Lesson 61: Doctrine and Covenants 46–48

Doctrine and Covenants 46:1–6

“Ye Shall Not Cast Any Out”

In 1831, because of persecutions and disruptions, some Saints began a practice of allowing only Church members to attend worship meetings. Concerned about this and other matters, Joseph Smith prayed for guidance and received the revelation recorded in Doctrine and Covenants 46. In this revelation, the Savior commanded Church members to welcome all who were “earnestly seeking the kingdom” (Doctrine and Covenants 46:5) to attend worship services. This lesson can help students improve their efforts in creating a welcoming environment at Church meetings.

Possible Learning Activities

Welcoming all

Consider displaying a picture of a local church building with a sign that has the words “Visitors Welcome.” You could also display these words on the board. The video “Welcome” (1:05) might be helpful and prepare students for today’s discussion.

Consider why you think this sign is often found on meetinghouses belonging to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

• How could feeling welcome at church contribute to a person’s worship experience?

  Consider displaying the following questions and inviting students to silently rate themselves on a scale of 1 (Never) to 5 (Always). They could record their answers in their study journals.

• How welcome do you feel in your ward, branch, or seminary class?

• How often do you try to get to know others better in church settings?

• Do you feel that your friends and other people in your neighborhood would feel welcome at church worship services?

As you study today, look for the Savior’s teachings that you could use to help you and others feel welcome at church.

The Lord’s instructions about welcoming others

Share the following summary to help students understand the context for the verses they will study in Doctrine and Covenants 46.

In 1831, there was a concern that some members of the Church had been refusing to allow people who weren’t members to attend the Church’s worship meetings. This practice came as a result of enemies of the Church disrupting worship services. After Joseph Smith prayed for guidance, the Lord revealed important teachings about how the Saints should conduct their meetings.

Read Doctrine and Covenants 46:1–6, looking for the Savior’s instruction concerning those who wanted to attend church meetings.

• What do you learn from these verses about how the Lord wants us to treat others in our church meetings?

  Students may identify a truth similar to following: The Lord has commanded us to welcome everyone to our church meetings.

  To emphasize the importance of this truth, it might be helpful to have students read 3 Nephi 18:22–25. You could also have students read the paragraph under the heading “Treat everyone as a child of God” in the “Love God, love your neighbor” section of For the Strength of Youth: A Guide for Making Choices ([2022], 12).

• Why do you think welcoming others is so important to the Savior in His Church?

• What are some challenges in our day that might make it difficult for someone to feel welcome in church meetings?

• What are some specific things we can do to help others feel welcome in our church meetings?

As part of the discussion of the previous question, consider showing the video “Inviting Others to ‘Come and Stay’” (1:39), available at ChurchofJesusChrist.org.

Jesus Christ was an example of welcoming all

The Savior is the perfect example of inviting and welcoming everybody. Find one or more examples from the scriptures of Jesus being welcoming and loving to all.

If students need additional direction, you could refer them to passages of scriptures like Matthew 9:9–13; 19:13–15; Luke 19:1–10; or 3 Nephi 11:12–15. Consider inviting students to share what they discover and discuss their answers to the following questions. You could invite students to make some notes in their study journals with ideas of how they could follow the Savior’s example.

Emphasize the example of Jesus Christ: For more help inviting students to see how the Savior exemplifies what they are learning, see the training titled “Emphasize the example of Jesus Christ,” found in Teacher Development Skills: Focus on Jesus Christ.

The following questions could be used to help students share what they learned and felt.

• As you studied the Savior’s example, how did His love make a difference for the people He interacted with?

• What is something you learned about the Savior from what you studied that you could try to emulate in your own life?

Consider inviting students to think about and share experiences they have had where they have seen the good that can come from helping others feel welcome in our church meetings. You could also share an experience from your own life.

Applying the Savior’s teachings

Make a plan to apply the Savior’s command to help all feel welcome at church meetings. Record your plan in your study journal. Consider the following questions to assist you with your plan:

• What are some specific ways you could apply the Savior’s counsel you studied today?

• What can you do to feel more welcome in church meetings yourself?

Consider inviting students to give their best efforts to act on promptings they may have had and the plan they made today. Encourage students to strive to be sensitive to the needs of those around them. It might be appropriate to invite students to share their experience welcoming others with the class during a subsequent lesson.

Additional Resources

What should I do if I do not feel welcome at church meetings?

President Dallin H. Oaks of the First Presidency taught:

Some say that attending church meetings is not helping them. Some say, “I didn’t learn anything today” or “No one was friendly to me” or “I was offended.” Personal disappointments should never keep us from the doctrine of Christ, who taught us to serve, not to be served [see James 1:27]. With this in mind, another member described the focus of his Church attendance:

“Years ago, I changed my attitude about going to church. No longer do I go to church for my sake, but to think of others. I make a point of saying hello to people who sit alone, to welcome visitors, … to volunteer for an assignment. …

“In short, I go to church each week with the intent of being active, not passive, and making a positive difference in people’s lives.” (Dallin H. Oaks, “The Need for a Church,” Liahona, Nov. 2021, 24–25)

Why should I try to create a welcoming environment at church?

Sister Bonnie L. Oscarson, former Young Women General President, taught:

My young friends, I can guarantee that there will always be someone at every Church meeting you attend who is lonely, who is going through challenges and needs a friend, or who feels like he or she doesn’t belong. You have something important to contribute to every meeting or activity, and the Lord desires for you to look around at your peers and then minister as He would. …

It is true that we attend our weekly Church meetings to participate in ordinances, learn doctrine, and be inspired, but another very important reason for attending is that, as a ward family and as disciples of the Savior Jesus Christ, we watch out for one another, encourage one another, and find ways to serve and strengthen each other. We are not just receivers and takers of what is offered at church; we are needed to be givers and suppliers. Young women and young men, next time you are at [youth activities], instead of picking up your phone to see what your friends are doing, stop, look around, and ask yourself, “Who needs me today?” You may be the key to reaching out and touching the life of a peer or to giving encouragement to a friend who is quietly struggling.

Ask your Heavenly Father to show you those around you who need your help and to inspire you on how to best serve them. Remember that the Savior most often ministered to one person at a time. (Bonnie L. Oscarson, “The Needs before Us,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2017, 26)

How can I help others feel welcome?

Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught:

[The Lord] entreats us to make His [Church] a place of grace and space, where each can gather, with room for all. As disciples of Jesus Christ, all are equal, with no second-class groups.

All are welcome to attend sacrament meetings, other Sunday meetings, and social events. We reverently worship our Savior, thoughtful and considerate of each other. We see and acknowledge each person. We smile, sit with those sitting alone, learn names, including of new converts, returning brothers and sisters, young women and young men, each dear Primary child.

Imagining ourselves in their place, we welcome friends, visitors, new move-ins, busy individuals pulled in too many directions. We mourn, rejoice, and are there for each other. When we fall short of our ideals and are rushed, unaware, judgmental, or prejudiced, we seek each other’s forgiveness and do better. (Gerrit W. Gong, “Room in the Inn,” Liahona, May 2021, 25–26)

Supplemental Learning Activities

Using scenarios

To help students think of some of the feelings people might have as they find themselves in uncertain situations in church settings, consider using one or more of the following scenarios. Students could also come up with a different scenario.

• David has been learning about the gospel and was recently invited by the missionaries to attend Sunday church meetings and weekly youth activities.

• Raquel recently moved to a new, unfamiliar area and doesn’t know anyone in her new ward or branch.

• Blake chose not to take seminary for his first two years but has now decided that he wants to attend.

After describing the scenario, invite the students to discuss the following questions:

• What are some of the feelings this person might be experiencing?

• What do you think the Savior would want this person to know or do?

• What are a few specific actions you could take to help this person feel more welcome?

• What obstacles might arise in our efforts? How could those obstacles be overcome?

Belonging in seminary

This lesson might provide a good opportunity to have students assess how welcome they feel in seminary. You might invite them to respond to prompts such as the following:

• I feel like a valued member of this class.

• I feel comfortable sharing my thoughts and feelings in class.

• I feel confident that I have friends in this class.

You might invite students to share something that would help them feel more welcome in class. Private or anonymous responses may help you identify principles of belonging you could emphasize to help all class members feel wanted and welcome.

Doctrine and Covenants 46:1–2. Meetings are to be conducted by the Holy Ghost

To emphasize the need to organize and conduct all church meetings by the Spirit, consider inviting students to study Doctrine and Covenants 46:1–2 and share what they found. Invite students to ponder how they could invite the Holy Ghost to help make church meetings more meaningful for them. The following questions might help start a discussion:

• What could we do to show the Spirit we are willing to be taught?

• How can the Holy Ghost direct our thoughts and actions as we attend church meetings?

• How can we maintain a spirit of reverence and be welcoming to others?

Doctrine and Covenants 46:5–6. “Earnestly seeking the kingdom”

Invite students to read Doctrine and Covenants 46:5–6 and mark the phrase “earnestly seeking.” To help students understand the importance of seeking the Lord in an earnest (honest or serious) way, you might invite students to discuss questions like the following:

• What does a person who is earnestly seeking the Lord do or not do?

• Why would an attitude of earnest seeking by those who attend church meetings be important? How could that help someone feel the Spirit?