Teachings of Church Leaders: Overview

Doctrine and Covenants Seminary Teacher Manual

Contents
Title Page
Introduction to the Doctrine and Covenants Seminary Teacher Manual
Doctrine and Covenants Lessons
- The Restoration Proclamation
- Doctrine and Covenants 1
- Joseph Smith—History 1:1–26
- Doctrine and Covenants 2; Joseph Smith—History 1:27–65
- Doctrine and Covenants 3–5
- Doctrine and Covenants 6–9
- Doctrine and Covenants 10–11
- Doctrine and Covenants 12–17; Joseph Smith—History 1:66–75
- Doctrine and Covenants 18
- Doctrine and Covenants 19
- Doctrine and Covenants 20–22
- Doctrine and Covenants 23–26
- Doctrine and Covenants 27–28
- Doctrine and Covenants 29
- Doctrine and Covenants 30–36
- Doctrine and Covenants 37–40
- Doctrine and Covenants 41–44
- Doctrine and Covenants 45
- Doctrine and Covenants 46–48
- Doctrine and Covenants 49–50
- Doctrine and Covenants 51–57
- Doctrine and Covenants 58–59
- Doctrine and Covenants 60–63
- Doctrine and Covenants 64–66
- Doctrine and Covenants 67–70
- Doctrine and Covenants 71–75
- Doctrine and Covenants 76
- Doctrine and Covenants 77–80
- Doctrine and Covenants 81–83
- Doctrine and Covenants 84
- Doctrine and Covenants 85–87
- Doctrine and Covenants 88
- Doctrine and Covenants 89–92
- Doctrine and Covenants 93
- Doctrine and Covenants 94–97
- Doctrine and Covenants 98–101
- Doctrine and Covenants 102–105
- Doctrine and Covenants 106–108
- Doctrine and Covenants 109–110
- Doctrine and Covenants 111–114
- Doctrine and Covenants 115–120
- Doctrine and Covenants 121–123
- Doctrine and Covenants 124
- Doctrine and Covenants 125–128
- Doctrine and Covenants 129–132
- Doctrine and Covenants 133–134
- Doctrine and Covenants 135–136
- Doctrine and Covenants 137–138
- The Articles of Faith and Official Declarations 1 and 2
- The Family: A Proclamation to the World
- The Living Christ
Life Preparation Lessons
- Doctrinal Mastery: Finding Answers to My Questions
- Scripture Study Skills
- For the Strength of Youth: Making Choices
- Building Self-Reliance
- Physical and Emotional Health
- Preparing for Future Education and Employment
- Succeeding in School
- Missionary Preparation
- Temple Preparation
- Teachings of Church Leaders
Appendix

“Teachings of Church Leaders: Overview,” Doctrine and Covenants Seminary Teacher Manual (2025)

“Teachings of Church Leaders,” Doctrine and Covenants Seminary Teacher Manual

Teachings of Church Leaders

Overview

The Lord often speaks to us through His servants (see Doctrine and Covenants 1:38). As we listen to and study messages from Church leaders, we can learn what the Savior wants us to know. These lessons can help students study the Lord’s messages given through His servants.

Prepare to teach

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

Preparing for General Conference

Pacing suggestion: This lesson could be taught shortly before the April or October general conference.

Lesson purpose: To help students prepare to hear personal messages from the Savior in general conference.

Student preparation: You could invite students to talk with their families about what they could do to prepare for and participate in general conference.
Image: Picture of a family watching General Conference
Content to display: Self-assessment questions toward the beginning of the lesson.
Handout: “Preparing for General Conference”

Studying the Messages of the Lord’s Servants

Pacing suggestion: Consider teaching this lesson before the following lessons in this group. You could teach it near the beginning of the school year to introduce students to studying the messages of Church leaders.

Lesson purpose: To help students feel the importance of studying and applying the Lord’s messages given by His servants.

Student preparation: Invite students to come prepared to share a statement from a Church leader that is meaningful to them and explain why. This statement could be from a general conference address, a broadcast message, a social media post, or something similar.
Materials for students: A partial or complete message from general conference, from the Liahona or For the Strength of Youth magazine, or from a Church devotional or broadcast
Image to display: An image of the current First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Video: “Let Us All Press On” (6:01; watch from time code 1:17 to 1:58)

Template: Teachings of Church Leaders

Pacing suggestion: All lessons that use this template could be taught at any point in the school year or during any week in the Come, Follow Me pacing. However, if you have not used this template before, it may be helpful to teach the “Choice for Eternity” lesson below before preparing a new lesson on a message from a Church leader. The lesson provides a model for teaching about a message from a Church leader.

Lesson purpose: This template provides you with ideas to help students study messages from leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Student preparation: Share with students the title of the message they will study in class. Encourage them to read, watch, or listen to the message before class. Invite them to prayerfully prepare for the Holy Ghost to teach them as they study messages of the servants of Jesus Christ.

“Choices for Eternity”

Lesson purpose: To provide an example of how teachers can use the “Template: Teachings of Church Leaders” to guide the class as they study these messages, and to deepen students’ understanding of principles to help them prepare for eternal life.

Student preparation: Invite students to prayerfully prepare to study President Russell M. Nelson’s address “Choices for Eternity” (worldwide devotional for young adults, May 15, 2022, ChurchofJesusChrist.org). They could think of questions they have about their future and pray to Heavenly Father for answers. Alternatively, invite students to read, watch, or listen to “Choices for Eternity” before class.
Handouts: “‘Choices for Eternity’ Part 1”; “‘Choices for Eternity’ Part 2”; “‘Choices for Eternity’ Part 3”
Materials for students: Paper and other supplies for students to create something artistic