Doctrine and Covenants 81-83 Insights and Teaching Activities
- Benjamin Wilcox
- 54 minutes ago
- 39 min read
Watch the Insight Video on YouTube at: https://youtu.be/CZ2sOrSM2XE
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INSIGHTS
81-SECTION HEADING:
There is a quick principle that I like to cover from the section heading of 81 before I get into the actual text of the section itself. It tells us that this revelation was initially directed to a man named Jesse Gause. He was the man originally called to serve in the office of counselor in the first First Presidency. Interestingly enough, we don't really know much about Jesse Gause. His conversion, rise to leadership, and apostasy from the church all happened relatively quickly. He was converted to the church near Kirtland after having been a Shaker for a time. We know that he serves a mission, travels to Missouri, and also serves for a short time as a scribe during the Joseph Smith translation of the Bible. Well just as swiftly and mysteriously as he rises, he just as quickly and mysteriously disappears. The section heading tells us that he "failed to continue in a manner consistent with this appointment” and he is excommunicated later in that same year in which he was called. As far as I know there is not any specific information on what caused Jesse Gause's departure from the Church. Subsequently, Frederick G. Williams is called to fill this position of counselor to Joseph Smith in March of 1833, about a year later. Nowadays we only find the name of Jesse Gause in the Section Heading. In fact, in the earliest written record of Section 81, Jesse Gause's name is physically crossed out and Frederick G. Williams name is written above it. Now, I believe there is a principle in this. And I might even ask my students that question.
What truth does the Section Heading of 81 teach us about callings?
I teaches me that "When we fail to fulfill our callings, or abandon them, or fail to continue in a manner consistent with the appointment, then God will call another to fill our place". If a member of the First Presidency can be this quickly and easily replaced, then I suppose that none of us is really irreplaceable in the Church. God will not allow the poor decisions or the agency of man to interfere with the growth and progress of His church. I imagine that also means that the blessings and opportunities we would have received will also be transferred to another. That fact, I believe, should keep us humble. None of us is absolutely essential. Even Joseph Smith himself was not indispensable. At one point the Lord said to him:
18 And I have given unto him the keys of the mystery of those things which have been sealed, even things which were from the foundation of the world, and the things which shall come from this time until the time of my coming, if he abide in me, and if not, another will I plant in his stead.
Of course, we have to balance this principle with the one we learned in section 46 about spiritual gifts. I still believe that when we lose a person from our congregations that we as a church do lose something. We are deprived of the special gifts that individual could have offered and blessed us with. Every member of the church is important and has something to offer. We don't want members to feel expendable or that they aren't really needed, because they are. I believe this is just God's way of saying that he won't allow a person's agency to hinder the growth or power of his church. If someone decides to neglect or walk away from the responsibilities and blessings associated with a calling, then he will transfer them to somebody else. And please don't misunderstand me, I'm also not suggesting that it's never appropriate to turn down or ask to be released from a calling based on personal circumstances, because I do believe that there are times when that's appropriate. That's another topic entirely. But lest any of us allow our pride to get the best of us, we should always keep in the back of our minds the truth that God could always put another in our stead. Like blessings and foreordinations mentioned in patriarchal blessings. They are contingent upon our worthiness and diligence.
81-THE KEYS WHICH BELONG ALWAYS UNTO THE PRESIDENCY OF THE HIGH PRIESTHOOD
ICEBREAKER
Well, moving on to the actual content of section 81. I like to introduce it with the following Icebreaker question. I like to ask if anybody has ever met a member of the first presidency and to share what their experience was like. If nobody has had an experience of that sort, you can then ask, "What is something that you admire about either Henry B. Eyring or Dallin H. Oaks?"
TRANSITION
Section 81 is a shorter section that describes the calling of Counselor to the President in the First Presidency of the Church. Now, in this lesson, we could focus more generally on the position of counselor in any presidency in the Church, OR, we could specifically talk about the position of Counselor in the First Presidency. Both are great approaches that will yield positive truths. But for me, I like to use this as an opportunity to increase my student's love and respect for our current counselors in the First Presidency. We often direct our focus a bit more on the prophet, or the President of the Church, as we should. But hopefully we don't fail to recognize the great contributions and leadership of the other members of that Presidency. They too have been called to a high and holy calling, and the church is greatly blessed by their service.
SEARCH
So first, let's learn about the calling itself. What does it entail according to this section? Since the section is short, the assignment is simple. Read all seven verses and pick out phrases that you feel best describes what counselors in the First Presidency do. Which phrases stand out most to you and why?
Here are some possible answers:
From verse 2, "They hold the keys of the kingdom". Keys represent priesthood authority. The First Presidency holds the authority to direct the affairs of God's kingdom here on earth. I'm grateful to know that the men that lead this church have been given direct authority from God to do so. And do you sense that when they speak? They speak as one having authority. We know that each one of the members of the First Presidency, as well as each of the members of the quorum of the Twelve Apostles holds all the keys needed to direct the church. However, only the President of the Church is authorized to exercise all of those keys. He's the only one in which all those keys are active. But each of them holds them. That's why, if a President of the church is about to pass away, they don't have to transfer their keys or authority to a different apostle before that happens.
From verse 3, "They are faithful in counsel". I am certain that President Nelson is grateful for the support and counsel of President Eyring and President Oaks. A leader does not have to stand alone in his calling. There is power in the principle of presidencies. I know that I'm very grateful for my counselors in the bishopric. I know I couldn't do it without them. Sometimes, you need others to discuss ideas and plans and make decisions with. I know that ultimately, the decision lies with me, but boy, do I ever appreciate the faithful counsel of my counselors. I'm sure President Nelson feels the same way, especially with all the big decisions he has had to make recently. From implementing sweeping changes to navigating the church through a global pandemic. When he gave his first talk in General Conference, he said the following:
"When I recently faced the daunting task of choosing two counselors, I wondered how I could possibly choose just two from twelve men whom I love and respect.
Because I know that good inspiration is based upon good information, I prayerfully met one-on-one with each Apostle. I then sequestered myself in a private room in the temple and sought the Lord’s will. I testify that the Lord instructed me to select President Dallin H. Oaks and President Henry B. Eyring to serve as my counselors in the First Presidency."
(Conference Report, April 2018)
Certainly then, his decision to select President's Oaks and Eyring was inspired by God.
Also, from verse 3. They are in prayer always. Vocally, and in their hearts, in public and in private. Is there any doubt that these brethren spend a lot of time praying? As far as praying vocally, have you ever had the experience of hearing an apostle pray for you? It's a humbling and powerful experience. You really do sense their deep connection with God. When I lived in Arizona, I was able to attend the dedication of the Gilbert temple. President Eyring was chosen to offer the dedicatory prayer. It was a sacred event for me as this was the first time in my life where I had been a part of a community experiencing the entire process of building a temple. The excitement of the announcement, the hurdles overcome in planning, watching the construction site month by month as it was slowly built, and then taking part in the open house and the dedication services. To hear an apostle of the Lord pray for our community and our temple was something I'll never forget. From that experience alone, I can testify to you that Henry B. Eyring is a man of God.
Then, just think of the private prayers of the heart that these men must offer. Boy, do they ever have some heavy issues to pray about in our modern world. Can you imagine being responsible for leading the Kingdom of God on earth and making policy decisions and giving talks that you know are going to be read and torn apart by members of the media and enemies of the church. Their every decision and word is scrutinized not only by the members of the Church, but the entire world as well. They've got to navigate the incredibly difficult issues our current generation is facing. With all of the extraordinary changes that have been made recently, they must spend a lot of time in prayer seeking guidance and direction from heaven to lead the church at this time.
Also, in verse 3. Proclaim the gospel in the land of the living, and among thy brethren. Both President Oaks and President Eyring are amazing speakers, aren't they? I always look forward to hearing from both. Although they both have very different speaking styles, don't they? I love the heartfelt sincerity and tenderness of President Eyring. He is very much a man of the heart. His testimony connects so deeply to his feelings that you often see him wrestle to maintain composure and control of his emotions. You feel his testimony when he speaks. President Oaks, on the other hand, is very much a man of the mind, but the power of his testimony is no less effective. Remember the Spirit speaks to both heart and mind. I'm always impressed with the topics he's willing to take on. He always picks the hard ones. But he takes these difficult and socially sensitive topics and lays them out so beautifully into perfect little doctrinal blocks with that calm, logical, and reassuring voice. He's not afraid to say the things that society may not want to hear, but at the same time he does it in a sensitive, calm, and rational voice. As a teacher in the church, I frequently go to the talks of President Oaks to explain some of the more challenging issues of the day. He's addressed women and the priesthood, racism, tolerance, and LGBTQ issues and the Church and I can't imagine the pressure of speaking for the whole Church on these things. Again, they must do a lot of praying before they give their conference addresses.
And then, probably my favorite phrase of all. In verse 5. They succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down and strengthen the feeble knees.
This is what I feel they do best of all. They help us. They serve us. They make us stronger. Their words and their counsel lift us up, every time they speak. Just think back to their most recent general conference addresses. President Oaks tackled the prickly issue of divisive politics and was able to do it in a courageous, yet sensitive way. And President Eyring spoke of his love for the temple and his testimony of its eternal purpose and power. Every talk they give, succors, lifts up and strengthens.
LIKEN THE SCRIPTURES
To liken the scriptures, consider the following questions.
When has the example or words from a counselor in the First Presidency strengthened you?
What is your testimony of our current counselors in the First Presidency?
CONCLUSION
I am very grateful for President Eyring and President Oaks. The talks and leadership they've given over the years have been invaluable to the church. There are many talks of theirs that have been influential in my life over the years, but two immediately to mind. When I was a young man, I still remember a story that President Oaks told about being held up at gunpoint by a robber. In that story, President Oaks said that he felt confident that he could wrestle the gun away from the young man and had decided to do so when the opportunity arose. However, at that moment, he had a prompting or vision of what would happen if he were to confront the man. In the ensuing struggle, the gun would be turned towards the robber, inadvertently fired, and that man would lose his life. President Oaks at once decided that this was not the outcome he desired and that he didn't want to have this man's blood on his hands. He was then able to resolve the situation in a different way, and in the end, nobody was hurt. What impressed me most about this story was that President Oaks had lived his life in such a way to be ready and worthy of such inspiration from the Holy Ghost at such a time. I was also impressed that, given the circumstances and the danger that he and his wife were in, he still made a decision that took into account the life and well-being of the very man that was threatening him. It just goes to show you what kind of a man he is. As for President Eyring, I remember a talk he gave about persistence in sharing the gospel with others when I was facing a challenging time on my full-time mission. It inspired and motivated me to work my hardest to be the best missionary I knew how regardless of the opposition and rejection. In more recent years, I have been so grateful for the doctrinal clarifications of President Oaks, and the touching, faith building testimony of President Eyring. Somebody once pointed out to me that if you put the first letter of their three names together, it spells ONE Coincidental for sure. But true. These three brethren lead the church in unity and faith, and I testify that they are men of God.
82-MUCH IS REQUIRED
ICEBREAKER
Section 82. There's a hymn we sing that I feel really captures the spirit this section. For an icebreaker, I want to see if you can figure it out. I'm going to give you a number of clues to help you to figure out what it is. I'll start with the more difficult ones, and then gradually get easier. As a teacher, you could offer a treat to the person who discovers the correct answer first. So here we go.
Four flats, 2/2
Jacob
Written by a Poet Laureate of Texas
And behold also, if I, whom ye call your king, who has spent his days in your service, and yet has been in the service of God, do merit any thanks from you, O how you ought to thank your heavenly King!
Brotherhood, Fasting, Gratitude, Love, Mercy, Reactivation, Sacrifice, Service, Tithing, Youth,
I shall divide my gifts from thee with every brother that I see.
If they still can't get it, I might play the tune on the piano or play it from my phone. But the answer of course is,
Hymn #219 Because I Have Been Given Much.
Here's how I explain the clues. The first clue is pretty vague and general. That is the number of flats in the hymn and the timing signature is 2/2. It's not the only hymn that fits that description though.
The reason Jacob is a clue, is because in the back of your hymnbook there is a section entitled "Scriptures". If you look in your hymnbooks, every hymn has a few suggested scriptures in the lower right-hand corner that match thematically with the hymn. The "Scriptures section" at the back indexes all of these scripture references in order. It just so happens that there is only one scripture from the book of Jacob found in the hymnbook. That scripture matches with hymn 219.
The name of the writer of the hymn is Grace Noll Crowell who served as the Poet Laureate of Texas for a time. Anybody with a cell phone and Google may have figured that one out.
The scripture that I referenced is something said by King Benjamin in the book of Mosiah in the Book of Mormon. The reference to that verse is Mosiah 2:19. Well 219 is the number of the hymn.
The list of words is an interesting one. There is another section at the back of the hymnbook called "Topics". It lists hymns that you could sing based on a desired topic. Hymn #219 appears under each of those particular topics.
The last clue is of course, a line from the hymn itself.
TRANSITION
The reason I chose this hymn for section 82 is because I feel it's title and first line really capture one of the main themes of this section. Because I have been given much, I too must give. The idea is that Heavenly Father has blessed us, especially as members of the church, with so much. We are a blessed people. BUT, with that great blessing, there is an expectation and responsibility. You'll see this idea most explicitly taught in verse 3. And you've probably heard it before. Without looking at it, can you fill in the word that goes in the blank?
3 For of him unto whom much is given much is ______________; and he who sins against the greater light shall receive the greater condemnation.
Sometimes students will get it right off the bat, but there is a common mistake in filling in that blank. Some believe that the word is "expected”. Where much is given, much is expected. But that's not it. The actual word is "required". We need to be careful that we don't dilute or diminish the message of the verse. The word is required, and there is a subtle yet significant difference between the two. Required, is quite a bit stronger. God requires some things of us. Because we have been given much, we too MUST give. Not "It would be nice if you gave", or " I suggest that you give", but "I too MUST give".
Well let's focus for a bit on both sides of that statement. First "For of him unto who much is given". Does that accurately describe you? I would imagine that yes, it does. We have certainly been given great power, great knowledge, and great blessings as members of his church and thank heavens for that. We believe in a giving God. A Much Giving God. Take a moment to think about some of those "Much Giving’s" and brainstorm that one for a bit. Give your students this handout and 3 or 4 minutes of time to write down as many things as they can on that side of the page. What has God given you?
As you look at that list that's been created, it's easy to see, that we really have been given much.
But verse 3 teaches us that because of those blessings, God will hold us to a higher standard. The measure of judgment we receive stands in direct correlation to the knowledge and understanding one has been given. And that makes sense, doesn't it? Who do you hold more accountable for their actions? Your dog, or your toddler? Your toddler, or your teenager? Your teenager, or an adult? There is a progression there in understanding and maturity. The more knowledge someone has, the higher the standard you’ll judge their actions by.
So, what I would like to do is review a number of verses in Section 82 with you and I want you to look for the two sides in them. First, what is it that God is giving? And then, what is it that is required of us. With colored pencils, I encourage you to mark the Much Giving part in one color, and the Much Required part in another. On the handout, you could add those phrases to the two sides. Here we go.
SEARCH
Starting in verse 1.
1 Verily, verily, I say unto you, my servants, that inasmuch as you have forgiven one another your trespasses, even so I, the Lord, forgive you.
The Much Giving: I the Lord, forgive you. We've studied this idea many times. Over and over again in the Doctrine and Covenants God shows his forgiving nature. He loves to forgive, and is able and willing to forgive big sins and little sins.
Still, what is the "much required" part here? We need to forgive each other our trespasses. We talked about that idea back in section 64 in depth. If we refuse to forgive others, Then God will not forgive us.
Let's try another one on for size.
Verse 4
4 Ye call upon my name for revelations, and I give them unto you; and inasmuch as ye keep not my sayings, which I give unto you, ye become transgressors; and justice and judgment are the penalty which is affixed unto my law.
The much given? Revelations. God gives us revelations. But what is the implied action on our part? The required. We need to keep them. We need to keep his sayings. Just receiving the revelations and sayings is not enough. We are required to act on them. The Saints at this time in Jackson County had been the recipients of many great revelations from the prophet but had failed to live them. They had not been acting like a Zion people. That's why Section 83 has a bit more of a censuring tone to it.
How about this one. A little more challenging.
13-14
13 For I have consecrated the land of Kirtland in mine own due time for the benefit of the saints of the Most High, and for a stake to Zion.
14 For Zion must increase in beauty, and in holiness; her borders must be enlarged; her stakes must be strengthened; yea, verily I say unto you, Zion must arise and put on her beautiful garments.
What has God given them? A consecrated land for their benefit. Zion. But what is expected of them? To increase its' beauty and holiness. How? I would assume through their righteousness. Zion is much more than just a physical location. It's a type of people. They needed to enlarge her borders and strengthen her stakes. This is a clear reference to the gathering of Israel. We are required to help Zion to grow through proclaiming the gospel, redeeming the dead, and perfecting the Saints.
How about verse 18.
18 And all this for the benefit of the church of the living God, that every man may improve upon his talent, that every man may gain other talents, yea, even an hundred fold, to be cast into the Lord's storehouse, to become the common property of the whole church.
What is the Much given part? God has given each member of his church talents. A good cross reference to this idea would be section 46 where we talked about gifts of the spirit. God gives us all gifts or special abilities with which we can bless the church. But what does he expect us to do with those talents and gifts? What's the much required phrase in verse 18? We are required to improve upon our talents. We need to exercise them. We need to develop them. We need to gain more. Like Section 46 said, we should "seek earnestly the best gifts". This verse is a clear reference to a well-known parable of the Savior. The parable of the talents. The Lord gives three servants a number of talents, which was a specific amount of money. But there was an expectation, right? What did the Lord want his servants to do with those talents? To go out and improve on them. To gain more. Which two of them did. But one servant decides to bury his talent, and then returns it to the Lord the way it was. And the Lord is angry with him. He says, you should have at least invested it to earn a bit of interest. But you haven't improved on it at all. So, he takes the one talent and gives it to the servant that had more. See, the Lord never really wanted the talents for himself. He never planned on taking them back. He wanted that improvement for the sake of the servants. This improvement is REQUIRED of us.
Now there is another "much given, much required" principle here that I find all over the section. Let me introduce it with verses 9-10. Can you divide that one up?
9 Or, in other words, I give unto you directions how you may act before me, that it may turn to you for your salvation.
10 I, the Lord, am bound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise.
There is a lot of giving going on here, isn't there?
He gives unto us directions on how we are to act before him. What is the name we usually give to those directions? Directions from the Lord on how to act? Commandments. He gives us commandments. And he gives us promises for doing what he says--for being obedient to his commandments.
What is the implied requirement? That we follow the directions. That we do what he says. That is what is required of us.
And why should we obey him? What's his motivation for giving us these directions? I see an answer to that question in two verses. :9 and :16. In 9, so that it can turn to our salvation. and in 16 Behold, here is wisdom also in me for your good. God doesn't want us to be obedient to his commandments out of a desire to rule over us and tell us what to do. God gives us commandments so that it will turn to our salvation, for our good. It's because he wants what is best for us.
Commandments lie on the "much given" side of things because they truly are blessings. Remember section 59 that told us that we would be crowned with commandments not a few. One of the greatest blessings we can receive from God is commandments. And when we see them for what they truly are, recipes for happiness, then we welcome them and are grateful for them.
MISSING THE MARK
Now what do we call it when we don't do what he says? What's the word we use for that? It's a fairly common word used in this section, and I'm afraid it's a word that's not very popular these days. It's found in verse 2, 3, and 7. What is it?
Sin.
2 Nevertheless, there are those among you who have sinned exceedingly; yea, even all of you have sinned; but verily I say unto you, beware from henceforth, and refrain from sin, lest sore judgments fall upon your heads.
3 For of him unto whom much is given much is required; and he who sins against the greater light shall receive the greater condemnation.
7 And now, verily I say unto you, I, the Lord, will not lay any sin to your charge; go your ways and sin no more; but unto that soul who sinneth shall the former sins return, saith the Lord your God.
Like I said, sin is not a very popular word anymore. We prefer to soften the word a bit and say things like mistakes, imperfections, flaws, or slip ups. But "sin" sounds so awful. But maybe we wouldn't struggle with it so much if we understood its origin. What does it mean to sin? The original Greek word from which this is a translation is hamartia. Hamartia means to miss the mark. That's what sin is. It's when we miss the mark. It's an archery term. God gives us the target at which we should aim. That's his given part. And aren't we grateful that we have something to aim at. If we didn’t, we would be aimless. Purposeless. Lost. But no, he's given us a mark. We sin when we miss the mark. Our arrows go astray. And some shots are further off the mark than others. So, what does an archer do when they miss the mark? Are they cast off forever? Is their bow and arrow taken away? Are they shooed from the range? Should they just give up and walk away? No, they try again. They gather their arrows and keep aiming. And as long as they're aiming, and striving to hit that mark, the Lord of the range is pleased. But what if someone decides they don’t care about hitting the mark. They run around the range, shooting arrows in any direction they want, hurting others in the process. Well, there are consequences to doing that.
THE FORMER SINS RETURN?
Verse 7 is an interesting one and I'm afraid it can often be misinterpreted. What does it mean to have the former sins return? Sometimes I think people look at that as a numbers game. So, it's like they say, I start with 82 sins charged to my account. But I repent. And now, I'm so relieved because they've been washed away and the number on my account is now zero. But in a moment of weakness, I sin again. I slip. I miss the mark. So now, all my former sins return. Now my account reads 83. But let's say I seek to repent again and am forgiven. I'm back to zero again. But what if I mess up again? And we just swing back and forth in an "all or nothing" kind of scenario. The danger with looking at it that way is that it would be very easy to get discouraged. Why should I even try? I just keep digging myself into a deeper hole.
Or we view our lives as swinging back and forth between sinful and saved. I've just got to hope that I don't die on a bad day when all of my former sins have returned or else, I'm in big trouble. I'm praying that I die on a Sunday afternoon right after I've partaken of the sacrament before I can mess everything up and dirty my slate again. I really don't believe that God intended us to live that way. I don't believe that God erases forgiveness.
I think it's better to look at it as a matter of character or relationship. What matters to God is the state of our hearts and the quality of our relationship with him and his gospel. It's really an attitude thing. If my attitude is one of devotion and desire and a penitent heart. I have a repentant way of life--a recognition of his wisdom and a constant striving to hit the mark. Then his forgiveness and mercy and washing of my slate is also a way of life. But if my attitude is wrong. If I turn from his path, turn my back on his commandments and give my will completely over to the natural man, then all my former good works and forgiveness aren't going to do me much good. It's as if all those former sins have returned, because I'm no longer on God's path. I've left the iron rod and I'm making my way over to the great and spacious building. Well, if I'm in that state of walking away, then, yeah, all my former repentance and forgiveness isn't going to do me much good when I stand at the judgment.
Or you could look at it in terms of habit. If there is a temptation that you are trying to rid yourself of. And you repent of it. You turn from it. You let it go. But then, you fall back into that habit, you return to it. Well then, the former sin has returned. You haven't rid yourself of it. You still have work to do. You've got to continue to wrestle with that sin and remove it from your life.
I AM BOUND
Now that's the negative side of things. What happens if we do follow his commandments though? What's the result of that? He tells us in verse 10 that he is bound. He is bound to keep his promise of blessings us. Now that binding is a positive thing. It's not as if he's up there reluctantly agreeing to bless us. Oh boy, they did what I said, now I HAVE to bless them. I'd rather not, but I'm bound, what can I do? I don't think that's the spirit of it at all. Remember we believe in a Much Giving God. To bind is a covenant word. A promise word. I think what he means by that verse is that, when you do what I say, I always keep my promises. You can trust me; you can rely on me. Whatever I have promised, will come to pass, it will be yours. From our perspective, we should also be careful not to look at this as strong-arming God or demanding certain blessings of him. Just because we are obedient, doesn't mean that we can expect God to bless us in the ways or at the time that we want. I'm not sitting down here on earth, rubbing my hands together and saying, well, I'm going to be obedient to this commandment, and since I am, God better come through in spades for me. If I don't see the blessings I want, then I'm going to be really upset. God, you have to bless me. It's a matter of faith and trust. We rest assured knowing that when we have kept God's laws, he will bless us for it according to his ways, and his timing. The promise will be kept. I believe that when we reach the other side and have a true eternal perspective that we will look back over our lives and realize that this was true. That God always kept his promises. It's just sometimes hard to see with our mortal eyes.
TRUTH
So, I think the overall truth of this section is best reflected in the two columned chart. The "Where much is given" side, and the "much is required" side
LIKEN THE SCRIPTURES
When was the last time you thanked your Heavenly Father for all the "Given Much's”?
How you are doing on your "much is required's"
CONCLUSION
A great way to conclude this lesson would be to sing hymn 219, or to watch a special performance of it and allow the class time to ponder the liken the scriptures question. There is an excellent video on YouTube I recommend for this. I'll put a link to it here if you'd like to check it out.
To me, verse 3 of section 82 stands out as one of the most intimidating and inspiring verses of my entire life. It intimidates because I really have been given so much. If my life has taught me only one thing thus far, it is that I have absolutely no right to complain. God has blessed me far above and beyond anything I could have ever expected out of life. And I know, from my travels, from my life experiences, and by observing the world around me, that not everyone's life experience is like mine. Therefore, it must mean that Heavenly Father requires an awful lot out of me. That's intimidating, and it's inspiring. I can only hope to strive to rise to the standard of obedience and service that all those blessings merit. When I view things in that light, all feelings of entitlement go right out the window, and the commandments no longer look like a checklist of rules and things to do, but a quest. A quest to live up to the blessings. That's inspiring. And don't forget to say that little statement in the reverse as well sometimes too. It doesn't always have to be expressed, "where much is given, much is required". But remember that the statement "where much is required, much is given" is equally true.
ICEBREAKER
Section 83. This one will be brief. There is one word in this section that I like to key off of, and that word is "maintenance". So, I begin by asking what kinds of things require maintenance? Cars, bicycles, homes, appliances?
Why is maintenance important? Because things break, fall apart, or run down when we neglect it.
SEARCH
Well, according to section 83, what else apparently needs maintenance?
People, families, and relationships need maintenance.
Now the maintenance spoken of in this section is temporal in nature. This is yet another revelation clarifying the system of consecration among the Saints. Basically, the message is that
Wives have claim upon their husbands to support them temporally.
Children have claim upon their parents to support them temporally.
And if wives lose their husbands, or children lose their parents, they have claim upon the church to support them temporally.
Sounds logical. It also sounds similar to what we find in the Proclamation on the Family where it says:
"Husband and wife have a solemn responsibility to love and care for each other and for their children. “Children are an heritage of the Lord” (Psalm 127:3). Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness, to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, and to teach them to love and serve one another, observe the commandments of God, and be law-abiding citizens wherever they live. Husbands and wives—mothers and fathers—will be held accountable before God for the discharge of these obligations.
The family is ordained of God. Marriage between man and woman is essential to His eternal plan. Children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and to be reared by a father and a mother who honor marital vows with complete fidelity. Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities. By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families. Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children. In these sacred responsibilities, fathers and mothers are obligated to help one another as equal partners. Disability, death, or other circumstances may necessitate individual adaptation. Extended families should lend support when needed."
LIKEN THE SCRIPTURES
So, in that spirit, I would like to expand a little on the idea of family maintenance. With the help of what we just read from the family proclamation, what would you put on a marriage maintenance list?
What would you put on a parenting maintenance list?
I believe you could have a very meaningful discussion with a class of adults on that topic.
A few ideas
· Expressing love and gratitude
· Date nights
· Regular councils and planning meetings
· Scripture study
· Prayer
· Wholesome recreational activities
· Church attendance
· Giving gifts and showing appreciation
· Just talking and spending meaningful time together
CONCLUSION
Well, the thing about maintenance is that it can be very easy to neglect. Usually, the reason for that is because the immediate effects of not doing it aren't always visible. Problems develop slowly over time and don't become a problem until they blow up. Like, I fail to check the tread on my tires on a regular basis, I may be able to continue to drive for some time without any consequences. It's not until I have a tire blow out when I'm going 65 on the freeway that it can really become a serious problem. It's the same with our families and relationships. If we fail to do these seemingly small and simple things on a regular basis, we may find larger and more devastating problems lie in our future. So, be sure to do your maintenance and great things shall come to pass.
Teaching Activities
LESSON #1 Committed Counselors (Doctrine and Covenants 81)
TRUTH:
The counselors in the First Presidency are pillars of prayer, power, and purpose.
FIRE IN THE BONES:
I hope that you feel a love and respect for all of the brethren. We are so fortunate in this church to have the kind of men that we do have leading this Church. Allow that love and respect, and in this case, specifically for the counselors in the First Presidency to give you the fire in the bones to teach section 81 to your students. Let your testimony of them shine through and lend power to your words. If you can help your students to see the inspired counsel, the prayerful support, and the Christlike service of his counselors, you can deepen their appreciation for Church leadership, but also strengthen their confidence that this truly is the Lord’s Church.
OBJECT:
A set of keys.
ICEBREAKER:
I like to introduce this lesson with the following Icebreaker question. I like to ask if anybody has ever met a member of the first presidency and, if they have, to share what their experience was like. If nobody has had an experience of that sort, you can then ask, "What is something that you admire about either Henry B. Eyring or Dallin H. Oaks?"
After that short discussion, inform your class that section 81 of the Doctrine and Covenants describes the calling of Counselor to the President in the First Presidency of the Church. We often direct our focus a bit more on the prophet, or the President of the Church, as we should. But hopefully we don't fail to recognize the great contributions and leadership of the other members of that Presidency. That contribution and calling is what this lesson is all about.
SEARCH ACTIVITY/HANDOUT:
Here are two ways to approach this lesson. One, since the section is short, you could invite your students to read the entirety of the section and pick out phrases that they feel best describes what counselors in the First Presidency do. Which phrases stand out most to you and why? Then follow up that study with a discussion of the phrases they found and liked.
Another way to approach this section is with this brief handout activity that can help your students to identify some of the main elements of the calling of counselor in the First Presidency. It’s a multiple-choice activity that can help draw your student’s attention to those elements. And since this is a new idea, not found in the insight video, I’ll go through the questions and answers with you here.
1. Verse 2 tells us that the First Presidency have been given the “keys of the kingdom”. What do "the keys of the kingdom" represent?
A) The gift of personal revelation
B) The authority to direct God’s work
C) The power to translate ancient scripture
D) The right to tell others what to do
E) An actual set of keys that can open any door in any chapel or temple throughout the world.
The answer is B. And you could use that question to spark a discussion about the importance of priesthood keys and how the counselors in the presidency (as well as the apostles) all have the keys necessary to lead the Church. You could use the set of keys you brought in as a visual to help them understand that metaphor.
2. According to verse 3, what quality should define a counselor’s advice?
A) Persuasive logicB) Inspirational storytellingC) Faithful counselD) Charismatic delivery
E) Motivational speaking
The answer is C. Faithful counsel. You could use this question to discuss the role that counselors have in providing advice, counsel, and support to the President. If you’ve ever served as a counselor in a Presidency or as a President with counselors, you could share your experience in how that inspired framework was a blessing.
3. Also from verse 3, what do we learn about the prayers of the counselors in the First Presidency.
A) They pray frequently
B) They pray in public and in private.
C) They delegate most prayers to others
D) All of the above
E) Both A and B
The answer is E, both A and B. Verse 3 tells us that they pray always (or frequently) and that they pray in both public and private. You might consider sharing an experience you’ve had with hearing one of the brethren pray and also to consider what their private prayers might be like.
4. What phrase do you feel best matches the main responsibility a counselor has from verse 5?
A) Lift and support the members of the Church
B) Lead with power and authority
C) Pray with sincerity and strength
D) Be anxiously engaged in a good cause
E) Proclaim the gospel with might
The answer is A. Lift and support the members of the Church. You can sense that responsibility in the phrases: Succor the weak, lift up the hands that hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees. Consider sharing some of their talks from the past that helped you in one of those ways.
5. Which of the following are mentioned as promised blessings to the counselors of the First Presidency in Section 81.
A) A crown of immortality and eternal life
B) They will be lifted up in the eyes of the world
C )They will do great good for people
D) They will be given power to perform miracles
E) They will promote the glory of Christ
The answers are A, C, and E. These blessings are mentioned in verses 4, 5, and 6.
VIDEO:
Two videos here as possible suggestions. A number of years ago, the Church produced videos of each of the then current apostles bearing their personal witness of Jesus Christ. You might consider showing the one featuring President Oaks and the one for President Eyring. Though they both look quite a bit younger in these videos, they give you a great sense of the character and testimonies that these two amazing leaders have.
For Dallin H. Oaks: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/media/video/2019-07-0020-dallin-h-oaks?lang=eng&alang=eng&collectionId=1f1c0823da9545c8838541a872b2f031
For Henry B. Eyring: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/media/video/2019-07-0030-henry-b-eyring?lang=eng&alang=eng&collectionId=1f1c0823da9545c8838541a872b2f031
QUOTE:
For a quote, I like to share this description from President Nelson of how he made the decision to select President’s Oaks and Eyring as his counselors. He said:
"When I recently faced the daunting task of choosing two counselors, I wondered how I could possibly choose just two from twelve men whom I love and respect.
Because I know that good inspiration is based upon good information, I prayerfully met one-on-one with each Apostle. I then sequestered myself in a private room in the temple and sought the Lord’s will. I testify that the Lord instructed me to select President Dallin H. Oaks and President Henry B. Eyring to serve as my counselors in the First Presidency."
(Conference Report, April 2018)
TAKE IT TO HEART QUESTION:
When has the example or words from a counselor in the First Presidency strengthened you?
I suggest that you, as the teacher, have something to share along those lines.
I WILL GO AND DO QUESTION:
What qualities of President Eyring or President Oaks do you personally admire or want to emulate?
TAKEAWAY:
The takeaway slide gives you an opportunity to reiterate your testimony of our current counselors in the First Presidency. Bear witness of their impact and example in your life and encourage your students to look to them for strength, counsel, and inspiration. Emphasize their role as inspired counselors, faithful servants, and spiritual giants in their own right. Again, we are so lucky in this church to have such amazing examples of true leadership to look to.
LESSON #2 MUCH is “required” (DOCTRINE AND COVENANTS 82)
TRUTH:
With divine gifts come divine duties
FIRE IN THE BONES:
I get in a fire in the bones for this lesson as I consider my blessings. I truly have been given much. I encourage you to ponder the blessings God has given you and to seek for ways that you can awaken a sense of gratitude in your students’ hearts as well—a recognition of all that God has done for them. And then, to help them connect the dots between what God has done for them and what He now asks of them. We want their gratitude to motivate them to seek to reach their full potential as disciples of Christ.
OBJECT:
For an object, I’d like to suggest something that I’ve suggested before—a set of balances. You may already have one of these if you’ve followed some of my suggestions in the past. They come in really handy when you wish to discuss balancing principles in the gospel, which come up quite often. All throughout this lesson you’re going to be referring to the “Much given-much required” balance and you could use your scales to visually represent that balance.
Link to purchase set of balances: https://amzn.to/450AbYg
ICEBREAKER:
For the icebreaker I like the “Name that Hymn” challenge as the icebreaker. Tell them you’re going to give them a series of clues, starting with the trickiest and moving toward the more obvious. Their job is to guess which hymn you’re referring to. Whoever can name the hymn first, wins! And perhaps you could give a treat to that person.
You then explain that the title and first line really capture one of the main themes of section 82. Because I have been given much, I too must give. The idea is that Heavenly Father has blessed us, especially as members of the church, with much, BUT, with that great blessing, there is an expectation and responsibility. You'll see this idea most explicitly taught in verse 3. And you've probably heard this before. Without looking at it, can you fill in the word that goes in the blank?
3 For of him unto whom much is given much is ______________; and he who sins against the greater light shall receive the greater condemnation.
Sometimes students will get it right off the bat, but there is a common mistake in filling in that blank. Some believe that the word is "expected”. Where much is given, much is expected. But that's not it. The actual word is what? It’s "required". We need to be careful that we don't dilute or diminish the message of the verse. The word is required, and there is a subtle yet significant difference between the two. “Required” is stronger. God requires some things of us. Because we have been given much, we too MUST give. Not "It would be nice if you gave", or " I suggest that you give", but "I too MUST give".
That’s how we’re going to approach our study of section 82.
SEARCH ACTIVITY/HANDOUT:
You can then pass the following handout to your students. On one side we have the words: Where Much is Given. Give your students about 3-4 minutes to brainstorm as many blessings God has given them as they can think of. You could then have them share some of those things or list a number of them on the board. And now that we’ve established that we are very blessed people, what are some of the things that are required of us? Section 82 has some answers.
Now tell your students that you are going to give them a verse to examine. In that verse they are to look for the two sides of the balance. The “The Much is Given” side, and the “Much is Required” side. As they do this, they are encouraged to write those things on their handouts or mark those two sides in two different colors in their scriptures. Then you just lead them through those verses, discussing the balance as you go.
The verses I would highlight would be: Verse 1, 4, 9-10, 13-14, and 18.
You may also want to take some time to discuss the meaning of sin in verses 2 and 3 and the phrase found in verse 7 that tells us that “unto that soul who sinneth shall the former sins return”.
If you’d like my thoughts and ideas on those verses, I encourage you to watch that portion of the insight video.
GAME:
An alternate method of approaching this section would be with the following Classic Concentration game. Their job is to find the two squares that match. They are trying to match the Much is Given to the Much is Required connection from section 82. To help your students to make those matches, the Given side is written in green lettering, and the required side is given in red. Also, the given side refers them to the specific verse or verses where the connection is found. I won’t go over all the specific rules for how to play this game here, but go back and watch the final portion of the Doctrine and Covenants 6-9 Teaching Activities video where we played this game earlier this year.
But here are the answers:
This first one doesn’t have a specific verse attached to it, but it represents the major theme of the section:
(1) Because I have been given much—(9) I too must give.
(15) :1 I the Lord will forgive you—(11) We must forgive one another.
(10) :3 Where much is given—(20) Much is required.
(18) :4 The Lord will give us revelations—(16) We must keep his sayings.
(13) :7 The Lord will not lay any sin to our charge (he will forgive us)—(8) We must refrain from sin.
(12) :9-10 The Lord gives us directions on how we should act—(2) We must do what he says. (4) :13-14 The Lord has given us a consecrated land for our benefit (Zion)—(19) We must seek to enlarge the borders of Zion and strengthen her stakes.
(17) :18 The Lord has given us talents—(5) We must seek to improve upon our talents.
(14) :24 The Lord will give us his kingdom—(7) We must not fall from our steadfastness.
(3) Free Point (6) Free Point
QUOTE:
Elder D. Todd Christofferson:
“Our Heavenly Father is a God of high expectations. . . .
If we sincerely desire and strive to measure up to the high expectations of our Heavenly Father, He will ensure that we receive all the help we need, whether it be comforting, strengthening, or chastening.”
(“As Many as I Love, I Rebuke and Chasten,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2011, 97, 99)
VIDEO:
My video suggestion is a little different for this lesson. Music has great power to sink spiritual principles deeper into our hearts. I suggest you play, show, or invite someone to perform a version of the hymn “Because I Have Been Given Much” for your class while they ponder the taking it to heart and I will go and do questions. A version that I really like is the following that I found on YouTube which I’ll provide you with a link to in the video description below.
TAKE IT TO HEART QUESTION:
When was the last time you thanked your Heavenly Father for all your "Because I Have Been Given Much's”?
How are you doing on your "Much is Required's"
I WILL GO AND DO QUESTION:
What would it look like this week to live in a way that reflects both gratitude for what you’ve been given and a commitment to what’s required of you?
TAKEAWAY:
Our takeaway slide emphasizes our main principle. Because I have been given much, I too MUST give. Hopefully we’ve instilled in our students a feeling of both gratitude and duty. Take some time at the conclusion to bear your personal witness of the principle. How does your realization of God’s blessings in your life change the way you view his commandments and requested sacrifices? We want our students to walk away from this lesson inspired to do and be more, not just out of a spirit of obligation, but of true loyalty and dedication to a Godhead that has given us much.
LESSON #3 regular maintenance (DOCTRINE AND COVENANTS 83)
TRUTH:
Strong relationships don’t just happen, they’re maintained.
FIRE IN THE BONES:
I get a fire in the bones by reflecting on the sacred responsibility that we each have to care for the people that God has placed into our lives. This lesson matters because families today face real pressures and distractions that can quietly erode at what matters most if we’re not intentional. Our goal here is to help our students see that strong, loving relationships are things that don’t just come about by accident or luck. Deliberate, calculated, purposeful effort must be expended to make it so.
OBJECT:
For an object lesson, bring in a tool. A wrench, a hammer, some screwdrivers, maybe you could even bring in a whole toolbox if you like.
ICEBREAKER:
But for the icebreaker, hold up a tool and ask, “What kinds of things require maintenance?” Possible answers: Cars, bicycles, homes, appliances? Then: “Why is maintenance important?” You may also consider asking if they’ve ever had an experience where failing to do maintenance caused bigger problems for them down the road.
SEARCH ACTIVITY:
After that discussion, send them into section 83 to look for what other “items” apparently require maintenance? Because we find that word in this short section. Answer: relationships. People need maintenance, wives, children. Now, to be fair, the main purpose of this section is to describe what is to be done for widows and orphans in the Church. The church is a community, a family in and of itself, and when certain members of that family fall into difficult circumstances, the Church is there to step in and help. Now keeping in mind that this is the 1800’s we’re talking about, section 83 tells us that women have a claim upon their husbands for their maintenance and that children have a claim upon their parents for their maintenance. But if that isn’t possible, the church will help to take care of widows and orphans. But what I’m more intrigued about here is the use of the word “maintenance” in terms of family relationships. Maintenance is required in marriages and families.
DISCUSSION QUESTION:
With that as a starting point, ask: What would you put on a marriage maintenance list?
List your student’s answers on the board.
Then ask:
What would you put on a parenting maintenance list? And list those answers as well.
QUOTE:
At some point in that description, I suggest that you quote this portion of the Family Proclamation for additional ideas:
"Husband and wife have a solemn responsibility to love and care for each other and for their children. “Children are an heritage of the Lord” (Psalm 127:3). Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness, to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, and to teach them to love and serve one another, observe the commandments of God, and be law-abiding citizens wherever they live. Husbands and wives—mothers and fathers—will be held accountable before God for the discharge of these obligations.
The family is ordained of God. Marriage between man and woman is essential to His eternal plan. Children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and to be reared by a father and a mother who honor marital vows with complete fidelity. Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities. By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families. Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children. In these sacred responsibilities, fathers and mothers are obligated to help one another as equal partners. Disability, death, or other circumstances may necessitate individual adaptation. Extended families should lend support when needed.
VIDEO:
You may also consider showing this short video entitled “What Matters Most” which features counsel from President Thomas S. Monson on making family relationships a priority in our lives.
TAKE IT TO HEART QUESTION:
Can you think of a time someone in your family went out of their way to “maintain” the relationship?
How did that affect you?
I WILL GO AND DO QUESTION:
For our “I Will Go and Do” question, we’re going to give our students the following handout to consider the state of one of their own relationships. And this could be a relationship with a spouse, a child, a parent, a sibling, or some member of their extended family. Invite them to ponder some practical, actionable items that they could add to their “Relationship Maintenance” list. Be sure to invite them to make the Spirit a part of that consideration. What do they feel the Holy Ghost is prompting them to do? Then encourage them to go and implement those items just as soon as possible and to watch for the results. Did they make a difference? Was strength created? Were blessings bestowed?
TAKEAWAY:
Our takeaway slide encourages us to perform regular maintenance on the things that matter most. God has asked us to care for each other not just temporally, but spiritually and emotionally too. Testify that when we put effort into the simple things like expressing love, showing up, listening, and providing, we’re doing holy work. Invite them to put into practice what they feel the Spirit has prompted them to do. Promise them that they’ll feel more peace, more connection, and more purpose in the relationships that matter most in their lives.
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