O that I were an angel, and could have the wish of mine heart, that I might go forth and speak with the trump of God, with a voice to shake the earth, and cry repentance unto every people;!
yYea, I would declare unto every soul, as with the voice of thunder, Rrepentance, and the plan of redemption, that they should repent and come unto our God, that there might not be no more sorrow upon all the face of the earth.
But behold, I am a man, and do sin in my wish; for I had ought to be content with the things which the Lord hath allotted unto me.
I had not ought not to harrow up in my desires, the firm decree of a just God, for I know that he granteth unto men according to their desires, whether it be unto death or unto life; yea, I know that he allotteth unto men, yea, decreeth unto them decrees which are unalterable, according to their wills;, whether ithey be unto salvation or unto destruction;.
yYea, and I know that good and evil hathve come before all men; or he that knoweth not good from evil, is blameless; but he that knoweth good and evil, to him it is given according to his desires;, whether he desireth good or evil, life or death, joy or remorse of conscience.
Now, seeing that I know these things, why should I desire more than to perform the work to which I have been called?
Why should I desire that I wasere an angel, that I could speak unto all the ends of the earth?
For behold, the Lord doth grant unto all nations, of their own nation and tongue, to teach his word;, yea, in wisdom, all that he seeth fit that they should have; therefore we see that the Lord doth counsel in wisdom, according to that which is just and true.
I know that which the Lord hath commanded me, and I glory in it;. I do not glory of myself, but I glory in that which the Lord hath commanded me; yea, and this is my glory, that perhaps I may be an instrument in the hands of God, to bring some soul to repentance; and this is my joy.
And behold, when I see many of my brethren truly penitent, and coming to the Lord their God, then is my soul filled with joy; then do I remember what the Lord has done for me;, yea, even that he hath heard my prayer; yea, then do I remember his merciful arm which he extended towards me;.
yYea, and I also remember the captivity of my fathers; for I surely do know that the Lord did deliver them out of bondage, and by this did establish his church; yea, the Lord God, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, did deliver them out of bondage;.
yYea, I have always remembered the captivity of my fathers; and that same God who delivered them out of the hands of the Egyptians, did deliver them out of bondage;.
yYea, and that same God did establish his church among them; yea, and that same God hath called me by a holy calling, to preach the word unto this people, and hath given me much success, in the which my joy is full;.
bBut I do not joy in my own success alone, but my joy is more full because of the success of my brethren, whicho have been up to the land of Nephi.
Behold, they have labored exceedingly, and have brought forth much fruit; and how great shall be their reward.!
Now, when I think of the success of these my brethren, my soul is carried away, even to the separation of it from the body, as it were, so great is my joy.
And now may God grant unto these, my brethren, that they may sit down in the Kkingdom of God; yea, and also all those whicho are the fruit of their labors, that they may go no more out, but that they may praise him forever. And may God grant that it may be done according to my words, even as I have spoken. Amen.
Influences
- 29:1 — 1 Thessalonians 4:16 (KJV)For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
- 29:3 — Luke 3:14 (KJV)And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages.
- 29:4 — Romans 1:16 (KJV)For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
- 29:5 — 1 John 4:6 (KJV)We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.
- 29:5 — Romans 9:11 (KJV)(For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;)
- 29:5 — 1 Corinthians 3:22 (KJV)Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are your's;
- 29:8 — Colossians 4:1 (KJV)Masters, give unto your servants that which is just and equal; knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven.
- 29:10 — John 12:27 (KJV)Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.
- 29:10 — 2 Timothy 1:4 (KJV)Greatly desiring to see thee, being mindful of thy tears, that I may be filled with joy;
- 29:13 — 1 Corinthians 7:15 (KJV)But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace.
- 29:13 — 2 Timothy 1:9 (KJV)Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,
- 29:16 — Matthew 25:40 (KJV)And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
- 29:17 — Luke 13:29 (KJV)And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God.