Lesson 157—Assess Your Learning 10: Reflecting on Your Study of the Doctrine and Covenants
“Lesson 157—Assess Your Learning 10: Reflecting on Your Study of the Doctrine and Covenants,” Doctrine and Covenants Seminary Teacher Manual (2025)
“Assess Your Learning 10,” Doctrine and Covenants Seminary Teacher Manual
Lesson 157: The Articles of Faith and Official Declarations 1 and 2
Assess Your Learning 10
Reflecting on Your Study of the Doctrine and Covenants
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brothers looking at a photo album
Reflecting on and assessing our spiritual learning can help us draw closer to the Savior. This lesson can help students remember and evaluate how studying the Doctrine and Covenants has helped them grow spiritually.
Possible Learning Activities
Spiritual memories
Consider bringing a personal photograph to class. Display the photo and briefly describe your memories associated with the people or events in the picture. If students were asked to do the student preparation activity, invite them to briefly share their photos and memories in small groups or with the class. They could also share photos they have on their phones.
Why do you think people enjoy looking at pictures of people or events from their past?
What are some examples of memories we might have that cannot be captured in a photograph?
Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles spoke of our spiritual memories.
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Elder Neil L. Andersen
Embrace your sacred memories. Believe them. Write them down. Share them with your family. Trust that they come to you from your Heavenly Father and His Beloved Son. Let them bring patience to your doubts and understanding to your difficulties. I promise you that as you willingly acknowledge and carefully treasure the spiritually defining events in your life, more and more will come to you. Heavenly Father knows you and loves you! (Neil L. Andersen, “Spiritually Defining Memories,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2020, 22)
Why do you think it is important to reflect on our spiritual memories?
Explain that this lesson will give students an opportunity to reflect on some spiritual memories or experiences they have had while studying the Doctrine and Covenants and Church history over the past year.
Before giving the students time to answer the following questions, consider referring to the statement in the introduction to the Doctrine and Covenants that says, “In the revelations, one hears the tender but firm voice of the Lord Jesus Christ.” Students could be invited to review insights they have recorded in their study journals throughout the year or markings or notes they have made in their scriptures to help them answer these questions.
What have you learned about Jesus Christ as you studied His words this year in Doctrine and Covenants?
How has your relationship with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ changed over the past year?
What are some scripture passages you have studied that have impacted you? How were you impacted by these passages?
What are some gospel truths you have tried to apply? What have you seen or hope to see because of your efforts?
After sufficient time, invite students to share some of their spiritual memories with the class, as appropriate to share. As students share, encourage others to contribute to the discussion by asking questions such as “Who has experienced something similar?” or “What can you add to what your classmate has shared?”
Receiving revelation
Remind students that they have been invited throughout the year to practice and learn how to receive personal revelation.
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President Russell M. Nelson
I urge you to stretch beyond your current spiritual ability to receive personal revelation. …
I plead with you to increase your spiritual capacity to receive revelation. … Choose to do the spiritual work required to enjoy the gift of the Holy Ghost and hear the voice of the Spirit more frequently and more clearly. (Russell M. Nelson, “Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2018, 95–96)
To help illustrate President Nelson’s invitation for us to stretch beyond our ability to receive revelation, consider showing various balloons inflated to different sizes. Invite students to consider which balloon best represents their capacity to receive personal revelation at the beginning of the year and which represents their capacity now. As part of their reflection, students could ponder the following questions. Invite a few students to share.
What has helped you to “stretch” and “increase your spiritual capacity to receive revelation” this year?
What are some scripture passages from Doctrine and Covenants that have added to your understanding about receiving revelation?
What experiences have you recently had with personal revelation?
Explaining the Restoration
Display multiple images around the room that depict important events of the Restoration, such as the following. Alternatively, you could ask the class to list important events of the Restoration on the board. As a class, choose four or five to discuss. Write these on different pieces of paper and place the papers around the room.
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The First Vision
The First Vision
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Restoration of the Melchizedek Priesthood
Restoration of the Melchizedek Priesthood
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Coming forth of the Book of Mormon
Coming Forth of the Book of Mormon
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Establishment of temples
Establishment of Temples
Place students in groups and invite each group to gather at a different image or paper. Assign a group leader to facilitate a discussion about that event of the Restoration. Encourage the leader to invite everyone in the group to share something. After sufficient time, invite the groups to rotate to a new image and select a new group leader. The following prompts could help the group leader direct the discussion at each station.
Share what you remember about this event.
Explain why it would be beneficial for people around to world to know about this part of the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Discuss how this part of the Restoration has helped to increase your faith in Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.
The Prophet Joseph Smith
The following activity could be used in addition to the reflection activity students did at the beginning of the lesson.
Display a picture of the Prophet Joseph Smith. Ask students if they recall which doctrinal mastery passage describes the great work Joseph accomplished in his life. Then read or recite Doctrine and Covenants 135:3 together. Remind students that this testimony of Joseph Smith was written shortly after the martyrdom. Help them prepare to share with one another their testimonies of Joseph Smith as the Lord’s prophet.
Think about how your own feelings and testimony of Joseph Smith have changed over the year. You may want to write down your thoughts as you reflect on the following:
How have you come to learn for yourself that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph Smith in the Sacred Grove?
How can the work the Lord inspired Joseph Smith to do help you come closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ?
If you are unsure about Joseph Smith’s calling as a prophet of God, what can you do to learn for yourself?
Consider concluding by inviting a few students to share their testimony of Joseph Smith.