Seminary
Lesson 39—Doctrine and Covenants 25, Part 1: Emma Smith, My Daughter”

“Lesson 39—Doctrine and Covenants 25, Part 1: ‘Emma Smith, My Daughter,’” Doctrine and Covenants Seminary Teacher Manual, (2025)

“Doctrine and Covenants 25, Part 1,” Doctrine and Covenants Seminary Teacher Manual

Lesson 39: Doctrine and Covenants 23–26

Doctrine and Covenants 25, Part 1

“Emma Smith, My Daughter”

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Emma Smith

In Doctrine and Covenants 25, the Savior counseled Emma Smith on how to fulfill her divine mission to become like Him. This lesson can help students understand ways they can become more like the Savior.

Possible Learning Activities

“Thou art an elect lady, whom I have called”

You could display a picture of Emma Smith and ask students what they know about her.

Consider sharing some of the following moments from the life of Emma Smith. Invite students to discuss what the experience might have been like for Emma.

Imagine how you would have felt to have experienced these events from the life of Emma Smith. (These accounts can be found in Saints, vol. 1, The Standard of Truth, 1815–1846 [2018], 37–38, 46, 52, 94–96.)

  • Emma waited with the wagon at the bottom of the Hill Cumorah as Joseph received final instructions and the gold plates from Moroni.

  • Emma served as Joseph’s first scribe for the translation of the Book of Mormon, and later those pages of the manuscript were lost.

  • Emma and Joseph’s first child lived only a few hours, and Emma became so sick she nearly died.

  • Emma entered the waters of baptism under threat of mob violence. That evening, Joseph was arrested on false charges, delaying Emma’s confirmation.

To help students understand the historical context of Doctrine and Covenants 25, consider sharing the following paragraph.

In Doctrine and Covenants 24, the Savior had revealed that Joseph Smith was to “devote all [his] service in Zion” (verse 7). This revelation created a sense of uncertainty in Emma Smith’s life because it implied that Joseph wouldn’t have much time to earn a living and provide temporally for their family (see Saints, 1:96). Knowing Emma’s desire for guidance, the Lord revealed Doctrine and Covenants 25. This counsel from the Savior can be applied to all people (see Doctrine and Covenants 25:16).

Learn the doctrine of Jesus Christ for yourself: For more practice on how to encourage students to do this, see the training titled “Learn the doctrine of Jesus Christ for yourself” found in Teacher Development Skills: Teach the Doctrine (2022). This training will help you practice creating open-ended search questions to help students discover truths for themselves.

Read Doctrine and Covenants 25:1–3 and look for how the Savior felt about Emma.

  • What did Emma learn about her relationship with the Lord?

  • What does Savior say is required to be a son or a daughter in His kingdom?

    Help students identify the truth: As we receive the Savior’s gospel, we become sons and daughters in His kingdom and are called to His work. By making covenants, we become the Savior’s sons and daughters in His kingdom. If students could benefit from seeing this truth, you could read Mosiah 5:7.

    To help students better understand this principle, consider selecting from the following questions.

  • What do you think receiving this counsel may have meant to Emma?

  • How has receiving the Savior’s gospel helped you feel close to Him as His daughter or son?

Read Doctrine and Covenants 25:4–9 and look for what the Lord called Emma to do.

Consider inviting students to make a list on the board of what the Savior called Emma to do. Help students understand that in the context of verse 7, “ordained” means to be set apart as a calling. You might also clarify that “expound” means to explain or interpret, and “exhort” means to encourage, cheer, or advise.

  • What did you discover?

  • How could faithfully magnifying her callings help Emma become more like the Savior?

Applying the Savior’s counsel

To help students understand how the Lord’s instructions to Emma also apply to them, consider organizing the class into small study groups. Provide three study stations, which could be placed around the room. Each study section includes an account from the life of Emma Smith, an invitation to find a scripture example from the life of Jesus Christ, and discussion questions or an activity.

If needed, a fourth activity can be found in the “Supplemental Learning Activities” section.

Alternatively, you could use the indexed stories under “Smith, Emma Hale” in Saints, 1:695 to study other stories from Emma’s life. Invite students to see how Emma was obedient to the counsel she received in Doctrine and Covenants 25.

“Murmur Not” (Doctrine and Covenants 25:4)

From the life of Emma Smith

Joseph Smith experienced heavenly visions, angelic visitors, and the translation process for the Book of Mormon, the Bible, and other sacred texts. Emma Smith sacrificed so much for her life with Joseph, but there were things he had seen that she had not.

From the life of the Savior

Share a time from the life of Jesus Christ when He refused to murmur (for some examples, see Isaiah 53:7; Matthew 27:12).

How might refraining from murmuring help us become like Jesus Christ?

  • Why do you think the Savior commands us not to murmur about things we may not yet understand?

  • How could someone act in faith when they do not understand the Lord’s will and timing?

“Be for a Comfort” (Doctrine and Covenants 25:5)

From the life of Emma Smith

Although Emma’s life with Joseph was often difficult, she loved and supported him through every trial. In 1835, an angry mob attacked the home where Joseph and Emma were staying, dragging Joseph into the darkness. Joseph returned home that night. He was alive but badly beaten, tarred, and feathered. Emma spent the night peeling and scraping the tar from Joseph’s body. One of Joseph and Emma’s infant twins would pass away from illness following that awful night (see Saints, 1:150–53).

From the life of the Savior

Think of a time when Jesus Christ was a comfort to those around Him (for some examples, see Matthew 9:20–22; John 14:18, 27; 3 Nephi 17:5–7).

How can we comfort others and become like Jesus Christ?

  • Share something someone has done to comfort you during a difficult time.

  • Ponder something you could do to be a comfort to a friend or family member. How could you help them feel the Savior’s love?

  • Write a note or a text that might lift the spirits of a family member or friend and help them feel the Savior’s love.

“Expound Scriptures and … Exhort the Church” (Doctrine and Covenants 25:7)

From the life of Emma Smith

In 1842, Emma was sustained as the first Relief Society president. Emma’s leadership was crucial in shaping the organization. Emma demonstrated her empathy and sense of spiritual understanding by cheering on and teaching the Saints. Emma invited the women of the Relief Society to practice charity, provide relief in extraordinary ways, strengthen each other, repent, and forgive (see Saints, 1:448–51).

From the life of the Savior

Share an example from the scriptures of the Savior explaining scripture or teaching those who followed Him (for some examples, see Matthew 5:21–25; 3 Nephi 23:1–3; Joseph Smith—History 1:19).

Practice explaining scripture

  • Choose a scripture passage that has helped you increase your connection to the Savior or become more like Him.

  • Share your selection and explain what it means to you.

  • Discuss how understanding and teaching scriptures can help us become more like Jesus Christ.

After students complete the activity, you might invite them to share with the class what stood out to them from what they studied. To conclude class, consider sharing your witness that each student is an “elect” daughter or son in the Savior’s kingdom. Emphasize that they will have many opportunities to serve and bless others and become like Jesus Christ.

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