Upon This Rock

Yesterday our normal Sunday church meetings were exchanged for Stake Conference, which is held semi-annually. This Stake Conference was unique in some ways, because a new stake was formed during the conference. That is to say, a certain number of wards were pulled away from other stakes to create a new stake (click on the link above for explanation of wards and stakes). New wards and stakes are created when there are too many members of the Church in one ward or stake to be adequately taken care of, both spiritually and physically. Leaders were called for the new stake, and they in turn will be calling others to help in various service roles. So how were these leaders chosen? It wasn't by popular vote, or by resume; not by any sort of contest. They were called through revelation from God.

In a conversation with His disciples, Jesus Christ asked them a question regarding Himself:

 5 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?

 16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.

 17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

 18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believe that the rock that Christ refers to in this passage is the rock of revelation. Christ tells Peter that his knowledge of who Christ is comes from God. Knowledge from God is revelation.

As God revealed to Simon who Jesus truly was, He reveals similar truths to us today. As Christ pronounced that His Church would be built upon the rock of revelation, it is established today. When the new leaders of our Stake were called yesterday, they were called through the process of revelation. Men with authority (see verse 19, same chapter) to act on God's behalf called these leaders because it had been revealed to them that such was God's will. And so Christ's Church continues to be established, "and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."

Forrest

--who doesn't know as much about rocks as he should