The “Olive Leaf” Revelation

Doctrine & Covenants Section 88

Section 88 Origin• Three months after receiving a revelation on priesthood that included a command to build a temple in

Missouri, Joseph and a group of nine high priests gathered "assembled in the translating room in Kirtland, Ohio." They prayed and then Joseph rose and taught them that "to receive revelation and the blessing of Heaven, it was necessary to have our minds on God and exercise faith and become of one heart and one mind." He asked them each to pray in turn that the Lord would "reveal His will to us concerning the upbuilding of Zion and for the benefit of the saints and for the duty . . . of the elders." Each man "bowed down before the Lord, after which each one arose and spoke in his turn his feelings and determination to keep the commandments of God."

• The revelation began to flow, and by nine o'clock that night it had not ended. The brethren retired but returned the next morning and received the rest of the revelation. That is, they received the first 126 verses. The remainder came a week later on January 3.

• Samuel Smith wrote in his journal what the Lord told him to do. "Some of the elders assembled together & the word of the Lord was given through Joseph & the Lord declared that those Elders who were the first labourers in this last vineyard should assemble themselves together that they should call a solemn assembly & evry man call upon the name of the Lord & continue in Prayre that they should Sanctify themselves & wash their hands and feet for a testimony that their garments were clean from the Blood of all men & the Lord commanded we the first Elders to Establish a School & appoint a teacher among them & get learning by study & by faith get a knowledge of countries languages &c thus the School of the Prophets was established . . . ”

The “Olive Leaf”• I send you the ‘olive leaf’ which we have

plucked from the Tree of paradise, the Lord’s message of peace to us; for though our brethren in Zion indulge in feelings toward us, which are not according to the new covenant, yet, we have the satisfaction of knowing that the Lord approves of us. . . . You will see that the Lord commanded us, in Kirtland, to build a house of God, and establish a school for the Prophets, this is the word of the Lord to us, and we must, yea, the Lord helping us, we will obey; as on conditions of our obedience He has promised us great things; yea, even a visit from the heavens to honor us with his presence.– Joseph Smith to William Phelps, Kirtland, January 11, 1833, Personal

Writings of Joseph Smith, rev. ed., 292-93.

The Soul

• When one toys with the God-given—and satanically coveted—body of another, he or she toys with the very soul of that individual, toys with the central purpose and product of life. . . . In trivializing the soul of another (please include the word body there) we trivialize the atonement, which saved that soul and guaranteed its continued existence. And when one toys with the Son of Righteousness, the Day Star Himself, one toys with white heat and a flame hotter and holier than the noonday sun. You cannot do so and not be burned. You cannot with impunity ‘crucify . . . the Son of God afresh.’ Exploitation of the body (please include the word soul there) is, in the last analysis, exploitation of Him who is the Light and the Life of the world.– Elder Jeffery R. Holland, Of Souls Symbols and Sacraments, 13-15

• The Latter-day Saints built their first temple as a result of Section 88 and came into the presence of the Lord.

• A few days after Section 88 was completed, Joseph sent a copy of it with a rebuke to church leaders in Missouri. Hard feelings continued to fester there, and the Missouri saints had not acted on Section 84's command to build a temple in Zion. "I send you the . . . Lord's message of peace to us," Joseph wrote, "for though our Brethren in Zion, indulge in feelings towards us, which are not according to the requirements of the new covenant yet we have the satisfaction of knowing that the Lord approves of us & has accepted us, & established his name in kirtland for the salvation of the nations, for the Lord will have a place from whence his word will go forth in these last days in purity, for if Zion, will not purify herself so as to be approved of in all things in his sight he will seek another people for his work will go on untill Isreal is gathered & they who will not hear his voice must expect to feel his wrath."

Outcomes

• Joseph was driven by Section 88's command to build a temple and the promise that the Lord would honor them with his presence if they assembled in it both solemn and sanctified (D&C 88:68-70)

• Joseph echoed Section 88's counsel in verses 123-126, prophesying that if the saints would act as the Lord prescribed “we shall get a blessing that will be worth remembering if we should live as long as John the Revelator, our blessings will be such as we have not realized before, nor in this generation.”

• “You need an endowment brethren in order that you may be prepared and able to overcome all things.“

• Joseph helped them understand the relationship between the power with which God intended to endow them and their calling to preach the gospel (D&C 88:80-82)

• Concluded his teaching by reaffirming what Section 88 twice calls the "great and last promise": "I feel disposed to speak a few words more to you my brethren concerning the endowment, all who are prepared and are sufficiently pure to abide the presence of the Saviour will see him in the solem assembly" (D&C 88:69, 75).

The “Fullness”

•The Glory of God can—and should—be found throughout the world.•Knowledge and intelligence are at the center of sanctification. To grow in knowledge and truth, no matter the topic, is to progress like God.•Communities and friendships are the acme of the gospel. We are to work together, growing in strength and knowledge, with charity and love our guiding principles.

Discussion

What does it mean to place “intelligence” at the center of sanctification?