April 19–25

Doctrine and Covenants 41–44

“My Law to Govern My Church”

You won’t be able to discuss as a class every principle taught in Doctrine and Covenants 41–44. Seek inspiration to help you select principles that will be most relevant to your class.

Record Your Impressions

Invite Sharing

When the revelations in section 42 were published, Joseph Smith wrote that the Saints “received them gladly” (“Letter to Martin Harris,” Feb. 22, 1831, josephsmithpapers.org). Encourage class members to share anything from their personal or family study this week that they received gladly.

Teach the Doctrine

Doctrine and Covenants 41–42

God’s laws govern His Church and can govern our lives.

• In Doctrine and Covenants 41, the Lord helped the Saints prepare to receive His law, which He would reveal just a few days later (see section 42). How might the revelation in section 41 have helped the Saints receive God’s law? To help class members answer this question, you could invite them to read Doctrine and Covenants 41:1–6 and find principles that can help us receive God’s law. How can we apply these principles when we have opportunities to receive instruction from the Lord?

• This week’s outline in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families suggests dividing section 42 into five groups of verses, which each present an important gospel principle. These groupings might make it easier for you to discuss this section as a class. For example, you could write the references on the board and invite each class member to select one group. Ask class members to read their verses and find something that they feel is important for us in our day. Then they could share examples from their own lives that illustrate how we are blessed when we govern our lives by these laws.

Doctrine and Covenants 41:9–11

The Lord asks His servants to sacrifice.

• Edward Partridge, the first bishop of the restored Church, was commanded to leave his profession and “spend all his time” serving in his calling. Even though this isn’t required of us, what do we find in these verses that can apply to our service to God? (For more about Edward Partridge, see “A Bishop unto the Church,” Revelations in Context, 77–83.)

Doctrine and Covenants 42:61, 65–68; 43:1–7

Revelation brings peace, joy, and eternal life.

• Like the early Church leaders, members of your class may have questions that seem like “mysteries” because they require guidance from the Lord. You could encourage them to write down a question they have or a problem for which they need personal revelation. What do we find in Doctrine and Covenants 42:61, 65–68 that might help us as we seek revelation?

• To help members understand how God gives revelation to guide His Church, you could invite them to read Doctrine and Covenants 43:1–7. They could also watch the video “Prophets and Revelation—Hearing His Voice” (ChurchofJesusChrist.org).

Doctrine and Covenants 43:8–10

We meet together to “instruct and edify each other.”

• How might we use Doctrine and Covenants 43:8–10 to teach someone who feels it is unnecessary to come to Church meetings? The list in “Additional Resources” could help focus this discussion on the divine purposes of priesthood quorums and the Relief Society (the list also applies to Young Women classes). Class members could share how their participation in quorums, Relief Society, and Church classes has blessed them. What do verses 8–10 imply about what we should do to prepare for and participate in our meetings?

  

  Meeting at church is one way we “instruct and edify one another.”

Additional Resources

Why we are organized into quorums and Relief Societies.

Sister Julie B. Beck, former Relief Society General President, explained why God has organized us into priesthood quorums and Relief Societies:

1. “To organize us under the priesthood and after the pattern of the priesthood.”

2. “To focus Heavenly Father’s sons and daughters on the work of salvation and to engage them in it. Quorums and Relief Societies are an organized discipleship with the responsibility to assist in our Father’s work to bring about eternal life for His children.”

3. “To help bishops wisely manage the Lord’s storehouse. The Lord’s storehouse includes the ‘time, talents, compassion, materials, and financial means’ of the members of the Church [Handbook 2: Administering the Church, 6.1.3, ChurchofJesusChrist.org]. The talents of the Saints are to be used to help care for the poor and the needy and to build the Lord’s kingdom.”

4. “To provide a defense and a refuge for Heavenly Father’s children and their families in the latter days.”

5. “To strengthen and support us in our family roles and responsibilities as sons and daughters of God.” (“Why We Are Organized into Quorums and Relief Societies” [Brigham Young University devotional, Jan. 17, 2012], speeches.byu.edu.)

Improving Our Teaching

Invite. “Rather than always extending invitations to do something specific, consider inviting learners to think of their own ways to apply what they have learned” (Teaching in the Savior’s Way, 35).