Section 76

As past posts in this blog have alluded to: it is clear to me that the Lord directs His living prophets by giving direct revelation through divine inspiration. From the beginning of the Prophet Joseph Smith's miraculous experiences in the sacred grove, to the present; the Lord reveals new doctrine to those who meet a few requirements. First, the Lord must will it to be the appropriate time for a doctrine or details of a doctrine to be revealed. Second, the recipients must be prepared in mind, heart and often body to accept and then teach the new doctrine. Often there is a third requirement that I notice and that is that the recipients must ask for further light and knowledge. From the simple question of Joseph in the sacred grove, to the end of his life; he asked questions of God and received answers. He once stated: "When we understand the character of God, and know how to come to Him, he begins to unfold the heavens to us, and to tell us all about it. When we are ready to come to him, he is ready to come to us. (History of the Church, 6:308.)"

It is no wonder that an incredible revelation such as is Doctrine and Covenants 76 should be reveled to such a Prophet.

The Prophet wrote: “Upon my return from Amherst [Ohio] conference, I resumed the translation of the Scriptures. From sundry revelations which had been received, it was apparent that many important points touching the salvation of man, had been taken from the Bible, or lost before it was compiled. It appeared self-evident from what truths were left, that if God rewarded every one according to the deeds done in the body the term ‘Heaven,’ as intended for the Saints’ eternal home must include more kingdoms than one. Accordingly, on the 16th of February, 1832, while translating St. John’s Gospel, myself and Elder Rigdon saw the following vision (D&C 76).” ( History of the Church, 1:245.)

This(right) is the place that the bulk of section 76 was given. It is called the John Johnson home in Hiram Ohio.

President Wilford Woodruff said of the vision that it “gives more light, more truth, and more principle than any revelation contained in any other book we ever read. It makes plain to our understanding our present condition, where we came from, why we are here, and where we are going to. Any man may know through that revelation what his part and condition will be. For all men know what laws they keep, and the laws which men keep here will determine their position hereafter; they will be preserved by those laws and receive the blessings which belong to them.” (In Journal of Discourses, 22:146–47.)

I encourage anyone that has ever seriously wondered where we came from, why we are here, or where we are going after death to look at http://mormon.org/ to further understand the revelation that is briefly discussed here.

I know that the things contained in Doctrine and Covenants section 76 are truly the way things are. I find great enlightenment and happiness in the fact that the Savior died for each one of us and made it possible for us to obtain one of the degrees of Heaven. I am planning on living in the highest degree of Heaven, but I know I must live worthy of that blessing.