Peter Whitmer home

Peter Whitmer Home, by Al Rounds

March 1–7

Doctrine and Covenants 20–22

“The Rise of the Church of Christ”

Record your spiritual impressions as you study Doctrine and Covenants 20–22. Some of these impressions may lead to ideas that will help you when you teach.

Record Your Impressions

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Invite Sharing

During their study at home, class members may have gained insights about the blessings of having the true Church on earth. Invite them to share a passage from these sections that illustrates why they are thankful the Church was restored.

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Teach the Doctrine

Doctrine and Covenants 20–21

The Church of Jesus Christ has been restored.

• Class members may benefit from studying the similarities between The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the Church that Christ established anciently. You could draw on the board a chart with four columns labeled Doctrine, Ordinances, Priesthood Authority, and Prophets. You could provide the following references about Christ’s Church in ancient times: Matthew 16:15–19; John 7:16–17; Ephesians 2:19–22; 3 Nephi 11:23–26; Moroni 4–5. Class members could identify what each passage teaches about Christ’s Church and write the reference in the appropriate column on the board. (Some references could apply to more than one column.) They could do the same for the following references about Christ’s restored Church: Doctrine and Covenants 20:17–25, 60, 72–79; 21:1–2. What do you learn about the Restoration of Christ’s Church from this comparison?

Doctrine and Covenants 20:37, 75–79; 22

Sacred ordinances help us become like the Savior.

• Give class members time to study the qualifications for baptism described in Doctrine and Covenants 20:37, and ask them to ponder questions like these: How do these qualifications help us prepare to be baptized into the Lord’s Church? What does it mean to take Christ’s name upon ourselves? (see Mosiah 5:5–12). What helps you maintain your “determination to serve [Jesus Christ] to the end”?

• What does section 22 teach about baptism? Ask class members to imagine they have a friend who has been baptized into another church. They could read this section to find counsel to help their friend understand why baptism into the Savior’s restored Church is necessary. Class members could role-play this scenario as a class or in pairs.

• Read Doctrine and Covenants 20:75–79 together, and invite class members to consider what these verses teach about the Savior and His power in our lives. What words or phrases stand out when we read the sacrament prayers this way? Why is it important to partake of the sacrament each week?

  deacon passing the Sacrament

  The sacrament is a sacred ordinance.

Doctrine and Covenants 20:38–60

Priesthood service blesses Church members and their families.

• The description of priesthood duties in Doctrine and Covenants 20:38–60 could help members of your class expand their understanding of priesthood service. Maybe you could invite them to imagine that a recently baptized friend or family member is about to be ordained to a priesthood office. How would they use these verses to help him understand his duties? What examples would they share to help him understand how fulfilling those duties can help him become more like Jesus Christ? Perhaps they could role-play this conversation.

  In addition, how might they use these verses to help a newly baptized sister see how she can participate in the work described here? (The statement in “Additional Resources” could help.)

Doctrine and Covenants 21:4–7

We are blessed when we receive the Lord’s word through His prophet.

• Doctrine and Covenants 21 contains powerful statements about following the Lord’s prophet. To help class members ponder and discuss these statements, ask them to search verses 4–7 for a phrase they would like to understand better and to write the phrase on the board. Choose a few of the phrases, and discuss as a class what they might mean. What do these phrases teach us about following the Lord’s prophet?

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Additional Resources

We all work with priesthood power.

“Men are ordained to priesthood offices, while both women and men are invited to experience the power and blessings of the priesthood in their lives. …

“… [Women] preach and pray in congregations, fill numerous positions of leadership and service, participate in priesthood councils at the local and general levels, and serve formal proselytizing missions across the globe. In these and other ways, women exercise priesthood authority even though they are not ordained to priesthood office. …

“… In ecclesiastical callings, temple ordinances, family relationships, and quiet, individual ministry, Latter-day Saint women and men go forward with priesthood power and authority. This interdependence of men and women in accomplishing God’s work through His power is central to the gospel of Jesus Christ” (Gospel Topics, “Joseph Smith’s Teachings about Priesthood, Temple, Women,” topics.ChurchofJesusChrist.org).

Improving Our Teaching

We learn together. As a teacher, you are learning with the rest of your class. Show your willingness to learn from them by listening to their insights.