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.

the Second Coming of the Lord 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.

• 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.

• How do you feel about meeting the Savior when He comes again?

• 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.

• What did you discover?

• 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.

• 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:

• The statement of truth the group selected or was assigned

• Specific ideas of how teenagers could apply what they learned to be better prepared to meet the Savior

• 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

• 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:

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

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:

President Russell M. Nelson

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:

Sister Carol F. McConkie

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.

President Dallin H. Oaks

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:

• What obstacles might get in the way of what the Spirit has prompted you to do?

• What actions might help you deal with the obstacles you face? How might you rely on the Savior?

• 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.

Additional Resources

What are additional ways we can prepare for the Savior’s Second Coming?

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles reminded us:

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

Collectively speaking—whether it is in our lifetime or our children’s or our grandchildren’s or whenever—we nevertheless have the responsibility as a Church and as individual members of that Church to be worthy to have Christ come to us, to be worthy to have Him greet us, and to have Him accept and receive and embrace us. The lives we present to Him in that sacred hour must be worthy of Him! …

… When Christ comes, the members of His Church must look and act like members of His Church are supposed to look and act if we are to be acceptable to Him. We must be doing His work and we must be living His teachings. He must recognize us quickly and easily as truly being His disciples. (Jeffrey R. Holland, “Terror, Triumph, and a Wedding Feast” [Church Educational System fireside for young adults, Sept. 12, 2004], 6, broadcasts.ChurchofJesusChrist.org)

Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained:

Elder Neil L. Andersen

I promise you that as you prepare yourselves, [you] will be different, thinking more about the Savior, speaking of Him more frequently and with less hesitation. As you come to know and love Him even more deeply, your words will flow more comfortably, as they do when you speak of one of your children or of a dear friend. Those listening to you will feel less like debating or dismissing you and more like learning from you.

You and I speak of Jesus Christ, but maybe we can do a little better. If the world is going to speak less of Him, who is going to speak more of Him? We are! Along with other devoted Christians! …

With those around us, let us be more open, more willing to talk of Christ. President Nelson said, “True disciples of Jesus Christ are willing to stand out, speak up, and be different from the people of the world.” (Neil L. Andersen, “We Talk of Christ,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2020, 89–90)

Supplemental Learning Activities

We need not fear the Savior’s Second Coming

It might help to reassure students that because of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ’s love for all of us, They want us to be prepared for and not afraid of the events preceding the Second Coming.

Consider showing the video “Men’s Hearts Shall Fail Them” from time code 0:00 to 0:54. Invite students to consider why President Russell M. Nelson may have felt differently about death than the woman with him on the plane. You could ask what different reactions people may have about the Savior’s Second Coming. Students could share why they think people will react to the Savior’s return in different ways.

You could remind students that throughout the Doctrine and Covenants, the Savior taught what we can do to make sure we see His Second Coming as a wonderful day.

Doctrine and Covenants 133:10–11. “Lo, the Bridegroom cometh”

the parable of the ten virgins

Consider reviewing the Savior’s parable of the ten virgins (see Matthew 25:1–13; Doctrine and Covenants 45:56–57). You could also show the video “The Ten Virgins” (1:45). Invite students to read Doctrine and Covenants 133:10–11, looking for what the Savior taught about the timing of His Second Coming. Discussion questions might include the following:

• What does this parable teach about our preparations for the Savior’s Second Coming?

• What are some things we can do to make sure our lamps have plenty of oil?

Doctrine and Covenants 133:5, 7, 14–15. “Go ye out from Babylon”

If students need more understanding of the Savior’s command to “go ye out from Babylon” (Doctrine and Covenants 133:5), you could share that in Old Testament times, the city of Babylon was a place of great wickedness. In these verses, Babylon is a symbol of worldliness. Discussion questions could include the following:

• What might it mean when the Lord directs us to go “out from Babylon”?

• What are some things teenagers could do to separate themselves from worldly influences?

• How might these things prepare us for the Second Coming?

Jesus Christ Invites Us to Prepare for His Second Coming by …