Lesson 79: Doctrine and Covenants 64–66

Doctrine and Covenants 65

“Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord … That the Kingdom of Heaven May Come”

One important responsibility of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and its members is to help prepare the world for the Savior’s return. In Doctrine and Covenants 65, the Lord revealed this important role to His Prophet Joseph Smith and the Saints. This lesson can help students understand the Church’s role in preparing the world for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.

Possible Learning Activities

Activity preparation

One way to begin this lesson could be to help students think about circumstances in which preparation is vital. The following questions may help.

• What is an activity you enjoy that requires extensive preparation?

• If you were helping someone prepare for this activity, what would you want them to know? What help or resources would you give them?

Provide students with an opportunity to share their answers with other students.

Help students transition into thinking about what The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints helps us prepare for.

Just as your activity requires a great deal of preparation, there are coming events that we need to prepare for. The Lord has established His Church to help us prepare.

• What does His Church prepare us for?

Explain to students that His Church prepares us for many things, and encourage them to share as many as they can think of. Ask them to look for one of these in Doctrine and Covenants 65.

“Prepare ye the way of the Lord”

On September 12, 1831, Joseph Smith and his family moved 30 miles southeast of Kirtland, Ohio, to the John and Alice Johnson home in Hiram, Ohio. A Church service was held at the Johnson home on Sunday, October 30, 1831. On that same day, the Prophet received the revelation that is recorded in Doctrine and Covenants 65.

Students could practice the scripture study skill of looking for repeated words and phrases as they read the following verses. You could encourage them to highlight each instance of “prepare” in these verses. They may also make note of the phrase “make ready” in verse 3.

Read Doctrine and Covenants 65:1, 3 and look for the Savior’s invitation.

• What did you find?

Read Doctrine and Covenants 65:2, looking for what the Savior has given us to help us prepare for His Second Coming.

• What words or phrases do you have questions about?

  To help students analyze and understand the phrases in verses 2–3, ask them what they think the phrases mean. You could share or display some of the following content as necessary:

  1. “Keys of the kingdom,” or “keys of the priesthood,” are “the rights of presidency, or the power given to man by God to direct, control, and govern God’s priesthood on earth” (Guide to the Scriptures, “Keys of the Priesthood,” scriptures.ChurchofJesusChrist.org). See also Matthew 16:18–19.

  2. “The stone which is cut out of the mountain without hands” is “the Lord’s Church [increasing] in magnitude until it fills the whole earth, ‘never [to] be destroyed … [but to] stand for ever’ [Daniel 2:44]” (Ronald A. Rasband, “Fulfillment of Prophecy,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2020, 75). See also Daniel 2:31–35, 44–45.

  3. “Make ready for the Bridegroom” refers to the way “Jesus Christ is symbolized in the scriptures as the Bridegroom. The Church is His symbolic bride” (Guide to the Scriptures, “Bridegroom,” scriptures.ChurchofJesusChrist.org). See also Revelation 19:7–9.

  For additional ideas on how to help students explore the growth of the Church, see the “Supplemental Learning Activities” section of this lesson.

• How would you summarize what we can learn from these verses as a statement of truth?

Students may share something like Jesus Christ restored His Church to help us prepare ourselves and others for His Second Coming. Consider having them write this truth next to verses 1–3.

Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles declared:

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is uniquely empowered and commissioned to accomplish the necessary preparations for the Lord’s Second Coming; indeed, it was restored for that purpose. … The Church of Jesus Christ is commissioned to prepare—and is preparing—the world for that day. (D. Todd Christofferson, “Preparing for the Lord’s Return,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2019, 82, 84)

• What do you think or feel about this statement?

• How is the Church uniquely able to prepare the world for the Savior’s return?

• What preparations do you feel are necessary for that day?

You may want to list on the board ways the Church helps prepare people for the Second Coming. If students struggle to come up with ideas, you could share with them the four divinely appointed responsibilities of the Church. These include assisting in God’s work by (1) living the gospel of Jesus Christ, (2) caring for those in need, (3) inviting all to receive the gospel, and (4) uniting families for eternity (see General Handbook: Serving in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1.2, ChurchofJesusChrist.org). You could list these on the board and ask students to share more specific ways that fall under each of these headings that help prepare people for the Lord’s Second Coming.

“Call upon the Lord, that His kingdom may go forth”

Read Doctrine and Covenants 65:4–6, looking for what the Savior taught we can do individually to help prepare the world for His Second Coming.

• What did you discover?

• What are some of the Savior’s “wonderful works” that are accomplished through His Church? (See General Handbook: Serving in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1.2, 1.3, ChurchofJesusChrist.org.)

• How do these works help prepare us and others for the Savior’s Second Coming?

You might want to give students an opportunity in and out of class to “make known his wonderful works” (Doctrine and Covenants 65:4). They could discuss ways to share with their families and friends or others.

President Russell M. Nelson taught that one thing we can do is “call upon the Lord, that his kingdom may go forth upon the earth” (Doctrine and Covenants 65:5).

My … invitation is for you to pray daily that all of God’s children might receive the blessings of the gospel of Jesus Christ. You and I are living to see, and will continue to see, Israel gathered with great power. And you can be part of the power behind that gathering! (Russell M. Nelson and Wendy W. Nelson, “Hope of Israel” [worldwide youth devotional, June 3, 2018], ChurchofJesusChrist.org)

Have students ponder President Nelson’s invitation. After they have had an opportunity to ponder, invite them to share experiences they have had by following his invitation.

You may want to conclude with a testimony that the Church, or “kingdom of God,” is preparing the way for “the kingdom of heaven” to come when the Savior returns (see Doctrine and Covenants 65:6).

Additional Resources

How can I help prepare the world for the Second Coming of the Savior?

The First Presidency taught:

We know God lives. It is our prayer that you will stay firmly on the covenant path that leads back to your Father in Heaven. As you do, you will be an influence for good, sharing the gospel joyfully and preparing the world for the Second Coming of the Savior. (For the Strength of Youth: A Guide for Making Choices [2022], 2)

What did Joseph Smith teach about the gospel filling the whole earth?

Wilford Woodruff recounted what Joseph Smith taught at a gathering of priesthood holders at Kirtland, Ohio, in April 1834:

The Prophet called on all who held the Priesthood to gather into the little log school house they had there. It was a small house, perhaps 14 feet square. But it held the whole of the Priesthood of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who were then in the town of Kirtland. … When we got together the Prophet called upon the Elders of Israel with him to bear testimony of this work. … When they got through the Prophet said, “Brethren, I have been very much edified and instructed in your testimonies here tonight, but I want to say to you before the Lord, that you know no more concerning the destinies of this Church and kingdom than a babe upon its mother’s lap. You don’t comprehend it.” I was rather surprised. He said, “It is only a little handful of Priesthood you see here tonight, but this Church will fill North and South America—it will fill the world.” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith [2007], 137)

Doctrine and Covenants 65:6. What is the difference between the “kingdom of God” and the “kingdom of heaven”?

The kingdom of God on earth is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (D&C 65). The purpose of the Church is to prepare its members to live forever in the celestial kingdom or kingdom of heaven. (Guide to the Scriptures, “Kingdom of God or Kingdom of Heaven,” scriptures.ChurchofJesusChrist.org)

Supplemental Learning Activities

Growth of the Church of Jesus Christ

You may want to help students explore the growth of the Church over the years to help them see how Daniel’s prophecy is being fulfilled (see Daniel 2:44–45). You could reference the statistical report in the May edition of the Liahona.

You could also refer students to “Facts and Statistics” at newsroom.ChurchofJesusChrist.org, where many can find Church statistics for their home country.

One way to see the expansion of the Church is by looking at the increase in temple construction. Consider comparing the number of temples in the year your oldest student was born with the current number of temples. You could also use:

• The number of temples that have been announced and are under construction (ChurchofJesusChrist.org/temples/list).

• “Making Temple Ordinances More Available” (Liahona, July 2022, 13).

• “The Gospel Shall Roll Forth” (2:47).

The gathering of Israel

Consider watching “A Witness of God” from time code 3:30 to 5:14. Students could look for how Elder Neil L. Andersen’s puzzle comparison can help us understand how the gathering of Israel prepares the world for the Second Coming. They could share ways they can help “set in place other essential pieces” of the puzzle.

You could then watch time code 13:24 to 15:33, looking for Elder Andersen’s special invitation to youth. Students could share how they have seen technology used to gather Israel, then ponder or discuss ways they could use technology to help gather Israel.

Doctrine and Covenants 66. God is aware of you and your needs

You may choose to teach Doctrine and Covenants 66 as part of this lesson. To do so, write the following questions on the board, and invite students to share how they would answer them:

• Why is it a blessing to know God’s will for us?

• How can I learn God’s will for me?

To help students understand the historical context of this section, explain that shortly after he was baptized, William E. McLellin met the Prophet Joseph Smith and asked him to inquire of the Lord on his behalf. Students could read the section heading, looking for what William had done prior to his request of Joseph.

Students could study Doctrine and Covenants 66:4–10, looking for what the Lord wanted William to do. Ask students to share what they find. You could then discuss blessings we can receive when we follow the Lord’s will for us. Encourage students to seek the Lord’s will for their lives through daily prayer.