“Lesson 143—Doctrine and Covenants 133:1–40: Preparing to Meet the Savior,” Doctrine and Covenants Seminary Teacher Manual (2025)
“Doctrine and Covenants 133:1–40,” Doctrine and Covenants Seminary Teacher Manual
Lesson 143: Doctrine and Covenants 133–134
Doctrine and Covenants 133:1–40
Preparing to Meet the Savior
In November 1831, Church leaders desired to know more about the preaching of the gospel and the gathering of Israel. The revelation in Doctrine and Covenants 133 describes events that will precede the Savior’s Second Coming and how His Saints can prepare for those events. This lesson can help students prepare for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.
Possible Learning Activities
Time to prepare
Ask students to recite the key phrase from the doctrinal mastery passage Doctrine and Covenants 29:10–11 from memory (without using their scriptures or having time to prepare). You could call the activity a surprise quiz. Then ask students the following question.
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How would results have been different if you had known about this quiz days or even weeks in advance?
You might give students 2 to 3 minutes to prepare to retake the quiz. Then see how their ability to recite the phrase improves.
Invite students to compare this activity to how our experience will change if we strive to prepare for the Savior’s Second Coming. Invite them to ponder or record their answers to the following questions.
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How do you feel about meeting the Savior when He comes again?
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How prepared do you feel for His return? (What are you most excited about? What concerns you about that day?)
As students study today, encourage them to seek spiritual promptings about how to prepare for the Savior’s return.
The following can help students better understand the context of Doctrine and Covenants 133. You or a student volunteer could read or summarize the paragraph.
In November 1831, many Church leaders wanted to know more about the preaching of the gospel and the gathering of Israel. Jesus Christ gave this revelation in response to these sincere desires. Now Doctrine and Covenants 133, this revelation was originally published as the appendix to the Book of Commandments. It was received two days after section 1, which was originally known as “the Lord’s preface.”
Read Doctrine and Covenants 133:1–4, 10–11, looking for what the Savior revealed about His return to the earth.
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What did you discover?
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What do you learn from verse 4 about the Savior’s desires for us?
As students share, you could write the following truth on the board: Jesus Christ invites us to prepare for His Second Coming.
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What do you think are some of the most important ways to prepare for the Savior’s Second Coming?
Preparation for the Second Coming
To help students identify ways they can prepare for the Second Coming, you could add “by …” to the end of the bolded truth on the board. Invite students to study the following verses in smaller groups. Then ask them to list on the board ways the Savior invites us to prepare for His Second Coming.
Read Doctrine and Covenants 133:5–16, 36–40, 62, looking for words and phrases that will help us prepare for the Savior’s return.
The following activity can help students share ideas of how we can prepare for the Savior’s Second Coming. Invite groups to select one of the preparation ideas on the board, or assign each group a topic. Students could prepare a presentation to teach others how to be ready for the Second Coming. Consider providing poster board or several pieces of paper and colored markers to help students create their presentations. Encourage them to use the Gospel Library app, the Guide to the Scriptures, and other resources to help them prepare. Each presentation could include these elements:
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The statement of truth the group selected or was assigned
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Specific ideas of how teenagers could apply what they learned to be better prepared to meet the Savior
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Related scriptures, a statement by a Church leader, or a passage from For the Strength of Youth: A Guide for Making Choices on the topic
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A drawing, poster, meme, or other visual representation that could help someone understand how to prepare for the Second Coming
If students need additional guidance, you could provide groups with a section of the following handout that corresponds to their subject.
Jesus Christ Invites Us to Prepare for His Second Coming by …
… leaving Babylon (wickedness) (see Doctrine and Covenants 133:4–5, 7, 12–14).
President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, then of the First Presidency, taught:
The ancient city of Babylon is in ruins. Its splendor is long gone. But Babylon’s worldliness and wickedness live on. Now it falls to us to live as believers in a world of disbelief. … We will have to stay calm under peer pressure, not be impressed by popular trends or false prophets, disregard the ridicule of the ungodly, resist the temptations of the evil one, and overcome our own laziness. (Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Be Not Afraid, Only Believe,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2015, 77–78)
… gathering Israel (see Doctrine and Covenants 133:4, 7–9, 37–38).
President Russell M. Nelson reminded us:
Anytime you do anything that helps anyone—on either side of the veil—take a step toward making covenants with God and receiving their essential baptismal and temple ordinances, you are helping to gather Israel. It is as simple as that. (Russell M. Nelson, in “Hope of Israel” [worldwide youth devotional, June 3, 2018], broadcasts.ChurchofJesusChrist.org)
… repenting and being sanctified through Jesus Christ (see Doctrine and Covenants 133:5, 16, 34–35, 62).
Sister Carol F. McConkie, former First Counselor in the Young Women General Presidency, explained:
With faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, we may become clean, without spot, when we deny ourselves of ungodliness and sincerely repent. We are baptized by water for the remission of sins. Our souls are sanctified when we receive the Holy Ghost with open hearts. Weekly, we partake of the ordinance of the sacrament. In a spirit of repentance, with sincere desires for righteousness, we covenant that we are willing to take upon us the name of Christ, remember Him, and keep His commandments so that we may always have His Spirit to be with us. (Carol F. McConkie, “The Beauty of Holiness,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2017, 10)
Invite each group to share their presentation with others. Be sure that, as part of their presentations, students share their ideas of how teenagers could apply what they learned.
Applying what you have learned
President Dallin H. Oaks of the First Presidency invited us to consider what we would do today if we knew the exact timing of the Second Coming.
What if the day of His coming were tomorrow? If we knew that we would meet the Lord tomorrow—through our premature death or through His unexpected coming—what would we do today? What confessions would we make? What practices would we discontinue? What accounts would we settle? What forgivenesses would we extend? What testimonies would we bear?
If we would do those things then, why not now? Why not seek peace while peace can be obtained? (Dallin H. Oaks, “Preparation for the Second Coming,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2004, 9)
From President Oaks’s invitation and what you studied today, write in your study journal something you feel prompted to do to better prepare to meet the Savior. Then answer the following questions:
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What obstacles might get in the way of what the Spirit has prompted you to do?
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What actions might help you deal with the obstacles you face? How might you rely on the Savior?
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What have you felt today about the benefits of preparing now for the Savior’s Second Coming?
If appropriate, students could share what the Spirit has prompted them to do to prepare for the Savior’s return. You might conclude the lesson by reminding students that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ desire us to be prepared for the Second Coming and to see it as a joyful day.