“Faithful Elders Will Be Quickened by the Spirit and See the Face of God”
Doctrine and Covenants 67:10–14
10 And again, verily I say unto you that it is your privilege, and a promise I give unto you that have been ordained unto this ministry, that inasmuch as you strip yourselves from jealousies and fears, and humble yourselves before me, for ye are not sufficiently humble, the veil shall be rent and you shall see me and know that I am—not with the carnal neither natural mind, but with the spiritual.
11 For no man has seen God at any time in the flesh, except quickened by the Spirit of God.
12 Neither can any natural man abide the presence of God, neither after the carnal mind.
13 Ye are not able to abide the presence of God now, neither the ministering of angels; wherefore, continue in patience until ye are perfected.
14 Let not your minds turn back; and when ye are worthy, in mine own due time, ye shall see and know that which was conferred upon you by the hands of my servant Joseph Smith, Jun. Amen.
Elder Hyrum M. Smith and Janne M. Sjödahl wrote:
“This [D&C 67:10] is a promise which no man could have given with the hope of fulfilling it. But it was fulfilled. On the evening of the first day of the dedication of the Kirtland Temple, there was a gathering of elders, numbering over four hundred, and many of them testified that they had visions. They heard a sound of a mighty wind. ‘Almost every man in the house,’ one report says, ‘arose, and hundreds of them were speaking in tongues, prophesying and declaring visions, almost with one voice’ [see George A. Smith, “Historical Discourse,” Deseret News, Dec. 21, 1864, 91]. Frederick G. Williams testified that he saw the Savior on that occasion.
“. . . Visions of our Lord are not perceived with the outward eye, or reflected in the natural mind, but with the spiritual eye [see D&C 67:10, 12]. There is a spirit within, whose range of vision is limited by the capacity of physical organs, so that it can neither see nor hear that which lies beyond the boundaries of what we call ‘matter,’ but when the veil is lifted, the spirit can perceive the spiritual world.
“. . . But such a temporary removal of the veil is only partial. [The] natural man cannot see God, or abide in His presence, nor in the presence of angels, unless he be ‘quickened’ by the Spirit of God. [see D&C 67:11–13]. [Compare Daniel 10:7–10;. 1 Corinthians 13:12; Revelation 1:17.]”
(The Doctrine and Covenants Commentary, rev. ed. [1951], 406–7.)
