“Chapter 8: Getting Ready for the Church of Jesus Christ: April 1830,” Doctrine and Covenants Stories (2002), 34–39
“Chapter 8,” Doctrine and Covenants Stories, 34–39
Chapter 8
Getting Ready for the Church of Jesus Christ
April 1830
It was almost time for the Church of Jesus Christ to be on earth again. Jesus gave Joseph Smith a revelation so the people would be ready for His Church. Jesus revealed more about His gospel and about other things the people needed to know before His Church was organized.
Jesus said the Book of Mormon teaches His gospel and testifies of God and His work. Jesus promised blessings to those who receive the book in faith—and punishment to those who reject it.
Jesus told about His life on earth. Heavenly Father sent Him here to be our Savior. Satan tempted Him, but Jesus would not listen to him.
Jesus felt great sorrow for the bad things people do. Toward the end of his life, He suffered and bled for all people. People will not suffer like He did if they repent.
Wicked people put Jesus on a cross and killed Him.
Jesus’ friends put His body in a tomb.
After three days, Jesus was resurrected. He was alive again!
Because Jesus was resurrected, all people will be resurrected. Because He suffered and died for the sins of all people, we can be forgiven if we repent. We will return to live with Heavenly Father if we have faith, repent, are baptized, and do our best to keep the commandments.
Jesus also taught the people about baptism. He said they must be baptized to become members of His Church. Those who want to be baptized must repent. They must love and obey Jesus. They must also be at least eight years old.
Jesus taught the right way to baptize. He said a priest in the Aaronic Priesthood or a man who has the Melchizedek Priesthood may baptize a person. The man takes the person into the water and says a special prayer.
The man who is baptizing puts the person down under the water. Then he brings the person out of the water.
When people are baptized, they promise to obey Jesus. They also promise to say and do good things.
Jesus told about blessing babies. Men who have the Melchizedek Priesthood can bless babies. The men hold the baby in their arms, and one man gives the baby a name and a blessing.
Jesus told about the sacrament. He said we should take the sacrament often. But if we do something bad, we should not take the sacrament until we have repented.
We take the sacrament to remember Jesus. The bread helps us think of His body. We remember that He died for us on the cross.
The water helps us think of the blood of Jesus. We remember that he suffered and bled for us in the Garden of Gethsemane.
We make covenants when we take the sacrament. A covenant is a promise. We promise that we will try to be like Jesus. We promise that we will always remember Him. We also promise to obey His commandments. If we keep our covenants, we are promised that His Spirit will be with us.