Today's Favorite Verse: D&C 7:1-3

Today's Favorite Verse: Doctrine & Covenants 7:1-3

"And the Lord said unto me: John, my beloved, what desirest thou? For if you shall ask what you will, it shall be granted unto you.

And I said unto him: Lord, give unto me power over death, that I may live and bring souls unto thee.

And the Lord said unto me: Verily, verily, I say unto thee, because thou desirest this thou shall tarry until I come in my glory, and shall prophesy before nations, kindreds, tongues and people. 

I'm going to quote the header of this chapter too, because I found it very interesting.

"Revelation given to Joseph Smith the Prophet and Oliver Cowdery, at Harmony, Pennsylvania, April 1829, when they inquired through the Urim and Thummim as to whether John, the beloved disciple, tarried in the flesh or had died. The revelation is a translated version of the record made on parchment by John and hidden up by himself."

This answered the question that theologians have had for centuries concerning John 21:22-23. Did Jesus promise John the beloved, that he would not taste death? I feel resolved that this section of the Doctrine and Covenants answers the matter. He was permitted to tarry and would remain on the earth until Christ came again. John never died.

What interested me in the header is the mention that this was a translation through the Urim and Thummim, (the same instrument used to translate the Book of Mormon) of a piece of parchment that was written by John and hid up. So I had to wonder how did they get this piece of parchment and where is it now? I don't know. Does it really matter the answer?

What I know is the spirit tells me this chapter and what it contains is true. I have no doubt of it. I would be curious to see this parchment, but I don't need to. The spirit testifies to me what is true, not artifacts. In fact I feel quit sure I'm not suppose to see it. That the time is not yet for it to be revealed. I think its with the rest of John's record that he was to seal up until he would testify again of the end time prophecies given him. I can feel them just waiting. It just feels really close. Its almost like I'm holding my breath.

Day 426