Come, Follow Me Insights by Gogo Goff Doctrine and Covenants 133-134

I hope you enjoy some insights from my Come, Follow Me for Doctrine and Covenants 133-134. If you missed last week’s insight, for Doctrine and Covenants 129-132 click here for it. Please share this with your friends or use this picture to save this pin to read later:

The Gospel in Asia

“Send forth the elders of my church unto the nations which are afar off; unto the islands of the sea; send forth unto foreign lands; call upon all nations, first upon the Gentiles, and then upon the Jews.”
Doctrine and Covenants 133:8

We have seen the work of Salvation hastening for the past 40 years! We’ve seen the church flourish in Central and South America with millions of members. In recent years the Gospel is spreading across Africa at a rapid pace approaching 500,000 members!

And now the work is starting to hasten in more Asian Nations. Traditionally, the Church has only really had a foothold in Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and the Philippines. The Philippines alone has over 800,000 Latter-day Saints, over 50% of all Saints in Asia. But now, the work is starting to progress in other nations. Consider just this list of new temples being built in Asia. Shanghai (China)! Bangkok (Thailand), Dubai (United Arab Emirates), Phnom Penh (Cambodia), Bengaluru (India), Singapore, We are watching the fulfillment of the scriptures and of prophecy.

Of the growth of the Church in Asia, Elder Jeffery R. Holland has stated, “Our Children, and our Children’s children, will live to be as comfortable talking about the church in Asia, as they have been historically, traditionally talking about it in Utah, Idaho, and Arizona.” I invite you to watch this amazing video vignette about the Church in Asia.

The Threshing of the Nations

“And by the weak things of the earth the Lord shall thresh the nations by the power of his Spirit.”
Doctrine and Covenants 133:59

We don’t use the word thresh today. But, in 1831 when this revelation was given, it was a commonly used word. It means to separate the grain. Threshing is the process by which you separate the wheat from the chaff, or in gospel terms, you gather the elect from the wicked.

With that understanding that this verse is referring to missionaries in the last day, it could be read as saying, “And by the weak things of the earth (young and inexperienced missionaries) the Lord shall thresh the nations (gather the elect from the nations) by the power of his Spirit.”

Therefore this verse gives us the recipe for the gathering of the elect. It won’t happen by professionals or clergy that are considered respectable to the World, it will be done by the young and inexperienced. It won’t convert entire nations, but rather gather the elect out from among the wicked. And it will all be done by the power of the Spirit. For a really cool article on this see “The Threshing Floor” in the September 2017 Ensign.

The 12 Articles of Good Government

“We believe that governments were instituted of God for the benefit of man; and that he holds men accountable for their acts in relation to them, both in making laws and administering them, for the good and safety of society.” D&C Doctrine and Covenants 134:1

Many people are aware of the 13 Articles of Faith, but they are not aware that Doctrine and Covenants Section 134 is the same thing but for the government. It has 12 verses that declare our official beliefs in regards to governments and religion. And how they should act.

This might come as a surprise to some members, but it is vitally important that the proper roles of government are declared and boundaries are set. The reason this is so important is that government lays the bedrock for a culture that allows religion to flourish or falter. Governments that are hostile to freedom make life harder for people of faith whereas governments that guarantee Godgiven freedoms foster an environment where the gospel seeds can be planted and the missionary harvest will be great. Freedom leads people to the truth. Thomas Jefferson spoke of this.

“If the freedom of religion, guaranteed to us by law in theory, can ever rise in practice under the overbearing inquisition of public opinion, truth will prevail over fanaticism, and the genuine doctrines of Jesus, so long perverted by His pseudo-priests, will again be restored to their original purity. This reformation will advance with the other improvements of the human mind, but too late for me to witness it.” (Letter of Thomas Jefferson to Jared Sparks, Nov. 4th, 1820)

Communism and Socialism Are Forms of Government Counter to the Gospel

“We believe that no government can exist in peace, except such laws are framed and held inviolate as will secure to each individual the free exercise of conscience, the right and control of property, and the protection of life.”
Doctrine and Covenants 134:2

This verse declares that the proper role of government is to preserve and protect the rights of individuals to own and control property. This is EXTREMELY important. Why is this so important? Simple, to enable us to live the United Order.

The United Order can not be established under a socialist or communist form of government. That is not my opinion that is declared multiple times by Marion G. Romney who said, “If in the meantime [while we wait for the Lord to command us to live the United Order again], socialism takes over in America, it will have to be displaced, if need be, by the power of God, because the United Order can never function under socialism or “the welfare state,” for the good and sufficient reason that the principles upon which socialism and the United Order are conceived and operated are inimical.” Conference Report April 1966

Why is it that the United Order cannot operate under Socialism or Communism? Because under Socialism and Communism the government seeks to own the property or control it. Under the United Order, we must be able to own and control our own property thus enabling us the opportunities to willingly consecrate it. And then we must be able to own and control our stewardship and be accountable to the Lord for it. Neither the consecration of our property nor the ownership and accountability of our stewardship can happen under the false political isms that seek to own or control property.

Marion G. Romney once again said, “The united order is operated upon the principle of private ownership and individual management. Thus, in both ownership and management of property, the united order preserved to men their God-given agency. In this way, He holds each steward accountable for his own work and productivity.”

J Ruben Clark Jr. Further clarified, “The Church never was, and under existing commandments never will be, a communal society, under the directions thus far given by the Lord. The United Order was not communal nor communistic.”

Now, once you realize that the gospel in its fullness can not operate under socialism or communism do you realize why the First Presidency would say something like, “Communism and all other similar isms bear no relationship whatever to the united order. They are merely the clumsy counterfeits which Satan always devises of the gospel plan…. Latter-day Saints cannot be true to their faith and lend aid, encouragement, or sympathy to any of these false philosophies. They will prove snares to their feet.” Heber J. Grant, J. Reuben Clark, Jr., David O. McKay, (Conference Report, April 1942, p. 90)

For more on how Communism and Socialism are counterfeits of the United Order see: “Why So Many Members Are Falling For Satan’s Counterfeits of the United Order” For more quotes on the evils of socialism and communism from general authorities see: “The Ultimate Collection of Latter-day Saint Prophets and Apostles Denouncing Socialism and Communism: Over 50 Quotes From More Than 10 Prophets and Apostles.” See also, “Why President Benson was right: “No True Latter-day Saint Can Be a Socialist”