September 15-21
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Did the Lord Fail?
To give a bit of content for what we’re reading about this week, the Saints have been driven from their homes in Missouri, and Joseph Smith received a revelation that talked about gathering a group of Saints to go and win back their homes. After marching towards Jackson County, the camp was actually disbanded.
Doctrine and Covenants 105:13 Therefore it is expedient in me that mine elders should wait for a little season, for the redemption of Zion.
The Lord called off what the Saints believed to be the original purpose of the Zion’s camp: redeeming the Saints’ lands in Missouri. Here is a bit of what the Lord said about His true purpose.
Doctrine and Covenants 105:19 …and it is expedient in me that they should be brought thus far for a trial of their faith.
There are two ways that the Saints could have their faith built during this experience. The first way is how to stick around when the going gets tough.
Being a part of Zion’s Camp was not an easy thing. It was hot and muggy. Food and water could be scarce. There was disease, and members of Zion’s camp even died of cholera on this expedition that did not provide the results that many Saints looked for.
One of the characteristics the Lord is trying to instill and test us in is the idea that we will follow Him. Truly follow Him, not just rewards.
In the New Testament, many followers left when they realized that He wasn’t going to keep miraculously giving out bread. Interestingly enough, the bread was a distraction from the most important, life-changing aspects of following Christ. They couldn’t see the miracle of who Christ was because they were too distracted by their want of bread. Never mind that Christ had performed an incredible miracle and dispersed an immense amount of food. The people in the New Testament were too distracted by the fact that their bread stopped to remember that He had done something powerful in their lives. They were too distraught by the lack of bread to stick around and wonder if there was something more powerful at work.
The Lord doesn’t want obedient dogs. He didn’t keep giving out bread just to keep people coming back. He wants the loyalty and love of His people through anything. He doesn’t want to give us a treat every time we show up. He wants us to truly follow Him through thick and thin. He wants us to trust Him when the treat doesn’t immediately appear. He wants us to choose to love Him and follow Him through difficulty just as He followed us through difficulty. The only way that He can instill and test this aspect of faith is to allow us to face incredible obstacles and choose Him.
Trials can try the faith. When you’re trying to fulfill the Lord’s commands and there are obstacles, it can lead you to wonder whether you’re truly fulfilling the Lord’s commands. Understanding the purpose of mortal life can help us understand the irreplaceable effect of trials. The Lord needed to try us or we would never be able to grow into what we needed to become. Trials are not just a punishment; trials are also to help the righteous grow. We cannot afford to see them as proof that the Lord is not with us otherwise it completely prevents us from accessing a level of growth that is completely necessary.
But this experience wasn’t just about trials. There was a second way that this experience could make or break the faith of the Saints.
This faith-shaking experience was not just about a difficult trip; it was about the fact that the trip seemed unsuccessful. This could easily call Joseph’s prophetic call into question, and it did. This experience caused many to wonder, and yet, it did the exact opposite for others. In the Come Follow Me manual we read, “Faithful members of Zion’s Camp, many of whom later became leaders of the Church, testified that the experience deepened their faith in God’s power, in Joseph Smith’s divine call, and in Zion—not just Zion the place but Zion the people of God.”
It deepened their faith in God’s power and Joseph Smith’s divine calling as prophet. From the world’s perspective, this is ridiculous. Why would you believe more in the God that is being preached to you when He couldn’t deliver on His promises? Why would you believe more in Joseph’s calling at the end of this? The idea that the Lord was trying to create a Zion-like people may feel like a thinly-veiled excuse for bailing after the governor rescinded his promise to send a militia to aid the Saints. Why on earth should we believe and continue to follow?
Exploring this concept is important because there are plenty of aspects in the church that don’t make sense from a worldly perspective. There are revelations that seem like sad excuses. For example, the Lord rescinded His command for polygamy when the United States threatened to take away everything that was beloved by the church and Saints. If the Lord is so powerful and if He is truly leading His Saints along through a prophet, why did He bail on Zion’s Camp? Why did He continue to enforce polygamy until the going got too tough?
When it comes to the gospel, it is IMPOSSIBLE to make things make sense from a worldly perspective. Faith precedes understanding. It is impossible to convince someone of Joseph’s prophetic call. If you try to explain that the Lord was trying to build a Zion-people rather than being concerned about the land, they will laugh in your face.
When it comes to the gospel, your testimony cannot form from the idea that it has to make sense before you choose to believe. Sooner or later, you are going to come across something that doesn’t come together in your mind. You are going to come across principles, policies, or history that feel like they create cognitive dissonance in your mind.
It would seem like the Lord would try to avoid these faith-shaking experiences altogether. He’s trying to build our faith. Why would He allow it to be shaken after this manner?
Interestingly enough, the only way to build a truly strong faith is to let it be shaken. Faith is not knowing everything. Faith is choosing to trust when we don’t know.
The Lord wants to take our testimony from, “I know the Lord leads His church today because He made this miracle happen,” to, “I know the Lord leads His church today, and I will follow Him through hell if He calls me to do so.” When we can unlock that second level of faith, we become powerful disciples. We find a new level of salvation when we find that trust and relinquish our need to control and understand everything.
How do we make that jump in faith? How did the members of the Zion’s Camp come out of this experience with stronger faith rather than weaker faith?
I’m sure there are many answers, but I can only truly share my own.
I talk to God, and He answers. For me, that is the single largest portion of my testimony.
I have had experiences where I have looked back in awe at how the Lord made everything come together for me. I was amazed when I saw how He manipulated details from the years before to help everything stitch together and help me come out on top. Those are faith-building experiences. They helped me grow in my faith.
But they no longer define my faith. I am immensely grateful for those experiences. I cannot begin to describe how grateful I am to look back and see how the Lord saved me because He has indeed saved me. I am grateful, but they do not define my faith.
My faith has shifted. I talk to Him on a regular basis, and He answers, and I will not deny it. When things don’t go as planned, when I feel confused, when something new comes along that makes me wonder if I’m on the right track, I talk to Him and He answers. Regardless of whether He chooses to give me a new perspective or help me understand something, I have talked with Him enough that I trust Him. He is my Friend. He has shown me His power enough, and I will follow Him.
I have had enough experiences with Him to hold on, and I am happier since I have let go and chosen to trust Him through anything. I testify that when you choose to keep at it and continue to follow this path that has been presented to you, you will find the same results. In fact, you will be grateful that He allowed you the experience of questioning and finding Him again and again.
Autumn Dickson 
What wonderful words of wisdom!! My faith has shifted too. For me it was an overwhelming experience with my Bishop during a very long stay in the hospital in 2019. He was there & I’ve told him about how his faithful ministering contributed to altering my life, but if he felt anything when I did, he has never mentioned it.
After that 30 second miracle when I felt the most heavenly hug imaginable, from the crown of my head to the tips of my toes, everything has been different (ok not my cravings for chocolate). It was a transformation of heart and mind that was life altering.
Soon after that, I discovered Divine Correlation — that making everything come together, manipulating details and stitching it all together so I can come out on top, as you so well described. I believe in it so strongly. Our eternal, loving Heavenly Father is a God of miracles and no respecter of persons. The scriptures are full of all the miracles He did for others, so we can have the utmost confidence, that each of our lives are full of as they were.
I am a huge fan of the Chosen. Dallas Jenkins talks about the feeding of the 5000 and other Red Sea moments in our lives. In Matthew 15:32 the Lord won’t let His disciples send the multitude away because they had been with Him for 3 days. One could say it was the Savior’s fault they were in that condition for keeping them around for so long. Because of this tender mercy, He succored them. He fed them with 5 loaves and 2 fishes. Dallas also points out that it isn’t our job to feed the 5000, only to provide the loaves and fish. Even if we only have a few crumbs and a minnow, once Christ accepts them, the transaction is complete and rest is up to Him!!
Unfortunately, some don’t realize that just like all the people in Matthew 15, all of us are in the middle of multiple, on-going Zion’s Camps as well as many upcoming miracles!!
I personally know of the cleansing power of the Atonement and that the Lord leads his Church because I have been through enough miracles, both small and great, that my house & testimony are anchored solidly to the rock of my Redeemer.
Thank you once again for this week’s message. Best wishes always.
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Thank you for sharing those pieces of you with me. I can’t wait until we one day meet whether it’s this side or the next.
And wow…what a remarkable point from Dallas. We just provide the loaves and fishes. You really blew my mind with that one. I feel that so deeply. Perhaps one of His biggest miracles is His ability to turn a minnow into a fish and then feed a lot of people! Haha
Amen to your testimony of Christ’s atonement. Thank you dear friend.
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Good morning my wonderful friend,
I hadn’t really thought much about meeting in person, but I agree it is well worth waiting for.
I like being able to communicate this way better than through your channel. It’s one of the many reasons I switched.
Hello, my name is Daniel Turley. I am a 5th generation member of this Church. Both sides of my family came to Lehi, AZ in the same wagon train in 1877. There still isn’t a Post Office and later the City of Mesa annexed us, but those of us who grew up there, still call it Lehi.
I’m the oldest of 6 boys. I had an older sister, but she developed leukemia and died just after her 2nd birthday, less than one month after my 1st. I have always regretted growing up without a sister.
Growing up, I was Danny, close friends & family still call me that. At work, I was Dan. In 2019, I almost died from bacterial meningitis — 4+ months in the hospital. I was so close to death for nearly 2 weeks that my friends & family from all over the country, came to say goodbye. I literally felt all the prayers in my behalf. Brain surgery saved my life. The Dr’s & nurses called me Daniel & it kind of stuck, but I like all 3 of my names.
My father was an electrician. He died in a plane crash when I was 5 years old. My stepfather was a weekend electrician so when I graduated from HS in 1977, that’s the 1st job I went looking for & the rest is history. I retired last October. I’m Sunday School President & Building Representative in my Ward and an Ordinance Worker in the Mesa, AZ Temple.
My weekly study includes some sources other than yours, but I definitely follow you more than any other. I REALLY like your approach, a concentrated focus on a few major points rather than an hour + of covering nearly every verse.
There are quite a few versions of how the Chosen got started & each reveal some glorious tidbits. There is Divine Correlation all over this beautiful story. Hopefully this link will work? I was quite irritated when YT threatened to block me for using non-YT links (specifically from lds.org) but haven’t tried it here before.
Dallas Jenkins tells the story of the Chosen at a BYU Devotional –
https://youtube.com/watch?v=tp7TQJ2q5QE
I think this is enough for now. Best wishes always.
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Hello Daniel 🙂 thank you for the background. I loved reading about it. It’s good to know my friend better. I didn’t realize it was bacterial meningitis. You’ve told me about your stay in the hospital more than once, but I never knew what it was from (I apologize if you told me, and I forgot).
As for myself, I was born and raised in Texas. I will always claim Texas just like most Texans. That is also where I met my husband at a youth conference when we were 14. We did not date though we danced.
I was number 7 of 8 kids, and I loved my giant family. I didn’t love anything as much as I loved everyone coming for Christmas. I want a large family though I don’t know if I can keep up with my mother. I feel like I’m drowning as it is hah.
I love country music and dancing. I used to write music though some negative experiences closed that door for a bit. Sometimes I try again, but I haven’t been able to do it as consistently as I used to.
I love to make my life harder than it needs to be by wanting to accomplish absolutely everything that life has to offer and therefore, enjoying almost none of it haha. I’m working on that, but I’m still not sure whether I’m willing to get rid of anything I’m trying to do in my life.
I love my husband and my kids. My husband is my best friend, and I trust him more than I trust anyone in the world. I’m so grateful my kids get to grow up watching him love me.
There is already probably a lot you know about me as I tend to share my life through this, but I thought I’d give some more. Honestly, I can’t even remember how much or what I’ve shared through these posts. I’m lucky if I remember what I wrote at all. I suppose that’s one of the consequences of having children back to back. My memory still hasn’t come back to me.
Until next time, friend.
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Hello Autumn,
I’m pretty sure I hadn’t mentioned having meningitis in any of my previous comments on my hospital experience. If I did, I can’t remember either.
It was awful in so many ways. After I finally consented to brain surgery (conflicting opinions of the multiple specialists had at the time), I had to learn to walk and talk again — not slowly over many years, like a baby, but it required weeks of speech and physical therapy.
I am also a big fan of Country Music & have attended Country Thunder here in AZ and Wisconsin many times. I also like the rock and roll oldies of the 60’s and 70’s.
Your love for your husband and his for you is beautiful to see and hear about. Thank you for putting it on display for the rest of us to marvel at!! Nearly dying was a big factor in ending my marriage as it was very hard on both of us emotionally and brought out some very ugly behaviors in my then spouse.
Yes, I do know you much better than you know me. I tend to be shy and introverted when I comes to sharing personal details about myself. If you are counting, it took 5+ years for me to get this far in our conversations. 😉
Best wishes always,
Dan, Danny (I feel you are almost like family now), Daniel (the name on my ordinance worker badge). Whatever you feel comfortable with is fine with me.
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That sounds rather traumatic…it makes sense now why it was such a powerful experience in your life. I hope you’ve healed, physically and emotionally. Honestly, I’m sure the divorce was just as traumatic.
My husband would share your love of the rock and roll. I’m afraid I’m a little uncultured in that arena haha
If you can even believe it, I’m an introvert as well. I actually feel so heavy and painfully uncomfortable when it comes time to film. I started off with just the blog. It was rather clever of Heavenly Father to make me believe I could always hide behind a writing front. He’s rather tricky.
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