Introduction

Counter of the historic Grandin Building with shelves of books in the background

The entrance and counter of the historic Grandin Building where the Book of Mormon was first printed, Palmyra, New York, USA.

This guide will lead you to resources that can enhance your study of the Doctrine and Covenants. It will do so by providing additional context to help you understand the powerful revelations in that book of scripture.

Guided by the Holy Ghost, you can use this material in any way that is helpful to your scripture study. You can find answers to questions, learn about people and places, understand surrounding events, and explore topics related to the revelations. It isn’t necessary to read every section or watch every video in this guide; you can simply use whatever resource you believe will help enhance your study.

Each chapter in this guide brings together material that applies to one or more sections of the Doctrine and Covenants. Sources include The Joseph Smith Papers, Saints, Revelations in Context, topic essays, podcasts, maps, infographics, and artwork. Following these chapters are sections on people and places in the Doctrine and Covenants, as well as a chronology of historical events.

All of this material is linked together. Entries in each chapter link to full sources online and in the Gospel Library app.

In these resources you will see earnest people sincerely seeking New Testament Christianity and finding it in the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. These materials portray how they sought to hear the Lord’s voice, struggled to gather and form Zion communities, built temples, and made and kept sacred covenants. The details of their lives can increase your faith and devotion as you strive for these same blessings in your life.