D&C 38: Gather, Prepare, and Be One
I spent last Saturday going through my sharpening stones. The coarse diamond plate was worn in the middle, the water stone had a shallow groove from years of use, and the strop was loaded with compound that had gone dry. None of it was broken but it all needed resetting. I sat there flattening the stones and working the oil into the leather, checking every edge by feel. The whole thing took two hours and felt like nothing had happened. Then the next morning I picked up a plane and took a shaving off a piece of ash. It came off in one long translucent ribbon. The prep work had done its job.
D&C 38 reads like a chapter about prep work. Received in November 1831, right when the Saints were being asked to relocate to Ohio, it tells them who is speaking, where to go, why they are going, and how to live in the meantime. That is a lot for one revelation.
Why Did the Lord Command the Saints to Gather to Ohio?
The command is in verses 31 and 32. The Lord tells the Saints to go to Ohio. He promises to give them His law there and to endow them with power from on high. The gathering had a purpose that went beyond geography.
I will give unto you my law; and there you shall be endowed with power from on high. (D&C 38:32)
The word endow means to put on or to be equipped with something you did not have before. The Saints were being gathered because God needed them in one place to give them the tools for what was coming. The global mission came after the endowment. First the tools, then the work.
I think about this when I am getting ready for a project. You do not start cutting wood the minute you walk into the shop. You check your stock and sharpen your tools before you lay out the cuts. The actual building is maybe half the work. The rest is getting ready.
Meaning of Be One and If Ye Are Not One Ye Are Not Mine
Verse 27 is where the chapter lands hardest.
Be one; and if ye are not one ye are not mine. (D&C 38:27)
That is a direct statement, not an ideal for future improvement. It is the condition of belonging. If you are not one with the body, you are not His.
To make the point, the Lord gives a parable in verse 26. A man has twelve sons and treats them differently. One gets fine clothing and one gets rags. The Lord asks whether that father is just and the answer is no.
This parable hits harder than it seems. The father is not a villain, just a normal person who plays favorites. The well-dressed son might have earned the better treatment. The ragged son might have been difficult. That is the point. The reasoning does not matter because partiality breaks the family.
Verse 24 says the same thing from the other side. You are to esteem your brother as yourself. Esteem is an action word. It means you treat someone like they matter as much as you do.
What Is the Endowment of Power in D&C 38?
Verse 38 uses the phrase riches of eternity. The Lord is telling the Saints not to worry about the wealth of the earth. Money is not the prize.
I have a friend who restores vintage hand tools. He finds rusted neglected planes at garage sales and cleans them until they work again. They are not worth much in dollars, but the value for him is in the restoration itself.
The endowment of power works the same way. It is a condition you are prepared for, and the preparation matters more than the moment itself. You cannot be endowed without being made ready, and being made ready takes work you cannot skip.
The article on D&C 37: When the Carpenter Stops to Sharpen makes a similar point about preparation in the chapter right before this one.
How to Apply the Labor of Hands in the Church Today
Verse 40 tells every elder, priest, teacher, and member to use the labor of his hands to accomplish the work. No office exempts you from physical effort.
I read that and I think about the woodshop. The labor of hands is measuring twice and sweeping the floor and clamping things square. Most of the work is invisible. The finished piece hides every mistake, but you know they are there.
The same is true in a ward or a branch. Someone sets up the chairs and someone teaches the class. Someone visits the person who has not been seen in six months. None of it is dramatic, but verse 40 says that those who labor have the promise of the Lord instead of the promise of recognition.
Verse 41 says your preaching should be the warning voice delivered in mildness and in meekness. The warning voice is not loud. It is the quiet word you speak because you care. A loud warning is easy to ignore.
The article on D&C 36: The Spotted Apron, the Clean Start covers another angle on this same idea of showing up and doing the work.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean to be endowed with power from on high in D&C 38?
It means being spiritually equipped for the work ahead. The endowment was a process that began with gathering to Ohio, receiving the law, and learning to live in unity. The power came through the preparation.
What is the parable of the twelve sons in verse 26?
The Lord describes a father who treats one son in fine clothing and another in rags. The question is whether that father is just, and the answer is no. The parable is a direct critique of favoritism within the community of believers.
What does it mean to use the labor of hands?
It means the work of the kingdom is done with actual effort. Every role in the church requires physical work at some level. The labor of hands is how the community stays connected.
Why is unity required for belonging?
The chapter states it plainly. If you are not one, you are not His. Unity is the marker of discipleship, not a bonus feature. You cannot be aligned with Christ while treating your brother as less than yourself.
I flattened my sharpening stones and loaded the strop with fresh compound. I spent two hours on work nobody will ever see. Then the plane cut through that ash like it was butter. The prep work showed up in the cut. That is what D&C 38 asks for. The work happens before the reward, and the reward arrives because the work was done.
— D.