Studying the Doctrine and Covenants will be different from studying the Book of Mormon. There aren’t many “stories” in this book of scripture—no building ships or fighting wars, no prisons that tumble to the ground or prophets who stand on walls to preach.
Many exciting and inspiring things happened to the people in early Church history, of course. You can read about those events in the section headings of the Doctrine and Covenants and in Saints and other history books. But those things happened “behind the scenes” of the Doctrine and Covenants, so to speak.
Most of the book consists of the words of the Savior Jesus Christ spoken to the Prophet Joseph Smith and others. And who better to
introduce this new book of scripture than the Lord Himself? Section 1 is His “preface” (v. 6) to the Doctrine and Covenants, which was just about to be published for the first time.
As you read this section, keep in mind that of all the things the Lord could have said on this occasion, this is what He chose to say.