Doctrine and Covenants Lesson 32

Introduction

Begin by showing the first 3½ minutes of Joseph Smith: Prophet of the Restoration, showing the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum in Carthage Jail.  Invite class members to consider how their lives have been affected by Joseph Smith throughout this lesson, and to share their feelings.

“Calm as a summer morning”

Read D&C 135:4–5.

How could Joseph be “calm as a summer morning” when he knew the possibility that he would be killed?

What comfort might Hyrum have found in Ether 12:36–38?

The Prophet Joseph Smith did more for the salvation of men in this world than anyone except Jesus

Refer to D&C 135:3 as quoted in the video presentation.  The statement that Joseph Smith did more for the salvation of men in this world than anyone except Jesus is extremely bold, but I have a testimony it is true.  In what ways is this so?

*** Encourage class discussion, and individual testimonies of how the work God did through Joseph has blessed us individually and as a people.  The notes below are from the Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual and can help guide and enrich the discussion. ***

Truths about the Godhead

What truths about the Godhead were restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith? (See D&C 130:22–23; Joseph Smith—History 1:17; and the following quotation.)

In a sermon given at the funeral of Elder King Follett on 7 April 1844, the Prophet Joseph Smith taught:

“God himself was once as we are now, and is an exalted man, and sits enthroned in yonder heavens! That is the great secret. If the veil were rent today, and the great God who holds this world in its orbit, and who upholds all worlds and all things by his power, was to make himself visible,—I say, if you were to see him today, you would see him like a man in form—like yourselves in all the person, image, and very form as a man; for Adam was created in the very fashion, image and likeness of God, and received instruction from, and walked, talked and conversed with him, as one man talks and communes with another” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, sel. Joseph Fielding Smith [1976], 345).

·         Why are the truths about the Godhead that were restored through Joseph Smith important to us?

Elder Bruce R. McConkie of the Quorum of the Twelve said: “Knowledge of God is the greatest truth in all eternity. … Joseph Smith came to reveal God, in a day of almost total spiritual darkness, in a day when men no longer knew the nature and kind of Being whom they should worship” (“This Generation Shall Have My Word through You,” Ensign, June 1980, 55).

The authority of the priesthood

Point out that through Joseph Smith, heavenly messengers restored the Aaronic Priesthood, the Melchizedek Priesthood, and keys of the priesthood (D&C 13; 110:11–16). As the Restoration unfolded, the Lord gave revelations about priesthood offices, organization, covenants, ordinances, duties, and blessings. We would not understand the priesthood or how it operates without these revelations.

·         What blessings do you have in your life because of the priesthood? How can we show our appreciation for the blessings of the priesthood?

For more information about the priesthood, see lessons 8 and 25.

Truths about our origin and relationship to God

·         What truths about our origin and relationship to God were restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith? (Answers could include that we are literally the spirit children of God and that we lived with Him before we were born on earth. See D&C 76:23–24; Abraham 3:22–28.)

·         How is the knowledge that you are literally a child of God a blessing in your life?

Scriptures

Elder Bruce R. McConkie said that the Prophet Joseph Smith “has given to our present world more holy scripture than any single prophet who ever lived” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1976, 142; or Ensign, May 1976, 95). These scriptures include the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, the Pearl of Great Price, and the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible.

While serving in the Quorum of the Twelve, Elder Gordon B. Hinckley said: “[Joseph Smith] translated and published the Book of Mormon, a volume of 522 pages which has since been retranslated into [many] languages and which is accepted by millions across the earth as the word of God. The revelations he received and other writings he produced are likewise scripture to these millions. The total in book pages constitutes the equivalent of almost the entire Old Testament of the Bible, and it all came through one man in the space of a few years” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1977, 96; or Ensign, May 1977, 65).

·         How have the scriptures that were brought forth through the Prophet Joseph Smith been a blessing in your life?

For more information about these scriptures, see lessons 1, 4, and 13.

Truths about the plan of salvation

·         What truths about the plan of salvation were restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith? (You may want to highlight some of the material in lessons 19 and 20.)

·         How has knowing these truths been a blessing in your life?

Truths about the salvation of the dead

·         What truths about the salvation of the dead were restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith? (Answers could include that we can perform vicarious baptisms in temples for those who died without receiving this ordinance. See D&C 128:18.) Why are these truths important?

Explain that the salvation of the dead is one of the most enlarging and inspiring doctrines restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith. For more information, see lessons 29 and 39.

The building of temples and the performance of temple ordinances

·         What are some of the blessings that have come into your life because of temples and temple ordinances? (You may want to discuss the blessing of eternal families, which is made possible by the sealing ordinance in the temple.)

Other contributions

You may want to review briefly some of the other contributions of the Prophet Joseph Smith and the blessings they bring to our lives:

·         The Church was restored through him (see lesson 9).

·         He began the work in this dispensation of taking the gospel to all nations and gathering Israel (see lesson 12).

·         The law of consecration was revealed through him (see lesson 14).

·         The Word of Wisdom was revealed through him (see lesson 22).

·         Information about the building of the latter-day Zion was revealed through him (see lessons 27 and 46).

·         He wrote the Articles of Faith (see the first additional teaching idea).

Conclusion

Why is it important for each of us to have a personal testimony of the Prophet Joseph Smith?  How did (or is) your testimony develop? 

I testify that Joseph Smith was a Prophet of God in every sense of the word.  He restored a true knowledge of God the Father and his perfect Son Jesus Christ.  Everything he did points us to them.  Through him, God restored every principle, ordinance, and power necessary to save every child of God through faith on Jesus Christ.  Joseph Smith lived and died valiantly, striving to fulfill the mission given to him.  That is why I love the Prophet Joseph Smith.

Doctrine and Covenants Lesson 31

Introduction

Today’s lesson discusses the eternal doctrines associated with the covenant of eternal marriage.  Some members of the Church enjoy wonderful marriages; others do not.

Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve counseled:

“We know that many worthy and wonderful Latter-day Saints currently lack the ideal opportunities and essential requirements for their progress. Singleness, childlessness, death, and divorce frustrate ideals and postpone the fulfillment of promised blessings. In addition, some women who desire to be full-time mothers and homemakers have been literally compelled to enter the full-time workforce. But these frustrations are only temporary. The Lord has promised that in the eternities no blessing will be denied his sons and daughters who keep the commandments, are true to their covenants, and desire what is right.

“Many of the most important deprivations of mortality will be set right in the Millennium, which is the time for fulfilling all that is incomplete in the great plan of happiness for all of our Father’s worthy children. We know that will be true of temple ordinances. I believe it will also be true of family relationships and experiences” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1993, 101; or Ensign, Nov. 1993, 75).

If your family circumstances today are not what you would like, please remember these comforting words by Elder Oaks, and the oft-repeated counsel by the Brethren to live worthy of every blessing you wish to receive.

Eternal marriage is essential in Heavenly Father’s plan

Read D&C 132:5-6.  What are some of the reasons given in these verses for the new and everlasting covenant of marriage?

Verse 5 – So we can receive a blessing at God’s hand

Verse 6 – To bring about the fulness of God’s glory

How does God bring about His glory?  By bringing about the immortality and eternal life of us!  (See Moses 1:39).  God makes this covenant available for us for our mortal and eternal happiness.

Mortal happiness

After Parlely P. Pratt heard the Prophet Joseph teach the doctrines of eternal marriage, he said: “I had loved before, but I knew not why. But now I loved—with a pureness—an intensity of elevated, exalted feeling, which would lift my soul. … I felt that God was my heavenly Father indeed; that Jesus was my brother, and that the wife of my bosom was an immortal, eternal companion. … In short, I could now love with the spirit and with the understanding also” (Autobiography of Parley P. Pratt [1975], 298).

Eternal happiness

The First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles have declared that “marriage between man and woman is essential to [God’s] eternal plan.”  Why is that?  Read D&C 131:1–4.  If we do not receive and keep this covenant, in a certain sense we are stopped in our progress. 

Religiously, the word “damn” is used to mean being cut off or alienated from God.  In English, the word “dam” sounds the same, but means to stop water in its progress; to hold it back.  This helps me think in a new way about the consequences of willingly refusing to make or failing to keep the covenants we make with God.  We will be cut off from his presence and/or stopped in our progress.  In a sense, we can be dammed – or stopped – even in the Celestial Kingdom.

Read D&C 132:19-21, and watch for the blessings promised to those who faithfully keep their covenants, including:

• They will be together “in time, and through all eternity” (D&C 132:19). Their children may also be part of their eternal family. (You may want to explain that the Holy Spirit of Promise is the Holy Ghost, who confirms that the priesthood ordinances we have received and the covenants we have made are acceptable to God. This approval depends on our faithfulness.)
• They will “inherit thrones, kingdoms, principalities, … powers, [and] dominions” (D&C 132:19).
• They will continue to have seed, or spirit children, throughout eternity (D&C 132:19, 30–31; see also D&C 131:4).
• “They shall be gods, because they have all power” (D&C 132:20–21).

President Boyd K. Packer of the Quorum of the Twelve taught: “The ultimate purpose of all we teach is to unite parents and children in faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, that they are happy at home, sealed in an eternal marriage, linked to their generations, and assured of exaltation in the presence of our Heavenly Father” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1995, 8; or Ensign, May 1995, 8).

President Joseph Fielding Smith said: “Marriage, as understood by Latter-day Saints, is a covenant ordained to be everlasting. It is the foundation for eternal exaltation, for without it there could be no eternal progress in the kingdom of God” (Doctrines of Salvation, comp. Bruce R. McConkie, 3 vols. [1954–56], 2:58).

Loving each other is not enough to obtain this blessing

Summarize D&C 132:7-18

7 And verily I say unto you, that the conditions of this law are these: All covenants… that are not made and entered into and sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise… are of no … force in and after the resurrection from the dead; for all contracts that are not made unto this end have an end when men are dead…

13 And everything that is in the world, whether it be ordained of men, by thrones, or principalities, or powers, or things of name, whatsoever they may be, that are not by me or by my word, saith the Lord, shall be thrown down, and shall not remain after men are dead, neither in nor after the resurrection, saith the Lord your God…

18 And again, verily I say unto you, if a man marry a wife, and make a covenant with her for time and for all eternity, if that covenant is not by me or by my word, which is my law, and is not sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise, through him whom I have anointed and appointed unto this power, then it is not valid neither of force when they are out of the world, because they are not joined by me, saith the Lord, neither by my word…

Interestingly, the Doctrine and Covenants talks about making a covenant of eternal marriage “not by me or by my word.”  Essentially, God is warning that mortals do not have the capacity to make eternal promises without his authority.  I searched online for eternal marriage, trying to find who else claims to offer this great blessing.  The search results were all either sites by the Church or its believers explaining the doctrine, or sites by others commenting on the Church’s doctrine.  No other group that I could find promotes this doctrine.  (Comically, Google also served up an ad from Amazon.com: Save on Eternal marriage.  Free 2-Day Shipping with Amazon Prime.)

Abide in the covenant

Have a female class member read the following quotation. Then ask class members to guess who said it.

“I was just sure the first ten years would be bliss. But during our first year together I discovered … there were a lot of adjustments. Of course, they weren’t the kind of thing you ran home to mother about. But I cried into my pillow now and again. The problems were almost always related to learning to live on someone else’s schedule and to do things someone else’s way. We loved each other, there was no doubt about that. But we also had to get used to each other. I think every couple has to get used to each other.”

The statement was made by Sister Marjorie P. Hinckley, wife of President Gordon B. Hinckley (in Sheri L. Dew, Go Forward with Faith: The Biography of Gordon B. Hinckley [1996], 118). Emphasize that it takes love, work, and dedication to have a successful marriage. When a man and woman are sealed in the temple, they will receive the promised blessings only if they “abide in [the] covenant” (D&C 132:19).

Read D&C 42:22. This commandment applies equally to men and women. What does it mean to love a husband or wife with all one’s heart? What does it mean to cleave to a husband or wife and none else?

President Spencer W. Kimball explained:

“When the Lord says all thy heart, it allows for no sharing nor dividing nor depriving. …

“The words none else eliminate everyone and everything. The spouse then becomes preeminent in the life of the husband or wife, and neither social life nor occupational life nor political life nor any other interest nor person nor thing shall ever take precedence over the companion spouse. …

“Marriage presupposes total allegiance and total fidelity. Each spouse takes the partner with the understanding that he or she gives totally to the spouse all the heart, strength, loyalty, honor, and affection, with all dignity. Any divergence is sin; any sharing of the heart is transgression. As we should have ‘an eye single to the glory of God,’ so should we have an eye, an ear, a heart single to the marriage and the spouse and family” (Faith Precedes the Miracle [1972], 142–43).

President Gordon B. Hinckley gave this simple counsel to married couples: “Be fiercely loyal one to another” (Ensign, Feb. 1999, 4).

When a man and woman are married in the temple, they covenant to be true to one another and to be true to the Lord. What are some things that married couples can do to strengthen their love for each other and for the Lord? (Answers could include praying and reading the scriptures together, seeking to be guided by the Spirit together, holding family home evening, going on dates together, taking time to talk to one another, helping one another around the house, and attending the temple together.)

Conclusion

We finish where we began.  Each of us is responsible for the actions of only one person – ourselves.  The eternal marriage covenant is unique in that it includes three people – ourselves, our spouse, and God.  We know God will keep his part of the covenant.  We can influence and encourage our spouse to keep his or her part of the covenant, but we cannot force them to do so.  Ultimately, the only person we have control over is ourselves.  We are responsible to choose to keep our covenants as fully as possible with God’s help.  Then we can confidently wait on the Lord for the complete fulfillment of all promised blessings in His own time.

Doctrine and Covenants Lesson 30

Introduction

My children came home from school this week with a new joke.  Johnny approaches his teacher and asks, “Should I get in trouble for something I didn’t do?”  “Of course not!” the teacher replies.  “I’m glad,” says Johnny.  “Because I didn’t do my homework.”

Just like Johnny, we can “get in trouble” for not doing things that we are supposed to do.  One of the requirements on the gospel is to receive the ordinance of baptism.  Read John 3: 5.  In the modern Christian world, there is a great deal of “wresting of the scriptures” to try to interpret this and other scriptures in such a way that baptism is not a requirement.

One reason for trying to eliminate this as a mandatory ordinance is because of the countless millions who have lived and never received the priesthood ordinance.  Good people of faith and charity wrestle with this apparent injustice – those who are not baptized will be damned, but there are a great many people who lived throughout the ages who never had the chance.

In January 1836, Joseph Smith recorded the following; read D&C 137: 5-9.

Through the Prophet Joseph Smith, the Lord revealed the doctrine of priesthood ordinances for the dead

The Lord began teaching Joseph Smith about work for the dead very early in the Prophet’s ministry.  As early as Moroni’s visit in 1823, Joseph was learning about “turning the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the children to the fathers.”

President Hinckley said, “It is tremendously significant to me that … this repetition of the wondrous words of Malachi concerning the work for the dead, was given to the boy Joseph four years before he was allowed to take the plates from the hill. It was given before he received either the Aaronic or Melchizedek Priesthood, before he was baptized, and well before the Church was organized. It says much concerning the priority of this work in the plan of the Lord” (“A Century of Family History Service,” Ensign, Mar. 1995, 61).

On 15 August 1840, the Prophet Joseph preached at the funeral of a Church member named Seymour Brunson. As part of his sermon, he read extensively from 1 Corinthians 15, which includes a reference to baptism for the dead (verse 1 Corinthians 15:29). Then he announced that the Saints could be baptized in behalf of their friends and relatives who had died without receiving the gospel. He declared that the plan of salvation was intended to save everyone who was willing to obey the requirements of the law of God. After this sermon, Church members began performing baptisms for the dead in the nearby Mississippi River.

The Lord commanded the Saints to build a temple in Nauvoo

The Lord commanded the saints on January 19, 1841 to build a temple in Nauvoo.  In the revelation giving this instruction, he gave several reasons for wanting this temple built:

1. D&C 124:40–41. (To reveal additional priesthood ordinances.)
2. D&C 124:29–30. (To provide a place to perform baptisms for the dead.)
3. D&C 124:55. (To have the Saints prove their faithfulness in keeping His commandments so He could bless them with honor, immortality, and eternal life.)

Many ordinances we are familiar with today, including the endowment and sealing ceremonies, were not performed in the Kirtland Temple.  The Saints made great personal sacrifices to build the Nauvoo Temple.

Though poor and struggling to provide for their own families, Latter-day Saints responded to their leaders’ call and began donating time and means toward constructing a temple. More than 1,000 men donated every tenth day in labor.

Mary Fielding Smith, wife of Hyrum Smith, wrote to Latter-day Saint women in England, who within a year gathered 50,000 pennies, weighing 434 pounds, that were shipped to Nauvoo. [Some Saints] sold some of their land and donated the money to the building committee. Other Latter-day Saints gave horses, wagons, cows, pork, and grain to aid in the temple’s construction. The Saints in Norway, Illinois, sent 100 sheep to Nauvoo to be used by the temple committee.

Brigham Young remembered: “We did much hard labor on the Nauvoo temple, during which time it was difficult to get bread and other provisions for the workmen to eat.” Still, President Young counseled those in charge of temple funds to give out all the flour they had, confident that the Lord would provide. Within a short time Joseph Toronto, a recent convert to the Church from Sicily, arrived in Nauvoo, bringing with him $2,500 in gold, which he laid at the feet of the Brethren. 7 These life savings of Brother Toronto were used to replenish the flour and to purchase other much needed supplies.

After learning the doctrine of baptism for the dead, the Saints began performing this ordinance in the Mississippi River for several months.  On 3 October 1841, the Prophet Joseph announced that “there shall be no more baptisms for the dead, until the ordinance can be attended to in the Lord’s House” (History of the Church, 4:426). On 8 November 1841, Brigham Young dedicated a temporary but carefully crafted wooden baptismal font in the basement of the unfinished temple (History of the Church, 4:446–47).

I find it instructive that it took just five weeks for them to complete the temple baptistery.  What can we learn from the Saints’ dedication to complete this structure so they could continue performing this ordinance?

We should be enthusiastic and joyful in our efforts to perform baptisms for the dead

Some baptisms for the dead were performed in New Testament times.  The great work of providing saving ordinances to the dead is one of the greatest responsibilities of this dispensation. 

Read D&C 128:15–18.  In what ways do the dead depend on us for salvation?  How does our salvation depend on their salvation?

President Gordon B. Hinckley said: “That which goes on in the House of the Lord … comes nearer to the spirit of sacrifice of the Lord than any other activity of which I know. Why? Because it is done by those who give freely of time and substance, without any expectation of thanks or reward, to do for others that which they cannot do for themselves” (Ensign, Mar. 1995, 62–63).

Read D&C 128:22.  The doctrine of baptism for the dead is joyful, both for us and for those on whose behalf this ordinance is performed.

Ask Brother Wharton to talk about how he felt as he learned about the doctrine of baptism for the dead.

Conclusion

In the summer of 1842, the Prophet Joseph had to flee from Nauvoo and go into hiding because of threats against him.  While in hiding he sent letters to the Saints that are sections 127 and 128 of the Doctrine and Covenants.  There is a certain irony in the fact that the Prophet was discussing “letting the prisoners go free” and providing a welding link to bind families together eternally as he was in hiding to avoid prison, and was separated from his family.

This week we have discussed baptism, the first ordinance performed for those who have died.  Next week we will focus on the sealing ordinance.  As Latter-day Saints, we should do all we can to participate in and further this important work.  We will be blessed as we do.

Doctrine and Covenants Lesson 29

Introduction: The move from Missouri to Illinois

While Joseph Smith was in jail at Liberty, Missouri, the main responsibility for directing the Saints’ flight from Missouri fell upon Brigham Young, President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. To escape their persecutors, the Saints began crossing the Mississippi River into Illinois in late 1838.

In December 1840 the state of Illinois granted Nauvoo a charter that allowed the city to establish a militia, a municipal court, and a university. Nauvoo became the second largest city in Illinois as the Church grew rapidly and new converts gathered there.

Missions to England

Watch The Heart and a Willing Mind video presentation showing the sacrifices made by Heber C. Kimball and the other missionaries who left from Nauvoo.

Within a few months after arriving in England, Elder Wilford Woodruff had baptized and confirmed many people. Then he had the following experience:

“I … met with a large assembly of Saints and strangers, and while singing the first hymn the spirit of the Lord rested upon me and the voice of God said to me, ‘This is the last meeting that you will hold with this people for many days.’ I was astonished at this, as I had many appointments out in that district. When I arose to speak to the people, I told them that it was the last meeting I should hold with them for many days. They were as much astonished as I was. At the close of the meeting four persons came forward for baptism; we went down into the water and baptized them.

“In the morning I went in secret before the Lord, and asked Him what was His will concerning me. The answer I received was that I should go to the south; for the Lord had a great work for me to perform there, as many souls were waiting for His word.”

For the next two days he traveled south until he came to the farm of John Benbow in Herefordshire. Mr. Benbow and his wife, Jane, received him gladly and said that there was a company of over 600 men and women who had formed their own congregation called the United Brethren. Elder Woodruff said:

“This body of United Brethren were searching for light and truth, but had gone as far as they could, and were calling upon the Lord continually to open the way before them and send them light and knowledge, that they might know the true way to be saved. When I heard these things I could clearly see why the Lord had commanded me, while in the town of Hanley, to leave that place of labor and go to the south; for in Herefordshire there was a great harvest-field for gathering many saints into the Kingdom of God.”

Elder Woodruff’s efforts in this area of England enabled him “to bring into the Church, through the blessings of God, over eighteen hundred souls during eight months, including all of the six hundred United Brethren except one person” (in Wilford Woodruff: History of His Life and Labors, ed. Matthias F. Cowley [1909], 116–19).

What can we learn from Elder Woodruff’s experience? 

• We need to be willing to change our plans if the Spirit prompts us.
• This is not our work, but God’s.  If we try to do it without Him, we are not likely to accomplish much.
• We should expect great things to happen.

Elder Harold B. Lee summarized what happened during this remarkable time:

“In one year, 1840 to 1841—one year and fourteen days, to be exact—nine members of the twelve were called to labor in the British Mission. If you remember the history [in Nauvoo], those years marked the period of some of the severest persecution that the Church was to undergo in this dispensation. In that one year and fourteen days the nine members of the twelve, with their associates, established churches in every noted town and city in the kingdom of Great Britain. They baptized between 7000 and 8000 converts. They printed 5000 copies of the Book of Mormon, 3000 hymnbooks, and 50,000 tracts, … and [they] emigrated 1000 souls to America” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1960, 108).

A Proclamation to the World

We often speak today of “The Proclamation to the World,” and we refer to the document read by President Hinckley in the General Relief Society meeting in 1995 titled The Family: A Proclamation to the World.  However, this is not the only proclamation made by the Lord’s Church to the world.

Read D&C 124:2–6.  The Prophet Joseph Smith and others worked on this proclamation until the Prophet’s martyrdom in 1844. The Quorum of the Twelve then finished the document and published it on 6 April 1845.

The proclamation was addressed to the kings of the world, the president of the United States, and the rulers and people of all nations.

What would you expect to be included in this proclamation?

The leaders of the Church proclaimed that God had again spoken from the heavens and that the kingdom of God and the holy priesthood had been restored to prepare the way for the Second Coming of the Savior.

Other items include:

·         Repent, humble yourselves as little children, be baptized, and receive the Holy Ghost.

·         The Holy Ghost will teach you things both past and future

·         The Gifts of the Spirit will be given to those who follow this counsel

·         Obedience to the gospel will bring deliverance from the scourges that were coming

Are these truths written in our hearts?  How can we be more valiant in both proclaiming and living these things?

In 1975, President Ezra Taft Benson of the Quorum of the Twelve quoted part of this document in general conference and declared that the Church was once again proclaiming these truths to the world. He said:

“As humble servants of the Lord, we call upon the leaders of nations to humble themselves before God, to seek his inspiration and guidance. We call upon rulers and people alike to repent of their evil ways. Turn unto the Lord, seek his forgiveness, and unite yourselves in humility with his kingdom. There is no other way. If you will do this, your sins will be blotted out, peace will come and remain, and you will become a part of the kingdom of God in preparation for Christ’s second coming. But if you refuse to repent or to accept the testimony of his inspired messengers and unite yourselves with God’s kingdom, then the terrible judgments and calamities promised the wicked will be yours” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1975, 48; or Ensign, Nov. 1975, 34).

The Relief Society

While the Nauvoo Temple was under construction, Sarah Granger Kimball, wife of Hiram Kimball, one of the city’s wealthiest citizens, hired a seamstress named Margaret A. Cooke. Desiring to further the Lord’s work, Sarah donated cloth to make shirts for the men working on the temple, and Margaret agreed to do the sewing. Shortly thereafter, some of Sarah’s neighbors also desired to participate in the shirt making. The sisters met in the Kimball parlor and decided to formally organize. Eliza R. Snow was asked to write a constitution and bylaws for the new society.

Eliza presented the completed document to the Prophet Joseph Smith, who declared it was the best constitution he had seen. But he felt impressed to enlarge the vision of the women concerning what they could accomplish. He asked the women to attend another meeting, where he organized them into the Nauvoo Female Relief Society. Emma Smith, the Prophet’s wife, became the society’s first president.

Joseph told the sisters that they would receive “instruction through the order which God has established through the medium of those appointed to lead—and I now turn the key to you in the name of God and this Society shall rejoice and knowledge and intelligence shall flow down from this time—this is the beginning of better days to this Society.” 9

In 1999, Mary Ellen Smoot, then General Relief Society President, read the following declaration:

“We are beloved spirit daughters of God, and our lives have meaning, purpose, and direction. As a worldwide sisterhood, we are united in our devotion to Jesus Christ, our Savior and Exemplar. We are women of faith, virtue, vision, and charity who:

“Increase our testimonies of Jesus Christ through prayer and scripture study.

“Seek spiritual strength by following the promptings of the Holy Ghost.

“Dedicate ourselves to strengthening marriages, families, and homes.

“Find nobility in motherhood and joy in womanhood.

“Delight in service and good works.

“Love life and learning.

“Stand for truth and righteousness.

“Sustain the priesthood as the authority of God on earth.

“Rejoice in the blessings of the temple, understand our divine destiny, and strive for exaltation” (Mary Ellen Smoot, “Rejoice, Daughters of Zion,” Ensign, Nov. 1999, 92–93).

·         This is not intended to be like some corporate mission statement that was written by senior management, introduced at a pep-rally, and then forgotten.  These statements are truly life-changing as we live them

·         How does the Relief Society build faith and strengthen testimonies? How does it strengthen marriages and families? How does it help people in need?

·         What blessings have come into your life because of the Relief Society?

Conclusion

The period in Nauvoo saw many profound revelations and sacrifices that continue to affect us today.  We will be blessed as we study the sacrifices made by the Saints in Nauvoo, learn the doctrines that were revealed there, and strive to be faithful to their example and our covenants.

Doctrine and Covenants Lesson 28

Introduction

Invite class members to consider a trial or challenge they are currently facing.  It can be a personal weakness they want to overcome, economic challenges, problems with family members, anything.  Give class members a minute to consider their response.  Invite class members to prayerfully remember this personal challenge during today’s lesson.

Background

After the Saints were driven from Jackson County in late 1833, they found refuge in nearby Clay County until they were asked to leave in 1836. From Clay County, they moved about 60 miles north and established the community of Far West and other smaller settlements.

The Church prospered for a time in northern Missouri. The population grew rapidly, and temple sites were dedicated in Far West and Adam-ondi-Ahman. However, there continued to be conflicts among some of the Saints. Several leaders were excommunicated, including Oliver Cowdery and David Whitmer.

In addition to dissension among some Church members, there continued to be conflicts with other residents in northern Missouri. In 1838, mobs and militia members began more attacks. On 25 October, three Church members were killed during a battle at Crooked River, including David W. Patten, an Apostle. Two days later, Governor Lilburn W. Boggs of Missouri issued an order that “the Mormons must be treated as enemies and must be exterminated or driven from the state” (History of the Church, 3:175).

On 30 October, a mob of approximately 200 men killed 17 men and boys at Haun’s Mill. The next day, Joseph Smith and approximately 50 other Church leaders were arrested on false charges. Most of these leaders were released within three weeks. However, six of them, including Joseph and Hyrum Smith, were detained despite their innocence. In November they were marched first to Independence, then to Richmond, and then to Liberty, where they were incarcerated in Liberty Jail until April 1839.

Conditions in Liberty Jail were harsh. The prisoners were kept in the lower level, which was like a dungeon—dark, cold, and unsanitary. The food was inadequate and filthy. The Prophet and his companions had only a little straw on the stone floor for their beds, with meager blankets for cover. The ceiling was so low that some of the brethren, including Joseph and Hyrum, could not stand upright. They were also under constant threat of death.

While the Prophet was imprisoned, about 8,000 Saints in Missouri were forced out of their homes as a result of the governor’s extermination order. Many of them were robbed, beaten, and killed by the mobs as they fled to the state of Illinois. The Prophet heard reports of the Saints’ suffering and pleaded with the Lord for help. In response, the Lord gave some powerful revelations. The Prophet included them in a letter to Church leaders in Quincy, Illinois, who were directing the Saints’ exodus from Missouri. Portions of these revelations are now sections 121, 122, and 123 of the Doctrine and Covenants.

Joseph’s prayer in Liberty Jail, and the Lord’s response

As we read several verses received in Liberty Jail, consider how these verses apply in your life.

Read Joseph’s pleadings to the Lord in D&C 121:1–6.  Were Joseph and the Saints justified in asking the Lord to intervene in their plight?

Read the beginning of the Lord’s reply in D&C 121:7–10.  What do you learn from the Lord’s response?  Who are the foes that He promised the Saints would triumph over?  Who are the foes we face?  What is the difference between enduring, and enduring well?

These revelations “made Liberty jail, for a time, a center of instruction. The eyes of the saints were turned to it as the place whence would come encouragement, counsel—the word of the Lord. It was more temple than prison, so long as the Prophet was there. It was a place of meditation and prayer. … Joseph Smith sought God in this rude prison, and found him” (B. H. Roberts, A Comprehensive History of the Church, 1:526).

(Excellent article from Elder Holland here.)

Read D&C 122:7–8.  Follow up with the following quote by Elder Maxwell:

“As part of His infinite atonement, Jesus … has borne the sins, griefs, sorrows, and, declared Jacob, the pains of every man, woman, and child (see 2 Nephi 9:21). Having been perfected in His empathy, Jesus thus knows how to succor us. … Nothing is beyond His redeeming reach or His encircling empathy. Therefore, we should not complain about our own life’s not being a rose garden when we remember who wore the crown of thorns!” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1987, 89; or Ensign, May 1987, 72).

How can we more fully partake of the comfort and strength that Jesus offers through His Atonement?  Read Hebrews 4:16; and 1 Peter 5:6–8.  What does it mean in Hebrews 4:16 to come boldly unto the throne of grace?  (We are invited, even commanded, to approach God.  He has promised to answer our righteous prayers.   There is no reason for us to doubt as we seek His blessings.)

Why adversity comes

Adversity is a necessary part of mortality.   We knew and accepted that before we were born on this earth.  There are many reasons why individual struggles come to us in life.  The Doctrine and Covenants addresses at least three of these reasons:

1.      To give us experience and help us grow.  (Refer to D&C 122:7 which we already read.)

2.      To test, try, and prove us.  Read D&C 98:12 and D&C 136:31.

3.      As a result of our transgressions.  Read D&C 101:1–2.

While serving in the Quorum of the Twelve, Elder Harold B. Lee said that “living the gospel of Jesus Christ is no guarantee that adversity will not come into our lives; but living the gospel does give us the strength and faith and power to rise above that adversity and look beyond the present trouble to the brighter day” (quoted by A. Theodore Tuttle, in Conference Report, Oct. 1967, 15; or Improvement Era, Dec. 1967, 47).

Counsel when we face adversity

What should we do when trials come?

1. D&C 24:8 and 121:7 – Be patient.  We will face many afflictions, but they will last “but a small moment.”
2. D&C 98:1 – Rejoice and give thanks.  WHY?  Doesn’t that seem like the time we have least to be thankful for?  How will searching for things we are grateful for bless us during adversity?
3. D&C 98:11 – Continue to keep the commandments.  This is extremely important so we don’t move from reasons 1 and 2 above to reason 3!

 

Read Alma 62:41.  How can we use our trials to become more humble and teachable and not become bitter?

Promises to those who remain faithful

Read D&C 58:2–4.

Elder Marion G. Romney of the Quorum of the Twelve said:

“I have seen the remorse and despair in the lives of men who, in the hour of trial, have cursed God and died spiritually. And I have seen people rise to great heights from what seemed to be unbearable burdens.

“Finally, I have sought the Lord in my own extremities and learned for myself that my soul has made its greatest growth as I have been driven to my knees by adversity and affliction” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1969, 60; or Improvement Era, Dec. 1969, 69).

Conclusion

In April 1839, after the Prophet and his companions had been held in Liberty Jail for nearly five months, they were sent to Daviess County and then to Boone County for trial. While they were being moved to Boone County, the guards let them escape because some officials concluded that they could not be successfully prosecuted. Joseph Smith and the other prisoners then made their way to Illinois, where they joined their families and the rest of the Saints.

Encourage class members to read the revelations given in Liberty Jail in times of adversity. Testify that through the Atonement, Jesus Christ has borne our griefs. If we turn to Him, He will comfort and lift us even in our darkest days. Express your gratitude for the example of Joseph Smith in dealing with adversity and the willingness of Christ to help us endure and learn from adversity.

 

Doctrine and Covenants Lesson 27

Introduction

Imagine that you are on a committee assigned to organize an activity for the ward.  You put in many hours of work preparing the activities, the food, the decorations, and so on.  On the day of the event, only three ward members show up.  How do you feel?  What are you going to do next time you are asked to do something similar?

Now imagine our stake has been assigned to lay the sod, plant flowers, and do other landscaping work at a new temple being built in Bismarck, ND.  (Not a reasonable assumption, I know.  But play along.)  Because of the size of the project, at least 200 volunteers are needed.  We gather tools, arrange rides, and caravan to ND.  When we arrive, we find out that there has been a change of plans, and our work is not needed.  Now how do you feel?  What are you going to do next time you are asked to do something similar?

Now imagine that instead of driving to ND, we walk.  We don’t have good food along the way, people get sick, and we’re not just going to plant flowers, we’re going to help our friends who have been kicked out of their homes by a bunch of anti-Mormons.  And when we arrive, we’re told there’s been a change of plans and the time isn’t right to help them, and to go back home.  Essentially that was the experience of Zion’s Camp in 1834.

This lesson discusses some of the trials that the early Saints endured, and some of the reasons they did so.

The Saints settle in, and then flee from, Jackson County, Missouri

Briefly summarize the experience of the Saints in Jackson County, Missouri.

In July 1831 Joseph Smith made his first visit to Missouri where he received a revelation designating Missouri as the place for the city of Zion, with Independence as the center place (see D&C 57:1–3).  By 1832 there were more than 800 Saints living in the area.  In April of 1833 the Saints gathered to celebrate the third anniversary of the Church.  “Newel Knight said that this gathering was the first commemoration of its kind in Zion and the Saints had a spirit of general rejoicing. However, Newel also observed, ‘When the Saints rejoice, the devil is mad, and his children and servants partake of his spirit’ ” (Our Heritage, 39-40).

The Saints were forced from Jackson County later that year and set up make-shift camp in Clay County across the river.  It was a miserable experience in the rain and cold, with many members having lost all of their possessions.

Zion’s Camp is Organized

After the Saints were driven from Jackson County, they petitioned Governor Daniel Dunklin of Missouri for assistance in restoring their homes and for protection. The governor expressed a willingness to help if the Saints would organize a group of men for their own protection.  This was one of the main objectives of Zion’s Camp.

The Our Heritage manual explains:

The Church was in great need of priesthood leaders who had been tried, given experience, and proven faithful, who would remain true to the Lord and his prophet under any circumstances. An opportunity to prove obedience in difficult circumstances and to be trained personally by the Prophet Joseph Smith was provided by the march of Zion’s Camp.

Zion’s Camp was formally organized in New Portage, Ohio, on 6 May 1834. … For 45 days they marched together to Clay County, Missouri, a distance of over 1,000 miles. They traveled as quickly as possible and under harsh conditions. It was very difficult to get enough food. The men were often required to eat limited portions of coarse bread, rancid butter, cornmeal mush, strong honey, raw pork, rotten ham, and maggot-infested bacon and cheese.

The camp placed great emphasis on spirituality and obeying the commandments. On Sundays they held meetings and partook of the sacrament. The Prophet often taught the doctrines of the kingdom. He said: “God was with us, and His angels went before us, and the faith of our little band was unwavering. We know that angels were our companions, for we saw them.” 8

However, the difficulties of the camp began to take their toll on the participants. This refining process revealed the grumblers, who did not have the spirit of obedience and often faulted Joseph for their troubles. On 17 May the Prophet exhorted those who were possessed with a rebellious spirit “to humble themselves before the Lord and become united, that they might not be scourged.” 9

By 18 June the camp had reached Clay County, Missouri. However, the governor of Missouri, Daniel Dunklin, would not keep his promise to help the army of Saints reinstate the Church members who had been forced from their homes. For some in the camp, the failure of this military objective was the final test of their faith. Disappointed and angry, some openly rebelled. As a result, the Prophet warned them that the Lord would send upon them a devastating scourge. Soon a calamitous epidemic of cholera spread through the camp. Before it ended a third of the camp was afflicted, including Joseph Smith, and thereafter 14 members of the camp died. On 2 July, Joseph again warned the camp to humble themselves before the Lord and covenant to keep his commandments and said that if they did so, the plague would be stayed from that hour. The covenant was made by uplifted hands, and the plague ended.

When it became apparent that a mob army was confronting the Saints and that Governor Dunklin would not keep his promise to help them, the Prophet prayed for instruction from the Lord. The Lord told him that conditions were not then right for the redemption of Zion. The Saints had much to do to prepare their personal lives in order to build Zion. Many of them had not yet learned to be obedient to the things the Lord required: “Zion cannot be built up unless it is by the principles of the law of the celestial kingdom; otherwise I cannot receive her unto myself. And my people must needs be chastened until they learn obedience, if it must needs be, by the things which they suffer” (D&C 105:5–6).

In early July, the camp members were honorably discharged by the Prophet. The journey had revealed who was on the Lord’s side and who was worthy to serve in positions of leadership. The Prophet later explained the outcome of the march: “God did not want you to fight. He could not organize his kingdom with twelve men to open the gospel door to the nations of the earth, and with seventy men under their direction to follow in their tracks, unless he took them from a body of men who had offered their lives, and who had made as great a sacrifice as did Abraham.” 10

Wilford Woodruff, a member of the camp who later became the fourth President of the Church, said: “We gained an experience that we never could have gained in any other way. We had the privilege of beholding the face of the prophet, and we had the privilege of traveling a thousand miles with him, and seeing the workings of the spirit of God with him, and the revelations of Jesus Christ unto him and the fulfilment of those revelations.” 11

In February of 1835, five months after the discharge of the camp, the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and the First Quorum of the Seventy were organized. Seventy-nine of the eighty-two positions filled in the two quorums were filled by men who had been proven in the march of Zion’s Camp (Our Heritage, 27-29; 44-45).

When Brigham Young returned to Kirtland after Zion’s Camp, he was asked, “What have you gained by this journey?” He replied, “Just what we went for; … I would not exchange the knowledge I have received this season for the whole of [this] County” (in Journal of Discourses, 2:10).

What we can learn and apply

Why the trials in Jackson County

Read D&C 101:2, 6.  The Lord gave similar reasons for the “failure” of Zion’s Camp.

Read D&C 101:4-5

Why does the Lord chasten his people?  Read D&C 95:1 – Because He loves us, and so our sins can be forgiven.  Being eternally clean is far more important than being temporally (and temporarily) comfortable.

Read D&C 101:7–8.  What can we do in the “day of peace” to remember God’s counsel and always be eager to follow it?

Read D&C 101:35–38. What can we learn from these verses to help us keep our mortal life in proper perspective? How has knowledge of the Lord’s eternal promises helped you in times of trial?

Preparing our lives for the “redemption of Zion”

Read D&C 105:1–13.  I learn the following:

• 3 – I’ve got to learn to be obedient
• 3 – I’ve got to share with the poor and afflicted
• 4 – I’ve got to be united.  This means that I want others to have the same blessings I have and want.  This includes wanting my brothers and sisters in the gospel to feel the Spirit and rejoice sacrament meeting, just like I want to do!
• 5 – I’ve got to build both my life and the Church the way God directs.
• 8 – At this time, the Saints were counseled to donate their money to purchase all the land they could in Jackson County, and to gather there to build Zion.  Apparently, some were less than faithful in this area.  Their attitude seems to have been, “Well, if this is really the Lord’s church, he’ll take care of it.  We’ll go once the city is built.  If things don’t work out, we won’t go to Zion and face persecution, and we’ll still have our money.”  How might we do something similar in our day?
• The counsel to get out of debt is very good.  I’ll start on that as soon as I finish getting my new…
• I’m sure food storage is a good thing for us to have.  But because God loves us we won’t really need it, so I’m sure the little bit that I have is good enough.
• Of course the Church is true, but I wish the First Presidency wouldn’t make such a big deal out of the whole gay marriage thing.  They’re just out of touch with reality.
• 10 – I’m going to have experiences – some good, some not so good.  I want to learn and be prepared through them.

Read D&C 105:38–40.  The Lord commanded the Saints to be peacemakers with everyone, even those who persecuted them.

Conclusion

While the final City of Zion has not yet been built, you and I should build Zion in our homes and stake so that we will be prepared for the day when Zion is in fact redeemed in all its glory and power.