The document discusses the importance of members seeking their own spiritual confirmation and not relying solely on church leaders. It quotes several statements from Brigham Young emphasizing that members should think for themselves, pray and read scriptures to know the truth, and not have blind faith in leaders. Young warned that overconfidence in leaders could lead people astray and thwart God's purposes. Members are encouraged to discern for themselves through revelation if leaders are walking the path the Lord dictates.

1. Old Testament Sunday School
This Week
Lesson 29:
“He Took Up … the Mantle of Elijah”
Next Week: Old Testament
Lesson 33:
“Sharing the Gospel with the World”
Daniel Burgess
daniel.burgess@gmail.com
408-813-5671 voice/text

3. The Mantle of God
“There is no mystery about the choosing of the
successor to the President of the Church. The Lord
settled this a long time ago, and the senior apostle
automatically becomes the presiding officer of the
Church, and he is so sustained by the Council of the
Twelve which becomes the presiding body of the Church
when there is no First Presidency. The president is not
elected, but he has to be sustained both by his brethren
of the Council and by the members of the Church”
(Doctrines of Salvation, comp. Bruce R. McConkie, 3 vols. [1954–56], 3:156).

5. The Mantle of God
Often with change comes rebellion.

6. Succession Dilemma

7. What do all these have in Common?

8. Principles and Doctrines of the Gospel
Prophets and Revelation
Atonement of Christ
Marriage and Family
Plan of Salvation

9. Wresting Doctrine
Wresting:
verb
1. to twist or turn; pull, jerk, or force by a violent twist.
2. to take away by force: to wrest a knife from a child.
3. to get by effort: to wrest a living from the soil.
4. To twist or turn from the proper course, application, use,
meaning, or the like; wrench.
Noun
5. a wresting; twist or wrench.
6.a key or small wrench for tuning stringed musical instrument,
as the harp or piano, by turning the
pins to which the strings are fastened.

10. Wrest: 2 Peter 3:16
16 As also in all his epistles, speaking in
them of these things; in which are some
things hard to be understood, which they
that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as
they do also the other scriptures, unto
their own destruction.

11. Wrest: Psalms 56:5
5 Every day they wrest my words: all their
thoughts are against me for evil.

12. Wrest: Alma 13:20
20 Now I need not rehearse the matter;
what I have said may suffice. Behold, the
scriptures are before you; if ye will wrest
them it shall be to your own destruction.

13. Wrest: Alma 41:1
1 And now, my son, I have somewhat to say
concerning the restoration of which has
been spoken; for behold, some have
wrested the scriptures, and have gone far
astray because of this thing.

14. Agency
Atonement

15. Destroying Stealing Agency
Change Playing Field
Discredit
Fear, Obligation & Guilt “F.O.G”. Dr. Susan Forward
Feel Stupid, doubt, Responsible, Shame
Using your values against you
Intellect & Superiority
Delusional Behavior
Crazy Making

16. Destroying Stealing Agency
Fear
Obligation
Guilt
Stupid
Resentment
Doubt
YOU

17. Excuses and Testimony
Word of Wisdom
Blacks and the Priesthood
Gay Marriage
Polygamy
Book of Mormon
Faith
Religion

18. Things of the Testimony
Intellectual
Testimony
Rational Spiritual

19. You Have No Power Here
WITCH:
You stay out of this, Glinda, or I'll fix you as well!
GLINDA:
(laughs)
Oh, rubbish! You have no power here. Be gone, before
somebody drops a house on you, too.

20. Lehi’s Dream

21. 1 Nephi 8
Would not partake, Didn’t even start Path V.18
Mist of darkness V. 23
Clinging to Rod/Ashamed V. 24-5
Mocking/Ashamed V. 27-8
Feeling their way/Drowned V. 31-2
Wandering, Lost/Join mocking. V. 33-4
Nephi
“but we heeded them not.”

22. Avoid Wresting: Seek the Principles and
Doctrines of the Gospel
"Seek ye diligently and teach one
another words of wisdom; yea, seek ye
out of the best books words of wisdom;
seek learning, even by study and also
by faith."

23. The Mantle of God
Shall I tell you the law of God in
regard to the African race? If the white
man who belongs to the chosen seed
mixes his blood with the seed of Cain,
the penalty, under the law of God, is
death on the spot. This will always be
so.
– Brigham Young, as found in the Journal of Discourses
10:111

24. I am not now, nor ever have been in favor of bringing
about in any way the social or political equality of the
white and black races. I am not now nor ever have been
in favor of making voters or jurors of Negroes, nor of
qualifying them to hold office, nor of intermarriages
with white people.
There is a physical difference between the white and the
black races which will forever forbid the two races living
together on social or political equality. There must be a
position of superior and inferior, and I am in favor of
assigning the superior position to the white man.

26. The Mantle of God
If the Government of the United States,
in Congress assembled, had the right to
pass an anti-polygamy bill, they had
also the right to pass a law that slaves
should not be abused as they have been;
they had also a right to make a law that
negroes should be used like human
beings, and not worse than dumb
brutes. For their abuse of that race,
the whites will be cursed, unless
they repent.
– Brigham Young, as found in the Journal of Discourses
10:111

27. The Mantle of God
I am neither an abolitionist nor a pro-slavery
man. If I could have been
influenced by private injury to choose
one side in preference to the other, I
should certainly be against the pro-slavery
side of the question.”
– Brigham Young, as found in the Journal of Discourses
10:111

28. The Mantle of God
Shall I tell you the law of God in
regard to the African race? If the white
man who belongs to the chosen seed
mixes his blood with the seed of Cain,
the penalty, under the law of God, is
death on the spot. This will always be
so.
– Brigham Young, as found in the Journal of Discourses
10:111

29. The Mantle of God
Now, sisters, while your input is
significant and welcome in effective
councils, you need to be careful not to
assume a role that is not yours. The most
successful ward and stake councils are
those in which priesthood leaders trust
their sister leaders and encourage them
to contribute to the discussions and in
which sister leaders fully respect and
sustain the decisions of the council made
under the direction of priesthood leaders
who hold keys.
-- “Men and Women and Priesthood Power” By Elder M. Russell Ballard

30. The Mantle of God
For more than 20 years I have been teaching the
importance of councils, including the vital participation
of sister leaders. I acknowledge that some men,
including some priesthood leaders, have not yet seen
the light and still do not include our sister leaders in
full partnership in ward and stake councils. I also
acknowledge that some men oppress women and in
some rare circumstances are guilty of abusing women.
This is abhorrent in the eyes of God.
-- “Men and Women and Priesthood Power” By Elder M. Russell Ballard

31. The Mantle of God
I feel certain that men who demean women in any way
will answer to God for their actions. And any
priesthood leader who does not involve his sister
leaders with full respect and inclusion is not honoring
and magnifying the keys he has been given. His power
and influence will be diminished until he learns the
ways of the Lord.
-- “Men and Women and Priesthood Power” By Elder M. Russell Ballard

32. The Mantle of God
Now, sisters, while your input is
significant and welcome in effective
councils, you need to be careful not to
assume a role that is not yours. The most
successful ward and stake councils are
those in which priesthood leaders trust
their sister leaders and encourage them
to contribute to the discussions and in
which sister leaders fully respect and
sustain the decisions of the council made
under the direction of priesthood leaders
who hold keys.
-- “Men and Women and Priesthood Power” By Elder M. Russell Ballard

33. The Mantle of God
But Brother Burgess? What about when the Prophets
teach something that is wrong?

35. Truth vs Error
Father in Heaven
(Pure Truth)
Veil Veil Veil Veil Veil Veil
Prophets
(Truth)
Holy Spirit
(Pure Truth)
Adversary
(Error)
Wresting Wresting Wresting Wresting Wresting Wresting
ME
(Truth/Error)

36. Truth vs Error: Putting off the “wrest”
Testimony Testimony Testimony Testimony Testimony Testimony
? ?
-My Responsibility to know Truth
-Support/Sustain Leaders
-Seek Father and Atonement in all I do
Prophets
(Truth)
Father in Heaven
(Pure Truth)
ME
(Truth/Error)
Adversary
(Error)
Holy Spirit
(Pure Truth)
World/Man
(Error)
?
?
?
?
?
-Pride
-Offended
-Critical of imperfections
-Accept false teachings/world
? -Rationalize disobedience

37. The Mantle of God
I have known many times I have preached wrong.
Brigham Young, in Thomas Bullock minutes, 8 May 1854, Church Historical
Department.

38. The Mantle of God
Ladies and gentlemen, I exhort you to think for
yourselves, and read your Bibles for yourselves, get the
Holy Spirit for yourselves, and pray for yourselves.
Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses 11:107.

39. The Mantle of God
The great masses of the people neither think
nor act for themselves. . . . I see too much of this
gross ignorance among this chosen people of God.
Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses 9:295.

40. The Mantle of God
What a pity it would be if we were led by one man to
utter destruction! Are you afraid of this? I am more
afraid that this people have so much confidence in their
leaders that they will not inquire for themselves of God
whether they are led by Him.
Brigham Young, (12 January 1862) Journal of Discourses 9:150.

41. The Mantle of God
I am fearful they settle down in a state of blind self-security,
trusting their eternal destiny in the hands of
their leaders with a reckless confidence that in itself
would thwart the purposes of God in their salvation,
and weaken that influence they could give to their
leaders, did they know for themselves, by the
revelations of Jesus, that they are led in the right way.
Brigham Young, (12 January 1862) Journal of Discourses 9:150.

42. The Mantle of God
Let every man and woman know, by the whispering of
the Spirit of God to themselves, whether their leaders
are walking in the path the Lord dictates, or not. This
has been my exhortation continually.
Brigham Young, (12 January 1862) Journal of Discourses 9:150.

43. The Mantle of God
How often has it been taught that if you depend entirely
upon the voice, judgment and sagacity of those
appointed to lead you, and neglect to enjoy the Spirit for
yourselves, how easily you may be led into error, and
finally be cast off to the left hand?
Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses 3:45.

44. The Mantle of God
I do not wish any Latter–day Saint in this world, nor in
heaven, to be satisfied with anything I do, unless the
Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ, the spirit of revelation,
makes them satisfied.
Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses 3:45.

45. The Mantle of God
I am more afraid that this people have so much confidence in their leaders that they
will not inquire for themselves of God whether they are led by him. I am fearful they
settle down in a state of blind self–security, trusting their eternal destiny in the hands
of their leaders with a reckless confidence that in itself would thwart the purposes of
God in their salvation, and weaken that influence they could give to their leaders, did
they know for themselves, by the revelations of Jesus, that they are led in the right way.
Let every man and woman know, by the whispering of the Spirit of God to themselves,
whether their leaders are walking in the path the Lord dictates, or not.