Kirtland Temple

Kirtland Temple, by Jon McNaughton

September 27–October 3

Doctrine and Covenants 109–110

“It Is Thy House, a Place of Thy Holiness”

Sections 109 and 110 describe some of the most sacred events of the Restoration. Be sure to let class members share what they thought and felt as they studied these events.

Record Your Impressions

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Invite Sharing

The Lord declared that “the fame of this house [the Kirtland Temple] shall spread to foreign lands” (Doctrine and Covenants 110:10). You might invite class members to share something they found in their study that they feel should be spread to people around the world.

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Teach the Doctrine

Doctrine and Covenants 109; 110:1–10

The Lord wants to bless us in His holy house.

• Studying section 109 is a wonderful opportunity to help class members strengthen their desire to worship in the temple. You could write on the board the numbers of some verses that mention the blessings of the temple—such as verses 12–13, 22–23, 24–28, 29–32. Class members could choose verses to read and ponder them, individually or in groups, and then summarize for the class the blessing those verses describe. Members who have been to the temple could share how they have experienced these blessings in their lives.

  You could also read or sing together “The Spirit of God” (Hymns, no. 2), which was sung at the Kirtland Temple dedication. Class members could point out blessings of the temple described in the hymn and share any related experiences they have had, as appropriate.

• Receiving temple blessings often requires sacrifice. What does Doctrine and Covenants 109:5 teach about the sacrifices the early Saints made to build the Kirtland Temple? Perhaps someone could come prepared to talk about these sacrifices (see “A House for Our God,” Revelations in Context, 169–71). What sacrifices do we make to receive temple blessings today? Perhaps class members would be willing to share their experiences. Some modern examples are found in the videos “Sealed Together: The Manaus Temple Caravan” and “Temples Are a Beacon” (ChurchofJesusChrist.org).

• Studying the description of the risen Savior in Doctrine and Covenants 110:1–10 is a great way to build our faith in Jesus Christ. You might ask class members to note the imagery in these verses and consider what these images teach us about Jesus Christ. What might the “paved work of pure gold” represent? or the voice “as the sound of the rushing of great waters”?

  Kirtland Temple interior

  Each end of the Kirtland Temple has pulpits for priesthood leaders.

Doctrine and Covenants 110:11–16

The priesthood keys needed to accomplish God’s work are in the Church today.

• To help class members understand the priesthood keys that Moses, Elias, and Elijah committed to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery in the Kirtland Temple, you could invite them to read and discuss the statement in “Additional Resources,” individually or in groups. Why are these keys significant in our lives now? You might also ask each class member to choose one of the prophets who committed those keys—Moses, Elias, and Elijah—and learn about him from the Bible Dictionary or Guide to the Scriptures. What do the lives of these prophets teach us about the keys they committed? This could lead to a discussion about what the Lord expects us to do now that these keys are on the earth.

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Additional Resources

Keys provide power and authority for God’s work.

Elder Quentin L. Cook explained:

“The Kirtland Temple, both in location and size, was relatively obscure. But in terms of its enormous significance to mankind, it was eternity-shaping. Ancient prophets restored priesthood keys for the eternal saving ordinances of the gospel of Jesus Christ. This resulted in overwhelming joy for faithful members.

“These keys provide the ‘power from on high’ [Doctrine and Covenants 38:38] for divinely appointed responsibilities that constitute the primary purpose of the Church. On that wonderful Easter day in the Kirtland Temple, three keys were restored:

“First, Moses appeared and committed the keys of the gathering of Israel from the four parts of the earth, which is missionary work.

“Second, Elias appeared and committed the keys of the dispensation of the gospel of Abraham, which includes the restoration of the Abrahamic covenant [see Abraham 2:8–11]. President Russell M. Nelson has taught that the purpose of the covenant keys is to prepare members for the kingdom of God [see “Covenants,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2011, 88]. …

“Third, Elijah appeared and committed the keys of the sealing power in this dispensation, which is family history work and temple ordinances enabling salvation for the living and the dead” (“Prepare to Meet God,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2018, 114–15).

Improving Our Teaching

Invite the Spirit into your teaching. “The ultimate purpose of everything a gospel teacher does—every question, every scripture, every activity—is to invite the Spirit to build faith and to invite all to come unto Christ. … Sacred music, the scriptures, words of latter-day prophets, expressions of love and testimony, and moments of quiet contemplation can all invite the presence of the Spirit” (Teaching in the Savior’s Way, 10).