Let's Discuss: "His Spirit to Be with You," by Henry B. Eyring

"His Spirit to Be with You"

By President Henry B. Eyring, Second Counselor in the First Presidency
1 April 2018, Sunday Morning Session

Hymn Recommendations:
103  Precious Savior, Dear Redeemer
123  Oh, May My Soul Commune with Thee
143  Let the Holy Spirit Guide
157  Thy Spirit, Lord, Has Stirred Our Souls
The following one is quoted in the talk, so I would give it priority consideration!
165  Abide with Me; 'Tis Eventide

Favorite Quote:

She is like all who are great ministers in the Lord’s kingdom. It seems there are two things they do. Great ministers have qualified for the Holy Ghost as a nearly constant companion. And they have qualified for the gift of charity, which is the pure love of Christ. Those gifts have grown in them as they have used them in serving out of love for the Lord.

Something to put on the board:

"My hope today is to increase your desire and your ability to receive the Holy Ghost." 

One-sentence Synopsis:
We can and should increase our desire and ability to open our hearts to receive the Holy Ghost and charity, to be effective ministers for the Lord.

Talk and Discussion Questions:

This talk was one of the talks that moved me most during the live sessions.  Let's just get right into it!  All emphasis in the quotes added by me.

My brothers and sisters, I am grateful for the opportunity to speak to you on the Lord’s Sabbath, in the general conference of His Church, at this Easter season. I thank our Heavenly Father for the gift of His Beloved Son, who came voluntarily to earth to be our Redeemer. I am grateful to know that He atoned for our sins and rose in the Resurrection. Every day I am blessed to know that, because of His Atonement, I may someday be resurrected to live forever in a loving family.

I notice he says in "a loving family."  That made me consider that there is always choice - we create our families in more ways than one.  But I think this is extra special to him, because he is about to relate the passing of his mother.

I know those things by the only way any of us can know them. The Holy Ghost has spoken to my mind and heart that they are true—not just once but often. I have needed that continuing comfort. ... 

When I hear "the only way," my ears kind of prick up, because something I'm interested in is that there is only one way, and it is the doctrine of Christ, or Christ Himself (see 2 Nephi 31, John 14:6).  So for President Eyring to say he knows these things the only way we can, means he has followed the covenant path - the faith that leads to the knowledge (see Alma 32), etc.

He says we receive confirmation not just once but often - what does that mean to you?  How often is often?  Do you have any examples of continuing comfort and confirmation from the Spirit?  I will share one.  Before my now husband and I were engaged, I started receiving spiritual witnesses that he was the one I should marry.  I was a little dubious, because we lived different lifestyles at the time, and often would ask for confirmation from the Spirit that it was true, and He continually affirmed the promptings.

We all experience tragedy during which we need the reassurance of the Spirit. ...

Whe do you think we all have these experiences where "we NEED the reassurance of the Spirit?"  Maybe it is exactly for that reason - so that we NEED the Spirit, so that we TURN to the Spirit and ALIGN ourselves with the Spirit.

... I felt it one day as I stood with my father in a hospital. We watched my mother take a few shallow breaths—and then no more. As we looked on her face, she was smiling as the pain left. After a few silent moments, my father spoke first. He said, “A little girl has gone home.”

He said it softly. He seemed to be at peace. He was reporting something he knew was true. He quietly began to gather Mother’s personal things. He went out into the hospital hallway to thank each of the nurses and doctors who had ministered to her for days.
My father had the companionship of the Holy Ghost at that moment to feel, to know, and to do what he did that day. He had received the promise, as many have: “That they may have his Spirit to be with them” (D&C 20:79).

President Eyring seems to use the word "receive" a lot in this talk.  This is the first out of 13 instances.  I've made a list at the bottom of this post to put them together in one place.  In studying this talk, my mind went back to Elder Bednar's talk in October 2010 about receiving the Holy Ghost.  I want to share a quote from there to bear in mind as we think about "receiving" the promises and more that Elder Eyring mentions.

"The Holy Ghost does not become operative in our lives merely because hands are placed upon our heads and those four important words are spoken. As we receive this ordinance, each of us accepts a sacred and ongoing responsibility to desire, to seek, to work, and to so live that we indeed 'receive the Holy Ghost' and its attendant spiritual gifts."  -- David A. Bednar, Oct. 2010

Whenever I hear the word "receive," I also think of the temple and receiving our endowments there.  I believe it is all related.

My hope today is to increase your desire and your ability to receive the Holy Ghost. ... 

I love when the prophets and apostles state the intention for their talk.  It is easier to put everything they say into the perspective of their purpose.  What does it mean to you to receive the Holy Ghost?

...Remember, He is the third member of the Godhead. The Father and the Son are resurrected beings. The Holy Ghost is a person of spirit. (See D&C 130:22.) It is your choice whether to receive Him and welcome Him into your heart and mind.

Is it that easy?  Do we just CHOOSE?  What do you think?  Comment below.  I would say yes and no.  Yes, it is that easy - to "look unto Him in every thought" is a simple-enough concept ... to say.  Maybe it is easier said than done, though.  It is easy to be distracted by the tendencies of the natural man, and our false traditions.  Also, the next quote:

The conditions on which we can receive that supernal blessing are made clear in the words that are spoken every week but perhaps do not always sink into our hearts and minds. To have the Spirit sent to us, we must “always remember” the Savior and “keep his commandments” (D&C 20:77).

Aha - so there are conditions to receiving - and they are important enough for us to ponder weekly in our Sacrament prayers.

This time of year helps us remember the Savior’s sacrifice and His rising from the tomb a resurrected being. Many of us hold images of those scenes in our memories. I once stood with my wife outside a tomb in Jerusalem. Many believe that it was the tomb from which the crucified Savior emerged as a resurrected and living God.

The respectful guide that day motioned with his hand and said to us, “Come, see an empty tomb.”

We stooped to enter. We saw a stone bench against a wall. But into my mind came another picture, as real as what we saw that day. It was of Mary, who was left by the Apostles at the tomb. That is what the Spirit let me see and even hear in my mind, as clearly as if I had been there:

What a beautiful testimony to share at general conference.  Truly President Eyring is a seer.  Notice the colon (":") - how much of the following did he witness.  When he shared this, it was almost like receiving the vision myself, his testimony was so clear and certain.

“But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre,

“And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.

“And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him.

“And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus.

“Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.

“Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.

“Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God” (John 20:11–17).

This seems to be the end of the experience he witnessed in his mind as real as being at conference that day.  Wow.

Next, President Eyring starts to emphasize the idea of our heart burning within us - testimony of the Holy Ghost.  But he does not say it outright - it is without mentioning it by name!  I did not catch this when listening live!  I get so much more out of studying a printed copy!  Just keep these in mind as we read the next bit.

I have prayed to be allowed to feel something of what Mary felt at the tomb and what two other disciples felt on the road to Emmaus as they walked with the resurrected Savior, thinking Him a visitor to Jerusalem:

Do we pray for these feelings and experiences?  Can we have these experiences?

“But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them.

“And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them.

“And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.

“And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?” (Luke 24:29–32).

Some of those words were repeated in a sacrament meeting I attended more than 70 years ago. In those days sacrament meetings were held in the evening. It was dark outside. The congregation sang these familiar words. I had heard them many times. But my lasting memory is of a feeling on one particular night. It draws me closer to the Savior. Perhaps if I recite the words, it will come to all of us again:

Abide with me; ’tis eventide.
The day is past and gone;
The shadows of the evening fall;
The night is coming on.
Within my heart a welcome guest,
Within my home abide.

Abide with me; ’tis eventide.
Thy walk today with me
Has made my heart within me burn,
As I communed with thee.
Thy earnest words have filled my soul
And kept me near thy side.

O Savior, stay this night with me;
Behold, ’tis eventide.
O Savior, stay this night with me;
Behold, ’tis eventide.1

If you listen to the recording of this talk, President Eyring gets a little choked up.  He remembers the feelings.  Have you received personal, Word-of-God messages through hymns?  Have you ever had an experience where a hymn takes on new meaning for you - and you cannot hear or sing it the same?  Share your experiences in the comments.  I love the hymns.  Many of them are my "friends," that mean a lot to me.  If I find myself singing one out of the blue, I look for a message from Above.

More precious than a memory of events is the memory of the Holy Ghost touching our hearts and His continuing affirmation of truth. More precious than seeing with our eyes or remembering words spoken and read is recalling the feelings that accompanied the quiet voice of the Spirit. Rarely I have felt it exactly as the travelers on the road to Emmaus did—as a soft but unmistakable burning in the heart. More often it is a feeling of light and quiet assurance.

Here we have some descriptions of feeling the Spirit.  It is difficult to verbalize the spiritual.  How do you describe the Spirit?  I think President Eyring is also trying to emphasize the FEELINGS we feel during a message.  Maybe if we start to feel those feelings, we can know to look for a message.

We have the priceless promise of the Holy Ghost as a companion, and we also have true directions on how to claim that gift. These words are said by the Lord’s authorized servant with his hands on our head: “Receive the Holy Ghost.” At that moment you and I have the assurance He will be sent. But our obligation is to choose to open our hearts to receive the ministration of the Spirit over a lifetime.

Aha - receiving the Holy Ghost is not like opening a present and you're done - it takes dedication over a lifetime to continue to receive.  Also, President Eyring gives us the clue that we must "open our hearts to receive."  How do we do that?  Share your thoughts in the comments.  I believe the biggest key may be uprooting the natural man and becoming a saint (Mosiah 3:19).

Next is an interesting section of the talk, where we see an example in Joseph Smith.

The experiences of the Prophet Joseph Smith offer a guide.

Why do prophets serve as guides?  How can we know we can trust them?

Ok - on to the example:

He began and continued his ministry with the decision that his own wisdom was not sufficient to know what course he should pursue. He chose to be humble before God. 

Next, Joseph chose to ask of God. He prayed in faith that God would answer. The answer came when he was a young boy. Those messages came when he needed to know how God would have His Church established. The Holy Ghost comforted and guided him throughout his life.

He obeyed inspiration when it was difficult. For instance, he received direction to send the Twelve to England when he needed them most. He sent them.

He accepted correction and comfort from the Spirit when he was imprisoned and the Saints were terribly oppressed. And he obeyed when he went down the road to Carthage even as he knew he faced mortal danger.

The Prophet Joseph set an example for us of how to receive continual spiritual direction and comfort through the Holy Ghost.

The first choice he made was to be humble before God.

How can we choose to be humble?

The second was to pray with faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

How can we increase our faith and prayers?

The third was to obey exactly. Obedience may mean to move quickly. It may mean to prepare. Or it may mean to wait in patience for further inspiration.

 I really loved this third item.  How can we obey more exactly?

And the fourth is to pray to know the needs and hearts of others and how to help them for the Lord. Joseph prayed for the Saints in distress when he was in prison. ...

 How can we or how should we pray for others?

...It has been my opportunity to observe the prophets of God as they pray, ask for inspiration, receive direction, and act on it.

I have seen how often their prayers are about the people they love and serve. Their concern for others seems to open their hearts to receive inspiration. That can be true for you.

Do you have any experiences about praying for others?  Some of my most heartfelt prayers are on behalf of others.  Some of my clearest "answers" are after praying for others.  I remember a friend's sister was going to have surgery, and she asked for prayers.  I prayed for her, and I felt confirmation that things would go smoothly!  I was a little surprised to receive confirmation about a prayer that was for someone else's benefit!  But I testify of it.

Inspiration will help us minister to others for the Lord. You have seen that in your experience, as I have. My bishop once said to me—at a time when my wife was under great strain in her own life—“Every time I hear of someone in the ward who needs help, when I get there to help, I find that your wife was there ahead of me. How does she do that?”

She is like all who are great ministers in the Lord’s kingdom. It seems there are two things they do. Great ministers have qualified for the Holy Ghost as a nearly constant companion. And they have qualified for the gift of charity, which is the pure love of Christ. Those gifts have grown in them as they have used them in serving out of love for the Lord.

Have we qualified for the Holy Ghost?  Have we qualified for charity?  What lack we yet?  Are we serving within our capacities?  Is there some area of your life that you can devote to service?

Now we are approaching conclusion, with a final, beautiful scriptural promise:

The way in which prayer, inspiration, and love of the Lord work together in our service is described for me perfectly in these words:

“If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.

"If ye love me, keep my commandments.

“And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

“Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

“I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

“Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.

“At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.

“He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him” (John 14:14–21).

Wow - big promises.  Do we have the First Comforter?  Do we have the Second Comforter?  What lack we yet? (This may be too personal to share.)

I bear my personal witness that the Father is at this moment aware of you, your feelings, and the spiritual and temporal needs of everyone around you. I bear testimony that the Father and the Son are sending the Holy Ghost to all who have that gift, ask for that blessing, and seek to be worthy of it. ...

We who have the gift of the Holy Ghost have access to Their constant stream of "divine light" or truth - it's like a radio frequency- are we tuned in to "receive" the Word?

...Neither the Father, nor the Son, nor the Holy Ghost force Themselves into our lives. We are free to choose. ...

There is that choice idea again.  Let's set a new intention today:  I CHOOSE TO RECEIVE the ministrations of the Holy Ghost!

...The Lord has said to all:

“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

“To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

“He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith” (Revelation 3:20–22).

I love that he included that last verse - are our ears open to the Spirit??  How can we be "woke?"

I pray with all my heart that you will hear the voice of the Spirit, which is sent to you so generously. And I pray that you will open your heart always to receive Him. If you ask with real intent and with faith in Jesus Christ for inspiration, you will receive it in the Lord’s way and in His time. God did that for the young Joseph Smith. He does it today for our living prophet, President Russell M. Nelson. He has placed you in the way of other children of God to serve them for Him. ...

What other children of God are we placed to serve? Children, families, ministering routes, ward members, callings and stewardships, friends, acquaintances, literally everyone we meet can be in our sphere of influence.  We can brighten any day with as small an effort as a smile, or as big an effort as a service project.

...I know that not only by what I have seen with my eyes but more powerfully by what the Spirit has whispered to my heart. 

I have felt the love of the Father and of His Beloved Son for all the children of God in the world and for His children in the spirit world.

CHARITY! President Eyring has felt it.

I have felt the comfort and the direction of the Holy Ghost. I pray that you may have the joy of having the Spirit with you as your companion constantly. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

So - now that we've gone through his talk - HAS your desire and ability to receive the Holy Ghost increased??  Take a moment to reflect.  Maybe reread it!

Receive as a Key Word

I enjoy studying this way sometimes, when a word keeps surfacing in a talk.  What extra nuances do these instances teach you?  What is President Eyring saying?  Think about where/when we "receive" - do you see any additional symbolism?

1. My father had the companionship of the Holy Ghost at that moment to feel, to know, and to do what he did that day. He had received the promise, as many have: “That they may have his Spirit to be with them” (D&C 20:79). 
2. My hope today is to increase your desire and your ability to receive the Holy Ghost.
3. It is your choice whether to receive Him and welcome Him into your heart and mind.
4. The conditions on which we can receive that supernal blessing are made clear in the words that are spoken every week but perhaps do not always sink into our hearts and minds. To have the Spirit sent to us, we must “always remember” the Savior and “keep his commandments” (D&C 20:77).
5. We have the priceless promise of the Holy Ghost as a companion, and we also have true directions on how to claim that gift. These words are said by the Lord’s authorized servant with his hands on our head: “Receive the Holy Ghost.” At that moment you and I have the assurance He will be sent.
6. But our obligation is to choose to open our hearts to receive the ministration of the Spirit over a lifetime.
7. He obeyed inspiration when it was difficult. For instance, he received direction to send the Twelve to England when he needed them most. He sent them.
8. The Prophet Joseph set an example for us of how to receive continual spiritual direction and comfort through the Holy Ghost.
9. It has been my opportunity to observe the prophets of God as they pray, ask for inspiration, receive direction, and act on it.
10. Their concern for others seems to open their hearts to receive inspiration. 
11. “Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you."
12. And I pray that you will open your heart always to receive Him.
13. If you ask with real intent and with faith in Jesus Christ for inspiration, you will receive it in the Lord’s way and in His time.

The Iron Rod, Part 2

View Part 1 here

THE IRON ROD, PART 2

I have to start by saying that this is still a study in progress - a fascinating and joyful study that I highly recommend. The entire Book of Mormon has opened up to me in a new way - and I did not think it a stranger before. That said, I am just as sure there are other layers and meanings in the scriptures referenced below, and I cannot write everything. I am sharing with the hope that we can help each other better understand THE WAY (It Is All Christ, is it not?), and in so doing we can all better draw and be drawn closer to Him. Please share your insights! It is making an amazing picture.

As mentioned in part 1, I believe one of the synonymous, symbolic references to the iron rod is the "arm of mercy."

Next, I want to bring in the cherubim and flaming sword. I picked up a few years ago the idea that the flaming sword represents justice. This seemed to be supported by scriptures (more below). This led me to the idea that maybe the cherubim represent mercy. Cherubim surround the MERCY seat, after all. They were on the tabernacle/temple curtains/wall and veil - guarding the holy WAY (I might say like armor...) - I even like to think of them as the "angels who stand as sentinels" spoken of by Brigham Young:

“Let me give you a definition in brief. Your endowment is, to receive all those ordinances in the house of the Lord, which are necessary for you, after you have departed this life, to enable you to walk back to the presence of the ​Father, passing the ANGELS who stand as sentinels, being enabled to give them the key words, the signs and tokens, pertaining to the holy Priesthood, and gain your eternal exaltation in spite of earth and hell.”  (Journal of Discourses, p. 416)

Anyway, I was pondering justice and mercy as two opposing halves (or arms) of the same whole, and was impressed with the thought: why am I splitting the cherubim and flaming sword?... Maybe the cherubim and flaming sword represent mercy AND the cherubim and flaming sword represent justice. I can't call one an arm and the other a fire (for example) - when they are both arms and both fires. Realizing I haven't laid everything out yet - consider two examples. First - the very same angel who came to rebuke Alma the Younger (justice) also came to bless him (mercy):

"...And now I say unto thee, Alma, go thy way, and seek to destroy the church no more, that their prayers may be answered, and this even if thou wilt of thyself be CAST OFF."  Mosiah 27:15

"Blessed art thou, Alma; therefore, LIFT UP thy head and rejoice, for thou hast great cause to rejoice; for thou hast been faithful in keeping the COMMANDMENTS of God from the time which thou receivedst thy first MESSAGE from him. Behold, I AM HE THAT DELIVERED IT unto you."  Alma 8:15

One might say they are both mercy ... I can see that (that may even reinforce the idea that they are more the same, and we are the difference), although the mercy was not really for Alma the Younger's benefit - it was mercy to Alma the Elder, and at the least a warning of impending justice to the Younger and company - they still had severe repenting to do (see also the Alma 26 verses quoted below). ...

Second example, consider that the same ANGEL and PILLAR (cherub and sword!) both protected the camp of Israel (mercy) and deflected the chariots of Egypt (justice):

Exodus 14:19-20
"19 And the ANGEL of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the PILLAR of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them:
"20 And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and DARKNESS to them [Egyptians], but it gave LIGHT by night to these [Israel]: so that the one came not near the other all the night."

It even makes me wonder if the opposition - the duality - of justice and mercy is some sort of mortal illusion. They were only placed after the Fall, after all:

Genesis 3:24
"24 So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden CHERUBIMS, and a FLAMING SWORD which turned every way, to keep the WAY of the tree of life."

Not only were they only placed after the Fall, if justice and mercy are opposing names of the same principle (God is perfect, just, and merciful (Alma 42:15) so they cannot be mutually exclusive), it might explain how their effect on us (thanks to our dear Redeemer - this statement and everything would be impossible without Him!) depends on our state (with the Savior). Either we become a saint/penitent/gold/without spot, and claimed by mercy, or we remain natural man/enemy/dross/spotted, and cast off by justice:

Alma 42:24  "For behold, JUSTICE exerciseth all his demands, and also MERCY claimeth all which is her own; and thus, none but the truly PENITENT are saved."
Alma 22:6  "And also, what is this that Ammon said—If ye will REPENT ye shall be SAVED, and if ye will not repent, ye shall be CAST OFF at the last day?"

Regardless of similarity or difference, in the scriptures, we often read of the "sword of justice" and the "arm of mercy" (never "the sword of mercy," I mean (saving the "bowels of mercy" for another day!)). Here are just a couple of each (2 for sword of justice, 2 for arm of mercy) out of many examples, because the idea pertains to my point:

Alma 26:19-21
"19 Oh then, why did he not consign us to an awful destruction, yea, why did he not let the SWORD OF HIS JUSTICE fall upon us, and doom us to eternal despair?
"20 Oh, my soul, almost as it were, fleeth at the thought. Behold, he did not exercise his JUSTICE upon us, but in his great MERCY hath brought us over that everlasting GULF of death and misery, even to the SALVATION of our souls.
"21 And now behold, my brethren, what NATURAL MAN is there that knoweth these things? I say unto you, there is none that knoweth these things, save it be the PENITENT."

(Interjecting to say I especially love this passage, because there is a lot of tree of life vision imagery going on here (gulf, sword, etc.). In fact, (at risk of stating the obvious,) aspects of the vision are hidden in plain sight throughout the Book of Mormon...)

3 Nephi 29:4  "And when ye shall see these sayings coming forth among you, then ye need not any longer spurn at the doings of the Lord, for the SWORD OF HIS JUSTICE is in his RIGHT HAND; and behold, at that day, if ye shall spurn at his doings he will cause that it shall soon overtake you."

(Me again - just to point out here that justice is (at least sometimes) associated with the right hand! - I had been thinking solely right vs. left - which also has a ring to it and important symbology (nods to Gileadi) - until I came across this scripture - just more food for thought...)

Mosiah 29:20 "...and thus doth the Lord work with his power in all cases among the children of men, extending the ARM OF MERCY towards them that put their TRUST in him."

Jacob 6:5  "...And while his ARM OF MERCY is extended towards you in the light of the day, harden not your hearts."

Ok - so all that is really intro for this next bit. ...
While I was studying the doctrine of Christ last year, the following scripture rang in my ears like a bell:

2 Nephi 31:21
"And now, behold, my beloved brethren, THIS IS THE WAY; and there is NONE OTHER WAY nor name given under heaven whereby man can be saved in the kingdom of God. And now, behold, this is the doctrine of Christ, and the only and true doctrine of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, which is one God, without end. Amen."

I got thinking that if there is ONLY ONE WAY, that Nephi may be describing through the doctrine of Christ in 2 Nephi 31 the same WAY that guards the tree of life! (See the Genesis scripture above). So I started putting things together. I went back to Lehi's vision, thinking if this impression was correct, then this tree of life vision should also correspond to Genesis and 2 Nephi 31 (I realize it is also in the temple endowment ceremony, but I am not directly addressing that here, except to say it is the same WAY, because there is ONLY ONE); I further thought I should be able to find the cherubim and flaming sword in Lehi's vision, and I wanted to see if they were there in a connection to justice and mercy, as well. ... I was not disappointed:

1 Nephi 12:18  "And the large and spacious building, which thy father saw, is vain imaginations and the pride of the children of men. And a great and a terrible GULF divideth them; yea, even the [S]WORD OF THE JUSTICE of the Eternal God, AND THE MESSIAH who is the Lamb of God, of whom the Holy Ghost beareth record, from the beginning of the world until this time, and from this time henceforth and forever."  [side-note: this is a scripture that Skousen has pointed out a typo - comparing the original manuscript (sword) to the printer's manuscript (word) - but both work for this demonstration!]
1 Nephi 15:30  "And I said unto them that our father also saw that the JUSTICE OF GOD did also divide the wicked from the righteous; and the brightness thereof was like unto the brightness of a FLAMING FIRE, which ASCENDETH UP UNTO GOD forever and ever, and hath no end."

So I easily found justice - and there are even terms like "flaming" that exactly match the flaming sword, but where was the cherubim/mercy?? It dawned on me as it may have you ... the iron rod! (Btw, does not the ascending brightness of flaming fire also remind you of a "pillar of fire/light" - Moses, Lehi, Joseph Smith, etc.? ... more similarities in this justice/mercy dichotomy.)

Back to Lehi.  There are only two verses that specifically mention "mercy" in our record of Lehi's vision:

1 Nephi 8:8-9
"8 And after I had traveled for the space of many hours in darkness, I began to pray unto the Lord that he would have MERCY on me, according to the MULTITUDE of his TENDER MERCIES.
"9 And it came to pass after I had prayed unto the Lord I BEHELD a large and spacious field."

Lehi prays for mercy, and he can SEE (discussed in part 1). The extension of mercy (light/truth/Spirit/etc.) in answer to his prayer deflects the darkness. There are also a multitude (like a host - Lord of Hosts?), which is interesting with the idea that Christ sends ministering servants (angels and mortals) also discussed in Part 1. Here's another scripture that took on additional meaning for me:

Doctrine & Covenants 1:38
"What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my WORD shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled, whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my SERVANTS, it is the same."

His servants are not just His mortal servants, but also His authorized representative angels! Also vice versa. His servants are not just His angels, but also His authorized representative mortals! (God may have shattered some triangles for me here.)  :)

The second "mercy" scripture from Lehi (technically after his vision) is the following. To me it is a perfect match to the iron rod and mercy/justice keywords:

1 Nephi 8:37
"And he did exhort them [Laman & Lemuel] then with all the feeling of a tender parent, that they would hearken to his WORDS, that perhaps the Lord would be MERCIFUL to them, and not CAST THEM OFF; yea, my father did preach unto them."

So, I guess I am leaving the conclusions somewhat open.

For fun, where do you think "justice, love, and mercy meet in harmony divine?"
See also 2 Nephi 1:15.

A couple more comments:


Comment 1:
An interesting connection is the idea of being an "instrument" in the hands of God, which has long been a desire of my heart. I think now, that this idea coincides with this symbology - we become instruments of spiritual warfare - iron rods or swords of the Spirit (as we are in alignment with the Spirit) in the hand of God. I used to think more in the musical instrument capacity ... I think that can still be a part of it, too.  :) ...

This imagery goes right along with the command to make straight the paths of the Lord. I used to wonder at that. Is not His path straight? Not because He isn't straight ... but because He gives us the privilege of being extensions of mercy from Him to strengthen feeble knees, to be His emissaries, His servants, etc. WE need to continue to "straighten up" to continue our ascent and to increase our privilege of laboring in His vineyard - helping with His work.


Comment 2:
There are actually many synonymous, symbolic references to the iron rod/word of God. So far, I have found scriptures (often more than one - these references are just examples) that seem to link the iron rod/word of God to the Spirit and a sword (Ephesians 6:17), an arm (D&C 3:8), mercy (Mosiah 16:12), light and truth (D&C 84:45), favor (1 Nephi 17:35), atonement (D&C 29:1), grace (2 Nephi 10:24), preachings/prophesyings (Omni 1:13), an instrument in God's hands (Mosiah 27:35-36), promises (Alma 17:15), nourishment (Jacob 5:47), wisdom (2 Nephi 2:12), power (Omni 1:13), guide (Mosiah 2:36), virtue (Alma 31:5), testimony (Alma 7:20), tongue of angels (2 Nephi 31:13-14), discernment (Hebrews 4:12),  and there are more I'm leaving out, and I'm sure more I haven't discovered yet ...


Comment 3:
If this imagery is also the same as Jacob's Ladder ... we can see the covenant path as a sort of ladder ascending upward, with the angels (flaming tongues?) descending and ascending on their ministries/missions, and messages/reports thereof. I like to picture it in my mind as a spiral staircase (double helix). I like the spiral idea, because not only does it coincide with the idea of cyclic rebirthing closer to the Savior, but it matches the flaming sword "which turned every way" - that could be a spiral sort of pattern - maybe?

"An experience from the life of Jacob, an Old Testament prophet, illustrates the importance of covenants. As a young man, Jacob was sent to a distant city by his father with a specific assignment. He camped during his journey. One night, he experienced a vision. He saw the Lord, and communicated with Him. The Lord made specific promises to Jacob regarding himself and his posterity. After the vision, Jacob set up a stone as a memorial for what he had experienced there. He named the place Bethel, which means “the house of God.” In connection with this sacred event, he also made a promise to God that he would be faithful in observing a specific commandment (see Genesis 28).

"President Marion G. Romney (1897-1988) related the following about Jacob’s experience: “When Jacob traveled from Beersheba toward Haran, he had a dream in which he saw himself on the earth at the foot of a ladder that reached to heaven where the Lord stood above it. He beheld angels ascending and descending thereon, and Jacob realized that the covenants he made with the Lord there were the rungs on the ladder that he himself would have to climb in order to obtain the promised blessings—blessings that would entitle him to enter heaven and associate with the Lord.” (Temples—The Gates to Heaven, Ensign, Mar. 1971) Just as Jacob had to climb each step of the ladder to ascend to heaven, so we must receive and obey the ordinances and covenants of the temple to return to God’s presence and become like Him."