One of its teachings is that Christ is our advocate with the Father. He pleads our cause to Heavenly Father and asks that all of us who come unto Him be spared and receive everlasting life. What glorious knowledge that He, who lived a perfect life and committed no sin, pleads to our God for our salvation, that we may be cleansed from all unrighteousness and have a place in the Father’s kingdom. Because He died, all those who come and partake of the blessings of His Atonement will be saved.

The book also teaches that “the worth of souls is great in the sight” of both Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.  They love every soul that has ever lived, and  they sacrifice so much for all of us to be saved. We are worth so much that Jesus Christ suffered the most excruciating pain and death to ransom all men from their sins. And men’s souls are so great that the Lord, in His wisdom, has sent thousands of missionaries throughout the world to declare the gospel of Jesus Christ and the power of His atoning sacrifice.

Another teaching is that the Father and the Son have, “a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man’s”. This revelation verifies the truthfulness of one doctrine in the Book of Moses: that we were created in the image of God. If we were created in His image and His likeness, it must be that He has a body like the body that we have, except that He is immortal. It also proves that the reunion of spirit and body during resurrection is real, since Jesus is a living God whose body is the same body that was laid in a tomb thousands of years ago. The Savior, going through everything to set the example for us—including baptism, death and resurrection—is a perfect example of a shepherd.

There is also an account of the 116-page manuscript of the Book of Mormon that was lost by Martin Harris. Through this situation, the Lord has shown that He is always prepared against the cunning plans of the adversary. He prepared another account to compensate for the lost manuscript, thousands of years before it was lost. This shows that He is indeed an all-knowing God and His wisdom in all things must be trusted. He has prepared a way for us to accomplish all the things that He commands us to do. This account also emphasizes that the work of salvation cannot be frustrated.

Lastly, the book teaches that the Lord is “bound when [we] do what [He] say[s].” This is a very generous promise that as long as we obey His commandments, God will fulfill His promises. Of course there will be times when the promise seems afar off, but the Lord remembers and through Him, waiting need not be in vain.

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Seeking The Lord’s Wisdom Before Riches

One of the most powerful admonitions of the Lord to Oliver Cowdery is to “seek not for riches but for wisdom.” Included in that verse is also a promise that “the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto you and then shall you be made rich.” In these modern days, with so much competition and drive for success going on, it is sometimes easy to forget the important things. We become so tired and busy that we no longer have time to study the scriptures. With the world telling us that success comes in a box labeled “Career” and “Net Worth,” we sometimes lose focus on what matters most. It’s ironic that no matter how successful we are, without seeking the Lord first, we still feel unsatisfied, unhappy, and sometimes without direction. Let’s reassess our life and our goals. Let’s take time to seek the Lord’s wisdom first.
 

Love And Admonitions

Included in section 6 is also the Lord’s guidance for Oliver Cowdery on how to support Joseph Smith. In verses 18 and 19, the Lord said:

18 Therefore be diligent; stand by my servant Joseph, faithfully, in whatsoever difficult circumstances he may be for the word’s sake.

19 Admonish him in his faults, and also receive admonition of him. Be patient; be sober; be temperate; have patience, faith, hope and charity.

The Lord’s words for Oliver can also be applied on how we treat our sweethearts, our family members, and our friends. Getting angry and speaking hurtful words is an easy option. Being temperate and patient is more difficult. But there is wisdom in these words. We cannot fully know the feelings of the people we love the most. Let us have the courage to be kinder and express love more often. However, we should not shy away from giving them gentle admonitions if needed, to help them be the best they can be.
 

Doubt Not, Fear Not, But Trust in Him

The Lord’s final words in this section are ones of encouragement: “Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not.” Perhaps these words were given because of the many challenges that would accompany the coming forth of the Book of Mormon. Like in the lives of Oliver Cowdery and the Prophet Joseph Smith, the Lord also knows how our life will unfold. Because He knows, we must learn to put our trust in Him.

Elder M. Russell Ballard gave a powerful insight: “My message to you today, my brothers and sisters, is simply this: the Lord is in control. He knows the end from the beginning. He has given us adequate instruction that, if followed, will see us safely through any crisis. His purposes will be fulfilled, and someday we will understand the eternal reasons for all of these events. Therefore, today we must be careful to not overreact, nor should we be caught up in extreme preparations; but what we must do is keep the commandments of God and never lose hope!”
 

Revelation To Oliver Cowdery, A Message For Us

As we turn to the scriptures, we will learn that the messages are not only meant for them, the words also apply to us. Like Oliver Cowdery, we also belong in this great time of restoration with so many blessings and distractions. May we learn from the Lord’s message to him. May we learn how to seek the Lord’s wisdom first, extend more love to those we say we love, look to the Lord and never doubt, but trust in Him.

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