Special Collections

This week in Doctrine and Covenants we got to visit the Special Collections department of the library. I actually learned some really awesome new things, even though I've worked there for more than a year.

Special Collections is an incredible place. I think it's probably one of the most overlooked resources for BYU students. The Church has obviously spent a substantial sum of money to obtain items that will help students and faculty members with their research. Plus, some of the stuff is just plain cool. In addition to the items we looked at related to the history of printing, Special Collections has an Oscar statue, the original film score to Gone With the Wind, two of Jimmy Stewart's accordions, a window from Hitler's hideout, a copy of the Book of Commandments, and so much more.

Despite the fact that I've worked with these materials for numerous hours, I'm still impressed by the miracle of printing technology. The thing that really struck me during the presentation was the fact that God always prepares a way for his purposes to be accomplished. Every step we traced up to nineteenth-century printing techniques was absolutely necessary in order for the Book of Mormon to be published.

The first item we saw was a 4,000-year-old cuneiform tablet, a beer merchant's receipt. We looked at replica metal plates, like those that would have been used in Roman times, as well as pieces of papyrus. We saw illuminated manuscripts made by monks and nuns during the Middle Ages. Without the development of the printing press, it would have been entirely impossible for the word of God in the Book of Mormon to be spread efficiently. Long before print technology finally came about, the Lord had begun to plan for the future needs of his church.

"For the eternal purposes of the Lord shall roll on, until all his promises shall be fulfilled." Mormon 8:22

I know that the Lord's purposes can't be frustrated. His perfect reliability makes it easy for us to place our trust in him. All of the material objects I saw in Special Collections were merely another testament to the fact that the Lord has all things prepared for us if we seek to know his will. He knows the end from the beginning, and his plans are perfect and will all be fulfilled. Even when we, without our limited perspective, can't see how things could possibly work out, God has always prepared a way. His foresight is one of the most incredible aspects of his omniscience, in my opinion.

"... from thence shall the gospel roll forth unto the ends of the earth, as the stone which is cut out of the mountain without hands shall roll forth, until it has filled the whole earth." D&C 65:2

Just for fun:
A video we watched at the beginning of the presentation.