“I Design to Endow Those Whom I Have Chosen with Power from On High”
Doctrine and Covenants 95:4–9
4 For the preparation wherewith I design to prepare mine apostles to prune my vineyard for the last time, that I may bring to pass my strange act, that I may pour out my Spirit upon all flesh—
5 But behold, verily I say unto you, that there are many who have been ordained among you, whom I have called but few of them are chosen.
6 They who are not chosen have sinned a very grievous sin, in that they are walking in darkness at noon-day.
7 And for this cause I gave unto you a commandment that you should call your solemn assembly, that your fastings and your mourning might come up into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth, which is by interpretation, the creator of the first day, the beginning and the end.
8 Yea, verily I say unto you, I gave unto you a commandment that you should build a house, in the which house I design to endow those whom I have chosen with power from on high;
9 For this is the promise of the Father unto you; therefore I command you to tarry, even as mine apostles at Jerusalem.
President Joseph Fielding Smith wrote:
“The Kirtland Temple was necessary before the [Lord’s servants] could receive the endowment which the Lord had in store for them. The elders had been out preaching the gospel and crying repentance ever since the Church was organized and many great men had heard and embraced the truth, nevertheless the elders could not go forth in the power and authority which the Lord intended them to possess until this temple was built where He could restore keys and powers essential to the more complete preaching of the gospel and the administering of its ordinances.”
(Church History and Modern Revelation, 2 vols. [1953], 1:406.)
