Lesson 119: Doctrine and Covenants 106–108

Doctrine and Covenants 107:1–20

“The Holy Priesthood”

In the spring of 1835, members of the newly formed Quorum of the Twelve Apostles were about to leave on their first missions. This revelation from the Lord provided details to help them and others fulfill their priesthood responsibilities. This lesson can help students understand the importance of drawing upon the power of the Savior and His priesthood authority as they serve in His Church.

Possible Learning Activities

Appendages

Begin class by inviting a student to draw a tree with multiple branches on the board. Invite the class to identify which parts of the tree are appendages (the branches and leaves). Invite the student who drew the tree to disconnect one of the appendages by erasing where the branch connects to the trunk. Ask the class to discuss the following questions to prepare them to understand why we need to stay connected to the Savior and His priesthood:

• What happens to an appendage when it is disconnected from the tree? Why?

Read John 15:5, looking for what the Savior taught that relates to this object lesson.

• What did you learn?

• Why is staying connected to the Savior necessary in our efforts to serve in His Church?

Provide time for students to reflect on their connection to Jesus Christ. Invite them to seek inspiration as they consider how this connection will not only bless them personally but also empower them to bless others through Church callings and ministering assignments.

Appendages to the priesthood

To help students understand the context of section 107, share the following information in your own words:

On March 28, 1835, members of the newly formed Quorum of the Twelve Apostles were preparing to serve missions to the eastern United States. Some Apostles were unsure about how to serve in their new callings. The Lord revealed Doctrine and Covenants 107 to instruct them about the priesthood and encourage them in their assignments.

Read Doctrine and Covenants 107:1–4, looking for what the Lord taught about the priesthood.

• What did you learn about the Melchizedek Priesthood?

Compare the name of the priesthood found in verse 3 with what President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, then of the First Presidency, taught:

Christ is the source of all true priesthood authority and power on earth. It is His work, in which we are privileged to assist. (Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “The Joy of the Priesthood,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2012, 59)

• Why do you feel it is important to understand that all priesthood power comes directly from Jesus Christ?

Before reading the following verses, invite students to recall their discussion about appendages. Draw another tree on the board, and label it The Church of Jesus Christ. Then list the following on the board: Melchizedek Priesthood, Aaronic Priesthood, Relief Society, Young Women, Sunday School, Primary.

Read with a partner Doctrine and Covenants 107:5, 13–14, looking for which of the words on the board you could compare to the trunk of the tree and which you could compare to the appendages.

• Based on what you read, what could you compare to the trunk? What are the appendages?

  As students answer the previous questions, consider labeling the trunk as The Melchizedek Priesthood and the appendages (or branches) as The Aaronic Priesthood and the Church organizations listed on the board.

  Invite students to mark the truth in verse 5 that all authorities and offices in the Savior’s Church are appendages to the Melchizedek Priesthood.

• What can we learn from the Lord’s comparison of the Aaronic Priesthood and Church organizations to “appendages” of His Melchizedek Priesthood?

Use the words of prophets to emphasize doctrine and principles: The following is an example of using prophetic words to deepen students’ understanding of doctrine. For more practice with this, see the training titled, “Teach from the scriptures and words of latter-day prophets” found in the Teacher Development Skills. Consider practicing the skill, “Prepare invitations that help students connect truths found in the scriptures to what living prophets are saying.”

President Dallin H. Oaks of the First Presidency shared the following about priesthood authority in Church callings:

Ultimately, all keys of the priesthood are held by the Lord Jesus Christ, whose priesthood it is. He is the one who determines what keys are delegated to mortals and how those keys will be used. …

… Since the scriptures state that “all other authorities [and] offices in the church are appendages to this [Melchizedek] priesthood” (D&C 107:5), all that is done under the direction of those priesthood keys is done with priesthood authority. (Dallin H. Oaks, “The Keys and Authority of the Priesthood,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2014, 50)

Remind students that Jesus Christ is the source of all priesthood power (see Doctrine and Covenants 107:3). Consider writing The Savior’s power next to The Melchizedek Priesthood on the trunk of the tree.

• How might understanding that every calling in the Church is attached to the Savior’s power help you better serve those around you?

• When have you felt the Savior’s power helping you in your Church service?

Experiencing priesthood power

Invite students to read the following passages and discuss the three questions below with a partner. You may want to display the questions for student reference.

Read Doctrine and Covenants 107:8, 18–20, looking for ways the Savior provides power through His priesthood to those who serve in the Church.

Doctrine and Covenants 107:8 is a doctrinal mastery passage. Consider inviting students to mark doctrinal mastery passages in a distinctive way so they can locate them easily.

• What are some “spiritual things” (verse 8) the Lord blesses us with through His Melchizedek Priesthood?

  Help students understand that administering in “spiritual things” includes administering blessings, ordinances, and covenants.

• How do the “outward ordinances” of the Aaronic priesthood (such as baptism and the sacrament) referred to in verse 20 help connect you to Jesus Christ?

• When has someone else’s connection to the Savior as they served been a blessing in your life?

Consider sharing an example of someone who was blessed when others served in a way that connected them with the Savior’s power. One example is shown in the video “The Tender Mercies of the Lord” from time code 6:55 to 8:53, found at ChurchofJesusChrist.org. In this address, Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles shared a story of a priesthood leader who was guided by God in ministering to the youth in his stake.

The Tender Mercies of the Lord

I testify that the tender mercies of the Lord are available to all of us and that the Redeemer of Israel is eager to bestow such gifts upon us.

Personal application

Sister Bonnie L. Oscarson, former Young Women General President, taught how priesthood authority can empower young women in their callings. Look for how her statement can apply to all youth as they serve.

Young women of the Church need to see themselves as essential participants in the priesthood-directed work of salvation and not just as onlookers and supporters. You hold callings and are set apart by those holding priesthood keys to function as leaders with power and authority in this work. As you magnify your callings in class presidencies and prepare spiritually, counsel together, reach out to minister to your class members, and teach one another the gospel, you are taking your place in this work and both you and your peers will be blessed. (Bonnie L. Oscarson, “Rise Up in Strength, Sisters of Zion,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2016, 14)

• What impressed you from this statement? Why?

  Invite students to answer the following question in their study journals. You might ask volunteers to share their answers.

• What did you learn today about the importance of drawing on the power of the Savior and His priesthood authority as you serve in the Church?

Memorize

You may want to help students memorize the doctrinal mastery reference and key scripture phrase during this lesson and review them in future lessons. The key scripture phrase is “The Melchizedek Priesthood … has power and authority … to administer in spiritual things.” Ideas for memorization activities are in the appendix materials under “Doctrinal Mastery Review Activities.”

Additional Resources

Doctrine and Covenants 107:5. How are all Church offices connected to the Melchizedek Priesthood?

President Joseph F. Smith (1838–1918) taught:

There is no government in the Church of Jesus Christ separate and apart, above, or outside of the holy Priesthood or its authority. … [Auxiliary organizations] are not outside of, nor above it, nor beyond its reach. They acknowledge the principle of the Priesthood. Wherever they are they always exist with the view of accomplishing some good; some soul’s salvation, temporal or spiritual. (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph F. Smith [1998], 341–42)

The Prophet Joseph Smith (1805–44) explained:

The Melchizedek Priesthood … is the channel through which all knowledge, doctrine, the plan of salvation, and every important matter is revealed from heaven. (Joseph Smith, in History, 1838–1856 [Manuscript History of the Church], volume C-1, 1104, josephsmithpapers.org; spelling, punctuation, and capitalization modernized)

Doctrine and Covenants 107:8. How is priesthood authority from God exercised by women in the Church?

President Dallin H. Oaks of the First Presidency taught:

We are not accustomed to speaking of women having the authority of the priesthood in their Church callings, but what other authority can it be? When a woman—young or old—is set apart to preach the gospel as a full-time missionary, she is given priesthood authority to perform a priesthood function. The same is true when a woman is set apart to function as an officer or teacher in a Church organization under the direction of one who holds the keys of the priesthood. Whoever functions in an office or calling received from one who holds priesthood keys exercises priesthood authority in performing her or his assigned duties. (Dallin H. Oaks, “The Keys and Authority of the Priesthood,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2014, 51)

Where can I learn more about the relationship between women and the priesthood?

To learn more about how women exercise priesthood power and authority to accomplish the work of God, see the “Women and the Priesthood” section of the Relief Society web page.

Supplemental Learning Activities

Doctrine and Covenants 107:2. “Melchizedek was such a great high priest”

Invite students to read Doctrine and Covenants 107:2 and to look for how the Savior describes Melchizedek.

• What do you know about Melchizedek that made him such a great high priest?

Consider inviting students to search JST Genesis 14:25–40 or Alma 13:3–19, looking for insights about the prophet Melchizedek that could remind us of the character and mission of Jesus Christ.

After their search, ask students to share phrases or descriptions that remind them of Jesus Christ. After listing some attributes, invite students to share times they’ve noticed someone serving in the Church with similar attributes or in a way that reminds the students of Christ.

Doctrine and Covenants 107:14, 20. Aaronic Priesthood power

Ask one student to read Doctrine and Covenants 107:20 and another student to read Doctrine and Covenants 13. Ask students to identify similarities and differences between these two verses.

• How does knowing the Aaronic Priesthood is connected to the Savior’s power (see Doctrine and Covenants 107:14) influence how you view Aaronic Priesthood duties and responsibilities?

• What are some examples of “outward ordinances”?

Help students understand that these ordinances include baptism and administering the sacrament.

• When has one of these ordinances helped you feel closer to Jesus Christ?

For more information and resources about the power of the Aaronic Priesthood, see the Doctrine and Covenants 13 lesson in this manual.

Drawing the Savior’s power into our callings

To help students understand how they can access the Savior’s power in their callings, you may use one or more of the following scenarios and invite students to share ways these youth could connect their service with Jesus Christ.

• Becca is new to her ward but has been asked to be her Young Women class president. She is unsure about her new calling because she doesn’t know any of the girls in her class.

• Miguel feels that the assignment to take the sacrament to the older people in the ward who cannot come to church is a burden. Sometimes it takes an extra hour after church.

• Kim has been asked to minister with an older woman in the ward. One of their assigned families is the family of another young woman who has been unkind to Kim in the past.

• Adam has been called to serve as the teachers quorum president. He now needs to find counselors and a secretary and start planning activities and helping the young men in his quorum, some of whom do not come to church.

Doctrine and Covenants 106

Doctrine and Covenants 106 is a revelation from the Lord to Warren Cowdery, who was given a calling to preside over some branches of the Church.

You can invite students to read this section and mark insights that can help them connect to the power of Jesus Christ in their callings.