Preface By Revelation
Doctrine and Covenants 1
Doctrine
And
Covenants
Name that Book
Famous first lines
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
I am Sam. Sam I am…
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…
One fish, two fish. Red fish….
The Wimmicks were small wooden people….
Far out in the uncharted backwaters of the unfashionable end of the
Western Spiral arm of the Galaxy lies a small unregarded yellow sun.
• Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
6.
Once there were four children whose names were Peter, Susan, Edmund and
Lucy...
• C.S. Lewis, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
7.
Here is Edward Bear, coming downstairs now, bump, bump, bump…
• A.A. Milne, Winnie the Pooh
8.
Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive…
• J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter
9. Wherefore it is an abridgement of the record of the people of Nephi…
10. Hearken O ye people of my church
Book of Commandments—Preface by Revelation
By November 1831, Joseph Smith had
received more than 60 revelations.
The Prophet convened a conference in
Hiram, Ohio, to discuss publishing them as
a book that would be called The Book of
Commandments.
A committee of elders drafted a preface to
the book. Unsatisfied with this draft, those
who attended the conference requested that
Joseph Smith ask the Lord for a preface.
After petitioning the Lord in prayer, Joseph
received a preface by revelation. The Lord’s
preface to the Book of Commandments
became Section 1 of the Doctrine and
Covenants.
The Doctrine and Covenants
MARK: Section 1 begins with "Harken". Used 64
times, 21 begin with harken.
What does ‘harken’ mean?
• When has someone sought to get your attention
and warn you about something? How did you
respond?
• How do you feel about that person’s efforts to
warn you? Why do you feel this way?
Doctrine and Covenants 1
WARNINGS
Doctrine and Covenants 1
WARNINGS
Doctrine and Covenants 1
WARNINGS
Doctrine and Covenants 1
WARNINGS
Doctrine and Covenants 1
WARNINGS
Doctrine and Covenants 1
WARNINGS
Doctrine and Covenants 1
WARNINGS
Doctrine and Covenants 1
WARNINGS
• Read Doctrine and Covenants 1:1-4 and note
the words hearken and warning.
Story of watching the movie of your life after you die.
D&C 1:4-7
How did the Lord say he would He would deliver
His warnings to all people?
Seek the lord (10:05)
There are those who criticize when
we issue a statement of counsel or
warning. Please know that our
pleadings are not motivated by any
selfish desire. Please know that
our warnings are not without substance and
reason. Please know that the decisions to speak
out on various matters are not reached without
deliberation, discussion, and prayer. Please
know that our only ambition is to help each of
you with your problems, your struggles, your
families, your lives.
Gordon B. Hinckley, Oct. 1992 Gen. Conf.
Warnings
• Read Doctrine and Covenants 1:11–14 identify further warnings.
• According to footnote 12b, what event was
the Lord referring to in Doctrine and
Covenants 1:12?
• Doctrine and Covenants 1:14, what do you
think the Lord meant?
What Solution did the Lord
Give for the calamity that
would come upon the Earth?
D&C 1:17
D&C 1:18-23
D&C 1:29
D&C 1:30
How can this solution help us
face the calamity of the last
days?
What Solution did the Lord
Give for the calamity that
would come upon the Earth?
D&C 1:17
D&C 1:18-23
D&C 1:29
D&C 1:30
The Lord called Joseph Smith
and gave him revelations and
commandments
How can this solution help us
face the calamity of the last
days?
What Solution did the Lord
Give for the calamity that
would come upon the Earth?
D&C 1:17
D&C 1:18-23
D&C 1:29
D&C 1:30
The Lord called Joseph Smith
and gave him revelations and
commandments
The Lord has commanded His
servants to go throughout the earth
to proclaim His gospel and establish
His covenant.
How can this solution help us
face the calamity of the last
days?
What Solution did the Lord
Give for the calamity that
would come upon the Earth?
D&C 1:17
D&C 1:18-23
D&C 1:29
D&C 1:30
The Lord called Joseph Smith
and gave him revelations and
commandments.
The Lord has commanded His
servants to go throughout the earth
to proclaim His gospel and establish
His covenant.
The Lord revealed the Book of
Mormon.
How can this solution help us
face the calamity of the last
days?
What Solution did the Lord
Give for the calamity that
would come upon the Earth?
D&C 1:17
D&C 1:18-23
D&C 1:29
D&C 1:30
The Lord called Joseph Smith
and gave him revelations and
commandments.
The Lord has commanded His
servants to go throughout the earth
to proclaim His gospel and establish
His covenant.
The Lord revealed the Book of
Mormon.
The Lord restored His Church
upon the earth.
How can this solution help us
face the calamity of the last
days?
D&C 1:30--True and living
• Refresh your understanding of the apostasy by
reading the explanation in your Scripture
Study Journal (Basic Doctrine 4).
“On Your Mission” ROLE PLAY
• Use your knowledge of the Great Apostasy to
explain to your investigator how this is “the
only true and living church” upon the earth.
Read Doctrine and Covenants 1:37-38
Read Doctrine and Covenants 1:37-38
Elder M. Russell Ballard taught: “It is no small thing, my brothers
and sisters, to have a prophet of God in our midst. Great and
wonderful are the blessings that come into our lives as we listen to
the word of the Lord given to us through him. At the same time,
knowing that [the President of the Church] is God’s prophet also
endows us with responsibility. When we hear the counsel of the
Lord expressed through the words of the President of the Church,
our response should be positive and prompt. History has shown
that there is safety, peace, prosperity, and happiness in responding
to prophetic counsel as did Nephi of old: ‘I will go and do the
things which the Lord hath commanded’ (1 Ne. 3:7)” (“His Word Ye Shall
Receive,” Ensign, May 2001, 65).
The story is told of Ali Hafed, a wealthy ancient Persian who
owned much land and many productive fields, orchards, and
gardens and had money out at interest. He had a lovely family
and at first was contented because he was wealthy, and
wealthy because he was contented.
An old priest came to Ali Hafed and told him that if he had a
diamond the size of his thumb, he could purchase a dozen
farms like his. Ali Hafed said, “Will you tell me where I can find
diamonds?”
The priest told him, “If you will find a river that runs over white
sands, between high mountains, in those white sands you will
always find diamonds.”
“Well,” said Ali Hafed, “I will go.”
So he sold his farm, collected his money that was at interest,
and left his family in charge of a neighbor, and away he went in
search of diamonds, traveling through many lands in Asia and
Europe. After years of searching his money was all spent, and
he passed away in rags and wretchedness.
Meanwhile, the man who purchased Ali Hafed’s farm one day
led his camel out into the garden to drink, and as the animal
put his nose into the shallow waters, the farmer noticed a
curious flash of light in the white sands of the stream. Reaching
in, he pulled out a black stone containing a strange eye of light.
Not long after, the same old priest came to visit Ali Hafed’s
successor and found that in the black stone was a diamond. As
they rushed out into the garden and stirred up the white sands
with their fingers, they came up with many more beautiful,
valuable gems. According to the story, this marked the
discovery of the diamond mines of Golconda, the most valuable
diamond mines in the history of the ancient world.
Had Ali Hafed remained at home and dug in his own cellar, or
anywhere in his own fields, rather than traveling in strange
lands where he eventually faced starvation and ruin, he would
have had “acres of diamonds.”
Preface By Revelation
Doctrine and Covenants 1
Doctrine
And
Covenants