The Bridegroom Cometh, by Elizabeth Gibbons

November 15–21

Doctrine and Covenants 133–134

“Prepare Ye for the Coming of the Bridegroom”

What truths in Doctrine and Covenants 133–34 do you feel will help your class the most? Prayerfully consider their needs as you study this week.

Record Your Impressions

Invite Sharing

You could write the word hearken on the board and invite class members to write next to it verses from Doctrine and Covenants 133–34 that they believe we need to hearken to in our day. Ask them to share their thoughts about those verses. (Help class members focus on doctrinal principles rather than political views.)

Teach the Doctrine

Doctrine and Covenants 133:1–19; 37–39

The Lord wants us to prepare for His Second Coming.

• How will you help your class understand why it is important to sanctify ourselves in order to help others prepare for the Savior’s Second Coming? You could invite class members to review Doctrine and Covenants 133:1–19, 37–39 and make two lists: one list of the Lord’s counsel about how to sanctify ourselves and another of counsel about how to prepare the world for the Savior’s return. What does it mean, in a spiritual sense, to “go … out from Babylon” (verse 5) and “flee unto Zion”? (verse 12). For more about what sanctification means, see “Sanctification” in Guide to the Scriptures (scriptures.ChurchofJesusChrist.org).

Doctrine and Covenants 133:19–53

The Second Coming will be joyful for the righteous.

• In their scripture study at home, members of your class may have found meaningful passages in this section that cause them to look forward to the Savior’s Second Coming. Invite them to share these passages. You could also invite the class to search verses 19–53 in pairs, looking for reasons to look forward to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. As class members share what they found, encourage them to talk about how the Savior has “redeemed them, and [borne] them, and carried them” (verse 53). This might be a good opportunity to sing together a hymn about the Savior’s redeeming power, such as “Savior, Redeemer of My Soul” (Hymns, no. 112). What other “songs of everlasting joy” (verse 33) help us feel the “loving kindness of [our] Lord”? (verse 52).

Doctrine and Covenants 134

“Governments were instituted of God for the benefit of man.”

• To help class members learn from Doctrine and Covenants 134, you could put questions like these in a container or on the board: How does God want governments to benefit His children? What should we do if earthly laws contradict heavenly laws? What are our duties and responsibilities as citizens? Invite class members to choose a question and use section 134 to create an answer. Encourage class members to avoid talking about specific political issues or views.

• The freedom to “worship how, where, or what [we] may” (Articles of Faith 1:11) is a privilege that the Lord wants everyone to have. If you feel it would benefit your class to talk about the principle of religious freedom, consider reading together Doctrine and Covenants 134:4, 7, 9. What do these verses teach us about a government’s role in protecting religious freedom? How can we promote religious freedom for others and ourselves? Class members may find insights to help answer this question in “Additional Resources.”

Additional Resources

Cornerstones of religious freedom.

Elder Robert D. Hales taught:

“There are four cornerstones of religious freedom that we as Latter-day Saints must rely upon and protect.

“The first is freedom to believe. No one should be criticized, persecuted, or attacked by individuals, or governments either, for what he or she believes about God. …

“The second cornerstone of religious liberty is the freedom to share our faith and our beliefs with others. … As parents, full-time missionaries, and member missionaries, we rely on religious freedom in order to teach the Lord’s doctrine in our families and throughout the world.

“The third cornerstone of religious liberty is the freedom to form a religious organization, a church, to worship peacefully with others. The eleventh article of faith declares, ‘We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may.’ …

“The fourth cornerstone of religious liberty is the freedom to live our faith—free exercise of faith not just in the home and chapel but also in public places” (“Preserving Agency, Protecting Religious Freedom,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2015, 112).

Improving Our Teaching

Teach the “why.” “If [class members] understand Heavenly Father’s eternal plan for the happiness of His children, the reasons for gospel principles and commandments become clearer and the motivation to obey increases” (Teaching in the Savior’s Way, 20).