Introduction

Before the Doctrine and Covenants

We lived with Heavenly Father before we came to earth. We did not have bodies of flesh and bones like we now have. We were spirits. Our Heavenly Father made a plan for us to receive bodies and become more like Him. This is called the plan of salvation. This plan required us to leave Him for a time and come to earth. If we follow the plan, we will return to live with Him.

Jesus lived with us in heaven. He wanted to follow Heavenly Father’s plan. Jesus said He would come to earth to make it possible for us to return to heaven.

Satan also lived with us in heaven. He would not follow Heavenly Father’s plan, so Heavenly Father made him leave. Satan wants to destroy the plan of salvation.

Jesus made the earth for Heavenly Father’s children to live on. Jesus sent prophets to teach the people to be good.

Some people obeyed the prophets. Other people obeyed Satan and became wicked.

The Old Testament tells about people who lived before Jesus was born. Prophets taught these people that Jesus would come to earth to make it possible for them to be cleansed from sin and to overcome death.

The Book of Mormon tells about other people who lived long ago. These people came from Jerusalem to the Americas. Prophets also taught these people about Jesus. He visited them after He was resurrected.

The New Testament tells about Jesus’ life on earth. It tells of His birth, His teachings, and His death and resurrection. Jesus taught people His gospel. He taught them to obey Heavenly Father’s commandments.

Jesus chose twelve men to be Apostles and gave them the priesthood. He started His Church. Many people loved Jesus. They were righteous and obeyed His teachings.

Satan did not want people to follow Jesus. He tempted people to hate Jesus, and some of them nailed Him to a cross and killed Him.

Three days after Jesus died, He was resurrected. He was alive again! He talked with His Apostles and told them to teach the gospel to all people. Jesus also visited the righteous people in the Americas. Then He went to heaven to be with His Father.

The Apostles were the leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ. They went to many lands and taught people about Jesus. Many people believed in Him and were baptized. The Apostles gave righteous men the priesthood. There were many members of the Church.

Satan wanted to destroy the Church. He tempted people to stop believing in Jesus. The Apostles and many other members of the Church were killed. Soon there were no leaders to guide the Church. Heavenly Father took the priesthood away from the earth.

The church that Jesus had started was gone. People started churches of their own. They changed many of the teachings of Jesus. They also changed some of the commandments.

Hundreds of years went by. There were many churches on earth, but none of them was the true Church of Jesus Christ. Members of these churches believed in Jesus, but the churches did not have the true gospel. They did not have the authority of the priesthood. They did not have prophets or apostles.

Jesus had said He would come to earth again. But first His Church had to be restored. The priesthood also had to be restored. These blessings were restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith.

Heavenly Father has again called prophets and apostles to lead the Church in our day. Jesus gives revelations to the prophets and apostles to tell us what He wants us to know and do.

The Doctrine and Covenants is a book of revelations from Jesus. Most of these were given to the Prophet Joseph Smith. In these revelations, Jesus gives direction to His Church and teaches the doctrines of His gospel.

The book you are reading tells about some of the revelations in the Doctrine and Covenants. It also tells some of the stories about the restoration and early history of the Church of Jesus Christ in the latter days.