Lessons from the Doctrine and Covenants 2025

Introduction to the Doctrine and Covenants – 2025

Cover picture of the Doctrine and Covenants Church History DVDs released by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. (Image sourced from churchofjesuschrist.org.)

Preface:

The Doctrine and Covenants (D&C) is the Lord’s voice of warning to all people in the dispensation of the fulness of times, and it is instrumental in preparing the world for His Second Coming. To know why the D&C is so important we must understand the doctrine of dispensations, particularly with regard to the dispensation of the fulness of times.

- A gospel dispensation starts when the gospel is revealed anew, usually after prior apostacy, to a great prophet chosen by the Lord to be the dispensation head. These great prophets include Adam, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and His Apostles, and Joseph Smith. They were given priesthood keys to dispense/teach the gospel in their dispensation. These keys are passed on to succeeding prophets in that dispensation. We live in the dispensation of the fulness of times, and President Russell M. Nelson currently holds all the priesthood keys necessary to warn the world and prepare for the Second Coming of the Lord.

- The dispensation of the fulness of times is the last and greatest dispensation. All previous dispensations were limited to small areas of the earth, and they all ended in apostacy. The responsibility of our dispensation is to take the gospel to all the nations of the earth. And, it will not end in apostacy, but people in our dispensation will welcome the Lord at His Second Coming. We are the Lord’s servants with His authority. Our responsibility is to teach His gospel to people in the latter days. Not all will be converted, but all must be warned.

In the Preface of the D&C, the Lord spoke in the first person and with great power about the responsibility of His latter day servants and the importance of the D&C. Those who ponder the following verses from D&C 1 will know they are from God. (My comments are italicized):

- “Harken, O ye people of my church, saith the voice of him who dwells on high, and whose eyes are upon all men; yea, verily I say: Hearken ye people from afar; and ye that are upon the islands of the sea, listen together. For verily the voice of the Lord is unto all men, and there is none to escape; and there is no eye that shall not see, neither ear that shall not hear, neither heart that shall not be penetrated’ (Vs 1-2).

- “And the voice of warning shall be unto all people, by the mouths of my disciples, whom I have chosen in these last days. (The Lord’s voice of warning is delivered personally to the world by His disciples, especially missionaries) And they shall go forth and none shall stay them, for I the Lord have commanded them. Behold, this is mine authority, and the authority of my servants, (the Lord’s servants serve in His name with His authority) and my preface unto the book of my commandments, which I have given them to publish unto you, O inhabitants of the earth. (Like the Book of Mormon, the D&C has been published in many languages and is available worldwide) Wherefore, fear and tremble, O ye people, for what I the Lord have decreed in them shall be fulfilled” (Vs 4-7).

- “Wherefore the voice of the Lord is unto the ends of the earth, that all that will hear may hear: Prepare ye, prepare ye for that which is to come, for the Lord is nigh …. And the arm of the Lord shall be revealed; and the day cometh that they who will not hear the voice of the Lord, neither the voice of his servants, neither give heed to the words of the prophets and apostles, shall be cut off from among the people….” (Vs 11-14).

- “Wherefore, I the Lord, knowing the calamity which should come upon the inhabitants of the earth, called upon my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., and spake unto him from heaven, and gave him commandments; And also gave commandments to others, that they should proclaim these things unto the world (We are commanded to testify of the Restoration as taught in the D&C); and all this that it might be fulfilled, which was written by the prophets— The weak things of the world shall come forth and break down the mighty and strong ones, that man should not counsel his fellow man, neither trust in the arm of flesh— But that every man might speak in the name of God the Lord, even the Savior of the world; That faith also might increase in the earth; That mine everlasting covenant might be established; That the fulness of my gospel might be proclaimed by the weak and the simple (missionaries) unto the ends of the world, and before kings and rulers. Behold, I am God and have spoken it; these commandments are of me, and were given unto my servants in their weakness, after the manner of their language, that they might come to understanding …” (Vs 17-24).

- “And again, verily I say unto you, O inhabitants of the earth: I the Lord am willing to make these things known unto all flesh; For I am no respecter of persons, and will that all men shall know that the day speedily cometh; the hour is not yet, but is nigh at hand, when peace shall be taken from the earth, and the devil shall have power over his own dominion. (That day is here!) And also the Lord shall have power over his saints, and shall reign in their midst, and shall come down in judgement upon Idumea, or the world” (Vs 34-36).

- “Search these commandments, for they are true and faithful, and the prophecies and promises which are in them shall all be fulfilled. What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself (some people take offense with what the Lord says); and though the heavens and the earth pass away my word shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled, whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same. (Thus we see the importance of living prophets and apostles) For behold, and lo, the Lord is God, and the Spirit beareth record, and the record is true, and the truth abideth forever and ever. Amen” (Vs 37-39).

The D&C is a uniquely important book of scripture. President Joseph Fielding Smith explained: “The Doctrine and Covenants contains the word of God to those who dwell here and now. It is our book. It belongs to the Latter-day Saints. More precious than gold, the Prophet says we should treasure it more than the riches of the whole earth. I wonder if we do. If we value it, understand it, and know what it contains, we will value it more than wealth; it is worth more to us than the riches of the earth” (Doctrines of Salvation, 3:198-99).

Regarding the D&C the Lord has said repeatedly, “What I say unto one I say unto all” (D&C 61:18; 82:5; 92:1; 93:49). A very effective way to draw near to the Lord is to substitute your individual name in place of the name of the person the Lord is speaking to in that section of the D&C. Recognize the Lord is speaking to you personally, and then do whatever He requires.

Testimony –The verses from D&C 1 quoted above, touch my mind and my heart, and it is as if the Lord is speaking them to me, personally. I am one of the weak and the simple. yet, I desire to be one of His servants whom He has spoken to even in my weakness… that I might come to understanding. And inasmuch as when I have erred it has been made known; And inasmuch as when I have sought wisdom I have been instructed; And inasmuch as when I have sinned I have been chastened, that I might repent; And inasmuch as when I have been humble I have been made strong, and blessed from on high, and have received knowledge from time to time. (See D&C 1:24-28)