On February 24, 1834, the Prophet Joseph Smith received a revelation from the Lord commanding him to organize a group of volunteers to assist the suffering Saints in Missouri. The Lord required great faith of those who responded to the call to join the group, which became known as the Camp of Israel. This lesson can help students obey commandments the Lord has given them.
Possible Learning Activities
This is the first of three lessons about the experiences of the Camp of Israel, taught in the Doctrine and Covenants 102–105 week. If you are unable to teach the three lessons separately because you do not have enough available class time, consider how you might combine ideas from these lessons.
Obstacles to eternal life
Consider drawing a stick figure of a person on one side of the board. Write the words eternal life on the other side of the board, and draw some form of barrier in between. Then share the following statement by President Wilford Woodruff.
President Wilford Woodruff (1807–98) stated:
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President Wilford Woodruff
I am after salvation and eternal life, and I do not want anything to stand between me and that which I am in pursuit of. (Wilford Woodruff, in Journal of Discourses, 17:246)
What are some obstacles or barriers that people might allow to get in the way of their pursuit of eternal life?
Point out that Wilford Woodruff’s statement was in response to a difficult commandment he had received from the Lord. Before discussing that commandment, consider inviting students to silently think about their answer to the following question.
On a scale of one (not willing) to ten (very willing), how willing are you to obey the Lord when His commandments seem difficult?
Think about reasons why you responded the way you did. As you study today, pay attention to teachings and spiritual promptings from Heavenly Father through the Holy Ghost that can help you follow the Savior, even when a commandment seems difficult.
The Lord calls individuals to redeem Zion
It may be helpful to invite students to share what they remember about the circumstances the Saints in Missouri faced in late 1833. If needed, remind them that the Saints had been persecuted and driven from their homes.
The Prophet Joseph Smith prayed to Heavenly Father to know His will regarding the situation. The revelation recorded in Doctrine and Covenants 103 was received on the day Joseph Smith and other Church leaders counseled together about how to help the Saints in Missouri.
How would you summarize the Lord’s instructions in these verses?
The Lord commanded individuals to organize in companies of tens, twenties, fifties, and hundreds. He called for five hundred but required no less than one hundred men to participate (see Doctrine and Covenants 103:29–34). In total, a little over two hundred men ended up participating in the group known as the Camp of Israel, later referred to as Zion’s Camp.
What thoughts or feelings do you think you might have had if you were called to join the Camp of Israel? Why?
Consider inviting students to read the following verses with a partner and to discuss the question below.
What did you find in these verses that may have been comforting to members of the Camp of Israel?
Explain that in the statement from the beginning of the lesson, Wilford Woodruff was speaking of his call to join the Camp of Israel. Consider showing students the following expanded version of the statement.
Wilford Woodruff described his decision to join the Camp of Israel:
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President Wilford Woodruff
I was called to take my life in my hands and go up to Missouri, and a little handful of us went up to redeem our brethren. We certainly had to go by faith. My neighbors called upon and pled with me not to go; said they—“Do not go, if you do you will lose your life.” I said to them—“If I knew that I should have a ball [shot] through my heart the first step I took in the State of Missouri I would go.” … That is the way I felt in those days with regard to the work of God, and that is the way I feel today. I am after salvation and eternal life, and I do not want anything to stand between me and that which I am in pursuit of. (Wilford Woodruff, in Journal of Discourses, 17:246; spelling modernized)
What stood out to you from this statement?
What did you learn from this statement that can help you when you face commandments that are difficult to obey?
As students share what they learned, they might identify a truth like the following: When we exercise faith in Jesus Christ, we can feel an increased willingness and ability to obey His commandments.
Faith to obey the Lord’s commandments
Consider displaying the following questions on the board. Before discussing them as a class, students could first discuss them with a partner or a small group. You might also consider having students write on the board their answers to the first question.
What are some examples of the Lord’s commandments that can be difficult for teenagers to obey today?
Why can it be difficult to obey these commandments?
The following study activity can help students learn more about exercising faith in Jesus Christ to obey His commandments. Consider displaying the following study options and giving students time to study. You might divide the class into three groups, assigning each group one of the following options. Alternatively, you could allow students to choose an option to study in small groups.
Imagine you have a friend who is facing a commandment that is difficult to obey. Choose one of the following study options, and look for teachings and truths you would want to share with your friend.
After students have had time to complete the study activity, give them opportunities to share what they discovered. You could ask questions like the following:
What did you learn from the resources you studied that can help us obey commandments that are difficult to keep?
How has the Lord blessed you as you have exercised faith in Him when His commandments have felt difficult to obey?
Make a plan
Give students time to seek guidance from Heavenly Father as they think about applying what they have learned to their own lives. Consider displaying the following prompts and inviting students to record their responses to them in their study journals or digital notes.
Think of a commandment that may be difficult for you to obey.
Identify what makes this commandment difficult.
Identify something you have learned today that can help you better obey this commandment.
Make a plan that will help you exercise faith in Jesus Christ to obey this commandment.