#1 Introduction to the Doctrine and Covenants and Church History

Introduction, Section 1, Intro to Our Heritage

To start with I wanted to talk about the D&C; how we came to get it and what it is, also point out some things that may help us along with our study.
First let’s talk about the things that are going to help us along. At the back of your scriptures, if you have a newer version of they have maps of all the church history sites, if you don’t, open up the back of your study guide there are maps at the back of that, along with a basic Chronology of the main events that occurred in the church. Also at the back of your scriptures there is an index of place-names, all the major places the events of church history happened are in alphabetical order and they have a reference of where they are located and on which map. For Example we will take the first one, Adam-ondi-Ahman, Missouri, 5:D3. The 5 means we can locate it on map 5 and on each map there are letters across the top and numbers down the side that help us locate this place directly. There is also a map of where the saints traveled in the Our Heritage book. At the beginning of the D&C, right after the Introduction there is also a Chronological Order of Contents page, this is the page that shows exactly which order all the sections came, if you’ll notice the first revelation received is actually number 2, then 3 then 10. This is so you can study the Revelations in the order Joseph Smith received them. In our class study, we have been asked to study them by topic so we will jump around from section 2 to 88 at times, so as to stay with the topic.
Of all the things I’ve read the thing that brought me closest to the D&C is the fact made known at the top of the 2nd page of the introduction. “These sacred revelations were received in answer to prayer, in times of need and came out of real-life situations involving real people. The Prophet and his associates sought for divine guidance, and these revelations certify that they received it. In the revelations one sees the restoration and unfolding of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the ushering in of the dispensation of the fullness of times.”
I love the fact that Joseph prayed about his problems and received the answer by these revelations. This fact tells me that these revelations may also be an answer to many of my prayers as well since we all have similar problems. Therefore, throughout this year my lessons are going to first be what problem/s were Joseph Smith or the Saints having that needed to be addressed and then how the revelation solved that problem. The way to figure this out I will also be studying the History of the Church, this is where the book Our Heritage comes in, the History of the Church, the things that were happening among the saints are going to bring great insight into our study. I will also be using the Church History Institute manual.
*Let’s talk about this for a moment, what are some of the hardships that the saints faced? Persecution, poverty, disputes among neighbors, political problems, apostasy among family and friends, homelessness, sacrifice, pride, doctrinal confrontations etc. Do you think we can relate with any of these things in our day today? I believe the study of the D & C can and will help us greatly this year.
The first 3 paragraphs of the Introduction tells us how our study of this book will help us in our lives today. Read 1st three paragraphs. (pass out beforehand and have class members read them)
How will these help us to understand better? 1-These revelations are for members of the church in the latter-days, that contain messages, warnings and exhortations that are for our benefit. 2- I liked how in the 3rd paragraph is states that the D&C is unique because it isn’t an ancient document, but modern, therefore the language of these chapters are going to be a little easier for us to understand. And 3-“the revelations one hears the tender but firm voice of the Lord Jesus Christ.

So we’ve talked about what the D & C is: revelations to prayer, commandments, warnings etc. We’ve talked about how and what we will get out of them. Now let’s talk about how we got them. When Joseph Smith had received about 66 revelations, he submitted before a counsel of Elders of the church, the idea to have the 66 revelations bound and printed into a book for the church. They all agreed. Joseph then went to the Lord with their idea. The Lord not only sanctioned the idea, He wrote the preface for the book. The Preface is, the section that will set the stage for the rest of the whole book; section one is this section.
**President Ezra Taft Benson said: “The D&C 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 D&C will all be fulfilled” Conf. report Oct 1986

So our part in all this study?
“There has never been more expected of the faithful in such a short period of time as there is of us” Marvin J. Ashton Ensign Nov 1989
I like what the lesson manual brings out, that “The Lord needs more than onlookers who cheer from the sidelines; we must ask ourselves if we are keeping pace and doing our part as families and as individuals. President Hinckley said: “This is a season of a thousand opportunities. It is ours to grasp and move forward. What a wonderful time it is for each of us to do his or her small part in moving the work of the Lord on to its magnificent destiny” Ensign Nov. 1997

So our duty is to learn, and then apply the teachings of the Early Saints of the Church in our lives, so that we don’t continually make the same ones. We need to apply what exactly we can do in our lives to strengthen our testimonies.

*So what can we learn just about the origin of section one? We can learn a lot! We can learn that the Lord let’s us bring our creativity and ideas into His church, and our personal lives, and when we pray to Him about them, He will let us know if those ideas are in accordance with His will for our lives and His Church. And then if those ideas are in line with His will He will back us up and help us to achieve those things.

We also can learn the things the Lord tells us straight out to get out of this book. Let’s go to section one and read a few of the strongest points the Lord gives to us. In some of my reading it states that this section is the Lord, Jesus Christ, (Joseph Fielding Smith, states it is Jesus Christ speaking here) baring His testimony to us here in the Latter-Days!

Section 1:1-5 The words of the Lord are very powerful here at the beginning. There is no beating around the bush here. He lets you know who is speaking, let’s us know that whatever the Prophets speak(v4), we will be accountable for. He tells us that not one evil act will be hidden; all will be revealed, upon the housetops, no less (v3). He states as a fact in verse 4 these are the last days!!

Section 1:6-
We had better hearken to His warning. He tells us that this book is a book of commandments (v6) and all commandments will be fulfilled whether to the evil or the righteous, whichever side you are on all things will be fulfilled. He gives us a promise in v. 8 Those of us who will go forth bearing all these tidings (His words) to them is given power to seal on earth and in Heaven.
That is a hefty promise that we probably don’t even understand the magnitude of.

*What do you think that means that we, if we go about testifying of these commandments and how they can better our lives, will have power to seal up things? What does that mean to you. This is not some small promise he gives us. I looked up the words seal in the B of M index and when I read the paragraph behind the words D&C it completely blew my mind to the implications and possibilities of sealing things (actions-good of bad) up.
p.320 1st pay attention who else has been given this promise, then 2nd pay attention to what has been sealed in the past. Think about how you can use this power in your own lives.
1st people who received this power to seal on earth and heaven: Joseph Smith, 4 angels who have power over the earth, the saints prayers, Hyrum Smith Keys of sealing only held by one only on earth (prophet), sealers in the temples.
Next what is sealing power used for? Open mysteries, make things happen: Elijah made the earthquake, Moses had this power over water. Etc, Sealed to Celestial Glory by Holy Spirit (meaning, you can’t ever be taken out of that Kingdom), prayers are sealed, answered and given power, every blessing given would be fulfilled, whatever prophecy you utter would be fulfilled, etc. That is a huge promise and obviously can’t be held by more than one person on the earth at time, however The Lord has promised we shall all have that power, eventually if… That is a huge promise, one I’m sure I’m not ready for however, if reading this book, obeying it’s commandments, heeding it’s warnings, correcting my life where I need to will get me to a place where I am worthy enough to hold that kind of power? That is no small promise.

1:12-16
Prepare ye 2x, just in case you didn’t pay attention the 1st time. He’s telling us His coming is nigh! I too feel it coming closer than I want to admit.
V13 and He is angry, and if He was angry at the people during Joseph Smith’s time can you imagine how much more his anger has kindled since then? And when that anger hits the boiling point do you think it will be a pretty sight? He tells us it will not be.
V14 we will be cut off if we don’t heed our prophets, which is to say, listen and obey.
V15He tells us we have strayed, not apostatized, not completely broken, but strayed. What does strayed mean to you? Stray to me just means sometimes you are living faithful and sometimes you let some things slide, but not such bad things that you could be excommunicated or anything, but He’s telling us that even straying is a dangerous place to be sitting when He comes.
V16And the biggest place we stray is in this verse.

Section 1:20-21,28,& 32
What else does he tells us will happen to us if we heed the commandments in this book and testify of them?
V20 Our faith might increase
V28 We would receive knowledge from time to time.
V32 If we repent we shall be forgiven

*He warns us as to what will happen if we don’t repent
V33 that all the forgiveness, all the faith, that we received will be gone and not only that gone but even more light will be taken.

1:34-35 Now let’s read this all the way through first and you tell me what it is you think He is telling us.
I believe He’s telling us that it doesn’t matter who you are, if you are faithful and in tune He will let us know when He is coming. I don’t believe it comes like this. “I will be here April 6, 2036” But I believe that He can give us feelings as to the nearness. Whenever someone says to me, “I believe the time is coming close” I get goose bumps all over, and that to me is how I recognize the spirit testifying to me that what they are saying is true. I believe that we will know how to get our families to safety and where that safety is found when His anger is to that boiling point. Just like those people in New Orleans, that were ready and received a feeling to take their families to higher ground when that hurricane hit. Numerous saints were saved from that destruction because they were ready and obedient when they felt that warning.

1:36 Also the Lord promises us with that promise that He has power over us. Power not in a controlling way but the footnote tells us that we have His Divine Protection through these tumultuous times.

He ends His testimony with 1:37-39 He Commands us to search these words, they are true and they will be faithful to us, meaning only they can get us through tough times, kind of like a faithful dog.
V38 He excuses not Himself, these sayings are blunt and to the point and He’s not sorry. Things will happen the way He proclaims it, or His Prophets proclaim. All these things He bares testimony of and reminds us that the spirit that is within us can also bare this testimony to us. I also bare my testimony of these things in the name of Jesus Christ Amen.