The First of Several: Destiny is a Funny Thing (but not to be taken lightly)

LOOK GUYS, LOOK! I'm posting again!

I have a new goal: to post a post every day for the rest of October. It shouldn't be too bad, because...well, I don't know if you've ever noticed this before, but often times it is easiest to do something by actually doing it...heh heh. (Definitely not the most obvious of things...)You can't just wait for revelation, inspiration, or creativity-tion to strike. You've gotta start first, then follow the feelings you have. I think of writing mostly when I say this, but it can apply to anything.

Thus--in seminary we are in sections 33-35 of the Doctrine and Covenants. We've discussed the faithfulness of Oliver Cowdery, the Whitmer brothers, Thomas B. Marsh, etc. All of those cool faithful guys.

But when you look forward in history, when these men were a bit older (perhaps after Joseph Smith was murdered) you find that so many of them fell away from the Church. I can't even BELIEVE how many! It is so amazing to me that after having such close contact with Joseph Smith and all things spiritual, they let their pride get the best of them.

Looking at these different sections of the D&C, our seminary class found numerous blessings promised and warnings given to different individuals through revelation--promised blessings and warnings so specific to them. Like a patriarchal blessing. How could these men, and so many others, decide to ignore those things which they had been given to protect them against future difficulties? Truly, I am amazed at them.

Obviously, several people do the same thing today. But it really struck me as I read the D&C. These people near to Joseph Smith were destined to aid him and the church in expanding in it's early days. What other destiny could ever precede one like this?

Whoo. So, let us not give up our destinies! Let us live faithfully and help others to do so.

And...
D&C 18:10, 15-16