For approximately 50 years, plural marriage was practiced by some members of the Church in response to a commandment from the Lord. In 1890, the Lord commanded President Wilford Woodruff (1807–98) to announce the end of plural marriage in the Church. This lesson can help students understand that the Lord directs His Church through continuing revelation to His prophets.
Possible Learning Activities
This lesson focuses on the Lord’s commandment for the Saints to discontinue the practice of plural marriage. Before teaching this lesson, it may be helpful to review the resources from the lesson “Doctrine and Covenants 132:1–2, 34–66” to help students who may still have questions about plural marriage.
God reveals His will to His children
Encourage introspection and assessment. For more training on how to do this, see the training titled “Create settings and opportunities for learners to be taught by the Holy Ghost,” found in Teacher Development Skills: Teach by the Spirit. Consider practicing creating student self-evaluations about a doctrine, truth, or principle.
Consider beginning the lesson by inviting a student to read or recite Articles of Faith 1:9. Then help students evaluate their beliefs about God revealing His will to His children through prophets. You could display the following and give students time to silently think of their responses.
For the statements below, choose the option (know; believe; sort of believe; don’t know if) that best reflects how you would fill in the blank: “I this is true.”
God has revealed His will to His children through His prophets.
God iscurrently revealing His will to His children through His prophets.
God will yet reveal His will to His children through His prophets.
Invite the students to think about why they responded the way they did. You could invite some to share.
Explain that today’s lesson will focus on an example from Church history that illustrates the Lord guiding His Church through continuing revelation to His prophets. Encourage them to pay attention to promptings from the Spirit that can help them recognize the blessing of having continuing revelation from the Lord.
Help students understand that Official Declaration 1 relates to the Lord’s commandment for the Saints to discontinue the practice of plural marriage. Invite the students to locate the introduction paragraph at the beginning of Official Declaration 1 in their scriptures. If needed, provide copies of the introduction for students who have older editions.
Read the introduction to Official Declaration 1, looking for what it teaches about the Saints’ practice of plural marriage.
What made it difficult for the Saints to continue practicing plural marriage?
To help the students understand more about these difficulties, consider reading or summarizing the following paragraphs. You could also invite a student to read them to the class.
After the Saints settled in Utah in the mid-1800s, many Church members openly practiced plural marriage. Government leaders eventually passed laws that made plural marriage illegal in the United States. These laws led to the arrest and imprisonment of many Latter-day Saint men. Others went into hiding to avoid being arrested (see Saints: The Story of the Church of Jesus Christ in the Latter Days, vol. 2, No Unhallowed Hand, 1846–1893 [2020], 142, 408–9, 518–20).
In these difficult circumstances, President Wilford Woodruff prayerfully sought and received guidance from the Lord. He felt inspired to instruct Church leaders to discontinue teaching the principle of plural marriage. In September 1890, President Woodruff issued a manifesto (known today as Official Declaration 1). In the manifesto, President Woodruff addressed false reports that Church leaders were still publicly encouraging new plural marriages (see Saints, 2:584–85, 597–601).
Give the students an opportunity to study some of President Woodruff’s counsel and instructions to the Saints. If needed, show students where in the scriptures they can find the paragraphs they will study.
Study the following materials, looking for some of President Woodruff’s counsel to the Saints:
If time permits, it may be helpful to invite students to study more paragraphs from the excerpts. You could assign small groups of students to study certain paragraphs, looking for what President Woodruff learned from the Lord. Students could then summarize their findings with the class.
What do these paragraphs help you understand about how the Savior leads His Church?
Give multiple students an opportunity to respond to the previous question. They might identify truths similar to the following: The Lord will never permit the President of the Church to lead the Church astray. The Lord directs His Church through continuing revelation to His prophets.
How can knowing these truths bless or impact your life?
What can these truths teach you about the Savior and His desires for us?
Continuing revelation today
President Russell M. Nelson shared the following testimony:
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President Russell M. Nelson
I know for sure that the Lord directs the affairs of His Church. He said, “I will show [you] that I am able to do mine own work” [2 Nephi 27:21].
Often, my counselors and I have watched through tear-brimmed eyes as He has interceded in extremely challenging circumstances after we had done our best and could do no more. We do indeed stand all amazed. (Russell M. Nelson, “Welcome Message,” Liahona, May 2021, 6)
After sharing the previous statements, consider inviting students to discuss the following question with a partner or small group. Members of each group could come to the board and write some of their answers.
What evidence have you seen that the Lord continues to lead His Church through revelation to His prophets in our day?
How has the continuing revelation the Lord has provided through His prophets blessed your life?
Demonstrate understanding
To help students demonstrate their understanding about what they have learned today, consider sharing the following scenario:
Sofia is bothered by some of the changes she has seen in the Church. She wonders why some of the things the prophet asks us to do now are different than when she was younger.
What are some things you have learned today that could be helpful to share with Sofia?
Students could respond as part of a class discussion, or you could invite them to role-play this scenario with a partner.
Testify of the truths you have discussed today. Encourage students to recognize the Lord’s continued guidance through His prophets can be a blessing in their lives.