Six years ago, in the October 2019 women’s session of general conference, President Nelson said to all the women, “I entreat you to study prayerfully all the truths you can find about priesthood power. You might begin with Doctrine and Covenants sections 84 and 107.” This week, we will be studying the first of those powerful revelations on the oath and covenant of the priesthood and how it holds truths relevant to all of God’s children.
In Doctrine and Covenants 81-83 the Lord reiterates a command to care for the poor and needy among the church. With this (and every commandment) he also gives a promise. We can learn in these sections about the nature of covenants and callings and the promises from God when we are faithful to the end.
In March 1832, Joseph Smith met with Church leaders to discuss Church business, which, at the time, was the need to publish revelations, purchase land, and care for the poor. In today’s study of Doctrine and Covenants sections 77–80, we will discover how the Lord met these needs and helped prepare His children to receive “a place in the celestial world” and “the riches of eternity.”
Doctrine and Covenants section 76 contains a vision answering the great question of mortality: “What happens after we die?” The answer doesn’t have to be complicated with diagrams; it is as simple as understanding that God loves us. And that inexhaustible love reaches to all of God’s creations.
There are critics of the Church in whatever corner of the vineyard you go. The early Saints experienced this in the forms of violence and persecution, and we still have places online and in person where it is our calling to defend the work. Doctrine and Covenants 71–75 contain a promise for all those proclaiming the gospel, and we can have confidence that “no weapon that is formed against [us] shall prosper.”
Elder Renlund first suggests making sure we are doing what God has asked of us and “not something extra that we impose on ourselves.”
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In a group of meetings in November 1831, the Lord revealed that the Saints in the latter days should be able to read the revelations being received by Joseph Smith. A new book of scripture would be published, and the precursor to our current Doctrine and Covenants was in the works. During those meetings, the Lord revealed a preface in Doctrine and Covenants 1, an appendix that would become Doctrine and Covenants 133, and the four sections in our study this week: Doctrine and Covenants 67–70. And as recorded in section 70, these words would be “worth … the riches of the whole Earth.”
What is required for building Zion? The Saints in the early 1830s had land, resources, and plans, but they weren’t aligned in their attitude. In today’s discussion of Doctrine and Covenants 64–66, we learn what the Lord asks of us as we continue their mission to build Zion on the earth. And even though it won’t be just one city, the requirements from God are the same.
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.
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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What are some life lessons you learned as a young adult? Consider what you were going through and finding out around the age of 21—because that’s how old the Prophet Joseph Smith was as we begin our study of Doctrine and Covenants 3–5. In these sections, Joseph learned vital spiritual life lessons that all of us can learn from.
It had been three years since God the Father and Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph Smith, but he hadn’t received any additional revelations. He began to wonder whether the Lord was displeased with him. Like all of us, Joseph had made mistakes, and he felt condemned by them. In this week’s Come, Follow Me study of Joseph Smith History 1:27–65, we feel the relief that God is still there and has a work for all of us to do.
The Doctrine and Covenants is a book of questions and answers, and the Restoration came about because of one specific question. Our discussion of Joseph Smith History 1:1–26 centers on the historical background of Joseph’s life before his prayer in the grove. This context can help when we have questions and give us hope in a God that answers.
There’s just one section in the Come, Follow Me lesson this week and it is the Lord’s preface to the Doctrine and Covenants, D&C 1. Every section as we study this year will have eternal truths and we will make it our mission on this podcast to find them, starting with a lot of truth packed into this one powerful section. Happy New Year and let’s find truth together in 2025.
The Doctrine & Covenants is full of people with questions, and God giving answers with truth. And one of the eternal truths that we see the most is that God loves His children. In fact that is the first line in the Restoration Proclamation that was read in General Conference by President Nelson. To start our study of church history and the D&C we have five scholars to discuss their thoughts on that landmark proclamation.