Table of Contents
Doctrine and Covenants Section 10 Revelation given to Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Harmony, Pennsylvania, likely around April 1829, though portions may have been received as early as the summer of 1828. Herein the Lord informs Joseph of alterations made by wicked men in the 116 manuscript pages from the translation of the book of Lehi, in the Book of Mormon. These manuscript pages had been lost from the possession of Martin Harris, to whom the sheets had been temporarily entrusted. (See the heading to section 3.) The evil design was to await the expected retranslation of the matter covered by the stolen pages and then to discredit the translator by showing discrepancies created by the alterations. That this wicked purpose had been conceived by the evil one and was known to the Lord even while Mormon, the ancient Nephite historian, was making his abridgment of the accumulated plates, is shown in the Book of Mormon (see Words of Mormon 1:3–7). 1–26, Satan stirs up wicked men to oppose the Lord’s work; 27–33, He seeks to destroy the souls of men; 34–52, The gospel is to go to the Lamanites and all nations through the Book of Mormon; 53–63, The Lord will establish His Church and His gospel among men; 64–70, He will gather the repentant into His Church and will save the obedient.
Doctrine and Covenants Section 11 Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet to his brother Hyrum Smith, at Harmony, Pennsylvania, May 1829. This revelation was received through the Urim and Thummim in answer to Joseph’s supplication and inquiry. Joseph Smith’s history suggests that this revelation was received after the restoration of the Aaronic Priesthood. 1–6, Laborers in the vineyard will gain salvation; 7–14, Seek wisdom, cry repentance, trust in the Spirit; 15–22, Keep the commandments, and study the Lord’s word; 23–27, Deny not the spirit of revelation and of prophecy; 28–30, Those who receive Christ become the sons of God.
Doctrine and Covenants 10
As I pray always, I receive strength from God.
Come, Follow Me—For Home and Church: Doctrine and Covenants 2025 “Section 10-11”
- To introduce this verse to your children, you could ask them about things they “always” do.
(You could use the pictures below to play a Family Feud type game with the above question.)
What does the Lord say we should always do in Doctrine and Covenants 10:5? Why does He want us to do this?
- D&C 10:5 Pray always, that you may come off conqueror; yea, that you may conquer Satan, and that you may escape the hands of the servants of Satan that do uphold his work.
- Jesus taught, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, ye must watch and pray always, lest ye be tempted by the devil, and ye be led away captive by him…for Satan desireth to have you, that he may sift you as wheat.”(3 Nephi18:18)
Friend February 2021 “Scripture Time Fun”
Satan would prefer that we forget he exists—or that we at least fail to recognize his attempts to influence us (see 2 Nephi 28:22–23). But the Lord’s words in Doctrine and Covenants 10 reveal that Satan is in constant, active opposition to God’s work. As you read verses 1–33, identify how Satan sought to destroy God’s work in Joseph Smith’s time (see also verses 62–63). What similarities do you see with the ways Satan works today? You could ask the Lord to help you see how Satan may be tempting you. What do you learn from section 10 that can help you resist Satan’s efforts? (Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families: Doctrine and Covenants 2021 “Doctrine and Covenants 10–11: “That You May Come Off Conqueror”)
Come, Follow Me—For Home and Church: Doctrine and Covenants 2025 “Section 10-11”
- How can you help your children remember to pray always? Maybe they could collect a few small, smooth stones and paint on them (or draw on them with markers) “Doctrine and Covenants 10:5” or “Pray Always.” They could put their stones in various places where they want to be reminded to pray, like near their bed, with their schoolbooks, or where they eat meals.
According to Doctrine and Covenants 10:5, how does God bless us when we pray? Your children could find additional answers in a song like “A Child’s Prayer” (Children’s Songbook, 13).
When I pray always, Heavenly Father will bless me.
Sometimes children think they can pray only at specific times and places, and only if they are kneeling or closing their eyes. How can you help them learn how to “pray always”?
- Ask the children to show you what they do when they pray. What do they do with their arms? their heads? their eyes? Explain that sometimes we want to talk to Heavenly Father, but we can’t kneel or close our eyes. What can we do? Read to the children from 3 Nephi 20:1: “[Jesus] commanded them that they should not cease to pray in their hearts.” Tell the children how you pray in your heart.
- Draw a mouth and a heart on the board. Ask the children to point to the mouth and tell you some things they say when they pray. Then ask them to point to the heart, and explain that we can say those same things in our hearts. Testify that Heavenly Father knows our feelings and thoughts.
Friend February 2025 “Following Jesus Together” “I had a question during an exam that I didn’t know how to answer. I said a prayer in my head, and Heavenly Father helped me understand the question.” Gabriel W., age 11, Luxembourg, Belgium (See picture at link)
Talk with the children about times when they can pray, such as when they are scared, when they make mistakes, or when they need help in school. Why is it good to pray in these situations? Teach the children that no matter where they are, they can always pray in their hearts. (Come, Follow Me—For Home and Church: Book of Mormon 2024 “2 Nephi 31-33”)
The Red Crystal Sorting scenarios and deciding if it is a prayer we say in our hearts or a prayer we say folding our arms and closing our eyes.
Friend January 2018 “I Can Pray” Action rhyme
Pray Always Yes/No Game – How do we pray always? What does the word “always” mean? Give examples of different times and situations, and have them stand up and shout, “Yes!” if that’s a time/situation they could pray in. If they couldn’t pray in a certain situation, tell them to sit down and shout, “No!” (Obviously all of theanswers to this will be yes though). Here are some possible things to say:
Can we pray in the morning? Afternoon? Night?
At home? At school? At church? With friends?
By the couch? By your bed? In the closet? Outside?
If you’re scared? If you’re happy? If you’re worried? If you’re mad? If you’re excited?
If you need help making a right choice? If you want to just say thanks for blessings?
Can you pray to ask Heavenly Father and Jesus to help you conquer Satan?
Discuss how we can pray when we’re around other people (school/with friends/etc.).
Invite the children to draw pictures of themselves or their families praying at different times and places, such as in church, before school, or at bedtime. Explain that praying always can mean praying often throughout the day. How can we pray even when we are around other people, such as at school or with our friends?
Latter Day Kids “Pray Always” Lesson ideas
The Lord’s “wisdom is greater than the cunning of the devil.”
Doctrine and Covenants 10:34–52
As the translation of the Book of Mormon progressed, a question naturally arose: What should Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery do about those pages of the translation that had been lost? The logical thing might be to go back and retranslate that portion, but the Lord could see something that they could not—wicked men were plotting to alter the words on those pages to cast doubt on Joseph’s inspired work. God had a plan to thwart Satan’s efforts and compensate for what was lost. This plan was put into motion thousands of years earlier when the prophet Nephi felt inspired to create a second record that covered the same time period. Later, Mormon was inspired to include this record in the Book of Mormon “for a wise purpose” known to the Lord (see Words of Mormon 1:3–7).
Liahona February 2021 “How Does the Lord’s Wisdom Bless our Lives?” Take a look at this time line to see how the Lord had compensated for the pages He knew would be lost.
More than 2,400 years in advance, the Lord prepared to compensate for the lost pages of the Book of Mormon (see 1 Nephi 9).The record that God prepared to replace the lost manuscript is now found in 1 Nephi through Omni. How have the stories and teachings in this record [helped bless your life]?
Doctrine and Covenants 11
In May 1829, Hyrum Smith’s great desire was to participate in the Restoration of the Savior’s Church. He traveled over 250 miles from Palmyra, New York, to Harmony, Pennsylvania, to visit his younger brother Joseph and learn what he could do to help. The Lord revealed Doctrine and Covenants 11 because of Hyrum’s righteous desires. (Doctrine and Covenants Seminary Teacher Manual “Lesson 22—Doctrine and Covenants 11:1–7”)
If I ask of God, I will receive.
Several of Joseph Smith’s family members and friends asked him to seek the Lord’s will on their behalf. Joseph was happy to do so, but the Lord was also willing to give them personal revelation. In Doctrine and Covenants 11, a revelation that Joseph received for his older brother Hyrum, the Lord said, “I will impart unto you of my Spirit, … and then shall ye know … all things whatsoever you desire of me” (Doctrine and Covenants 11:13–14). What is the Lord trying to tell you about personal revelation? Read Doctrine and Covenants 11:27, looking for who else the Savior spoke to in this revelation.
Word of God
Doctrine and Covenants Seminary Teacher Manual “Lesson 22—Doctrine and Covenants 11:1–7”
The use and imagery of a two-edged sword was common in the ancient world and appears in both the Old and New Testaments (see Judges 3:16; Psalm 149:6; Proverbs 5:4; Hebrews 4:12; Revelation 1:16; 2:12). A two-edged sword can cut both ways and offered the wielder more advantages during combat. (Compare to combat with Satan using the word of God)
For example, students might discover from Alma 31:5 that the word of God is even more powerful than a sword. From Helaman 3:29 they might see how the word of God divides and separates truth from error. From Joseph Smith’s experience they may notice that God’s word can penetrate our hearts and help us act in righteousness. From Hebrews 4:12 students may realize that the word of God can pierce our minds and souls.
The Holy Ghost leads me to do good.
Doctrine and Covenants 11:12–13
- Help the children make a list of people they go to when they need help or have a question. Why do we trust that these people will help us? Invite the children to read Doctrine and Covenants 11:12 and look for what Hyrum Smith was told to trust.
12 And now, verily, verily, I say unto thee, put your trust in that Spirit which leadeth to do good—yea, to do justly, to walk humbly, to judge righteously; and this is my Spirit.
What do we learn from this verse about why we should trust in the guidance of the Holy Ghost?
The Spirit leadeth to do good
Below song includes a story about a boy that didn’t have any friends and another boy felt like he should befriend the lonely boy.
“You recognize the promptings of the Spirit by the fruits of the Spirit—that which enlighteneth, that which buildeth up, that which is positive and affirmative and uplifting and leads us to better thoughts and better words and better deeds is of the Spirit of God.”
Friend November 2023 “More than a Good Practice Day” Ismael saw a woman weeding the whole time he and his dad were playing soccer. He felt strongly that he should go over and tell her she was doing a good job. She seemed unhappy and tired until Ismael told her thank you for taking care of the park, and then she got a big smile and thanked him.
Ensign July 2019 “Family Study Fun”(Acts 1:1–8, 15–26; 2:1–42; 4:1–13, 31–33) Finding someone in need by listening to the still small voice.
- Scatter pillows, couch cushions, and other soft objects throughout the room.
- Assign someone in the family to be the “person in need” at the end of the obstacle course.
- Place a blindfold on a member of the family and assign someone else to whisper directions into the person’s ear to guide them safely through the course to the person in need.
Discussion: When was a time you felt directed by the Holy Ghost to help someone else? How did you recognize those promptings?
To make good Choices
Friend February 2019 “Yo-Yo Decision” While shopping with her mom, Lea found a yo-yo. Oscar had brought one to school and had impressed everyone with tricks. Lea wanted to do that too, but she didn’t have enough money to buy the yo-yo. A thought came into her mind that she could just put it in her pocket, but then she had a bad feeling. She realized it was the Holy Ghost warning her, so she put it back and felt peaceful and happy.
Enlightens your mind and fills you with joy
13 Verily, verily, I say unto you, I will impart unto you of my Spirit, which shall enlighten your mind, which shall fill your soul with joy;
Enlighten your mind (Gives greater knowledge and understanding about a subject or situation.)
Come, Follow Me—For Home and Church: Doctrine and Covenants 2025 “Section 10-11”
- Children can learn to recognize when the Spirit is speaking to them. To help them, you could hide a light bulb or flashlight and a picture of a happy face somewhere in the room; then ask your children to find these items. Read Doctrine and Covenants 11:13, and help your children identify words that relate to the items they found. What do these words teach about how the Holy Ghost helps us?
Friend November 2023 “Listening to the Holy Ghost”
- Sharing your own spiritual experiences can help your children recognize the Holy Ghost’s influence in their lives. As you share, ask them to share their experiences too. You could also read together Doctrine and Covenants 11:12–13, looking for how we can recognize when the Holy Ghost is guiding us. Testify that Heavenly Father wants to guide us through the Holy Ghost.
- “How can I know when I am feeling the Holy Ghost?”(October 2012 Friend)
Several children share how they recognize the Spirit.
- Encourage the children to notice during the coming week when they have feelings like those described in Doctrine and Covenants 11:12–13.
- Sing a song about the guidance of the Holy Ghost, such as “Listen, Listen” (Children’s Songbook, 107). Ask the children what the song teaches them about how the Holy Ghost helps us.
I need to know the gospel so I can help others find the truth.
Doctrine and Covenants 11:21, 26
Come, Follow Me—For Home and Church: Doctrine and Covenants 2025 “Section 10-11”
- Just like Hyrum Smith, your children will probably have many opportunities to share the gospel with others. You could read together Doctrine and Covenants 11:21, 26 and ask your children to find what the Lord told Hyrum he needed to do so he could teach the gospel. What does it mean to “obtain” God’s word? How can we do this?
21 Seek not to declare my word, but first seek to obtain my word, and then shall your tongue be loosed; then, if you desire, you shall have my Spirit and my word, yea, the power of God unto the convincing of men.
Doctrine and Covenants Coloring Book “The Lord Told Hyrum to Study the Scriptures”
- How do we “treasure up” God’s word in our hearts?
- “Scripture Treasures” (January 2015 Friend)
This poem tells of treasures you can find as you read the scriptures daily.
Friend January 2020 “The Precious Book of Mormon” President Nelson
Come, Follow Me—For Home and Church: Book of Mormon 2024 “Alma 17-22”
- Perhaps your children could role-play sharing something about Jesus Christ or the Book of Mormon with others.
- Sing together a song about sharing the gospel, such as “I Want to Be a Missionary Now” (Children’s Songbook, 168). What does this song teach about how we can be missionaries every day?
Additional Resources
Faith in Jesus Christ
Doctrine and Covenants 10:55-70
Invite family members to find or mark phrases that begin with “I am” or “I will.” What do we learn from the “I am” phrases about who Jesus Christ is and what He is like? What do we learn from the “I will” phrases about what He does? Encourage family members to share how these truths strengthen their faith in Jesus Christ.
Come Follow Me Kid Faith Video Game – There’s a quote in the manual that says, “The adversary’s ongoing efforts to weaken faith are intensifying.” This is such a true sentence and is so hard to watch happen so often. Satan knows that great things are coming, and the closer it gets to the Second Coming, the harder he’s going to work to try to stop us from having the faith we need to have. He knows that faith will bring us joy, and he does NOT want us to be happy.
How were Hyrum’s desires to serve the Lord fulfilled?
President M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained:
Hyrum gave unfailing service to the Church. In 1829 he was among a handful of individuals who were allowed to view the gold plates from which the Book of Mormon was translated, and for the rest of his life he testified to the divine nature of the Book of Mormon. … He was among the first to be baptized in this gospel dispensation. At age thirty, he was the oldest of the six men chosen in 1830 to formally organize The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. … In 1833, when the Lord chastised the Church for delaying the start of the Kirtland Temple, Hyrum was the first to start digging its foundation. …
Hyrum served in the Ohio bishopric, on the first high council, as Patriarch, counselor in the First Presidency, and finally as one of only two men ever to hold the office of Assistant President of the Church.
Hyrum served many missions for the Church. …
Clearly, Hyrum Smith was one of the firm pillars of the Restoration. But sadly, many Church members know little about him except that he was martyred with his brother in Carthage Jail. (M. Russell Ballard, “Hyrum Smith: ‘Firm as the Pillars of Heaven,’” Ensign, Nov. 1995, 7)
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