D&C 67

The Savior taught -

"...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."  Doctrine and Covenants Section 67:11 - 12)

In our current New Testament, John taught -

"No man hath seen God at any time."  (New Testament 1 John 4:12)

It seems that there is something missing that was not included in translations because we know Moses talked with God face to face.  The Savior Himself stated an exception  -

"Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father."  (New Testament John 6:46)

In the Joseph Smith translation of the Bible we are told what condition is missing -

"JST John 1:19 ... except he hath borne record of the Son..."  (New Testament:John 1:18)

But what really is the issue is what the Lord followed these statements with -

"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"  (Doctrine and Covenants Section 67:13 - 14)

He states that the real matter is that in His own due time, we shall see and know.  I read the testimony of  Joseph F. Merrill this morning and decided to include it in my blog.  Only because I can testify that I had a very similar experience in the mission field -

"When I was about ten years of age, I began to pray for a special blessing. But I did not get an answer. Why? Father had taught us that there are three factors that must characterize every prayer that the Lord will answer: We must pray for real needs . . . we must pray worthily, and we must pray with faith.


In answer to my first prayer, no answer came. The faith was there, I felt, to the extent that I could exert it. The need was there, I felt certainly no doubt about that, but was the worthiness? I could as always think of something, as I prayed night after night without an answer, that I had done that I should not have done, and so I continued to pray, feeling that when I could make myself worthy of an answer, I would get it. . . .

In the latter part of the month of August, 1887, in my nineteenth year, after I had been praying nightly for nine long years with all the earnestness of my soul for this special blessing, I was alone in the bedroom, and I said, half aloud, 'O Father, wilt thou not hear me?' I was beginning to get discouraged. . . .

Then something happened. The most glorious experience that I have received, came. In answer to my question I heard as distinctly as anything I have ever heard in my life the short, simple word: 'Yes.' Simultaneously my whole being, from the crown of my head to the soles of my feet, was filled with the most joyous feeling of elation, of peace and certainty that I could imagine a human being could experience. I sprang from my knees and jumped as high as I could, and shouted: 'O Father, I thank thee.' At last an answer had come. I knew it.

Why did it not come before? I have thanked the Lord many times since, that He withheld the answer. . . . Since which time never has a day passed that I have forgotten to pray. And as long as memory lasts I cannot forget the thrilling experience of that night." (Joseph F. Merrill, CR, April 1944, pp. 151-52.)