Sections 121–123 of the Doctrine and Covenants start with the powerful voice of a prophet crying for God. Joseph Smith knew from first hand experience that the Lord was real and he hears prayers, but he still wasn’t above feeling alone. But God was there for him in his despair, and Joseph learned from that experience. And the letters from Liberty Jail can serve as a lesson for us in good times and a boon for us when times get hard.
Segment 1
Scriptures:
D&C 121:9-11, 122:3 (Loyalty and trust)
Segment 2
Scriptures:
D&C 120-121 (Almost a year passes)
Words of the General Authorities:
When you have to, you can have sacred, revelatory, profoundly instructive experience with the Lord in any situation you are in. Indeed, let me say that even a little stronger: You can have sacred, revelatory, profoundly instructive experience with the Lord in the most miserable experiences of your life. (Jeffrey R. Holland, “Lessons from Liberty Jail”, BYU Speeches delivered on September 7, 2008)
Other references for the Prison-Temple include:
B. H. Roberts, A Comprehensive History of the Church
Neal A. Maxwell, “Joseph Smith: “A Choice Seer””
Segment 3
Scriptures:
D&C 121:1-6 (O God, where art thou?)
D&C 121:7-8 (Peace be to the soul)
Words of the General Authorities:
[It] is a painful, personal cry—a cry from the heart, a spiritual loneliness we may all have occasion to feel at some time in our lives. (Jeffrey R. Holland, “Lessons from Liberty Jail”, BYU Speeches delivered on September 7, 2008)
Just at the time he felt most alone and distant from heaven’s ear was the very time he received the wonderful ministration of the Spirit and wonderful, glorious answers that came from his Father in Heaven. Into this dismal dungeon and this depressing time, the voice of God came, saying:
My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment;
And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes. [D&C 121:7–8] (Jeffrey R. Holland, “Lessons from Liberty Jail”, BYU Speeches delivered on September 7, 2008)
We received some letters last evening one from Emma one from Don Carlos Smith and one from Bishop Partridge all breathing a kind and consoling spirit we were much gratified with their contents we had been a long time without information and when we read those letters they were to our souls as the gentle air; refreshing but our joy was mingled with grief because of the suffering of the poor and much injured saints…those who have not been inclosed in the walls of a prison without cause or provocation can have but a little idea how sweet the voice of a friend is one token of friendship from any source whatever awakens and calls into action every sympathetic feeling. (Joseph Smith, “Letter to the Church and Edward Partridge”, 20 March 1839, recorded in The Joseph Smith Papers)
We are not alone in our little prisons here. When suffering, we may in fact be nearer to God than we’ve ever been in our entire lives. That knowledge can turn every such situation into a would-be temple.(Jeffrey R. Holland, “Lessons from Liberty Jail”, BYU Speeches delivered on September 7, 2008)
Segment 4
Scriptures:
D&C 122:7 (For thy good)
Romans 8:28 (All things work for good)
Isaiah 49:16 (Graven on Christ’s palms)
D&C 122:8 (The Son of Man descended below them all)
Words of the General Authorities:
There are in the gospel warm and cuddly doctrines, and then there are some that are just outright wintry doctrines. (Neal A. Maxwell, from a funeral address relayed by Bruce C. Hafen in “The Story of a Disciple's Life: Preparing the Biography of Elder Neal A. Maxwell”)
I used to think, if I were the Lord, I would not suffer people to be tried as they are; but I have changed my mind on that subject. Now I think I would, if I were the Lord, because it purges out the meanness and corruption that stick around the Saints, like flies around molasses. (John Taylor, “Difference Between The Spirit of Zion and the Spirit of The World—Doings in The States, Etc”, Delivered on August 9, 1857 in Salt Lake City, Utah)
To those who stagger or stumble, He is there to steady and strengthen us. In the end He is there to save us, and for all this He gave His life. However dim our days may seem, they have been darker for the Savior of the world. In fact, in a resurrected, otherwise perfected body, our Lord of this sacrament table has chosen to retain for the benefit of His disciples the wounds in His hands and His feet and His side…Those wounds are what He invites young and old, then and now, to step forward and see and feel. (Jeffrey R. Holland, “This Do in Remembrance of Me”, October 1995 General Conference)
Quotes:
Souls are like athletes, that need opponents worthy of them, if they are to be tried and extended and pushed to the full use of their powers, and rewarded according to their capacity. (Thomas Merton, The Seven Storey Mountain)
He could have been embittered; he could have been destroyed. His faith could have soured and left him, but he chose to learn from his pain. I do not want you to think that it was the pain that was good. It was the man that was good and that made the pain work for him, as indeed our Savior did. (Carlfred Broderick, The Uses of Adversity)
Segment 5
Scriptures:
D&C 121:36 (Principles of righteousness govern the powers of heaven)
Romans 8:17 (Joint heirs with Christ)
D&C 121:45-46 (Bowels full of charity)
Words of the General Authorities:
In the Lord’s own words, charity and virtue open the way to having confidence before God! Brothers and sisters, we can do this! Our confidence can truly wax strong in the presence of God, right now! (Russell M. Nelson, “Confidence in the Presence of God”, April 2025 General Conference)
The heavens are just as open to women who are endowed with God’s power flowing from their priesthood covenants as they are to men who bear the priesthood. I pray that truth will register upon each of your hearts because I believe it will change your life. Sisters, you have the right to draw liberally upon the Savior’s power to help your family and others you love. (Russell M. Nelson, “Spiritual Treasures”, October 2019 General Conference)
They remembered their covenants, they disciplined themselves, and they knew that we must live the gospel at all times, not just when it is convenient and not just when things are going well. Indeed, they knew that the real test of our faith and our Christian discipleship is when things are not going smoothly. That is when we get to see what we’re made of and how strong our commitment to the gospel really is. (Jeffrey R. Holland, “Lessons from Liberty Jail”, BYU Speeches delivered on September 7, 2008)
Segment 6
Scriptures:
D&C 123:17 (Cheerfully do all things)
D&C 123:16 (A very small thing can move great things)
Ether 6:8 (The wind always blew toward the promised land)
View transcript here.