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Lesson Aids

Come, Follow Me Week 36 – Doctrine and Covenants 94-97

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by Cassandra Hedelius

In D&C 88, the Lord instructed Joseph that the School of the Prophets should always begin with a striking demonstration of affection between the participants:

“[L]et the teacher arise, and, with uplifted hands to heaven, yea, even directly, salute his brother or brethren with these words:

“Art thou a brother or brethren? I salute you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, in token or remembrance of the everlasting covenant, in which covenant I receive you to fellowship, in a determination that is fixed, immovable, and unchangeable, to be your friend and brother through the grace of God in the bonds of love, to walk in all the commandments of God blameless, in thanksgiving, forever and ever. Amen.” (D&C 88:132-133) [Read more…] about Come, Follow Me Week 36 – Doctrine and Covenants 94-97

Come, Follow Me Week 35 – Doctrine and Covenants 93

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“Ye Were Also In The Beginning With The Father”

By Kara Dawson

D&C 93 teaches in two separate verses that “ye were also in the beginning with the Father” (v.23) and “man was also in the beginning with God. Intelligence, or the light of truth, was not created or made, neither indeed can be” (v.29). Joseph Smith’s teachings during his lifetime demonstrated clearly that spirits were coeternal with God. In an 1839 sermon he taught as recorded by William Clayton, “The Spirit of Man is not a created being…It existed from Eternity and will exist to eternity. Anything created cannot be eternal.” (1) In the King Follett sermon given in 1844, he noted, “God never did have the power to create the spirit of man at all.” (2) “I must come to the resurrection of the dead, the soul, the mind of man, the immortal spirit. All men say God created it in the beginning. The very idea lessens man in my estimation; I do not believe the doctrine, I know better. Hear it all ye ends of the world, for God has told me so.” (3)

Yet how do we reconcile these verses with modern-day accepted Church teachings that, “All men and women are literally the sons and daughters of God” (4), and that, “those who abide in the covenant and are exalted in the highest degree of the celestial kingdom will have spirit children in the eternities”(5). Whether spirits existed eternally or were born in some process beyond our comprehension is one of the areas in which we are waiting for further light and knowledge, and this is clearly not a topic that we need to understand for our salvation. Church members have a variety of opinions on the subject, informed by both canonized scripture, teachings of Church leaders and folk doctrine, and consensus cannot be reached given the current lack of clarity; yet, it’s an interesting subject to study and ponder. The purpose of this short article is not to lay out the arguments for each, but to summarise the main ideas in terms of questions and the sources of scholarship available for further study on the evolution of LDS thought on the subject.

The two basic possibilities are: [Read more…] about Come, Follow Me Week 35 – Doctrine and Covenants 93

Come, Follow Me Week 34 – Doctrine and Covenants 89-92

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Receive the Oracles of God

By DeeAnn Cheatham

A few months ago I reread President Benson’s talk “Beware of Pride,[i]” given on  April 1, 1989. It had been many years since first hearing this talk and it was as powerful as I remembered. I was so affected by it, in fact, that I printed it off to carry with me as a reminder to beware of pride. In his talk President Benson clearly teaches what pride is:

The central feature of pride is enmity—enmity toward God and enmity toward our fellowmen. Enmity means “hatred toward, hostility to, or a state of opposition.” It is the power by which Satan wishes to reign over us.

Pride is essentially competitive in nature. We pit our will against God’s. When we direct our pride toward God, it is in the spirit of “my will and not thine be done.” As Paul said, they “seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s.” (Philip. 2:21.)[ii]

We aren’t here on this earth to make God conform to our will. We are here to learn to conform our will to God’s. Not because He is some arbitrary being who wants to control us, but because He knows what will bring us happiness. He knows how we can best reach our potential. [Read more…] about Come, Follow Me Week 34 – Doctrine and Covenants 89-92

Come, Follow Me Week 33 – Doctrine and Covenants 88

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By René Krywult

In September 1832 Joseph Smith received D&C 84, which talks about the oath and covenant of the Priesthood, about receiving the Son and the Father, and about the necessity of the ordinances of the Melchizedek Priesthood in order to see God and live. Also, a command to build a temple was issued. In December, these temple topics were deepened, when Joseph and nine high priests “assembled in the translating room in Kirtland”.

The connection to the temple starts with the description Joseph gave to this section, saying this revelation was “plucked from the Tree of Paradise”, from the Garden of Eden, and it is evident in D&C 109, the inspired prayer of dedication for the Kirtland temple, which “drew liberally on section 88.” (https://doctrineandcovenantscentral.org/historical-context/dc-88/) [Read more…] about Come, Follow Me Week 33 – Doctrine and Covenants 88

Come, Follow Me Week 31 – Doctrine and Covenants 84

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Priesthood Power

by Wendy Ulrich

Doctrine and Covenants Section 84 is designated by Joseph Smith as a revelation on priesthood. Although several sections of the Doctrine and Covenants discuss priesthood administration, offices, organization, and ordinances, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believes priesthood, in its fullest sense, is the very power of God, “without beginning of days or end of years” (v. 17).

God authorizes men and women throughout the Church to lead, teach, minister, and perform ordinances in a variety of ways, using priesthood authority that is delegated and extended through callings, assignments, recommends, or ordinances. Men holding priesthood keys oversee the use of priesthood authority in a given area and for a specific purpose that includes administering priesthood ordinances. [1]

As described in Section 84, however, priesthood authority and ordinances have a purpose beyond administration or even salvation. They are intended to make the power of godliness manifest in our lives, to hold the key to the mysteries and knowledge of God, and to make that knowledge available to all God’s covenant people (Doctrine and Covenants 84:19-21). [Read more…] about Come, Follow Me Week 31 – Doctrine and Covenants 84

Come, Follow Me Week 29 – Doctrine and Covenants 77-80

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“A Place in the Celestial World”

By David W. Smith

In the early 1830s, Joseph Smith strove diligently to help the Saints build Zion. In one of the revelations given on how to build Zion, the Lord taught Joseph Smith and all the Saints: “For if you will that I give unto you a place in the celestial world, you must prepare yourselves by doing the things which I have commanded you and required of you.”[1]

There are three points I would like to address from this scripture: [Read more…] about Come, Follow Me Week 29 – Doctrine and Covenants 77-80

Come, Follow Me Week 28 – Doctrine and Covenants 76

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by Cassandra Hedelius

By Joseph Smith’s time, much of Christendom was floundering with a badly truncated understanding of God’s judgment and humanity’s destination in the next life. Many believed, as many still do today, that all people will eternally fall on one side or the other of a single line: those who did good and receive the resurrection of the just, and those who did evil and receive the resurrection of damnation. There are obvious practical issues with that scheme, starting with the fact that cheating on homework and committing genocide are both sinful, but it feels unjust and illogical to consign their perpetrators to being undifferentiated roommates in hell.

The Bible does contain hints of a more complex judgment. It teaches that Christ shall reward every man according to his works (Matthew 16:27); converts are like seeds that bring forth a hundredfold or sixtyfold or thirtyfold (Matthew 13:8); Paul compared resurrected bodies to the differing glory of the sun, moon, and stars (1 Corinthians 15:41). But this isn’t enough to build a case countering the most obvious interpretation of the Bible’s teachings–at the final judgment people will be designated good or evil, and receive their final assignment to heaven or hell. [Read more…] about Come, Follow Me Week 28 – Doctrine and Covenants 76

Come, Follow Me Week 27 – Doctrine and Covenants 71-75

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Repenting is Ascending

By Jeff Markham

3 Verily this is a mission for a season, which I give unto you.

4 Wherefore, labor ye in my vineyard. Call upon the inhabitants of the earth, and bear record, and prepare the way for the commandments and revelations which are to come.

5 Now, behold this is wisdom; whoso readeth, let him understand and receive also;

6 For unto him that receiveth it shall be given more abundantly, even power. (Doctrine & Covenants 71)

These verses from Section 71 stand as a powerful reminder of the true purpose of missionary work. We are not called to provide overwhelming proof of the truthfulness of the Gospel, nor are we called to impress others with our deep knowledge of the scriptures. Rather, we are to:  [Read more…] about Come, Follow Me Week 27 – Doctrine and Covenants 71-75

Come, Follow Me Week 26 – Doctrine and Covenants 67-70

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D&C 67: Four Steps to Rend the Veil and See God

By Jasmin Gimenez Rappleye

Doctrine and Covenants 67 addresses the printing of Joseph Smith’s revelations, but it more fundamentally narrows in on the source of the revelations: the presence of God. In November 1831, while discussing the printing of the Book of Commandments, some of the elders questioned the unpolished and sometimes abrasive language of the revelations. Joseph Smith promised the elders that they could receive a testimony of the revelations for themselves. When the elders tried to receive this revelation and failed, the Lord taught them how to rend the veil and approach God. Joseph had predicted that if the Saints could all “come together with one heart and one mind in perfect faith the vail might as well be rent to day as next week or any other time.” [1] [Read more…] about Come, Follow Me Week 26 – Doctrine and Covenants 67-70

Come, Follow Me Week 25 – Doctrine and Covenants 64-66

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Forgiving 

by Wendy Ulrich

Think of someone you might need to forgive. It could be something recent or long past, serious or trivial, that happened over and over again or only once. 

Got it? 

Sometimes, forgiving is straightforward and relatively easy. 

Sometimes, forgiving eludes us despite good intentions and persistent effort. 

Sometimes, we don’t even want to forgive and can’t imagine why or how we would. 

Given just how much some offenses cost us, the Lord’s teaching about forgiveness in Doctrine and Covenants 64:8-10 can feel pretty harsh: [Read more…] about Come, Follow Me Week 25 – Doctrine and Covenants 64-66