“Lesson 43—Doctrine and Covenants 28: Revelation in the Church,” Doctrine and Covenants Seminary Teacher Manual (2025)
“Doctrine and Covenants 28,” Doctrine and Covenants Seminary Teacher Manual
Lesson 43: Doctrine and Covenants 27–28
Doctrine and Covenants 28
Revelation in the Church
In 1830, Hiram Page claimed to receive revelations for the Church through a special stone. Some Church members, including Oliver Cowdery, believed him. In response to this situation, the Lord revealed truths about the order of revelation in the Church. This lesson can help students understand the order and organization the Savior uses to reveal His will in His Church.
Possible Learning Activities
Satan’s imitations
Consider writing imitation and real on the board. Show students a selection of items and invite them to share if they are real or imitations. Some examples might be a real or toy phone, real or play money, real or plastic fruit, and a real email from a bank or an imitation email from someone posing as a bank.
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How can you tell between an imitation and the real thing?
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Why might it be harmful to mistake an imitation for something real?
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How might this apply to someone who is trying to follow the Savior in their life?
Read the section introduction for Doctrine and Covenants 28 and look for a situation where members of the newly organized Church struggled to know what was real and what was an imitation.
It may be helpful to know that Hiram Page was a man who embraced the gospel and was baptized the same month the Church was organized. He had also been selected as one of the Eight Witnesses to the Book of Mormon and was always true to his testimony of it.
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Why do you think even good people like Hiram Page and Oliver Cowdery can be fooled by Satan’s imitations?
Take a moment to ponder the following:
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How might Satan be trying to deceive you and others you know?
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What guidance and help does the Lord give us to avoid being deceived?
As you continue studying, look for answers to these questions.
The Lord’s answer
Concerned with what to do in this situation, Joseph Smith spent a night praying for and receiving an answer from the Lord. The revelation he received is recorded as Doctrine and Covenants 28 and was directed to Oliver Cowdery.
Read Doctrine and Covenants 28:1–8, 11–13, and look for truths the Lord taught Oliver about revelation. (Note that the revelations in verse 8 applied to Oliver’s calling to preach to the Lamanites; for more information see “A Mission to the Lamanites” in Revelations in Context in the “Church History” section of Gospel Library.)
Encourage students to share various truths about revelation. Consider writing what they share on the board.
If you think it would be more useful or engaging to students, consider writing the following truths on the board and inviting students to read and match the truths to the verses that teach them.
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The Lord will give revelation for the whole Church only through the President of the Church (see verse 2).
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The Lord does not give individuals revelation to direct someone who presides over them (see verses 6–7).
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The Lord may give us revelation for our own benefit and to help us in our callings and assignments (see verse 8).
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Satan may try to deceive us through false revelation (see verse 11).
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The Lord invites His leaders to help correct us when we have been deceived (see verse 11).
Consider asking students to share what they learned about the Lord from this section. They may share an additional principle such as: The Lord guides His Church and His people in an organized way.
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Why do you think the Lord always gives revelation according to these principles?
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How can knowing these truths help us avoid being deceived?
In his talk “A Framework for Personal Revelation,” Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles shared several insights about the process of receiving revelation:
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“We receive personal revelation only within our purview [or range of influence] and not within the prerogative [right or privilege] of others. …”
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“Doctrine, commandments, and revelations for the Church are the prerogative of the living prophet, who receives them from the Lord Jesus Christ [see Doctrine and Covenants 21:4–5]. …”
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“Personal revelation will be in harmony with the commandments of God and the covenants we have made with Him. …”
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“When we ask for revelation about something for which God has already given clear direction, we open ourselves up to misinterpreting our feelings and hearing what we want to hear” (Liahona, Nov. 2022, 16–17).
Examples
To help students analyze what they have learned, present the following situations and invite students to do the following as a class or in small groups. Feel free to delete or adapt any of the situations to make this activity more relevant to your students.
Read through the following situations and find a verse or phrase from the Lord’s words that you studied in Doctrine and Covenants 28 that teach if they could be true revelations.
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The prophet encourages the entire Church to attend the temple.
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A concerned group of members boldly teaches that God wants the Church to make changes to doctrine or to alter a policy about a difficult issue.
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A member believes the Lord has revealed to him what the bishop should do in their ward.
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A young woman’s mother tells her she doesn’t feel good about a certain choice the young woman is making.
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While dating in college, a young adult says he has received revelation that a specific young woman should marry him.
It could be valuable to explain that it is appropriate to lovingly share concerns or ideas with those who preside over us or someone outside of our stewardship, but we must respectfully recognize their right to revelation on the matter. For example, a young man can feel inspired that the Lord approves of him asking a young woman to marry him, but she is entitled to her own revelation about what is best for her.
For a real-life example of someone who thought they received revelation outside of these principles, watch the video “A Framework for Personal Revelation” from time code 4:14 to 5:07, available at ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
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How could believing in Satan’s imitations in any of the incorrect situations above draw us away from the Savior?
To help students feel the importance of revelation given by the Lord in His way and in His order, invite them to answer at least two of the following questions in their study journals:
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How might understanding the order the Lord uses for His revelations be a blessing to you?
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When has the Lord blessed you or someone you know through revelation to a prophet, stake or ward leader, or parent?
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When have you or someone you know received revelation from the Lord to bless those you were called to minister or serve?
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When have you been blessed by revelation from the Lord just for you?
Consider asking students to select an answer they feel comfortable sharing. Students could share as a class, or, for variety, students could find someone they have not shared with recently and share their example. Whoever they choose can also share. As time permits, consider allowing students the opportunity to share with other students. Then invite several students to share what they heard from others that was meaningful. As they do, look for ways to highlight the Lord’s goodness and mercy in revealing truths to us. You could also highlight His willingness to help us understand the order and organization He uses.
Oliver Cowdery accepted the revelation, and after much persuasion, Hiram Page and others renounced the incorrect revelations.
To conclude, consider sharing your testimony.