“You Need Not Suppose That You Are Called to Preach Until You Are Called”
Doctrine and Covenants 11:12–17
12 And now, verily, verily, I say unto thee, put your trust in that Spirit which leadeth to do good—yea, to do justly, to walk humbly, to judge righteously; and this is my Spirit.
13 Verily, verily, I say unto you, I will impart unto you of my Spirit, which shall enlighten your mind, which shall fill your soul with joy;
14 And then shall ye know, or by this shall you know, all things whatsoever you desire of me, which are pertaining unto things of righteousness, in faith believing in me that you shall receive.
15 Behold, I command you that you need not suppose that you are called to preach until you are called.
16 Wait a little longer, until you shall have my word, my rock, my church, and my gospel, that you may know of a surety my doctrine.
17 And then, behold, according to your desires, yea, even according to your faith shall it be done unto you.
President Joseph Fielding Smith wrote:
“It is quite the common thing in the world for men to assume authority and to act in the name of the Lord when He has not called them. No man is authorized to act in the name of the Lord, or to officiate in any ordinance, unless he has been properly called. For this reason the Priesthood was restored and the Church organized. When this revelation [D&C 11] was given the Church had not been organized. Presumably some of those who sought light and the will of the Lord felt that when the Lord spoke to them, they were authorized to go forth to act in His name. Here He informs Hyrum Smith that he was to wait [see D&C 11:15–16], yet he was to put his trust in the Holy Spirit and to walk humbly, to judge righteously, ‘and this is my Spirit’ [D&C 11:12].”
(Church History and Modern Revelation, 2 vols. [1953], 1:57.)
