Today's Favorite Verse: Doctrine & Covenants 118:1

Today's Favorite Verse: Doctrine & Covenants 118:1
"Verily, thus saith the Lord: Let a conference be held immediately; let the Twelve be organized; and let men be appointed to supply the place of those who are fallen."

I pondered on one of causes of the great apostasy with the primitive church. As the apostles were scattered and died the organization and authority eventually was lost. The apostles could not gather quick enough to replace those that were taken. We are blessed to know that Satan now cannot tear the organization of the church down faster then we can build it up.

"Four of the original members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles had been excommunicated or otherwise removed from office by July 1838 for transgression or apostasy: John F. Boynton, Luke Johnson, Lyman Johnson, and William E. McLellin. This caused great sorrow among Church members. On Sunday, July 8, 1838, during a leadership meeting, the Prophet Joseph Smith received the revelation recorded in Doctrine and Covenants 118 in response to the plea to “show unto us thy will O, Lord concerning the Twelve.” (See The Joseph Smith Papers, Documents, Volume 6: February 1838–August 1839, 176–78.) John Taylor, John E. Page, Wilford Woodruff, and Willard Richards were appointed to fill the vacancies in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles."
(Doctrine and Covenants Student Manual, "Chapter 45: Doctrine and Covenants 115-120")

"Today I speak of keys other than those of metal. The keys I speak of never rust. These are the keys of life and salvation in the kingdom of God. The Prophet Joseph Smith said, “I will give you a key that will never rust, if you will stay with the majority of the Twelve Apostles, and the records of the Church, you will never be led astray.”
...Prior to the martyrdom, no doubt with a sense of foreboding, the Prophet Joseph prepared for his death. President Joseph Fielding Smith states:“The Prophet declared that he knew not why, but the Lord commanded him to endow the Twelve with these keys and priesthood, and after it was done, he rejoiced very much, saying in substance, ‘Now, if they kill me, you have all the keys and all the ordinances and you can confer them upon others, and the powers of Satan will not be able to tear down the kingdom as fast as you will be able to build it up, and upon your shoulders will the responsibility of leading this people rest."
(James E. Faust, "The Keys That Never Rust", Oct 1994 General Conference)

Day 3707