Hello! And welcome to Come, Follow Me – Doctrine and Covenants. Unlike other classes you have for school, this is organized into weeks to match the pace of classes and lessons at church. If you miss a day, skip ahead to be sure you stay in the right week. A day with an asterisk (*) means you have something to print!
There are two sections for each lesson, Primary and Youth. Be sure to choose the lesson that’s right for your age.
Links for other months: February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
January, Week 1
Day 1
Primary*
1. During His mortal ministry, the Savior established His Church on the earth and called His Apostles to lead it. The Apostles were eventually slain, which led to a period known as the Great Apostasy. Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ began the process of restoring the gospel to the earth by appearing to the Prophet Joseph Smith in 1820. Joseph Smith recorded the revelations he received from the Lord, and many of them are found in the Doctrine and Covenants, which serves as a witness that Jesus Christ speaks in our day.
2. Watch the video “About the Doctrine and Covenants.”
3. Listen to the song “The First Article of Faith.” Watch the whole video. See if you can memorize the 1st Article of Faith!
4. Print out a copy of the Doctrine and Covenants Doctrinal Mastery scripture chart.
Youth*
1. During His mortal ministry, the Savior established His Church on the earth and called His Apostles to lead it. The Apostles were eventually slain, which led to a period known as the Great Apostasy. Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ began the process of restoring the gospel to the earth by appearing to the Prophet Joseph Smith in 1820. Joseph Smith recorded the revelations he received from the Lord, and many of them are found in the Doctrine and Covenants, which serves as a witness that Jesus Christ speaks in our day.
2. In 2020, to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Joseph Smith’s First Vision, the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles wrote a proclamation. It is called “The Restoration of the Fulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ: A Bicentennial Proclamation to the World.” President Russell M. Nelson said this about it:
We wondered if a monument should be erected. But as we considered the unique historic and international impact of that First Vision, we felt impressed to create a monument not of granite or stone but of words—words of solemn and sacred proclamation—written, not to be carved in “tables of stone” but rather to be etched in the “fleshy tables” of our hearts. (Russell M. Nelson, “Hear Him,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2020, 90)
3. Is more of the gospel of Jesus Christ yet to be restored? President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, then of the First Presidency, taught:
Sometimes we think of the Restoration of the gospel as something that is complete, already behind us—Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon, he received priesthood keys, the Church was organized. In reality, the Restoration is an ongoing process; we are living in it right now. It includes “all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal,” and the “many great and important things” that “He will yet reveal” [Articles of Faith 1:9]. Brethren [and sisters], the exciting developments of today are part of that long-foretold period of preparation that will culminate in the glorious Second Coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ. (Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Are You Sleeping through the Restoration?,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2014, 59)
4. Listen to the song “The First Article of Faith.” Watch the whole video. See if you can memorize the 1st Article of Faith!
5. Print out a copy of the Doctrine and Covenants Doctrinal Mastery scripture chart.
Day 2
Primary
1. This year, you will have opportunities to study the Doctrine and Covenants at home, in church, and in seminary. As you study, you will have many opportunities to learn of Jesus Christ and listen to His words. This can help you come to know Him more fully and experience the peace He promises.
2. Listen to the song “Follow the Prophet.”
Youth
1. This year, you will have opportunities to study the Doctrine and Covenants at home, in church, and in seminary. As you study, you will have many opportunities to learn of Jesus Christ and listen to His words. This can help you come to know Him more fully and experience the peace He promises.
2. What is the relationship between the Book of Mormon and the Doctrine and Covenants? President Ezra Taft Benson (1899–1994) taught:
The Doctrine and Covenants is the binding link between the Book of Mormon and the continuing work of the Restoration through the Prophet Joseph Smith and his successors. …
The Book of Mormon is the “keystone” of our religion, and the Doctrine and Covenants is the capstone, with continuing latter-day revelation. The Lord has placed His stamp of approval on both the keystone and the capstone. (Ezra Taft Benson, “The Book of Mormon and the Doctrine and Covenants,” Ensign, May 1987, 83)
3. What makes the Doctrine and Covenants an important book to study? Elder Neal A. Maxwell (1926–2004) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles stated:
If asked which book of scripture provides the most frequent chance to “listen” to the Lord talking, most individuals would at first think of the New Testament. The New Testament is a marvelous collection of the deeds and many of the doctrines of the Messiah. But in the Doctrine and Covenants we receive the voice as well as the word of the Lord. We can almost “hear” him talking. (Neal A. Maxwell, “The Doctrine and Covenants: The Voice of the Lord,” Ensign, Dec. 1978, 4)
Elder John A. Widtsoe (1872–1952) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught:
Every doctrine taught by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is found, either outlined or shadowed forth, in the Book of Doctrine and Covenants. As far as I know, there is no doctrine taught by the Church which is not found in some way or form in this book. … No other one of our sacred books can lay the same claim to a full survey of all the doctrines of the Church. (John A. Widtsoe, The Message of the Doctrine and Covenants [1969], 117)
4. Although the Doctrine and Covenants contains significant teachings from the Lord as part of the Restoration of His gospel to the earth, the Restoration was not finished with the publication of the Doctrine and Covenants. The Lord continues to reveal truth to His prophets and apostles as part of the ongoing Restoration. Read the following statement by President Russell M. Nelson:
The Restoration is a process, not an event, and will continue until the Lord comes again.
… The ongoing Restoration needs ongoing revelation. (Russell M. Nelson, “The Temple and Your Spiritual Foundation,” Liahona, Nov. 2021, 94)
Week 2
Day 1
Primary
1. Today read D&C 1:1-16.
2. In November 1831, the restored Church of Jesus Christ was just a year and a half old. Though growing, it was still a little-known group of believers living in relatively small towns, led by a prophet in his mid-twenties. But God considered these believers to be His servants and His messengers, and He wanted the revelations He had given them to be published to the world.
3. Listen to the song “Search, Ponder and Pray.”
Youth
1. Today read D&C 1:1-16.
2. In November 1831, the restored Church of Jesus Christ was just a year and a half old. Though growing, it was still a little-known group of believers living in relatively small towns, led by a prophet in his mid-twenties. But God considered these believers to be His servants and His messengers, and He wanted the revelations He had given them to be published to the world. Doctrine and Covenants section 1 is the Lord’s preface, or introduction, to these revelations. It clearly shows that even though the membership of the Church was small, there was nothing small about the message God wanted His Saints to share. It is a “voice of warning” for all “the inhabitants of the earth,” teaching them to repent and establish God’s “everlasting covenant” (verses 4, 8, 22). The servants carrying this message are “the weak and the simple.” But humble servants are just what God calls for—then and now—to bring His Church “out of obscurity and out of darkness” (verses 23, 30).
3. You might be interested to know that when a council of elders met in 1831 to talk about publishing Joseph Smith’s revelations, some people opposed the idea. They were embarrassed by Joseph’s weakness in writing, and they worried that publishing the revelations might cause more problems for the Saints (see Saints, 1:140–43). If you had been a member of this council, how would you have addressed these concerns? What insights do you find in section 1 that might have helped? (see, for example, verses 6, 24, 38).
Day 2
Primary
1. Read D&C 1:17-29.
2. By November 1831, the Prophet Joseph Smith had recorded more than 60 revelations from the Lord. However, few Church members had copies of the revelations. Under the direction of the Prophet, the revelations were compiled in a new volume of scripture called the Book of Commandments, which later became part of the Doctrine and Covenants. As the book was about to be printed, Joseph petitioned the Lord in prayer for an introduction to the book. In response, he received through revelation section 1, which the Lord called “my preface” (Doctrine and Covenants 1:6) to this new book of scripture.
3. Listen to the song “The First Article of Faith.”
Youth
1. Read D&C 1:17-29.
2. By November 1831, the Prophet Joseph Smith had recorded more than 60 revelations from the Lord. However, few Church members had copies of the revelations. Under the direction of the Prophet, the revelations were compiled in a new volume of scripture called the Book of Commandments, which later became part of the Doctrine and Covenants. As the book was about to be printed, Joseph petitioned the Lord in prayer for an introduction to the book. In response, he received through revelation section 1, which the Lord called “my preface” (Doctrine and Covenants 1:6) to this new book of scripture.
3. What is the Book of Commandments? In the first few years of the Church, some members could only access the Lord’s revelations to the Prophet Joseph Smith through handwritten copies on loose sheets that circulated among the Saints. In a revelation Joseph received at a conference in 1831, the Lord approved compiling the revelations and before printing revealed a preface for the forthcoming book. It would contain versions of a little under half of the revelations currently in the Doctrine and Covenants. Printing began in 1832 at a printshop in Independence, Missouri, but a mob stopped the effort. These and other revelations were successfully printed in 1835 as the Doctrine and Covenants of the Church of the Latter Day Saints.
4. Why do prophets and apostles sometimes share unpopular messages? President Russell M. Nelson taught:
Sometimes we as leaders of the Church are criticized for holding firm to the laws of God, defending the Savior’s doctrine, and resisting the social pressures of our day. But our commission as ordained apostles is “to go into all the world to preach [His] gospel unto every creature” [Doctrine and Covenants 18:28]. That means we are commanded to teach truth.
In doing so, sometimes we are accused of being uncaring as we teach the Father’s requirements for exaltation in the celestial kingdom. But wouldn’t it be far more uncaring for us not to tell the truth—not to teach what God has revealed?
It is precisely because we do care deeply about all of God’s children that we proclaim His truth. We may not always tell people what they want to hear. Prophets are rarely popular. But we will always teach the truth! (Russell M. Nelson, “The Love and Laws of God” [Brigham Young University devotional, Sept. 17, 2019], 3, speeches.byu.edu)
Day 3
Primary
1. Read D&C 1:30-33.
2. There’s a Doctrinal Mastery scripture in today’s reading! D&C 1:30.
30 And also those to whom these commandments were given, might have power to lay the foundation of this church, and to bring it forth out of obscurity and out of darkness, the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth, with which I, the Lord, am well pleased, speaking unto the church collectively and not individually —
3. In His preface to the Doctrine and Covenants, the Lord proclaimed the significance of the newly restored Church of Jesus Christ. He declared the Church to be “the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth” (Doctrine and Covenants 1:30).
4. Listen to the song “Follow the Prophet.”
Youth
1. Read D&C 1:30-33.
2. There’s a Doctrinal Mastery scripture in today’s reading! D&C 1:30.
30 And also those to whom these commandments were given, might have power to lay the foundation of this church, and to bring it forth out of obscurity and out of darkness, the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth, with which I, the Lord, am well pleased, speaking unto the church collectively and not individually —
3. In His preface to the Doctrine and Covenants, the Lord proclaimed the significance of the newly restored Church of Jesus Christ. He declared the Church to be “the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth” (Doctrine and Covenants 1:30).
4. Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught:
The Lord has declared that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is “the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth” (D&C 1:30). This restored Church is true because it is the Savior’s Church; He is “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). And it is a living church because of the workings and gifts of the Holy Ghost. (David A. Bednar, “Receive the Holy Ghost,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2010, 97)
5. President Dallin H. Oaks of the First Presidency taught:
Three features—(1) fulness of doctrine, (2) power of the priesthood, and (3) testimony of Jesus Christ—explain why God has declared … that this is the only true and living Church upon the face of the whole earth. …
The restored gospel of Jesus Christ is comprehensive, universal, merciful, and true. …
Having the power of the priesthood, the leaders and duly authorized members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are empowered to perform the required priesthood ordinances, such as baptism, the gift of the Holy Ghost, and the administration of the sacrament.
The keys of the priesthood, held by our beloved prophet … and every other prophet and President of the Church, entitle him to revelation in behalf of the entire Church. This Church is “living” because we have prophets who continue to give us the word of the Lord that is needed for our time.
The third reason why we are the only true Church is that we have the revealed truth about the nature of God and our relationship to Him, and we therefore have a unique testimony of Jesus Christ. (Dallin H. Oaks, “The Only True and Living Church,” New Era, Aug. 2011, 3–5)
6. Why do we need the Church? Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught:
It is important to recognize that God’s ultimate purpose is our progress. His desire is that we continue “from grace to grace, until [we receive] a fulness” [Doctrine and Covenants 93:13] of all He can give. That requires more than simply being nice or feeling spiritual. It requires faith in Jesus Christ, repentance, baptism of water and of the Spirit, and enduring in faith to the end. One cannot fully achieve this in isolation, so a major reason the Lord has a church is to create a community of Saints that will sustain one another in the “strait and narrow path which leads to eternal life” [2 Nephi 31:18]. (D. Todd Christofferson, “Why the Church,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2015, 108)
Day 4
Primary
1. Read D&C 1:34-39.
2. There’s a Doctrinal Mastery scripture in this reading, Doctrine and Covenants 1:37-38.
37 Search these commandments, for they are true and faithful, and the prophecies and promises which are in them shall all be fulfilled.
38 What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my word shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled, whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same.
Youth
1. Read D&C 1:34-39.
2. There’s a Doctrinal Mastery scripture in this reading, Doctrine and Covenants 1:37-38.
37 Search these commandments, for they are true and faithful, and the prophecies and promises which are in them shall all be fulfilled.
38 What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my word shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled, whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same.
Week 3
Day 1
Primary
1. Today, Read Joseph Smith History 1:1-14.
2. At a young age, Joseph Smith desired to follow Jesus Christ and sought to know which church was right and which he should join. However, there were multiple churches teaching different things, and young Joseph found it difficult to discern the truth.
3. Listen to the song “Follow the Prophet.”
Youth
1. Today, Read Joseph Smith History 1:1-14.
2. At a young age, Joseph Smith desired to follow Jesus Christ and sought to know which church was right and which he should join. However, there were multiple churches teaching different things, and young Joseph found it difficult to discern the truth.
3. As we seek to know what is true, it can be helpful to follow this invitation from President Russell M. Nelson:
The Prophet Joseph Smith set a pattern for us to follow in resolving our questions. …
In like manner, what will your seeking open for you? What wisdom do you lack? What do you feel an urgent need to know or understand? Follow the example of the Prophet Joseph. (Russell M. Nelson, “Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2018, 95)
4. We can follow the example of Joseph Smith to learn the truth of God for ourselves. After inviting us to follow the example of Joseph Smith, President Russell M. Nelson continued:
Find a quiet place where you can regularly go. Humble yourself before God. Pour out your heart to your Heavenly Father. Turn to Him for answers and for comfort.
Pray in the name of Jesus Christ about your concerns, your fears, your weaknesses—yes, the very longings of your heart. And then listen! Write the thoughts that come to your mind. Record your feelings and follow through with actions that you are prompted to take. As you repeat this process day after day, month after month, year after year, you will “grow into the principle of revelation.” (Russell M. Nelson, “Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2018, 95)
Day 2
Primary
1. Today read Joseph Smith: History 1:15-20.
2. Today’s reading is a Doctrinal Mastery scripture – but it’s very long. If you’re looking for something shorter to memorize, try the 1st Article of Faith:
We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost
3. In addition to answering Joseph Smith’s question about which church he should join, Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ’s appearance teaches us truths such as the nature of the Godhead and our relationship with Them.
4. Today watch “Joseph Smith’s Family” and “Joseph Smith’s First Vision.”
Youth
1. Today read Joseph Smith: History 1:15-20.
2. Today’s reading is a Doctrinal Mastery scripture – but it’s very long. If you’re looking for something shorter to memorize, try the 1st Article of Faith:
We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost
3. In addition to answering Joseph Smith’s question about which church he should join, Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ’s appearance teaches us truths such as the nature of the Godhead and our relationship with Them.
4. What truths can we learn from Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ’s appearance to Joseph Smith? Elder Adilson de Paula Parrella of the Seventy taught:
An essential truth we learn from the First Vision and the Prophet Joseph Smith is that God calls prophets, seers, and revelators to instruct, guide, warn, and lead us. (Adilson de Paula Parrella, “Essential Truths—Our Need to Act,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2017, 115)
5. President M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained:
Joseph came to realize that the Bible did not contain all the answers to life’s questions; rather, it taught men and women how they could find answers to their questions by communicating directly with God through prayer. (M. Russell Ballard, “Shall We Not Go On in So Great a Cause?,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2020, 9)
6. Elder Patricio M. Giuffra of the Seventy shared what he learned as missionaries taught him about Joseph Smith’s First Vision:
During that lesson, the Spirit confirmed to me several truths. First, God listens to all His children’s sincere prayers, and heaven is open to all — not just a few. Second, God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost are three separate beings, united in Their purpose “to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man” [Moses 1:39]. Third, we are created in the image of God. Our Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, have bodies of flesh and bones like us, but They are glorified and perfected, and the Holy Ghost is a personage of spirit. Fourth, through Joseph Smith, Jesus Christ restored His gospel and true Church to the earth. (Patricio M. Giuffra, “A Faithful Search Rewarded,” Liahona, Nov. 2021, 23)
Day 3
Primary
1. Today read Joseph Smith—History 1:21–26.
2. After sharing his experience of the First Vision with a local church minister, 14-year-old Joseph Smith quickly became the target of persecution. This, however, did not diminish his conviction that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ had appeared to him.
3. Listen to the song “Search, Ponder and Pray.”
Youth
1. Today read Joseph Smith—History 1:21–26.
2. After sharing his experience of the First Vision with a local church minister, 14-year-old Joseph Smith quickly became the target of persecution. This, however, did not diminish his conviction that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ had appeared to him.
3. President Thomas S. Monson (1927–2018) shared an account of two missionaries who were confronted about their testimony of Joseph Smith.
Two [missionaries] called at the home of Mr. Elmer Pollard. … They presented their message and asked if he would join in prayer. He agreed, on the provision that he could offer the prayer.
The prayer he offered astonished the missionaries. He said, “Heavenly Father, bless these two unfortunate, misguided missionaries, that they may return to their homes and not waste their time telling the people of Canada about a message which is so fantastic and about which they know so little.”
As they arose from their knees, Mr. Pollard asked the missionaries never to return to his home. As they left, he said mockingly to them, “You can’t tell me you really believe that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God, anyway!” and he slammed the door. (Thomas S. Monson, “The Prophet Joseph Smith: Teacher by Example,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2005, 69)
4. Read this statement by Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
A testimony of the Prophet Joseph Smith can come differently to each of us. It may come as you kneel in prayer, asking God to confirm that he was a true prophet. It may come as you read the Prophet’s account of the First Vision. A testimony may distill upon your soul as you read the Book of Mormon again and again. It may come as you bear your own testimony of the Prophet or as you stand in the temple and realize that through Joseph Smith the holy sealing power was restored to the earth. With faith and real intent, your testimony of the Prophet Joseph Smith will strengthen. The constant water balloon volleys from the sidelines may occasionally get you wet, but they need never, never extinguish your burning fire of faith. (Neil L. Andersen, “Joseph Smith,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2014, 30)
Week 4
Day 1
Primary
1. Today read Joseph Smith History 1:27-50.
2. On September 21, 1823, Joseph Smith prayed to God for forgiveness of his sins and to know his standing before God. In response, the prophet Moroni appeared to Joseph Smith to teach him about the Book of Mormon and ancient prophecies about the Restoration of the gospel. Moroni also prophesied about Joseph’s future.
3. Watch the video “The Angel Moroni Visits Joseph Smith.”
4. Listen to the song “Search, Ponder and Pray.”
Youth
1. Today read Joseph Smith History 1:27-50.
2. On September 21, 1823, Joseph Smith prayed to God for forgiveness of his sins and to know his standing before God. In response, the prophet Moroni appeared to Joseph Smith to teach him about the Book of Mormon and ancient prophecies about the Restoration of the gospel. Moroni also prophesied about Joseph’s future.
3. Why do you think there was so much opposition to the Prophet Joseph Smith? Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught:
Why does the Lord allow the evil speaking to chase after the good? One reason is that opposition against the things of God sends seekers of truth to their knees for answers. …
The negative commentary about the Prophet Joseph Smith will increase as we move toward the Second Coming of the Savior. The half-truths and subtle deceptions will not diminish. There will be family members and friends who will need your help. (Neil L. Andersen, “Joseph Smith,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2014, 28, 30)
4. How do Joseph Smith’s experiences witness that he is a prophet? Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught about the prophecy in Joseph Smith—History 1:33–34:
In 1823, Joseph was an unknown 17-year-old boy living in an obscure village in a newly independent country. Unless it were true, how would he imagine to say he would be an instrument in God’s work and translate by God’s gift and power sacred scripture that would become known everywhere?
Yet, because it is true, you and I can witness that prophecy being fulfilled even as we are invited to help bring it to pass. (Gerrit W. Gong, “All Nations, Kindreds, and Tongues,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2020, 39)
5. How can we follow Joseph Smith’s example from his youth? Sister Susan W. Tanner, former Young Women General President, shared:
When Joseph first met Moroni, he was just 17, the age of many of you young women. We know the very time and place. It was on the night of September 21, 1823, in an upstairs bedroom while five of his brothers slept. Joseph prayed that he “might know of [his] state and standing before [God]” (JS—H 1:29). Joseph felt inadequate and unworthy before God. He said he had not been “guilty of any great or malignant sins,” but had fallen into “foolish errors, and displayed the weakness of youth” (JS—H 1:28), so he prayed for reassurance. I can identify with young Joseph’s feelings, as I know many of you can. How often have each of us fallen to our knees with such feelings of inadequacy and need for divine reassurance?
In response to Joseph’s penitent and faithful prayer, Moroni, a heavenly messenger, appeared to him. Joseph records that “he called me by name, and said … that God had a work for me to do” (JS—H 1:33). Joseph marveled “greatly at what had been told to [him] by this extraordinary messenger” (JS—H 1:44).
We too can receive spiritual reassurance in response to our prayers. We can receive a witness that our Father in Heaven knows us by name and that He has an earthly mission for us to fulfill. (Susan W. Tanner, “Glad Tidings from Cumorah,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2005, 104)
Day 2
Primary
1. Today read Joseph Smith—History 1:50–65.
2. The Lord gave Joseph Smith an important work to do. He was commanded to obtain the gold plates from the Hill Cumorah, translate the record, and bring forth the Book of Mormon. The Lord provided means to help Joseph accomplish this great work. Just as the Lord helped Joseph accomplish the work he was given, the Lord can help us too.
3. Listen to the 1st Article of Faith Song.
Youth
1. Today read Joseph Smith—History 1:50–65.
2. The Lord gave Joseph Smith an important work to do. He was commanded to obtain the gold plates from the Hill Cumorah, translate the record, and bring forth the Book of Mormon. The Lord provided means to help Joseph accomplish this great work. Just as the Lord helped Joseph accomplish the work he was given, the Lord can help us too.
3. Read the following statement from Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, looking for a reason why God sends angels.
From the beginning down through the dispensations, God has used angels as His emissaries in conveying love and concern for His children. … I have spoken here of heavenly help, of angels dispatched to bless us in time of need. But when we speak of those who are instruments in the hand of God, we are reminded that not all angels are from the other side of the veil. Some of them we walk with and talk with—here, now, every day. (Jeffrey R. Holland, “The Ministry of Angels,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2008, 29–30)
4. After receiving the plates from the angel Moroni, Joseph hid them in a hollow log to keep them safe until he could get a box to lock them in. The next day, while Joseph Smith was at work, his father overheard a group of men plotting to steal the plates. Emma went to warn Joseph, and he, through the Urim and Thummim, was able to see that the plates were safe. He also knew it was time to get the plates from the log to keep them safe.
“Hurrying to the hill, Joseph found the log where the plates were hidden and carefully wrapped them in a shirt. He then ducked into the woods and headed for home, his eyes alert to danger. …
“Straining under the weight of the record, Joseph tramped through the woods as fast as he could. A fallen tree blocked the path ahead of him, and as he bounded over it, he felt something hard strike him from behind. Turning around, he saw a man coming at him, wielding a gun like a club.
“Clutching the plates tightly with one arm, Joseph knocked the man to the ground and scrambled deeper into the thicket. He ran for about half a mile when another man sprang from behind a tree and struck him with the butt of his gun. Joseph fought the man off and darted away, desperate to be out of the woods. But before he could get very far a third man attacked, landing a heavy blow that sent him reeling. Gathering his strength, Joseph hit the man hard and ran for home. …
“After Joseph brought the gold plates home, treasure seekers tried for weeks to steal them. To keep the record safe, he had to move it from place to place, hiding the plates under the hearth, beneath the floor of his father’s shop, and in piles of grain. He could never let his guard down.
“… He was determined to care for the plates, trusting in the Lord’s promise that if he did everything he could, they would be protected” (Saints: The Story of the Church of Jesus Christ in the Latter Days, vol. 1, The Standard of Truth, 1815–1846 [2018], 40-41, 43).
5. Watch the video “A Marvelous Work and a Wonder.”
6. Like Joseph Smith, does God have a work for me? President Russell M. Nelson taught:
Ask your Heavenly Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, how He feels about you and your mission here on earth. If you ask with real intent, over time the Spirit will whisper the life-changing truth to you. … I promise you that when you begin to catch even a glimpse of how your Heavenly Father sees you and what He is counting on you to do for Him, your life will never be the same! (Russell M. Nelson, “Becoming True Millennials” [worldwide devotional for young adults, Jan. 10, 2016], broadcasts.ChurchofJesusChrist.org)
Day 3
Primary
1. Today read D&C 2.
2. When the angel Moroni, a Book of Mormon prophet, appeared to Joseph Smith, he quoted several scriptural prophecies. One was Malachi’s declaration that the prophet Elijah would return and “the hearts of the children shall turn to their fathers” (Joseph Smith—History 1:38–39).
3. Listen to the song “Follow the Prophet.”
Youth
1. Today read D&C 2.
2. When the angel Moroni, a Book of Mormon prophet, appeared to Joseph Smith, he quoted several scriptural prophecies. One was Malachi’s declaration that the prophet Elijah would return and “the hearts of the children shall turn to their fathers” (Joseph Smith—History 1:38–39).
3. What does it mean that “the whole earth would be utterly wasted”? The phrase utterly wasted means “entirely destroyed or of no use” (“Line Upon Line: Joseph Smith—History 1:39,” New Era, Oct. 2014, 11). President Joseph Fielding Smith (1876–1972) taught:
If Elijah had not come we are led to believe that all the work of past ages would have been of little avail, for the Lord said the whole earth, under such conditions, would be utterly wasted at his coming. … If this sealing power were not on the earth, then confusion would reign and disorder would take place of order in that day when the Lord shall come, and, of course, this could not be, for all things are governed and controlled by perfect law in the kingdom of God.
Why would the earth be wasted? Simply because if there is not a welding link between the fathers and the children—which is the work for the dead—then we will all stand rejected; the whole work of God will fail and be utterly wasted. Such a condition, of course, shall not be. (Joseph Fielding Smith, Teachings of Presidents of the Church [2013], 219)
4. Doctrine and Covenants 2:2. Who are “the fathers,” and what promises did the Lord make to them? President Russell M. Nelson explained:
In the closing text of the Old Testament, we read of Malachi’s promise that Elijah will “turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers” (Malachi 4:6). In ancient Israel, such reference to the fathers would have included fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. [SeeDoctrine and Covenants 27:9–10.] (Russell M. Nelson, “The Everlasting Covenant,” Liahona, Oct. 2022, 6–7)
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are our ancestors. We are of Israel. We have the right to receive the gospel, blessings of the priesthood, and eternal life. … The literal seed of Abraham and those who are gathered into his family by adoption receive these promised blessings—predicated upon acceptance of the Lord and obedience to his commandments. (Russell M. Nelson, “Children of the Covenant,” Ensign, May 1995, 33)
Day 4
Primary
1. Today read the 2nd Article of Faith.
We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam’s transgression.
2. Listen to the 2nd Article of Faith Song.
3. To transgress means to break a law or a rule. When we do something wrong, we transgress. When Adam and Eve lived in the Garden of Eden, Heavenly Father commanded them to not eat fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Adam and Eve were tempted by Satan and ate the fruit. Heavenly Father cast Adam and Eve out of the garden because they transgressed.
All of Heavenly Father’s children are given the agency to choose right or wrong. He has promised us blessings when we choose the right. Heavenly Father wants us to return to live with Him again. If we make bad choices, we need to repent and do better. But Heavenly Father does not make us repent for the bad choices that others make. We are responsible for our own actions.
4. See if you can memorize the 2nd Article of Faith!
Youth
1. Today read the 2nd Article of Faith.
We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam’s transgression.
2. Listen to the 2nd Article of Faith Song.
3. To transgress means to break a law or a rule. When we do something wrong, we transgress. When Adam and Eve lived in the Garden of Eden, Heavenly Father commanded them to not eat fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Adam and Eve were tempted by Satan and ate the fruit. Heavenly Father cast Adam and Eve out of the garden because they transgressed.
All of Heavenly Father’s children are given the agency to choose right or wrong. He has promised us blessings when we choose the right. Heavenly Father wants us to return to live with Him again. If we make bad choices, we need to repent and do better. But Heavenly Father does not make us repent for the bad choices that others make. We are responsible for our own actions.
4. See if you can memorize the 2nd Article of Faith!
