1. The Kirtland Temple and Priesthood Keys~
Lesson 14
Student Readings:
Doctrine and Covenants 109:1-28; 110:1-16.
Jeffrey R. Holland, “Our Most Distinguishing Feature,” Ensign, May 2005.
David A. Bednar, “Honorably Hold a Name and Standing,” Ensign, May 2009

4. Malachi 4
5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord:
6 And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.

5. Joseph Smith-History 1
33 He called me by name, and said unto me that he was a messenger sent from the presence of God to me, and that his name was Moroni; that God had a work for me to do; and that my name should be had for good and evil among all nations, kindreds, and tongues, or that it should be both good and evil spoken of among all people.
33 He called me by name, and said unto me that he was a messenger sent from the presence of God to me, and that his name was Moroni; that God had a work for me to do; and that my name should be had for good and evil among all nations, kindreds, and tongues, or that it should be both good and evil spoken of among all people.
Also D&C 2

6. Malachi 4
5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord:
6 And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.
Joseph Smith-History 1
38 And again, he quoted the fifth verse thus: Behold, I will reveal unto you the Priesthood, by the hand of Elijah the prophet, before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.
39 He also quoted the next verse differently: And he shall plant in the hearts of the children the promises made to the fathers, and the hearts of the children shall turn to their fathers. If it were not so, the whole earth would be utterly wasted at his coming.

7. The restoration of priesthood keys and temple ordinances enable families and individuals to access the full blessings of the Atonement of Jesus Christ and to receive eternal life.
If families are not sealed in holy temples, the whole earth would be utterly wasted.

8. The Introduction of Temple Work
Date
Revelation
Where given
Topic
July 20, 1831
D&C 57
Jackson County, MO
Temple to be build in Independence (Zion)
Aug. 3, 1831
Joseph dedicates the Independence temple site
Sept , 1832
D&C 84
Kirtland, OH
Again, a temple to be build in Zion
Dec. 27,1832
D&C 88
The Lord commands that a temple be built in Kirtland
June 1, 1833
D&C 95
The Saints chastised for not commencing the Kirtland temple.

9. D&C 109:1-5 – What phrases did Joseph Smith use to describe the Saints’ sacrifices to build the Kirtland Temple?

10. Some Latter-day Saints, like John Tanner, gave much of their wealth for the building of the temple. In all, the temple may have cost as much as 40,000 U.S. dollars to build—a very large sum for that time.
Despite the cost and sacrifice, the Saints were faithful in their labors to obey this commandment of the Lord (see D&C 95:11). The Kirtland Temple was a labor of love and an exercise in obedience, sacrifice, and faith.
John Tanner’s story of sacrifice.
Lake George, NY; family of nine children
Taught gospel and baptized by Simeon and Jared Carter
Healed of potentially fatal leg infection by the elders
Inspired to move to Kirtland, OH and help with temple
Sold all his property, hotel, farms, possessions to fund temple
Estimated he donated $50,000 to Church
Moved to Missouri with $7.50 to his name, then later to Montrose, Iowa – across the river from Nauvoo
Served mission to Eastern US

11. After nearly three years of struggle and financial sacrifice, the Kirtland Temple was dedicated on March 27, Nearly 1,000 people attended the temple dedication. The dedicatory prayer, which Joseph Smith received by revelation, is recorded in D&C 109. Miraculous occurrences accompanied the dedication, and one week later, heavenly messengers restored priesthood keys to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery. These keys are a distinguishing feature of the Church and have blessed millions of people who have gathered into the Church.

12. D&C 109:10-15, 20-28
What blessings do you find?
Mark the blessings. Which one has the most meaning to you?
Principle: As we faithfully worship in the temple, we can receive greater protection and power against the wickedness of the world.

13. What were some of the great spiritual events at the dedication of the Kirtland Temple?

14. Truman O. Angell
“When about midway during the prayer, there was a glorious sensation passed through the house [Kirtland Temple]; and we, having our heads bowed in prayer, felt a sensation very elevating to the soul. At the close of the prayer, F. [Frederick] G. Williams being in the upper east stand- -Joseph being in the speaking stand next below--rose and testified that midway during the prayer an holy angel came and seated himself in the stand. When the afternoon meeting assembled, Joseph, feeling very much elated, arose the first thing and said the personage who had appeared in the morning was the Angel Peter come to accept the dedication.”

15. Benjamin Brown
"There the Spirit of the Lord, as on the day of Pentecost, was profusely poured out. Hundreds of Elders spoke in tongues. We had a most glorious and never-to-be-forgotten time. Angels were seen by numbers present. It was also at this time that Elijah the Prophet appeared, and conferred upon Joseph the keys of turning the hearts of the fathers to the children, previous to the re-institution of the ordinance of baptism for the dead."

16. Oliver Cowdery
"Sunday, the 27th attended on the dedication of the Lord's house. For the particulars of this great event see my account written by myself, and printed in the March No. of The Messenger and Advocate, signed C. In the evening I met with the officers of the church in the Lord's house. The Spirit was poured out--I saw the glory of God, like a great cloud, come down and rest upon the house, and fill the same like a mighty rushing wind. I also saw cloven tongues, like as of fire rest upon many, (for there were 316 present,) while they spake with other tongues and prophesied."

17. Heber C. Kimball
"During the ceremonies of the dedication, an angel appeared and sat near President Joseph Smith, Sen., and Frederick G. Williams, so that they had a fair view of his person. He was a very tall personage, black eyes, white hair, and stoop shouldered; his garment was whole, extending to near his ankles; on his feet he had sandals. He was sent as a messenger to accept of the dedication...While these things were being attended to the beloved disciple John was seen in our midst by the Prophet Joseph, Oliver Cowdery and others."

18. Joseph Smith, Jr.
"Brother George A. Smith arose and began to prophesy, when a noise was heard like the sound of a rushing mighty wind, which filled the Temple, and all the congregation simultaneously arose, being moved upon by an invisible power; many began to speak in tongues and prophesy; others saw glorious visions; and I beheld the Temple was filled with angels, which fact I declared to the congregation. The people of the neighborhood came running together (hearing an unusual sound within, and seeing a bright light like a pillar of fire resting upon the Temple), and were astonished at what was taking place."

19. Jesus Christ: D&C 110:1-10 Moses: D&C 110:11 Elias: D&C 110:12
Elijah: D&C 110:13–15
Then on April 3, 1836 (a date that closely if not actually coincides with the Jewish Passover that year – an event where the return Elijah is looked forward to with great anticipation – Church members were again gathered in the Kirtland Temple when heavenly messengers restored priesthood keys.

20. April 3, 1836 – The Lord Jesus Christ appears to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery. This Sabbath day was also Easter and would correspond the Jewish Passover Seder feast. For hundreds of years, faithful Jews had left an empty chair at their feast for Elijah who was prophesied would return prior to the great and dreadful day of the Lord.

22. Moses: Doctrine and Covenants 110:11
Keys of the gathering of Israel
The keys of the gathering of Israel give the authority to direct the preaching of the gospel to the four corners of the earth. “It is appropriate that Moses, who first led God’s children to the land of their inheritance, would be the one to commit the keys of the gathering of Israel to the restored Church.”
(Russell M. Nelson, “The Gathering of Scattered Israel,” Ensign, Nov. 2006, 82, footnote 28).

24. Elias: Doctrine and Covenants 110:12
Keys of the “gospel of Abraham”
“A man called Elias apparently lived in mortality in the days of Abraham, who committed the dispensation of the gospel of Abraham to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery in the Kirtland (Ohio) Temple on April 3, 1836” (Bible Dictionary, “Elias”). “Elias [brought] back ‘the gospel of Abraham,’ the great Abrahamic covenant whereby the faithful receive promises of eternal increase, promises that through celestial marriage their eternal posterity shall be as numerous as the sands upon the seashore or as the stars in heaven for multitude.”
(Bruce R. McConkie, “The Keys of the Kingdom,” Ensign, May 1983, 22).

26. Elijah: Doctrine and Covenants 110:13–15
Keys of the sealing power
“This sealing power bestowed upon Elijah, is the power which binds husbands and wives, and children to parents for time and eternity. It is the binding power existing in every Gospel ordinance. … It is by this power that all the ordinances pertaining to salvation are bound, or sealed, and it was the mission of Elijah to come, and restore it.”
(Joseph Fielding Smith, Elijah the Prophet and His Mission [1957], 5).

27. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland
“The priesthood of God, with its keys, its ordinances, its divine origin and ability to bind in heaven what is bound on earth, is as indispensable to the true Church of God as it is unique to it and … without it there would be no Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.”
(“Our Most Distinguishing Feature,” Ensign, May 2005)
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

28. “Please consider [Doctrine and Covenants 109:24–28] in light of the current raging of the adversary and … our willingness to take upon us the name of Jesus Christ and the blessing of protection promised to those who honorably hold a name and standing in the holy temple. Significantly, these covenant blessings are to all generations and for all eternity. I invite you to study repeatedly and ponder prayerfully the implications of these scriptures in your life and for your family.
Elder David A. Bednar

29. “We should not be surprised by Satan’s efforts to thwart or discredit temple worship and work. The devil despises the purity in and the power of the Lord’s house. And the protection available to each of us in and through temple ordinances and covenants stands as a great obstacle to the evil designs of Lucifer.”
(“Honorably Hold a Name and Standing,” Ensign, May 2009)
Elder David A. Bednar

30. How were the Saints blessed for the sacrifices they made to build the Kirtland Temple?
How are we blessed today because of the events that took place in the Kirtland Temple?

31. • What sacrifices are we required to make
today in order to enjoy the blessings of the
temple?
• What blessings come into our lives as we sacrifice to perform the Lord’s work?

32. Ponder how your life has been blessed because these priesthood keys have been restored.
Principle: The keys of the priesthood are a distinguishing feature of the Church; they separate The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from every other church on the earth.

33. December 14, 21, 28: No Institute
January 11: Institute (first classes of Winter semester)

34. Strength and Opposition
January 11th:
Strength and Opposition ~
Lesson 15
Student Readings:
• Doctrine and Covenants 112:10–15; 121:1–10, 16–17; 122:1–9.
• Neil L. Andersen, “Trial of Your Faith,” Ensign, Nov

36. Elder John A. Widtsoe wrote of these theories:
From this reference to "the dispensation of the gospel of Abraham," it has been concluded that Elias was a prophet who lived near the time of the patriarch, Abraham. Really, nothing more definite is known about the person Elias and his activity on earth… It should be said that some students believe that Elias who appeared in the Kirtland Temple was Noah, the patriarch. Modern revelation informs us that Elias visited Zacharias to inform him that he should have a son known later as John the Baptist. (D&C 27:7) The Bible says that it was the angel Gabriel who visited Zacharias. (Luke 1:19) Joseph Smith said that Gabriel is Noah. These students conclude therefore, that Elias is another name or title for Noah. This inference may or may not be correct. The name Gabriel may be borne by more than one personage or it may be a title as in the case of Elias. When Elias, the man, lived, and what he did in his life, must for the present remain in the field of conjecture.[8]
Elder McConkie provides a good summary:
There is no valid reason for confusion as to the identity and mission of Elias. There was a man named Elias who came to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery on April 3, 1836, in the Kirtland Temple to restore "the gospel of Abraham." (D&C 110:12.) Whether he was Abraham himself or someone else from his dispensation, we do not know. Elias is one of the names of Gabriel who is Noah, and it was in this capacity that Gabriel visited Zacharias the father of John the Baptist. (D&C 27:6-7.) Elias is the Greek form of the Hebrew Elijah, and in this sense has reference to the prophet from Tishbe. Elias is also the title or name of a forerunner who goes before to prepare the way for someone who is greater; this is the doctrine of Elias, and in this sense John the Baptist was both Elias and an Elias. John came in the way that Gabriel (who is Elias) promised, that is, "in the spirit and power of Elias, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord." (Luke 1:17.)… But, as we have seen, there is also an Elias of the Restoration, meaning that there is also a doctrine of Elias that pertains not to preparation alone, but to restoration. Christ was Elias in his day because he restored the gospel for those then living. In our revelations the Lord says that Gabriel (Noah) is the "Elias, to whom I have committed the keys of bringing to pass the restoration of all things spoken by the mouth of all the holy prophets since the world began, concerning the last days." (D&C 27:6.) The one who holds the keys is the one who directs the work; keys are the right of presidency. Thus Gabriel, who stands next to Michael (Adam) in the heavenly hierarchy, has a great directing and supervising work in connection with the restoration of all things.[2]