Rhythm and Contrast
I recommend this talk by Elder Maxwell about Joseph Smith. His literary bent shows him the rhythm and contrast, the tragic poetry, that lies in Joseph Smith’s life and in ours.
Great courage, great strength, great passion — and going peaceably to his death.
After a glorious visitation, a laborious implementation.
Remarkable manifestations, along with constant vexations.
Befriended by heavenly notables, betrayed by some of his earthly friends.
Receiving keys and gifts, but the painful loss of six of his eleven children.
That is Joseph Smith’s poetry.
When you come to passages in your own life that are troubling, keep reading. Dauntless the slug horn to your lips set and blow.
P.S. I loved this passage.
President Young said that those who knew Joseph could tell when “the Spirit of revelation was upon him, … for at such times there was a peculiar clearness and transparency in his face.” (In Journal of Discourses, 9:89.)
Other posts from the Priesthood session of the April 1992 General Conference
Marilyn Nielson The very best available
John Mansfield
March 16, 2021
I miss middlebrow artfulness. And I am glad for every visit to the Salt Lake temple that I included in my Utah visits over the past couple decades. I knew that one day it would be gone, and a half suspected that my last visit was my last. I regret that I only participated in the Manti temple three times, but I treasure those three. For that matter, I am also glad that I returned to the LA temple after the progression through the temple had been restored. I suppose LA will go back to the static configuration for the sake of uniformity and efficient use of patrons’ minutes.
G.
March 16, 2021
I never had a chance to go through salt lake City or manti. I have always wanted to.
The news has made me really sad
John Mansfield
March 17, 2021
Thinking further on the emphasis on uniformity and efficiency, guided by a somewhat autistic hyper-literalness, and the resulting blandness, I wonder if an end to temple weddings is ahead, with all sealings of the living attended by a company of a dozen at most and occupying the sealer’s time and the altar for no more than ten minutes.
Bookslinger
March 18, 2021
Yes. Contrast is baked into the system – opposition in all things.
One form of poetic contrast is bathos.
Two forms of contrast that the Lord seems to like are growth, and turning tbe tables.
From one couple, Abraham and Sarah, the Lord grew many great nations.
A nation of slaves in Egypt was turned into a mighty army.
A shepherd boy with a stone and sling kills an armored giant soldier.
Laban, a rich man who commanded 50 soldiers, was killed with his own sword wielded by a young civilian.
A small boat-load of immigrants eventually fills a continent.
An uneducated rustic young adult translates a new scripture that spreads world-wide.
After your family watches a moving session of General Conference, your children spontaneously take turns bearing moving testimony. Your heart soars as much listening to them as it did watching conference. — Then your dog walks into the room and harks up on the carpet.