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Faithful Study Resources for Come, Follow Me

FAIR Resources for Come, Follow Me – Restoration Scripture
Week 2: January 6–12 “Hearken, O Ye People”

Doctrine and Covenants 1

Doctrinal Focus
Historical & Contextual
Apologetic Application
Practical Applications
Ideas for Teaching
Quick Reference

Doctrinal Focus

  • Key doctrines addressed in this week’s reading
  • The opening verses declare that the voice of the Lord reaches the “ends of the earth” and will penetrate the hearts of all, signaling the universality of His message. This sets the tone for the Doctrine and Covenants as a call to action for the entire world, not just for members of the Church.
  • This directive highlights the responsibility of Church members, especially leaders, to boldly proclaim the gospel. The emphasis on missionary work underscores the urgency of spreading the message before calamities and judgments unfold.
  • This doctrine reassures members that God continues to guide His people through living prophets. It addresses concerns about the relevance of modern revelation by emphasizing its divine origin and eternal nature.
  • In a world of changing values and increased confusion, the authority of prophets offers a source of stability and clarity. By “speaking in the name of God,” prophets help believers align their lives with divine will.
  • The restoration was not merely about reorganizing a church but about reestablishing the fullness of the gospel, including priesthood authority, ordinances, and covenants. This sets the restored Church apart from other Christian denominations.
  • The Lord’s emphasis on using humble servants reflects the broader principle that God’s power works through faith, not human might. This encourages believers who feel inadequate to trust that they can contribute to God’s work.
  • This statement reassures members struggling with doubts about the humanity of Church leaders. It emphasizes the miraculous nature of revelation—that divine truths can be communicated through fallible humans.
    • Rather than expecting perfection from His leaders, the Lord invites them to grow in knowledge and strength through humility. This approach mirrors the journey of every disciple striving to follow Christ.
  • This distinguishes the restored Church as a dynamic organization led by a living God. It underscores the idea that revelation did not cease with ancient prophets but continues through modern ones.

  • Despite its humble beginnings, the Church has a prophetic mission to spread light and truth worldwide. This gives members a sense of purpose in participating in its global work.

Historical & Contextual Insights

  • Insights in this week’s study
  • In November 1831, the restored Church of Jesus Christ was only about a year and a half old, with a small membership largely concentrated in Ohio. Despite its size, the Church had a global mission: to proclaim the restored gospel and warn all people to prepare for the Second Coming.
  • The revelation was given during a special council of elders in Hiram, Ohio, where leaders gathered to discuss the potential publication of Joseph Smith’s revelations. The idea of publishing the revelations was met with both enthusiasm and hesitation.
  • At the time, Church members faced significant opposition and criticism from local communities, as well as internal doubts about Joseph Smith’s abilities. Nevertheless, the Lord emphasized that His work would extend beyond their immediate surroundings and reach all nations, affirming the Church’s divine mandate despite its modest beginnings​. 
  • Understanding this setting helps modern readers appreciate the faith required of early Saints to accept a global mission at such an early stage in the Church’s development.
  • During the council, Sidney Rigdon, Oliver Cowdery, and William McLellin were appointed to draft a preface for the planned compilation of revelations, known as the Book of Commandments. After hours of work, they presented their draft to the council, only to have it rejected.
  • The council then asked Joseph Smith to seek the Lord’s will. Joseph prayed, and by inspiration, he dictated what is now Doctrine and Covenants 1, the Lord’s preface to the revelations.
  • This preface serves not only as an introduction to the Book of Commandments but also as a declaration of the purpose of the restored gospel: to warn the world and prepare it for Christ’s return.
  • This event underscores a key principle: the Lord’s word is revealed by His chosen servants, not through human wisdom or intellect.
  • Despite their best efforts, Sidney, Oliver, and William could not produce a suitable preface, illustrating that divine revelation transcends human capabilities.
  • After Joseph dictated the preface, some council members expressed concern about the imperfections in his language. They worried that critics would mock the revelations’ grammar and wording. In response, the Lord issued a bold challenge:
  • The Lord instructed the council to select the wisest among them to write a revelation comparable to those Joseph had received.
  • William McLellin, confident in his literary abilities, attempted the task but ultimately failed to produce anything that matched the power or inspiration of Joseph’s revelations.
  • This experience humbled the council members and led them to unanimously testify of the divine origin of Joseph’s revelations.
  • It also reinforced the idea that the Lord uses imperfect people to accomplish His perfect work.
  • This challenge serves as a reminder to modern readers that divine authority is not contingent on human eloquence or education.
  • It also provides a historical apologetic response to criticisms of Joseph Smith’s writing, showing that the content and spirit of revelation are what truly matter.

If you have questions on this week’s reading, please email your questions to us here.

Apologetic Application

  • Claim: Joseph Smith invented the revelations, and they were not divinely inspired. Critics point to grammatical errors and simple language as evidence of their human origin.
  • Response:
    1. 1. Historical Evidence: The council of elders in November 1831 witnessed Joseph receiving the preface by direct revelation after they had failed to produce an acceptable draft themselves​. The fact that Joseph was able to dictate the preface on the spot, after much deliberation by others, strengthens the claim that he was acting as a prophet, not an author.
    2. 2. Eyewitness Support: Members of the council, including William McLellin, Sidney Rigdon, and Oliver Cowdery, testified of Joseph’s revelations after attempting and failing to write a comparable one. This was recorded in their official minutes and later corroborated by personal writings
    3. 3. Spiritual Confirmation: Many early Saints, including those in attendance during the November council, bore testimony of feeling the Spirit as Joseph spoke. This spiritual confirmation aligns with the Lord’s instruction in D&C 1:37 to “search these commandments” and receive a witness of their truth.
    4. 4. Logical Analysis: If Joseph’s revelations were merely the product of his intellect, it would be difficult to explain why educated individuals like McLellin, who was confident in his abilities, could not replicate the same result. This suggests that the power behind Joseph’s revelations was not human but divine.
  • Claim: The Doctrine and Covenants cannot be inspired scripture because it lacks the poetic language and literary style of the Bible.
  • Response:
    1. 1. Historical Evidence:
      • The Lord explicitly acknowledged the imperfections of Joseph’s language in D&C 1:24, stating that revelations were given “after the manner of their language.” This shows that God works within the cultural and linguistic context of His servants.
      • 2. Eyewitness Support
      • The council’s testimony and subsequent decision to proceed with publishing the revelations despite concerns about language further validate that they accepted these words as divine.
      • 3. Spiritual Confirmation:
        Modern members can receive their own witness of the Doctrine and Covenants through study and prayer. Many have testified of the Spirit confirming the truth of these words, despite their simplicity.
    3. 4. Logical Analysis of Claim: Literary style does not determine divine inspiration. If it did, other books of scripture, like the plain and straightforward Book of Mormon, would also be dismissed. Divine truth is measured by its transformative power, not its rhetorical flourish.
  • Claim: By claiming to be the “only true and living church,” the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints dismisses other faiths and arrogantly claims superiority.
  • Response:
    1. 1. Historical Evidence:
      • The phrase “only true and living church” (D&C 1:30) was given in a context where the restored Church was tasked with spreading the fullness of the gospel to the world. This declaration was not meant to demean other faiths but to emphasize the unique role of the restored Church in carrying out God’s work, including the authority to administer saving ordinances.
    2. 2. Eyewitness Support:
      • Early Church leaders, including Joseph Smith, consistently expressed respect for other faiths while emphasizing that the restored Church had a divinely appointed mission. Joseph himself stated, “We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege” (Articles of Faith 1:11).
    3. 3. Spiritual Confirmation:
      • Members are encouraged to gain a personal witness of the truth of the Church. This witness does not lead to arrogance but to greater humility and respect for others, recognizing that all people are children of God. There is no place for spiritual pride in the Church.
    4. 4. Logical Analysis of Claim:
      • Claiming to be the “only true and living church” is not inherently dismissive of others—it’s a statement of divine mandate. Other religious organizations can have truth and do good while the restored Church fulfills a unique role. Just as different organizations can serve different purposes without negating each other, the Church’s claim highlights its distinctive mission without diminishing the value of other faiths.
  • Claim: If Joseph Smith edited or revised his revelations, they cannot be considered the pure word of God.
  • Response:
    1. 1. Historical Evidence:
      • Changes to the Doctrine and Covenants were often made to improve clarity or to include additional revelations received later. For example, early revelations were given in an informal, spoken style, and later edits refined the language to better convey the intended meaning​.
    2. 2. Eyewitness Support:
    3. Several early Church leaders, including Oliver Cowdery and Sidney Rigdon, testified that even with revisions, the revelations retained their divine origin. They participated in publishing the Book of Commandments and later the Doctrine and Covenants, confirming their belief in the inspiration behind these texts
    4. 3. Spiritual Confirmation:
      • As with all scripture, members are encouraged to seek personal confirmation of the truth of the Doctrine and Covenants through prayer and study (D&C 1:37). Many have testified of receiving spiritual witness even after revisions were made.
      • 4. Logical Analysis of Claim: Revelation is often an ongoing process. Edits to revelations do not negate their divine origin but demonstrate that God continues to reveal additional insights and guidance as needed. This is consistent with how scripture has been handled throughout history—for example, biblical texts were copied and refined over time without losing their spiritual authority.
  • Claim: The financial struggles of the early Church indicate that it was not divinely guided because a true church would not face such difficulties.
  • Response:
    1. 1. Historical Evidence:
      • Many divinely appointed organizations and individuals throughout history faced significant trials, including financial struggles. For example, the ancient Israelites endured hardship in the wilderness despite being led by God. Similarly, the early Saints’ financial struggles—such as funding the publication of the Book of Commandments—were a natural result of their limited resources and external opposition​.
    2. 2. Eyewitness Support:
      • Despite financial challenges, early Saints like Edward Partridge, Newel K. Whitney, and others testified of miraculous occurrences that helped sustain the Church. They remained committed to the work, attributing their perseverance to divine guidance even amid financial difficulties​.
    3. 3. Spiritual Confirmation:
      • Financial struggles often served as a refining process for early Church members. Many testified that these trials strengthened their faith and led to greater reliance on God. D&C 64:33–34 reassures the Saints that “the Lord requireth the heart and a willing mind,” emphasizing spiritual devotion over temporal wealth.
      • 4. Logical Analysis of Claim: 
      • Temporal success is not the primary measure of divine guidance. Many great causes and movements, including the early Christian Church, faced poverty and persecution yet were divinely directed. The early Church’s endurance and eventual growth despite financial struggles testify of God’s sustaining power.

Practical Applications

Practical solutions for someone in faith crisis:

Action Step: Regularly read and study the words of the living prophet and apostles.

  • Prophets provide guidance tailored to current challenges. By studying their counsel, individuals can gain clarity and strength to face life’s uncertainties. The living prophet’s voice acts as an anchor in a world of shifting values.
  • – Subscribe to the Church’s General Conference podcast or YouTube channel.
  • – Set aside time each week to read a General Conference talk.
  • – Keep a journal of insights and impressions you receive while studying.

Encouraging Thought:  “Whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same” (D&C 1:38). This assurance reminds us that God’s guidance continues today, just as it did anciently.

Action Step: Ask God directly about the truth of the Doctrine and Covenants.

  • When we ask in faith, the Lord promises that we can receive answers through the Spirit (James 1:5; Moroni 10:4–5). Personal revelation builds a foundation of faith that cannot be easily shaken by external criticism.
  • 1. Find a quiet place where you can pray without distractions.
  • 2. Offer a sincere prayer, expressing your desire to know if what you are reading in the Doctrine and Covenants is true.
  • 3. After praying, read a chapter from the Doctrine and Covenants and pay attention to feelings or impressions that come to your mind.
  • 4. Write down any thoughts, feelings, or impressions you receive.

Encouraging Thought:
“Search these commandments, for they are true and faithful” (D&C 1:37). The Lord invites us to come to Him and promises that He will answer sincere seekers of truth.

Action Step: Recognize and support Church leaders despite their human weaknesses.

  • Understanding that God works through imperfect people helps to foster patience, humility, and a stronger testimony of His divine power. It prevents unrealistic expectations and allows us to focus on the Lord rather than human flaws.
  • – Study examples from scripture where God used imperfect people (e.g., Moses, Jonah, Peter).
  • – Reflect on times when you’ve seen good outcomes come from imperfect efforts in your own life.
  • – Express gratitude for Church leaders in your prayers and ask for the ability to see them through God’s eyes.

Encouraging Thought:
Remember what Elder Jeffrey R. Holland said:
“So be kind regarding human frailty—your own as well as that of those who serve with you in a Church led by volunteer, mortal men and women. Except in the case of His only perfect Begotten Son, imperfect people are all God has ever had to work with. That must be terribly frustrating to Him, but He deals with it. So should we. And when you see imperfection, remember that the limitation is not in the divinity of the work.”

Ideas for Teaching

Objective: Help students understand what it means for the Church to be “true and living” by comparing it to living and nonliving things.

  • – A live plant and a dead plant (or pictures of each)
  • – Copies of D&C 1:30
  • – Whiteboard or poster and markers
  • – Introduction (5 minutes): Show the live and dead plants. Ask, “How can we tell which one is alive?” Write their answers on the board.
  • – Scripture Discussion (5 minutes): Read D&C 1:30 aloud. Explain that the Lord describes the Church as “true and living.” Ask, “What might it mean for the Church to be living?”
  • – Comparison (5 minutes): Connect their answers about living things to the Church (e.g., living things grow, adapt, and need nourishment—just like the Church grows and receives ongoing revelation).
  • – Application (5 minutes): Discuss how the Church being “living” means that revelation continues and God still guides His people.

Follow-Up Question:How can we personally help the Church continue to grow and stay spiritually alive?

Objective: Teach students that divine revelation is distinct from human wisdom by recreating the historical challenge in D&C 1:24–28.

  • – Copies of D&C 1:24–28
  • – Paper and pens
  • – Timer (optional)
  • – Introduction (5 minutes): Briefly explain the historical context of D&C 1:24–28, including the council’s failed attempt to write a revelation.
  • – Challenge (10 minutes): Divide teens into small groups and ask them to write a short “revelation” (1–2 sentences) about a topic they choose. Give them 5–7 minutes.
  • – Discussion (5 minutes): Have each group read their “revelation” aloud. Then ask, “What was difficult about writing something that feels divinely inspired?”
  • – Scripture Reading (5 minutes): Read D&C 1:24–28. Emphasize that revelation comes from God, not human wisdom, and discuss why this matters.

Follow-Up Question: What can we do to better recognize and follow modern revelation?

Objective: Help students recognize how God speaks to them today through the words of prophets.

  • – Copies of D&C 1:38
  • – A journal or notebook for each teen (optional)
  • – Pens
  • – Introduction (5 minutes): Read D&C 1:38 together. Ask, “What does it mean that God’s word through His servants is the same as if He spoke it Himself?”
  • – Sharing (10 minutes): Invite teens to share experiences when they felt God guiding them through a prophet’s words (e.g., a General Conference talk or a Church lesson).
  • – Reflection (5 minutes): Give each teen a few minutes to write down a recent piece of counsel from a prophet and how they can apply it in their lives.
  • – Closing (5 minutes): Testify of the importance of prophets and personal revelation.

Follow-Up Question: How can you better recognize when God is speaking to you through His prophets?

QUICK REFERENCE

  • – God calls the “weak and the simple” to do His work (verses 19–23).
  • – Prophets are essential to lead and warn the people (verses 4–6, 38).
  • – The restoration was given to help increase faith and establish God’s covenant (verses 17–22).
  • – Why trust modern prophets? (D&C 1:38—God’s word through prophets is binding).
  • – How can imperfect people lead a perfect church? (D&C 1:24—God gives commandments through human weakness).
  • Doctrine and Covenants 1: The Lord’s preface to the Book of Commandments, emphasizing the voice of warning, the authority of prophets, and the Church’s divine mission.
  • Doctrine and Covenants 67:7–9: The Lord’s challenge to critics regarding the authenticity of Joseph’s revelations.
  • – Joseph Smith Papers: Historical Introduction to D&C 1 – Provides detailed context on the November 1831 council and the process of receiving the preface by revelation.
  • – Saints, Volume 1, Chapter 13: “The Gift Has Returned” – A narrative account of the early Saints’ experiences, including the events surrounding the decision to publish the Book of Commandments.