Doctrine and Covenants 71-75 Insights and Teaching Activities
- Benjamin Wilcox
- 2 hours ago
- 44 min read
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ICEBREAKER
I like to start this icebreaker with a question. Do you know what a catalyst is? Well, a catalyst is something that speeds up or brings about a certain reaction. To illustrate this idea, I'd like to show you a little science experiment. You may be familiar with it, but it's called elephant toothpaste, and it's a great example of the effect of a catalyst. Here's what you're going to need to perform this experiment:
· A plastic bottle
· A paper plate
· 1/2 cup of Hydrogen Peroxide
· 1 Tablespoon of liquid dish soap
· 1 Packet of Yeast
· 1 Tablespoon of Warm Water
· 10 drops of Food Coloring (optional)
So what you do is you take your plastic bottle and place it onto the center of the paper plate. Pour your 1/2 cup of Hydrogen Peroxide into the bottle and add the tablespoon of liquid dish soap. If you want the experiment to be a little more colorful, you can add the ten drops of food coloring to the mix at this point. But be sure to mix it up thoroughly. Now if we were to just leave this mixture here, eventually, over a long period of time, it would break down into oxygen, and water. But we're going to add a catalyst. We're going to mix up the yeast and the warm water together and add it to our bottle. The effect the catalyst has is that it greatly speeds up this process or reaction of breaking down the hydrogen peroxide. So watch what happens when I add the catalyst. Pretty cool right? The moral of the story: Amazing things can happen when you add a catalyst.
TRANSITION
Today I'd like to talk about a spiritual catalyst. A catalyst for receiving one of God's greatest rewards. And I hope you don't mind, but I'm going to cheat a little this week and pull in the first 19 verses of section 76 because I feel they match so well thematically with sections 71-75. Now don't worry. Section 76 has more than enough material for us to dig into next week, so I don't mind double dipping a little here. These verses will help introduce us to this powerful catalyst. And we're going to examine this idea with a marking activity. You're going to need three colors and we're going to put three labels in our scriptures at the beginning of our block. There are three parts to our spiritual science experiment here. We have our Conditions, our Catalyst, and our Results. As we read through the scriptures this week, we'll mark these ideas as we go.
So first we'll start with some of the conditions and results and look for the catalyst last. God has some promises for a certain type of follower. Two things to look for here. What conditions set apart these disciples? And what is his promised results to them? And we'll mark them in our two colors.
Section 76:5-6.
5 For thus saith the Lord, I, the Lord, am merciful and gracious unto those who fear me, and delight to honor those who serve me in righteousness and in truth unto the end.
6 Great shall be their reward and eternal shall be their glory.
All right. What conditions set apart these disciples? What condition are they in? Well, first, they fear him, and they serve him in righteousness and truth unto the end.
What are his promised results to them? He promises that he will be merciful and gracious unto them. And, he delights to honor them and he offers them a great reward and glory. I want to focus on that idea here. He honors and rewards these followers. With what though? We've got mercy and grace and glory here, but the next verses are going to highlight what apparently is one of the major ways God rewards the righteous. There is a common theme that you're going to find in verses 7-10. Can you find it? What great reward does God delight to honor the righteous with?
7 And to them will I reveal all mysteries, yea, all the hidden mysteries of my kingdom from days of old, and for ages to come, will I make known unto them the good pleasure of my will concerning all things pertaining to my kingdom.
8 Yea, even the wonders of eternity shall they know, and things to come will I show them, even the things of many generations.
9 And their wisdom shall be great, and their understanding reach to heaven; and before them the wisdom of the wise shall perish, and the understanding of the prudent shall come to naught.
10 For by my Spirit will I enlighten them, and by my power will I make known unto them the secrets of my will--yea, even those things which eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor yet entered into the heart of man.
Did you see it? He rewards the righteous with revelation and truth. And he uses many different words for it. Let's mark them in our results color. He will "reveal all mysteries" to them. He will "make things known" unto them. "Things to come will I show them". "Their wisdom shall be great". "Their understanding will reach to heaven". He will "enlighten them" by the power of his Spirit, and make known the secrets of his will. Even things that nobody else has seen or heard.
Case in point. Section 76 itself is a perfect illustration of this. It is a groundbreaking revelation that brings to light many unknown things about the Plan of Salvation to us. Some of the doctrines that truly set our theology apart from the rest of the Christian world are found here. It's one of the greatest revelations of the entire Doctrine and Covenants. If I were to ask the average member of the church what they felt were the top 5 most significant sections in the Doctrine and Covenants, I'm willing to bet you that section 76 would be on every single list. God truly revealed mysteries and wisdom and understanding and enlightenment to the leaders of the church on this occasion. Why did he do that? Because they were willing to serve him in truth and righteousness.
There is one more condition that we want to add to our list here. You'll find it in verse 11. They were "in the Spirit" on this occasion. They had invited the Holy Ghost to be in their minds and hearts and were worthy of its presence. Therefore:
Verse 12
12 By the power of the Spirit our eyes were opened, and our understandings were enlightened, so as to see and understand the things of God
So, if we wish to have our eyes opened and understanding enlightened, we too need to be "in the Spirit".
But we haven't figured out what our catalyst is yet. There is something that can activate and speed up the process by which revelation can be received. And amazingly, this catalyst is available to all of us, not just prophets. In fact, many sections of the Doctrine and Covenants came as a result of this catalyst. I want to see if you can figure out what it is. Take a look at the following places in our scripture block this week to see if you can figure it out. Read each one carefully and see if you can identify it.
· Doctrine and Covenants 71 Section Heading
· Doctrine and Covenants for 71:4-6
· Doctrine and Covenants 73:3-5
· Doctrine and Covenants 74 Section Heading
· Doctrine and Covenants 76 Section Heading
· Doctrine and Covenants 76:15-19
Did you find it? What was the catalyst? It's the scriptures or scripture study. In each of these cases, Joseph and Sidney were engaged in the work of what we call the inspired version of the Bible. They described it as translating, but they weren't necessarily translating it from one language into another. What they really were doing was clarifying and correcting (with the aid of the Spirit) many of the errors found in the Bible and restoring some of the plain and precious things that had been lost from them. I'm sure at some point in your study of the Bible you've come upon the letters JST. That stands for Joseph Smith Translation. You'll usually find these in the footnotes, and they are very helpful in understanding some of the more confusing verses in the Bible. Still, I don't think that clarification was the only reason God wanted Joseph to make his way so carefully through the Bible. You may be surprised to discover that many of those plain and precious things that were lost during the great apostasy weren't restored back into the text of the Bible itself, but come in the Doctrine and Covenants as a result of Joseph's questioning as he read. As Joseph prayerfully makes his way through the Bible, questions come into his mind. And he goes to the Lord for help in answering those questions. Many doctrines and church practices are going to be revealed by this process. As Joseph studies the scriptures on a deep and engaged level, the Lord reveals great things to him. Deep and meaningful scripture study becomes the catalyst for revelation. Last week we studied "what is scripture"
Now we'll study what to do with them. So let's take a look at each of these sections in turn. We'll mark them in our "Catalyst" color.
In the section heading of 71 "The Prophet had continued to translate the Bible with Sidney Rigdon as his scribe until this revelation was received". And in this section Joseph and Sidney are told to pause for a little bit in the translation while they try to repair some of the damage done by the anti-church letters circulated by apostate, Ezra Booth.
So look what he says in 71:4
4 Wherefore, labor ye in my vineyard. Call upon the inhabitants of the earth, and bear record, and prepare the way for the commandments and revelations which are to come.
You know, that might be a great title for this lesson. Prepare the way for the revelations which are to come. Scripture study does just that. It prepares the way for revelation. And some really big revelations are about to come. Section 76 will come in just a few months. What helps prepare the way? Verses 5-6.
5 Now, behold this is wisdom; whoso readeth, let him understand and receive also;
6 For unto him that receiveth it shall be given more abundantly, even power.
So we read the scriptures. That will prepare the way for more revelations to come. But not just reading--understanding, and receiving as well. There's a big difference between reading and receiving the scriptures. Receiving suggests allowing their truths to sink deep into your hearts. Some people just read the scriptures. They just scratch the surface or skim through it to get it done. But those that truly seek to understand and receive what's in the scriptures, will be given more abundantly. Studying the revelations of the past, prepares the way for receiving more abundant revelations in the future. With that more abundant revelation will all come power. Knowledge is power. Truth is power. That abundant knowledge and power is available to all those who engage with God's word in this way.
So no wonder God wanted Joseph to be studying the Bible in a careful and prayerful way. It allowed him to receive truth more abundantly.
In 73:3-5 There is a great word that the Lord is going to use to describe how he feels about Joseph and Sidney getting back into the study and translation of the Bible. What is it? The Lord tells them that it is expedient to start translating again. What a great word! I think that's how God feels about us getting into the scriptures. It's expedient. Expedient means suitable for achieving a certain end. Necessary, Vital. Something that needs to be done. Scripture study is expedient. There is a reason why the prophets are constantly counseling us to engage in consistent and daily scripture study. It's expedient for our spiritual welfare.
Then verse 5.
5 And let this be a pattern unto the elders until further knowledge, even as it is written.
As we keep reading, and studying, and receiving, God gives us further knowledge. That's the pattern.
You'll notice there's another expedient in this section as well. What does verse 1 say is expedient? Preaching the gospel. I think that's interesting. Sometimes it's expedient that we preach and give, and sometimes it's expedient that we study and receive. The Lord knows that before we can declare his word, we must first obtain it. Sometimes one is expedient, and sometimes the other is. The pattern takes us back and forth between these two expedients. We need to be engaged in both.
The section heading of 74 tells us that Joseph had recommenced the translation of the Scriptures, when he received the following. Here's a revelation that came as a direct result of Joseph's study and translation of the Bible.
The Section Heading tells us that Joseph had been seeking answers on the proper mode of baptism. One particular verse in 1 Corinthians 7 had often been used to justify infant baptism. So when he comes to this difficult passage, he does exactly what God wants him to do. He asks a question. What does this mean, Lord? Why is it in here? And the Lord answers him and helps him to understand it. That, by the way, is one of the best things we can do to get more out of our own scripture study--ask questions. What does this mean? Why is this story in here? What is the significance of that word or term? What does the Lord want me to understand from this passage? Why does the Lord say that? How can I apply this verse or story to my own life? Some of the best advice I could give you for getting more out of scripture study would be to slow down and ask questions. This gives the Spirit a chance to help you find answers to those questions.
And what happens as a result of Joseph's inquiry? The final phrase of that section is telling. It ends with "and this is what the scriptures mean". Awesome! God helped him understand something that he initially didn't. We can have the same type of experience. This section, section 74, is a microcosm of how scripture study can work. We read them. We find something that we don't understand, we ask a question, and we look to God and the Spirit for help. Then, he helps us to know what the scriptures mean. We could mark that with our RESULTS color. When we petition the Lord for help in understanding the scriptures, he leads us to sources that can help us to know what the scriptures mean.
Now to the section heading of 76. It quotes Joseph as saying: “Upon my return from Amherst conference, I resumed the translation of the Scriptures. From sundry revelations which had been received, it was apparent that many important points touching the salvation of man had been taken from the Bible, or lost before it was compiled. It appeared self-evident from what truths were left, that if God rewarded everyone according to the deeds done in the body the term ‘Heaven,’ as intended for the Saints’ eternal home, must include more kingdoms than one. Accordingly, … while translating St. John’s Gospel, myself and Elder Rigdon saw the following vision.” At the time this vision was given, the Prophet was translating John 5:29.
So there we see the pattern again. Section 76 came as a result of Joseph seeking understanding while he studied and translated the scriptures. Look how he describes the process:
15 For while we were doing the work of translation, which the Lord had appointed unto us, we came to the twenty-ninth verse of the fifth chapter of John, which was given unto us as follows--
16 Speaking of the resurrection of the dead, concerning those who shall hear the voice of the Son of Man:
17 And shall come forth; they who have done good in the resurrection of the just; and they who have done evil, in the resurrection of the unjust.
18 Now this caused us to marvel, for it was given unto us of the Spirit.
19 And while we meditated upon these things, the Lord touched the eyes of our understandings and they were opened, and the glory of the Lord shone round about.
Did you catch the pattern again? They were reading with the Spirit. They came to a part that they didn't understand, and instead of ignoring it, or racing past it, or shrugging it off, they stop, they marvel and they meditate. Great words to mark as well. This is how we gain more abundantly from our scripture study. Marveling and meditating. They are slowing down and asking questions, and meditating on the answer. Sometimes we use the word pondering instead of meditating. Some of the most important work we will do when it comes to scripture study will happen when we aren't even looking at the scriptures. It's when we look away and think about them that knowledge can come. That's how I do a lot of my preparation for these lessons. Yes, I use manuals, and have made notes of things of learned from other teachers or general authorities, but a lot of the insight comes from pondering. When we ponder, we give the Spirit space and opportunity to teach us.
Sometimes, just for fun, I'll do this little activity with my students. I pull out a chair and set it in the front of the room. And then I tell them that I'm going to teach them a very important but technical scripture study skill. I sit down in the chair, and then tell them to put their hands straight out in front of them with their thumbs pointing up. I do this all very methodically. Then, they are to turn their hands so that their fingers are pointing at each other. Then very carefully, and slowly they are to move their hands towards each other and interlace their fingers with the other hand. Then very delicately and steadily so as not to injure themselves they should arch their arms backwards in a continuous motion until their hands rest on the backs of their heads. Now, the finishing touch. They should lean back ever so slightly and glance heavenward with a quizzical look on their face. This, I tell them, is a professional pondering pose. This is what they need to do at certain times as they study their scriptures. They need to stop and ponder what they've just read. Ask those questions. Give the Spirit a chance to teach them and inspire them. Now I know that's kind of cheesy way to go about it, but they usually get a kick out of it and it makes the point.
Joseph and Sydney were willing to do these things, to marvel and meditate, therefore "The Lord touched the eyes of their understanding and they were opened". Mark that in your results color. And that is beautiful imagery. Where else do we see Christ touching somebody's eyes and having them opened? When he heals the blind. It's subtle allusion. We, as mortals are often blind to many truths. There is so much that we don't see. So many people that live in darkness, feeling their way through the mists. The blind leading the blind. The Savior though, can heal the blind and cause them to see. Studying the scriptures can open the eyes of our understanding and cure our mortal blindness. Imagine what it would be like to be blind your whole life and then all of a sudden you're able to see. Section 76 is an "eye-opening" section. As members of the church, we are no longer blind to the truths of the Plan of Salvation. I remember teaching principles from section 76 to investigators on my mission and seeing their eyes opened. Many were so grateful to have some of their most basic existential questions answered. You know the questions. Where did we come from? Why are we here? And what happens to us when we die. Section 76 is going to answer these fundamental questions. It opens our eyes.
TRUTH
So what truth have we just learned? Come up with an "If/Then" statement to describe it. There are many possible answers. Here's what I came up with. If I will read, and receive, and marvel, and meditate on the scriptures, then, the eyes of my understanding will be opened, and God will reveal knowledge in abundance to me.
LIKEN THE SCRIPTURES
Then, be ready to answer at least one of the following questions of your choice:
When has scripture study opened the eyes of your understanding?
Do you love to study the scriptures? If so, why?
What is a favorite scripture of yours that has given you knowledge? What did it teach you?
CONCLUSION
No wonder God wanted Joseph to translate the Bible. It opened up the reception of so many deep doctrinal truths to him, and through him, us. God knew that studying the Bible in this way would cause Joseph to marvel and meditate. Well, if we wish to have our eyes opened, we too are going to need to put in that same type of careful and prayerful study. I believe that scripture study is a test of desire. I feel they've been designed to be a little bit harder to understand. Like the parables that Jesus told so that hearing, they would hear not, and seeing, they would see not. Those that don't care to know probably won't put in the effort required to get much out of them. It weeds out the apathetic. But those who study with desire, those that read with real intent, those that are willing to dig deep (as I say each week), and ask for help for the Spirit, are the ones that gain knowledge more abundantly. The scriptures prepare the way for revelations which are to come into their lives. They will have section 76 like experiences. I once heard someone say "If you want to talk to God, pray. But if you want God to talk to you, study your scriptures". Now this is principle that means an awful lot to me, as you can probably imagine. I testify of this truth with great conviction and enthusiasm that stems from ample experience. The scriptures are a gateway to revelation, knowledge, and understanding. I've seen it happen over and over in my life. So I have a bit of a strange request for you. Don't read the Doctrine & Covenants this year, or any scripture for that matter. Instead, I want you to study them, marvel at them, meditate on them, ponder them, liken them, but never simply read them. I can promise you, that great and abundant knowledge will follow.
Now that is where I would spend the majority of my time if I only had one chance to teach a lesson from this scripture block. Still, as usual, there are some other principles you could teach as well. I'd like to give you just a few brief ideas on how you might cover them
71 NO UNHALLOWED HAND
ICEBREAKER
For section 71, a simple icebreaker. Two discussion questions. When have you encountered opposition or criticism to the church? And How does it make you feel when you hear criticisms or lies about the church? Usually, most of your students will have encountered some form of opposition, or anti-church literature, or persecution in their lives and this will make for a good brief discussion of how it makes them feel. Some of the feelings that are usually shared are anger, frustration, fear, and even doubt. You know, what if they're right? I assure them that the church and its members are no stranger to such opposition. Since that fateful day when Joseph first told a minister in Palmyra of his experience in the sacred grove, ridicule, defamation, and slander have followed the prophet and all those who believe in his divine calling ever since. Nowadays, there are countless books, websites, articles, and videos that all seek to disparage the church and call its truthfulness into question. As members of the church, it's inevitable that we'll run into these kinds of things at some point in our lives. How we deal with that situation is critical to maintaining our faith.
BACKGROUND
At this particular time in church history, the opposition to the church is stemming from a former member whose name we're already familiar with. Ezra Booth. Ezra Booth was the man who'd been converted to the church after seeing Joseph Smith heal Elsa Johnson's arm. He was also one of the brethren who accompanied Joseph Smith on his first journey to Missouri. Ezra quickly becomes disillusioned with the church when he discovers that, one, he's not able to perform miracles in the same way that he'd seen Joseph do it, two, the land of Zion was not what he expected it to be, and three, when he came to know Joseph's imperfections and personality flaws, which he certainly had. So Ezra leaves the church and becomes an outspoken critic of it. He goes so far as to write nine letters leveling criticism at the church and its leaders and has them published in a local newspaper. Of course, Joseph and the other members of the church are really worried about the negative effect these letters might have on missionary work and so he goes to the Lord for counsel. Section 71 is received as a result. The counsel God gave Joseph on this occasion can also help us when we face similar circumstances.
SEARCH
Here's a quick handout activity you could do to cover some of the counsel the Lord gives in this section. It's a secret phrase activity. The objective is to figure out the secret phrase by first filling in the boxes with the word that fits in the blank from the clues. Those words should fit into the boxes next to them. They will then use the numbered boxes to find the secret phrase. Each of the clues is a piece of counsel from the Lord for dealing with Anti-Church opposition.
So here we go.
71:1 ______________ the gospel
Proclaim. Proclaim the gospel. That is the number one way the church fights back. With the truth. Rather than trying to disparage other religions or tearing down other faiths, we focus our attention on spreading truth and inviting others to discover it for themselves. You're never going to go to a Church sacrament meeting and hear a talk entitled "10 Reasons why the Catholics are Wrong" or "Questions that Lutherans can't Answer" or see a Broadway play put on by church members mocking Jehovah's Witnesses or Buddhists. That's not how we do things. We seek to persuade by proclaiming the gospel as we understand it. I often wish other churches and people afforded us the same courtesy. Just like in politics, I'm always wary of candidates who only seem to want to tear down their opponents without offering or promoting their own solutions.
71:1 Follow the ____________.
Spirit. We're going to need the Spirit to determine the best way to handle opposition. There isn't a one-size-fits-all approach. In some cases, ignoring it may be the best approach. In others, fleeing from it may be best. And in others, our next clue may be what we need to do:
71:7 On occasion, we can _______ with them and defend the church openly.
Meet. In this particular case with Ezra Booth, that is what the Lord wanted them to do. He wanted Joseph to publicly go out and seek to defend the good name of the church. Now, hopefully we don't go out and use verse 7 as an excuse to seek confrontation with others or get into Bible bashes. But there is a time and a place to defend our beliefs. Follow the Spirit to know when. Gratefully, there are a number of organizations and websites and church materials that do an amazing job of helping us to understand some of the anti-church crowd's most vocal criticisms. The church topics page is a great resource for this and if you struggle with some of the more troubling claims leveled against the church, I encourage you to go there first. FAIR or FAIRMormon is another great website that I've found has some incredible resources and research done in that area. I personally am not an expert in these kinds of things, but it's comforting to know that they exist, and they are there as a resource when challenges to our faith arise.
71:8 Remember that they are not bringing their strong reasons against you, but against the ______.
Lord. That's nice to know. They aren't challenging YOUR beliefs, but the truths of the LORD'S gospel. They're not fighting against the church, but against God. We're not alone in our struggle. We have God on our side. Therefore . . .
71:9 Remember that no weapon formed against the church shall __________.
Prosper. The church has faced opposition for decades and still, it continues to grow and succeed. The Ezra Booths, and Fawn Brodie's, and Jerald and Sandra Tanners, and Jeremy Runnells, have never and will never succeed in stopping the church as a whole. Though their weapons have matured a bit over the years, they still seem to rehash the same old tropes and criticisms that have been around since the beginning. However, we can take comfort in the fact that no weapon formed against the church shall prosper.
71:10 Remember that those who lift their voices against the church will eventually be _____________.
Confounded. That we can rely on. One day, the error of their attacks will be undeniably laid bare.
71:11 Our ______________ to the commandments may be our best defense against their lies.
obedience. I really believe that this is our best defense. The type of people that we are as a church is our best testimony and argument against the lies and criticisms of our opposition. People will inevitably dismiss their claims when they see the fruits of our living the gospel. They'll say, "What you are accusing these people of, doesn't match up with my experience with them. They are the most upstanding, principled, kind, and happy people that I know". Living our faith will stand as a testimony against the apostates, liars, and naysayers. Perhaps the greatest proof and testimony of Joseph Smith's divine calling are the people of the Restored church themselves.
So, what's the secret phrase? "No unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing". It's a line from a very famous quote by Joseph Smith. It's often referred to as the Standard of Truth and I'd like to share the quote in its entirety with you.
The Standard of Truth has been erected; no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done.”
― Joseph Smith Jr.
TRUTH/LIKEN THE SCRIPTURES
When has one of these counsels helped you in facing opposition to the Church?
CONCLUSION
The fact of the matter is that anti-church efforts will never succeed in stopping its growth and progress. It never has and never will. I remember on my mission in Brazil that the most popular news program in the country did a report entitled “The Mormons of Utah”. Unfortunately, the program wasn’t even about the church. It was about the fundamentalists down in Southern Utah with all of its reports of abuse and scandal. But the news program never differentiated between that and the actual Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I’ll never forget talking to one of the stalwart members of the church in that area who was so distraught after watching the program. I remember him saying, “This is going to destroy the church in Brazil.” Well, I ask you, did that news report destroy the church in Brazil? I’m happy to tell you that no, it didn’t. In fact, that very week two new families were baptized into the ward. There wasn’t even a blip in the growth of the church as far as I could see it. So remember this prophecy the next time you encounter protesters at General Conference, anti-church websites and books, critical social crusaders, or hear of apostate groups breaking away from the Saints. These forces have never succeeded in stopping the growth of the church. That we can be assured of because the Lord has promised us in Section 71 that no weapon that is formed against us will ever prosper. And Joseph assures us that no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing.
72 RENDERING AN ACCOUNT
From section 72 a quick search question. What do each of the following verses have in common?
:3, :5, :16, :19, :22
The answer. They all speak of giving or rendering an account of your stewardship. We've spoken about stewardship before. A steward is one who takes care of and is responsible for someone else's property. At this time the church is still seeking to implement the living of the law of consecration and the decision is made that not only is a Bishop needed in Zion, but in Kirtland as well. Newell K. Whitney is called to be the second bishop of the church. Section 72 explains some of the duties of a Bishop. We won't go into great depth there, but realize that the role of the bishop in the early church was much more focused on financial and temporal matters. They were chiefly in charge of managing the affairs of the consecration. Nowadays, the Bishop still covers these kinds of things as the overseer of the welfare program, but is also seen as much more of a spiritual leader and a judge of worthiness. In any case, to this day, we're still called to render an account of our temporal and spiritual stewardships to our Bishop's on a regular basis. On the temporal side, tithing settlement is held each year, and on the spiritual side, we render an account of our spiritual stewardship at least every two years as we seek to obtain or renew our temple recommends. As a currently serving Bishop, I can tell you that is a humbling thing to stand in that position of judgment and accountability. I feel very honored that the Lord would trust me enough to allow his sons and daughters to render their accounts to Him through me. And I don't take that lightly. It's a sacred thing and I've often felt his guiding influence as I've counseled with and discussed both temporal and spiritual matters with the members of my ward.
A discussion question I might ask from this section is why? Why does Heavenly Father want us to render an account of our spiritual and temporal stewardships frequently throughout our lives?
My thought. The further out you put the accountability, the less motivation there is to action. If I only have the final judgment in mind, it's very likely that I won't be as focused or motivated to do what I need to do today. I may be tempted to procrastinate the day of my repentance or put off my responsibilities to God and family. It kind of reminds me of the national debt. It's an accountability that we just seem to always be kicking further down the road. Ah, it will be taken care of at some future point. Let the next generation deal with it. I believe it's an attitude that can have serious future repercussions. Instead, the Lord has us be accountable, in a very real and mortal way, on a frequent basis to one of his representatives. I myself am very grateful for this accountability over the years and feel that all those interviews with past bishops and stake presidents have helped to keep me on the straight and narrow path. It's a positive thing for us to frequently consider the following questions: How am I doing in my temporal affairs? and How am I doing in my spiritual affairs? Hopefully, these frequent course corrections will keep us moving ever forward on the path that leads to eternal life.
74 BELIEVERS AND UNBELIEVERS
Just a brief thought here. This is a bit of a confusing section. No wonder Joseph struggled to get what Paul was talking about in 1 Corinthians 7. In the ancient Church, you had a lot of mixed faith households since the majority of the church membership were converts. Sometimes you had a believing husband, but an unbelieving wife, and vice versa. So the concern was, and you'll see this as you read the section, that if one of the parents wanted their child to be circumcised, while the other didn't believe it was necessary, that could eventually lead to conflict within the family, or the child eventually would be drawn away from the Church of Jesus Christ and continue to follow the law of Moses. There was a tradition amongst the Jews that said all uncircumcised children were unholy or guilty before God. That's the real issue for Paul. This was a dangerous doctrine that he didn't want perpetuated into the Church of Jesus Christ. He wanted the members of the church to understand that, according to verse 7, little children are holy, being sanctified through the atonement of Jesus Christ. We don't believe in original sin in this church. It's the same principle we saw taught very strongly in Moroni 8. So, Paul was worried about this conflict in households where only one partner was a believer. Still, if these converts were already married, he didn't want to encourage them to leave their spouses. He counsels them in 1 Corinthians 7 that they don't need to run out and get a divorce because "the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband. So, it's good to have that sanctifying influence of at least one parent in the household, and perhaps you might eventually save them. However, if you still had a choice, if you were unmarried and looking for a spouse, he counseled that a "believer should not be united with an unbeliever". Now it's important to note that Paul is giving this as his counsel, not a commandment in the church. It's like he's saying, I encourage you strongly to marry in the covenant if you have that choice. But why? Because of the effect that it can have on the lives of future children in that marriage. They may be drawn into incorrect traditions and beliefs.
What's the takeaway for us here? Again, this isn't a commandment in the church, and there is no disciplinary action taken against someone who marries a spouse that is not a member. But, I would think this is still good counsel from the prophets that it is better to marry in the covenant. Not that it's impossible for a believing member to get along and have a happy marriage with one who is not, but more as a consideration of the children. Not to say that the children of that kind of marriage are doomed to fall away either, it's just something to consider as we make that choice. What effect might this kind of union have on future children of this marriage? Will it confuse them? Will it make it difficult for them to choose between Mom's faith or Dad's faith? How will it affect you if they decide to not get baptized, or go to church with you, or serve missions, or go to the temple? Are you ok with that possibility? These are important questions to consider when it comes to marriage, and we would be wise to bear in mind the counsel (not commandment) of a prophet. As a teacher, I would certainly never hesitate to encourage my students to marry in the covenant.
75 PREACHING THE GOSPEL
Section 75 is a collection of mission calls and instructions on preaching the gospel. I don't really see anything unique in this section that we haven't covered sometime before and so I'll leave it to you to study and find your own insights from it. A search question you could ask is "What good advice do you find here for preaching the gospel" and I'll leave it at that.
And there you have just a few brief ideas for covering some of the other points you can find in these sections.
TEACHING ACTIVITIES
LESSON #1 The CATALYST (Doctrine and Covenants 71-76)
TRUTH:
Diligent scripture study prepares the way for personal revelation.
FIRE IN THE BONES:
Just like last week, scriptures and scripture study are major themes of these sections here. The fire in the bones, then, can only burn through your personal testimony of the power of the scriptures, which I hope you’ve discovered. I pray that you’ve had experiences with the scriptures—that you enjoy studying them—and that they’ve seen them bring truth and guidance into your life. With this lesson, we want our students to understand that the scriptures are a divine catalyst—a catalyst for personal revelation and individualized guidance. Help them to see that scripture study isn’t just a checklist item or godly busywork, but a heavenly means to hearing God’s voice.
OBJECT:
I like to do an object lesson for the icebreaker on this one. It’s a science experiment and here are the materials you’re going to need to do this.
· A plastic bottle
· A paper plate
· 1/2 cup of Hydrogen Peroxide
· 1 Tablespoon of liquid dish soap
· 1 Packet of Yeast
· 1 Tablespoon of Warm Water
· 10 drops of Food Coloring (optional)
ICEBREAKER:
To perform the experiment, first you’re going to ask your students if they know what a catalyst is. If they don’t explain that a catalyst is something that speeds up or brings about a certain reaction. Then tell them that you’d like to illustrate that idea. At that point you take your plastic bottle and place it in the center of the paper plate. Pour your 1/2 cup of Hydrogen Peroxide into the bottle and add the tablespoon of liquid dish soap. And if you want the experiment to be a little more colorful, you can add the ten drops of food coloring to the mix and then be sure to mix it up thoroughly. You can then explain that if you were to just leave that mixture there, eventually, over a long period of time, it would break down into oxygen, and water. But we don’t wait around for that, so we’re going to add a catalyst. Now you pull out your yeast and the warm water and mix them together. And what happens when you add the catalyst? Well, it greatly speeds up the process and looks pretty cool too, right? The moral of the story is that amazing things can happen when you add a catalyst.
Today’s lesson is going to teach us about a different kind of catalyst—a spiritual catalyst.
SEARCH ACTIVITY:
So, for the search activity, we’re going to first go to section 76. Now, in the insight video, I explained that I like to pull in the first 19 verses of section 76 into this week’s lesson because it works really well thematically, and not to worry because section 76 has plenty to offer us for next week’s study. In fact, that’s one of the points I like to make with this lesson. Section 76 is one of the all-time greatest revelations of the entire Restoration. It’s THE “Plan of Salvation” revelation and answers the fundamental questions of “Where did we come from?”, “Why are we here?”, and “What happens when we die?” But what was the catalyst that brought about that great revelation? Well, the first verses of section 76 reveal that. What were Joseph and Sydney DOING at the time the revelation came. I would first direct my students to 76:5-6 and read it to them. Which say:
5 For thus saith the Lord, I, the Lord, am merciful and gracious unto those who fear me, and delight to honor those who serve me in righteousness and in truth unto the end.
6 Great shall be their reward and eternal shall be their glory.
Then explain that God likes to reward those who fear him (meaning “respect him”) and that serve him in righteousness and truth unto the end.
But here’s the search question. What, apparently, is one of the greatest things he likes to reward the righteous with? See if they can find it by reading verses 7-10.
And if you read those verses, you’ll see that he rewards the righteous with revelation and truth. And he makes that point in about five different ways in those verses. Wisdom, enlightenment, mysteries, understanding, the secrets of his will—the reward for righteous living.
But how is that truth and enlightenment going to come to us? What’s the catalyst for that process? There is something that can activate and speed up the process by which revelation can be received. That’s what we want to look for now.
Invite your students to see if they can find the catalyst in the following verses:
· Doctrine and Covenants 71 Section Heading
· Doctrine and Covenants for 71:4-6
· Doctrine and Covenants 73:3-5
· Doctrine and Covenants 74 Section Heading
· Doctrine and Covenants 76 Section Heading
· Doctrine and Covenants 76:15-19
And what is it? Diligent scripture study. That’s what you want your students to discover in those verses. Many of the revelations that Joseph received during this portion of Church History came as he was studying the Bible. Incredible truths are revealed to him as he makes his way through that volume of scripture. Scripture study was the catalyst for so much of what we find in the Doctrine and Covenants. It prompted the Lord to reveal and restore many of the truths that were lost to the world in the Great Apostasy. And you can show them that idea by walking them through each of those references that I listed there. You can check out the insight video for a more detailed analysis of those verses and section headings.
DISCUSSION QUESTION:
Why do you think God often ties revelation to scripture study instead of just giving answers out of the blue?
VIDEO:
A video suggestion. You could show the following. It’s called “Flecks of Gold”. But the way that I use it here is a little different from the original intended message. It’s meant to be a message about service, but I like to present it as a message about scripture study. Before they watch, ask them to consider how this video might relate to daily scripture study. And to me, I feel like daily scripture study may seem like a small and simple thing that may not always produce large nuggets of grand spiritual experiences. But by patiently and diligently searching for the little flecks of “personal revelation” gold that the scriptures have to offer us, we will reap a valuable connection with heaven in the long run that will be well worth the effort.
QUOTE:
“We talk to God through prayer. He most often communicates back to us through his written word.”
Richard G. Scott
(Conference Report, Oct. 2014 “Make the Exercise of Faith Your First Priority”)
TAKE IT TO HEART QUESTION:
Can you think of a time when a verse or story from the scriptures felt like it was written just for you?
What was going on in your life, and how did it help?
I WILL GO AND DO QUESTION/HANDOUT:
The handout for this lesson comes with the “I Will Go and Do” question. Give them the following sheet (I recommend you print it on card stock if possible) and ask them to write down their answer to the following prompt:
What’s one question you have right now—about your life, the gospel, or God’s will—that you could take into your scripture study?
Then, invite them to take that sheet and place it into the scriptures where they will see it in their scripture study—to use it as a kind of bookmark. And every time they sit down to study, they should consider their question as they do so. Testify to them that you believe that God can give them answers and insight on their question either directly from the scriptures themselves, or through the Spirit that they bring as we study them diligently.
TAKEAWAY:
The takeaway slide highlights our truth from this lesson—that God will often speak to us through his holy word. Remember the elephant toothpaste experiment from the beginning. Remember that it didn’t just erupt on its own. It needed a catalyst. And the same is true for revelation in our lives. God wants to open our eyes and pour truth and power into our hearts, but He waits for us to add the catalyst. So teachers, testify to your students that sincere, thoughtful, Spirit-filled scripture study is that catalyst. If we make that effort, He will reveal answers, He will unveil truth to us, He will give us “Section 76” type experiences.
LESSON #2 squeeze the orange (DOCTRINE AND COVENANTS 71-76)
NOTE:
This lesson can be taught in conjunction with the first one. They’re related and its message naturally follows from the previous. If you have more time in a lesson, you may even want to combine some of the elements of both. Of course, that’s probably going to require you to summarize or omit some of the activities, questions, or discussion points in the lessons in order to make room for elements of both, but together they can make for a really powerful lesson about scripture study.
TRUTH:
Revelation comes not just from reading the scriptures, but from diligently studying them, slowing down, asking questions, and meditating on them with the Spirit.
FIRE IN THE BONES:
And, you know, I just naturally get the fire in the bones in lessons like this. Any time I get the chance to teach my students scripture study skills—or techniques for getting more out of the scriptures, I just get excited. I’m afraid that too many of us just skim the surface of the scriptures without ever experiencing the true power, nourishment, and guidance that they have to offer us, if we were willing to just put a little more effort into it. Realize that, in this lesson, you have an opportunity to help train and prepare your students to become lifelong learners and lovers of the scriptures. I think one of the reasons some members of the Church may struggle to stay consistent in their scripture study isn’t because they’re lazy, or unrighteous, or irresponsible, it may just be that no one has ever taught them HOW to study the scriptures. There are specific techniques and skills that make it so much more effective, enjoyable, and edifying. This lesson gives you a chance to teach them some of those skills.
OBJECT:
And so, one of my favorite object lessons for teaching that message is something I learned from my cousin Jared Halverson. I’ve used it for years and have always found it effective at motivating my students to try and get more out of the time they spend in their scriptures. So the materials you’ll need for this are an orange, a see-through bowl and some paper towels. That’s it.
ICEBREAKER:
For the icebreaker then, you’ll invite a student to the front and challenge them to get as much juice out of that orange as possible. Tell them you don’t want peel, or pulp in the bowl, just juice, and that they can use any method they want to get that juice out of the orange. And this is really fun because off they’ll go ripping open the orange and squeezing the juice out of each section or just squeezing the entire orange between their palms until they have a good quantity of juice in the bowl. But while they’re doing that, you should be narrating the experience for the class, and calling attention to the actions that the volunteer student is taking to get the juice out. Point out the flexing of their muscles, the furrow in their brow, the contracting of their fingers around the orange while the juice squeezes out and drips down their hands into the bowl. The point you’re trying to make? To get the juice, you have to squeeze. You have to put forth effort. When they’re done, you can invite them to wipe their fingers off with the paper towels or even run to the bathroom to wash up a bit if they like. But that’s when you make the point to the class. The scriptures, you tell them, are like that orange. They are full of juice. And what’s the juice of the scriptures? And what I mean by that is . . . what are the good things that flow from interacting with them. And just let them mull over that one for a bit. I’m sure you’ll get some good answers to that question. It’s the juice of knowledge, the juice of peace, the juice of answers to prayers and gospel questions, the juice of guidance, the juice of comfort, testimony, happiness, and countless other blessings. But here’s the point. What must you do to get that juice? You have to squeeze. You have to put forth effort in order to reap the rewards. Way too many of us just scratch the surface of the orange peel. We just read. We just skim through in order to check “scripture study” off our daily to-do list. I’ve gotta finish my chapter, I’ve gotta read my page a day, and then we wonder why we don’t get much out of the experience. The scriptures were never meant to be merely read. They were meant to be studied. Squeezed with effort. It’s only then that we’ll see the juice flow and taste of their sweetness.
In today’s sections from the Doctrine and Covenants, we’re going to see some of the things that Joseph did that helped him to get more out of his scripture study. Remind your students that many of the revelations that Joseph received in the Doctrine and Covenants came as a result of his deep study of the Bible. As he was making what we now refer to as the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible, the Lord was able to teach and restore many truths to him, and by default, all of us. So, what were some of those things that Joseph did to get more out of that experience? That’s the subject matter for the remainder of this lesson.
SEARCH ACTIVITY/HANDOUT:
The following handout can help point your students to those specific study skills. It’s a secret phrase activity that can help draw their attention to some of those powerful scripture study techniques. And as you correct the handout, discuss and dig deeper into these suggestions as you go.
1. As you study, don’t just read. “Let him understand and ______________ also” (71:5-6)
a. Answer: Let him understand and receive also. There's a big difference between reading and receiving the scriptures. Receiving suggests allowing their truths to sink deep into our hearts. Some people just read the scriptures. But those that truly seek to understand and receive what's in the scriptures, (look in verse 6 for the promise) will be given more abundantly. And with that more abundant revelation will come power. So, no wonder God wanted Joseph to be studying the Bible in this way. It allowed him to receive truth more abundantly.
2. There is certain attitude we must have towards scripture study to truly receive their power. “It is _____________ to continue the work of [studying the scriptures] until it be finished.” (73:3).
a. Answer: Expedient. That’s how we must view scripture study. Now I know that the word in section 73 is the work of “translation” but it’s the same idea. Joseph and Sidney were studying the Bible as they made their translation of it. We too must view scripture study as expedient—necessary, vital, something that must be done. Scripture study is expedient.
3. Look at the section heading for section 74. As Joseph was studying the Bible he came upon 1 Corinthians 7:14. He didn’t understand what it meant. This implies something about this section. It suggests that Joseph asked the Lord __________ about this verse. In response, he received this explanation. We too must ask ___________ as we study and allow the Lord opportunities to answer. (Section Heading of Section 74) Note: The same word completes both blanks.
a. Answer: Questions. This has got to be one of the most important scripture study skills we can develop. We’ve got to ask questions. What does this mean? Why is this story in here? What is the significance of that word or term? What does the Lord want me to understand from this passage? Why does the Lord say that? How can I apply this verse or story to my own life? Some of the best advice I could give you for getting more out of scripture study would be to slow down and ask questions. This gives the Spirit a chance to help you find answers to those questions.
And that leads us naturally into our next answer.
4. Because Joseph was willing to do that (the answer to question 3) the Lord was able to finish section 74 by saying “and this is what the scriptures ________” (74:7). We too will receive that same understanding as we study like Joseph did. We too will come to know what the scriptures _______.
a. Answer: Mean. We too will come to know what the scriptures mean as we ask questions and open our hearts to the promptings of the Spirit.
5. Section 76 is one of the greatest revelations ever received. It helps us to more deeply understand the Plan of Salvation. This revelation only came because Joseph Smith was “doing the _______ of translation” at the time. (76:15)
a. The answer is “Work”. That matches well with our idea of “Squeezing the Orange”. Scripture study requires concentrated effort in order to receive the blessings of it. Don’t just read, work.
6. Before section 76 was received, Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon were in a certain state of heart at the time. They were “in the _________” at the time. (76:11). If we wish to reap the blessings of scripture study, we must do the same.
a. Answer: Be “in the Spirit”. As we study, we must seek to open our hearts and minds to the Spirit. Make the Holy Ghost a regular companion as you study the scriptures. Be worthy of his presence, pray for it, and make sure you give him the opportunity to inspire and teach you as you study. Which leads us naturally to our final suggestion.
7. Section 76 came while they “_____________” upon these things. (76:19)
a. Answer: They came while they meditated upon these things. This is another one of those fundamental scripture study skills that makes all the difference in its effectiveness. We’ve got to meditate as we study. Some of the best advice I could give you for getting more out of your scripture study would be to slow down, ask questions, and meditate on the answer. And if we’re “in the Spirit” at the time, he will help us to answer those questions and learn truth from them. Sometimes we use the word pondering instead of meditating. I’m convinced that some of the most important work we will do when it comes to scripture study will happen when we aren't even looking at the scriptures. It's when we look away and think about what we’re reading that knowledge and inspiration can come. It’s at this point in the lesson that I sometimes like to do the activity that I suggested in the insight video. The one where I teach my students a “professional” pondering pose. I’ve found that little activity to be a lot of fun and a good way of communicating the importance of meditation while studying.
Now by entering all those answers and matching the letters in the numbered boxes below, your students will be able to fill in the secret phrase. It’s a direct quote from President Thomas S. Monson. A promise for diligent scripture study. And what is it?
As we read and ponder the scriptures . . . We can find answers to our questions. (Thomas S. Monson, “We Never Walk Alone,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2013, 122)
DISCUSSION QUESTION:
VIDEO:
Now for my video suggestion this week, I’m going to do something a little different and not go to an official Church video this time. Instead, I’m going to refer you to the following from the person who gave me this “squeeze the orange” idea in the first place. I think that’s appropriate since he’s the original source for the idea. But I remember when I first heard my cousin Jared Halvorson, who also hosts a popular Come Follow Me YouTube channel and podcast, talk about this idea. It inspired me, and therefore, I hope that it inspires you as well. I wouldn’t suggest that you to show the entire video in a class period (it’s like 20 minutes long) but I do invite you to watch it yourself as the teacher and perhaps pick a section or a clip from it that you found most inspiring that you could share with your class.
QUOTE:
For a quote, I really love the following statement made by President Spencer W. Kimball. And take note of the word he uses to describe his interaction with the scriptures. He doesn’t say read, or study, or squeeze the orange even. But what word does he use?
“I find that when I get casual in my relationships with divinity and when it seems that no divine ear is listening and no divine voice is speaking, that I am far, far away. If I immerse myself in the scriptures the distance narrows and the spirituality returns.”
Spencer W. Kimball
(Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, 135)
Did you notice his word? Immerse. Immerse yourself in the scriptures. Don’t just waterski, scuba dive into God’s word.
TAKE IT TO HEART QUESTION:
What other scripture study techniques have you used in the past that you feel have helped you to get more “juice” from the scriptures?
I WILL GO AND DO QUESTION:
Which technique from our study this week do you need to more fully implement into your scripture study?
What’s your plan for doing that?
TAKEAWAY:
The takeaway slide reminds your students to “Squeeze the Orange”. Promise them that as they put concentrated effort into truly studying the scriptures, the juice of revelation, peace, happiness, and answers will flow into their lives. Scripture study, then, will become far more than a chore, a checklist item. It will become something they look forward to, something they savor, something that will feed them for a lifetime.
LESSON #3 No Unhollowed Hand (DOCTRINE AND COVENANTS 71)
Our final lesson plan here comes exclusively from section 71 and deals with a very specific question. What do we do with anti-church attacks? How do we deal with opposition to the Church?
TRUTH:
Though opposition to the Church is inevitable, we can face it with confidence and peace by following the Spirit, proclaiming truth, living obediently, and trusting God's promise that no unhallowed hand can stop His work.
FIRE IN THE BONES:
The fire in the bones burns from the realization that we are all going to encounter, at some time in our lives, if not frequently, criticism, doubt, or hostility towards our beliefs. This can be a quite disconcerting experience for most of us. How do we respond? Your students need to know that opposition is not a sign that the Church isn’t true—but that it is. So here we get a chance to arm them, not with anger or debate tactics, but with confidence in truth. We can help them to see that the work they’re part of cannot be stopped. It can’t be stopped by lies, by mobs, by social pressure or shifting cultural norms. Have faith that this message from the scriptures can give them courage to stand firm, knowing that “no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing.”
OBJECT:
An object you might display for this lesson would be a shield. If you’ve ever done an “Armor of God” lesson, you might already have one of these lying around. But if not, I have a link to an inexpensive foam shield that you could purchase on Amazon. Or you could do what I did, which is, I actually just made a large shield out of cardboard and drew the symbol of the angel Moroni on the front, and I think it turned out pretty well. Well enough to make the point. And the point is, there are things that we can do as latter-day saints to defend the faith. Section 71 gives us a shield of sorts when the fiery darts of the adversary come whizzing by.
Link to purchase shield: https://amzn.to/4na9EyI
ICEBREAKER:
For an icebreaker, a simple game. Hangman. I know, I know, that’s a little cliché. But, the fact of the matter, is that people, especially youth, still seem to enjoy it. And the word is CRITICISM. See if they can get that before the little stick figure is hung.
And after the game, I just like to ask two simple questions.
When have you encountered opposition or criticism to the church?
How does it make you feel when you hear criticisms or lies about the church?
Most of your students will have encountered some form of opposition, or anti-church material, or persecution in their lives and this will make for a good brief discussion of how it makes them feel.
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND:
After that discussion, give them some historical background from section 71. I’m not going to review all of that here again for you, but you can review the following slide to get your bearings. Be sure to make the point that the Church is no stranger to opposition and lies. We’ve been facing it from the beginning and will continue to face it up until the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. At this point in Church History, Joseph is concerned about the effect that this opposition is going to have on the Church, and he goes to the Lord for counsel. Section 71 is received as a result. And the counsel that God gave Joseph on this occasion can also help us when we face similar circumstances.
SEARCH ACTIVITY/HANDOUT:
The search activity guides us through that counsel. And consequently, it’s also a secret phrase activity. I’m sorry to do that to you this week, but I don’t imagine many of you are going to have the chance to teach both lessons in one week. So whichever one you choose, you’ll have an activity like this to give your students. Each of the clues is a piece of counsel from the Lord for dealing with Anti-Church opposition.
I’m not going to give a lot of commentary on this handout since you can get that from the insight video, but here are the answers.
Proclaim the gospel.
Follow the Spirit.
On occasion, we can MEET with them and defend the church openly.
Remember that they are not bringing their strong reasons against you, but against the Lord.
Remember that no weapon formed against the church shall prosper.
Remember that those who lift their voices against the church will eventually be confounded.
Our obedience to the commandments may be our best defense against their lies.
All of that leads us to the message of the secret phrase.
“No unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing."
Which is a line from a very famous quote made by the prophet often referred to as “The Standard of Truth”. At that point in the lesson, I would share the quote in its entirety.
QUOTE:
The Standard of Truth has been erected; no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done.”
― Joseph Smith Jr.
VIDEO:
A video suggestion here. It’s a little long so you may want to only show a portion of it and summarize the rest, but it does a good job of illustrating the principle of the lesson. It dramatizes a situation where a member of the Church is publicly criticized for her beliefs, and her experience in learning how to handle that kind of situation in a Christlike way. It’s called “Everyday Example: When Beliefs Are Questioned”. Although, heads up, it’s more geared towards older teenagers and adults. A younger audience might struggle to understand the content of the video, so keep that in mind. A search question to ask: How is this a good example of defending our beliefs?
TAKE IT TO HEART QUESTION:
What does it mean to you that the Lord said, “No weapon formed against the Church shall prosper”? How does that affect your confidence as a disciple?
When have you had to stand up for your beliefs, even if it was uncomfortable? What gave you the courage to do it?
I WILL GO AND DO QUESTION:
Can you think of a situation coming up where your faith might be tested—at school, with friends, or online? What could you do to apply one of the counsels found in section 71 to that situation?
TAKEAWAY:
The takeaway slide reemphasizes the promise that Joseph gave us concerning the future of the Church, “No unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing.” Testify of that truth to your students. Perhaps you may even think of a time when you faced or saw criticism or opposition to the Church and how you or somebody else handled it in a faithful, Christlike way. Remind your students that the Church is no stranger to opposition and criticism. This is God’s work, and no voice, no article, no video, no protest sign is ever going to stop it.
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