There have been six official proclamations in the 195 year history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and this year is the 30th anniversary of The Family: A Proclamation to the World. On today's episode we are talking with church historians about all six, what they meant for the saints at the time, and what it means when there is a proclamation issued. And even though some are almost 100 years old we will ask what eternal truths can be learned from their words.
In the very back of the Doctrine and Covenants you will find Official Declaration 1 and Official Declaration 2. Todays discussion will talk about what a declaration means and how they set the pattern for continuing revelation. As the ninth Article of Faith says: "We believe that [God] will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.
This is an episode of jubilation, a real jubilee we are all invited to attend. So what are we celebrating? Doctrine and Covenants sections 137–138 answers that question and reminds us it is a celebration we won’t want to miss. The jubilee has its roots in Old Testament doctrine and has been going on for a very long time.
On June 27, 1844 Joseph Smith and Hyrum Smith were shot in Carthage jail. A new section of the Doctrine and Covenants was added just in time for the 1844 publication including a memoriam to their martyrdom. What is now Section 135 has those words from the prophet’s friends announcing the death as a seal to the testimony of the Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants.
Jesus is coming, look busy could be seen as the theme to Doctrine and Covenants 133. Near the same time that Section 1 was revealed as a preface to the Book of Commandments, Joseph Smith received Section 133 as an appendix. These closing words to the saints are focused on the coming of Christ and what we need to do to prepare.
God’s goal for His children is to see us with Him again. That eternal life is best described in John 17 and Doctrine and Covenants 132 as “knowing” God. This week’s Come, Follow Me lesson teaches sacred truths restored through Joseph Smith that allow us to know God and bring ourselves closer to Him—in this world and the world to come.
The doctrine of baptism for the dead is one of the ways we are welded together with our ancestors. Doctrine and Covenants 125–128 contains letters from Joseph Smith to the saints where his mind was on this eternal topic. And the people of the church reacted immediately to participate with gladness in this ordinance.
Persecution in Missouri led the early saints to the swamplands of Illinois, and over a year had passed since the last recorded revelation from the Lord. Doctrine and Covenants 124 is a message to the free saints making their way in a new community. It contains blueprints for the important buildings their growing town needs, and instructions for their lives.
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.
A verse from the Book of Mormon shows how hopeful this phrase truly is.
1 Min Read
This principle from 3 Nephi (and some help from my stopwatch) reveals an empowering truth.
3 Min Read
“Most of the best people who ever lived weren’t very famous either. Serve and grow, faithfully and quietly.”
3 Min Read
God wants us to live with joy, not guilt that we are not doing enough. Find peace by noticing the subtle signs of progress in your life.
5 Min Read
Alma's son Corianton pursued a harlot and had significant concerns about the gospel. What can we learn from what Alma chose to say to him?
4 Min Read
Did you know Alma chapters 30–35 were originally one chapter? Reading the text as one block reveals an important question (and inspiring answer).
4 Min Read
I’ve realized Amulek is poignant inspiration to anyone feeling like their life is falling apart even though they chose to do what was right.
3 Min Read
This summer, the Sunday on Monday podcast has decided to prove the scripture and see how we can truly “count it all joy.”
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Sometimes when you come across a very familiar verse, it can be easy to just gloss it over because you know it so well.
1 Min Read
In Mosiah 9, the Lamanites were trying to skip right to the easy part.
2 Min Read
This week’s “Come, Follow Me” nugget is more the size of a rock, but there is just so much that King Benjamin teaches in Mosiah 4.
2 Min Read
We know we are the spirit children of Heavenly Father, so how is it that we can also be the children of Christ? The answer is wonderfully ennobling.
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Our challenge today is not a lack of access, but a lack of attention.
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We love Enos for his heartfelt prayers. Here are a few details about how he prays you may’ve not noticed but that can help you in life.
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A debt paid? Understanding? Protection? Comfort? For any definition of the word “cover,” you can find a solution for it in the Atonement of Jesus Christ.
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The journey back to God usually isn’t as simple as moving from point A to point B.
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There is a segment in this week’s “Come, Follow Me” reading that captures the spirit of the “Visitors Welcome” signs found on every Latter-day Saint church building.
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Nephi writes like someone who intends for his words to be read, and 2 Nephi 25 is like he’s stretching his arm through the fourth wall to tell us what’s important.
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2 Nephi 18 talks about the Lord—and the temple—being a sanctuary. So how can we find that same peace in our busy lives today?
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“God has His hand in everything. Every page of the Book of Mormon is evidence of that.”
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Studying Jacob may help you see how both deep sorrow and anxiety can coexist with God’s goodness.
4 Min Read
Moses, Nephi, and Joseph Smith are all names on the page for us today. But their struggles and faith were real. And we can learn from their lessons.
2 Min Read
In the middle of Lehi’s message to Jacob, we get a small but powerful message that “all things must needs be a compound in one.”
2 Min Read
With Valentine’s Day coming up, we’ve chosen our favorite podcast episodes to help you find ideas to love others more deeply as the Savior would.
5 Min Read
Has the promise of prospering in the land led us to believe that if we keep the commandments, life will be easy?
5 Min Read
The moments in my life where the scriptures have come alive the most are in casual conversations with roommates or family. That’s when the application happens.
3 Min Read
When nothing else makes sense and you are confused by what you hear, start there. Start with knowing God loves you.
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“Falling down” at the feet of Jesus can become an instructive, beautiful, inspiring detail in Lehi’s vision of the tree of life.
4 Min Read
My ah-ha moment from this week’s reading came from one word found in the family conflict immediately preceding Lehi’s vision.
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There are many ways we can learn about God throughout our lives, two of which are through the scriptures and our family.
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Sometimes knowing leads to doing, and other times doing leads to knowing.
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A new year brings new resolutions and a new ‘Come, Follow Me’ curriculum. Let’s dive into our 2024 study of the Book of Mormon.
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The world is pretty different than it was in January 2020, but we are back to reading the Book of Mormon together and there are a few new perks for 'Sunday on Monday' podcast listeners.
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Busy week? Me too. LDS Living is here to catch you up and get you ready for discussions on Sunday. Here’s a nugget of wisdom from this week’s Come, Follow Me study of The Living Christ: The Testimony of the Apostles.
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Don’t get too bogged down with the foreboding symbolism in Revelation. Instead, focus on finding Christ.
2 Min Read
One of the topics I appreciated the most—especially given our special focus on Christ this time of year—was a discussion on the dozens of varied names for the Savior we find in the Book of Revelation.
1 Min Read
A theme song on TV immediately clues you in on what you are about to watch. There are themes in the scriptures, too, that hint at what you’ll read in the following chapters—especially the words of Isaiah. This week’s Come, Follow Me study focuses on 2 Nephi 11–19, which quotes much of the early chapters of Isaiah. And by starting at the beginning, we can find a clear theme in these passages: symbols of the Savior, Jesus Christ.
In 2 Nephi 6–10, Jacob encourages the covenant people always to remember God, just as He always remembers us. Jacob teaches from the words of Isaiah to help his people learn about God’s promised blessings and glorify His name. Today, as we study these passages, we’ll discuss how we can fulfill those words as well.
Even after experiencing loss and trials in the wilderness, Nephi says his family lived “after the manner of happiness” (2 Nephi 5:27). What does that look like for us, and how can we learn from Nephi and his people’s examples? As we study 2 Nephi 3–5, we can hopefully reaffirm, as Nephi did in his psalm, that despite temptation and conflict, our hearts rejoice—and we can trust in God forever.
This week’s Come, Follow Me section is relatively short—but not at all short on doctrine. The prophet Lehi’s final words are packed with so much eternal truth. We'll focus on listening and learning by the Spirit as we study together from 2 Nephi 1–2.
With all the heartache, suffering, and devastation going on in the world, it’s easy to wonder why bad things happen to good people. But instead, what if we consider how good people respond when bad things happen? This is the approach we’ll take as we study and learn from 1 Nephi 16–22. Looking at it this way helps us realize challenges can bring us to a place where we’re most likely to meet God. And if bad things happening help us get to know God better, then many of you have met him 100 times over.
Last week, we left off with 1 Nephi 10:17 when Nephi told us he was desirous that he might see, hear, and know of the things in his father’s vision. That’s a big ask—to see, hear, and know. So, what are you desirous to learn? As we go over 1 Nephi 11–15, we’ll explore what Nephi found out and how to apply these things in our lives.