Institute Notes January 2026

 We once knew well our elder brother and our father in Heaven. We rejoiced at the prospect of earth life that could make it possible for us to have a fulness of joy. We could hardly wait to demonstrate to our father and our brother, the Lord, how much we love them and how we would be obedient to the in spite of the earthly opposition of the evil one. Now we are here. Our memories are veiled. We are showing God and ourselves what we can do. Nothing is going to startle us more when we pass through the veil to the other side than to realize how well we know our father and his face is to us. -Ezra Taft Benson

 

The earth was not the first of the Lord’s creations. An infinite number of worlds have come rolling into existence at his command. Each is an earth; Many are inhabited with his spirit children; each abides the particular law given to it; and each will play its part in the redemption, salvation, and exaltation of the infinite host of the children of an almighty God. The Lord has said that his work and glory is to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life for his children and all the inhabited worlds which he has created. -Bruce R. McConkie

 

The pure principles of element are principles which can never be destroyed; they may be organized and reorganized but not destroyed. They have no beginning and can have no end. -Joseph Smith

 

We put caps on ourselves.

 

The natural elements that make up the physical earth are sometimes referred to in the scriptures as dust. Thus Adam was created from the dust of ground meaning that the physical body which he received was created from elements of the earth. Similarly, all men are created from the dust of the earth; that is, the elements organized into a mortal body are assembled together through the birth process.” -Bruce R. McConkie

 

Access God’s intelligence and wisdom

 

There will be no marrying, neither giving in marriage among those who reject the truth of the everlasting gospel. That privilege is confined to those who keep the commandments of the Lord in their fullness and who are obedient to the laws of God. Restrictions will be placed upon those who enter the terrestrial and telestial kingdoms, and even those in the Celestial Kingdom who do not get the exaltation; changes will be made in their bodies to suit their condition and there will be no marrying or giving in marriage, nor living together of men and women because of these restrictions. -Joseph Fielding Smith

 

The plan of salvation was calculated to save all who were willing to obey the requirements of the law of God. -Joseph Smith

 

Moroni- last covenant bearer 

Sacred failure- pass the covenant from the dust

 

Exodus -cycle of redemption

Doctrine and Covenants 109

  

Battlements / Parapet Wall / Crenellations 

A defensive low wall (chest height to head height) around the top of a castle wall or tower, in which gaps occurred at regular intervals, to allow arrows or other projectiles to be fired while also protecting the defenders behind the wall. 

The alternating pattern of walls and gaps enabled a defender to hide behind the raised solid portion of the wall, known as merlons, and then quickly move in front of the gap portion, known as crenels or embrasures (not to be confused with the embrasures behind an arrow loop), to fire arrows at attackers. 

Doctrine and Covenants 109

22: armed with the power

25: no weapon shall prosper

26: no combination of wickedness shall have power to rise up and prevail over thy people

28: if they smite this people, thou wilt smite them; thou will fight for thy people as thou didst in the day of battle, that they may be delivered from the hands of their enemies

32: plead before thee for a full and complete deliverance

33: break it off, O Lord; break it off from the necks of thy servants, by they power, that we may rise up...and do thy work

These are also seen along the wall in the old city of Jerusalem.

Not only do temple covenants serve as a defense but also enable covenants keepers to fight for what is right in the spiritual battles of life.

Blood and sins of this generations- sins passed down from environment and family, hereditary weaknesses

Elder Bruce R. McKonkie: "The dead are not really dead."

The. people that knew the prophet Joseph the best loved him the most.

The Church Handbook

3.4.1.2

Order to God’s Work

Priesthood keys ensure that God’s work of salvation and exaltation is accomplished in an orderly manner (see Doctrine and Covenants 42:11; 132:8). Those who hold priesthood keys direct the Lord’s work within their areas of responsibility. 

Joseph, the Man and the Prophet

By Elder Dallin H. Oaks

Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles "Like most other leaders on the frontier, Joseph Smith did not shrink from physical confrontation, and he had the courage of a lion. Once he was kidnapped by two men who held cocked pistols to his head and repeatedly threatened to shoot him if he moved a muscle. The Prophet endured these threats for a time and then snapped back, “Shoot away; I have endured so much persecution and oppression that I am sick of life; why then don’t you shoot, and have done with it, instead of talking so much about it?” (in Journal of Discourses,2:167; see also History of the Church, 5:440).

Recently there was a church shooting in Michigan. I was impressed with the heroism of those who were there. Here are two examples.

https://nypost.com/2025/10/03/us-news/14-year-old-usher-hailed-a-hero-for-protecting-brothers-during-michigan-lds-church-attack/

https://latterdaysaintmag.com/an-er-doctor-ran-into-a-burning-grand-blanc-church-again-and-again/

When the shots start firing, what will I do? Prepare and practice beforehand. Like in the MTC or role playing with kids at home. Joseph Smith's example above. Dad saying "You aren't prepared to live until you're prepared to die." Being right with God.

Verses 8 and 15 of 109 refer to being prepared

Being made clean. William Smith actually asked to be released from being an apostle because it was so much work to make the people holy. They made every effort to be clean in thought, acts and physically. Even washing all their clothes. Just think of how much planning it takes to get a family to church dressed in clean, ironed clothes. Then relate that to being spiritually clean. 

Verse 21 acknowledges the need for repentance even after we have striven to be clean.

And when thy people transgress, any of them, they may speedily repent and return unto thee, and find favor in thy sight, and be restored to the blessings which thou hast ordained to be poured our upon those who shall reverence thee in thy house.

Yes, repentance is needed but He has "bastanche poder", more than enough power to make me holy.

A charge is a responsibility of someone or something.

I wish to testify that there are forces which will save us from the ever-increasing lying, disorder, violence, chaos, destruction, misery, and deceit that are upon the earth. Those saving forces are the everlasting principles, covenants, and ordinances of the eternal gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. These same principles, covenants, and ordinances are coupled with the rights and powers of the priesthood of Almighty God. We of this church are the possessors and custodians of these commanding powers which can and do roll back much of the power of Satan on the earth. We believe that we hold these mighty forces in trust for all who have died, for all who are now living, and for the yet unborn. -Elder James E. Faust

Institute Notes

 No other feeling in the soul of man can bring the joy and happiness of knowing you are doing all that you can to become righteous .    -William R. Bradford

The perfection of mortality involves qualifying to be sanctified in Christ by the grace of God, through the shedding of the blood of Christ, which is in the covenant of the Father, unto the remission of your sins, that ye become holy, without spot", to be sanctified is to be cleansed by the spirit of the Holy Ghost because of the efficacy of the atonement of Jesus Christ, made possible by baptism into the Lord's church. It leaves one pure and clean. In mortality, it is an ongoing and renewable process, for throughout mortality one keeps overcoming mistakes and progressing. Sins our repented of quickly and regularly, and the seriousness is less and less when compared with the mistakes of earlier development. The cleansing is a type of that which becomes permanent when one enters the Kingdom of God in eternity then that which was known in part is achieved in a fullness, that the one so sanctified may remain in that state forever." -S. Brent Farley

Richard G. Scott taught why we need more than to simply ask for answers: "I am convinced that there is no simple formula or technique that would immediately allow you to master the ability to be guided by the voice of the Spirit. Our Father expects you to learn how to obtain divine help in exercising faith in Him and His Holy Son Jesus Christ. Were you to receive inspired guidance just for the asking, you would become weak and ever more dependent on Them. They know that essential personal growth will come as you struggle to learn how to be led by the Spirit."

The Lord is intent on your personal growth and development. That progress is accelerated when you willingly allow Him to lead you through every growth experience you encounter, whether initially it be to your individual liking or not. When you trust in the Lord, when you are willing to let your heart and your mind be centered in His will, when you ask to be led by the Spirit to do His will, you are assured of the greatest happiness along the way and the most fulfilling attainment from this mortal experience. If you question everything you are asked to do or dig in your heels at every unpleasant challenge, you make it harder for the Lord to bless you. -Richard G. Scott

President Joseph Fielding Smith taught, "the spirit of God speaking to the spirit of man has power to import truth with greater effect and understanding than the truth can be imparted by personal contact even with heavenly beings. Through the Holy Ghost, the truth is women into the very fiber and sinews of the body so that it cannot be forgotten. 

Institute Notes

 In Doctrine and Covenants, we are asked to listen to our maker. How does this change how I view and respond to God's word?

He knows the details of the details of the details of our lives.

"Before he was yours, he was mine."

President Oaks, promise something to God then give it. 

Ordinances and covenants are part of the law that defines the path to eternal life. Ordinances, and the sacred covenants we make with God through them, are required steps and essential guardrails along that path. I like to think of the role of covenants as demonstrating that under God’s plan, His highest blessings are given to those who promise in advance to keep certain commandments and who keep those promises.

“Your life is carefully watched over, as was mine. The Lord knows both what He will need you to do and what you will need to know. He is kind and He is all-knowing. So you can with confidence expect that He has prepared opportunities for you to learn in preparation for the service you will give. You will not recognize those opportunities perfectly, as I did not. But when you put the spiritual things first in your life, you will be blessed to feel directed toward certain learning, and you will be motivated to work harder. You will recognize later that your power to serve was increased, and you will be grateful.”

― Henry B. Eyring