In 1993 then Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles shared a moving General Conference address titled Constancy amid Change. As I have discussed my ideas about Truth’s ability to progress from D&C 93:30 (post 1, post 2), I think some of my friends hear that nothing is constant. President Nelson’s talk helps me clarify a few points on Truth’s progression.

In his 1993 address, he shares a conversation with Ruth and John, where they asked, ’What can we trust? Is anything constant that will not change as we grow older?’ which sets up his topic introduction.

To that question I responded with an emphatic, “Yes! Many things!” Because Ruth and John are typical of many today who seek for unchanging constants in a changing world, I would like to address that subject, titling my remarks “Constancy amid Change.” Through the years, prophets and Apostles have spoken of many unchanging constants. To facilitate this discussion, I will group some of these constants into three categories: heavenly personages, plans, and principles.

Constancy or Change?

President Nelson then explains three concepts that are constant in all eternity. I have listed those concepts in bold with a short quote from President Nelson in that group.

• Heavenly personages: Brothers and sisters, these Heavenly Beings love you. Their love is as constant as is the greatest love of earthly parents.
• Plans: I speak now of category two - unchanging plans. A great council in heaven was once convened, in which it seems that all of us participated. There our Heavenly Father announced His plan.
• Principles: Unchanging principles are so because they come from our unchanging Heavenly Father. … All laws of nature and of God are part of the everlasting gospel. Thus, there are many unchanging principles. Time will permit consideration of only a few.

Heavenly personages and plans

Both of these examples fit well with how I interpreted D&C 93:30 and then discussed in the post where I described how Truth becomes more but has always been so. Namely, that God’s love is a constant through the ages and that His covenants with His people can span history, present, and future. I appreciate President Nelson’s examples in this section.

Principles

The principles section has quite a bit more that touches the topic of principles or truths staying constant. President Nelson said that there are many ‘unchanging principles’ but that he only had time to discuss a few. I want to walk through the few that he shared - Priesthood, Moral Law, Divine Commandments, Truth, and Family.

Priesthood: One of them is that of the priesthood. The Prophet Joseph Smith taught that “the Priesthood is an everlasting principle, and existed with God from eternity, and will to eternity, without beginning of days or end of years” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 157).

President Nelson and Joseph Smith are direct in their statements about the constant enduring presence of the priesthood. Its power is endless, and its existence is eternal. The priesthood is an excellent example of a truth that has always been and that becomes more in the Priesthood holder and in the church.¹ I think it has progressed dramatically in the last 200 years in how our church has used it and organized it. I have felt its power change me and become much more in my life.

Moral Law: Another unchanging principle is that of divine or moral law. Transgression of moral law brings retribution; obedience to it brings blessings “immutable and unchangeable” (D&C 104:2). Blessings are always predicated upon obedience to law.

Moral law is a fantastic constant from all eternity. When we follow the proper principles, we reap the appropriate return. There is no worldly entity that is wiser than God, which can alter His decrees. The One that has no beginning is He to whom we should look for moral guidance.

Judgment: Another unchanging principle, brothers and sisters, is that of your eventual judgment. … The Lord has prescribed unchanging requirements for each [kingdom].

As the greatest agent of all, God can promise His judgment and keep his commitment to giving us all that we have attained through Christ. While God has stated His eternal intentions, God cannot predestine our state at that judgment.

Divine Commandments: Other unchanging principles include divine commandments - even those that seem to be temporal. Tithing, for example, is not temporal (or temporary); it is an everlasting principle. The Lord said, “Those who have thus been tithed shall pay one-tenth of all their interest annually; and this shall be a standing law unto them forever” (D&C 119:4; emphasis added).

Tithing is a great example of an eternal truth that progresses as God, church, and followers interact. Mike Day’s LDS Scripture Teachings blog lays out a brief timeline of the progression of Tithing over the years.² I agree with President Nelson that the concept of sharing your value with others is the constant.

Truth: Another unchanging principle is that of Truth. Scripture reminds us that “the truth abideth forever and ever” (D&C 1:39). Even though one’s understanding of the Truth may be fragmentary, Truth itself does not change.

In my previous post about Truth I shared William James description of Truth as ‘something essentially bound up with the way in which one moment in our experience may lead us toward other moments which it will have been worthwhile to have been lead to’ to help explain that Jesus is the Truth. He is the true guide that shows us how to do the Truth. Christ does abide forever and ever, and we can join with Him to abide forever and ever.

Family: May I mention one more everlasting principle - the family. A family can be together forever.

The concept of eternal families does have eternality associated with it. How those families are sealed and what those sealed families do with their eternity has progression to it. Gordon Irving’s BYU Studies article on The Law of Adoption exemplifies the progression of the Truth of forever families in our church.

There are constancy and change

Then Elder Nelson ends his message with the following quote.

Constancy amid change is assured by heavenly personages, plans, and principles. Our trust can be safely anchored to them. They provide peace, eternal progression, hope, freedom, love, and joy to all who will be guided by them. They are true - now and forever - I testify in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

There are constants in the eternities, but they should not be caged like animals or placed on shelves to worship with the dust of all eternity on them. I am fascinated that each constant he shared in his message is dynamic in its application to our lived experience. The plan of salvation does have consistent elements, but God lets His prophets build lived plans for their dispensations. The Godhead is ever constant in their attributes and love, but they are willing to negotiate with Enoch, Abraham, Moses, and other prophets in their lived experience.

God wants eternal progression for all of His creations. Just as God’s seed in each of us can progress, so can the seed of Truth in each of the principles listed above progress under God’s guiding hands. ‘All truth is independent in that sphere in which God has placed it, to act for itself otherwise there is no existence.’ (D&C 93:30)

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