“If Thou Art Faithful unto the End Thou Shalt Have a Crown of Immortality, and Eternal Life”
Doctrine and Covenants 81:1–7
1 Verily, verily, I say unto you my servant Frederick G. Williams: Listen to the voice of him who speaketh, to the word of the Lord your God, and hearken to the calling wherewith you are called, even to be a high priest in my church, and a counselor unto my servant Joseph Smith, Jun.;
2 Unto whom I have given the keys of the kingdom, which belong always unto the Presidency of the High Priesthood:
3 Therefore, verily I acknowledge him and will bless him, and also thee, inasmuch as thou art faithful in counsel, in the office which I have appointed unto you, in prayer always, vocally and in thy heart, in public and in private, also in thy ministry in proclaiming the gospel in the land of the living, and among thy brethren.
4 And in doing these things thou wilt do the greatest good unto thy fellow beings, and wilt promote the glory of him who is your Lord.
5 Wherefore, be faithful; stand in the office which I have appointed unto you; succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees.
6 And if thou art faithful unto the end thou shalt have a crown of immortality, and eternal life in the mansions which I have prepared in the house of my Father.
7 Behold, and lo, these are the words of Alpha and Omega, even Jesus Christ. Amen.
Elder Hyrum M. Smith and Janne M. Sjödahl wrote:
“Frederick G. Williams was not ordained a counselor in the First Presidency until March 18th, 1833. A revelation was given on March 8th, that year, on that subject [see D&C 90:6]. This revelation [D&C 81] seems to have been given to prepare him for the important calling that awaited him. The Lord told him that the keys of the kingdom had been given to Joseph. Rebellion against the Prophet would, therefore, be disloyalty to Him who gave Joseph the keys. He promised Williams blessings if he would be faithful. His duties were to ‘succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees’ [D&C 81:5]. The office of the First Presidency, as here outlined, is one of salvation under the great Captain of Salvation. Of Him, too, it was said, ‘A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory’ (Matt. 12:20). To Frederick G. Williams our Lord says, ‘If thou art faithful unto the end thou shalt have a crown of immortality’ [D&C 81:6].”
(The Doctrine and Covenants Commentary, rev. ed. [1951], 487.)
