On November 1, 1831, the Prophet Joseph Smith met with a group of elders in Hiram, Ohio, for a special conference. They discussed the publication of the Book of Commandments, a collection of the revelations the Prophet had received. Four of the elders at the conference asked Joseph Smith to inquire of the Lord about His will for them. In response to this request, the Prophet received a revelation that is now recorded in Doctrine and Covenants 68. The revelation includes counsel to those called to preach the gospel, instructions about the calling of bishop, and a commandment that parents teach their children the principles and ordinances of the gospel.
The Savior counsels those who are called to preach the gospel
If you or someone close to you has served a mission for the Church, begin class by sharing some of the feelings people experience as they prepare to leave home and be full-time missionaries. Then ask the following questions:
What worries or concerns might someone have about serving a full-time mission?
What are some reasons people sometimes feel nervous about sharing the gospel with their family members and friends?
Explain that during a conference held on November 1, 1831, four elders who would be serving as missionaries approached Joseph Smith and asked to know the Lord’s will concerning them. In response, the Lord revealed a pattern for preaching the gospel. Invite five students to take turns reading aloud from Doctrine and Covenants 68:1–5. Ask the class to follow along, looking for elements of that pattern. Before they read, point out that verses 2 and 3 contain the word ensample. An ensample is a pattern or model.
What do you see in these verses about how we should preach the gospel?
In verses 3–5, what promise does the Lord give to His servants?
What will the inspired words of missionaries do for those who receive them? (Students may use different words, but they should identify the following principle: When the Lord’s servants are moved upon by the Holy Ghost, their words will lead people to salvation. Write this principle on the board.)
What can we do to invite the influence of the Holy Ghost as we share the gospel?
Explain that while those who are ordained to preach the gospel can help people gain a testimony of the truth, only the President of the Church has the right to receive and declare the will of the Lord for the entire Church. Under his direction, the other members of the First Presidency and the members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles also have the authority to declare God’s will for us.
Invite a student to read Doctrine and Covenants 68:6 aloud. Ask the class to follow along, looking for additional encouragement the Lord gave to His servants.
What truths do you see in this verse that might bring comfort to a missionary?
Why is it important for you to know that the Lord stands by His faithful servants?
Point out that verse 6 outlines the primary responsibility of the Lord’s servants: to testify of Jesus Christ and of His mission in the past, present, and future. Then summarize Doctrine and Covenants 68:7–12 by explaining that the Lord calls faithful elders of the Church to preach the gospel and baptize those who believe.
Consider sharing an experience in which you have been guided by the Spirit to know how to share the gospel with someone.
The Lord reveals that the First Presidency is to oversee the calling of bishops
Ask students to imagine that a friend of another faith asks, “How was your bishop chosen?”
How would you respond?
Explain that Edward Partridge was the first bishop called in the restored Church of Jesus Christ (on February 4, 1831; see D&C 41:9). Before Joseph Smith received the revelation recorded in Doctrine and Covenants 68 (in November 1831), Bishop Partridge was the only bishop in the Church. Other bishops were called shortly after the Prophet received this revelation.
Invite a student to read Doctrine and Covenants 68:14–15 aloud. Ask the class to follow along, looking for how bishops are selected.
Note: Verses 15–20 contain instructions concerning literal descendants of Aaron who may be called as Presiding Bishop. The phrase “literal descendant of Aaron” refers to descendants of Moses’s brother Aaron in the Old Testament. Such a descendant would have a right to the office of Presiding Bishop if he is called and approved by the First Presidency. Verses 16–20 pertain only to the Presiding Bishop, not to bishops of wards (see Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, comp. Bruce R. McConkie, 3 vols. [1954–56], 3:92–93). Early Church literature often referred to Bishop Partridge as the Presiding Bishop. The responsibilities of the Presiding Bishop developed and changed over the next several years. Under the direction of President Brigham Young, the responsibilities of the Presiding Bishop were clarified more fully in 1847 at Winter Quarters, with Bishop Newel K. Whitney receiving that calling.
You may want to explain that in the early days of the Church, members of the First Presidency ordained and set apart all bishops. In the Church today, this is still true for the Presiding Bishop. However, the calling, ordaining, and setting apart of bishops is conducted by stake presidents under the direction of the First Presidency. A stake president, with support from his counselors in the stake presidency, seeks revelation to know when to call a new bishop and whom to call. He sends his recommendation to the First Presidency for approval. When the First Presidency approves the calling, they authorize the stake president to ordain and set apart the new bishop. (For more information, see Handbook 2: Administering the Church [2010], 19.6.)
Why is it important for you to know that the First Presidency approved the calling of your bishop?
The Lord commands parents to teach the gospel to their children
Ask students to think about the fact that they could be parents in a few years. Point out that the Lord entrusts mothers and fathers with great responsibilities—they are to teach the gospel to their children by word and example (see D&C 29:46–50 and “The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” which is in the appendix at the end of this manual). Invite them to list in their class notebooks or scripture study journals three principles that they will want to teach their children.
Divide students into pairs. Ask them to read their lists to each other. Then invite them to read Doctrine and Covenants 68:25–27 together, looking for things they can add to their lists.
What has the Lord commanded parents to teach their children? (Students should identify the following doctrine: The Lord has commanded parents to teach their children to understand the doctrine of repentance, faith in Christ, baptism, and the gift of the Holy Ghost. You may want to invite students to mark the phrases in verse 25 that teach this doctrine.)
Why do you think it is important for little children to understand repentance? Faith in Christ? Baptism? The gift of the Holy Ghost?
Invite students to write about a time when they have seen parents teaching the principles and ordinances mentioned in Doctrine and Covenants 68:25. After they have had time to write, ask a few students to share what they have written.
Ask students to continue working in pairs for the next activity. Explain that in Doctrine and Covenants 68:28–31, the Lord gave additional counsel to parents. Give a copy of the following information to each partnership. Encourage the partners to read each scripture passage and discuss the questions together. Explain that when they are finished, they will report their findings to the class.
What have you learned about keeping the Sabbath day holy?
What can you do to keep the Sabbath day holy?
Read Doctrine and Covenants 68:30, and look for the Lord’s warning. Note that the word idler refers to someone who is lazy.
When have you seen the blessings that come from hard work?
Read the following selection from For the Strength of Youth:
“The Lord has commanded us not to be idle. Idleness can lead to inappropriate behavior, damaged relationships, and sin. One form of idleness is spending excessive amounts of time in activities that keep you from productive work, such as using the Internet, playing video games, and watching television” (For the Strength of Youth [booklet, 2011], 40).
How can idleness lead to wickedness?
What are some things that can help a person overcome a tendency to be lazy?
What can we do in our lives to overcome selfishness and greed?
After students complete this activity, ask them to report what they have learned. (Consider asking a student to write the other students’ responses on the board.) One principle you may want to emphasize from verses 31 and 32 is that we are to eliminate idleness and greediness from our lives. (As students discuss this principle, you may want to point out that we do not need to acquire everything our friends have in order to be happy.)
Why do you think it is important for parents to teach and live the standards of the gospel?
What can young men and young women do to help their families “walk uprightly before the Lord”?
If you are a parent, consider expressing gratitude for the ways your children help you follow the Lord’s commandments in Doctrine and Covenants 68. Then invite students to write a goal that will help them prepare to be good parents. Or invite them to write a goal to help their parents with their responsibilities. If time permits, you may want to ask a few students to share their goals with the class.
President J. Reuben Clark explained that only members of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles have the right, power, and authority to declare the mind and will of God to His people:
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President J. Reuben Clark
“[We] should [bear] in mind that some of the General Authorities have had assigned to them a special calling; they possess a special gift; they are sustained as prophets, seers, and revelators, which gives them a special spiritual endowment in connection with their teaching of the people. They have the right, the power, and authority to declare the mind and will of God to his people, subject to the over-all power and authority of the President of the Church. Others of the General Authorities are not given this special spiritual endowment and authority covering their teaching; they have a resulting limitation, and the resulting limitation upon their power and authority in teaching applies to every other officer and member of the Church, for none of them is spiritually endowed as a prophet, seer, and revelator. Furthermore, as just indicated, the President of the Church has a further and special spiritual endowment in this respect, for he is the Prophet, Seer, and Revelator for the whole Church” (“When Are Church Leaders’ Words Entitled to Claim of Scripture?” Church News, July 31, 1954, 9–10).
Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained that a prophet only speaks as a prophet when moved upon by the Holy Ghost:
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Elder D. Todd Christofferson
“It should be remembered that not every statement made by a Church leader, past or present, necessarily constitutes doctrine. It is commonly understood in the Church that a statement made by one leader on a single occasion often represents a personal, though well-considered, opinion, not meant to be official or binding for the whole Church. The Prophet Joseph Smith taught that ‘a prophet [is] a prophet only when he [is] acting as such’ [in History of the Church, 5:265]. President [J. Reuben] Clark … observed: …
“‘… The Church will know by the testimony of the Holy Ghost in the body of the members, whether the brethren in voicing their views are “moved upon by the Holy Ghost”; and in due time that knowledge will be made manifest’ [J. Reuben Clark Jr., “When Are Church Leaders’ Words Entitled to Claim of Scripture?” Church News, July 31, 1954, 10.]” (“The Doctrine of Christ,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2012, 88, 89).
President Joseph Fielding Smith taught that the Lord’s instruction in Doctrine and Covenants 68:15–21 applies only to the office of Presiding Bishop of the Church:
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President Joseph Fielding Smith
“The person spoken of in the revelations as having the right by lineage to the bishopric is the one who is the firstborn. By virtue of his birth he is entitled to hold ‘the keys or authority of the same.’ This has reference only to the one who presides over the Aaronic Priesthood. It has no reference whatever to bishops of wards. Further, such a one must be designated by the First Presidency of the Church and receive his … ordination under their hands. The revelation comes from the Presidency, not from the patriarch, to establish a claim to the right to preside in this office. In the absence of knowledge concerning such a descendant, any high priest, chosen by the Presidency, may hold the office of Presiding Bishop and serve with counselors” (Doctrines of Salvation, ed. Bruce R. McConkie, 3 vols. [1954–56], 3:92–93; italics in original).