Government

Author: Megan Licious | |

The words of the prophet Isaiah are the most quoted of all the prophets, more often quoted by Jesus, Paul, Peter, John, the Book of Mormon, and the Doctrine and Covenants than the words of any other Old Testament prophet. In coming to Joseph Smith, Moroni quoted Isaiah: "it is about to be fulfilled." The reason for this? Isaiah saw Jesus face to face and was graduate-level educated, a spiritual warrior.

Isaiah was sent by the Lord not to preach to the citizens but to counsel the four kings in Southern Israel. He gave the word of God as direction for governments that were about to be destroyed. He spoke of the latter-days, and was reiterated by Nephi, who wrote specifically for our time.

These two great prophets and others like them saw visions of times past, present, and future. Their marvelous accounts are before those who seek them. In the Prophet Joseph's time, many were led away (I imagine in despair) because so many prophets did not walk the earth in visions today.

Who should doubt the greatness of the kingdom of the Lord? While many prophets once gave the word, today all of those who wish it have visions bound in their hands. They have all writings necessary, in cooperation with the spirit, for learning of all things. We live the visions of old.

In studying these things, in the institution which dedicates the work of the youth to the Lord, a view of the world and its soon-to-be events are obvious to me. The prophets taught us of them. The signs of the days are in every breath every person on this planet takes. Especially after General Conference, I understand more than ever the role of the Church in these days. It is a government, and the purpose thereof is to organize the armies of the Lord.

The day will come when the Apostles, the mission presidents, the Sunday school teachers, the Young Women leaders--all disciples under covenants of the Lord--will have to step in and uphold the framework of our nation. Isaiah saw it unfold, and he saw us. It is no coincidence we in the latter-days are commanded by the Savior to read the words of a governmentally involved prophet.

And now, with November another month closer, I think: "What is to be done? Who of all these parties are right; or, are they all wrong together? If any one of them be right, which is it, and how shall I know it?" (JSH 1:10) In between classes on Monday, I scribbled in one of my notebooks my thoughts: "The large, militant bodies that will bring one candidate or the other to power have long been set in place. History doesn't make itself over night, it knows no time. By choosing not to be among those bodies, what remains for me is not the struggle to elect for myself a president but to elect for myself a practice in higher thinking and a stronger relationship with the Savior, both developed out of the struggle and not the decision."

While that is true, I found myself corrected and extended yet again through the Spirit in my studies today. It is not a worldly body which controls this election.

My fascination with government came abruptly, without conscious decision. I know now it is not because I will be a politician, or even because my single vote has any power to sway an election. It is because I will raise children. It is because I am of the tribe of Ephraim, called to do missionary work. It is because I am a member of the Church which will one day replace the government of the earth.

Something that has come to my mind very often lately is this idea of government. Government is any set of laws which a people abide under. America is one example. Because our Constitution and the laws thereof were given by God, I believe it to be our calling to uphold those laws. God preserves not his best laws for a single nation; they will one day cover the earth. That is the battle we fight in His name. Right now it appears, secularly, that we are failing. That is how the face of a much deeper battle appears. The Lord gives us trial to strengthen us. The right still remains: continue the fight. I will vote in this election to extend the war America is fighting in the world--a war whose purpose will become clear and whose end will come some day soon--to uphold God's laws on His footstool, that He may bless and one day redeem His children.

The Lord's work will be done. Seek not to influence its course but to have faith in it, for "the government shall be upon his shoulder... Of the increase of government and peace there is no end... and upon his kingdom to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice... even forever" (2 Nephi 19:6-7).