Lesson 81: Doctrine and Covenants 67–70

Doctrine and Covenants 68:25–31

Teaching and Learning the Gospel in the Home

parents teaching their children the gospel

Learning the gospel of Jesus Christ helps prepare children to face life’s challenges and temptations with faith in the Savior. Parents have unique potential to help their children learn the gospel. This lesson can help students better understand the Lord’s command for parents to teach their children the gospel at home.

Possible Learning Activities

Help in our mortal journey

Consider reminding students that when we came to earth, we lost our memory of the premortal existence with our Heavenly Father. Additionally, we came to a fallen world that includes the deceptive and destructive influence of Satan. These realities create challenges to living faithful to Heavenly Father’s plan.

• What are some things Heavenly Father has given to help us learn about Him and navigate mortal challenges?

  You could list students’ responses on the board. If students do not mention it, add “parents or guardians” to the list.

• How have you been blessed by any one of these influences?

• Why do you think parents or guardians can be influential in helping children deal with the challenges of mortality?

Consider sharing with students that today they will be learning from a scripture passage that describes the responsibilities of parents in helping children learn the gospel. Be sensitive to the reality that each student comes from a different family circumstance and that some students may not have a desirable situation at home.

Know each learner’s circumstances: For more training to learn how to be sensitive to each student’s circumstances, see the training titled “See learners the way God sees them” in Teacher Development Skills: Love Those You Teach. Consider practicing the skill “Pause, reflect, and answer questions we ask ourselves.”

Consider explaining the following:

There is great variety in family situations. Some people, like Nephi, were born to parents who strived to guide them to follow the Savior (see 1 Nephi 1:1). Some, like President Russell M. Nelson or Elders David A. Bednar and Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, grew up with one or more parents who were not members of the Church or who were not active participants in it. Others, like President Dallin H. Oaks of the First Presidency, lost a parent early in their lives. Some youth grow up away from their parents, like Moses (see Exodus 2:10) and Samuel did (see 1 Samuel 1:24–28). And still others, like Abraham and Limhi, had a parent actively striving to do evil (see Abraham 1:1–17, 27; Mosiah 7:9; 11:1–5).

In your scripture journal, describe your family situation. Ponder what you are learning from your family experiences. You might include your feelings about being a parent in the future and how you might want to parent.

If students feel comfortable, they might share some of their thoughts.

Invite students to think about how what they learn today might help them support those who are striving to teach them the gospel of Jesus Christ, including parents or guardians. They might also think about how they can apply what they learn in the future themselves.

What the Lord commanded parents to teach their children

While gathered for a conference in Ohio, four men sought the Lord’s direction through the Prophet Joseph Smith. After giving some counsel to these men about their duties, the Lord gave more general counsel to all families who are part of Zion.

Consider writing the incomplete sentence The Lord has commanded that parents teach their children … on the board. Students could then add words or phrases to the statement on the board as they find them in the following verses. Alternatively, you could invite students to write the sentence in their journals and add their answers there.

Read Doctrine and Covenants 68:25–31, looking for what the Lord commanded parents to teach their children.

Once students have had time to complete the sentence with various principles the Lord wants parents to teach, invite them to answer the following questions:

• If people do not have the gospel in their home, what other ways has the Lord provided for them to learn these principles?

• Who has taught you one of the principles in these verses as you have grown? Do you have any memories of them teaching you? If so, what are those memories?

• How have the principles in these verses affected your life, or how could they?

Students could ponder how the teachings from that person or verses have helped or could help them feel the love of the Lord and His desire for them to learn these principles.

Applying Doctrine and Covenants 68:25–31

To consider how Doctrine and Covenants 68:25–31 might help teenagers in various situations, provide students some scenarios to explore. You could use the scenarios and questions provided below or create some of your own that would be helpful for students. Students could consider these scenarios as a class, in groups, or individually.

Activity A

A young man has parents who strive to be examples of following the Savior, but he often complains when his parents invite him to family scripture study or prayer. He tends to ignore them or play on his phone when they try to counsel him.

• How might the Lord’s teachings in Doctrine and Covenants 68:25–31 help him understand how the Lord feels about what his parents are trying to do?

• What scriptures might guide him to respond better to the situation? (Some examples are Ephesians 6:1–3; Mosiah 4:14–15; and the Savior’s example at age 12 in Luke 2:51–52.)

• What are some ways he can support his parents? How might these actions make a difference in his family?

Activity B

A young woman’s parents are divorced. She splits her time between them. Her mother makes fun of the Church and does not expect her daughter to follow gospel teachings when in her home. Her father encourages her to live the gospel and actively attend seminary, church, and youth activities. Compared to being with her mother, life with her dad feels rigid and restricting.

• How might Doctrine and Covenants 68:25–31 help guide this young woman?

Read Exodus 20:12.

• What are some ways this young woman can honor both of her parents while still following the Lord?

• What other ideas, teachings from Church leaders, or experiences may help her?

Activity C

A young man has had a very difficult youth and is no longer with his parents. It is painful for him to think about them.

• How might it be helpful for this young man to ponder what other people the Lord has sent to teach him the principles listed in Doctrine and Covenants 68:25–31?

• How might Doctrine and Covenants 68:25–31 help this young man prepare for his future?

To finish this activity, select one principle the Lord commanded parents to teach in Doctrine and Covenants 68:25–31, and then find a verse in scripture you could use to teach that principle. Share how this principle can help youth today.

Invite students to share what they learned. It might be helpful to give students a chance to share their own experiences, questions, or concerns related to gospel learning in the home. Consider letting students respond to the questions or concerns of their peers by using divinely appointed sources and their own experiences.

Help students understand that whatever their family situation, the Lord desires for them to gain deep and lasting conversion to Him and His gospel in the best way they can. Consider inviting students to seek personal revelation on how they might apply what they have learned. This could be by supporting their parents as they strive to fulfill their responsibility to help them come unto Jesus Christ, appreciating others the Lord prepared to teach them the principles studied today, or preparing to teach their own children in the future.

Additional Resources

How is the Church striving to help parents with their responsibility to teach the gospel of Jesus Christ in the home?

President Russell M. Nelson taught:

President Russell M. Nelson

The new home-centered, Church-supported integrated curriculum has the potential to unleash the power of families, as each family follows through conscientiously and carefully to transform their home into a sanctuary of faith. I promise that as you diligently work to remodel your home into a center of gospel learning, over time your Sabbath days will truly be a delight. Your children will be excited to learn and to live the Savior’s teachings, and the influence of the adversary in your life and in your home will decrease. Changes in your family will be dramatic and sustaining. (Russell M. Nelson, “Becoming Exemplary Latter-day Saints,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2018, 113)

What is the balance between parents’ responsibility to teach and a child’s responsibility to learn the gospel?

Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles shared the following idea:

Elder David A. Bednar

Our commitment to learn and live according to truth is increasingly important in a world that is “in commotion” [Doctrine and Covenants 45:26] and is ever more confused and wicked. We cannot expect simply to attend Church meetings and participate in programs and thereby receive all of the spiritual edification and protection that will enable us “to withstand in the evil day” [Ephesians 6:13].

“Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness” [“The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” ChurchofJesusChrist.org]. Inspired Church leaders, teachers, and activities help individual and family efforts to grow spiritually. And though we all need help pressing forward on the covenant path, the ultimate responsibility for developing spiritual strength and stamina rests upon each one of us. …

If all you or I know about Jesus Christ and His restored gospel is what other people teach or tell us, then the foundation of our testimony of Him and His glorious latter-day work is built upon sand. We cannot rely exclusively upon or borrow gospel light and knowledge from other people—even those whom we love and trust. (David A. Bednar, “Prepared to Obtain Every Needful Thing,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2019, 102)

Supplemental Learning Activities

Doctrine and Covenants 68:27. “Baptized … when eight years old.”

If students want to understand why children are baptized at age eight, consider inviting students to read Doctrine and Covenants 20:71 and 29:47. You might ask students to share insights they gain. Consider inviting students to identify the phrase in Doctrine and Covenants 29:47 that suggests that accountability is a process more than an event. You could ask how Heavenly Father’s commandment that parents prepare their children for baptism by age eight shows His love for children.

Doctrine and Covenants 68:30–31. “Idlers among them.”

If it would be valuable for your students to have a better understanding of the concept of avoiding idleness, you could invite them to share the blessings they have seen come from hard work. Students could read Doctrine and Covenants 68:30–31 and identify potential negative consequences of idleness (or laziness). You might ask students what could help a person overcome a tendency to be lazy.

Preparing to teach future children

Though the verses studied in this lesson are written to parents, they could also apply to students as future parents. To help students think about this idea, you could invite them to choose one of the principles that parents are to teach their children. Then invite them to create a short lesson on that principle that they could use to teach their own child.

Counsel for children

One way to help students relate to the Lord’s command for parents to teach children is to have students consider the role of children in the learning process. To do this, you could invite students to write a verse to follow Doctrine and Covenants 68:28 that is written to children. Invite students to include in their verse counsel to children about being gospel learners in the home.