Voice of Gladness

Now, what do we hear in the gospel which we have received? A voice of gladness! A voice of mercy from heaven; and a voice of truth out of the earth; glad tidings for the dead; a voice of gladness for the living and the dead; glad tidings of great joy. How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of those that bring glad tidings of good things, and that say unto Zion: Behold, thy God reigneth! As the dews of Carmel, so shall the knowledge of God descend upon them! 

And again, what do we hear? Glad tidings from Cumorah! Moroni, an angel from heaven, declaring the fulfilment of the prophets—the book to be revealed. A voice of the Lord in the wilderness of Fayette, Seneca county, declaring the three witnesses to bear record of the book! ... The voice of Peter, James, and John in the wilderness between Harmony, Susquehanna county, and Colesville, Broome county, on the Susquehanna river, declaring themselves as possessing the keys of the kingdom, and of the dispensation of the fulness of times!

And again, the voice of God in the chamber of old Father Whitmer, in Fayette, Seneca county, and at sundry times, and in divers places through all the travels and tribulations of this Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints! And the voice of Michael, the archangel; the voice of Gabriel, and of Raphael, and of divers angels, from Michael or Adam down to the present time, all declaring their dispensation, their rights, their keys, their honors, their majesty and glory, and the power of their priesthood; giving line upon line, precept upon precept; here a little, and there a little; giving us consolation by holding forth that which is to come, confirming our hope!  Doctrine and Covenants 128: 19-21

 

This scripture is full of optimism, excitement, beauty – and truth. This gospel is something to be excited about!

Each of us could make our own list of times we've heard, or felt, the voice of the Lord. Our list would include:

-when we were deciding to join The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

-when we were deciding when we should go on a mission

-when we were deciding whether or not to move out west

-when we were dealing with Joe's Parkinson's

and many, many other times in our lives

Sometimes I’m walking around our little condo or our beautiful community and I feel an overwhelming sense of the rightness and the gladness of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The feeling just bubbles up from inside me and fills me with gladness.

Back to the scripture - The voice of God gives us “line upon line, precept upon precept; here a little, and there a little; giving us consolation by holding forth that which is to come, confirming our hope!”

We are thankful for that voice that “holds forth on what is to come” and it does indeed confirm our hope!