is pro-active antagonism. Brandon quoted a passage from C. S. Lewis's The Great Divorce which basically made the point that a man's road to apostasy is paved with good intentions, that a person can get to a point where they sincerely believe in what they're doing even if what they're doing is wrong.

Two points were made to help as a defense against apostasy. First, examine your motives and discern what kind of spirit you are feeling when you are finding fault with church leaders or doctrine. Is the criticism made in a spirit of love, humility, and a desire for the well being of the church/leader? Or, is it made in a spirit of contention, pride, and a desire (above all) for being right? Second, remember that despite the many faults and weaknesses of our leaders, they have been anointed and called by the Lord. Respect the calling and the Source of that calling.

I will give you one of the Keys of the mysteries of the Kingdom. It is an eternal principle, that has existed with God from all eternity: That man who rises up to condemn others, finding fault with the Church, saying that they are out of the way, while he himself is righteous, then know assuredly, that that man is in the high road to apostasy; and if he does not repent, will apostatize, as God lives.
Joseph Smith (July 2, 1839)