In early August 1831, Joseph Smith and other elders of the Church were preparing to return to Kirtland after a short visit to Missouri. The Lord wanted these men to preach the gospel during their trip. Some of the men had no problem with that, but others were hesitant. Doctrine and Covenants 60–63 set the Lord’s expectations and desires for the Saints on their journey home, whether on the road to Ohio or our eventual home with God again.
There are a lot of comforting words you can say to a friend or family member who is going through a hard time. And we can find many reassuring words in the scriptures, too. Our Come, Follow Me study this week in Doctrine and Covenants 58–59 contains a unique phrase for the Saints in Missouri. And no matter what we are going through, we can hope to “lay to heart” these words from God as well.
For Church members in the 1830s, gathering in Ohio and building the city of Zion were spiritual as well as temporal labors. In the revelations recorded in Doctrine and Covenants 51–57, the Lord appointed and instructed people to handle the tasks required for building a new place. He also taught the people about becoming a Zion people, which may have been more difficult than building, printing, or running a store.
Doctrine and Covenants 50 carries an invitation from the Lord that we accept every time we study, listen to a podcast, or go to church: “Let us reason together.” For today’s discussion on sections 49 and 50, we are joined by two educated women who are familiar with reasoning about the scriptures. And their insight will help us all be “edified and rejoice together.”
The early Church didn’t have manuals or study guides—they didn’t even have enough copies of the Book of Mormon to go around. But what they did have was ongoing revelation. Doctrine and Covenants 42–56 deal with organizing the Church better, resolving disputes between members, and combating deception. You could almost say these sections are like the earliest General Handbook for the Church. Sections 46–48 contain doctrine so vital to the organization of Christ’s Church that we still rely on it today.
In 1831, the exact circumstances and details of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ generated a lot of speculation among the Saints. Joseph Smith asked those questions to God and received an answer. Doctrine and Covenants section 45 is known as the Second Coming section, and while it does not predict when Jesus will come again, it does give us doctrine and signs to watch for—revelation that can help prepare us for when He does return someday.
The Saints arrived in Ohio to build their Zion community, and this effort took hard work. They needed to build homes, shops, and a temple while also building trust in each other. In Doctrine and Covenants 41–44, we learn about the new law their community would live under and how much was required to live up to it.
A line in the hymn “Praise to the Man” reads: “Sacrifice brings forth the blessings of heaven.” In our study of Doctrine and Covenants 37–40, the Saints were asked to give up something very valuable with a promise of future blessings from God. While we hopefully won’t need to walk away from our property and worldly possessions like the early pioneers, their story can teach us important lessons about the eternal principle of sacrifice.
This year, our theme for studying the Doctrine and Covenants is to A.S.K. (Always Seek more Knowledge) because that’s what Joseph Smith did. In this special Easter episode, five people from different walks of life share their testimonies of praying and seeking answers from God. As our thoughts turn to Christ this Easter season, we hope these words of faith will help you feel closer than ever to God.
Elder Kearon believes this truth “can console all of us.”
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These resources can help any family dive deeper into the Doctrine and Covenants in 2025.
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In a chaotic world, peace can be a precious commodity. This episode begins our study of Doctrine and Covenants 30–36, seven chapters filled with peaceable things of the kingdom. Just as these verses advised 12 men who needed the assurance of peace, these sections can offer us encouragement and respite today.
Doctrine and Covenants 29 tells of the signs, plagues, and disasters that will come before the Millennium. Reading them might give you a case of the Second Coming scaries, but not to fear. Because in this divine section, we are also reminded of who God is and how He cares for His children. When times get scary, we can always find refuge in Christ.
God wants to commit responsibilities to each of us. They come in church callings or personal promptings to share His gospel. We show our commitment by choosing to magnify those callings from God. Doctrine and Covenants 27–28 discuss committing to God and warn about what it looks like when that commitment is in the wrong place.
What makes your heart sing? Where do you turn when you want to be closer to the Spirit and feel God’s love? Maybe it’s art, books, or a literal song. In this week’s reading of Doctrine and Covenants 23–26, the Lord says his soul “delighteth in the song of the heart” in an important revelation. And we’ve built you a perfect playlist to go along with it.
Scholars have described the Whitmer home as a “celebrated dwelling place.” It is where the first conference was held, the Church was organized, and the revelation we are discussing this week was received. Doctrine and Covenants 20–22 describe the order in which God keeps His house, and as we study these sections, we can explore how to make our homes celebrated Christlike dwelling places.
Doctrine and Covenants 19 is an account of our Savior, Jesus Christ telling us about His own personal suffering from His perspective. It is a deeply personal section–deeply personal for Martin Harris who it is directed towards and deeply personal for all of us who need a reminder of what Christ did. But no matter who we are, the Atonement of Christ is the answer when we are asking questions.