Someone asked, in an online discussion group I belong to, what we hope to hear in general conference this weekend. This was my contribution to that discussion:
“There has effectively been a tradition in the church of regarding our [your leaders’] revelation as holding more weight than your own. We declare that there is, in this, a fundamental misunderstanding of the gospel and what the Lord intends for each of us to do. That is, to become stewards of our own souls by first being baptized as commanded by the Lord and then receiving the holy ghost which will show unto you all things that you should do (2 Nep 32).
“While we have always had your best interest at heart, we recognize that an unquestioning acceptance of our direction and counsel has the effect of stifling spiritual progression. We want to reiterate the words of the angel to Joseph Smith in 1823 when he quoted Joel 2, saying ‘And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.‘
“We renew the words of the angel to Joseph when he declared that these things would soon be. Rather, we would update these words to say that they are now upon us, being fulfilled as we speak. We likewise renew the words of Moses when he said: ‘…would God that all the Lord’s people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his spirit upon them.’ (Numbers 11:29) We want to remind all of you of what it says in our own doctrine and covenants, section 84 (verses 23-25), that Moses ‘sought diligently to sanctify his people that they might behold the face of God; But they hardened their hearts and could not endure his presence; therefore, the Lord in his wrath, for his anger was kindled against them, swore that they should not enter into his rest while in the wilderness, which rest is the fulness of his glory. Therefore, he took Moses out of their midst, and the Holy Priesthood also….’
“Joseph Smith sought to do the very same with us in the Nauvoo temple. In the final months of his life, in January 1844, he lamented that the Nauvoo temple was yet incomplete and that there was hardly time remaining while the seals were on the earth to complete the temple and go in and receive what the Lord was offering us. Tragically, he and Hyrum were taken out of our midst only 5 months later.
“We have been praying diligently over the last several months that God may yet offer us what he held in store to be given in the Nauvoo temple and that we may not be like the children of Israel in the wilderness when ‘they hardened their hearts and could not endure [the Lord’s] presence.’ We pray that we may yet enter into the rest of the Lord as a people, which rest is the fulness of his glory, or of his presence. Joseph and Hyrum were taken out of our midst, as Moses. But, we believe the blessings offered in 1841 (see D&C 124) are yet available to us now if we, as a people, will be humble before the Lord and seek diligently to behold his face. This we pray for with all energy of soul, on our own and on your behalf. We love you.“
...it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ...that ye must build your foundation... 