Section 94
I can be “wholly dedicated unto the Lord.”
Come, Follow Me—For Home and Church: Doctrine and Covenants 2025
In Doctrine and Covenants 94, the Lord gives instructions about constructing administrative buildings in Kirtland—an office and a printing house.
- What impresses you about what the Lord says about these buildings in Doctrine and Covenants 94:2–12?
- What does it mean to you to be “wholly dedicated unto the Lord”?
Section 95
Primary 5: Doctrine and Covenants and Church History “Lesson 25: The Kirtland Temple Is Constructed,” In December 1832 the Lord commanded the members of the Church to build a temple in Kirtland, Ohio. They were to “establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God” (D&C 88:119).
The Saints were very poor and they knew the temple would cost a lot of money, so they did not start building it right away. Six months later they still had not started building the temple. In June 1833 the Lord revealed to Joseph Smith that he was displeased with the Saints for not starting to build his house.
In Doctrine and Covenants 94 the Lord chastens the saints for not obeying this commandment. The Church members repented of their delay, and four days later men began hauling stone and digging trenches in preparation for building the temple.
The Temple is the House of the Lord.
Come, Follow Me—For Home and Church: Doctrine and Covenants 2025
Doctrine and Covenants 95:8; 97:10–17
- For some background on sections 95 and 97, you could share with your children “The Kirtland Temple” in Doctrine and Covenants Stories for Young Readers (Gospel Library; see also Saints, 1:210). Your children might enjoy pretending they are helping to build the Kirtland Temple (cutting wood, hammering nails, painting walls, and so on).
- Read together verse 11. What did the Saints need to do so they could build the temple? What can we learn from the Lord’s promise to them? (Obedience brings power to do His will.)
- You could also show them a picture of the Kirtland Temple, like those in this outline, while you read Doctrine and Covenants 95:8 to teach your children why the Lord wants us to build temples.
8 Yea, verily I say unto you, I gave unto you a commandment that you should build a house, in the which house I design to endow those whom I have chosen with power from on high;
Primary 5: Doctrine and Covenants and Church History “Lesson 25: The Kirtland Temple Is Constructed,” See link for more lesson ideas.
Give each child a piece of paper and a crayon or pencil. Ask the children to each draw a picture of a temple, and give them a few minutes to do so. Let each child display his or her picture to the rest of the class. (Or you could have them build a temple with blocks or sugar cubes.)
Explain that it probably was not too hard for the children to draw a temple because they know what temples look like. They have seen temples or pictures of temples. However, when Joseph Smith was commanded to build a temple, he had never seen a temple or even a picture of one. The Kirtland Temple was the first temple built in the latter days.
“First Latter-day Temple” (April 2002 Friend) A description of the building of the Kirtland Temple.
Since Joseph Smith did not yet know what a temple ought to look like or exactly how it was to be used, Heavenly Father revealed to him a plan for the temple. He and his counselors saw a vision of the completed building. In the vision, Joseph Smith, Sidney Rigdon, and Frederick G. Williams saw the pattern of the temple both inside and out.
The three men knelt to pray, and they saw a vision of the temple. First they saw the outside, and then the building seemed to pass over them and they saw the inside. Frederick G. Williams said that when the Kirtland Temple was completed it looked exactly as it had in the vision.
When an architect suggested that the seats in the building be rearranged, the Prophet Joseph would not allow it. He had seen them in the vision. According to his mother, Lucy Mack Smith, when the Saints wanted the temple to be built as a frame or log house, he said, “‘Shall we, brethren, build a house for our God, of logs? No, I have a better plan than that. I have a plan of the house of the Lord, given by himself.’”* The temple walls, two feet thick and over sixty feet tall, were to be built of stone.
The Kirtland Temple was not exactly like today’s temples, where families are sealed for time and all eternity and work is performed for the dead. It was more like a special meetinghouse where the Saints held their Church meetings.
Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Doctrine and Covenants 2021 ” Doctrine and Covenants 94–97″
Even the children in Kirtland helped, in small but meaningful ways, to build the Kirtland Temple.
Friend September 2021 “The Kirtland Temple”The Saints worked together to help build the temple. Men built tall walls. Women made curtains and carpets. Children helped bring tools and water to the workers.
Friend September 2025 “For Older Kids” God asked Joseph Smith and the early Saints to build a temple in Kirtland, Ohio, USA. Connect the dots to build the temple.
- After reading together Doctrine and Covenants 97:15–16, you and your children could share with each other why the temple is special to you. You could also sing together a song to help your children feel reverence for the Lord’s house, such as “I Love to See the Temple” (Children’s Songbook, 95). What phrases in this song teach us why the temple is sacred?
Song “I Love to See the Temple” Visual Aids
Section 96
Section 96 Revelation given to Joseph Smith the Prophet, showing the order of the city or stake of Zion at Kirtland, Ohio, June 4, 1833, as an example to the Saints in Kirtland. The occasion was a conference of high priests, and the chief subject of consideration was the disposal of certain lands, known as the French farm, possessed by the Church near Kirtland. Since the conference could not agree who should take charge of the farm, all agreed to inquire of the Lord concerning the matter.
Section 97
Section 97 This revelation deals particularly with the affairs of the Saints in Zion, Jackson County, Missouri, in response to the Prophet’s inquiry of the Lord for information. Members of the Church in Missouri were at this time subjected to severe persecution and, on July 23, 1833, had been forced to sign an agreement to leave Jackson County.
Zion is “The Pure in Heart.”
Come, Follow Me—For Home and Church: Doctrine and Covenants 2025 & Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Doctrine and Covenants 2021 ” Doctrine and Covenants 94–97″
Doctrine and Covenants 97:1–2, 8–9, 21
- To help your children understand what the word pure could mean in Doctrine and Covenants 97:21, you could look at a glass of clean water together and add something to the water that makes it impure (such as dirt or pepper). Why is it important for water to be pure? Then your children could read verse 21 and put their finger on the word pure. What does it mean for our hearts to be pure? Verses 1–2 and 8–9 could provide some ideas. Help the children understand that being pure in heart doesn’t mean we never make mistakes. What can we do to become more pure in heart? How does the Savior help us?
21 Therefore, verily, thus saith the Lord, let Zion rejoice, for this is Zion—the pure in heart; therefore, let Zion rejoice, while all the wicked shall mourn.
Pure in Heart:
- Someone who is genuinely clean and good in thought and action.
- What are some examples of good thoughts and actions?
- How have we done these things?
(This video isn’t made by members of the church, but it does give a good explanation for what it means to be pure of heart.)
Building Zion
The Prophet Joseph Smith taught, “We ought to have the building up of Zion as our greatest object” (Teachings: Joseph Smith, 186). To the Saints in the 1830s, Zion was a place, the literal “city of our God” (Doctrine and Covenants 97:19). But in the revelation recorded in section 97, the Lord expanded that view. Zion also describes a people—“the pure in heart” (verse 21).
Elder Bruce R. McConkie (1915–85) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles declared, “Whenever the Lord has had a people of his own; whenever there have been those who have hearkened to his voice and kept his commandments; whenever his saints have served him with full purpose of heart—there has been Zion. “Liahona September 2021 “Bring Forth Zion”
Friend June 2025 “I Can Help Build Zion”
The Lord blesses people who keep covenants with Him.
Come, Follow Me—For Home and Church: Doctrine and Covenants 2025
8 Verily I say unto you, all among them who know their hearts are honest, and are broken, and their spirits contrite, and are willing to observe their covenants by sacrifice—yea, every sacrifice which I, the Lord, shall command—they are accepted of me.
9 For I, the Lord, will cause them to bring forth as a very fruitful tree which is planted in a goodly land, by a pure stream, that yieldeth much precious fruit.
- Do your children know what covenants we make with the Lord when we are baptized or in the temple? Consider reviewing those covenants with them by reading Mosiah 18:9–10, 13 or General Handbook, 27.2. Share with each other how you are striving to “observe [your] covenants by sacrifice” (Doctrine and Covenants 97:8).
Friend November 2024 “What Are Covenants?”
Friend August 2023 “My Baptismal Covenant”
- You could invite your children to draw pictures of what Doctrine and Covenants 97:9 describes. As they share their pictures, talk about how the Lord has blessed you for keeping your covenants. How are those blessings like being a “fruitful tree which is planted … by a pure stream”?
Friend August 2023 “Walking along the Covenant Path” Heavenly Father sent you to earth to learn and grow so you can become like Him. As you follow Jesus Christ, you walk along the path back to your heavenly home. This is called the covenant path. Follow along and color these pictures to learn more.
Additional Resources
Doctrine and Covenants Historical Resources “Doctrine and Covenants 94-97”
Latter Day Kids “Why We Build Temples” Lesson ideas and activity ideas
Come Follow Me Kid Lesson ideas
The Red Crystal Lesson ideas
