Lesson 149—Doctrine and Covenants 136: The Trek West: A Covenant Journey to the Salt Lake Valley
“Lesson 149—Doctrine and Covenants 136: The Trek West: A Covenant Journey to the Salt Lake Valley,” Doctrine and Covenants Seminary Teacher Manual (2025)
“Doctrine and Covenants 136: The Trek West,” Doctrine and Covenants Seminary Teacher Manual
In February of 1846, the first group of Latter-day Saints left Nauvoo and headed to the unknown lands of the West. At Winter Quarters, Nebraska, President Brigham Young received what is now Doctrine and Covenants 136. In this revelation, the Savior promised to bless the Saints as they faithfully kept their covenants on their journey west. This lesson can help students understand that Heavenly Father will bless them as they strive to keep their covenant to obey His commands.
Possible Learning Activities
A long and difficult journey
To begin class, show a picture of a covered wagon and a map of the pioneer trail. Invite students to imagine how they would feel if they had to go through a journey like the early Saints made. You could read or summarize the following paragraph to help students understand what the early Saints sacrificed to obey the Lord’s command to make their journey west.
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covered wagon
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the trek west map
More than 60,000 Latter-day Saints traveled by covered wagon or handcart from Nauvoo to the Salt Lake Valley between 1846 and 1868. Families packed only what could fit into a covered wagon or handcart. Everything else was left behind. The wagons would not have had room for passengers unless they were sick or injured. Most of the family had to walk the 1,200 miles (1,900 km) from Nauvoo to the Salt Lake Valley.
For reference, consider showing a map of your area and mark a location 1,200 miles (1,900 km) away.
What concerns might you have about this journey?
How could the Savior help you endure this type of journey? How could you act in faith in Him as you travel?
You could ask students how our individual journey through life might be similar to the Saints’ pioneer trek west. To add to students’ responses, provide the following statement from President M. Russell Ballard:
President M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles taught:
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President M. Russell Ballard
Although it is appropriate and important to remember the historic 19th-century Mormon pioneer trek, we need to remember that “the trek through life continues!” for each of us as we prove our own “faith in every footstep.” …
A trek back to our Heavenly Father is the most important trek of our lives, and it continues each day, each week, each month, and each year as we increase our faith in Him and in His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ. …
Stay on the gospel path by having “faith in every footstep” so you can return safely back to the presence of Heavenly Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (M. Russell Ballard, “The Trek Continues!,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2017, 105–6).
What stands out to you from President Ballard’s teaching?
As you study today, reflect on how your life journey is going. How are you coming closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ? How have you seen Their help throughout this journey? Prayerfully ponder how you feel you are progressing and how you may be struggling.
Encourage students to seek the Spirit’s guidance to help them recognize how Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are blessing them today and can continue to bless them personally throughout their journeys.
The word and will of the Lord
You can read or summarize the following paragraph to provide historical context to Doctrine and Covenants 136. You might also ask students to find Winter Quarters on the map.
After a long and difficult journey across Iowa, the Saints sought temporary shelter in a place they named Winter Quarters in Nebraska. Unprepared to spend the winter there, the Saints suffered hunger, disease, and death, testing their strength and endurance. It was at Winter Quarters in January 1847 that President Brigham Young received what is now Doctrine and Covenants 136. In this revelation, the Savior instructed the Saints how to prepare and proceed in their journey farther west.
Listen carefully to students’ answers. If helpful, ask some of the following questions: “In verses 2 and 4, what did the Savior teach the Saints about making and keeping their covenants?” “How were the Saints to care for each other and those who followed behind them?” “According to verse 11, what blessings did the Savior promise if the Saints would make and keep their covenants throughout the journey?”
Help students identify the truth that as we honor our covenants to keep the Lord’s commandments, He will bless us in all things.
For the next part of the lesson, consider organizing students into “pioneer companies.” You could arrange desks or chairs in circles for the companies to discuss the verses and questions together. Each company could select a “captain” to report to the class what they felt was meaningful from their discussion.
Read Doctrine and Covenants 136:19–29 and mark the commandments the Savior gave the Saints as they traveled west. Select a few commandments that stand out to you.
Why would the commandments you selected be important for the pioneer companies to follow?
How could keeping the same commandments help us?
What blessings might the Lord give us for keeping those commandments today?
Students can study the following pioneer stories and discuss the following questions in companies or as a class. If done in companies, be sure that students have all of the directions and questions they will need and that company leaders know they will report the highlights of the discussion or can delegate to another member of the company to report.
Saints obediently traveled thousands of miles “to the place where the Lord shall locate a stake of Zion” (Doctrine and Covenants 136:10). To help students understand some of the ways the Lord blessed the pioneers as they tried to keep their covenants to obey the Lord, you could do one of the following:
Invite students to select a favorite story of the pioneers’ trek to the Salt Lake Valley to share with their company.
Provide 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 that students could read in their companies.
Show the video “Watched Over by God: Elizabeth Panting’s Journey to Zion” from time code 7:47 to 11:16, the story of a miracle on the pioneer trail.
How does this pioneer story demonstrate the Lord’s blessings as we strive to keep His commandments?
How might this story help teenagers today as they covenant to keep the commandments of God?
Lessons of the pioneer journey
Invite students to ponder how Heavenly Father has blessed them along their life journey as they have kept His commandments. Ask if any students want to share their experiences. Consider sharing your experiences as well.
Invite all class members to write down what they learned today that they might share with a family member or friend. Students could include how the stories of the pioneers can help us be faithful to our covenants to keep the Lord’s commandments today and how the Lord will bless us in our efforts. Invite them to share what they learned with a family or friend outside of class.