October 4–10

Doctrine and Covenants 111–114

“I Will Order All Things for Your Good”

Prayerfully ask for the guidance of the Spirit as you read Doctrine and Covenants 111–14, and record your impressions. Then consider ways you can act on those impressions.

Record Your Impressions

Have you ever had a spiritual experience that made you feel confident and secure in your faith—but then life’s afflictions tried your faith, and you found yourself struggling to recover the peace you felt before? Something similar happened to the Saints in Kirtland. Less than a year after the spiritual outpourings connected with the dedication of the Kirtland Temple, troubles arose. A financial crisis, discord in the Quorum of the Twelve, and other trials caused some to waver in their faith.

We can’t avoid trials, so how can we keep them from threatening our faith and testimony? Maybe part of the answer can be found in the Lord’s counsel in Doctrine and Covenants 112, given while adversity in Kirtland was swelling. The Lord said, “Purify your hearts before me” (verse 28), “Rebel not” (verse 15), “Gird up thy loins for the work” (verse 7), and “Be thou humble” (verse 10). As we follow this counsel, the Lord will “lead [us] by the hand” through adversity and into healing and peace (see verses 10, 13).

Ideas for Personal Scripture Study

Doctrine and Covenants 111

The Lord can “order all things for [my] good.”

By 1836, the Church had accumulated heavy debts in doing the Lord’s work. As Joseph Smith and others worried about these debts and considered ways to pay them, they traveled to Salem, Massachusetts, perhaps because it was rumored that some money had been abandoned in a house there (see the section heading to Doctrine and Covenants 111). After they arrived in Salem, the Lord declared, “There are more treasures than one for you in this city” (verse 10)—treasures that included people whom He would “gather out in due time for the benefit of Zion” (verse 2; see also Exodus 19:5). Although no money was found in Salem, the converts that came from later missionary efforts there were part of the fulfillment of the Lord’s promise.

As you read section 111, think about things you worry about. Consider how the Lord’s words to Joseph may apply to you. How has the Lord helped you find unexpected “treasures”? (verse 10). Think about what He has done to “order all things for your good” (verse 11). What does the phrase “as fast as ye are able to receive them” teach you about Heavenly Father?

See also Matthew 6:19–21, 33; “More Treasures Than One,” Revelations in Context, 229–34.

Doctrine and Covenants 112:3–15

The Lord will lead those who humbly seek His will.

Unity in the Quorum of the Twelve was weakening in the summer of 1837. There were disagreements about responsibilities, and some members were speaking out against the Prophet Joseph Smith. Thomas B. Marsh, then President of the Quorum of the Twelve, was concerned, and he came from Missouri to Ohio, seeking counsel from the Prophet. Brother Marsh received it through the revelation in section 112. How might the Lord’s counsel have helped him and his quorum? What lessons does it have for you as you seek to overcome contention and hard feelings?

In particular, you might ponder verse 10. What does it mean for the Lord to lead you “by the hand”? Why is humility required for this kind of guidance?

See also Ulisses Soares, “Be Meek and Lowly of Heart,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2013, 9–11; “The Faith and Fall of Thomas Marsh,” Revelations in Context, 54–60.

If we are humble, the Lord will guide us and answer our prayers.

Doctrine and Covenants 113

Joseph Smith was “a servant in the hands of Christ.”

Isaiah referred to one of Jesse’s descendants as a “rod” and a “root” (Isaiah 11:1, 10). In section 113, the Lord explains that this descendant, a servant of Christ, would be instrumental in gathering the Lord’s people in the last days (see Doctrine and Covenants 113:4, 6)—a prophecy that describes the Prophet Joseph Smith quite well. How might this and other truths in section 113 have been encouraging to the Saints during the turmoil they were experiencing in Kirtland? What do you find in this revelation that inspires you to participate in the work of the Lord today?

See also Guide to the Scriptures, “Jesse,” scriptures.ChurchofJesusChrist.org; 2 Nephi 21:10–12; Joseph Smith—History 1:40.

Ideas for Family Scripture Study and Home Evening

Doctrine and Covenants 111:2, 9–11.These verses could encourage a discussion about what your family values as eternal “treasures.” You could create a treasure hunt by hiding things around the house that represent things the Lord treasures or values. As your family finds each item, discuss what you can do to show that you value it.

Doctrine and Covenants 112:10.Elder Ulisses Soares described humble people in this way: “The humble are teachable, recognizing how dependent they are on God and desiring to be subject to His will. The humble are meek and have the ability to influence others to be the same” (“Be Meek and Lowly of Heart,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2013, 10). Consider ways to help your family understand what it means to be humble. You could sing a song about humility, such as “Be Thou Humble” (Hymns, no. 130), while one family member takes the others “by the hand” and guides them around your home. Or share experiences when the Lord has led your family members “by the hand” and given “answer to [their] prayers.”

Doctrine and Covenants 112:11–14, 26.What is the difference between knowing someone’s name and knowing them? What do we learn from verses 11–14 about what it means to know the Lord?

Doctrine and Covenants 112:15.What does it mean to “rebel” against the prophet? What do we find in this verse that helps us want to sustain the prophet?

Doctrine and Covenants 113:7–8.What do we learn from verse 8 that will help to “bring again Zion” and redeem Israel?

For more ideas for teaching children, see this week’s outline in Come, Follow Me—For Primary.

Suggested song: “Be Thou Humble,” Hymns, no. 130.

Improving Our Teaching

Live your testimony. “‘You teach what you are,’ Elder Neal A. Maxwell taught. ‘Your traits will be more remembered … than a particular truth in a particular lesson’” (Teaching in the Savior’s Way, 13).

Thomas B. Marsh records the revelation given to him through Joseph Smith. Be Thou Humble, by Julie Rogers.