“January 25–31. Doctrine and Covenants 6–9: ‘This Is the Spirit of Revelation,’” Come, Follow Me—For Sunday School: Doctrine and Covenants 2021 (2020)
“January 25–31. Doctrine and Covenants 6–9,” Come, Follow Me—For Sunday School: 2021
January 25–31
Doctrine and Covenants 6–9
“This Is the Spirit of Revelation”
Doctrine and Covenants 6–9 teaches valuable principles about receiving revelation. Apply these principles by seeking revelation about how to help class members learn from these sections.
Record Your Impressions
Invite Sharing
To encourage class members to share their experiences studying Doctrine and Covenants 6–9, you might invite them to discuss, as appropriate, any spiritual impressions they received during their study. What messages did the Lord have for them?
Teach the Doctrine
Heavenly Father speaks to me through “the Spirit of truth.”
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The Lord has a lot to teach us about personal revelation in these sections, and you may not be able to cover all of it in one class. It might help to divide the class into three groups and ask each group to search section 6, 8, or 9, looking for answers to questions like these: How does the Holy Ghost speak to us? How can we recognize personal revelation? How can we prepare ourselves to receive revelation? Then someone from each group could briefly share with the class what their group discovered. You might also encourage class members to share their own experiences with recognizing personal revelation. For example, is there anything in Doctrine and Covenants 6:22–24 that reminds us of experiences we have had?
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Talking about personal revelation may be discouraging to people in your class who pray for guidance but don’t feel that they receive any. It could help them to know that Oliver Cowdery struggled with similar feelings when he wasn’t able to translate as easily as he had hoped. Maybe you could invite class members to search the Lord’s counsel to Oliver in section 9. What messages in this section could help someone who feels the Lord isn’t answering their prayers? The statements in “Additional Resources” could also help.
ImageOliver CowderyOliver Cowdery, by Lewis A. Ramsey
“Even as you desire of me so it shall be.”
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This week’s outline in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families suggests noting instances of words like desire in sections 6–7. Perhaps class members could share what they learned from that exercise, or you could do the activity together as a class. What do our daily actions teach us about our desires? How can the Lord help us change our desires?
Doctrine and Covenants 6:29–37
If we look to the Lord, He can help us overcome doubt and fear.
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Why do we sometimes “fear … to do good”? (verse 33). Maybe class members could suggest some possible reasons, along with thoughts from Doctrine and Covenants 6:29–37 that give them courage to do good.
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To begin a discussion about how Jesus Christ helps us “doubt not, fear not” (verse 36), you could ask class members to write on pieces of paper some things people might fear. (Elder Ronald A. Rasband gave some examples in his message “Be Not Troubled” [Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2018, 18].) Then you could read aloud a few of these papers and discuss how the Savior and His atoning power can help us when we are afraid. Doctrine and Covenants 6:29–37 has some insights (see also 1 John 4:18). What does it mean to “look unto [Christ] in every thought”? (verse 36). How does this focus on the Savior help us when we face doubt or fear?
Additional Resources
Understanding how Heavenly Father answers prayers.
“In my life I have learned that sometimes I do not receive an answer to a prayer because the Lord knows I am not ready. When He does answer, it is often ‘here a little and there a little’ [2 Nephi 28:30] because that is all that I can bear or all I am willing to do” (Robert D. Hales, “Waiting upon the Lord: Thy Will Be Done,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2011, 73).
“What do you do when you have prepared carefully, have prayed fervently, waited a reasonable time for a response, and still do not feel an answer? You may want to express thanks when that occurs, for it is an evidence of His trust. When you are living worthily and your choice is consistent with the Savior’s teachings and you need to act, proceed with trust. … When you are living righteously and are acting with trust, God will not let you proceed too far without a warning impression if you have made the wrong decision” (Richard G. Scott, “Using the Supernal Gift of Prayer,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2007, 10).
Improving Our Teaching
Express confidence in learners’ abilities. Some people in your class may not be confident in their ability to learn the gospel. Consider how you can reassure them that as they strive to learn on their own, the Holy Ghost will teach them. (See Teaching in the Savior’s Way, 29.)