INTRO TO THE D&C AND CHURCH HISTORY

Gospel Doctrine D&C Lesson 1 Explanatory Introduction, Section 1

INTRODUCTION

• What is the keystone of our religion?

• The Book of Mormon

• The Doctrine & Covenants is the capstone

• Similar to the top of the gold ball under Angel Moroni

Ezra Taft Benson

“The Doctrine and Covenants brings men to Christ’s kingdom, even The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, ‘the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth’ [D&C 1:30]. …

“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” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1987, 105; or Ensign, May 1987, 83).

OVERVIEW FOR THIS YEAR

➤ We’ve studied OT, NT & BofM. How did they end?

➤ Scattering, apostasy & destruction

➤ The D&C is different. How?

➤ Explanatory Introduction P1 (The Doctrine…)

➤ Primarily for our day but the message is for all

➤ Ex. Intro. P3 (Joseph Smith…)

➤ Not a translated book

➤ “tender but firm voice of the Lord”

➤ How do we see that in the D&C? Liberty Jail is a good example (Section 122)

➤ “Fulfillment of and in concert with”

➤ How does the D&C do that for us?

➤ Look how many footnotes there are on every page of the D&C. It is a link between all scripture written in our language.

OVERVIEW FOR THIS YEAR➤ How was it received?

➤ Ex. Intro. P6 (These sacred…)

➤ The revelations came through prayer to real people

➤ What does that teach us about revelation?

➤ ATOT: The story of knowing the name of the Brother of Jared. Why would he bother the Lord with that? It shows the level of comfort he had with revelation.

➤ What kinds of revelations are included? The core.

➤ Ex Intro. P8 (In the revelations…)

➤ The nature of the Godhead

➤ The origin of man

➤ The reality of Satan

➤ The purpose of mortality ➤ The necessity of obedience & need for repentance ➤ + so many more

MY CONCERNS WITH TEACHING THE D&C

➤ We study it by topic, rather chronologically

➤ I’m a story teller and this format can be tricky

➤ The history can be confusing (and tangent-tempting)

➤ I’ll probably bring my nerf gun back to class ;)

➤ Some people get confused by Church History and end up questioning doctrine

➤ Please utilize history.lds.org if you have questions!

➤ I as began to study again I was humbled and reminded of the blessings of the D&C.

➤ There are incredible promises offered to those who study these revelations.

➤ D&C 18:34-36

THE LORD AUTHORED THE PREFACE TO THE D&C

➤ November 1, 1831, special 2-day conference of the elders is held in Hiram, OH

➤ They decide to compile the revelations from Joseph Smith (The book of commandments).

➤ A few of the men are appointed to draft a preface. When it’s presented, it’s “picked all to pieces”. They ask Joseph to enquire of the Lord about it.

➤ They knelt and Section 1 was given to Joseph line by line. Sydney Rigdon would write the line and then he would proceed to the next.

➤ Ezra Taft Benson

➤ “The Doctrine and Covenants is the only book in the world that has a preface written by the Lord Himself. In that preface He declares to the world that His voice is unto all men, that the coming of the Lord is nigh, and that the truths found in the Doctrine and Covenants will all be fulfilled.” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1986, 101; or Ensign, Nov. 1986, 79).

➤ Chronologically, Section 1 should be between sections 66 and 67.

VOICE OF WARNING UNTO ALL PEOPLE

➤ Section 1:1,4-5,

➤ How is the D&C a voice of warning? This is the dispensation of the fullness of times.

➤ How can it possibly go to all?

➤ It can’t be just media, all who convert must be taught and brought to the gospel by those in authority.

➤ Joseph Smith

➤ “No power can prevent the gospel from going forth. It is destined to be taught to those of every nation, kindred, and tongue. "The Standard of Truth," Joseph Smith said, "has been erected; no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done" (History of the Church, 4:540).)

PREPARE YE➤ Section 1:7,11-13

➤ This sounds like the Old Testament, much of it from Isaiah.

➤ Why would he come off so harsh in this direct message?

➤ ATOT: Will’s homework left on the table. I tried to warn him about the inevitable beating it would take but he didn’t put it away.

➤ Friday came and couldn’t go the fun club. He couldn’t see the inevitable but I could

➤ Section 1:17-18

➤ He knows what is coming and how soon. We should heed the urgent warnings.

➤ The D&C contains the instructions to get to higher ground

➤ Section 1:14

➤ Does this apply to us today?

➤ How many have turned from the leadership of the Church?

“God has chosen His servants… No man, however strong he may be in the faith, however high in the Priesthood, can speak evil of the Lord's anointed and find fault with God's authority on the earth without incurring His displeasure. The Holy Spirit will withdraw itself from such a man, and he will go into darkness. This being the case, do you not see how important it is that we should be careful? However difficult it may be for us to understand the reason for any action of the authorities of the Church, we should not too hastily call their acts in question and pronounce them wrong. (Oct. 6, 1896, DW 53:609)

-George Q. Cannon

PURPOSES FOR THE REVELATIONS IN THE D&C

➤ Why did he reveal it? Section 1:19-21

➤ Insert ‘so’ to help understanding

➤ So ‘the weak things of the world…’

➤ So ‘that man should not counsel’

➤ So ‘that every man might speak…’

➤ So ‘that faith might also increase…’

➤ Why does he use small and simple things to bring great things to pass?

➤ What is the purpose of the increased faith?

➤ Section 1:22

➤ What is the ‘new & everlasting covenant’?

➤ Marcus B. Nash (Seventy) December 2015 Ensign

“The new and everlasting covenant “is the sum total of all gospel covenants and obligations” given anciently and again restored to the earth in these latter days. This is explained in Doctrine and Covenants 66:2: “Verily I say unto you, blessed are you for receiving mine everlasting covenant, even the fulness of my gospel, sent forth unto the children of men, that they might have life and be made partakers of the glories which are to be revealed in the last days, as it was written by the prophets and apostles in days of old.” Because the covenant has been restored in the last dispensation of time, it is “new,” and because it spans all eternity, it is “everlasting.”

-Marcus B. Nash

GIVEN IN THEIR OWN LANGUAGE

➤ Some in attendance were worried about the quality of the language in the revelations.

➤ They asked Joseph (who was 25 at the time) ‘How do we know that the revelations are of God The language sounds so very much like the language of Joseph Smith.’

➤ In true meekness, Joseph didn’t rebuke them. He turned to the Lord and asked! He essentially said, ‘I don’t know; let’s ask the Lord’.

➤ Section 1 is the result of those prayers

➤ Section 1:24-28

➤ Why is it written in our language (24)?

➤ Why does it include the prophet’s (and others) mistakes (25, 27)?

➤ We don’t believe in infallible prophets. (see next slide)

➤ How did they gain wisdom (26)?

➤ How often did the revelation happen (28)? That comforts me.

“"I saw the . . . imperfections in [Joseph Smith]. . . . I thanked God that He would put upon a man who had those imperfections the power and authority He placed upon him . . . for I knew that I myself had weakness, and I thought there was a chance for me. . . . I thanked God that I saw these imperfections.” (quoted by Maxwell, in Conference Report, October 1984, 10). Joseph Fielding McConkie, Revelations of the Restoration, p. 52)

-Lorenzo Snow

OUT OF OBSCURITY ➤ Section 1:30

➤ Definition of obscurity

➤ The state of being unknown, inconspicuous or unimportant.

➤ The quality of being difficult to understand.

➤ How does the D&C accomplish this?

➤ The Joseph Smith Papers

➤ James E. Talmage

➤ “We as individuals are not doing all that could be done, all that should be done. I have no concern for the Church as a whole; it’s destiny is foretold, it is going on to glorious victory [Sec. 65]. That does not say that each of us who are members of the Church will go on to glorious victory; we may be left behind entirely. What are we doing individually?”

CONCLUSION➤ D&C 1:37-38

➤ ATOT: Losing Whipple…again. It brought new meaning to the word search.

➤ To search is to look with a commitment to find. It means you’ll use everything in your power to help you reach your goal.

➤ How can we apply this to our scripture study?

➤ We shouldn’t read hoping to be inspired and stronger. We should read until we are inspired and stronger.

➤ D&C 18:34-36 (repeat)

➤ Testimony of the work rolling forward