Today many people feel a longing for heaven, where, they want to believe, they will be welcomed not only into the arms of their families, but also into the arms of God, said Bruce C. Hafen, BYU provost.

Giving the keynote address at the 21st annual Sydney B. Sperry Symposium on the Scriptures, Brother Hafen said: "The Restoration offers a complete fulfillment of that longing, not just as momentary emotion, but as the fully developed doctrine of the gospel of Jesus Christ."Brother Hafen was one of 26 presenters to address various topics at the Sept. 26 symposium at BYU. The theme of the conference was, "The Heavens Are Open."

Because the Doctrine and Covenants and Church history will be the curriculum of the Sunday School program next year, symposium topics concerned the doctrines of the Restoration as found in the Doctrine and Covenants, as well as modern revelation and the role and teachings of the prophets.

Focusing on a theme taken from D&C 50, Brother Hafen remarked: "I can hear Him [the SaviorT saying to all those, within and outside the Church, who hunger and thirst to find Him in these times of trauma and famine: `Behold, ye are little children and ye cannot bear all things now; ye must grow in grace and in the knowledge of the truth. Fear not, little children, for you are mine, and I have overcome the world, and you are of them that my Father hath given me; and none of them that my Father hath given me shall be lost; . . . and inasmuch as ye have received me, ye are in me and I in you.' (D&C 50:40-43.) `Be faithful and diligent in keeping the commandments of God, and I will encircle thee in the arms of my love.' " (D&C 6:20.)

Brother Hafen noted that he finds great irony in statements made by scholars and others who say that the Atonement and grace of God have no significance in Latter-day Saint doctrine.

"The Restoration through Joseph Smith actually made the Atonement and the grace of Jesus Christ relevant and accessible to individuals in a way that traditional Protestant and Catholic doctrines have simply been unable to do. And this has occurred at a time when the contemporary society is literally starving with spiritual hunger.

"I find it poignant that so many people would instinctively yearn for a sense of genuine belonging in everlasting relationships of loving, intimate meaning, not only with other people, but also with God. How sad and ironic, then, that today's Christian theology offers no serious response to these deeply felt needs."

He continued: . . . "Many Americans dream of a heaven where families are reunited and where God Himself might welcome them in a divine embrace. The Restoration offers these people not only the hope of such an embrace, but a full understanding of its meaning, which offers the promise of `peace in this life, and eternal life in the world to come.' (D&C 59:23.)

"For being clasped in the arms of Jesus symbolizes the fulfillment of His Atonement in our personal lives, here as well as in heaven, becoming literally "at one" with Him, belonging to Him, as He will to us."

He suggested that "just as the Restoration offers the most complete and satisfying available theology about heaven, the Restoration also fills a similar - and more substantial - theological void about the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Moreover, the Restoration teaches of Christ's mission in a way that lets His life and His death speak to our most profound human needs in everyday life, just as an understanding of heaven fulfills our hopes for the life after death.

"Brothers and sisters, sometimes I think we have no idea of the strength of the Church's position," he remarked. "Our strength derives not just from family values and healthy living, as important as those are; it derives from the `authentic theology' of the restored gospel, which is the last, best, and only hope of Christianity, and of all mankind. The Restoration not only resolves Christianity's doctrinal dilemmas, it also offers the most complete solution to our greatest problems, whether social or personal."

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Doctrines help members stay to truth

The doctrines of the Restoration assist the Lord's children immeasurably in sifting and sorting through the philosophies of men and staying to that which is true and enduring, said Robert L. Millett, dean of Religious Education at BYU.

Giving the closing address at the Sperry Symposium, he said: "The Restoration was designed to be a significant revolution . . . [andT as broad and as deep as the apostasy. Being loyal to the Restoration entails being ready and willing to bear witness of the truths made known to us in this latter day.

"Because of what has been made known through Joseph Smith, we know what it takes to operate the kingdom of God and what things the people of God must do to comply.

"As members of the Church at the close of the twentieth century, we can be loyal to Joseph Smith only to the degree that we are loyal to the leaders of the Church in our own day. Those who criticize or find fault with the present Church or its constituted authorities in the name of being true to Brother Joseph know not what they do. The spirit of Joseph is with the leaders of this Church. Of this I have no question."

Articles of Faith tied to D&C's content

A closer look at the order of the Articles of Faith shows they relate to the structure and content of the Doctrine and Covenants, and to the revelations that passed through the mind of Joseph Smith before he wrote the Articles of Faith, said Fred E. Woods, director of the Institute of Religion in Boulder, Colo.

For example, the first article seems to be the basis on which all the other articles rest, he explained. The second article supports doctrines concerning the fall of Adam found in the Doctrine and Covenants and the third article is intertwined with that.

The Articles of Faith, basic doctrines of belief, were "never intended to be viewed as a `complete exposition' of Latter-day Saint belief. Rather they were to be regarded as a theological outline of the basic doctrines of the LDS faith.

"Although each of the 13 articles is . . . presented somewhat at random throughout the first edition of the Doctrine and Covenants, that edition certainly serves as a powerful commentary on the Articles of Faith, which are in and of themselves treasures of truth."

The Lord blesses, inspires Church as much today as He did in the past

Some members wonder why there are not as many examples of miraculous spiritual manifestations now as in the days of Joseph Smith or the pioneers, said Richard O. Cowan, BYU professor of Church History and Doctrine.

But years of research by Brother Cowan show that the Lord is blessing and leading His Church as much today as in the past.

"Some of the most impressive twentieth century manifestations have been linked to calls into Church service and to the selection of temple sites," he explained.

Brother Cowan shared the story of the Apostle George Albert Smith in 1924 when he saw the spot where the Oakland Temple would be built. He also told of President Heber J. Grant and the inspiration he received while establishing the principles of the Church Welfare Plan in the 1930s.

"These revelations have blessed a variety of Church activities. . . . Most of these revelations came by inspiration rather than through such spectacular means as personal visitations or visions. Interestingly and significantly, inspiration is likewise the source of most revelations recorded in the Doctrine and Covenants."

Lord knows His children by name

Learning about the individuals named in the Doctrine and Covenants can lead to a greater understanding of this set of scriptures and also reveals the important role of the individual in the Lord's revelations, said Susan Easton Black, BYU professor of Church History and Doctrine.

"Greater truths, analogies, and `likenings' can be gained by knowing details of the people identified in the revelations of the Lord than by merely passing over a name," she remarked at the Sperry Symposium.

She said the Doctrine and Covenants teaches that the Lord knows His children by name. "He knows of their talents and gifts as well as their weaknesses and imperfections. He extended an invitation to greater service to the faithful but not all chose to listen and accept His directions.

"It is my hope that the readers of this scripture will take note of the names and begin to wonder more about who they were, where they came from, and if they fulfilled their divine commission. Such research will lead to a greater understanding of why the Lord has preserved their names in scripture from generation to generation."

Prophet is man of great loyalties

To provide a glimpse into the life of President Ezra Taft Benson, his son, Reed A. Benson, spoke about the molding, making and the ministry of President Benson in a special presentation at the Sperry Symposium.

Brother Benson, a BYU associate professor of ancient scripture, told of how members have responded to President Benson's plea to flood the earth and their lives with the Book of Mormon.

More than half of all the copies of the Book of Mormon distributed in this dispensation have been distributed in the last six years, Brother Benson noted.

President Benson's talks to the children, young men and young women, single-adult brothers, single-adult sisters, fathers and mothers, and the elders have also been key in his ministry, Brother Benson explained. His message "Beware of Pride" is considered a masterpiece as well.

As one who has consistently spoken out in defense of the Constitution, Brother Benson said he saw significance in his father's ministry during the bicentennial of the United States Constitution.

He added: "My father has been true to mankind's three great loyalties - loyalty to God as a great prophet, loyalty to family as a great patriarch, and loyalty to country as a great patriot."