Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints follow a curriculum called “Come, Follow Me” for gospel study in church classes, with their families, and as individuals. In 2021, I’m using this curriculum to structure my study of the Book of Mormon, even though the assigned text this year is the Doctrine and Covenants. Here’s how that works:
- I follow the schedule given in the manual “Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families: Doctrine and Covenants 2021.”
- Each Sunday, I write an overview post, summarizing the reading, sharing some of my insights into that week’s assignment, and sharing relevant Book of Mormon passages and blog posts.
- Monday through Saturday, I will write a post each day about themes from that week’s reading.
I hope the insights I share are useful to you this year. Please feel free to comment on my posts or send me questions that come up in your study.
Weekly Overview Posts
Doctrine and Covenants 64-66: “The Lord Requireth the Heart and a Willing Mind” (June 14-20)
Shortly after returning to Ohio from Missouri, Joseph Smith received a revelation (Doctrine and Covenants 64) which provided guidance for church members on building Zion. Among the principles taught in this revelation were the importance of forgiving one another (v. 1-14) and paying tithing (v. 23-24). The Lord also encouraged them to keep working hard,… Continue Reading →
Doctrine and Covenants 63: “That Which Cometh from Above Is Sacred” (June 7-13)
After Joseph Smith and other church leaders returned to Ohio from Independence, Missouri, in August, 1831, he and other church members had many questions, most of them practical and immediate: How should they organize themselves to immigrate to Missouri? When should they move? How should they acquire land? How could they obtain sufficient resources to… Continue Reading →
Doctrine and Covenants 60-62: “All Flesh Is in Mine Hand” (May 31 – June 6)
The journey from Missouri to Ohio was challenging. The problem wasn’t the weather or the terrain. It was the travelers themselves. They made some poor decisions, clashed with one another, and neglected their most important responsibility. After dedicating the land near Independence, Missouri, identifying the location for the future temple, and helping some newly arrived… Continue Reading →
Doctrine and Covenants 58-59: “Anxiously Engaged in a Good Cause” (May 24-30)
Agency doesn’t mean doing what you want. It means being proactive in doing good: making decisions, taking initiative, and acting for ourselves instead of being acted upon. Lehi taught this principle to his sons soon after arriving in their promised land. (See 2 Nephi 2:16, 26-30.) Likewise, as members of the church began arriving in… Continue Reading →
Doctrine and Covenants 51-57: “A Faithful, a Just, and a Wise Steward” (May 17-23)
This week, we will study seven revelations on various topics received between May and July, 1831. For each revelation, here is a brief synopsis with key principles taught and relevant blog posts. Section 51 – The Bishop’s Storehouse The Lord instructs Edward Partridge, the bishop, to establish a “storehouse” consisting of everything the members possess… Continue Reading →
Doctrine and Covenants 49-50: “That Which Is of God Is Light” (May 10-16)
God wants us to receive light. He wants to help us recognize truth and overcome false beliefs. In May, 1831, the Lord said to Leman Copley, a recent convert to the church: “Be not deceived, but continue in steadfastness” (Doctrine and Covenants 49:23). He corrected some inaccurate beliefs, and then promised to help Leman grow… Continue Reading →
Doctrine and Covenants 46-48: “Seek Ye Earnestly the Best Gifts” (May 3-9)
Gifts of the Spirit On March 8, 1831, the Lord revealed an important principle to Joseph Smith: All are welcome in the meetings of His church. “Ye are commanded never to cast any one out from your public meetings,” He said (Doctrine and Covenants 46:3), echoing the guidance He had given anciently on the American continent. (See 3… Continue Reading →
Doctrine and Covenants 45: “The Promises…Shall Be Fulfilled” (April 26-May 2)
How can we prepare for the Savior’s return to the earth? During His mortal ministry, Jesus provided some guidance to His disciples. As recorded in Matthew 24-25, Mark 13, and Luke 21, He foretold wars and rumors of wars, false prophets, and natural disasters preceding His glorious return. Like a careful observer who can detect… Continue Reading →
Doctrine and Covenants 41-44: “My Law to Govern My Church” (April 19-25)
“I am the law and the light,” the Savior said to an ancient group of people on the American continent. “Look unto me, and endure to the end, and ye shall live” (3 Nephi 15:9). “I am your lawgiver,” He told members of His newly organized church in January 1831. He promised that if they… Continue Reading →
Doctrine and Covenants 37-40: “If Ye Are Not One Ye Are Not Mine” (April 12-18)
Before the church was organized, Joseph Smith was engaged in work which could be performed in small groups: translating the Book of Mormon, receiving revelation on behalf of specific individuals, and obtaining authority under the hand of heavenly beings. But as the church grew, he needed to dedicate more time and energy to the needs… Continue Reading →
Doctrine and Covenants 30-36: “You Are Called to Preach My Gospel” (April 5-11)
A successful businessman who built bridges and dams, a laborer in a type foundry (which produced typefaces for printing presses), a self-employed hatmaker, and a popular preacher—these were among the people who were called to serve in the newly organized church between October and December of 1830. What did they have in common? A willingness… Continue Reading →
Easter: “I Am He Who Liveth, I Am He Who Was Slain” (March 29-April 4)
This week, as we commemorate the final week of the Savior’s mortal life, I am going to structure my scripture study around the events of the week. Here are some thoughts and relevant blog posts about each day: Palm Sunday I will remember the people who lined the streets of Jerusalem to welcome Him as… Continue Reading →
Doctrine and Covenants 29: “Jesus Christ Will Gather His People” (March 22-28)
In September 1830, a few days before the second conference of the church, a group of nine church members met with Joseph Smith to ask some doctrinal questions which had arisen from their study of the Book of Mormon. They wondered when and how Zion, or the New Jerusalem, would be established. They also wanted… Continue Reading →
Doctrine and Covenants 27-28: “All Things Must Be Done in Order” (March 15-21)
In August of 1830, Newel and Sally Knight visited Joseph and Emma Smith at their home in Harmony, Pennsylvania. Both Sally and Emma had been baptized, but neither had yet been confirmed members of the Church, so they decided to partake of the sacrament and perform the confirmations during their visit. Joseph went to obtain… Continue Reading →
Doctrine and Covenants 23-26: “Strengthen the Church” (March 8-14)
What was Emma’s role in the church of Jesus Christ? Soon after the church was organized, the Lord instructed her husband, Joseph, to prioritize his leadership role in the church. He was told to travel again after his crops were planted, and to visit the members of the church in Colesville, Fayette, and Manchester. The… Continue Reading →
Doctrine and Covenants 20-22: “The Rise of the Church of Christ” (March 1-7)
On April 6, 1830, the Church of Jesus Christ was organized in the home of Peter Whitmer in Fayette, New York. In preparation for this event, Joseph Smith received a revelation with detailed instructions on how to administer the church. That revelation, which has been called “the Constitution of the Church,” contains information about: Church… Continue Reading →
Doctrine and Covenants 18-19: “The Worth of Souls Is Great” (February 22-28)
People have infinite value. We may take others for granted at times, but God always recognizes their true worth, and He wants us to learn to see it too. Shortly after learning for themselves of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon, the Three Witnesses received specific assignments: Oliver Cowdery and David Whitmer were instructed… Continue Reading →
Doctrine and Covenants 14-17: “Stand as a Witness” (February 15-21)
In May of 1829, David Whitmer helped Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery move from Harmony, Pennsylvania to Fayette, New York to stay with his family. Oliver was a friend of David and had written to him about the translation of the Book of Mormon. David wanted to help. “He proposed that we should have our… Continue Reading →
Doctrine and Covenants 12–13; Joseph Smith—History 1:66–75: “Upon You My Fellow Servants” (February 8-14)
As Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery translated the account of Jesus visiting the American continent after His death and resurrection, they were filled with the desire to be baptized. “No men in their sober senses,” wrote Oliver, “could translate and write the directions given to the Nephites, from the mouth of the Savior…without desiring a… Continue Reading →
Doctrine and Covenants 10-11: “That You May Come Off Conqueror” (February 1-7)
About 600 years before the coming of Christ, God commanded Nephi to make a second version of his record. Why did He command this? “For a wise purpose in him,” Nephi wrote, “which purpose I know not” (1 Nephi 9:5). (See also 1 Nephi 19:1-6.) Nearly 1,000 years later, as Mormon wrote a history of… Continue Reading →
Doctrine and Covenants 6-9: “This Is the Spirit of Revelation” (January 25-31)
How can we prepare ourselves to receive revelation? How can we recognize it when we receive it? What is the relationship between personal revelation and the words of prophets? Oliver Cowdery was wrestling with these kinds of questions in April of 1829, as he assisted Joseph Smith with the translation of the Book of Mormon…. Continue Reading →
Doctrine and Covenants 3-5: “My Work Shall Go Forth” (January 18-24)
God’s work will not fail. We can rely on that. Furthermore, we can be part of it, if we’re willing to do things His way, instead of insisting on doing them our way. That’s the main message I get from three revelations Joseph Smith received in 1828 and 1829. Here is a brief overview of… Continue Reading →
Doctrine and Covenants 2; Joseph Smith—History 1:27–65: “The Hearts of the Children Shall Turn to Their Fathers” (January 11-17)
How do we react when we are called by God to assist Him in his work? Do we focus on our weaknesses and worry that we will not do well enough? Do we place too much confidence in our own abilities and fail to rely sufficiently on Him? Are we impatient to get started and… Continue Reading →
Joseph Smith—History 1:1-26: “I Saw a Pillar of Light” (January 4-10)
In the spring of 1820, a 14-year-old boy named Joseph Smith prayed to know which church he should join. In response to that prayer, God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ appeared to him, initiating the Restoration of the Gospel. Although he wrote four different accounts of this experience, each of which emphasized different… Continue Reading →
Doctrine and Covenants 1: “Hearken, O Ye People” (December 28 – January 3)
On Tuesday, November 1, 1831, a group of church leaders met in Hiram, Ohio and decided to publish a collection of revelations previously received by Joseph Smith. At the request of the group, three of those leaders drafted a preface for the book during the meeting. Their proposal was not well received, and the group… Continue Reading →
Christmas: “He Shall Come into the World to Redeem His People” (December 21-27)
The God of Israel, the Mighty One of Jacob was born as a vulnerable infant in the most humble of circumstances. “A tender plant,” Isaiah called Him, even “a root out of dry ground” (Isaiah 53:2, Mosiah 14:2). The angel who appeared to King Benjamin expressed the irony this way: The Lord Omnipotent who reigneth, who was, and is… Continue Reading →
Moroni 10: “Come unto Christ, and Be Perfected in Him” (December 14-20)
“I exhort you.” Eight times in his final chapter, Moroni uses this phrase or the related phrase, “I would exhort you.” He introduces the chapter as “a few words…of exhortation unto you” (Moroni 10:2). To exhort is to “strongly encourage or urge someone to do something” (Oxford English Dictionary). So Moroni’s final order of business… Continue Reading →
Moroni 7-9: “May Christ Lift Thee Up” (December 7-13)
In chapters 7-9 of his book, Moroni recorded three messages from his father: a sermon and two letters. Here is what I have learned from each of these messages: How to receive “every good thing” (Moroni 7) Moroni tells us that his father’s sermon in the synagogue is about “faith, hope, and charity” (Moroni 7:1)…. Continue Reading →
Moroni 1-6: “To Keep Them in the Right Way” (November 30 – December 6)
Moroni thought he was done. He had appended his testimony to the end of his father’s book, as instructed (Mormon 8:1). He had subsequently added his own history of the Jaredite nation (Ether 1:1-2). Now, the book was complete, and his work was finished. “I had supposed not to have written more,” he tells us… Continue Reading →
Ether 12-15: “By Faith All Things Are Fulfilled” (November 23-29)
It’s not surprising that Moroni named his history of the Jaredites “the Book of Ether.” He must have felt a particular kinship with the last Jaredite prophet, who spent much of his life in hiding, and who witnessed the destruction of his people. As he introduces the prophet Ether to us, Moroni expounds on the… Continue Reading →
Ether 6-11: “That Evil May Be Done Away” (November 16-22)
For nearly a year, the first generation of Jaredites sat in eight small barges as storms and “mountain waves” moved them across the ocean. After arriving in the promised land, they and their descendants were afflicted by another kind of storm—political instability. Generation after generation of Jaredites lived under oppressive rulers, experienced coups and civil… Continue Reading →
Ether 1-5: “Rend That Veil of Unbelief” (November 9-15)
President Russell M. Nelson said, “I urge you to stretch beyond your current spiritual ability to receive personal revelation, for the Lord has promised that ‘if thou shalt [seek], thou shalt receive revelation upon revelation, knowledge upon knowledge, that thou mayest know the mysteries and peaceable things—that which bringeth joy, that which bringeth life eternal’”… Continue Reading →
Mormon 7-9: “I Speak Unto You as if Ye Were Present” (November 2-8)
After experiencing the annihilation of his people. Mormon wrote a final message of testimony and admonition to the descendants of his enemies, the Lamanites. He wanted them to know four things: You are part of the house of Israel. You must repent in order to be saved. You must lay down your weapons of war…. Continue Reading →
Mormon 1-6: “I Would That I Could Persuade All…to Repent” (October 26-November 1)
Jesus stands with open arms to receive us. The tragedy is that we fail to receive so many of the blessings He offers us. One reason we fail to receive them is because we take too much credit for our own accomplishments. Another is because we are unwilling to change. A third is because we… Continue Reading →
3 Nephi 27-4 Nephi: “There Could Not Be a Happier People” (October 19-25)
Unity is important to the Savior. When He visited the American continent following His death and resurrection, He clarified how baptisms should be performed, “and there shall be no disputations among you,” He said (3 Nephi 11:22, 28). Sometime later, His twelve disciples were grappling with a question which had caused some disagreements: what to call the… Continue Reading →
3 Nephi 20-26: “Ye Are the Children of the Covenant” (October 12-18)
On the second day of the Savior’s visit to the American continent, after praying for the people and administering the sacrament for a second time, He began again to teach them, beginning where He had left off the prior day. (See 3 Nephi 16:17-20, 3 Nephi 20:10-12.) Quoting the words of Isaiah, Micah, Moses, and… Continue Reading →
3 Nephi 17-19: “Behold My Joy Is Full” (September 28-October 11)
During the Savior’s ministry on the American continent, He taught the people, but He also served them in other ways, including: Healing the sick (3 Nephi 17:6-10) Blessing their children (3 Nephi 17:11-12, 21-24) Praying with and for them (3 Nephi 17:13-20, 3 Nephi 19:15-36) Administering the sacrament (3 Nephi 18:1-16) He also gave His… Continue Reading →
3 Nephi 12-16: “I Am the Law, and the Light” (September 21-27)
“Hear ye him.” That is what our Heavenly Father said to a group of people just before Jesus Christ descended from heaven. They were therefore highly motivated to listen and receptive to His message. What was that message? After calling twelve disciples and teaching them how to baptize, He addressed the multitude. Here are the… Continue Reading →
3 Nephi 8-11: “Arise and Come Forth unto Me” (September 14-20)
Thunderings, lightnings, storms, tempests, and earthquakes, unlike anything they had ever seen before—that’s what the Nephites and the Lamanites experienced at the time of the Savior’s crucifixion. At least sixteen cities were destroyed by fire, or buried, or covered with water. Many other cities were partially destroyed, and many people died. All of this happened… Continue Reading →
3 Nephi 1-7: “Lift Up Your Head and Be of Good Cheer” (September 7-13)
How do you maintain hope during tumultuous times? In the years between the Savior’s birth, when the Nephites saw unmistakeable signs in the heavens, and His death, when natural disasters devastated the land, people of faith faced one crisis after another: The non-believers threatened to kill all believers if the sign of the Savior’s birth… Continue Reading →
Helaman 13-16: “Glad Tidings of Great Joy” (August 31-September 6)
The image of a prophet preaching to a people who are trying to kill him is a vivid one. Like Alma in the city of Ammonihah, Samuel the Lamanite was rejected by the citizens of Zarahemla but returned to preach again (Alma 8:8-18, Helaman 13:2-4). Why would he do this? Why did God send him… Continue Reading →
Helaman 7-12: “Remember the Lord” (August 24-30)
After a miraculous mission among the Lamanites and a frustrating mission among the Nephites in the north, Nephi returned to his home in Zarahemla. As the former chief judge, he was horrified by the corruption in their government and the rampant wickedness among the people. In frustration, he said a very public prayer on a… Continue Reading →
Helaman 1-6: “The Rock of Our Redeemer” (August 17-23)
Over a thirty-year period, from about 52 B.C. to about 23 B.C., Nephite society deteriorated substantially. They had just won an extended war against their enemies, the Lamanites, but they were now losing an internal war. The rise of the Gadianton robbers, the decline of faith, and an increase in contention destabilized their government, eroded… Continue Reading →
Alma 53-63: “Preserved by His Marvelous Power” (August 10-16)
The worst of times can bring out the best in us. That seems to be Mormon’s message as he highlights the remarkable faith and courage of Captain Moroni, Teancum, and the sons of Helaman during the seven-year war between the Nephites and the Lamanites. This week, we are studying the following events: Helaman recruits 2,000 young… Continue Reading →
Alma 43-52: “Stand Fast in the Faith of Christ” (August 3-9)
Twenty five—that’s how old Moroni was when he began commanding the Nephite armies. Thirteen years later, he stepped down to “spend the remainder of his days in peace” (Alma 62:43). What kind of man was he? Mormon makes it clear that Moroni “did not delight in bloodshed” but that he was committed to the liberty… Continue Reading →
Alma 39-42: “The Great Plan of Happiness” (July 27-August 2)
Alma loved his son Corianton. It is true that Corianton had disappointed and embarrassed him. But there is no hint of bitterness, frustration, or anger in Alma’s words to his son. Instead, Alma briefly (and somewhat reluctantly) provides needed correction (Alma 39:1-14), and then proceeds to answer some of Corianton’s questions. Alma makes it clear… Continue Reading →
Alma 36-38: “Look to God and Live”
After leading the mission to the Zoramites, Alma returned to his home in Zarahemla. He was troubled about the spiritual health of his people, and he wanted his three sons to continue the work of the ministry. So, he met with each of them individually to give them a personal “charge” (Alma 35:15-16). These individual… Continue Reading →
Alma 32-35: “Plant This Word in Your Hearts” (July 13-19)
How do you grow spiritually when you can’t worship the way you’d like? What do you do when you can’t gather with other believers or enter houses of worship? That is the question the poor Zoramites asked Alma: “We have no place to worship our God; and behold, what shall we do?” they asked (Alma… Continue Reading →
Alma 30-31: “The Virtue of the Word of God” (July 6-12)
How do you respond when people challenge your faith? Korihor attracted a large number of followers by criticizing the church. He claimed that the members were naive and the leaders were exploitative. Alma tried to help Korihor recognize the truth, but it was only when he was overcome by the power of God that Korihor… Continue Reading →
Alma 23-29: They “Never Did Fall Away” (June 29-July 5)
When Ammon and his brothers traveled to the land of Nephi to preach the gospel to the Lamanites, they hoped that some people would hear their message and accept the gospel. Little did they know that, during their 14 years of missionary service, thousands of people would embrace their message and would demonstrate extraordinary faith… Continue Reading →
Alma 17-22: “I Will Make an Instrument of Thee” (June 22-28)
Foolishness. That’s what many of the Nephites thought when they learned that the four sons of their king wanted to preach the gospel among their enemies (Alma 26:23-25). But Ammon and his brothers were determined, and God revealed to their father that they would be safe (Mosiah 28:7). God promised them that, if they would… Continue Reading →
Alma 13-16: “Enter into the Rest of the Lord” (June 15-21)
Alma ended his sermon to the people of Ammonihah with an impressive elaboration on Psalm 95:7-11. Incorporating the topics of premortal life and priesthood authority, he explained how to enter into “the rest of the Lord” (Alma 13). Tragically, the sermon was followed by an atrocity. The citizens of the community who did not believe Alma’s… Continue Reading →
Alma 8-12: Jesus Christ Will Come to Redeem His People (June 8-14)
After preaching to responsive audiences in Zarahemla and Gideon, Alma traveled to Ammonihah, where he was rejected (Alma 8:6-13). But as he was leaving, an angel told him to return. This time, he had help from a resident of the city named Amulek. Here is a summary of the sermon they jointly taught: Alma and Amulek’s… Continue Reading →
Alma 5-7: “Have Ye Experienced This Mighty Change in Your Hearts?” (June 1-7)
After Alma experienced the joy of being born of God, he worked hard to help other people experience that same joy (Alma 36:23-24). In his sermons to the cities of Zarahemla and Gideon, he emphasized the importance of turning to the Savior and being born again (Alma 5:49, Alma 7:14). Many of the people in… Continue Reading →
Mosiah 29-Alma 4: “They Were Steadfast and Immovable” (May 25-31)
The first eight years of the reign of the judges were a difficult time for the people of Nephi and for their leader, Alma the Younger. He had been ordained a high priest by his father, Alma, who had established churches throughout the land. He also had the distinction of serving as the first chief… Continue Reading →
Mosiah 25-28: “They Were Called the People of God” (May 18-24)
After Limhi’s people and Alma’s people returned to Zarahemla, King Mosiah read their histories to his people. He then authorized Alma to establish churches across the land, just as Alma had organized a church at the waters of Mormon (Mosiah 25:19). The last four chapters of Mosiah describe several significant events which occured during the… Continue Reading →
Mosiah 18-24: “We Have Entered into a Covenant with Him” (May 11-17)
At the waters of Mormon, Alma organized the people who believed his words into a church. More than 200 people were baptized in one day. Priests and teachers were selected. The people were instructed to meet together weekly, to love one another, and to share with one another. We can learn a lot about how… Continue Reading →
Mosiah 11-17: “A Light…That Can Never Be Darkened” (May 4-10)
Abinadi’s sermon was prompted by a question. Not a sincere, heartfelt question from an earnest seeker after truth, but an adversarial question from a priest who wanted to discredit him. The question was this: What is the meaning of Isaiah 52:7-10? Abinadi had been imprisoned because King Noah believed that his message of warning was… Continue Reading →
