Doctrine & Covenants 109-110 Part 2 • Dr. Anthony Sweat • Sept 29-Oct 5 • Come Follow Me

Summary

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followHIM Podcast Summary

Doctrine & Covenants 109-110, Part 2

Hosts: Hank Smith & John Bytheway
Guest: Dr. Anthony Sweat
Date: September 24, 2025

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Overview

This episode explores Doctrine & Covenants sections 109 and 110, focusing on the dedicatory prayer for the Kirtland Temple and the visionary events that followed, including the visitations of Jesus Christ, Moses, Elias, and Elijah. Dr. Anthony Sweat, a seasoned Latter-day Saint scholar and educator, guides listeners through the significance of these events for both church history and modern faith, emphasizing their bearing on temple doctrine and the ongoing gathering of Israel.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Structure of the Dedicatory Prayer (D&C 109)

• Verses 1–5: Introduction & Plea
  • Joseph Smith opens the prayer, seeking acceptance for the temple and blessings for the Saints.
• Verses 6–42: Promises of Endowment
  • Explores what it means to be endowed with power from on high.
• Verses 43–53: Praying for Enemies
  • Joseph demonstrates how to pray for those who have wronged the Saints, expressing sorrow yet wishing for their repentance.
  • Quote (Dr. Sweat, 00:19):
    “Their souls are precious before thee...have mercy upon the wicked mob.”
  • Emphasizes a Christian stance: not tolerating wickedness, but seeking mercy.
• Verses 54–67: Praying for the World & Israel
  • Joseph expands the prayer, asking for blessings on the rulers of the earth and, specifically, the gathering of Israel.
  • Quote (Dr. Sweat, 02:33):
    “This is going to lead into his prayer for the gathering of Israel.”
  • Historical context: The small Jewish presence in Jerusalem at the time, compared to its modern population, is seen as fulfillment of prophecy.
• Verses 68–80: Blessing Leaders and Saints
  • Joseph prays for his own family, church leaders, and all church members.
  • Notable moment: Reference to striving in the context of worthiness and temple recommend interviews.
  • Song of Solomon Allusion (12:25): “Shine forth fair as the moon, clear as the sun, terrible as an army with banners.”
  • The congregation capped the prayer with the “Hosanna Shout” and a spiritual outpouring akin to Pentecost.

2. The Pentecostal Outpouring at Kirtland (109)

• Memorable account:
  Dr. Sweat outlines how the Saints experienced spiritual manifestations, including visions, tongues, and angelic ministrations both at the dedicatory service and in subsequent meetings.
  • Quote (Dr. Sweat, 14:26):
    “It really is a Pentecostal outpouring. Really incredible.”
  • The period is referred to as a zenith of heavenly manifestations (17:39).

3. The Theological Impact of Section 110

• April 3, 1836—“The Second Greatest Easter”
  • This day brought visitations from Jesus Christ and ancient prophets, conferring essential priesthood keys for the salvation of living and deceased Saints.
  • Quote (Dr. Sweat, 18:07):
    “Section 110, the events that are in there affect eternity. There’s no other way to say it.”
• Setting the Stage for Visitation
  • Joseph and Oliver secluded themselves in what is likened to a “Holy of Holies,” facilitating sacred revelation (19:23).
• Christ’s Appearance and Acceptance of the Temple
  • Quote (Jesus, via Joseph, 29:02):
    “I am the first and the last. I am he who liveth. I am he who was slain. I am your advocate with the Father. Behold, your sins are forgiven you; you are clean before me; lift up your heads and rejoice.”
  • Dr. Sweat highlights the repetition of “forgives” throughout the D&C (30:56).
• Significance for Modern Temples
  • President Nelson’s teaching is cited: every dedicated temple shares in the promise of Christ’s manifestation (32:00).

4. The Restoration of Priesthood Keys

• The Visitations of Moses, Elias, and Elijah

  • Moses: Restores keys for gathering Israel and facilitating vicarious temple work for the dead (43:06).
    • Emphasized: The scattering was mostly about covenant identity, not geography.
  • Elias: Grants the “dispensation of the gospel of Abraham”—the rights, privileges, and promises of the Abrahamic covenant (46:46).
    • Quote (Dr. Sweat, 46:46):
      “The blessings of Abraham are the blessings of seed and covenant and family.”
  • Elijah: Bestows sealing power, enabling the fulfillment of Malachi’s prophecy and uniting families eternally (53:16).
    • Elijah’s role climaxes the restoration sequence, confirming the fullness of the Melchizedek Priesthood.

• The Nature of Priesthood Restoration

  • A process, not a single event. The restoration unfolds through multiple visitations (27:15).
  • Restoration of keys enables all temple ordinances and the work for the dead.

5. Application to Modern Saints

• Temple Symbolism & Personal Growth
  • Dr. Sweat encourages patience with temple learning:
    • Quote (Dr. Sweat, 64:25):
      “The way the Lord teaches is in parable. The temple is a great parable, meaning the temple endowment is meant to be mysterious.”
  • Emphasis: Seek Jesus in every aspect of temple worship.
• Inclusivity and Invitation
  • Both hosts and Dr. Sweat encourage those hesitant about the temple to remember it is a house of learning, and all efforts are accepted by the Lord, however imperfect.
  • Quote (Dr. Sweat, 34:13):
    “There’s a great metaphor there, us being the temple of God as well.”
  • Quote (John Bytheway, 68:39):
    “I have a personal testimony that the Lord wants people in the temple... Go there because you’ll find him there like you just promised.”

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Prayer for enemies & mercy:
  “Every soul is precious. These people have done hard things to us, and if they’ll repent, let’s forgive them. But if they won’t, help us overcome the wicked so that thy purposes and thy plans won’t fail.” — Dr. Sweat (01:31)

• On modern-day fulfillment of gathering Israel prophecy:
  “We literally are seeing a fulfillment of that prayer and prophecy in the latter days.” — Dr. Sweat (03:36)

• On the nature of the endowment at Kirtland:
  “Endowment is a spiritual capacity, not a ceremony or a presentation.” — Dr. Sweat (36:08)

• On the effect of the restoration of priesthood keys:
  “If we can’t read section 110 and rejoice, then I can’t help you.” — Dr. Sweat (58:10)

• On the temple as a place for the imperfect:
  “What I’m offering to the Lord is quite flawed. The joists don’t all line up... but he accepts it.” — Hank Smith (33:24)

• On Latter-day covenant work:
  “We’re living in the fullness. If you can’t get excited about that, you can’t get excited.” — Paraphrasing Elder Holland & Dr. Sweat (59:23)

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Key Timestamps

• 00:19–02:33 — Joseph Smith’s prayer for his enemies.
• 02:33–07:44 — The prayer turns to blessing the world and gathering Israel.
• 09:39–12:33 — Joseph prays for church leaders and members; scriptural references in the language of the prayer.
• 14:26–17:39 — The outpouring of spiritual gifts at the Kirtland Temple dedication.
• 18:07–23:31 — Setting up D&C 110 and the significance of the “second greatest Easter.”
• 29:02–35:34 — Description of Christ’s appearance, forgiveness, and temple acceptance.
• 39:22–45:15 — Moses restores keys for gathering Israel and work for the dead.
• 46:46–53:09 — Elias gives the Abrahamic covenant; focus on eternal families.
• 53:16–57:56 — Elijah’s sealing keys and the completion of the restoration.
• 64:25–68:39 — Advice and encouragement for those hesitant or struggling to understand the temple.

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Tone & Style

The episode is insightful, reverent, but approachable—mixing deep scriptural analysis with anecdotes, humor, and heartfelt testimony. The hosts and guest maintain a conversational tone, layering scholarly knowledge with relatable experiences and plain invitations to action.

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Takeaways for Listeners

• The Kirtland Temple dedication and following visions are foundational for modern Latter-day Saint temple worship and the gathering of Israel.
• The restoration of priesthood keys was a multi-phase, collaborative process involving prophets from previous dispensations, symbolizing the unity of the Lord’s work across generations.
• Everyone is invited to learn the lessons of the temple—regardless of imperfect understanding or personal shortcomings.
• The Lord values effort and intention; the temple is a house where sincere seekers will find Him.
• Modern Saints are participants in the fulfillment of ancient prophecies as temples and covenant communities dot the earth.

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For a deeper study, listeners are encouraged to engage directly with Doctrine & Covenants sections 109 and 110, attend the temple, and see how these doctrines and blessings apply personally today.

Transcript

[John Sorensen]

Welcome back to Today's episode with Dr. Anthony Sweat. Doctrine and Covenants 109 to 110.

[Hank Sorensen]

Anthony, you said that this verses one through five, an intro, a plea, verses six through 42, the promises of an endowment. What do we do Next?

[Dr. Anthony Sweat]

The next section 43 to 53, Joseph, exemplifies exactly what the Lord tells us to do is to pray for our enemies. Joseph does that here in 43 to 53. He does a dual thing where he's like in 43 we delight not in the destruction of our fellow men. Their souls are precious before thee. I love that orientation. Their souls are precious. And then he says in 45 we know you've spoken terrible things concerning the wicked. 46 Therefore, O Lord, deliver thy people from the calamities of the wicked. 47 is remarkable. Remember those who have been driven by the inhabitants of Jackson County, Missouri, from the lands of their inheritance. 48 We've been greatly oppressed. Our hearts are full of sorrow. And then look at 50. Have mercy upon the wicked mob. Now these are the people. We lost our Zion.

[John Sorensen]

He's a better man than I am. I'm like, nope, let him have it, Lord, let him have it.

[Dr. Anthony Sweat]

And look at the end of 50 that they may repent of their sins if repentance is to be found at the same time, if there cannot be otherwise, the cause of thy people may not fail before thee. May your anger be kindled and indignation fall upon them. Be wasted away root and branch under heaven. He's showing this beautiful like, hey, every soul is precious. These people have done hard things to us, and if they'll repent, let's forgive them. But if they won't help us out to overcome the wicked so that thy purposes and thy plans won't fail. It's a beautiful prayer for the wicked, not tolerating it, not excusing it, but also a merciful orientation toward those who have oppressed our people at this time and driven us out of our Zion just a few years before.

[Hank Sorensen]

This prayer, that is something that we could all exemplify. I know I could have mercy upon our enemies.

[Dr. Anthony Sweat]

54 to 67 are going to be Now Joseph's going to expand out to blessing the world and in particular the house of Israel. In 54. Notice how he prays that the principles which were so honorably and nobly defended, namely the constitution of our land, be established forever. Then he's going to pray for kings and princes and nobles from the great people of the whole earth, that their hearts will be softened and thy servants can go forth and the work can go forward. And 57, that all the ends of the earth may know that we, thy servants, have heard thy voice and that thou hast sent us. So he prays there for the broader world and the rulers of the world. But now in 58, he's going to pray specifically that we can gather out the righteous and build a holy city. 59. Appoint other stakes. He's praying for the broader church here. But this is going to lead into his prayer for the gathering of Israel in 61. Thou has a great love for the children of Jacob who have been scattered upon the mountains for a long time in a cloudy and dark day. We therefore ask thee to have mercy upon the children of Jacob that Jerusalem from this hour may begin to be redeemed then in 64, and that the children of Judah may begin to return to the lands which thou did give to Abraham, their father. Bear in mind, by the way, at that time, there were roughly 7,000 Jews who lived in Jerusalem. Today, there's over a half a million that live in Jerusalem. In 1841, we will send one of our apostles, Orson Hyde, to dedicate the Holy Land. And part of that dedication is for the returning of the Jews. We literally are seeing a fulfillment of that prayer and that prophecy in the latter days.

[Hank Sorensen]

Today, you know, the early Zionist movement is the 1800s.

[John Sorensen]

Joseph McConkie would say that's a preliminary gathering, because in order to really be gathered, they are gathered to Christ first and then to their lands. Sure sounds like they're gathering for a reason. I get that we call that a preliminary gathering. This is just for us.

[Hank Sorensen]

Back to verse 61. I have a son who's out on a mission. We talked extensively. Extensively. I did most of the talking.

[Dr. Anthony Sweat]

About.

[Hank Sorensen]

The gathering of Israel. I love verse 61. The children of Jacob, children of Israel who have been scattered upon the mountains for a long time. That the restoration is not just a restoration of Christ's New Testament church. It is a promise God made through Isaiah and others that, yes, he was scattering Israel. They chose kings, Saul, David, Solomon. The kingdom broke up. But one day I will gather you. As a missionary, I taught the restoration of Christ's New Testament church. I think I overplayed my hand there. When. That's not what Moroni brings up in 1823. He says, this is a gathering of Israel. I think he got it. I talked quite a bit.

[Dr. Anthony Sweat]

Yeah, the more you talk, the more they get it.

[John Sorensen]

Yeah. Yeah. It's a mathematic. Yeah. I Think there is something because you hear it a lot. Jesus did have 12 apostles in a New Testament church. But when we start looking at these words, we see Jacob, we see a Melchizedek, we see Aaron, we see Judah. This is all Old Testament. This is Elijah. We're all going, oh. As Joseph Fielding McConkey would say, no, this is the old time religion, Abrahamic covenant. Let's go bless all the families of the earth.

[Dr. Anthony Sweat]

Yep. Hank, the great thing is one day, like a year or two from now, your son is going to say to.

[John Sorensen]

You, dad, I learned the coolest thing.

[Dr. Anthony Sweat]

This is the broader gathering of all of God's covenant children, not just a New Testament restoration of his church. You're going to be like, thanks, son. That's wonderful insight. I never knew that.

[John Sorensen]

How did you arrive at that? That's so fun though, when that happens.

[Hank Sorensen]

Section 84, verse 2, the restoration of his people.

[Dr. Anthony Sweat]

And this maybe ties back into his very first thing in verse one of this section. Who keep his covenant. God covenanted with that great family from the very get go that his eye would be upon them. And he had gathered them in, had reached to them for all eternity. 67. And may all the scattered remnants of Israel who have been driven to the ends of the earth come to a knowledge of the truth, believe in the Messiah and be redeemed from oppression and rejoice before thee, keep his covenant, including the covenant to gather his covenant lineage and family.

[John Sorensen]

Then the ultimate gathering is gathering to a knowledge of the Messiah and who he is. That's why we could say preliminary gathering. You're in the right real estate, but you've got to gather in your heart to Christ and who he is. Like two Nephi. Hank.

[Hank Sorensen]

Yeah, two Nephi can be difficult when you first start reading the Book of Mormon because you're going, I am lost in this language of Isaiah. But as you give it time, it starts to open up. Saying, you realize Nephi is almost obsessed with the future gathering of Israel. Here it's being referenced, scattered Israel being gathered. I don't know if you guys have ever lived during a time where a president of the church really focused on that, but if you ever do.

[Dr. Anthony Sweat]

I don't know if that's been talked about at all. Yeah, we'll touch on that in section 110 a little bit.

[Hank Sorensen]

Okay, let's keep going then.

[Dr. Anthony Sweat]

Eight to the end is really a prayer for the leaders of the church and the church itself. Just a few that I'd want to touch on. 68. Remember thy servant Joseph Smith. Junior and all his afflictions and persecutions, how he has covenanted with Jehovah and vowed to Thee, Almighty God of Jacob and the commandments which thou has given unto him, and that he hath sincerely striven to do thy will. That's a great insight into Joseph Smith, where he just says, lord, I am doing my very, very best. Those are not the words of a charlatan. That is not the prayer of someone who's making things up. That's the prayer of someone who really receives revelation and has been given divine directives from Jehovah, who is doing his very best to lay the foundation of this great work.

[Hank Sorensen]

You almost hear him saying, I am trying. I am trying sincerely, I am trying.

[Dr. Anthony Sweat]

And we skipped this verse earlier, but in verse 31 I would almost pair this for thou knowest, O Lord, that thy servants have been innocent before thee in bearing record of thy name for which they have suffered these things Again, this is back to everybody sins, everybody makes mistakes. In verse 34, I think too often, maybe we talk today about prophetic fallibility. We've sometimes almost swung the pendulum too far now. Credit to my wife here, the Sweat Heart. Cindy. Cindy likes to say this. I'll tell you one thing Prophets are infallible in. They are infallible in their witness of Jesus Christ and his restored gospel. I really love that statement. They are infallible in their special witness of Jesus Christ and to declare that witness to the world. Joseph, combining those two verses, we're doing our best. Please see my work. We have been innocent in bearing record of your name from the get go, which is why we've gone through some tough stuff.

[Hank Sorensen]

I don't think I've ever noticed that word before. In verse 68, he asks sincerely striven to do thy will. That's not a word we use very much, but it should sound familiar to anyone who's been in a temple recommend interview. Here's a couple of questions. Do you strive for moral cleanliness in your thoughts and behavior? These are published by the Church. Do you strive to keep the Sabbath day holy? Do you strive to be honest in all that you do? I don't know if there's a connection there to section 109, but that's a place where that word is used again.

[Dr. Anthony Sweat]

It's a beautiful word I love. Also where he prays in verse 69, he prays for his wife and children, Joseph's Emma and his children. He has, I believe, two little kids at this time that are living. He's lost a number in death but also in 70 have mercy upon all their immediate connections, that their prejudices may be broken up and swept away as with a flood, they may be converted and redeemed with Israel. I personally interpret that as Joseph praying for Emma's family, who never accepted the restored gospel and joined the faith in Joseph and Emma's lifetime anyway, Isaac and Elizabeth Hale. Then he prays in 71 for the presidents of the church and their families and in verse 72 remember all the church and their immediate connection. So he's now asking for a concluding blessing upon the whole church. 73 that thy church may come forth out of the wilderness of darkness. Shine forth fair as the moon, clear as the sun, terrible as an army with banners. Most people don't realize he's quoting Song of Solomon right there.

[John Sorensen]

It's the only time you find the footnote song that I can think of. That's such a cool phrase.

[Dr. Anthony Sweat]

It's a cool phrase. Thinking of the church. 74 he's going to go John the Revelator Book of Revelation Language Be adorned as a bride for the day when thou shalt unveil the heavens, cause the mountains to flow down at thy presence. He's quoting scripture all through this. 75 when the Trump shall sound for the dead, little Moroni there and Book of Revelation will be caught up to meet thee. 76 that our garments may be pure, clothed with robes of righteousness, palms in our hands, crowns of glory. He's weaving in all this scriptural language. Then he concludes again 78 O hear, O hear, O hear us, O Lord, and answer these petitions. And he asks for the Lord to accept the dedication of this house and 1179 and also this church to put upon it thy name. This probably isn't the right time for this, but there's the original church was the Church of christ during the mid-1830s. They start calling themselves the Church of the Latter Day Saints. And on the outside of the Kirtland Temple, ironically, it said the Church of the Latter Day saints. And in 1838 the Lord says no, call my church the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints to put upon it the name of Christ. We got to read 79 80. That's such a resounding conclusion. And help us by the power of Thy Spirit that we may mingle our voices with those bright shining seraphs around thy throne, and with acclamation of praise, singing hosanna to God and the Lamb. And let these thine anointed ones be clothed with salvation, and thy saints shout aloud for joy Amen and Amen. You can almost picture the congregation standing up and shouting Amen right there.

[Hank Sorensen]

What a prayer.

[Dr. Anthony Sweat]

What a prayer is right when he does finish, by the way, they do sing the spirit of God. W.W. phelps writes that hymn for that dedication. They sing it together. Then they do for the first time what we call the Hosanna shout with that Hosanna shout. This is from Joseph's own journal that day. We then sealed the proceedings of the day by a shouting hosanna to God and the Lamb three times, sealing it each time with Amen, Amen and Amen. Incredible morning. They started the meeting at 9am they concluded at 4pm it was a seven hour dedicatory meeting. I left out there some testimonies from Oliver and Don Carlos. Sidney Rigdon got up and added a few more remarks just because he didn't quite polish it off in his two and a half hours in the morning, I guess. And then this is the best. Brigham Young gets up and speaks in tongues and David W. Patton interprets it and they sing in tongues. It really is a Pentecostal outpouring. Really incredible. That night, by the way. Even more. Joseph will meet with about 300 priesthood holders that evening. This is Oliver Cowdery's journal. The Spirit of God was poured out. I saw the glory of God like a cloud come down and rest upon the house and feel the same like a mighty rushing wind. I saw cloven tongues like as a fire rest upon. Many, many spake with tongues and prophesied. Even that evening they come back and have fulfillments of some of the things Joseph prayed for that very morning. Before we get to 110, sometimes we jump from like, oh, they dedicated it in section 109 on that Sunday. Then the next Sunday, section 110, one of the angels come. But don't overlook that Tuesday and Wednesday of that week. In between, they met again with numerous priesthood leaders. Mostly at this time, Joseph is working with men and priesthood leaders and the councils of the priesthood in Nauvoo. Of course, he expands this to washing and anointing and endowing the women of the church as well. But on Tuesday and Wednesday, in between the dedication and before the next week, Joseph meets. And they have incredible experiences. Visions, prophecy, revelations, tongues, angels ministering. This is Joseph's Journal. On Wednesday, March 30, from those two days of meetings, the Savior made his appearance to some, while angels ministered to others. It was a Pentecost and an enduement or endowment indeed, long to be remembered. And the occurrences of this day shall be handed down upon the pages of sacred history to all generations as the day of Pentecost, so that this day shall be numbered and celebrated. I had to read that just so that we could fulfill that very prophecy. The things that they experienced that day and that week and the next Sunday, they really are a Pentecost and an endowment, a zenith of heavenly outpourings.

[John Sorensen]

Here we are talking about them right now.

[Dr. Anthony Sweat]

Yep.

[Hank Sorensen]

Anthony, we always do our podcast in two parts. I don't think of all the episodes we've ever done, there's one more crucial that people stay for part two. Because, yes, we have the prayer, but there's an answer.

[John Sorensen]

Then we have the outcome.

[Hank Sorensen]

A beautiful answer to a beautiful prayer.

[Dr. Anthony Sweat]

Oh, I agree. They've got to stick for part two for section 110, because section 110, the events that are in there affect eternity. There's no other way to say it.

[Hank Sorensen]

We often celebrate April 6, but April 3.

[John Sorensen]

April 3. Steve Harper, in his context book, first sentence for section 110, April 3, 1836, was the second greatest Easter Sunday in history.

[Dr. Anthony Sweat]

Yep.

[Hank Sorensen]

I wonder what the first one was.

[John Sorensen]

Yeah, I thought, wow, that's a pretty big statement, isn't it?

[Dr. Anthony Sweat]

Yeah, it is. But when you understand what happens in section 110, you see that that day affects eternity because it will bring the keys and powers and abilities to gather Israel on both sides of the veil, endow saints with the blessings of Abraham, and seal them up and their families into exaltation. I don't know of anything bigger than that, other than the very resurrection of our Lord that enables all of this. I can see why Steve calls this the second greatest Easter that's ever happened.

[Hank Sorensen]

Anthony, in your mind, set us up for this. Is this something Joseph is expecting? He and Oliver, they go into the upper pulpit, they close the curtains, kind of like a partition.

[Dr. Anthony Sweat]

Yeah.

[Hank Sorensen]

Creating what you told us earlier would be considered maybe a holy of holies, a celestial room.

[Dr. Anthony Sweat]

Yeah. That's the intent of those veils, from what I understand it. That morning, they met in a general Sunday Easter sacrament meeting service. Then in the afternoon, he is going to meet with church leaders, the presidents of the church. Joseph says he retired to the pulpit, the veils being dropped, and bowed himself in solemn, silent prayer to the Most High. After rising from prayer, the following vision was opened to them. I do think there's a reason why Joseph drops the veils. I'm not sure he's anticipating what happens, but he is saying, okay, I met with the saints in the Morning we had our service. We've administered the sacrament, but there are a few hundred people in the audience. They've probably dropped the rest of the veils and sectioned them into their quorums or their groups. And Oliver and Joseph are going to drop theirs around their pulpits to have their sacred private space in what might be considered the holiest part of the temple. Then this vision of four beings bursts upon them, this visitation of four beings. First of our Savior to fulfill the prayer and accept the house. And then Moses, Elias and Elijah. It really is. This is President Nelson in his 2024 rejoicing in the gift of priesthood keys talk. Jesus Christ declared that he had accepted the temple as his house and made this stunning promise. I will manifest myself to my people in mercy in this house. This significant promise applies to every dedicated temple today. And I invite you to ponder what the Lord's promise means to you personally. And another quote to back that of what happens here, why it's so crucial. Elder Quentin L. Cook of the quorum of the 12 said, there are, under the direction of the First Presidency and quorum of the 12, three executive councils at church headquarters that oversee these divinely appointed responsibilities based on the keys that were restored in the Kirtland Temple. They are the Missionary Executive Council, the Priesthood and Family Executive Council, and the Temple and Family History Executive Council. So much of the work that the church is doing today is based off what's going to happen in April of 1836 in section 110.

[Hank Sorensen]

Anthony, I know I've been in this position before where it's impossible as a teacher to describe what happens the moment you start to put words to it. You think, I can't do this, but do your best here.

[Dr. Anthony Sweat]

I'll do my best to give a one power punch summary. What happens? Jesus comes and accepts this house as his. Then he gives the power to redeem the dead and gather Israel, the covenant family of God, on both sides of the veil. That's Moses. He then gives the power through Elias to promise us all the blessings of Abraham, or in other words, what we would call the blessings of exaltation. He then sends Elijah to give the power to bind and seal up these blessings and the human family to God and to one another. That's what happens in section 110 of the Doctrine of Covenants just to your average day. Wow.

[Hank Sorensen]

Jesus himself.

[John Sorensen]

Have you guys ever thought of the audacity of what we're saying right here? I've thought about this often, trying to share the message of the Restoration. Well, God has appeared again. Jesus has appeared again. Well, and then John the Baptist, then Peter, James and John. Well, then Moses and Elias, Elijah. It keeps going. And the audacity. But what do you do if it's true? I guess you'd say it happened and don't sugarcoat it. This actually happened. I think of W.W. phelps. The visions and blessings of old are returning and angels are coming to visit the earth. How do you clothe the language for this section?

[Dr. Anthony Sweat]

You can't.

[Hank Sorensen]

How do you describe it?

[Dr. Anthony Sweat]

Cindy and I were on a cruise and sitting on the boat. We went to go sit in the hot tub at night, and we had the hot tub to ourself and we were so excited. You know, when you get the cruise hot tub to yourself. Then all of a sudden, a gaggle of six teenagers came and poured into the hot tub with us. I was so disappointed for a moment until one of these great teenage kids said, where are you guys from? Said to me and Cindy. And we said we were from Utah. And then he goes, I don't mean this offensive at all, but are you guys Mormons? That's how he phrased it. And I said, yeah, actually we are. We're members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. And you guys, it launched us into. For two hours, we sat in that hot tub and had one of the best discussions with a half a dozen or so great youth from other faiths who loved the Lord and they loved their faith. And I was so impressed with them. But one of the reasons why I'm sharing this with you is because at one point, one of them said, I can see as you're talking, that your church does believe in Jesus Christ and being saved by him. And then he asked this question. He goes, so if you guys are just another Christian church, what's the value add of your church? Wow.

[John Sorensen]

Thank you for that.

[Dr. Anthony Sweat]

Isn't that a great question? He just lobbed it up there. What's the value add? I tried as best I could. I'm not sure how successfully I did it, and Cindy probably fixed it. But we tried to testify and teach them about really what went on in the Kirtland Temple of being able to receive a blessing of all that God has. Also the blessing of uniting the family of God and our families together for eternity, led by living prophets who hold the keys and the powers to do this. It's something that only our church is doing, practicing and preaching. It's rooted right here in section 110 of the doctrine and Covenants.

[Hank Sorensen]

I like what you said earlier, Anthony, about we sometimes will say the Melchizedek priesthood was restored by Peter, James and John. We sometimes close the door on, okay, priesthood's restored. But would you say Peter, James and John begin to restore Melchizedek priesthood and it takes place over these seven years?

[Dr. Anthony Sweat]

Well, I would say the restoration of the priesthood is not a singular event. It's an ongoing process. Joseph one time says, all priesthood is Melchizedek. There's just different portions or degrees. It's all the holy order of the Son of God. Anytime God is restoring any aspect of priesthood, power and authority and ordinance and keys, he is restoring priesthood of Melchizedek or the holy order of the Son of God. The Melchizedek priesthood includes Moses, Elias and Elijah. Frankly, it includes Michael and Gabriel and Raphael as Joseph mentions in section 128 as well. It's multi angled. It is not a singular event. And why? Because God is trying to get us to enter into the order of the Son of God or to enter into the same covenants and receive the same promises as all great saints of God in the past have been able to do. All of this priesthood and all of these angels are restoring their keys, their ordinances, their powers to help bring that about.

[John Sorensen]

One of my favorite little graphics in the religion 2:11 manual is to show this same group on the mount of Transfiguration. Jesus is there. Peter, James and John are there. Moses is there. Elias is there. It even says, according to the jst, John the Baptist was there. You see the elegance and the symmetry in the way that God does things.

[Dr. Anthony Sweat]

Yeah.

[Hank Sorensen]

Anthony, are there any specific verses we want to look at?

[Dr. Anthony Sweat]

Oh, of course, my brother, of course. Should we start reading them?

[Hank Sorensen]

Let's do.

[Dr. Anthony Sweat]

The first thing that I would say is they give the description in verse one to three. It's a poetic, metaphorical, a lot of language from John the Revelator about the greatness and beauty. You can't find words to describe the beauty and the power of this vision of the Savior. I want to pick up with what he says in verse four. I am the first and the last. I am he who liveth. I am he who was slain. I am your advocate with the Father. Powerful testament of who our Savior is. And again they add their testimonies to that as special witness of him over and over. What's the first thing the Lord says? Behold, your sins are forgiven you. You are clean before me. Lift up your heads and rejoice the Lord. The first message of the first vision was Forgiveness. All through the doctrine and covenants, the Lord forgives, forgives, forgives. He quickly forgives he freely, he frequently, and he fully forgives. Those three words freely, frequently, and fully forgives. How many revelations kick off with, your sins are forgiven you, your sins are forgiven you, and it's not because they're excused, but these people are striving to use that word. They are striving to do their very best, and they're repenting when they go astray. And the Lord says, I forgive you. I forgive you. There's no end. One of the blessings of the temple centers in being able to be clean before the Lord. And we're seeing a fulfillment of that right here.

[Hank Sorensen]

Next, he says, rejoice, rejoice, rejoice. Three times.

[Dr. Anthony Sweat]

Yep. And then in seven, he accepts the house. Remember the plea in verse four and in verse 78 was, will you accept this house? And he says, I have accepted this house. My name will be here. He's directly fulfilling the things they've prayed for. And I will manifest myself to my people in mercy in this house. Yea, I will appear unto my servants and speak unto them with my own voice if my people will keep my commandments and do not pollute this holy house. Maybe just two thoughts there. Well, the first one is President Nelson just recently promised all of this. Remember when he said, here is my promise? Every sincere seeker of the Lord will find him in the temple. It's his house. And he manifests himself in his own way and in different ways. But that promise extends to us also. Sometimes those are literal appearances. Even one time, I was in the Salt Lake Temple, I went with some other religious educators, and we were talking about where Lorenzo Snow had his vision of the Savior in the Salt Lake Temple. And we were standing over where we thought it was based off what we had learned. And as we were talking, getting a little excited almost, this old man, this temple worker, shuffled toward us. And I thought he was going to shush us because we were being too loud. And he said, do you know you're standing on the very spot where the Savior appeared to Lorenzo Snow? And we were like, oh, okay. We were wondering. We start talking. And as we start talking with him, all of a sudden, I see this older woman. Look at us, a temple worker. She makes her way over, and I was waiting for her to tell us to keep it down a little bit. And she just goes, do you know you guys are standing right where the Savior appeared to Lorenzo Snow? It's not just in the Kirtland temple. The temple literally is the Lord's house, and he accepts them, and he manifests himself to his people and his servants in those houses.

[Hank Sorensen]

Every sincere seeker of Jesus Christ will find him in the temple. One thing that I think fits here is we said earlier this temple is not perfect. It represents their efforts over many years to give what they can to the Lord, and he accepts it. I've always found comfort in that, that what I'm offering to the Lord is quite flawed. The joists don't all line up. Maybe there's too much space between the joists in the floor, and it creaks a little bit, and the foundation's probably not deep enough, but he accepts it.

[Dr. Anthony Sweat]

Yep. There's a great metaphor there, us being the temple of God as well.

[John Sorensen]

Of all the nicknames of the Savior, my favorite is advocate. I am your advocate with the Father. He's going to advocate our cause. 1 John 2 if any man sin, if any woman sin, if any teenager sin, if any young adult sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And that nickname itself is so beautiful to me that he's going to advocate our cause and be an advocate for us.

[Dr. Anthony Sweat]

Yes, look at what we're learning about the Savior in these verses, though. Verse four, I live. Verse four, I advocate. Verse five, I forgive. Verse seven, I accept. Verse eight, I manifest. Verse nine, consequence of the blessings. I bless. Look what we're learning about the Savior's character here. I bless, I forgive. I manifest. I accept, I live. Great, great testimonies of the true nature and character of Jesus Christ in these verses.

[Hank Sorensen]

I wish I could put words to it, but it just seems so full of love and mercy.

[John Sorensen]

Because it's not perfect, but it was built out of their poverty. I think of the sacrifice of these folks. Could we just get the full endowment here? Because we don't want to have to build a whole nother place for that out of our poverty and get kicked out of that one. But we know what's coming. They just keep doing it. They just keep striving.

[Dr. Anthony Sweat]

Yep.

[John Sorensen]

Great example, those early saints.

[Dr. Anthony Sweat]

In verse 9, notice this. Doctrinally, he says, the hearts of thousands and tens of thousands shall greatly rejoice in consequence of the blessings which shall be poured out and the endowment with which my servants have been endowed in this house. That's why it's important to understand that endowment is a spiritual capacity, not a ceremony or a presentation. Because they were endowed in the Kirtland Temple, meaning they knew God, they learned more of his purposes and plans, their Spiritual capacities were increased. They part of the veil. They had angels minister, they had all these Pentecostal experiences and they received great promises. But they didn't participate in the presentation yet. That will come from the people. They'll start to lay the foundation of who comes next.

[Hank Sorensen]

As a teacher, you want to come up with the right words to match the importance of what is happening. It's just not there. It's in the section itself. That's the best description.

[Dr. Anthony Sweat]

This is why, though, again, maybe a plug to everybody who's listening. And of course we're grateful for everybody who's listening. Hopefully this is acting as a catalyst. But ultimately they've got to get into the Word themselves and ourselves, and we've got to get into his house. We have to gaze into heaven. This is why Joseph said, if you could just gaze into heaven for five minutes, you would learn more than by reading everything that's ever been written on the subject. At the end of the day, our words do fail us. We try our best to express, but ultimately the Spirit has to whisper to our spirit and teach us beyond our ability to articulate things that cannot be uttered. That pen cannot record or write.

[Hank Sorensen]

Anthony. This is where it transitions from the Lord to Moses, Elias and Elijah. Can't the Lord himself give these keys? Why bring these others in on it if he himself can bring these can.

[Dr. Anthony Sweat]

Do this, I guess I mean, in that he wouldn't make us have to do anything, would He? He could fly every plane and drive every car and he can minister way better than I can. But ultimately, maybe this is back to a theme too is the Lord is trying to make something of us. Yeah, that comes through responsibilities. And apparently he's still working with Moses, Elias and Elijah. They still got work they're doing and growing. Joseph Smith one time said that it'll be a great work to comprehend salvation beyond the veil. We're going to keep learning and growing and working and grace by grace beyond this life and into the resurrection and as angels, hopefully until one day we're able to sit on thrones as God does. So my answer would be, yeah, he could. But this is a gospel of growth and becoming. Yep.

[Hank Sorensen]

He's exemplifying wonderful leadership. I want you to take part in this. I could do it come over you.

[Dr. Anthony Sweat]

Maybe there's something too to like what John said too of like, hey, this is a gathering in of all things from all dispensations. And just like Moses and Elias and Elijah were on the mount of transfiguration, those same angels I'M going to dispatch and delegate them to come to you, too, to gather all this together into one.

[Hank Sorensen]

It's poetic. There's a beautiful touch to it.

[John Sorensen]

It's elegant. Hank, I love the question because I love to ask when I'm teaching Third Nephi. Well, why did Jesus just tell him what he told Malachi, but instead he says, I want you to have the words? Or I think he says, the Father wants you to have the words of Malachi. He honors his prophet that way, I think, wow. He honors the imperfect people that he has called, but he honors them with their responsibility. And he said, let me tell you what Malachi said.

[Dr. Anthony Sweat]

I'm like, wow.

[John Sorensen]

He could have just said it, but.

[Hank Sorensen]

It speaks to his character, who he is as a person. I could do all this, but come in with me. Moses, Elias, Elijah. Come with me. Come with me here. Come meet these guys. You're going to like them.

[Dr. Anthony Sweat]

Come meet these guys. You're going to like. Oliver.

[John Sorensen]

I've tried to imagine Matthew 17 of Peter, who's a fisherman, looking and going, that's Moses. I'm just a fisherman. But imagine these guys. That's Moses. That's. Oh, just. That's why we can't wrap our heads around. How do you put this into words? How do you. Hey, Emma, you'll never guess what happened today. How do you describe Anthony and John?

[Hank Sorensen]

I have to wonder if September 21st is on Joseph's mind when Elijah comes.

[John Sorensen]

Oh, of course, because Moroni told him.

[Hank Sorensen]

That was the opener. From Moroni.

[Dr. Anthony Sweat]

Yeah. He has to. Should we talk about these three angels and what they're given?

[Hank Sorensen]

Please tell us about them.

[John Sorensen]

Anthony, before you start, I just want to tell our listeners, make sure to get one of my favorite paintings ever.

[Hank Sorensen]

Right out of the manual. Yep.

[John Sorensen]

The look on Joseph's face there is so awesome. Is it? Gary Smith painted this.

[Dr. Anthony Sweat]

That's Gary Smith right there. That's a classic. I'm the president of the Gary Smith Fan club.

[John Sorensen]

I've seen a big one like this in Kirtland. But, yeah, take a look at that and think of the awestruck expression that you see there. And the way we would feel, too, going, what is happening?

[Dr. Anthony Sweat]

Yeah. It just had to have been incredible for him. Had to even put in words like you're saying. Hank. Yeah.

[Hank Sorensen]

Now, Anthony, walk us through this. Why are there three?

[Dr. Anthony Sweat]

Well, let's start with Moses. After this vision closed, the heavens were again opened unto us, and Moses appeared unto us and committed unto us the keys of the gathering of Israel from the four parts of the earth and the leading of the ten tribes from the land of the north. Now, I want to pause there really quick because to try to understand what these keys are. Sometimes you talk about the lost 10 tribes. Getting into your Old Testament stuff. Northern kingdom, southern kingdom, Judah and Benjamin in the southern kingdom. The 10 tribes in the northern, they're scattered by the Assyrians. If you're from the house of Ephraim, congratulations, you're part of the lost 10 tribes. It's not a mystery in the sense of like, they're not hidden under some polar ice cap somewhere.

[John Sorensen]

I looked. I didn't see them anywhere. Yeah, I was there.

[Dr. Anthony Sweat]

Yeah, you looked when you were there. The idea that somehow they're going to come that way. They are lost in terms of their covenant identity. That's how they're lost. They don't know that they are the children of the covenant. The Lord is going to restore them through his servants to the covenant. So this is a gathering of people into the covenant. Let's not get weird when we're talking about the lost 10 tribes as a whole. The other thing I would say is this is not just a missionary work. Sometimes we say, oh, this was the key to do missionary work. The church was doing missionary work since Samuel Smith slapped some copies of the Book of Mormon in his knapsack and went over to Minden. He didn't need Moses to give him a key to do that. This is a bigger picture of God gathering in the covenant, scattered family back into the covenant in the latter days. Probably the biggest part of this is Moses key enables work for the dead. It enables us to do covenants and ordinances on behalf of the dead to bring them into the covenant or back into the covenant to restore them to their covenant identity. This work for the dead in section 128 says it was prepared from the foundation of the world. This was the plan from the beginning, was in the latter days. We are going to do work in the temple to gather in Israel through doing vicarious work for the dead. It is not a backup plan. It was the plan from the foundation of the world. This key that Moses is giving when he had Israel gathered at the time, and then they are scattered out for all generations and through all lands. Now today in the holy temples, we are bringing them back into the covenant family. This key, if I could say it simple, enables us to do vicarious work for the dead to gather them into the house of Israel.

[Hank Sorensen]

Anthony, let's say I'm teaching seminary or Sunday school and someone asks me what do you mean by keys? These aren't actual keys. Is there a word or a way that I might use that as a teacher would I say, the Lord is now authorizing me to do this work for him?

[Dr. Anthony Sweat]

Yeah. Today we use the term key in terms of the authority to direct a certain work. Joseph doesn't always use the word key that same way as a scholarly note, but it's the way that the church defines it today. The authority to direct a certain portion of the work. So your bishop has a key, your stake president has priesthood keys, your mission president does, Temple presidents do, and of course the prophets and apostles. So when he restores this key to gather Israel, it's almost saying, I am giving you the authority, the direction to go govern this work, to gather Israel in from their dispersion on both sides of the veil.

[Hank Sorensen]

I like that. It's an authorization. It's an assignment. Joseph didn't read the Bible and go, I should do this. The Lord said, I'm giving you the responsibility.

[John Sorensen]

The key, I love the orderliness of it. It's the holy priesthood, after the order of the Son of God. There's order. It's make a house of order. There's a sequence. I love it.

[Hank Sorensen]

Let's go to Elias. Anthony.

[Dr. Anthony Sweat]

Elias appears in verse 12 and committed the dispensation of the Gospel of Abraham, saying that in us and our seed, all generations after us should be blessed. This is the Abrahamic covenant. That's how I would summarize it as well. In other words, this is a promise of the blessings of exaltation. You can have eternal progression, eternal seed, eternal life. It's a promise of the blessings of Abraham or what we call the Abrahamic covenant as a whole. You can have priesthood that is put upon you. The Lord even says in Abraham chapter two, in thy priesthood, that is thy seed. The blessings of Abraham are the blessings of seed and covenant and family. This is a very family centric. When we say the blessings of exaltation, the blessings of Abraham, this Elias is giving these blessings that you can have eternal family and that you can have eternal progression through the covenants and ordinances of the Gospel. We might even say this is the root of eternal marriage right here with these blessings. Now, this Elias, it's either someone named Elias. The Bible dictionary says that in the days of Abraham there was a prophet named Elias, which would make sense. If that's the case, we don't know much about this person named Elias, but that somehow he was connected to Abraham or maybe blessed Abraham. We don't know, Elias can also simply just be a title for someone. So John the Baptist is called an Elias. John the Revelator is called an Elias. Elias could also be a preparer. If that's the case, it could be somebody like Melchizedek, who according to section 84, gave Abraham his high priestly blessings and priesthood. That Elias could be someone like Melchizedek or people like Bruce R. McConkey and others theorized this isn't firm doctrine. They're like, if Elias is a title for someone that gave the dispensation of the Gospel of Abraham, then this Elias is probably Abraham himself. Who better to give the blessings of Abraham than Abraham? But it's either literally someone named Elias who lived in Abraham's time, somebody like Melchizedek who blessed Abraham, or maybe Abraham himself, we don't know. But the key is that he gives the blessings of Abraham, which are the blessings of exaltation, including eternal progression through family.

[Hank Sorensen]

Anthony, I noticed something. I'm really getting into the language here, maybe more than I should, into the specific wording. It says, Moses, verse 11 appears and commits the keys of the gathering of Israel, verse 12, Elias appears and commits the dispensation of the Gospel of Abraham. I want to be careful here and not read so much into the separate words. What do you think?

[Dr. Anthony Sweat]

I'm a little reticent on that. It might just be the language being used because there are statements from prophets where they call Elias giving a key. They call them the three keys. I think a good cross reference would be section 128, 21, where Joseph starts listing all these angels that have ministered to him. He mentions Moroni and Peter, James and John and John the Baptist. And that's where he mentions Michael and Gabriel and Raphael. If anybody can tell me what key Raphael restored or what power, I would love that. But then listen to this. He says, all declaring their dispensation, their rights, their keys, their honors, their majesty and glory, the power of their priesthood, giving line upon line, precept upon precept. I think the key line is whether you call it a key, a power, a dispensation, an honor, a glory. They are giving a portion of priesthood to bless the children of Heavenly Father, to establish the order.

[Hank Sorensen]

Yeah, you can tell he's excited about it. Shall we not go forward in such great a cause?

[Dr. Anthony Sweat]

Such a great cause.

[John Sorensen]

I love this description from Joseph, Fielding McConkey and Craig Osler. The Gospel of Abraham is that power and authority distinctive to Abraham and the covenant that God made with him. A Dispensation of that gospel is the giving of it anew or its restoration to those willing to enter into a like covenant. It's kind of like, let me give new emphasis to the Abrahamic covenant. Covenant or the Gospel of Abraham.

[Hank Sorensen]

Renew it. Re up it.

[Dr. Anthony Sweat]

Yeah.

[John Sorensen]

With this idea of temples, we're going to bless our seed in all generations. After us, the families of the earth can be blessed.

[Hank Sorensen]

You guys, every time I study this, I am so impressed with the Lord. Never giving up on this family. By the time you finish the Old Testament, you think, get a new family. This is never going to work. This is the family you've chosen to bless everyone. Someone might ask me, I thought God loved everyone. Why would he have a chosen family? It's because he loves everyone that he has a chosen family. This is the family that's going to bless all the families of the earth. That's Genesis 12. And he will not give up on them.

[John Sorensen]

Yeah, chosen doesn't mean chosen to sit on a throne and be admired. It's like being chosen to mow the lawn. You've got a job to do. You're going to bear the ministry, you're going to bear this gospel. You're going to take it to the world. It's a job.

[Dr. Anthony Sweat]

This covenant family is to bless the whole world. Hank, like you just said as well, it's because he loves the world that he's called this family and brought people in for these blessings.

[Hank Sorensen]

Anthony, this third visitor, Elijah, how many times has this been referred to in scripture?

[Dr. Anthony Sweat]

Well, it's in Malachi, the Old Testament, it's in Joseph Smith history and the pearl of great price when Moroni speaks to him. It's in the Book of Mormon. It's right here in the Doctrine and Covenants multiple times. So it's in all the standard works. It's one of the most important promises we're getting here. The fulfillment of a 13 year lead up of when Joseph was 17 that he would send Elijah. You can almost picture Joseph going like in verse 13. And after this vision close, another great and glorious vision burst upon us. For Elijah the prophet, it's like, yes, he came. Like, I've been waiting for 13 years for this.

[John Sorensen]

Second best Easter ever, right?

[Dr. Anthony Sweat]

That's right. And then he quotes in verse 14.

[Hank Sorensen]

The time has come.

[Dr. Anthony Sweat]

The time has fully come, which was spoken by the mouth of Malachi, testifying that he, Elijah should be sent before the great and dreadful day of the Lord to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the children of the fathers lest the whole earth be smitten with a curse. Before we read the last verse, obviously Moroni gives a different interpretation or a Moroni translation. It's not that one is right or wrong, he's just translating it. He doesn't say to turn the hearts of the children. He says to plant in the hearts of the children the promises made to the fathers. He doesn't say, I'll reveal unto you Elijah. He says, I'll reveal unto you the priesthood by the hand of Elijah. He doesn't say, lest you're smitten with a curse. He says, lest the whole earth be utterly wasted. In other words, Malachi, his prophecy and Elijah's priesthood that's going to be restored is going to be able to secure. Joseph will say at another time I could translate plant as seal or secure. I'm going to seal the promises of the patriarchs, the ancient promises of exaltation upon you. And those promises include the blessings of eternal progression and family, so that this earth is not wasted in its purpose. The purpose is to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. God's life living like God. And we need to be endowed. We need to gather. Well, I should put it in this order. We need to gather Israel into the covenant. We need to be endowed and promised all the blessings of exaltation. Then we need to seal that up. Those blessings upon people's heads to God and to one another. That's what Elijah is going to do. His power, sometimes called the sealing power, but it is sealing all the blessings of exaltation. It's really Elijah is enabling what Moses and Elias just restored. We cannot gather Israel from all sides of the veil and corners of the earth without sealing keys to seal up those blessings in heaven. We cannot secure what Elias restored of the blessings of Abrahamic exaltation without the sealing power of Elijah. So Elijah really is the pinnacle messenger. These are just two quotes that I grabbed from what Joseph said about Elijah. How shall God come to the rescue of this generation? He shall send Elijah and he shall reveal the covenants to seal the hearts of the fathers to the children and the children of the fathers. Another time Joseph said this. Why send Elijah? Because he holds the keys of the authority to administer in all the ordinances of the priesthood. Let me give you one last one. Right before he died. This is March of 44. The spirit and power and calling of Elijah is that ye have power to hold the keys of the revelations, ordinances, oracles, powers and endowments of the fullness of the Melchizedek priesthood and the kingdom of God on the earth and to perform all the ordinances belonging to the kingdom of God. In other words, Elijah's priesthood enables the fullness of the Melchizedek priesthood or the order of the Son of God. It really is the priesthood because it's the priesthood that makes it so we can become like God to seal those blessings upon our head.

[Hank Sorensen]

It's so beautiful. John used the word elegant. I love the 16. Therefore. Almost like you have all you need now.

[Dr. Anthony Sweat]

Yes, we should read that verse. Therefore, the keys of this dispensation are committed into your hands. By this ye may know the great and dreadful day of the Lord is near. Even at the doors, I see that as rejoicing. Like you guys. When in the history of the world have we had the knowledge, the keys, the ability, the temples, the communication, the ability, the freedom to build temples all over the whole earth, to gather Israel from the four quarters of the earth and on both sides of the veil to bring them into the covenant, to endow and unite families and seal the blessings of exaltation upon all the children of our Heavenly Father. Meaning this is the culmination. These are the days prophets have looked forward to from the beginning of time. We are living in this fullness of it. If we can't read section 110 and rejoice, then I can't help you.

[John Sorensen]

And read it again.

[Hank Sorensen]

Elder Holland would say, if you can't get excited about that, you can't get excited.

[Dr. Anthony Sweat]

Yeah, what's more exciting than I want to gather all my family so that none are lost, promise them a fullness of blessings and seal them up to God and to one another so that they can have eternal progress. That's the greatest message on this earth.

[John Sorensen]

This whole discussion has helped me understand why the Lord was so anxious. Will you build the temple? Because this is what I want to give you. Makes me think where Elias and Elijah and Moses going. Are those guys done yet? Hurry. We want to come. We want to bless you with all of this. I can see the urgency to build the temple so that all of this can be restored.

[Hank Sorensen]

Anthony, in your work at byu, church history, in writing these books on the temple, how important is this to you? March of 36 and April of 36, it's everything.

[Dr. Anthony Sweat]

I find such power and purpose and fulfillment in the blessings of the temple. It's everything to me as an educator, but most importantly as a husband and as a father and as a servant in the kingdom. April of 1836 is what facilitates it all. It is the catalyst. It is the pivot point for these blessings of exaltation. Of course they'll be built upon in Nauvoo. Joseph will expand and put these keys to work, to redeem the dead, to endow and seal saints together, because they're not sealing them in Kirtland yet, and to bind up families. So there was more to come. But this is the catalyst moment in the blessings of the temple in the latter days.

[Hank Sorensen]

I'm grateful that Joseph Smith has good days. We know he had a lot of.

[John Sorensen]

Hard days, really hard days. So powerful, this statement in verse nine, the hearts of thousands and tens of thousands shall greatly rejoice in consequence of the blessings which shall be poured out. I mean, how often do you read that because of this, the hearts of thousands, tens of thousands, it's still happening.

[Dr. Anthony Sweat]

How many people? Literally? That's not just a metaphorical. Think of the hundreds of temples and the millions of Latter Day Saints who are endowed, sealed to their loved ones and they're promised great blessings, the joy and rejoicing they get in worshiping in the house of the Lord, and then expand that to the other side of the veil of all of those who are receiving these ordinances vicariously. I mean, there's literal fulfillment of seeing this in our days of temples dotting the land and this great work rolling forward. It's the greatest work that's happening on earth. There's lots of important work, but this is the work. This is the great thing. It's going to surprise the whole world when Jesus returns. Jesus, in essence says, we've got to gather everyone into the covenant. People of good faith all over the whole world go, how do we do that? And he says, we've been working on it. And I've had my people start this work. We've been binding and sealing up the whole human family and endowing and blessing them to secure these blessings. It's greater than any other work that's happening, as our prophets have testified.

[Hank Sorensen]

Anthony, if it's okay, I want to ask you a last question. John, feel free to jump in here. End of your speech at byu, you said this. When you leave the temple, be a diligent student and consciously strive to practice those covenants and concepts in everyday life. Put in the work, practice, start again, realign, increase in your precision, and don't you ever give up. God does not give up on you. Don't you give up on him. Go in and you finish talking about the power that God wants to give, that we can truly receive our endowment. We've got people over the world listening, some who are completely converted to the temple and the power that's there. And then we may have others who are holding back a little bit, who don't know if the temple is for them or if they belong or if they can understand. After studying these sections and the temple, let's speak to them. Let's close out our time together speaking to them. Tell us how you feel about the holy temple.

[Dr. Anthony Sweat]

The first thing that I'd say is, remember the temple. It's a house of learning. He calls it in section 88. The way the Lord teaches is in parable. The temple is a great parable, meaning the temple endowment. In particular, the presentation of is meant to be mysterious. And it's meant to communicate across all cultures and time. It's not meant to be figured out on first blush. I don't pretend that I have figured it out. I continue to learn in the house of learning. If anybody right now out there is saying, I don't quite get it, first thing I'd say is, that's okay, because most of the Savior's disciples didn't quite get most of his parables at first. But thousands of years later, we get it. We get some of it anyway, key parts of it. And the temple will continue to unfold unto you and I as we diligently ask, seek and knock. But we can't expect the Lord wants there to be layers of depth for a lifetime of learning. And we can't expect it all to unfold on first visit or even the 10th visit. Give yourself time. The second thing I'd say too, in particular is the Lord's house as he teaches us through symbol and ritual. We like to say that we're a symbolic people, but we're really not. If I could speak to modern American saints anyway, of which I'm most familiar with, we're a very literal people. We're not deeply rooted in symbol and ritual. For the most part, our church is pretty pedestrian in the sense that it's practical. I don't mean that negative. We have a very practical faith. We have a very utilitarian faith. Our church is pretty straightforward. In our Sunday worship, we have Sunday classes. About the only rituals is the sacrament and maybe a blessing. But then we step into the Lord's house and the whole thing is very symbol and ritual, and we're not accustomed to it. Instead of being critical of it, maybe we should ask ourselves how we can be better at interpreting symbol and ritual. That takes a lifetime of learning. But the last Thing I'd say is, I have to say this. The Lord said, it's his house. His name will be upon is the house of the Lord. Every time we go to the temple, let's look for the Lord in every aspect of it, from the clothing to the lighting to the doorways, to when you go into a ceiling room, for example. Why are a bride and a groom, why are they dressed in that high priestly clothing? Because Jesus is our high priest. We are following in his order. We are saying that I am going to live a life based on covenant, and I am going to kneel at an altar that represents an altar of sacrifice, like Jesus sacrificed his life. And I am going to make a covenant over that altar, that I am going to base my life on Jesus Christ and his teachings. And I am going to be promised blessings through the grace of Jesus Christ. I am going to have a chandelier that symbolizes the light of the world sitting above me and windows, and it is all the Savior. Maybe that's my last thing I'd say, is look for the Savior in every aspect of the temple. And the more you look for him, the more you'll find him and the more you'll see that this truly is his house and that his name is there and that his power is there. I hope some of that might help give people some things to look for as they continue to learn to love the house of the Lord.

[John Sorensen]

I love it. Anthony, when I was a bishop in one of my years, we had a theme of what is your next step? For some, their next step was to say their personal prayers. For some, their next step was to come and take the sacrament with a. For some, it was to get a recommend. For some, it was to go use it. I have a personal testimony that the Lord wants people in the temple. I felt that so many times as a bishop, preparing those to receive a recommend. He wants you there. He forgives sins. Boy, if that's your next step, go there because you'll find him there like you just promised.

[Hank Sorensen]

Anthony, thank you for spending your time with us today. You have such an expertise and you freely give it. It's a beautiful thing. Thank you.

[Dr. Anthony Sweat]

Thank you. Thank you for the great work that you guys are doing and the Sorensen family and this whole podcast. It's really incredible. And you guys are blessing countless lives. Thank you, guys. And I'm just talking with friends here. What a blessing to be with you two great teachers and friends. And I love you both so much.

[Hank Sorensen]

We love you. When we finish a recording like this. I'm overwhelmed with the Lord's goodness that I get to be part of something like this.

[John Sorensen]

Me too.

[Hank Sorensen]

Frequently, John, people will say, thank you for what you do, and I say, no, thank you for listening. Because if you didn't listen, we couldn't do this.

[John Sorensen]

I can't believe it sometimes.

[Hank Sorensen]

Thanks, Cindy, for us, for letting us borrow you for a few hours. We want to thank Dr. Anthony Sweat for being with us today and taking his time. We're thankful for Shannon Sorensen, our executive producer, our sponsors, David and Verla Sorensen. And every episode we remember our founder. He would have loved this. I'm sure he does. Steve Sorensen, we hope you'll join us next week. The Restoration continues on. Follow Him. Thank you for joining us on today's episode. Do you or someone you know speak Spanish, Portuguese or French? You can now watch and listen to our podcast in those languages. Links are in the description below. Today's show notes and transcript are on our website, followhim. Co. That's followhim. Co. Of course, none of this could happen without our incredible production crew. David Perry, Lisa Spice, Will Stoughton, Crystal Roberts, Ariel Kuadra, Heather Barlow, Amelia Kabwica, Sydney Smith and Annabelle Sorensen. Whatever questions or problems you have, the.

[Dr. Anthony Sweat]

Answer is always found in the life.

[John Sorensen]

And teachings of Jesus Christ.

[Hank Sorensen]

Turn to him.

[Dr. Anthony Sweat]

Follow him.