Let me tell you about John Whitmer.
The Lord had called him to be Joseph Smith’s new scribe, writing down all of his revelations.
John happily accepted this assignment!
But then the Lord called John to also take over as the Church historian.
This was going to be different.
Instead of John just writing down what the prophet dictated to him, John was now being asked to come up with his own words.
John told Joseph he didn’t want to take on the role of historian.
But… he also told Joseph to pray about it.
If the Lord told Joseph again that John needed to accept this calling, he would.
Doctrine and Covenants section 47 was the answer that Joseph received as he took it to the Lord again.
And the answer was: “Behold, it is expedient in me that my servant John should write and keep a regular history . . . it shall be given him, inasmuch as he is faithful, by the Comforter, to write these things.” (D&C 47:1, 4)
John accepted the calling and faithfully recorded the Church history.
But he wasn’t alone in this endeavor.
The Comforter, the Spirit, was promised to help John write the history as long as he had faith.
Just like John did, we can cling to the promise that the Lord’s Spirit will be with us as we choose to willingly accept where we are called to serve.
Happy Studying!
-Cali Black
