During his first few years as the Lord’s prophet, Joseph Smith didn’t yet know everything about the “marvelous work” he had been called to do. But one thing his early experiences taught him was that to do God’s work, his eye must be “single to the glory of God” (Doctrine and Covenants 4:1, 5). For example, if the Lord counseled him to do something he wasn’t sure he wanted to do, he needed to follow the Lord’s counsel. And even if he had “many revelations, and … power to do many mighty works,” if he felt that what he wanted was more important than God’s will, he “must fall” (Doctrine and Covenants 3:4). But Joseph learned something else just as important about doing God’s work: “God is merciful,” and if Joseph sincerely repented, he was “still chosen” (verse 10). God’s work is, after all, a work of redemption. And that work “cannot be frustrated” (verse 1).
Early in Joseph Smith’s ministry, good friends were hard to find—especially friends like Martin Harris, a respected, prosperous man who made great sacrifices to support Joseph’s work. So when Martin asked for permission to show the first 116 manuscript pages of the Book of Mormon translation to his wife, Joseph naturally wanted to honor his request, even though the Lord had warned against it. Tragically, the pages were lost while in Martin’s possession, and Joseph and Martin were sharply chastised by the Lord (see Saints, 1:51–53).
As you read Doctrine and Covenants 3:1–15, ponder what the Lord wants you to learn from their experience. For example, what do you learn about:
The consequences of fearing man rather than trusting God? (see verses 4–8).
The blessings that come from remaining faithful? (see verse 8).
The way the Lord both corrected and encouraged Joseph? (see verses 9–16).
In his message “Which Way Do You Face?,” Elder Lynn G. Robbins gives many scriptural examples of people who feared God and people who gave in to pressure from others (Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2014, 9–11). Consider reading these examples in the scriptures he refers to. What do you learn from these accounts? What experiences have you had where you trusted the Lord when faced with pressure to do something different? What were the results of your actions?
I can serve God with all my heart, might, mind, and strength.
Section 4 is often applied to full-time missionaries. However, it’s interesting to note that this revelation was given to Joseph Smith Sr., who wasn’t being called on a mission but still had “desires to serve God” (verse 3).
One way to read this section is to imagine it as a job description for someone who wants to help with the Lord’s work. What is the Lord looking for? What benefits does He offer?
What do you learn about serving the Lord from this revelation?
President Russell M. Nelson called the gathering of Israel “the greatest challenge, the greatest cause, and the greatest work on earth” (“Hope of Israel” [worldwide youth devotional, June 3, 2018], Gospel Library). What do you find in his address that inspires you to participate in this work?
Through the Holy Ghost, I can gain a witness of the Book of Mormon.
In March 1829, Martin Harris’s wife, Lucy, filed a claim in court that Joseph Smith was deceiving people by pretending to translate gold plates (see Saints, 1:56–58). So Martin asked Joseph for more evidence that the gold plates were real. Doctrine and Covenants 5 is a revelation in response to Martin’s request. What do you learn from this section about the following:
What the Lord says would happen if the gold plates were displayed for the world to see (see Doctrine and Covenants 5:7). Why do you think that’s the case?
I can choose the right when others try to get me to do wrong.
To start a discussion about learning to trust Heavenly Father, you might want to review the story of the lost manuscript pages (see Doctrine and Covenants Stories, 18–21). You could then role-play with your children situations when they might be tempted to do something they know isn’t right. What words or phrases in Doctrine and Covenants 3:5–8; 5:21–22 could help them during these situations?
Each verse in Doctrine and Covenants 4 contains precious truths that can help your children learn about serving God. Here are some ideas to help them discover these truths:
You could read together Doctrine and Covenants 4:1 and show pictures that depict God’s “marvelous” latter-day work (such as missionaries, temples, and the Book of Mormon).
Your children could think of actions or draw pictures depicting the phrase “serve him with all your heart, might, mind and strength” (Doctrine and Covenants 4:2).
You could look together at tools that are used to work in a field. How do these tools help us? Then your children could find things in Doctrine and Covenants 4:5–6 that are like tools for doing God’s work.
Older children could search Doctrine and Covenants 4 on their own and make a list of things they learn about what it means to serve God.
You could sing together a song about missionary work, such as “I Want to Be a Missionary Now” (Children’s Songbook, 168).
Adapt activities to accommodate people with disabilities. Small adaptations to activities can ensure that everyone has an opportunity to learn. For instance, if an activity suggests showing a picture, you could sing a song instead to include people with visual impairments.
I can be a witness that the Book of Mormon is true.
To teach your children about witnesses, you could ask them to imagine that a friend told them they saw a cat walking on its front legs. Would they believe it? What if another friend said the same thing? Talk about what a “witness” is and why witnesses are important. You could then help your children search Doctrine and Covenants 5:1–3, 7, 11 for answers to questions like these:
What did Martin Harris want to know?
Who could Joseph Smith show the gold plates to?
Why would seeing the plates probably not convince someone the Book of Mormon is true?
