“Lesson 17—Doctrine and Covenants 6: ‘Look unto Me in Every Thought; Doubt Not, Fear Not,’” Doctrine and Covenants Seminary Teacher Manual (2025)
“Doctrine and Covenants 6,” Doctrine and Covenants Seminary Teacher Manual
Lesson 17: Doctrine and Covenants 6-9
Doctrine and Covenants 6
“Look unto Me in Every Thought; Doubt Not, Fear Not”
On April 5, 1829, Oliver Cowdery met Joseph Smith for the first time. Two days later, he became Joseph’s scribe for the Book of Mormon translation. Doctrine and Covenants 6 includes counsel from the Lord that addresses many of the questions and concerns Oliver had about participating in the Lord’s work. This lesson is intended to help students put their trust in the Savior when they face doubts and fears.
Possible Learning Activities
Doubts and fears
Consider writing the following question on the board and inviting students to write their answers beneath it. This could be done before class starts or at the beginning of the lesson.
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What are some fears, doubts, or worries teenagers may have?
After discussing the previous question, invite students to think about fears, doubts, or worries they may have in their own lives. Explain that Doctrine and Covenants 6 contains truths that can help them during such times. Invite students to look for these truths as they study.
Oliver Cowdery begins to assist Joseph Smith
Explain that Doctrine and Covenants 6 contains a revelation given to Oliver Cowdery. To help students understand how Oliver first met Joseph Smith, you could show the video “Days of Harmony” from time code 3:07 to 7:18. This video is available at ChurchofJesusChrist.org. Alternatively, the class could read Saints: The Story of the Church of Jesus Christ in the Latter Days, vol. 1, The Standard of Truth, 1815–1846 (2018), pages 58–60, or you could summarize the following paragraph.
Oliver Cowdery was a schoolteacher who began boarding with Joseph Smith’s parents in the fall of 1828. While staying with the Smith family, Oliver learned about Joseph’s divine calling and the ongoing translation of the Book of Mormon. Oliver felt prompted to ask if he could help Joseph with the translation. In the spring of 1829, Oliver accompanied Joseph’s brother Samuel to Harmony, Pennsylvania, to meet the Prophet for the first time.
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If you were in Oliver Cowdery’s situation, what questions or concerns might you have had during this time?
Soon after arriving in Harmony, Oliver became Joseph Smith’s scribe. Although Oliver had previously received a divine confirmation of Joseph’s prophetic gift to translate, he still had questions about his own participation in the Lord’s work. Joseph Smith received the revelation recorded in Doctrine and Covenants 6 during this time.
Knowing and trusting the Savior
Read Doctrine and Covenants 6:14–24, 32–37, looking for some of the Lord’s counsel to Oliver. Pay special attention to what the Lord taught about Himself that can help us during times of uncertainty or fear.
In addition to reading these verses, students could also watch “Days of Harmony” from time code 15:02 to 17:49.
To help students internalize what they are reading, consider displaying a picture of Jesus Christ on the board. As students identify the Savior’s teachings from these verses, they could write those teachings around the picture on the board.
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What did you learn about Jesus Christ that can help you place your trust in Him when you face fears, doubts, or worries?
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How can these truths about the Savior help you during such times?
Look unto Jesus Christ
Doctrine and Covenants 6:36 is a doctrinal mastery passage. Consider inviting students to mark doctrinal mastery passages in a distinctive way so they can locate them easily.
Read Doctrine and Covenants 6:36–37 again, looking for the Savior’s invitations to Oliver.
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How would you summarize the truth taught in verse 36?
You may want to emphasize that as we look unto Jesus Christ, we can overcome doubt and fear.
What do you think it means to look unto Jesus Christ in every thought?
To help students see the relationship between the Savior’s teachings in verses 36 and 37, consider displaying the image from the beginning of the lesson. Explain that to behold something means to see and observe. Then ask the following questions:
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Why do you think the Savior wants us to “behold” His wounds? (Doctrine and Covenants 6:37).
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What effect can remembering His Atonement and Resurrection have on us?
To help students better understand how they can look unto Jesus Christ, consider displaying the following scenarios. You could also create other scenarios that are relevant to your students’ circumstances.
Anna has some unanswered questions about the gospel. Sometimes she feels like her testimony is not strong enough to help her overcome her doubts.
Eric is struggling with feelings of self-worth. He does not feel like anybody notices him at school.
Sophie’s parents are having a hard time providing for their family financially. She worries that her parents may not have enough money to meet all of her family’s needs.
Consider dividing students into small groups and assigning each group one of the scenarios to focus on as they discuss the following questions.
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What are at least three ways these people could look unto Christ in their situations?
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How could doing those things make a difference in the lives of these individuals?
After students have discussed with their groups, invite them to share some of their responses with the class. As part of this discussion, it may be helpful to ask the students how the actions they identified are examples of looking unto Christ.
Also consider inviting students to share examples of how they have been blessed as they have looked unto Jesus Christ in their lives.
Applying it to your life
To help the students apply the Savior’s counsel to look unto Him, invite them to think about their own fears, doubts, or worries they identified at the beginning of the lesson. Display the following questions and give students time to answer them in their study journals.
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What have you learned or felt about Jesus Christ today that can help you with the fears, doubts, or worries you have?
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What are some specific ways you will strive to apply the Savior’s counsel to “look unto [Him] in every thought; doubt not, fear not”?
Memorize
You may want to help students memorize the reference and key scripture phrase of Doctrine and Covenants 6:36 and review them in future lessons. The key scripture phrase is the entire verse: “Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not.” Ideas for memorization activities are in the appendix materials under “Doctrinal Mastery Review Activities.”