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.”
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.
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.
A verse from the Book of Mormon shows how hopeful this phrase truly is.
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This principle from 3 Nephi (and some help from my stopwatch) reveals an empowering truth.
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“Most of the best people who ever lived weren’t very famous either. Serve and grow, faithfully and quietly.”
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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.
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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?
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Did you know Alma chapters 30–35 were originally one chapter? Reading the text as one block reveals an important question (and inspiring answer).
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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.
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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.
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In Mosiah 9, the Lamanites were trying to skip right to the easy part.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.”
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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.
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Has the promise of prospering in the land led us to believe that if we keep the commandments, life will be easy?
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Alma 53–63 tells the story of the sons of Helaman and the people of Moroni. These warriors and people of God had some advantages over their enemy, which surprisingly had nothing to do with numbers or military skill. In some ways, their situation feels familiar to those of us who sometimes feel outnumbered and overwhelmed in our latter-day battles against Satan and the forces of evil in the world. Let’s look carefully at those advantages and explore how they can help us in the battles we all face today.
Moroni called the official meeting in Alma 52 the “council of war.” This week, we’ll dive into those war chapters as we study Alma 43–52. Have you ever wondered how to apply these accounts of war to your daily struggles? We’ll discuss some of the best tactics we can learn and use against the ultimate enemy of our souls.
This week, we’re going to celebrate a little Christmas in August. In Alma 39–42, we hear a familiar chorus from the song “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.” What can we learn about “glad tidings” from Alma’s words to his sons? And how can we lean on this good news when times get hard?
The story behind Clara McMaster writing the Primary song “Teach Me to Walk in the Light” is a lesson in persistence and faith. And the song we sing now reminds us to ask about what we are teaching and how it is being taught. Alma 36–38 is about what Alma the Younger taught his sons and then asked his sons to teach the people. Whoever you teach this week, remind them to walk in the light of God’s love.
Alma 32–35 are the quintessential chapters on faith in the Book of Mormon, and however you have studied this topic before, we will approach it differently today. Cherie Call has borne testimony of faith through her life in song. So, sit back as you listen to and study this soundtrack of faith.
We can learn a lot about the ways believers are deceived even today through the study of Korihor in the Book of Mormon. This week in just two chapters, Alma 30–31 we see examples of his counterfeit and find ways to identify true doctrine that can never change. And by the end of the scripture block Korihor will meet his end, reminding us that God will always prevail.