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Doctrine and Covenants
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D&C 138
On
the
third
of
October,
in
the
year
nineteen
hundred
and
eighteen,
I
sat
in
my
room
a
pondering
over
the
scriptures;
2 And
a
reflecting
upon
the
great
b
atoning
c
sacrifice
that
was
made
by
the
Son
of
God,
for
the
d
redemption
of
the
world;
3 And
the
great
and
wonderful
a
love
made
manifest
by
the
Father
and
the
Son
in
the
coming
of
the
b
Redeemer
into
the
world;
4 That
through
his
a
atonement,
and
by
b
obedience
to
the
principles
of
the
gospel,
mankind
might
be
saved.
5 While
I
was
thus
engaged,
my
mind
reverted
to
the
writings
of
the
apostle
Peter,
to
the
a
primitive
saints
scattered
abroad
throughout
b
Pontus,
Galatia,
Cappadocia,
and
other
parts
of
Asia,
where
the
gospel
had
been
c
preached
after
the
crucifixion
of
the
Lord.
6 I
opened
the
Bible
and
read
the
a
third
and
fourth
chapters
of
the
first
epistle
of
a
Peter,
and
as
I
read
I
was
greatly
b
impressed,
more
than
I
had
ever
been
before,
with
the
following
passages:
7 "For
Christ
also
hath
once
suffered
for
sins,
the
just
for
the
unjust,
that
he
might
bring
us
to
God,
being
put
to
death
in
the
flesh,
but
quickened
by
the
Spirit:
8 "By
which
also
he
went
and
preached
unto
the
spirits
in
a
prison;
9 "Which
sometime
were
disobedient,
when
once
the
longsuffering
of
God
waited
in
the
days
of
Noah,
while
the
ark
was
a
preparing,
wherein
few,
that
is,
eight
souls
were
saved
by
water."
(1
Peter
3:18-20.)
10 "For
for
this
cause
was
the
gospel
preached
also
to
them
that
are
dead,
that
they
might
be
judged
according
to
men
in
the
flesh,
but
live
according
to
God
in
the
spirit."
(1
Peter
4:6.)
11 As
I
a
pondered
over
these
things
which
are
b
written,
the
c
eyes
of
my
d
understanding
were
opened,
and
the
Spirit
of
the
Lord
e
rested
upon
me,
and
I
saw
the
hosts
of
the
f
dead,
both
small
and
great.
12 And
there
were
gathered
together
in
one
place
an
innumerable
company
of
the
spirits
of
the
a
just,
who
had
been
b
faithful
in
the
c
testimony
of
Jesus
while
they
lived
in
mortality;
13 And
who
had
offered
a
sacrifice
in
the
b
similitude
of
the
great
sacrifice
of
the
Son
of
God,
and
had
suffered
c
tribulation
in
their
Redeemer's
d
name.
14 All
these
had
departed
the
mortal
life,
firm
in
the
a
hope
of
a
glorious
b
resurrection,
through
the
c
grace
of
God
the
d
Father
and
his
e
Only
Begotten
Son,
Jesus
Christ.
15 I
beheld
that
they
were
filled
with
a
joy
and
gladness,
and
were
rejoicing
together
because
the
day
of
their
b
deliverance
was
at
hand.
16 They
were
assembled
awaiting
the
advent
of
the
Son
of
God
into
the
a
spirit
world,
to
declare
their
b
redemption
from
the
c
bands
of
death.
17 Their
sleeping
a
dust
was
to
be
b
restored
unto
its
c
perfect
frame,
d
bone
to
his
bone,
and
the
sinews
and
the
flesh
upon
them,
the
e
spirit
and
the
body
to
be
united
never
again
to
be
divided,
that
they
might
receive
a
fulness
of
f
joy.
18 While
this
vast
multitude
waited
and
conversed,
rejoicing
in
the
hour
of
their
a
deliverance
from
the
chains
of
death,
the
Son
of
God
appeared,
declaring
b
liberty
to
the
c
captives
who
had
been
faithful;
19 And
there
he
a
preached
to
them
the
everlasting
b
gospel,
the
doctrine
of
the
c
resurrection
and
the
redemption
of
mankind
from
the
d
fall,
and
from
individual
sins
on
conditions
of
e
repentance.
20 But
unto
the
a
wicked
he
did
not
go,
and
among
the
ungodly
and
the
unrepentant
who
had
b
defiled
themselves
while
in
the
flesh,
his
voice
was
not
raised;
21 Neither
did
the
a
rebellious
who
rejected
the
b
testimonies
and
the
warnings
of
the
ancient
c
prophets
behold
his
d
presence,
nor
look
upon
his
face.
22 Where
these
were,
a
darkness
reigned,
but
among
the
righteous
there
was
b
peace;
23 And
the
saints
rejoiced
in
their
a
redemption,
and
bowed
the
b
knee
and
acknowledged
the
Son
of
God
as
their
Redeemer
and
Deliverer
from
death
and
the
c
chains
of
d
hell.
24 Their
countenances
a
shone,
and
the
b
radiance
from
the
presence
of
the
Lord
rested
upon
them,
and
they
c
sang
praises
unto
his
holy
name.
25 I
marveled,
for
I
understood
that
the
Savior
spent
about
three
years
in
his
a
ministry
among
the
Jews
and
those
of
the
house
of
Israel,
endeavoring
to
b
teach
them
the
everlasting
gospel
and
call
them
unto
repentance;
26 And
yet,
notwithstanding
his
mighty
works,
and
miracles,
and
proclamation
of
the
truth,
in
great
a
power
and
authority,
there
were
but
b
few
who
hearkened
to
his
voice,
and
rejoiced
in
his
presence,
and
received
salvation
at
his
hands.
27 But
his
ministry
among
those
who
were
dead
was
limited
to
the
a
brief
time
intervening
between
the
crucifixion
and
his
resurrection;
28 And
I
wondered
at
the
words
of
Peter—wherein
he
said
that
the
Son
of
God
preached
unto
the
a
spirits
in
prison,
who
sometime
were
disobedient,
when
once
the
long-suffering
of
God
waited
in
the
days
of
Noah—and
how
it
was
possible
for
him
to
preach
to
those
spirits
and
perform
the
necessary
labor
among
them
in
so
short
a
time.
29 And
as
I
wondered,
my
eyes
were
opened,
and
my
understanding
a
quickened,
and
I
perceived
that
the
Lord
went
not
in
person
among
the
b
wicked
and
the
disobedient
who
had
rejected
the
truth,
to
teach
them;
30 But
behold,
from
among
the
righteous,
he
a
organized
his
forces
and
appointed
b
messengers,
c
clothed
with
power
and
authority,
and
d
commissioned
them
to
go
forth
and
carry
the
light
of
the
gospel
to
them
that
were
in
e
darkness,
even
to
f
all
the
spirits
of
men;
and
thus
was
the
gospel
preached
to
the
dead.
31 And
the
chosen
messengers
went
forth
to
declare
the
a
acceptable
day
of
the
Lord
and
proclaim
b
liberty
to
the
captives
who
were
bound,
even
unto
all
who
would
c
repent
of
their
sins
and
receive
the
gospel.
32 Thus
was
the
gospel
preached
to
those
who
had
a
died
in
their
sins,
without
a
b
knowledge
of
the
truth,
or
in
c
transgression,
having
d
rejected
the
prophets.
33 These
were
taught
a
faith
in
God,
repentance
from
sin,
b
vicarious
baptism
for
the
c
remission
of
sins,
the
d
gift
of
the
Holy
Ghost
by
the
laying
on
of
hands,
34 And
all
other
principles
of
the
gospel
that
were
necessary
for
them
to
know
in
order
to
qualify
themselves
that
they
might
be
a
judged
according
to
men
in
the
flesh,
but
live
according
to
God
in
the
spirit.
35 And
so
it
was
made
known
among
the
dead,
both
small
and
great,
the
unrighteous
as
well
as
the
faithful,
that
redemption
had
been
wrought
through
the
a
sacrifice
of
the
Son
of
God
upon
the
b
cross.
36 Thus
was
it
made
known
that
our
Redeemer
spent
his
time
during
his
sojourn
in
the
world
of
a
spirits,
instructing
and
preparing
the
faithful
spirits
of
the
b
prophets
who
had
testified
of
him
in
the
flesh;
37 That
they
might
carry
the
message
of
redemption
unto
all
the
dead,
unto
whom
he
could
not
go
personally,
because
of
their
a
rebellion
and
transgression,
that
they
through
the
ministration
of
his
servants
might
also
hear
his
words.
38 Among
the
great
and
a
mighty
ones
who
were
assembled
in
this
vast
congregation
of
the
righteous
were
Father
b
Adam,
the
c
Ancient
of
Days
and
father
of
all,
39 And
our
glorious
a
Mother
b
Eve,
with
many
of
her
faithful
c
daughters
who
had
lived
through
the
ages
and
worshiped
the
true
and
living
God.
40
a
Abel,
the
first
b
martyr,
was
there,
and
his
brother
c
Seth,
one
of
the
mighty
ones,
who
was
in
the
express
d
image
of
his
father,
Adam.
41
a
Noah,
who
gave
warning
of
the
flood;
b
Shem,
the
great
c
high
priest;
d
Abraham,
the
father
of
the
faithful;
e
Isaac,
f
Jacob,
and
Moses,
the
great
g
law-giver
of
Israel;
42 And
a
Isaiah,
who
declared
by
prophecy
that
the
Redeemer
was
anointed
to
bind
up
the
broken-hearted,
to
proclaim
liberty
to
the
b
captives,
and
the
opening
of
the
c
prison
to
them
that
were
bound,
were
also
there.
43 Moreover,
Ezekiel,
who
was
shown
in
vision
the
great
valley
of
a
dry
bones,
which
were
to
be
b
clothed
upon
with
flesh,
to
come
forth
again
in
the
resurrection
of
the
dead,
living
souls;
44 Daniel,
who
foresaw
and
foretold
the
establishment
of
the
a
kingdom
of
God
in
the
latter
days,
never
again
to
be
destroyed
nor
given
to
other
people;
45
a
Elias,
who
was
with
Moses
on
the
Mount
of
Transfiguration;
46 And
a
Malachi,
the
prophet
who
testified
of
the
coming
of
b
Elijah—of
whom
also
Moroni
spake
to
the
Prophet
Joseph
Smith,
declaring
that
he
should
come
before
the
ushering
in
of
the
great
and
dreadful
c
day
of
the
Lord—were
also
there.
47 The
Prophet
Elijah
was
to
plant
in
the
a
hearts
of
the
children
the
promises
made
to
their
fathers,
48 Foreshadowing
the
great
work
to
be
done
in
the
a
temples
of
the
Lord
in
the
b
dispensation
of
the
fulness
of
times,
for
the
redemption
of
the
dead,
and
the
c
sealing
of
the
children
to
their
parents,
lest
the
whole
earth
be
smitten
with
a
curse
and
utterly
wasted
at
his
coming.
49 All
these
and
many
more,
even
the
a
prophets
who
dwelt
among
the
Nephites
and
b
testified
of
the
coming
of
the
Son
of
God,
mingled
in
the
vast
assembly
and
waited
for
their
deliverance,
50 For
the
a
dead
had
looked
upon
the
long
absence
of
their
b
spirits
from
their
bodies
as
a
c
bondage.
51 These
the
Lord
taught,
and
gave
them
a
power
to
come
forth,
after
his
resurrection
from
the
dead,
to
enter
into
his
Father's
kingdom,
there
to
be
crowned
with
b
immortality
and
eternal
life,
52 And
continue
thenceforth
their
labor
as
had
been
promised
by
the
Lord,
and
be
partakers
of
all
a
blessings
which
were
held
in
reserve
for
them
that
love
him.
53 The
Prophet
Joseph
Smith,
and
my
father,
Hyrum
Smith,
Brigham
Young,
John
Taylor,
Wilford
Woodruff,
and
other
choice
a
spirits
who
were
b
reserved
to
come
forth
in
the
c
fulness
of
times
to
take
part
in
laying
the
d
foundations
of
the
great
latter-day
work,
54 Including
the
building
of
the
a
temples
and
the
performance
of
ordinances
therein
for
the
redemption
of
the
b
dead,
were
also
in
the
spirit
world.
55 I
observed
that
they
were
also
among
the
a
noble
and
great
ones
who
were
b
chosen
in
the
beginning
to
be
rulers
in
the
Church
of
God.
56 Even
before
they
were
born,
they,
with
many
others,
received
their
first
a
lessons
in
the
world
of
spirits
and
were
b
prepared
to
come
forth
in
the
due
c
time
of
the
Lord
to
labor
in
his
d
vineyard
for
the
salvation
of
the
souls
of
men.
57 I
beheld
that
the
faithful
a
elders
of
this
dispensation,
when
they
depart
from
mortal
life,
continue
their
labors
in
the
b
preaching
of
the
c
gospel
of
repentance
and
redemption,
through
the
sacrifice
of
the
Only
Begotten
Son
of
God,
among
those
who
are
in
darkness
and
under
the
bondage
of
sin
in
the
great
world
of
the
d
spirits
of
the
dead.
58 The
dead
who
a
repent
will
be
redeemed,
through
obedience
to
the
b
ordinances
of
the
house
of
God,
59 And
after
they
have
paid
the
a
penalty
of
their
transgressions,
and
are
b
washed
clean,
shall
receive
a
c
reward
according
to
their
d
works,
for
they
are
heirs
of
salvation.
60 Thus
was
the
a
vision
of
the
redemption
of
the
dead
revealed
to
me,
and
I
bear
record,
and
I
know
that
this
b
record
is
c
true,
through
the
blessing
of
our
Lord
and
Savior,
Jesus
Christ,
even
so.
Amen.
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