Seminary
sDoctrine and Covenants 135–136: Overview


“Doctrine and Covenants 135–136: Overview,” Doctrine and Covenants Seminary Teacher Manual (2025)

“Doctrine and Covenants 135–136,” Doctrine and Covenants Seminary Teacher Manual

Doctrine and Covenants 135–136

Doctrine and Covenants 135–136

Overview

Doctrine and Covenants 135 announced the martyrdom of the Prophet Joseph Smith and testified how the Lord blessed us through him. After Joseph’s death, Church members were unsure who would lead them but learned that the keys of the kingdom were held by the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles under Brigham Young. The Saints gradually traveled west to Salt Lake City. Countless other pioneers worldwide have continued to show similar faith in the Lord.

training icon Invite learners to share: Inviting students to share is easily done by prompting students and giving them an opportunity to share. Find moments in the lesson when you can prompt students to ponder their feelings about something, and then ask them to share what they feel or to write their feelings and then share. Verbalizing thoughts and feelings can help them have confidence in expressing testimony. For more on how the Savior did this, see the section “The Savior Provided Opportunities for People to Be Taught by the Holy Ghost” in Teaching in the Savior’s Way. You can also see an example of how to do this in the lesson this week titled “Doctrine and Covenants 135.”

Prepare to teach

The following information provides ideas of what you may need to prepare in advance for each lesson.

Doctrine and Covenants 135

Lesson purpose: To help students strengthen their testimony of Joseph Smith as God’s Prophet of the Restoration.

Succession in the Presidency

Lesson purpose: To help students increase their confidence that the Lord continues to direct His work even when a prophet dies.

  • Student preparation: Consider inviting students to search for scriptures, statements from Church leaders, and other divinely appointed resources that help them know that the prophet of the Church is the Lord’s chosen servant.

  • Handout:Who to Follow after Joseph Smith

Doctrine and Covenants 136

Lesson purpose: To help students understand that Heavenly Father will bless them as they strive to keep their covenant to obey His commands.

  • Student preparation: Students may have had many opportunities to learn about covenants from their study of the Doctrine and Covenants. Invite them to reflect on the blessings they have received as they have tried to make and keep their covenant to obey the Lord’s commands.

  • Items to display: Picture of a covered wagon; map of the pioneer trail

  • Videos:The Trek Continues!” (13:30; watch from time code 5:14 to 11:02); “Watched Over by God: Elizabeth Panting’s Journey to Zion” (16:20; watch from time code 07:50 to 11:16)

  • Items to prepare: Story selections from Saints: The Story of the Church of Jesus Christ in the Latter Days, vol. 2, No Unhallowed Hand, 1846–1893 (2020), 58–96 and from “Pioneers” or “The Trek West” at ChurchofJesusChrist.org

Pioneers in Every Land

Lesson purposes: To help students feel a desire to be pioneers by preparing the way for others to follow Jesus Christ.

  • Student preparation: Invite students to learn about an ancestor who joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and ponder how their ancestor’s decision has blessed them. If students are among the first in their families to join the Church, they could reflect on why they chose to follow Jesus Christ by being baptized and how it will influence future generations. You could invite students to share their stories with the class.

  • Image to display: A handcart

  • Video:LDS Women Are Incredible!” (16:18; watch from time code 2:12 to 3:05)

  • Handout:Pioneer around the World