Links for other months: January, February, March, April, May, June, August, September, October, November, December
July, Week 1
Day 1
Primary
1. Read Doctrine and Covenants 71.
2. Persecution increased dramatically for Joseph Smith and the Saints in Kirtland in the winter of 1831. Some Saints began leaving the Church, including Ezra Booth and Symonds Ryder. Booth began publishing letters attacking Joseph and trying to overthrow the work of the Lord. Joseph asked the Lord for advice, and Doctrine and Covenants 71 was received.
3. According to verse 1, what had the Savior provided to help Joseph and Sidney know how to respond? How could the Savior’s counsel help us in our day?
4. Listen to the song “Stand for the Right.”
Youth
1. Read Doctrine and Covenants 71.
2. Persecution increased dramatically for Joseph Smith and the Saints in Kirtland in the winter of 1831. Some Saints began leaving the Church, including Ezra Booth and Symonds Ryder. Booth began publishing letters attacking Joseph and trying to overthrow the work of the Lord. Joseph asked the Lord for advice, and Doctrine and Covenants 71 was received.
3. Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles used the scriptural symbol of fiery darts to describe the criticism of our beliefs by others.
By the shield of our faith in Jesus Christ, we become peacemakers, quenching … all the fiery darts of the adversary [see Ephesians 6:16; Doctrine and Covenants 3:8]. …
How does a peacemaker calm and cool the fiery darts? Certainly not by shrinking before those who disparage us. Rather, we remain confident in our faith, sharing our beliefs with conviction but always void of anger or malice. …
Peacemakers are not passive; they are persuasive in the Savior’s way.
What gives us the inner strength to cool, calm, and quench the fiery darts aimed toward the truths we love? The strength comes from our faith in Jesus Christ and our faith in His words. (Neil L. Andersen, “Following Jesus: Being a Peacemaker,” Liahona, May 2022, 17–18)
4. How should we treat those who disagree with us? President Dallin H. Oaks of the First Presidency taught:
On the subject of public discourse, we should all follow the gospel teachings to love our neighbor and avoid contention. Followers of Christ should be examples of civility. We should love all people, be good listeners, and show concern for their sincere beliefs. Though we may disagree, we should not be disagreeable. Our stands and communications on controversial topics should not be contentious. We should be wise in explaining and pursuing our positions and in exercising our influence. (Dallin H. Oaks, “Loving Others and Living with Differences,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2014, 27)
5. Why must we avoid contention when responding to criticism? Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained:
When we contend with each other in anger, Satan laughs and the God of heaven weeps.
Satan laughs and God weeps for at least two reasons. First, contention weakens our collective witness to the world of Jesus Christ and the redemption that comes through His “merits, … mercy, and grace” [2 Nephi 2:8]. … His latter-day work is compromised when contention or enmity exists among His disciples [see John 17:21, 23]. Second, contention is spiritually unhealthy for us as individuals. We are robbed of peace, joy, and rest, and our ability to feel the Spirit is compromised.
Jesus Christ explained that His doctrine was not “to stir up the hearts of men with anger, one against another; but [that His] doctrine [is] that such things should be done away” [3 Nephi 11:30]. If I am quick to take offense or respond to differences of opinion by becoming angry or judgmental, I “fail” the spiritual stress test. This failed test does not mean that I am hopeless. Rather, it points out that I need to change. And that is good to know. (Dale G. Renlund, “The Peace of Christ Abolishes Enmity,” Liahona, Nov. 2021, 83–84)
Day 2
Primary
1. Today, let’s read the 7th Article of Faith.
We believe in the gift of tongues, prophecy, revelation, visions, healing, interpretation of tongues, and so forth.
2. Listen to the 7th Article of Faith Song.
3. See if you can memorize it!
Youth
1. Today, let’s read the 7th Article of Faith.
We believe in the gift of tongues, prophecy, revelation, visions, healing, interpretation of tongues, and so forth.
2. Listen to the 7th Article of Faith Song.
3. See if you can memorize it!
Day 3
Primary
1. Today read Doctrine and Covenants 72.
2.
“At a very early day after the organization of the Church the Lord revealed the need of a bishop to look after the temporalities and stewardships in the Church. Bishop Edward Partridge was called and sent to Zion to engage in the duties of his calling. On the 4th day of December, 1831, while the Prophet and Sidney Rigdon were engaged in their ministry refuting their enemies, a meeting of the elders was called and the Lord gave them a very important revelation. The Lord declared that it was expedient that a bishop should be called to serve in the Kirtland district. One important duty of this bishop was to look after the stewardships pertaining to the inhabitants of Kirtland and other parts of Ohio, and he was ‘to render an account of his stewardship, both in time and in eternity.’” (Smith, Church History and Modern Revelation, 1:269–70.)
3. Listen to the song “He Sent His Son.”
Youth
1. Today read Doctrine and Covenants 72.
2.
“At a very early day after the organization of the Church the Lord revealed the need of a bishop to look after the temporalities and stewardships in the Church. Bishop Edward Partridge was called and sent to Zion to engage in the duties of his calling. On the 4th day of December, 1831, while the Prophet and Sidney Rigdon were engaged in their ministry refuting their enemies, a meeting of the elders was called and the Lord gave them a very important revelation. The Lord declared that it was expedient that a bishop should be called to serve in the Kirtland district. One important duty of this bishop was to look after the stewardships pertaining to the inhabitants of Kirtland and other parts of Ohio, and he was ‘to render an account of his stewardship, both in time and in eternity.’” (Smith, Church History and Modern Revelation, 1:269–70.)
3. Bishop Partridge was called as the first bishop of the Church. Later, when others were called, he became the equivalent of what today is called the Presiding Bishop. Newell K. Whitney thus was actually under the jurisdiction of Bishop Partridge. “The bishop in Kirtland was to ‘hand over’ to the bishop in Zion, the record of the stewardships, where the permanent records should be kept. For this responsibility Newel K. Whitney was called to act as bishop. He was to keep the Lord’s storehouse in Kirtland, and to receive funds in that part of the vineyard, and to take an account of the elders as he was commanded; to administer to their wants, all those who should pay for that which they received, inasmuch as they have wherewith to pay. These funds received were to be consecrated to the good of the Church, ‘to the poor and needy.’ If there were any who were unable to pay, an account was to be made ‘and handed over to the bishop in Zion, who shall pay the debt out of that which the Lord shall put into his hands.’” (Smith, Church History and Modern Revelation, 1:270.)
