In a chaotic world, peace can be a precious commodity. This episode begins our study of Doctrine and Covenants 30–36, seven chapters filled with peaceable things of the kingdom. Just as these verses advised 12 men who needed the assurance of peace, these sections can offer us encouragement and respite today.
Doctrine and Covenants 29 tells of the signs, plagues, and disasters that will come before the Millennium. Reading them might give you a case of the Second Coming scaries, but not to fear. Because in this divine section, we are also reminded of who God is and how He cares for His children. When times get scary, we can always find refuge in Christ.
God wants to commit responsibilities to each of us. They come in church callings or personal promptings to share His gospel. We show our commitment by choosing to magnify those callings from God. Doctrine and Covenants 27–28 discuss committing to God and warn about what it looks like when that commitment is in the wrong place.
What makes your heart sing? Where do you turn when you want to be closer to the Spirit and feel God’s love? Maybe it’s art, books, or a literal song. In this week’s reading of Doctrine and Covenants 23–26, the Lord says his soul “delighteth in the song of the heart” in an important revelation. And we’ve built you a perfect playlist to go along with it.
Scholars have described the Whitmer home as a “celebrated dwelling place.” It is where the first conference was held, the Church was organized, and the revelation we are discussing this week was received. Doctrine and Covenants 20–22 describe the order in which God keeps His house, and as we study these sections, we can explore how to make our homes celebrated Christlike dwelling places.
Doctrine and Covenants 19 is an account of our Savior, Jesus Christ telling us about His own personal suffering from His perspective. It is a deeply personal section–deeply personal for Martin Harris who it is directed towards and deeply personal for all of us who need a reminder of what Christ did. But no matter who we are, the Atonement of Christ is the answer when we are asking questions.
Doctrine and Covenants section 18 contains many eternal truths that have been immortalized in song. By the end of this week’s study you’ll be able to remember that the worth of souls is great, your joy will be great with those you love, and faith, hope, and charity are great attributes to strive for. And hopefully when doubts or struggles come, this music can be there can bring the spirit and remind you that you are God’s favorite.
Doctrine and Covenants 12–17 are about this great and marvelous work we call the restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. With regards to our time in this ongoing restoration process, President Nelson encouraged us to take our vitamins because we all have a great work to do.
Are you a notetaker during Sunday School or scripture study? Jotting down ideas can be a useful method for remembering your thoughts or asking questions. Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery had lots of questions during the translation of the Book of Mormon, and Doctrine and Covenants 10–11 contain the answer to their desires. So, sit down and take note to see the hand of God.
Elder Kearon believes this truth “can console all of us.”
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These resources can help any family dive deeper into the Doctrine and Covenants in 2025.
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One month into this new year, how are you and your goals doing? Resolutions are often about bringing our lives in line with God’s will and growing closer to Him. But knowing what He has for us and hearing His answers can be difficult. This week’s Come, Follow Me discussion of Doctrine and Covenants 6–9 centers on how one man recognized those answers.
What are some life lessons you learned as a young adult? Consider what you were going through and finding out around the age of 21—because that’s how old the Prophet Joseph Smith was as we begin our study of Doctrine and Covenants 3–5. In these sections, Joseph learned vital spiritual life lessons that all of us can learn from.
It had been three years since God the Father and Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph Smith, but he hadn’t received any additional revelations. He began to wonder whether the Lord was displeased with him. Like all of us, Joseph had made mistakes, and he felt condemned by them. In this week’s Come, Follow Me study of Joseph Smith History 1:27–65, we feel the relief that God is still there and has a work for all of us to do.
The Doctrine and Covenants is a book of questions and answers, and the Restoration came about because of one specific question. Our discussion of Joseph Smith History 1:1–26 centers on the historical background of Joseph’s life before his prayer in the grove. This context can help when we have questions and give us hope in a God that answers.
There’s just one section in the Come, Follow Me lesson this week and it is the Lord’s preface to the Doctrine and Covenants, D&C 1. Every section as we study this year will have eternal truths and we will make it our mission on this podcast to find them, starting with a lot of truth packed into this one powerful section. Happy New Year and let’s find truth together in 2025.
The Doctrine & Covenants is full of people with questions, and God giving answers with truth. And one of the eternal truths that we see the most is that God loves His children. In fact that is the first line in the Restoration Proclamation that was read in General Conference by President Nelson. To start our study of church history and the D&C we have five scholars to discuss their thoughts on that landmark proclamation.