ENTRY 15 DAY OF GRACE

Day of Grace

 “And it came to pass that my sorrow did return unto me again, and I saw that the day of grace was passed for them, both temporally and spiritually; for I saw thousands of them hewn down in open rebellion against their God, and heaped up as dung upon the face of the land.  And thus three hundred and forty and four years had passed away.”  (Mormon 2:15)

Mormon introduces to us a term that is not found anywhere else in scripture.  That is to say, the term is not used anywhere else in scripture by the same name he gives it, but the actually meaning of the term is discussed in a lot of detail throughout many scriptural accounts.  Although Mormon doesn’t appear to expound in detail on the concept, we can learn a great deal from that which he does tell us.

First, the definition:

The Day of Grace:

The Day of Grace is that period of time given to an individual to choose between good and evil without receiving the full or immediate consequences for those choices.  During this time period, the Lord suspends judgment upon the individual allowing them the freedom to choose.  

End of definition.

Mormon observes that for his people, the Day of Grace had ended both temporally and spiritually.  This tells us something important.  The temporal or physical trial and the spiritual trial do not necessarily coincide. If the temporal and spiritual trial did coincide, then there would be no point in designating the two terms individually in this sentence.  If the two terms were synonymous then why clarify that both had passed away for this particular group of people. 

For example, a person can find their opportunity to receive redemption coming to a close and lost before this life ends.   The people of Moses are an example.

“And the Lord’s anger was kindled against Israel, and he made them wander in the wilderness for forty years, until all the generation, that had done evil in the sight of the Lord, was consumed.” (Numbers 32:13).

Here are a people who had lost the opportunity for redemption.  This generation would not be redeemed, but the Lord did not end their mortal trials.  They continued on in the wilderness until the last of that generation had died out.  In a condemned condition, this people would live on for forty more years. 

On the other hand, a person can find that they have received redemption before this life ends.  The Brother of Jared is an example.

“And the Lord said unto him, Believest thou the words that I shall speak?  And he answered:  Yea Lord, I know that thou art a God of truth, and canst not lie.  And when he had said these words, behold, the Lord showed himself unto him, and said, Because thou knowest these things ye are redeemed from the fall; therefore ye are brought back into my presence; therefore I show myself unto you.” (Ether 3:11-13).

Something also worth considering is that a person’s Day of Grace may continue beyond this life and does not necessarily end at death.  We can observe this in the description of the Terrestrial Kingdom. 

“And again we saw the terrestrial world, and behold and lo, these are they who are of the terrestrial whose glory differs from that of the church of the Firstborn who have received the fulness of the Father, even as that of the moon differs from the sun in the firmament.  Behold these are they who died without law; And also they who are the spirits of men kept in prison, whom the Son visited, and preached the gospel unto them, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh;  Who received not the testimony of Jesus in the flesh, but afterwards received it.  These are they who are honorable men of the earth, who were blinded by the craftiness of men.  These are they who receive of his glory, but not of his fulness.  These are they who receive of the presence of the Son, but not of the fulness of the Father.  Wherefore, they are bodies terrestrial, and not bodies celestial, and differ in glory as the moon differs from the sun.  These are they who are not valiant in the testimony of Jesus; wherefore, they obtain not the crown over the kingdom of our God.” (D&C 76: 71-79)

From this description of the Terrestrial Kingdom we find that the fulness of judgment was not delivered upon the people who would inherit this kingdom until sometime after death. They are afforded additional time after this life to repent and receive some measure of glory.  They had lost a full opportunity that was previously available while in the mortal life, but nevertheless there is some kind of additional trial and testing after this life which does grant them opportunities that otherwise would not be obtainable if the Day of Grace closed exactly on the day of death.

The Terrestrial description is a tragedy because of some lost opportunity.  Is it possible to receive the full opportunity of redemption after this life?  We find that it is possible. 

“The heavens were opened upon us, and I beheld the celestial kingdom of God…I saw Father Adam and Abraham; and my father and my mother; my brother Alvin, that has long since slept; And marveled how it was that he had obtained an inheritance in that kingdom, seeing that he had departed this life before the Lord had set his hand to gather Israel the second time, and had not been baptized for the remission of sins.  Thus came the voice of the Lord unto me, saying:  All who have died without a knowledge of this gospel, who would have received it if they had been permitted to tarry, shall be heirs of the celestial kingdom of God;  Also all that shall die henceforth without a knowledge of it, who would have received it with all their hearts, shall be heirs of that kingdom; For I the Lord, will judge all men according to their works, according to the desire of their hearts.  And I also beheld that all children who die before they arrive at the years of accountability are saved in the celestial kingdom of heaven.” (D&C 137:1, 5-10)

How could the Lord know their hearts if they did not receive a full testing of their hearts and desires in this life?  They would have had to either receive that testing before this life; or receive that testing after this life.  Again this demonstrates that the Day of Grace does not exactly coincide with the mortal existence that we are currently experiencing.

And regarding children we find the following:

“Listen to the words of Christ, your Redeemer, your Lord and you God.  Behold, I came into the world not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance; the whole need no physician, but they that are sick; wherefore, little children are whole, for they are not capable of committing sin; wherefore the curse of Adam is taken from them in me, that it hath no power over them; and the law of circumcision is done away in me.” (Moroni 8:8) 

“For behold that all little children are alive in Christ, and also all they that are without the law.  For the power of redemption cometh on all them that have no law; wherefore, he that is not condemned, or he that is under no condemnation, cannot repent; and unto such baptism availeth nothing—“(Moroni 8:22)

Again this shows that the child and they who died without law did not receive a full weight of testing in this mortal life and did not have to meet the same requirements.  Yet they are alive in Christ and receive redemption.  Once again showing that there is more going on behind the scenes then most of us are made aware of in mortality.  Their day of testing having been either before this mortal experience or after this mortal experience does not really matter because we know that God, being a God of Justice, would not have granted such any redemption at all except that they had somewhere and in some way met the same requirements that are placed upon all others.  They met or will meet those conditions, it just so happens that it isn’t in this mortal sphere.

This leads us to another consideration.  There are some souls here upon the Earth that are not in this Day of Grace at all.  Rather than being tested, these souls are facilitators of the testing process for others.  The following are two examples which demonstrate this:

“Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.” (Hebrews 13:2).

There are souls among us who seem down trodden and worthless, barely worthy of notice.  And yet we are forewarned that some these souls are more than what they appear.  Occasionally they are angels sent to test us.  And occasionally such a soul could even be the Savior Himself for it is written that in as much as we have down it unto the least of these; we have done it unto Him.  We have at least one recorded occasion in which He fulfilled this literally.  (Luke 24:13-35).  The Lord, working in one eternal round, probably takes the time to test each of us in this same manner if we have a heart to understand and eyes to see Him.

The second example is found in Abraham:

“Now the Lord had shown unto me, Abraham, the intelligences that were organized before the world was; and among all these there were many of the noble and great ones; And God saw these souls that they were good, and he stood in the midst of them, and he said:  These I will make my rulers; for he stood among those that were spirits, and he saw that they were good; and he said unto me:  Abraham, thou art one of them; thou wast chosen before thou wast born.”  (Abraham 3:22-23).

There are some who fulfilled the testing even “before thou wast born”.  Their Day of Grace having been fulfilled successfully somehow and sometime…but before this time we now know of.

The Day of Grace is that period of time in which the Lord suspends delivering that which we deserve, whether good or bad, to allow a period of time for us to repent.  It is a trial period or a Day of Probation (See also 1 Nephi 15:31, 2 Nephi 33:9, Helaman 13:38).

It is important to understand that this Day of Grace is not synonymous with the mortal experience. This is important to realize because it increases our awareness of some critical aspects of mortality, including the following:

We must overcome the trial of faith while in the Day of Grace, otherwise we lose the opportunity for Redemption.

It is possible that we could lose this opportunity before death.

It is possible that we could retain some measure of that opportunity after death, but not necessarily the full measure of glory that otherwise could have been received. Therefore, we must answer the following question: “How does one know for certain that they have fulfilled the requirements within the Day of Grace”? (More on that later)

There are some who are not in the Day of Grace while in this mortal life because they have already fulfilled the requirement or may fulfill it fully in another time and place.  Therefore, we cannot judge another soul because what we see as their role in mortality may be entirely different than our own.

There are some who may slip into the world of death and then return (near death experience) but they may still be in the Day of Grace.  Thus their stories must be listened to with the same measure of caution that we would use for anyone making any religious claim.  They may not necessarily have fulfilled the Day of Grace and thus the stories they bring back with them may or may not provide a true message from God.  Many come back with a message that is a magnification of their previous beliefs and do not assist anyone in actually finding redemption.  Rather their stories are titillating tales of a fantastic world as if we sneaked a peak in the back of the math book for answers to the story problems, and yet the answers they give are filled with the same error as anyone else in mortality and do not provide any additional real insight in how to overcome the trials necessary to fulfill the requirements that are laid before us in our own individual Day of Grace.

And so once again in summary, The Day of Grace is that period of time given to an individual to choose between good and evil without receiving the full or immediate consequences for those choices.  During this time period, the Lord suspends judgment upon the individual allowing them the freedom to choose.   

ENTRY 14 THE VEIL

What is the veil?

It is the barrier between us and God.

It is the barrier of unbelief.

It is the barrier of sin.

It is unrelated to death and may be removed before death. Likewise it may continue after death.

Without the removal of this veil, you remain in the fallen condition established by Adam and Eve.

It is necessary to pass through this veil while in mortality to receive the full measure of what God offers through the Atonement of Christ.

From the Lectures on Faith, we receive the following explanation that the veil symbolized in the temple is a representation of the veil that separates us from God. Remember that in the temple you are to consider yourself as if you are Adam and Eve.  What separates them from God also separates you from God.  Whatever restores them to God also restores you.   For this reason, the analogies of Adam and Eve in the scriptures are intended as a guide for your own life. 

Before there was sin in Adam and Eve, they were able to speak with God face to face.  They had a family relationship.  And so did you.

“From the foregoing we learn man’s situation at his first creation, the knowledge with which he was endowed, and the high and exalted station in which he was placed – lord or governor of all things on earth, and at the same time enjoying communion and intercourse with his Maker, without a vail to separate between.  We shall next proceed to examine the account given of his fall, and of his being driven out of the garden of Eden, and from the presence of the Lord.” (LOF 2:12)

After Adam and Eve took upon themselves the sinful condition, they fell.  The fall means to be removed from the presence of God.  The family relationship is broken and they are no longer able to see God.  Just as they were cut off from God, so are you.  We are fallen as they were.

“And then the angel spake, saying, This thing is a similitude of the sacrifice of the Only Begotten of the Father, which is full of grace and truth; wherefore, thou shalt do all that thou doest, in the name of the Son.  And thou shalt repent, and call upon God, in the name of the Son for evermore.  And in that day, the Holy Ghost fell upon Adam, which beareth record of the Father and the Son.”

“This last quotation, or summary, shows this important fact, that though our first parents were driven out of the garden of Eden, and were even separated from the presence of God by a vail, they still retained a knowledge of his existence, and that sufficiently to move them to call upon him.  And further, that no sooner was the plan of redemption revealed to man, and he began to call upon God, than the Holy Spirit was given, bearing record of the Father and Son.” (LOF 2:24-25)

The Only Begotten of the Father is the means provided to remedy the separation between us and God.  Christ has the purpose of bringing us through the veil.  Christ removes the sinfulness of our condition and restores the family relationship with God once again. We must call on him for help. 

The Holy Spirit is the witness that there is a Father and a Son.  The witness of the Spirit is given to those who repent and call upon God.  The starting point is simple.  Let the desire to repent settle into your heart and call upon God. 

Religions make this process too complicated.  Religious organizations seek to supplant God by becoming the voice of God for you.  If you will let them, the churches will give you the promise of being led to God and yet they will prevent you from finding God.  This occurs if you misplace your trust and rely on everything taught by a religious authority.  Their preoccupation with Authority is the evidence that they cannot lead you to Christ.  The humble followers of Christ have no interest in Authority because they are filled with God’s light.  They never thirst and therefore are not jealous of the gifts of God made manifest in others.  But the Religious are not filled with light and they thirst and hunger.  They seek to fill their needs by obtaining authority.  They do this by creating a list of rules for you to keep that will hold you in compliance with their law and keep you held under their authority.  Although they may pretend to speak in the name of God, nothing is of God except that which comes from His own voice.  Their inspirational messages may be good words, but the application of a true message from God can only be understood through direct communication with God.  You do not need a Religion to find God, but you do need Christ to find God. 

Already you know your failings and sins.  Let Christ teach you how to overcome these by going directly to Him and those things which He tells You personally, do those things.  By this means, you begin to hear His voice through the veil.  He prepares you to return to him as you hearken to the words He delivers to you.  It is true that He may deliver His words to you through a religious speaker or a religious book or a religious ceremony.  It is also true that He may deliver His words through a family member or through a friend or through a neighbor.  However, God’s most meaningful messages are those He delivers through a stranger or through an enemy or through a source you formerly thought was incapable of representing God in any manner.  He seems to delight in this manner of delivery for the purpose of testing your humility and breaking you of your pride.  The messenger is not important.  Ignore the messenger.  Only the message matters.  Look for messages from God and he will guide you.

The Holy Spirit is that which gives witness of God the Father and His son Jesus Christ.  That witness is received as you hearken to the voice of God.  Again notice that it is not given by a church organization.  “And further, that no sooner was the plan of redemption revealed to man, and he began to call upon God, than the Holy Spirit was given, bearing record of the Father and Son.” It is given immediately as you follow through with whatever it is God has asked of you to do TODAY. That is how you receive the Holy Ghost.  The Holy Ghost does not come by authority of man.  It comes as a result of obedience to God.

The intention of Christ is to remove that veil while here in this mortal life.  Notice the experience of the Brother of Jared:

“18 And he ministered unto him even as he ministered unto the Nephites; and all this, that this man might know that he was God, because of the many great works which the Lord had showed unto him.

19 And because of the knowledge of this man he could not be kept from beholding within the veil; and he saw the finger of Jesus, which, when he saw, he fell with fear; for he knew that it was the finger of the Lord; and he had faith no longer, for he knew, nothing doubting.

20 Wherefore, having this perfect knowledge of God, he could not be kept from within the veil; therefore he saw Jesus; and he did minister unto him.

God is no respecter of persons and makes the same opportunities available to every soul.  He works in one eternal round, meaning that the patterns of our lives are the same as the patterns of the past.  So too, God is a God of Justice, meaning that He established the same laws for you that He has for other souls.  And God is a God of Mercy, meaning that He is able to remove the conditions of a fallen nature for those who come to Him with humility.  God is a God of Love or in other words, He is a Father who has a pure love for His children and seeks to re-establish the family relationship.  For all these qualities of God, we can trust that He desires to remove the separation between us and Him.   

It has often been taught that the removal of the veil while in the mortal life is unnecessary.  Here is an example of such a teaching:

Richard E Turley: {59:13}

Another claim is that the church is not teaching what is necessary for exaltation, for example, some say that only those who see the face of Jesus Christ in mortality will receive Celestial Glory.

Dallin H. Oaks: {1:00:36}

Of course, all of the righteous desire to see the face of our Savior, but the suggestions that this must happen in mortality is a familiar tactic of the adversary. To identify a worthy goal, such as to achieve exaltation, and then to use the desirability of that goal and people’s enthusiasm for it to obscure [the Lord’s intended way by] the new means the adversary suggests to achieve it [is a familiar tactic]. The means are important, even vital. As the Lord said in another setting, ‘it must needs be done in mine own way.’

(Boise Rescue Transcript, June 2015)

My earliest memories are of general conference Saturdays, hanging out at grandma’s house, eating popcorn and listening to Dallin H. Oaks.  He has been one of my favorite apostles since childhood.  He has a lot of authority as far as church members are concerned. Much of what he discusses would be a counterpoint to what I am suggesting.    If you feel I deserve a rebuke for teaching that you may receive the Savior while in this life, then Oak’s words may appeal to you.  If you would like to read the remainder of Dallin H. Oaks discussion, you may find it at the following link:  

Boise Rescue 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1_l1xQdDguBOGktRjFhajVLU2M/view?pli=1

However, in this particular issue, I disagree with his assertion that it is the Adversary who teaches us to seek the face of the Savior while in this life.  Apostle Oaks, it is a doctrine of the devil to seek the Lord while in mortality?  Of course it must be done in the Lord’s way.  Of course it must be at the Lord’s discretion, according to His wisdom.  Of course our patience will be tried in the process.  Of course it is with humility that we would seek for Him.  On this point, I agree and I think that the caution is well deserved.  But “the adversary” would encourage us to seek for the Lord while in this life to distract us away from the Lord?  Too many scriptures say otherwise.  Here are a few scriptures that encourage us to actively seek the Lord while in this life:

D&C 93:1

Verily, thus saith the Lord: It shall come to pass that every soul who forsaketh his sins and cometh unto me, and calleth on my name, and obeyeth my voice, and keepeth my commandments, shall see my face and know that I am;  And that I am the true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world;

John 14:22-23

 22 Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?

 23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.

And more from John 14 shows the purpose of the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit is to lead us to the finish line of entering into the presence of God the Father. It does this by teaching all things and bringing to remembrance all things. 

John 14:24-26

 24 He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me.

 25 These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you.

 26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

The veil remains because of unbelief.  We doubt the promises of God and therefore we do not even try to return to Him.  We are raised in a world where few have these experiences and so we think that the way things are is the way things are supposed to be.  But those who have seen the Lord, try to awaken us to the offer of God that we can return to Him.  It is necessary to remember that the veil must be overcome and passed through while you are in this mortal life:

6 Now, this was what Ammon desired, for he knew that king Lamoni was under the power of God; he knew that the dark veil of unbelief was being cast away from his mind, and the light which did light up his mind, which was the light of the glory of God, which was a marvelous light of his goodness--yea, this light had infused such joy into his soul, the cloud of darkness having been dispelled, and that the light of everlasting life was lit up in his soul, yea, he knew that this had overcome his natural frame, and he was carried away in God—(Alma 19:6)

14 Come unto me, O ye house of Israel, and it shall be made manifest unto you how great things the Father hath laid up for you, from the foundation of the world; and it hath not come unto you, because of unbelief.

15 Behold, when ye shall rend that veil of unbelief which doth cause you to remain in your awful state of wickedness, and hardness of heart, and blindness of mind, then shall the great and marvelous things which have been hid up from the foundation of the world from you--yea, when ye shall call upon the Father in my name, with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, then shall ye know that the Father hath remembered the covenant which he made unto your fathers, O house of Israel.

16 And then shall my revelations which I have caused to be written by my servant John be unfolded in the eyes of all the people. Remember, when ye see these things, ye shall know that the time is at hand that they shall be made manifest in very deed. (Ether 4:14)

The removal of this barrier between you and God is the purpose of the Atonement.  The temple veil was rent at the death of Christ, showing that his sacrifice is the means provided to pass through that barrier between you and God:

50 ¶Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.

51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;

52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,(Matthew 27:50-52)

And finally, here is one more witness that we are meant to pass through the veil while in this day of mortality:

Jesus Manifests Himself to the Obedient

 www.youtube.com/watch?v=17dTPGuPCsc

ENTRY 13 FULNESS OF THE PRIESTHOOD

What is the fulness of the priesthood?

It is to receive power to seal on earth and heaven.  This power can only be given directly by the Lord in person.

Joseph Smith received this power directly from the Lord.

46 And verily, verily, I say unto you, that whatsoever you seal on earth shall be sealed in heaven; and whatsoever you bind on earth, in my name and by my word, saith the Lord, it shall be eternally bound in the heavens; and whosesoever sins you remit on earth shall be remitted eternally in the heavens; and whosesoever sins you retain on earth shall be retained in heaven.

47 And again, verily I say, whomsoever you bless I will bless, and whomsoever you curse I will curse, saith the Lord; for I, the Lord, am thy God.

48 And again, verily I say unto you, my servant Joseph, that whatsoever you give on earth, and to whomsoever you give any one on earth, by my word and according to my law, it shall be visited with blessings and not cursings, and with my power, saith the Lord, and shall be without condemnation on earth and in heaven.

49 For I am the Lord thy God, and will be with thee even unto the end of the world, and through all eternity; for verily I seal upon you your exaltation, and prepare a throne for you in the kingdom of my Father, with Abraham your father.

50 Behold, I have seen your sacrifices, and will forgive all your sins; I have seen your sacrifices in obedience to that which I have told you. Go, therefore, and I make a way for your escape, as I accepted the offering of Abraham of his son Isaac.(D&C 132:46-50)

Nephi also received this sealing power directly by the voice of the Lord:

4 Blessed art thou, Nephi, for those things which thou hast done; for I have beheld how thou hast with unwearyingness declared the word, which I have given unto thee, unto this people. And thou hast not feared them, and hast not sought thine own life, but hast sought my will, and to keep my commandments.

5 And now, because thou hast done this with such unwearyingness, behold, I will bless thee forever; and I will make thee mighty in word and in deed, in faith and in works; yea, even that all things shall be done unto thee according to thy word, for thou shalt not ask that which is contrary to my will.

6 Behold, thou art Nephi, and I am God. Behold, I declare it unto thee in the presence of mine angels, that ye shall have power over this people, and shall smite the earth with famine, and with pestilence, and destruction, according to the wickedness of this people.

7 Behold, I give unto you power, that whatsoever ye shall seal on earth shall be sealed in heaven; and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven; and thus shall ye have power among this people.

8 And thus, if ye shall say unto this temple it shall be rent in twain, it shall be done.

9 And if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou cast down and become smooth, it shall be done.

10 And behold, if ye shall say that God shall smite this people, it shall come to pass.(Heleman 10:4-1)

Peter also received this same promises directly from Christ:

17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. (Matthew 16:17-19)

The fulness of the priesthood can only be had directly from the Christ.  Once received, its purpose is to allow the receiver to prepare others to receive the Christ.  That is to say, literally in person to receive the Christ.  This is explained in Doctrine and Covenants 84.

5 For verily this generation shall not all pass away until an house shall be built unto the Lord, and a cloud shall rest upon it, which cloud shall be even the glory of the Lord, which shall fill the house.

6 And the sons of Moses, according to the Holy Priesthood which he received under the hand of his father-in-law, Jethro;

7 And Jethro received it under the hand of Caleb;

8 And Caleb received it under the hand of Elihu;

9 And Elihu under the hand of Jeremy;

10 And Jeremy under the hand of Gad;

11 And Gad under the hand of Esaias;

12 And Esaias received it under the hand of God.

13 Esaias also lived in the days of Abraham, and was blessed of him--

14 Which Abraham received the priesthood from Melchizedek, who received it through the lineage of his fathers, even till Noah;

15 And from Noah till Enoch, through the lineage of their fathers;

16 And from Enoch to Abel, who was slain by the conspiracy of his brother, who received the priesthood by the commandments of God, by the hand of his father Adam, who was the first man--

17 Which priesthood continueth in the church of God in all generations, and is without beginning of days or end of years.

18 And the Lord confirmed a priesthood also upon Aaron and his seed, throughout all their generations, which priesthood also continueth and abideth forever with the priesthood which is after the holiest order of God.

19 And this greater priesthood administereth the gospel and holdeth the key of the mysteries of the kingdom, even the key of the knowledge of God.

20 Therefore, in the ordinances thereof, the power of godliness is manifest.

21 And without the ordinances thereof, and the authority of the priesthood, the power of godliness is not manifest unto men in the flesh;

22 For without this no man can see the face of God, even the Father, and live.

23 Now this Moses plainly taught to the children of Israel in the wilderness, and sought diligently to sanctify his people that they might behold the face of God;

24 But they hardened their hearts and could not endure his presence; therefore, the Lord in his wrath, for his anger was kindled against them, swore that they should not enter into his rest while in the wilderness, which rest is the fulness of his glory.

25 Therefore, he took Moses out of their midst, and the Holy Priesthood also;

26 And the lesser priesthood continued, which priesthood holdeth the key of the ministering of angels and the preparatory gospel;

27 Which gospel is the gospel of repentance and of baptism, and the remission of sins, and the law of carnal commandments, which the Lord in his wrath caused to continue with the house of Aaron among the children of Israel until John, whom God raised up, being filled with the Holy Ghost from his mother’s womb.

From this we learn that there is a priesthood that is passed from man to man but it is a lesser priesthood for the purpose of preparation.  Even the ministration of the angels is a lesser and preparatory form.  The fulness of that priesthood is fulfilled in the presence of God.  This Moses plainly taught but the people rejected it.  Because of that rejection they were given the lesser that perhaps some might take up the invitation to receive the greater.  As the children of Israel did, so too did the children of Nauvoo.  Joseph was taken out of their midst and we were left with the lesser priesthood for the purpose of preparing us to receive the greater...if we will repent.