Introduction
Imagine you are discussing the doctrines of the Church with a friend who says, “I admire and respect your Church. I like the doctrines you teach, and can even accept the Book of Mormon. But I just cannot accept the idea of God calling Joseph Smith as a Prophet.” How would you respond to this concern? Which of the Church’s doctrines have not been revealed or directly influenced by the Prophet Joseph Smith?
The Lord’s word comes through Joseph Smith
Speaking to Joseph Smith in D&C 5:10 the Lord says “But this generation shall have my word through you;”
Brigham Young said “What I have received from the Lord, I have received by Joseph Smith” (Discourses of Brigham Young, sel. John A. Widtsoe [1941], 458).
How are these statements true for you? How are they true for all Latter-day Saints?
Many ancient and latter-day scriptures have come through Joseph Smith
Read Moses 1:40–41. How are these verses being fulfilled? (People in both times were in spiritual bondage, not being able to worship properly; both were instrumental in revealing God’s will and recording scriptures.)
Speaking about Joseph Smith, Elder LeGrand Richards of the Quorum of the Twelve said, “As far as our records show, he has given us more revealed truth than any prophet who has ever lived upon the face of the earth” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1981, 43; or Ensign, May 1981, 33).
What scriptures has the Lord revealed through Joseph Smith? (Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants,
The Book of Mormon
Read the Lord’s words to Joseph in
What are some of the purposes of the Book of Mormon?
- Establish the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and of the teachings from the Bible.
- To establish peace by confounding false doctrines and laying down contention. (Interesting that these two items go together – often we assume that you have to confront false doctrines contentiously.)
- Bring people to a knowledge of the Lord’s covenants.
How has the Book of Mormon blessed your life? What are some of your favorite passages?
The Doctrine and Covenants
From 1823 to 1831, Joseph Smith received more than 60 revelations from the Lord. A few handwritten copies of these revelations were given to missionaries and others, but most Church members did not have access to them. At a conference held in
Oliver Cowdery and John Whitmer reached
Some of these pages were rescued by Mary Elizabeth and Caroline Rollins. These young girls grabbed armfuls of the unbound pages and ran from the mob, hiding in a field of dense corn. Though the mob hunted for the girls, they were not found. (See Our Heritage, page 41).
The pages that were salvaged were bound into a few copies of the Book of Commandments, but the revelations still were not widely available. In 1835, after 45 more revelations were added, the Book of Commandments was published as the Doctrine and Covenants.
- What doctrines are taught clearly in the Doctrine and Covenants?
- How have you been blessed as you have studied the Doctrine and Covenants?
- What are some of your favorite passages of this book of modern scripture?
The Pearl
The Pearl of Great Price is appropriately named. Like a pearl, it is small in size but great in worth. Although it is only 61 pages long, it spans the eternities, including passages about the Grand Council in Heaven, the restoration of the gospel in the dispensation of the fulness of times, the Savior’s Second Coming, the Millennium, and everlasting life. It contains valuable teachings on the Creation, the Fall, the Atonement, and the agency of mankind. This book of scripture has five parts:
- Selections from the book of Moses
- The book of Abraham
- Joseph Smith—Matthew
- Joseph Smith—History
- The Articles of Faith
Turn to the Introductory Note at the beginning of the Pearl of Great Price. The last five paragraphs explain the background of each part of this book of scripture.
- How have the teachings of the Pearl of Great Price blessed you?
- What are your favorite passages from these revelations?
Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible
Recite the Eighth Article of Faith. What is the significance of this verse?
- We do believe the Bible. Sometimes we are accused of not believing the Bible, and sometimes we may not put forth the effort to search this book of scripture as we should.
- As far as it is translated correctly. There are errors, omissions, and mistranslations in the Bible. Some came innocently, and others came maliciously. Read 1 Nephi 13:24–28.
To restore some of these lost truths, Joseph Smith was instructed to begin a “translation” of the Bible. This is different from most translations because it was not from one language to another. Rather it was accomplished through the influence of the Holy Ghost.
The process of translating the Bible not only brought the correction and restoration of doctrines in the Bible. It also helped bring about the restoration of doctrines through the Doctrine and Covenants. Many revelations in the Doctrine and Covenants are responses to questions the Prophet asked while pondering the translation of the Bible. One Church member who spent many years studying the Joseph Smith Translation observed, “The Joseph Smith Translation is not just a better Bible; it was the channel, or the means, of doctrinal restoration in the infancy of this Church” (Robert J. Matthews, in The Capstone of Our Religion: Insights into the Doctrine and Covenants [1989], 64).
Restoration of “Plain and Precious” truths
Through the Prophet Joseph, God restored clarity and truth to many of the doctrines of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Review the attached list of doctrines and discuss those doctrines that are most meaningful to class members.
No comments:
Post a Comment