Lesson 114: Doctrine and Covenants 98–101

Doctrine and Covenants 101:1–42

“Notwithstanding Their Sins, My Bowels Are Filled with Compassion”

compassionate image of Christ

The Saints in Missouri struggled to live righteously as the Lord commanded. Consequently, they forfeited much of the Lord’s power and protection and were driven from their homes by their enemies. Despite this, the Lord assured them of His love and compassion toward them. This lesson is intended to help students feel the Savior’s compassion and mercy for them.

Possible Learning Activities

Reasons for suffering

Consider displaying the following picture and asking students different reasons why the young woman could be feeling upset. You might list students’ responses on the board.

youth in anguish

After sufficient time, share with students that the trials we experience can come for a variety of reasons. Some of those include our own choices, a natural part of life, or the poor choices of others. Consider listing these three categories on another part of the board and allowing students to sort the reasons they listed into each category.

You may want to refer to the statement in the “Additional Resources” section from the Topics and Questions entry “Adversity” for more on these three reasons for suffering.

The Lord’s response to the Saints’ suffering

You could read or summarize in your own words the following contextual information.

In 1833, the opposition in Missouri became violent as mobs began to use force to remove the Saints from Independence. Saints were unsure whether to stand their ground or to flee as the weather grew colder and tensions increased. The Prophet Joseph Smith was in Kirtland, Ohio, at this time but was being updated on the condition of the Saints. Knowing of their pain and distress, the Prophet prayed to ask Heavenly Father if they could be restored to their homes in Missouri. He received a revelation now known as Doctrine and Covenants 101. (For more information about the Saints’ trials, see Saints, vol. 1, The Standard of Truth, chapter 17.)

Read Doctrine and Covenants 101:1–2, looking for why the Lord allowed the Saints to suffer the way they did.

• What did you find?

• What may have been other causes of their suffering?

Help students understand that in addition to suffering because of their transgressions, the Saints suffered from the poor choices of others (mobs) and as a natural part of life (the cold of winter).

For the following activity, you might divide students into pairs. You could invite them to read the verses, one partner looking for things that might have been difficult to hear and the other looking for things that might have been comforting to hear.

Read Doctrine and Covenants 101:3–9, looking for what would have been comforting to hear and what would have been difficult to hear.

• What did you find?

• According to verses 3 and 9, how does the Lord see those who have sinned?

  Students could identify truths, including even when we have sinned, the Lord extends compassion and mercy to us.

  Help students discuss how this principle can help us look to the Lord in our day. Questions like the following could help.

• What do you learn about the Lord as He extends compassion and mercy toward us when we sin instead of ignoring our sins?

• Why do you think Jesus Christ is capable of compassion and mercy in response to our sins?

Motivated by Christ’s character

Invite students to ponder why they personally need the Savior’s compassion and mercy. Ask them to reflect on how receiving His compassion and mercy could bless their lives.

Give students opportunities to discuss gospel truths. The following activity encourages students to study and then discuss gospel truths they are learning. For more training on how to do this, see the training titled “Encourage learners to share the truths they are learning,” found in Teacher Development Skills. Consider practicing the skill by inviting students to share with each other what they are learning.

You could divide students into pairs and invite them to read the statement and scripture passage below. They could then discuss the questions together.

Read the following statement and scripture passage, looking for what you learn about the character of Jesus Christ that could help someone who has sinned.

Elder Ulisses Soares of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught:

Elder Ulisses Soares

Unlike you and me, Christ is capable of clearly seeing all facets of a given situation. Even knowing all our weaknesses as He does, the Savior does not rashly condemn us but continues to work with us compassionately over time. (Ulisses Soares, “The Savior’s Abiding Compassion,” Liahona, Nov. 2021, 15)

Hebrews 4:14–16

• What did you find? How would it help someone who has sinned?

Consider sharing a personal experience of how you have been blessed by the Savior’s compassion and mercy. Invite willing students to share experiences too. Remember that you or students should not share experiences that are too personal or confess past sins.

What about Zion?

Consider sharing with students that the Saints in Missouri were hoping to build Zion in Independence but were forced to leave. Though students may not relate to losing Zion, they may feel they have lost something else precious or sacred to them, like friends or opportunities to grow spiritually. Invite them to read the following verses and think about what they teach about the Savior.

Read Doctrine and Covenants 101:16–19, looking for comfort and perspective the Lord offers.

• What do these verses help you understand about the Savior’s perspective?

• What did the Lord teach about Zion that could relate to our lives now?

  You might invite students to reflect on their own challenges and choices. They could respond to the following questions in their study journals.

• What verse from Doctrine and Covenants 101:1–19 do you want to remember?

• What have you felt about the Savior’s compassion or mercy that could be a blessing to your life?

• What is a step you could take to act on what you have felt?

Additional Resources

What are different sources of our suffering?

“Adversity comes from different sources. Trials may come as a consequence of a person’s own pride and disobedience. These trials can be avoided through righteous living. Other trials are simply a natural part of life and may come at times when people are living righteously. For example, people may experience trials in times of sickness or uncertainty or at the deaths of loved ones. Adversity may sometimes come because of others’ poor choices and hurtful words and actions” (Topics and Questions, “Adversity,” topics.ChurchofJesusChrist.org).

Is it possible that my mistakes are beyond the Savior’s ability to rescue me?

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught:

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

However late you think you are, however many chances you think you have missed, however many mistakes you feel you have made or talents you think you don’t have, or however far from home and family and God you feel you have traveled, I testify that you have not traveled beyond the reach of divine love. It is not possible for you to sink lower than the infinite light of Christ’s Atonement shines. (Jeffrey R. Holland, “The Laborers in the Vineyard,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2012, 33)

Elder C. Scott Grow of the Seventy said:

Elder C. Scott Grow

Jesus Christ is the Great Healer of our souls. With the exception of sins of perdition, there is no sin or transgression, pain or sorrow, which is outside of the healing power of His Atonement.

When we sin, Satan tells us we are lost. In contrast, our Redeemer offers redemption to all—no matter what we have done wrong—even to you and to me. (C. Scott Grow, “The Miracle of the Atonement,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2011, 109)

In a youth broadcast, Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles shared the following example of a youth who didn’t feel he was worthy of God’s love:

Doctrine and Covenants 101:5. Why does the Lord chasten us?

Elder D. Todd Christofferson

Divine chastening has at least three purposes: (1) to persuade us to repent, (2) to refine and sanctify us, and (3) at times to redirect our course in life to what God knows is a better path. (D. Todd Christofferson, “As Many as I Love, I Rebuke and Chasten,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2011, 98)

Doctrine and Covenants 101:2. What were some of the Saints’ transgressions?

Before the Saints were driven from Jackson County, Missouri, they had received several warnings that they would suffer afflictions if they did not repent. For example, in January 1833, Joseph Smith chastised William W. Phelps and Sidney Gilbert for letters they had written that were critical and negative. Orson Hyde and Hyrum Smith wrote a letter to Church leaders in Missouri warning them about “low, dark, & blind insinuations” that were made about the Prophet Joseph Smith. Because of these transgressions and others, Orson Hyde and Hyrum Smith warned that the Saints in Missouri would face “a scourge & a judgment” (The Joseph Smith Papers, Documents, Volume 2: July 1831–January 1833, ed. Matthew C. Godfrey and others [2013], 367, 373–74).

Supplemental Learning Activities

A scenario

If you feel a scenario would help students understand the truth they identified from Doctrine and Covenants 101:3, 9, you could use a scenario like the following:

Grace is a young woman who hasn’t been involved with the Church or gospel for several years. During this time, she has made many choices not in line with the Savior’s teachings. These choices have left her feeling distant from the Church and the youth her age in her ward. Her view of Jesus Christ is that He is a perfect being who doesn’t approve of her choices. She feels more comfortable ignoring religious thoughts or questions in her life. She also feels that she has missed opportunities to learn and develop like other youth her age after being away so long.

• What could be helpful for Grace to understand from what you have learned or felt today?

• How can understanding Jesus Christ’s compassion and mercy impact our motivation to repent?

• What testimony or experience from your own life could you share with Grace about the Savior’s compassion and mercy?

Doctrine and Covenants 101:27–35. Conditions during the Millennium

It could be inspiring for students to learn about the conditions during the Millennium.

You may want to explain that, as part of His comfort to the Saints, the Lord shared with them an expanded perspective of Zion and the gathering and blessing of the Saints (see Doctrine and Covenants 101:16–19). The Lord took that perspective even further in teaching the Saints about the coming Millennium, which would follow the building of Zion and the Second Coming (see Doctrine and Covenants 101:20–23).

Consider inviting students to read Doctrine and Covenants 101:27–35, looking for what the Lord revealed would happen during the Millennium. You might ask students what they learned that is exciting to them. You may invite students to ask any questions they have about the verses. Students could note in their scriptures that these verses refer to the Millennium. Consider viewing the Doctrine and Covenants Student Manual (2025) for commentary on these verses.

You could then invite students to read Doctrine and Covenants 101:36–38 and share how these verses help them answer the following questions:

• How would the Savior want you to feel knowing about what is to come?

• How can knowing what is to come change our perspective on current challenges?

Doctrine and Covenants 101:39–41. “Salt of the earth”

To help students better understand Doctrine and Covenants 101:39–41 (see also Matthew 5:13), you might ask them what salt is good for. Help them understand that salt enhances the flavor of food, preserves food, and also has healing properties. Invite them to read verses 39–40, looking for what the Savior taught about people and salt.

Consider sharing the following statement from Elder Carlos E. Asay (1926–1999): “A world-renowned chemist told me that salt will not lose its savor with age. Savor is lost through mixture and contamination” (Carlos E. Asay, “Salt of the Earth: Savor of Men and Saviors of Men,” Ensign, May 1980, 42). You might ask the following questions:

• How can men and women be like salt to the people of the earth?

• How might this analogy be compared to the Saints in Missouri?

• How can the Lord’s people preserve their savor today?

Read Doctrine and Covenants 101:41–42, looking for what the Savior taught needed to happen for the Saints to start to regain their savor. Give students a chance to share and help them understand that the Lord desired his Saints to become purified through chastening and humbling themselves before Him.

• How can the Lord’s love be seen in these verses?