Section 81 The revelation (dated March 1832) should be regarded as a step toward the formal organization of the First Presidency, specifically calling for the office of counselor in that body and explaining the dignity of the appointment.
In March 1832, the Lord called Jesse Gause to be a counselor to Joseph Smith in the Presidency of the High Priesthood (now called the First Presidency). Doctrine and Covenants 81 is a revelation to Brother Gause about his new calling. But Jesse Gause did not serve faithfully, so Frederick G. Williams was called to replace him. Brother Williams’s name replaced Brother Gause’s name in the revelation.
[This] implies a significant truth: most revelations in the Doctrine and Covenants are addressed to specific people, but we can always seek ways to apply them to ourselves (see 1 Nephi 19:23). (Come, Follow Me—For Home and Church: Doctrine and Covenants 2025)
Section 81
I can pray to God “vocally and in [my] heart.”
Come, Follow Me—For Home and Church: Doctrine and Covenants 2025 & Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Doctrine and Covenants 2021 “Doctrine and Covenants 81-83”
When the Lord called Frederick G. Williams to be a counselor to the Prophet Joseph Smith, He counseled Frederick to be “faithful … in prayer always.”
Read to the children the Lord’s counsel to be “faithful … in prayer always, vocally and in thy heart, in public and in private” (Doctrine and Covenants 81:3).
- To encourage your children to pray in their hearts, you could give them paper hearts and invite them to draw or write something they want to pray about to Heavenly Father.
- Testify that Heavenly Father knows what we are thinking and feeling and He can hear our prayers even if we don’t say them out loud. You might share with them an experience when you prayed in your heart and Heavenly Father heard you.
- As you read Doctrine and Covenants 81:3 with your children, help them think of different “public” and “private” places where they can pray.
The Red Crystal This is a sorting activity for older children, where there children can decide on if it is prayer they say in their hearts or vocally.
This is a fun activity that is in Red Crystal’s store. Example: Put the house, the school, play ground, and store on the four corners of the room. Read the the clues one will say “A place with carts and shelves galore, Let’s take a trip to the great big _________!” They all gather to the picture of the store. Then read short story of Emily getting lost in the store (on a card in this same purchase.) There is a question asking the children if this would be a good place to say the prayer vocally or in her heart. (There is no wrong answer)
You might also listen to or sing with them a hymn about prayer, such as “Secret Prayer” (Hymns, no. 144). Invite the children to share a phrase from the hymn that helps them understand something about prayer. You could also talk about speaking reverently to Heavenly Father.
The Red Crystal Pass out the pictures. When they hear their picture in the song, they can come up front and put it on the board.
- 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 June 2025 “Presentation Panic” Allyson hated talking in front of people, but she had to do a history presentation. She had practiced it several times, but when she got up to give it her mind went blank from fear. She said a prayer in her mind for help. As soon as she finished, her panic faded away and she was able to give her presentation.
Latter Day Kids “Pray Always” Lesson ideas
The Lord wants me to help people in need.
Heavenly Father knows the needs of each of His children, and He often uses other people—like the children you teach—to help meet those needs. How can you help the children recognize the needs of others and serve them?
Come, Follow Me—For Home and Church: Doctrine and Covenants 2025 & Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Doctrine and Covenants 2021 “Doctrine and Covenants 81-83”
- With your children, draw pictures of hands and knees, and ask your children to find these body parts in Doctrine and Covenants 81:5. What is the Lord asking us to do in this verse? You might share with each other some ways that people have strengthened you when you felt “weak” or “feeble.”
“Succor the weak” (Succor definition: to give assistance and support in times of hardship and distress.) “Lift up the hands which hang down” means helping others and encouraging them when they are sad or tired.
The Red Crystal Write the scripture on the chalkboard. Have the children draw the feet and hands in the blanks.
Or, have one or three children, stand up as your models. Attach the matching image to their hands feet or knees, as you read the scripture. Then read it a second time and stop and point to that picture when you come to the word and have them say the word instead of you.
The video “Pass It On” (ChurchofJesusChrist.org) could give your children ideas about how they serve others.
Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Doctrine and Covenants 2021 “Doctrine and Covenants 81-83”
Encourage the children to seek the Lord’s guidance to know who they can help.
- You could also use pictures or videos to tell simple stories of Jesus Christ serving others (see the pictures in this outline; Gospel Art Book, nos. 41, 42, 46, 47, 55; or one of the Bible Videos in Gospel Library). How can we follow the Savior’s example of helping others?
Friend June 2017 “Jesus Healed People” Story of Jarius’s daughter being raised from the dead, and the story of the women with an issue of blood being healed when she touches the hem of Jesus’s robe.
Friend July 2017 “Jesus Fed Many People”
Friend September 2017 “Jesus is Kind” Jesus blesses the children.
How can we follow the Savior’s example of helping others?
Friend January 2018 “Following Paw Prints” As Derek was following paw prints in the snow, he helped his neighbors along the way. He likes to follow the example of Jesus by helping others. (Also do the activity of finding ways Derek can help family members.)
Doctrine and Covenants Coloring Book “The Poor and the Needy”
You could also sing a song about service, such as “Have I Done Any Good?” (Hymns, no. 223). Consider helping your children make a plan to help at least one person in need this week.
Friend July 2021 “Scripture Time Fun: Words of Comfort”
- Jesus taught that we should “lift up the hands which hang down” (Doctrine and Covenants 81:5). That means helping others and encouraging them when they are sad or tired.
- Make a helping hand! Trace your hand on a piece of paper and cut it out. Write something on it that you will do to help others and then hang it up where you can see it. If you want, you could hang your family’s hands up together to make a helping hands tree!
Friend July 2021 “Scripture Time Fun for Little Ones”
For Doctrine and Covenants 81–83: Think of someone your family can serve. Give them a treat or card or help them with something. Help your little ones say, “I can help others!”
See Service for additional teaching ideas.
Section 82
Heavenly Father promises blessings as I strive to obey Him.
Come, Follow Me—For Home and Church: Doctrine and Covenants 2025
- You and your children could look in Doctrine and Covenants 82:8–10 for answers to the question “Why does Heavenly Father give us commandments?”
Friend January 2018 “What’s on Your Mind?” An explanation for why it matters that we keep the commandments. For example: How would it feel flying with a pilot who didn’t follow the rules of aviation? What about riding on a bus with a driver who didn’t stop at red lights? The commandments help keep us safe.
You might want to help your children think of examples of His commandments (see, for example, Exodus 20:4–17; Matthew 22:37–39; Doctrine and Covenants 89:5–17). It might help if you and your children find or draw pictures to represent some of them.
- How do Heavenly Father’s commandments show His love for us?
Friend June 2025 “Love From Above” When Sister Wright, a counselor in the General Primary Presidency, was growing up, her Primary leaders taught her that the commandments are like loving letters from God. When her oldest son was little, he loved making cookies and watching them bake. She warned not to get too close to the oven, but one day he put his hands and face on the door. It was hot and he ran crying to his mother. Because she loved her son, she had given him a warning to keep him safe. God gives us commandments because He wants to keep us safe because he loves us.
- Perhaps a simple game would help your children see God’s commandments as blessings, not burdens. One person could give instructions to help another person, who is blindfolded, to do something like make a sandwich or draw a picture. Think of something fun and creative! Then talk about how God’s commandments are like the instructions in this game.
The Red Crystal Blind fold a child. Have them try to draw a line and stay on the road, everyone can talk and help him/her. It is harder than you think.
Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Doctrine and Covenants 2021 “Doctrine and Covenants 81-83”
- Read to the children, “I, the Lord, am bound when ye do what I say” (Doctrine and Covenants 82:10). Ask the children to repeat this phrase several times with you, and think of ways to help them remember it, such as inviting them to clap to the rhythm of the phrase. Testify that when we obey God’s commandments, He keeps His promises to us.
Also see Commandments and Resources for Teaching Children: Commandments and Obedience for more teaching ideas.
Additional Resources:
Doctrine and Covenants Historical Resources “Doctrine and Covenants 81–83”
See “Newel K. Whitney and the United Firm,” “Jesse Gause: Counselor to the Prophet,” Revelations in Context, 142–47, 155–57.
Come Follow Me Kid Lesson ideas
Latter Day Kids “I Can Help People in Need” Lesson ideas
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