Doctrine and Covenants “Section 1” Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, on November 1, 1831, during a special conference of elders of the Church, held at Hiram, Ohio. Many revelations had been received from the Lord prior to this time, and the compilation of these for publication in book form was one of the principal subjects passed upon at the conference. This section constitutes the Lord’s preface to the doctrines, covenants, and commandments given in this dispensation.

The Doctrine and Covenants

Reading Charts

Friend January 2021 “Hear Him” Doctrine and Covenants reading chart

About the Doctrine and Covenants

Doctrine and Covenants Scripture Stories “Chapter 23: The Doctrine and Covenants: August–November 1831” Images and Video

Friend March 2021 “Getting to Know the Doctrine and Covenants” Jesus gave Joseph Smith special messages, called revelations, to help set up His Church. These messages were written down so people could remember them. Then Church leaders put these messages together in a book. That’s how we got the Doctrine and Covenants! (Match each scripture to the special message taught in the Doctrine and Covenants.)

For the Strength of Youth January 2021 “The Doctrine and Covenants: An Overview”

Friend January 1989 Information about the Doctrine & Covenants

Ensign January 2021 “Prophets and Revelation: Family Study Fun” President Ezra Taft Benson (1899–1994) taught, “Virtually every page of … the Doctrine and Covenants … teaches about the Master.”¹ Doctrine and Covenants teaches us of Christ.

Finding Christ Activity

1. Set a timer for two minutes.
2. Family members will quickly look through the beginning of the Doctrine and Covenants to count the number of references they can find to Christ. Start in the introduction and end with section 9.
3. After the time is up, give additional time for each person to choose one of these verses that is especially meaningful to them. Take turns sharing.

Ensign January 2021 “Prophets and Revelation: Family Study Fun The Doctrine and Covenants accompanies the Bible and the Book of Mormon in teaching us of Christ and His revelations to us. The introduction to the Doctrine and Covenants explains that we can hear “the tender but firm voice of the Lord Jesus Christ” in the revelations contained in this book.

1,2,3, He Speaks to Me Activity

1. Secretly assign each family member a number: (1) Bible, (2) Book of Mormon, or (3) Doctrine and Covenants.
2. Each person will find a meaningful verse in that book which has the “tender and firm voice” of the Lord teaching or explaining principles to us.
3. Without revealing scripture references, take turns sharing verses out loud. Others will hold up either 1, 2, or 3 fingers to guess which book of scriptures each verse came from.

Discussion: How do scriptures from ancient times work together with modern revelations found in the Doctrine and Covenants to help us learn more of Christ and hear His voice?

Title Page

“This title which the Lord gave when they got out this edition—let me refer to the title page: ‘The Doctrine and Covenants of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’—is very significant and tells the story of what this book actually is. It contains the doctrine of the Church; it contains the covenants the Lord will make with the Church, if we are willing to receive them.” (Joseph Fielding Smith Doctrines of Salvation, volume 3, page 198)

For the Strength of Youth January 2021 “Hear, Hearken, and Heed” “The very first word in the Doctrine and Covenants is hearken (see Doctrine and Covenants 1:1). It means “to listen with the intent to obey.” To hearken means to “hear Him”—to hear what the Savior says and then to heed His counsel. Where can we go to hear Him? We can go to the scriptures. We also hear Him more clearly as we refine our ability to recognize the whisperings of the Holy Ghost. And, finally, we hear Him as we heed the words of prophets, seers, and revelators.”(President Russell M. Nelson)

Doctrine and Covenants 1

Doctrine and Covenants Seminary Teacher Manual “Doctrine and Covenants 1”

• Prior to the printing of the Book of Commandments, which later became part of the Doctrine and Covenants, the Prophet Joseph Smith petitioned the Lord for a preface to the book. In response, the Lord revealed what is now Doctrine and Covenants section 1 as an introduction of the revelations to the world. This lesson can help students understand why the Lord gives warnings to the world.

Through His prophets, the Lord warns me of spiritual danger.

Doctrine and Covenants 1:4, 37–39

Come, Follow Me—For Home and Church: Doctrine and Covenants 2025 “Doctrine and Covenants 1” & 2021

• To start a discussion about warnings from the Lord, you could talk about warnings we receive from other people about dangers we cannot see. Some examples might include a slippery floor, a coming storm, or an approaching car. Maybe you and your children could look at examples of warning signs and compare these warnings to the warnings the Lord gives us. Testify that He warns us because He loves us and wants us to be safe (see also this week’s activity page).

• According to Doctrine and Covenants 1:4, 37–39, how does the Lord warn us? What has He warned us about recently? Perhaps you could watch or read parts of recent general conference messages and look for examples of God’s “voice of warning.” Talk about how you are following the prophet’s counsel.

The Red Crystal

• Let the children hold pictures of warning signs—such as traffic hazards, bad weather, or poison—and talk about how they warn us of danger. Or tell a story about a time when you obeyed a warning. Compare these warnings to the warnings the Lord gives us through His prophets.

Doctrine and Covenants Seminary Teacher Manual “Doctrine and Covenants 1”

Imagine that a friend is making a decision that will lead to negative consequences. (Invite students to share realistic examples of what this decision could be. Some examples might be lying to parents, breaking the Word of Wisdom, cheating in school, or leaving the Church.)

• Why would you want to warn your friend about this decision?

The Savior also gives a “voice of warning” (Doctrine and Covenants 1:4). Ponder the following questions:

• Why might the Savior warn us?
• What does this teach you about Him?

Latter Day Kids “The Voice of Warning” See link for more lesson ideas and questions to ask after watching the video.

• Sing together a song about prophets, such as the last verse of “Follow the Prophet” (Children’s Songbook, 111). Share your testimony that the prophet speaks the word of God.

The Lord knew the challenges we would face. The Restoration helps me face the challenges of the latter days.

Doctrine and Covenants 1:15–17

Come, Follow Me—For Home and Church: Doctrine and Covenants 2025 “Doctrine and Covenants 1” & CFM Primary 2021

• To encourage discussion about Doctrine and Covenants 1:17, you and your children could imagine you are preparing for a trip. What would you pack? If you knew ahead of time that it would rain or that your car or bus would get a flat tire, how would that affect the way you prepared for the trip?

The Red Crystal

• Help the children think of some of the problems in the world today. Review Doctrine and Covenants 1:15–16 with them, and help them identify some of the problems that the Lord prophesied would occur.

• Invite them to discover in verses 17 and 30 what the Lord has done to help us face the challenges of our time. If necessary, explain that a “calamity” is a disaster or terrible thing.) How do God’s commandments help us deal with the challenges of our time?

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the Lord’s “true and living church.”

Doctrine and Covenants 1:30

Come, Follow Me—For Home and Church: Doctrine and Covenants 2025 “Doctrine and Covenants 1”

• What does it mean to say that the Church is “true and living”? To get your children thinking about this question, perhaps you could show them living and nonliving things—such as a live plant and a dead plant. How do we know something is living? Then you could read Doctrine and Covenants 1:30 and talk about what it might mean for the Church to be “true and living.”

Clipart Library

The Church is guided by Jesus Christ, who reveals His will in our day to living prophets and other inspired leaders. Continuing revelation from the Savior allows the Church to be aligned with heaven and also to grow and progress—to be both a true and a living church. All living things grow and change. (Topics and Questions “The Only True and Living Church”)

Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Doctrine and Covenants 2021 “Doctrine and Covenants 1: “Hearken, O Ye People”

• Display a picture, such as a painting of the Savior, and ask the children to describe it with the lights in the room turned off. Use this activity to help the children see that for many people, the Savior’s true Church is in “obscurity” and “darkness.” How can we help others learn about the Church?

For the Strength of Youth January 2021 “To the Point” The Lord Himself said to Joseph Smith that this Church is “the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth.(Doctrine and Covenants 1:30). This statement certainly does not mean that we’re better than anyone else. But it does mean that this is Jesus Christ’s Church. He leads it, He restored it, and He gave it His authority. Because of this, there are certain things that only this Church can offer, such as prophets and apostles, temple ordinances and covenants, and the Book of Mormon. We’re grateful for these things, and we want to share them with others out of genuine love—not because we want to “be right” or “grow the Church.”

While we can boldly and confidently testify of the Church, we should never be arrogant toward others or disrespect their beliefs. The Prophet Joseph Smith once said, “We don’t ask any people to throw away any good they have got; we only ask them to come and get more” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith [2007], 155).

The Lord called Joseph Smith to be a prophet.

Doctrine and Covenants 1:17, 29

Come, Follow Me—For Home and Church: Doctrine and Covenants 2025 “Doctrine and Covenants 1”

• To learn about the role of Joseph Smith in restoring the Savior’s gospel, you and your children could look at a picture of the Savior and a picture of Joseph Smith (see the pictures in this outline) and talk about what the Savior gave us through Joseph Smith. Your children could look for examples in Doctrine and Covenants 1:17, 29. Tell your children how you know that God “called upon my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., and spake unto him from heaven” (verse 17).

The prophet’s words are God’s words.

Doctrine and Covenants 1:38

Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Doctrine and Covenants 2021 “Doctrine and Covenants 1: “Hearken, O Ye People”

The children you teach may have heard the President of the Church speak, but they may not realize that his words come from God.

Play a simple game by giving instructions to one child and asking him or her to repeat the instructions for the other children. Help them see that following the child’s instructions is the same as following your instructions and that following the prophet is the same as following the Lord. Read to them the last line of Doctrine and Covenants 1:38: “Whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same.”

Friend November 2024 “What Are Prophets?”

The word of the Lord lasts forever.

Doctrine and Covenants 1:37–38

Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Doctrine and Covenants 2021 “Doctrine and Covenants 1: “Hearken, O Ye People”

• Help the children compare things that are temporary, like a bubble or a snowflake, with things that seem permanent, like a mountain or the sun. Ask them to find in verses 37–38 something that the Lord said is permanent. Why is it a blessing to know that God’s word “shall not pass away”?
• Help the children understand that the “voice of my servants” includes the voices of our apostles and prophets. Help the children find “prophecies and promises” in a recent general conference address by one of the Lord’s servants. Bear your testimony that these words are inspired by the Lord and “shall all be fulfilled.”

Doctrine and Covenants Coloring Book “Doctrine, Covenants, and Commandments”

Additional Resources

Come Follow Me Kid “Hearken O Ye People!” See more lesson ideas at link