The Worldwide Church

Over the last 50 years of the 20th century, the Church experienced unprecedented growth. Under the able and inspired leadership of Church presidents from David O. McKay to Gordon B. Hinckley, missionary work has expanded and Church membership has surpassed 11,000,000. Temples now begin to dot the earth, making available the highest ordinances of the gospel to more Saints and their ancestors in many lands. Truly, in fulfillment of the Lord’s plan, the Church is being brought forth “out of obscurity and out of darkness” (D&C 1:30). Speaking of our day, President Gordon B. Hinckley said:

“The latter-day work of the Almighty, that of which the ancients spoke, that of which the prophets and apostles prophesied, is come. It is here. For some reason unknown to us, but in the wisdom of God, we have been privileged to come to earth in this glorious age. There has been a great flowering of science. There has been a veritable explosion of learning. This is the greatest of all ages of human endeavor and human accomplishment. . . .

“We stand on the summit of the ages, awed by a great and solemn sense of history. This is the last and final dispensation toward which all in the past has pointed. . . .

“At some stage in all of this onward rolling, Jesus Christ will appear to reign in splendor upon the earth. No one knows when that will be. Not even the angels in heaven will know of the time of His return. But it will be a welcome day” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1999, 94–95; or Ensign, Nov. 1999, 74).

President David O. McKay
“No Other Success Can Compensate for Failure in the Home”

While David O. McKay was a missionary in Scotland in 1898, he was once feeling homesick. He said that while walking around a town, “I saw an unfinished building standing back from the sidewalk several yards. Over the front door was a stone arch, something unusual in a residence, and what was still more unusual, I could see from the sidewalk that there was an inscription chiseled in that arch.

 “I said to my companion: ‘That’s unusual! I am going to see what the inscription is.’ When I approached near enough, this message came to me, not only in stone, but as if it came from One in whose service we were engaged: ‘Whate’er Thou Art, Act Well Thy Part.’

“I turned and walked thoughtfully away, and when I reached my companion I repeated the message to him.

“That was a message to me that morning to act my part well as a missionary of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints”(Cherished Experiences from the Writings of President David O. McKay, comp. Clare Middlemiss [1955], 174–75).

The Life of President David O. McKay

1. “David O. McKay was a Counselor to President George Albert Smith in the First Presidency. In the spring of 1951, when it appeared that President Smith’s health had become somewhat better, President McKay and his wife, Emma Rae, decided to leave Salt Lake City for their postponed California vacation. They stopped in St. George, Utah, to spend the night. When President McKay awoke early the next morning, he had the distinct impression that he should return to Church headquarters. Within days after he arrived in Salt Lake City, President Smith suffered a stroke that led to his death on 4 April 1951. David O. McKay then became the Church’s ninth President.

2. “President McKay had been well prepared to lead the Church. As a child of eight years, he assumed the responsibilities of man of the house when his father was called on a mission to the British Isles. Two of his older sisters had just recently died, his mother was expecting another baby, and his father felt that the responsibilities of the farm were too great to be left to David’s mother. Under these circumstances Brother McKay told his wife, ‘Of course it is impossible for me to go.’ Sister McKay looked at him and said, ‘Of course you must accept; you need not worry about me. David O. and I will manage things nicely!’ [in Llewelyn R. McKay, Home Memories of President David O. McKay (1956), 5–6]. The faith and dedication of his parents implanted in young David a desire to serve the Lord throughout his life. He was called to the Council of the Twelve in 1906 at the age of 32, and he served in that Council and in the First Presidency (as Counselor to President Heber J. Grant and President George Albert Smith) for 45 years before becoming President of the Church.

3. “President McKay began an extensive travel schedule that took him to visit members of a Church that had become worldwide. He visited Saints in Great Britain and Europe, South Africa, Latin America, the South Pacific, and other places. While he was in Europe, he made preliminary arrangements for the construction of temples in London and Switzerland. Before his Presidency ended, he had visited almost the entire world, blessing and inspiring members of the Church.

4. “President McKay gave renewed emphasis to missionary work by urging every member to make a commitment to bring at least one new member into the Church each year. He became well known for his repeated admonition: ‘Every member a missionary.’

5. “In 1952, in an effort to increase the effectiveness of full-time missionaries, the first official proselyting plan was sent to missionaries throughout the world. It was titled A Systematic Program for Teaching the Gospel. It included seven missionary discussions that emphasized teaching by the Spirit and taught clearly the nature of the Godhead, the plan of salvation, the Apostasy and Restoration, and the importance of the Book of Mormon. The number of people converted to the Church throughout the world increased dramatically. In 1961 Church leaders convened the first seminar for all mission presidents, who were taught to encourage families to fellowship their friends and neighbors and then have these people taught by missionaries in their homes. A language training program for newly called missionaries was established in 1961, and later a missionary training center was constructed.

6. “During President McKay’s administration, the seeds for the growth of the Church in Asia were planted by Church members serving in the armed forces. A young private from American Fork, Utah, serving in South Korea, noticed that United States soldiers who met Korean civilians made the Koreans jump aside off the path while the soldiers passed by. The young Church member, in contrast, moved aside and let the Koreans use the paths. He also made an effort to learn their names and greeted them pleasantly as he passed by. One day he entered the mess hall with five of his friends. The line to get the food was very long, so he waited at a table for a time. Soon a Korean worker appeared with a tray of food. Pointing to the one stripe on his arm, the soldier said, ‘You can’t serve me. I’m only a private.’ The Korean replied, ‘I serve you. You Number One Christian’ [George Durrant, “No. 1 Christian,” Improvement Era, Nov. 1968, 82–84].

7. “By 1967 missionaries and servicemen had been so effective in teaching the gospel in Korea that the Book of Mormon was translated into the Korean language and stakes and wards soon dotted that land.

8. “Missionaries also had great success in Japan. After World War II, Church members in Japan had infrequent contact with Church representatives for several years. But Latter-day Saint servicemen stationed in Japan after the war helped the Church to grow stronger. In 1945, Tatsui Sato was impressed by Latter-day Saint servicemen who declined to drink tea, and he asked them questions that led to his baptism and the baptisms of several of his family members the following year. Elliot Richards baptized Tatsui, and Boyd K. Packer, a serviceman who would later become a member of the Quorum of the Twelve, baptized Sister Sato. The Sato home served as the place where many Japanese people first heard the message of the restored gospel. Soon Latter-day Saint missionaries who had fought against the Japanese during World War II were opening Japanese cities to missionary work.

9. “While the Church presence in the Philippines can also be traced to the efforts of American servicemen and others after World War II, the strong growth of the Church began there in 1961. A young Filipino woman who was not a member of the Church heard about the Book of Mormon and met several Latter-day Saints. As a result, she felt impressed to approach government officials with whom she was acquainted to ask that approval be given for Latter-day Saint missionaries to come to the Philippines. The approval was given and just months later, Elder Gordon B. Hinckley of the Quorum of the Twelve rededicated the country for missionary work.

10. “As a result of the Church’s dramatic growth during the 1950s, President McKay announced the priesthood correlation program. A committee, chaired by Elder Harold B. Lee of the Quorum of the Twelve, was assigned to conduct a thorough, prayerful study of all Church programs to see how well they met the Church’s most important objectives. In 1961, with First Presidency approval, Elder Lee announced that policies would be developed to govern the planning, writing, and implementation of all Church curriculum materials. Many of these materials had previously been developed by the Church’s auxiliary organizations. This new direction would avoid unnecessary duplication of programs and lesson materials so that the gospel could be more effectively taught to members of all ages and languages in a worldwide Church.

11. “The Church also made other changes in order to more effectively correlate all programs and activities—including welfare, missionary, and family history work—to better accomplish the Church’s mission. Home teaching, which had been part of the Church since the time of Joseph Smith, was reemphasized in the 1960s as a way to help care for the spiritual and temporal needs of all Church members. Meetinghouse libraries were established to enhance teaching, and a teacher development program was also put in place. In 1971 the Church began publishing three English-language magazines under General Authority supervision: the Friend for children, the New Era for young people, and the Ensign for adults. At about this same time, the Church unified its foreign language magazines that had previously been published independently by various missions. One magazine is now translated into many languages and sent to Church members throughout the world.

12. “President David O. McKay had long emphasized the importance of home and family life as the source of happiness and the surest defense against the trials and temptations of modern life. He often spoke about the love he felt for his family and the unfailing support he received from his wife, Emma Rae. During President McKay’s administration, the practice of holding weekly family home evenings was strongly reemphasized as a way for parents to draw their children closer to them and teach them the principles of the gospel.

13. “The Relief Society supported the prophet in emphasizing the importance of strengthening homes and families. From its beginnings in Nauvoo, the Relief Society had grown to include hundreds of thousands of women throughout the world, who were blessed personally and in their families by the teaching and associations they received through Relief Society. From 1945 to 1974, the general president of the Relief Society was President Belle S. Spafford, a capable leader who also received national recognition when she served as the president of the United States National Council of Women from 1968 to 1970.

14. “President McKay died in January 1970 at age 96. He had presided over the Church for almost 20 years, during which time the membership of the Church increased almost threefold and great strides were made in taking the message of the gospel to the entire world” (Our Heritage, 114–19).

Understanding the Reading

The Teachings and Testimony of David O. McKay

15. “The home is the first and most effective place for children to learn the lessons of life: truth, honor, virtue, self-control; the value of education, honest work, and the purpose and privilege of life. Nothing can take the place of home in rearing and teaching children, and no other success can compensate for failure in the home” (Family Home Evening Manual [1968], iii).

16. “The seeds of a happy married life are sown [planted] in youth. Happiness does not begin at the [marriage] altar; it begins during the period of youth and courtship” (Pathways to Happiness, comp. Llewelyn R. McKay [1957], 49).

17. “The highest of all ideals are the teachings and particularly the life of Jesus of Nazareth, and that man is most truly great who is most Christlike.

18. “What you sincerely in your heart think of Christ will determine what you are, will largely determine what your acts will be” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1951, 93).

19. “A true Mormon home is one in which if Christ should chance to enter, he would be pleased to linger and to rest” (Gospel Ideals [1953], 169).

20. “When one puts businesses or pleasure, or the earning of additional income, above his home, he that moment starts on the downgrade to soul weakness. When the club becomes more attractive to any man than his home, it is time for him to confess in bitter shame that he has failed to measure up to the supreme opportunity of his life, and flunked in the final test of true manhood.

21. “The poorest shack in which love prevails over a united family is of far greater value to God and future humanity than any other riches. In such a home God can work miracles, and will work miracles. Pure hearts in a pure home are always in whispering distance of Heaven” (in “A Prophet’s Counsel,” Church News, Sept. 7, 1968, 4).

22. “It is possible to make home a bit of heaven; indeed, I picture heaven to be a continuation of the ideal home” (Gospel Ideals, 490).

23. Elder Gordon B. Hinckley, then a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, quoted the following counsel of President McKay: “A father can do no greater thing for his children than to let them feel that he loves their mother” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1971, 82; or Ensign, June 1971, 72).

24. “No parent can consistently teach faith in Christ who profanes the name of Deity. Profanity is never heard in the well-ordered home. Swearing is a vice that bespeaks a low standard of breeding. Blasphemous exclamations drive out all spirit of reverence” (Gospel Ideals, 420).

25. “God help us to be true to our responsibility, to our callings and especially to the responsibility we have of bringing the glad tidings of the Gospel to our friends and neighbours. It will change men’s lives and make women and children better than they have ever been before. That is the mission of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to make evil-minded men good and to make good men better” (“Every Member a Missionary,” Millennial Star, Oct. 1961, 469).

26. Elder Robert L. Simpson, then an Assistant to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, speaking about avoiding idleness, gave the following quotation from President McKay: “The true measure of a man is how he spends his time when he doesn’t have to do anything” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1972, 146; or Ensign, Jan. 1973, 113).

27. President Marion G. Romney, who was a counselor in the First Presidency, spoke about hesitating to follow the Spirit while a youth in the mission field and losing the opportunity it would have brought: “The only thing that ever made me feel the Lord had forgiven me was when I heard President McKay say, ‘I was inspired one time to do a certain thing when I was in the mission field, and I didn’t do it.’ He said, ‘I have always been sorry since.’ He said, ‘Never fail to respond to the whisperings of the Spirit. Live so you can receive it, and then have the courage to do as it instructs’” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1975, 110; or Ensign, May 1975, 74).

28. “My testimony of the risen Lord is just as real as [Jesus’s disciple] Thomas’, who said to the resurrected Christ when he appeared to his disciples: ‘My Lord and my God.’ (John 20:28.) I know that he lives. . . .

29. “I know that he will confer with his servants who seek him in humility and in righteousness. I know because I have heard his voice, and I have received his guidance in matters pertaining to his kingdom here on earth.

30. “I know that his Father, our Creator, lives. I know that they appeared to the Prophet Joseph Smith. . . . This knowledge is as real to me as that which occurs in our daily lives. When we lay our bodies down at night, we know—we have an assurance—that the sun will rise in the morning and shed its glory over all the earth. So near to me is the knowledge of Christ’s existence and divinity of this restored Church” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1968, 9–10).

Understanding the Reading

Studying the Reading

Do two of the following activities (A–C) as you study “President David O. McKay.”

Write an Essay

Study paragraphs 1–14. Write a brief essay about what you admire in President McKay’s life and how his example can help you come unto Jesus Christ.

Draw a Map

1. Draw a simple world map, using the maps in your scriptures as a guide.

2. Color the areas of the world where President McKay visited and where the Church showed dramatic growth during his administration.

3. Put a star on the areas of the world where he organized stakes.

4. Put an X on the areas of the world where Church schools began during his presidency.

5. Put a T on the areas where temples were dedicated during his presidency.

Decorate Your Home

Imagine being recently married in the temple and discussing with your spouse how you want to decorate your home.

1. In your notebook, draw a diagram of the floor plan of your home, showing the different rooms.

2. From your reading of “The Teachings and Testimony of David O. McKay,” write the paragraph numbers of each of those statements in the room you think it would be most appropriate to display them. (Some statements are longer than one paragraph. You can put more than one statement in each room.)

3. Below your drawing, explain your choices. For example, President McKay’s teaching in paragraph 19 could be hung by the front door to remind you that your home should be a place that Christ would be pleased to enter.

President Joseph Fielding Smith
Gospel Theologian and Writer

President Joseph Fielding Smith “was ordained to the apostleship April 7, 1910, by his father, President Joseph F. Smith, then the sixth President of the Church. . . .

“President Smith, a grandson of Hyrum Smith, . . . [was] the third person with the name Joseph Smith to be President of the Church. . . .

“[He] made consistent contributions to the body of Church literature by his many writings on Church doctrine and Church history.

“He [was] a much beloved leader who, through a lifetime of devotion to the principles of the gospel, has been described by members of the Council of the Twelve as truly a just and righteous man” (“President Joseph Fielding Smith Becomes Tenth President of the Church,” Improvement Era, Feb. 1970, 3). As you read about the life and teachings of President Smith, look for evidence from his early life that might help explain why and how he became the kind of man he was.

The Life of President Joseph Fielding Smith

1. “When David O. McKay died, President Joseph Fielding Smith, then nearly 93 years of age, became President of the Church. He was the son of former Church President Joseph F. Smith.

2. “As a boy, Joseph Fielding Smith desired to learn the will of the Lord, which prompted him to read the Book of Mormon twice before he was ten years old and to carry the scriptures with him when he walked. When the ball team missed him, they usually found him in the hayloft reading the scriptures. He later said, ‘From my earliest recollection, from the time I first could read, I have received more pleasure and greater satisfaction out of the study of the scriptures, and reading of the Lord Jesus Christ, and of the Prophet Joseph Smith, and the work that has been accomplished for the salvation of men, than from anything else in all the world’ [in Conference Report, Apr. 1930, 91].

3. “This early study laid the foundation for an extensive knowledge of the scriptures and Church history, which he drew upon in sermons and in the writing of almost two dozen books and scores of important articles on doctrinal subjects.

4. “During his administration, the first stakes were organized in Asia (Tokyo, Japan) and in Africa (Johannesburg, South Africa). With the growth in Church membership, President Smith and his Counselors began the practice of holding area conferences throughout the world to train local leaders and allow members to meet General Authorities. The first such conference was held in Manchester, England. In order to better serve people throughout the world, health care missionaries were called to teach basic health principles and sanitation. Soon more than 200 health missionaries were serving in many countries.

5. “Since 1912, the Church had sponsored seminary classes in buildings adjacent to high schools in the western United States. In the 1920s, institutes of religion were begun at colleges and universities attended by large numbers of Latter-day Saints. In the early 1950s, early morning seminary classes were started in the Los Angeles, California, area, and soon more than 1,800 students were attending. Nonmember observers were surprised that 15- to 18-year-old Latter-day Saint youth would arise at 5:30 A.M. five days a week to attend religious study classes. In the early 1970s, the home study seminary program was introduced so that Latter-day Saint students throughout the world could receive religious instruction. During President Smith’s administration, seminary and institute enrollment grew dramatically.

6. “In President Smith’s last public address, given at the April 1972 general conference, he said: ‘There is no cure for the ills of the world except the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Our hope for peace, for temporal and spiritual prosperity, and for an eventual inheritance in the kingdom of God is found only in and through the restored gospel. There is no work that any of us can engage in that is as important as preaching the gospel and building up the Church and kingdom of God on earth’ [in Conference Report, Apr. 1972, 13; or Ensign, July 1972, 27].

7. “After serving as Church President for two and one-half years, Joseph Fielding Smith passed quietly away in the home of his daughter. He had reached the age of 95 and had served the Lord valiantly throughout his life” (Our Heritage, 121–23).

Understanding the Reading

The Teachings and Testimony of Joseph Fielding Smith

8. “Procrastination, as it may be applied to gospel principles, is the thief of eternal life, which is life in the presence of the Father and the Son. There are many among us, even members of the Church, who feel that there is no need for haste in the observance of gospel principles and the keeping of the commandments” (in Conference Report, April 1969, 121).

9. “If you want salvation in the fullest, that is exaltation in the kingdom of God, so that you may become his sons and his daughters, you have got to go into the temple of the Lord and receive these holy ordinances which belong to that house, which cannot be had elsewhere. No man shall receive the fulness of eternity, of exaltation, alone; no woman shall receive that blessing alone; but man and wife, when they receive the sealing power in the temple of the Lord, if they thereafter keep all the commandments, shall pass on to exaltation, and shall continue and become like the Lord. And that is the destiny of men; that is what the Lord desires for his children” (Doctrines of Salvation, 2:44).

10. “It makes no difference what is written or what anyone has said, if what has been said is in conflict with what the Lord has revealed, we can set it aside. My words, and the teachings of any other member of the Church, high or low, if they do not square with the revelations, we need not accept them. Let us have this matter clear. We have accepted the four standard works as the measuring yardsticks, or balances, by which we measure every man’s doctrine” (Doctrines of Salvation, 3:203).

11. “It seems to me that any member of this Church would never be satisfied until he or she had read the Book of Mormon time and time again, and thoroughly considered it so that he or she could bear witness that it is in very deed a record with the inspiration of the Almighty upon it, and that its history is true. . . .

12. “. . . No member of this Church can stand approved in the presence of God who has not seriously and carefully read the Book of Mormon” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1961, 18).

13. “I wish to bear testimony to the restoration of the gospel, to the mission of our Redeemer, to the call of the Prophet Joseph Smith and the establishment of this work in the dispensation in which we live, known as the Dispensation of the Fulness of Times. I know absolutely that Jesus Christ is the only Begotten Son of God, the Redeemer of the world, the Savior of men insofar as they will repent of their sins and accept the gospel. Through his death he redeemed all men and took upon him that sacrifice which would relieve us of our sins that we may not answer for them if we will accept him and be true and faithful to his teachings” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1956, 58).

Understanding the Reading

Studying the Reading

Do activity A and activity B or C as you study “President Joseph Fielding Smith.”

Find the Cure

1. If you were a doctor, what is a disease you think would be the most difficult to treat? Why?

2. Review paragraphs 2–3 and 5–6 and do the following:

1. List some of the spiritual “diseases” of the world.

2. What “prescriptions” did President Joseph Fielding Smith offer to help cure these ills?

3. How did President Smith avoid spiritual ills when he was young?

4. How has seminary provided opportunities to have this “cure” in your life?

Stop the Thief

Have you ever had something valuable stolen? How did you feel about it?

1. Review paragraph 8 and answer the following questions:

1. What valuable possession can be stolen from us?

2. How is it stolen?

3. Who is the thief?

2. Review paragraphs 11–12 and do the following:

1. Find a scripture in the Book of Mormon that warns against procrastination and one that talks about eternal life.

2. Write what you can do to “stand approved in the presence of God.”

Write a Journal Entry

Review paragraph 9 and write a journal entry as if you were recently married in the temple. For your entry, think about and include answers to the following questions:

1. What temple would you like to be sealed in?

2. Based on President Smith’s teachings, why is being sealed in the temple important to you?

3. Who do you want to be there? Why?

4. How might consistently worshiping in the temple help you become more like the Lord?

President Harold B. Lee
A Giant Redwood

In an address at the funeral of President Harold B. Lee, President Spencer W. Kimball described President Lee as “one of God’s most noble, powerful, committed, and foreordained giant redwoods” (in L. Brent Goates, Harold B. Lee: Prophet and Seer [1985], 595). On another occasion, President Kimball described President Lee as “tried and true, educated in the program [of the Church], spiritual, and above all, called of the Lord. . . . We have seen this man, already trained and spiritual, grow and magnify his calling. As we see him make pronouncements and decisions, we recognize in them all the voice of the shepherd, the leader of men, a prophet of the Lord, the mantle bearer” (Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, 467). As you study the life and teachings of President Lee, notice the simple personal belief that characterized his life and that he believed would bless the world.

The Life of President Harold B. Lee

1. “On the day after President Joseph Fielding Smith died, the family of President Harold B. Lee, the senior member of the Quorum of the Twelve, gathered for a home evening. One family member asked what they could do that would help President Lee the most. ‘Be true to the faith; just live the gospel as I have taught you,’ he answered. That message applies to all Church members. In his first press conference as Church President, Harold B. Lee declared: ‘Keep the commandments of God. Therein will be the salvation of individuals and nations during these troublesome times’ [in Francis M. Gibbons, Harold B. Lee: Man of Vision, Prophet of God [1993], 459].

2. “When Harold B. Lee became Church President on 7 July 1972, he was 73 years old, the youngest Apostle to become President since Heber J. Grant. He had played a major role in Church administration since 1935, when he was called to direct the Church welfare program. He had also played a major role in the review of the Church’s programs and curriculum materials that led to the simplification and correlation of Church programs. He was a man of deep spirituality who was quick to respond to the impressions he received from heaven.

3. “President Lee and his Counselors presided over the second area conference, held in Mexico City. Church members assembled at this conference were the first Latter-day Saints to sustain the new First Presidency. President Lee explained that the meetings were held in Mexico City to ‘give recognition and to commend the wonderful labors of the many who . . . have been instrumental in bringing about the tremendous growth of the Church.’

4. “When the Saints in Mexico and Central America learned that an area conference would be held in Mexico City, many began making plans to attend. One sister went door-to-door asking for laundry. For five months she saved the pesos earned from scrubbing her neighbors’ clothes and was able to travel to the conference and attend all the sessions. Many Saints willingly fasted during the days of the conference because they did not have money to buy food after working and saving to attend the meetings. Those who made sacrifices were rewarded with great spiritual strength. One member declared that the conference was ‘the most beautiful experience of my life!’ Another told a reporter, ‘It will take many years for us to forget the love that we have felt here these days.’ [See Jay M. Todd, “The Remarkable Mexico City Area Conference,” Ensign, Nov. 1972, 89, 93, 95.]

5. “During his administration, President Lee visited the Holy Land, the first Church President in this dispensation to do so. He also announced that smaller temples would now be constructed and would eventually dot the world.

6. “On the day after Christmas in 1973, after having served as Church President for only 18 months, President Lee died. A spiritual giant had returned to his eternal home” (Our Heritage, 123–24).

Understanding the Reading

The Teachings and Testimony of Harold B. Lee

7. When Harold B. Lee was a small boy, he saw through a fence into a neighbor’s yard some broken-down buildings and imagined exploring them. As he climbed through the fence, a voice said to him, “Harold, don’t go over there.” He later explained: “I looked in every direction to see where the speaker was. I wondered if it was my father, but he couldn’t see me. There was no one in sight. I realized that someone was warning me of an unseen danger. . . . From that time on, I accepted without question the fact that there were processes not known to man by which we can hear voices from the unseen world, by which we can have brought to us the visions of eternity” (“The Way to Eternal Life,” Ensign, Nov. 1971, 17).

8. “I have learned something of what the Spirit has taught, and I know now that the place of safety in this world is not in any given place; it doesn’t make so much difference where we live; but the all-important thing is how we live, and I have found that security can come to Israel [Church members] only when they keep the commandments, when they live so that they can enjoy the companionship, the direction, the comfort, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit of the Lord, when they are willing to listen to these men whom God has set here to preside as His mouthpieces, and when we obey the counsels of the Church” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1943, 129).

9. “The heaviest burden that one has to bear in this life is the burden of sin” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1973, 177; or Ensign, July 1973, 122).

10. “The more I see of life, the more I am convinced that we must impress you young people with the awfulness of sin rather than to content ourselves with merely teaching the way of repentance. I wish that someone could warn you of the night of hell that follows the committing of a moral sin” (Youth and the Church [1945], 90).

11. Elder Henry D. Taylor, who was a member of the Seventy, quoted President Lee on the importance of scripture study: “If we’re not reading the scriptures daily, our testimonies are growing thinner, our spirituality isn’t increasing in depth” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1976, 89; or Ensign, Nov. 1976, 62).

12. “Testimony isn’t something you have today, and you are going to have always. A testimony is fragile. It is as hard to hold as a moonbeam. It is something you have to recapture every day of your life” (in “President Harold B. Lee Directs Church; Led by the Spirit,” Church News, July 15, 1972, 4).

13. “All that we teach in this Church ought to be couched in the scriptures. It ought to be found in the scriptures. We ought to choose our texts from the scriptures. If we want to measure truth, we should measure it by the four standard works, regardless of who writes it. If it is not in the standard works, we may well assume that it is speculation, man’s own personal opinion; and if it contradicts what is in the scriptures, it is not true. This is the standard by which we measure all truth” (“Using the Scriptures in Our Church Assignments,” Improvement Era, Jan. 1969, 13).

14. “In addition to what the scriptures have told us, we have what the prophets today are telling us here and now” (Teachings of Harold B. Lee, 471).

15. “If you want to know what the Lord would have the Saints know and to have his guidance and direction for the next six months, get a copy of the proceedings of [general] conference, and you will have the latest word of the Lord as far as the Saints are concerned. And [also] all others who are not of us, but who believe what has been said has been ‘the mind of the Lord, the will of the Lord, and the voice of the Lord, and the power of God unto salvation.’ (See D&C 68:4.)” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1973, 168; or Ensign, Jan. 1974, 128).

16. “I want to bear my sacred witness that because I know of the divinity of this work, I know that it will prevail; and that though there may be enemies within and without the Church who would seek to undermine and would seek to find fault and try to undermine the influence of the Church in the world, this church will be borne off triumphantly and will stand through the test of time when all the man-made efforts and weapons forged against the Lord’s word will fall by the wayside. I know that our Lord and Master Jesus Christ is the head of this church; that he has daily communion through agencies known to him, not only to the leaders of the Church in high positions, but also to individual members as they keep the commandments of God” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1973, 10; or Ensign, July 1973, 6).

Understanding the Reading

Studying the Reading

Do activity A and activity B or C as you study “President Harold B. Lee.”

Look for Evidence

1. Review paragraph 1 and look for the counsel President Harold B. Lee gave his family and Church members that would help them through troubled times.

2. Review paragraph 4 and list evidence that the Saints in Mexico and Central America lived according to each of the following teachings of President Lee:

1. “Be true to the faith.”

2. “Keep the commandments of God.”

3. Imagine you are an attorney. Write a brief paragraph showing what you would say to defend the faithfulness of the Saints in Mexico and Central America.

Help a Friend

Suppose you are worried about a friend whose recent decisions seem to be leading him or her toward unseen dangers. Review paragraphs 7–10 and list what you could say to help your friend. Include answers to the following questions:

1. What unseen dangers exist that could bring us a heavy burden? (see par. 9–10).

2. What helped young Harold B. Lee stay away from an unseen danger? (see par. 7).

3. What can we do to have the safety and security that the Holy Spirit provides? (see par. 8).

Make a Poster

Imagine you are on a committee planning a stake or district youth conference. Your assignment is to advertise the conference theme. Review paragraphs 11–15 and design a poster that includes the following:

1. A theme based on what President Lee taught in those paragraphs.

2. One sentence or phrase President Lee said that summarizes the theme.

3. One or two pictures that represent what President Lee taught and help illustrate the theme.

4. Ways this theme can help young people find strength in their lives.

President Spencer W. Kimball
“Lengthen Your Stride”

Speaking of President Spencer W. Kimball, President Gordon B. Hinckley, then a counselor in the First Presidency, said: “What a magnificent example he has been for all of us. He has given impetus [encouragement to progress] to this work in a remarkable way. The whole Church has quickened its pace and lengthened its stride in response to his clarion [clear] call. He has been a prophet to us, a prophet whose vision and revelation have reached out to the people of the entire earth, regardless of nation, or color, or station in life, freely offering the matchless blessings of the gospel of Jesus Christ to all who will accept” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1983, 3–4; or Ensign, May 1983, 5). As you consider President Kimball’s life, look for evidence of his “vision and revelation” that still influence the Church today.

The Life of President Spencer W. Kimball

1. “A man who knew much about pain and suffering, Spencer W. Kimball, the senior member of the Twelve, was sustained as President of the Church after President Lee died. Most of his vocal cords had been removed because of cancer, and he spoke in a quiet, husky voice that Latter-day Saints came to love. Known for his humility, his commitment, his ability to work, and his personal slogan, ‘Do It,’ President Kimball thrust in his sickle with all his might. . . .

2. “President Kimball showed the leaders ‘how the Church was not fully living in the faithfulness that the Lord expects of His people, and that, to a certain degree, we had settled into a spirit of complacency and satisfaction with things as they were. It was at that moment that he sounded the now famous slogan, “We must lengthen our stride.”’ He admonished his audience to increase their commitment to proclaiming the gospel to the nations of the earth. He also called for a large increase in the number of missionaries who could serve in their own countries. At the conclusion of the sermon, President Ezra Taft Benson declared, ‘Truly, there is a prophet in Israel.’ [See W. Grant Bangerter, in Conference Report, Oct. 1977, 38–39; or Ensign, Nov. 1977, 26–27.]

3. “Under President Kimball’s dynamic leadership, many more members served full-time missions, and the Church moved forward throughout the world. In August 1977, President Kimball traveled to Warsaw, where he dedicated the land of Poland and blessed its people that the work of the Lord might go forward. Missionary training centers were established in Brazil, Chile, Mexico, New Zealand, and Japan. In June 1978 he announced a revelation from God that was to have a tremendous effect on missionary work worldwide. For many years the priesthood had been denied to persons of African descent, but now priesthood and temple blessings would be granted to all worthy male members. . . .

4. “For many months before the June 1978 revelation, President Kimball discussed with his Counselors and the Twelve Apostles the denial of priesthood authority to persons of African descent. Church leaders were reluctant to open missions in areas of the world where the full blessings of the gospel could not be conferred upon worthy Church members. In an area conference in South Africa, President Kimball declared: ‘I prayed with much fervency. I knew that something was before us that was extremely important to many of the children of God. I knew that we could receive the revelations of the Lord only by being worthy and ready for them and ready to accept them and put them into place. Day after day I went alone and with great solemnity and seriousness in the upper rooms of the temple, and there I offered my soul and offered my efforts to go forward with the program. I wanted to do what he wanted. I talked about it to him and said, “Lord, I want only what is right”’ [Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, 451].

5. “In a special meeting in the temple with his Counselors and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, President Kimball asked that they all freely express their views about giving the priesthood to black males. Then they prayed around the altar with President Kimball as voice. Elder Bruce R. McConkie, who was there, later said, ‘On this occasion, because of the importuning and the faith, and because the hour and the time had arrived, the Lord in his providences poured out the Holy Ghost upon the First Presidency and the Twelve in a miraculous and marvelous manner, beyond anything that any then present had ever experienced’ [“All Are Alike unto God,” Charge to Religious Educators, 2nd ed. (1981), 153]. It was made clear to the leaders of the Church that the time had come for all worthy men to receive the full blessings of the priesthood.

6. “The First Presidency sent a letter dated 8 June 1978 to priesthood leaders, explaining that the Lord had revealed that ‘all worthy male members of the Church may be ordained to the priesthood without regard for race or color.’ On 30 September 1978, the Saints in general conference voted unanimously to support the action of their leaders. This letter is now found in the Doctrine and Covenants as Official Declaration 2. . . .

7. “During President Kimball’s administration, the First Quorum of the Seventy was reorganized, the three-hour consolidated Sunday meeting schedule was put into place, and temples were built at a rapid pace. In 1982, 22 temples throughout the world were either in the planning stages or under construction, by far the most in the Church’s history to that time. Also, President Kimball established a demanding travel schedule that took him to many countries to hold area conferences. At these meetings, he ignored his own needs and scheduled every possible opportunity to meet with and strengthen and bless the local Saints.

8. “In many countries, Church members yearned to receive the sacred ordinances of salvation offered in temples. Among these was a Latter-day Saint from Sweden who served many missions and labored in the mission presidency. When he died, he left a substantial part of his property to the Swedish temple fund, long before the Church announced that a temple would be constructed in that country. When President Kimball announced the temple, this man’s contribution had accrued interest and become a large sum. Soon after the temple’s dedication, this faithful brother, who was endowed while he lived, was sealed to his parents in the very temple his money had helped to build.

9. “A father and mother in Singapore determined to take their family to the temple to be sealed and receive their temple blessings. They sacrificed many things to raise the necessary funds and were finally able to make the trip and attend the temple. They stayed in the home of the missionary who had taught them years earlier. While visiting a grocery store, this sister became separated from her husband and the missionary. When they found her, she was holding a bottle of shampoo and weeping. She explained that one of the sacrifices she had made in order to attend the temple was to go without shampoo, which she had not used for seven years. Her sacrifices, while difficult to make, now seemed small, for she knew that her family was eternally bound together by the ordinances of the house of the Lord.

10. “Another major development during President Kimball’s administration occurred in 1979 when the Church published a new English-language edition of the King James Bible. The text was unchanged, but footnotes were added that cross-referenced the Bible with the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price. A large Topical Guide and Bible Dictionary provided insights unique to modern-day scriptures. This edition had new headings for all chapters and also included excerpts from Joseph Smith’s inspired revisions of the King James Bible.

11. “In 1981 new editions of the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price were also published. These included the new system of footnotes, new chapter and section headings, maps, and an index. At about this time, the Church also began to place increased emphasis on translating the latter-day scriptures into many other languages. . . .

12. “An incident that was typical of his concern for all people occurred in a crowded airport where a young mother, stranded by bad weather, stood in line after line with her two-year-old daughter, trying to get a flight to her destination. She was two months pregnant and under doctor’s orders not to carry her young child, who was exhausted and hungry. No one offered to help, although several people made critical comments about her crying child. Then, the woman later reported:

13. “‘Someone came towards us and with a kindly smile said, “Is there something I could do to help you?” With a grateful sigh I accepted his offer. He lifted my sobbing little daughter from the cold floor and lovingly held her to him while he patted her gently on the back. He asked if she could chew a piece of gum. When she was settled down, he carried her with him and said something kindly to the others in the line ahead of me, about how I needed their help. They seemed to agree and then he went up to the ticket counter [at the front of the line] and made arrangements with the clerk for me to be put on a flight leaving shortly. He walked with us to a bench, where we chatted a moment, until he was assured that I would be fine. He went on his way. About a week later I saw a picture of Apostle Spencer W. Kimball and recognized him as the stranger in the airport’ [in Spencer W. Kimball, ed. Edward L. Kimball and Andrew Kimball Jr. (1977), 334].

14. “For some months before his death, President Kimball suffered with severe health problems, but he was always an example of patience, long-suffering, and diligence in the face of trial. He died on 5 November 1985, after serving as President of the Church for 12 years” (Our Heritage, 124–29, 131).

Understanding the Reading

The Teachings and Testimony of Spencer W. Kimball

15. “The question is asked: Should every young man fill a mission? And the answer of the Church is yes, and the answer of the Lord is yes. Enlarging this answer we say: Certainly every male member of the Church should fill a mission, like he should pay his tithing, like he should attend his meetings, like he should keep his life clean and free from the ugliness of the world and plan a celestial marriage in the temple of the Lord” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1974, 125; or Ensign, May 1974, 87).

16. “I am convinced that each of us, at some time in our lives, must discover the scriptures for ourselves—and not just discover them once, but rediscover them again and again” (“How Rare a Possession—the Scriptures!” Ensign, Sept. 1976, 4).

17. “I find that when I get casual in my relationships with divinity and when it seems that no divine ear is listening and no divine voice is speaking, that I am far, far away. If I immerse myself in the scriptures the distance narrows and the spirituality returns” (Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, 135).

18. “Being human, we would expel from our lives physical pain and mental anguish and assure ourselves of continual ease and comfort, but if we were to close the doors upon sorrow and distress, we might be excluding our greatest friends and benefactors. Suffering can make saints of people as they learn patience, long-suffering, and self-mastery” (Faith Precedes the Miracle, 98).

19. “God does notice us, and he watches over us. But it is usually through another person that he meets our needs. Therefore, it is vital that we serve each other in the kingdom” (“Small Acts of Service,” Ensign, Dec. 1974, 5).

20. Elder Gordon B. Hinckley, then a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, spoke of an occasion when he tried to slow down President Kimball. President Kimball told him: “My life is like my shoes—to be worn out in service” (“He Is at Peace,” Ensign, Dec. 1985, 41).

21. “The Sabbath is a holy day in which to do worthy and holy things. Abstinence from work and recreation is important but insufficient. The Sabbath calls for constructive thoughts and acts, and if one merely lounges about doing nothing on the Sabbath, he is breaking it. To observe it, one will be on his knees in prayer, preparing lessons, studying the gospel, meditating, visiting the ill and distressed, sleeping, reading wholesome material, and attending all the meetings of that day to which he is expected. To fail to do these proper things is a transgression” (Miracle of Forgiveness, 96–97).

22. “To the testimonies of these mighty men and apostles of old—our brethren in the ministry of the same Master—I add my own testimony. I know that Jesus Christ is the Son of the living God and that he was crucified for the sins of the world.

23. “He is my friend, my Savior, my Lord, my God.

24. “With all my heart I pray that the Saints may keep his commandments, have his Spirit, and gain an eternal inheritance with him in celestial glory” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1978, 110; or Ensign, Nov. 1978, 73).

25. “‘I know that God lives. I know that Jesus Christ lives,’ said John Taylor, my predecessor, ‘for I have seen him.’ I bear this testimony to you brethren in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1978, 72; or Ensign, May 1978, 48).

Understanding the Reading

Studying the Reading

Do activity A and two of the other activities (B–D) as you study “President Spencer W. Kimball.”

Make a List

1. Read paragraphs 1–2 and identify two slogans that President Kimball used.

2. Review paragraphs 7–9 and list examples of how President Kimball and other Saints fulfilled these slogans.

3. Read paragraphs 15 and 21 and list ways President Kimball taught the Saints to fulfill these slogans.

4. List what you can do to make these slogans part of your life.

Write a Newspaper Article

Imagine you are a reporter for your local newspaper. Review paragraphs 10–11, 16–17 as if you were interviewing President Kimball and write an article about the new LDS edition of the scriptures. Answer the following questions as part of the interview:

1. “Why are the scriptures so important to you?”

2. “What unique features will the LDS edition of the scriptures provide for your members?”

3. “In what ways might the LDS scriptures help and bless Latter-day Saints?”

Draw a Picture

1. Read paragraph 20. What did President Kimball compare his life to?

2. Draw a picture that represents President Kimball’s statement about his life of service.

3. Review paragraphs 12–14 and write a brief paragraph that describes President Kimball’s teachings on service.

Give an Explanation

1. Review paragraphs 22–24 and write in your notebook the sentence that describes what Jesus Christ meant to President Kimball.

2. Give an example from your life and list a scripture reference that explains how Jesus Christ is each of the following to you:

1. Friend

2. Savior

3. Lord

4. God

Official Declaration 2
Every Worthy Man Can Hold the Priesthood

One principle that sets Latter-day Saints apart from every other religion is that we believe in modern revelation. Without it: What would we know about the Godhead? How would we know who was to be the President of the Church or the bishop of a ward? As the Book of Mormon prophet Jacob taught, “No man knoweth of [God’s] ways save it be revealed unto him; wherefore, . . . despise not the revelations of God” (Jacob 4:8). As you study Official Declaration 2, ponder the great blessing that this important revelation is to Church members throughout the world.

Understanding the Scriptures

Studying the Scriptures

Do activity A as you study Official Declaration 2.

Write a Letter to the Editor

Elder David B. Haight, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, said that soon after the announcement on the priesthood was made to the press, he was in an airport in Chicago, Illinois: “I noticed an edition of the Chicago Tribune on the newsstand. The headline in the paper said, ‘Mormons Give Blacks Priesthood.’ And the subheading said, ‘President Kimball Claims to Have Received a Revelation.’ I bought a copy of the newspaper. I stared at one word in that subheading—claims. It stood out to me just like it was in red neon. As I walked along the hallway to make my plane connection, I thought, Here I am now in Chicago walking through this busy airport, yet I was a witness to this revelation. I was there. I witnessed it. I felt that heavenly influence. I was part of it. . . . Little did the editor of that newspaper realize the truth of that revelation. . . . Little did he know, or the printer, or the man who put the ink on the press, or the one who delivered the newspaper—little did any of them know that it was truly a revelation from God. Little did they know what I knew because I was a witness to it” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1996, 31; or Ensign, May 1996, 23).

Imagine you lived in Chicago, Illinois, in June 1978, and read the newspaper headline Elder Haight referred to. Review paragraphs 3–6 in “The Life of President Spencer W. Kimball” (pp. 208–9) and paragraphs 3–8 of Official Declaration 2. Then write a letter to the editor of the Chicago Tribune, giving evidence and reasons why you believe the revelation was more than just a “claim.”

President Ezra Taft Benson
Flooding the Earth with the Book of Mormon

Before writing his biography, Sheri L. Dew researched the life of President Ezra Taft Benson. After finishing that project she concluded: “It is a humbling experience to carefully examine, to even probe, a prophet’s life. A biographer sees so much—the good and the bad; the trials and the triumphs; the joys and the pains. To the biographer goes the fragile responsibility of analysis, of putting into perspective a person’s life, of drawing conclusions about a man’s contributions, his dreams and aspirations, his motives, and so forth. From the outset I respected President Benson as a man with a divine calling. But the more I researched and read and reflected, the more I came to realize how truly remarkable Ezra Taft Benson is.” Sister Dew also testified that one of the many things the project taught her was “that Ezra Taft Benson, like his predecessors, is indeed a prophet of God” (Ezra Taft Benson: A Biography [1987], xi).

The Life of President Ezra Taft Benson

1. “Ezra Taft Benson became President of the Church after the death of Spencer W. Kimball. Early in his administration, he emphasized the great importance of reading and studying the Book of Mormon. He testified that ‘the Book of Mormon brings men to Christ,’ and reaffirmed Joseph Smith’s statement that this book constitutes the ‘keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book’ [A Witness and a Warning (1988), 3, 21; see also History of the Church, 4:461].

2. “In the April 1986 general conference, President Benson declared: ‘The Lord inspired His servant Lorenzo Snow to reemphasize the principle of tithing to redeem the Church from financial bondage. . . . Now, in our day, the Lord has revealed the need to reemphasize the Book of Mormon. . . . I promise you that from this moment forward, if we will daily sup from its pages and abide by its precepts, God will pour out upon each child of Zion and the Church a blessing hitherto unknown’ [in Conference Report, Apr. 1986, 100; or Ensign, May 1986, 78]. Millions around the world accepted the challenge and received the promised blessing.

3. “Another major theme was the importance of avoiding pride. In the April 1989 general conference, he called for the members of the Church to ‘cleanse the inner vessel by conquering pride,’ which he warned was the cause of the destruction of the Nephite nation. He counseled that ‘the antidote for pride is humility—meekness, submissiveness’ [in Conference Report, Apr. 1989, 6–7; or Ensign, May 1989, 6–7].

4. “While he was serving as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve, Ezra Taft Benson had an unusual opportunity to be an example of gospel living. In 1952, with the encouragement of President David O. McKay, he accepted an appointment as the Secretary of Agriculture under Dwight D. Eisenhower, president of the United States. This was the only time in the history of the Church that a member of the Quorum of the Twelve served in a United States president’s cabinet. During his eight years of service, he gained widespread respect at home and abroad for his integrity and for his expertise in guiding and carrying out the agricultural policies of the United States government. He came into contact with leaders of nations and opened doors to representatives of the Church throughout the world.

5. “Under President Benson’s leadership, the Church made important advances worldwide. On 28 August 1987, he dedicated the Frankfurt Germany Temple in the Federal Republic of Germany, a meaningful privilege for him because he had been headquartered in Frankfurt while serving as president of the European mission from 1964 to 1965.

6. “The Freiberg Germany Temple in the German Democratic Republic was dedicated on 29 June 1985. This dedication followed a number of miracles that occurred to make possible its construction. On his first visit to the German Democratic Republic in 1968, Elder Thomas S. Monson of the Quorum of the Twelve promised the Saints: ‘If you will remain true and faithful to the commandments of God, every blessing any member of the Church enjoys in any other country will be yours.’ In 1975, while on assignment in the same country, Elder Monson was impressed by the Spirit to dedicate that land to the Lord, saying, ‘Father, let this be the beginning of a new day for the members of Thy church in this land.’ He asked that the heartfelt desire of the Saints ‘to obtain temple blessings’ might be fulfilled. His inspired promise and prophetic prayer of dedication were realized [in Conference Report, Apr. 1989, 66; or Ensign, May 1989, 51; see also Conference Report, Oct. 1985, 44; or Ensign, Nov. 1985, 34].

7. “On the last day of March 1989, Latter-day Saint missionaries were allowed to enter the German Democratic Republic. On 9 November 1989, the faith and prayers of many Saints were answered when the barriers between eastern and western Europe began to come down, leading to increased convert baptisms and construction of Church buildings. One convert first learned of the Church when he visited an open house in the newly completed chapel in Dresden, Germany, on 1 May 1990. Less than a week later he was baptized after he had received the missionary lessons, read the Book of Mormon twice from cover to cover, and acquired a strong testimony of the gospel’s truthfulness. [See Garold and Norma Davis, “The Wall Comes Down,” Ensign, June 1991, 33.]

8. “On 24 June 1991, at a banquet following the Mormon Tabernacle Choir’s concert in Moscow, the vice president of the Russian Soviet Federal Socialist Republic announced that the Church was officially recognized in his country. This allowed the Church to establish congregations throughout this large republic. During the 1990s, a number of former Soviet republics and middle and eastern European countries were dedicated for the preaching of the gospel, including Albania, Armenia, Belarus, Bulgaria, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Russia, and Ukraine. Church facilities are being leased and built in each of these countries, and many people are gaining testimonies of the truthfulness of the gospel. At the dedication of the first Latter-day Saint meetinghouse in Poland since before World War II, Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve prayed that the meetinghouse might serve as ‘a refuge of peace for troubled souls and a haven of hope for those who hunger and thirst after righteousness’ [Church News, June 29, 1991, 12]. This blessing is being fulfilled in the lives of Saints in many countries who have found the peace and joy of the gospel.

9. “As a result of tremendous growth in Church membership and President Benson’s emphasis on missionary work, at the conclusion of his administration almost 48,000 missionaries were serving in 295 missions of the Church.

10. “Also during his administration, the Church welfare program began offering increased humanitarian assistance to members of other faiths worldwide. This assistance is provided to relieve suffering and to foster long-term self-reliance. Large amounts of food, clothing, medical supplies, blankets, cash, and other items are distributed to the needy, and long-term projects provide health care, literacy training, and other services. This compassionate service is reaching thousands of people today in many parts of the world.

11. “Afflicted by the infirmities of old age and the loss of his beloved wife, Flora, President Benson died on 30 May 1994 at the age of 94, having valiantly completed his mission as prophet of the Lord. He was succeeded by Howard W. Hunter, who was then serving as President of the Quorum of the Twelve” (Our Heritage, 133–36).

Understanding the Reading

The Teachings and Testimony of Ezra Taft Benson

12. “Unless we read the Book of Mormon and give heed to its teachings, the Lord has stated in section 84 of the Doctrine and Covenants that the whole Church is under condemnation: ‘And this condemnation resteth upon the children of Zion, even all’ (D&C 84:56). The Lord continues: ‘And they shall remain under this condemnation until they repent and remember the new covenant, even the Book of Mormon and the former commandments which I have given them, not only to say, but to do according to that which I have written’ (D&C 84:57).

13. “Now we not only need to say more about the Book of Mormon, but we need to do more with it. Why? The Lord answers: ‘That they may bring forth fruit meet for their Father’s kingdom; otherwise there remaineth a scourge and judgment to be poured out upon the children of Zion’ (D&C 84:58). We have felt that scourge and judgment!” (in Conference Report Apr. 1986, 4; or Ensign, May 1986, 5).

14. “It is not just that the Book of Mormon teaches us truth, though it indeed does that. It is not just that the Book of Mormon bears testimony of Christ, though it indeed does that, too. But there is something more. There is a power in the book which will begin to flow into your lives the moment you begin a serious study of the book. You will find greater power to resist temptation. You will find the power to avoid deception. You will find the power to stay on the strait and narrow path. The scriptures are called ‘the words of life’ (see D&C 84:85), and nowhere is that more true than it is of the Book of Mormon. When you begin to hunger and thirst after those words, you will find life in greater and greater abundance. . . .

15. “Brethren and sisters, I implore you with all my heart that you consider with great solemnity the importance of the Book of Mormon to you personally and to the Church collectively” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1986, 6; or Ensign, Nov. 1986, 7).

16. “The Book of Mormon is the keystone in our witness of Jesus Christ, who is Himself the cornerstone of everything we do. It bears witness of His reality with power and clarity. Unlike the Bible, which passed through generations of copyists, translators, and corrupt religionists who tampered with the text, the Book of Mormon came from writer to reader in just one inspired step of translation. Therefore, its testimony of the Master is clear, undiluted, and full of power. But it does even more. Much of the Christian world today rejects the divinity of the Savior. They question His miraculous birth, His perfect life, and the reality of His glorious resurrection. The Book of Mormon teaches in plain and unmistakable terms about the truth of all of those. It also provides the most complete explanation of the doctrine of the Atonement. Truly, this divinely inspired book is a keystone in bearing witness to the world that Jesus is the Christ (see title page of the Book of Mormon)” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1986, 4; or Ensign, Nov. 1986, 5).

17. “Often we spend great effort in trying to increase the activity level in our stakes. We work diligently to raise the percentages of those attending Sacrament meeting. We labor to get a higher percentage of our young men on missions. We strive to improve the numbers of those marrying in the temple. All of these are commendable efforts and important to the growth of the kingdom. But when individual members and families immerse themselves in the scriptures regularly and consistently, these other areas of activity will automatically come. Testimonies will increase. Commitment will be strengthened. Families will be fortified. Personal revelation will flow” (“The Power of the Word,” Ensign, May 1986, 81).

18. “You cannot do wrong and feel right. It is impossible!” (“To the Rising Generation,” New Era, June 1986, 5).

19. “No more sacred word exists in secular or holy writ than that of mother. There is no more noble work than that of a good and God-fearing mother. . . .

20. “In the eternal family, God established that fathers are to preside in the home. Fathers are to provide, to love, to teach, and to direct.

21. “But a mother’s role is also God-ordained. Mothers are to conceive, to bear, to nourish, to love, and to train. So declare the revelations” (To the Mothers in Zion [pamphlet, 1987], 1–3).

22. “Pride is the universal sin, the great vice. . . .

23. “The antidote for pride is humility—meekness, submissiveness (see Alma 7:23). . . .

24. “God will have a humble people. Either we can choose to be humble or we can be compelled to be humble. Alma said, ‘Blessed are they who humble themselves without being compelled to be humble’ (Alma 32:16).

25. “Let us choose to be humble.

26. “We can choose to humble ourselves by conquering enmity toward our brothers and sisters, esteeming them as ourselves, and lifting them as high or higher than we are (see D&C 38:24; 81:5; 84:106).

27. “We can choose to humble ourselves by receiving counsel and chastisement (see Jacob 4:10; Helaman 15:3; D&C 63:55; 101:4–5; 108:1; 124:61, 84; 136:31; Proverbs 9:8).

28. “We can choose to humble ourselves by forgiving those who have offended us (see 3 Nephi 13:11, 14; D&C 64:10).

29. “We can choose to humble ourselves by rendering selfless service (see Mosiah 2:16–17).

30. “We can choose to humble ourselves by going on missions and preaching the word that can humble others (see Alma 4:19; 31:5; 48:20).

31. “We can choose to humble ourselves by getting to the temple more frequently.

32. “We can choose to humble ourselves by confessing and forsaking our sins and being born of God (see D&C 58:43; Mosiah 27:25–26; Alma 5:7–14, 49).

33. “We can choose to humble ourselves by loving God, submitting our will to His, and putting Him first in our lives (see 3 Nephi 11:11; 13:33; Moroni 10:32).

34. “Let us choose to be humble. We can do it. I know we can” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1989, 6; or Ensign, May 1989, 6–7).

35. “In this work it is the Spirit that counts—wherever we serve. I know I must rely on the Spirit. Let us obtain that Spirit and be faithful members of the Church” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1986, 98; or Ensign, May 1986, 77).

36. “There is nothing more important in this work than the Spirit” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1986, 60; or Ensign, Nov. 1986, 46).

37. “I testify that not many years hence the earth will be cleansed (see D&C 76:41). Jesus the Christ will come again, this time in power and great glory to vanquish His foes and to rule and reign on the earth (see D&C 43:26–33). In due time all men will gain a resurrection and then will face the Master in a final judgment (see 2 Nephi 9:15, 41). God will give rewards to each according to the deeds done in the flesh (see Alma 5:15)” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1988, 104; or Ensign, Nov. 1988, 87).

Understanding the Reading

Studying the Reading

Do activity A or B as you study “President Ezra Taft Benson.”

Make a Collage

From your reading of paragraphs 1–10, draw or find pictures in magazines or newspapers that you think represent the kinds of events that occurred during President Benson’s life. Label each picture and paste them together as a collage in your notebook or on a separate piece of posterboard.

Matching Exercise

1. Write the following scripture references in a column in your notebook:

1. Alma 31:5

2. Alma 41:10

3. Doctrine and Covenants 42:13–14

4. Doctrine and Covenants 84:54–57

5. 3 Nephi 27:5–8

6. Isaiah 64:1–3

7. Alma 5:22–23

8. Alma 56:47–48

2. Next to each reference, write the paragraph numbers, from paragraphs 12–37, that you think best match each scripture. More than one paragraph could apply.

3. Select one of the teachings of President Benson that impressed you and explain what it means to you.

President Howard W. Hunter
A Man Possessing Christlike Love

President Howard W. Hunter taught: “Please remember this one thing. If our lives and our faith are centered upon Jesus Christ and his restored gospel, nothing can ever go permanently wrong” (“‘Fear Not, Little Flock,’” Brigham Young University 1988–89 Devotional and Fireside Speeches [1989], 112). President Hunter not only taught this important principle, but he also lived it. Elder James E. Faust, then a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, said: “Perhaps the most remarkable occurrence during his short time as President of the Church has been that the members of the Church all over the world have become bonded to him in a special way as their prophet, seer, and revelator. They have seen in him the personification of the attributes of the Savior himself. They have responded in a remarkable way to his prophetic messages of making our lives more Christlike and of making our temples the center of our worship” (“Howard W. Hunter: Man of God,” Ensign, Apr. 1995, 26).

One example of his Christlike nature was illustrated by Elder Neal A. Maxwell, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. He said that President Hunter “is a meek man. He once refused a job he needed as a young man because it would have meant another individual would have lost his job. This is the same lowly man, when I awakened after a weary and dusty day together with him on assignment in Egypt, who was quietly shining my shoes, a task he had hoped to complete unseen” (“‘Meek and Lowly,’” Brigham Young University 1986–87 Devotional and Fireside Speeches [1987], 61).

The Life of President Howard W. Hunter

1. “In his first news conference on 6 June 1994, President Howard W. Hunter established some of the important themes of his administration. He said: ‘I would invite all members of the Church to live with ever-more attention to the life and example of the Lord Jesus Christ, especially the love and hope and compassion He displayed.

2. “‘I pray that we might treat each other with more kindness, more courtesy, more humility and patience and forgiveness.’

3. “He also asked members of the Church to ‘establish the temple of the Lord as the great symbol of their membership and the supernal setting for their most sacred covenants. It would be the deepest desire of my heart to have every member of the Church temple worthy’ [Church News, June 11, 1994, 14]. Many thousands of Church members took these messages into their lives and were blessed with a greater depth of spirituality.

4. “President Hunter had a keenly developed mind that was of great value to the Church. In the late 1970s he received an assignment that required all his skills. He played an important role in negotiating the acquisition of land and in overseeing the construction of the Church’s major building in the Holy Land—Brigham Young University’s Jerusalem Center for Near Eastern Studies. This center is located on Mount Scopus, an extension of the Mount of Olives. It houses the residences and study activities of students studying in depth about this choice land, its people (Jews and Arabs alike), and the places where Jesus and his ancient prophets walked. This center has been a blessing to those who have studied within it, and its beauty has inspired many who have visited there. . . .

5. “During his lifetime, President Hunter faced many adversities. With faith and fortitude, he dealt with serious and painful health problems, the long-term debilitating illness and death of his first wife, and other difficulties. In spite of these obstacles, he actively served the Lord, traveling much and working hard in administering the affairs of the Church. His example was consistent with his message: ‘If you have troubles at home with children who stray, if you suffer financial reverses and emotional strain that threaten your homes and your happiness, if you must face the loss of life or health, may peace be unto your soul. We will not be tempted beyond our ability to withstand. Our detours and disappointments are the straight and narrow path to Him’ [in Conference Report, Oct 1987, 71; or Ensign, Nov. 1987, 60].

6. “President Hunter presided in Mexico City, Mexico, on 11 December 1994 as the Church’s 2,000th stake was created, an important milestone in Church history. To those assembled he said: ‘The Lord, through His servants, has brought this miracle to pass. This work will continue to go forward in strength and vitality. The promises made to Father Lehi and his children about their posterity have been and are continuing to be fulfilled in Mexico’ [Church News, Dec. 17, 1994, 3]. During the time President Hunter served as a General Authority, the Church in Latin America grew dramatically. At the time he became President of the Church, there were over 1.5 million Latter-day Saints in just the countries of Mexico, Brazil, and Chile, more Church members than lived in Utah at that time.

7. “Although President Hunter served as President of the Church for only nine months, he had a powerful effect upon the Saints, who remember him for his compassion, long-suffering, and profound example of Christlike living” (Our Heritage, 136, 138–39).

8. Elder James E. Faust, then a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, shared the following story about President Hunter as a youth: “His sister, Dorothy Hunter Rasmussen, . . . remembered this tender incident when they were children together. ‘Howard always wanted to do good and to be good. A wonderful brother, he looked out for me. He was kind to our mother and father. Howard loved animals and regularly brought home strays.’ There was an irrigation ditch by their house, and one day several boys in the neighborhood . . . were throwing a kitten in the ditch. It would get out, then they would throw it in again. They did this over and over until they got tired of their game. ‘Howard came by and picked [the kitten] up; it was lying there almost dead, and he brought it home. Mother was afraid it was dead, but they wrapped it in a blanket and put it near the warm oven and nursed it.’ It lived, and they had the cat for years. ‘He was also so kind,’ Dorothy said. ‘I have never known my brother to do a wrong thing in my life’” (“The Way of an Eagle,” Ensign, Aug. 1994, 4, 6).

9. Elder Rulon G. Craven, who was a member of the Seventy, shared the following story: “Many will remember a number of years ago President Hunter was informed that he would not walk again. However, his faith and determination were greater than that message. Daily, without fanfare and the knowledge of others, he went through some very strenuous physical therapy exercises with determination, faith, and the vision that he would walk again. During those difficult months, his Brethren of the Twelve were praying for him daily in their quorum meetings and in their private prayers.

10. “Months later, on a Thursday morning, I went to President Hunter’s office. . . . I found he left early and was informed that he was walking to the temple. I questioned that information and then hurried to catch up with him. When I caught up with him, he was walking with the help of a walker. . . . When their president walked into [the meeting] room, the Twelve stood and began to clap their hands. . . . President Hunter thanked them and said, ‘I was not supposed to walk again, but with the Lord’s help and my determination and, most important, the faith of my Brethren of the Twelve, I am walking again’” (in Conference Report, Apr 1991, 35–36; or Ensign, May 1991, 28–29).

Understanding the Reading

The Teachings and Testimony of Howard W. Hunter

11. “Never did the Savior give in expectation of receiving. He gave freely and lovingly, and His gifts were of inestimable value. He gave eyes to the blind, ears to the deaf and legs to the lame; cleanliness to the unclean, wholeness to the infirm and breath to the lifeless.

12. “His gifts were opportunity to the downtrodden, freedom to the oppressed, forgiveness to the repentant, hope to the despairing and light in the darkness. He gave us His love, His service and His life. And most important, He gave us and all mortals resurrection, salvation and eternal life.

13. “We should strive to give as He gave. . . . To give of oneself is a holy gift. We give as a remembrance of all the Savior has given. . . .

14. “. . . This Christmas, mend a quarrel. Seek out a forgotten friend. Dismiss suspicion and replace it with trust. Write a letter. Give a soft answer. Encourage youth. Manifest your loyalty in word and deed. Keep a promise. Forgo a grudge. Forgive an enemy. Apologize. Try to understand. Examine your demands on others. Think first of someone else. Be kind. Be gentle. Laugh a little more. Express your gratitude. Welcome a stranger. Gladden the heart of a child. Take pleasure in the beauty and wonder of the earth. Speak your love and then speak it again. [Adapted from an unknown author.]” (in “‘To Give of Oneself Is a Holy Gift,’ Prophet Tells Christmas Gathering,” Church News, Dec. 10, 1994, 4).

15. “It is my firm belief that if as individual people, as families, communities, and nations, we could, like Peter, fix our eyes on Jesus, we too might walk triumphantly over the swelling waves of disbelief and remain unterrified amid the rising winds of doubt. But if we turn away our eyes from him in whom we must believe, as it is so easy to do and the world is so much tempted to do, if we look to the power and fury of those terrible and destructive elements around us rather than to him who can help and save us, then we shall inevitably sink in a sea of conflict and sorrow and despair.

16. “At such times when we feel the floods are threatening to drown us and the deep is going to swallow up the tossed vessel of our faith, I pray we may always hear amid the storm and the darkness that sweet utterance of the Savior of the world: ‘Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid’ (Matthew 14:27)” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1992, 24; or Ensign, Nov. 1992, 19; adapted from Frederic W. Farrar, The Life of Christ [1964], 313).

17. “Every generation since time began has had things to overcome and problems to work out. Furthermore, every individual person has a set of challenges which sometimes seem to be earmarked for him individually. We understood that in our premortal existence.

18. “When these experiences humble, refine, and teach us, they make us better people, more grateful, loving, and considerate of other people in their own times of difficulty.

19. “Even in the most severe of times, problems and prophecies were never intended to do anything but bless the righteous and help those who are less righteous move toward repentance” (“Why Try?” New Era, Jan. 1994, 6).

20. “Whatever Jesus lays his hands upon lives. If Jesus lays his hands upon a marriage, it lives. If he is allowed to lay his hands on the family, it lives” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1979, 93; or Ensign, Nov. 1979, 65).

21. “I testify that Jesus is the only true source of lasting joy, that our only lasting peace is in him. I do wish him to be ‘our glory now,’ the glory each of us yearns for individually and the only prize men and nations can permanently hold dear. He is our prize in time and in eternity. Every other prize is finally fruitless. Every other grandeur fades with time and dissolves with the elements. In the end, . . . we will know no true joy save it be in Christ” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1993, 80–81; or Ensign, May 1993, 65).

22. “As one called and ordained to bear witness of the name of Jesus Christ to all the world, I testify at this Easter season that he lives. He has a glorified, immortal body of flesh and bones. He is the Only Begotten Son of the Father in the flesh. He is the Savior, the Light and Life of the world. Following his crucifixion and death, he appeared as a resurrected being to Mary, to Peter, to Paul, and to many others. He showed himself to the Nephites. He has shown himself to Joseph Smith, the boy prophet, and to many others in our dispensation. This is his church” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1988, 19; or Ensign, May 1988, 17).

Understanding the Reading

Studying the Reading

Do activity A or B and activity C or D as you study “President Howard W. Hunter.”

Getting to Know President Hunter

Study the chart on the life and presidency of President Howard W. Hunter (p. 216), along with paragraphs 1–10 of the reading, and find answers to the following questions:

1. How old was President Hunter when he was baptized a member of the Church?

2. How old was he when ordained an Apostle?

3. How old was he when he married for a second time?

4. Which temples did he dedicate?

5. What are at least two types of adversity he faced?

6. In what country was the 2,000th stake located?

7. In 1994, which three Latin American countries had more Church members than Utah?

8. How long did President Hunter serve as President of the Church?

A Search for Achievements

1. List five achievements that impressed you from President Hunter’s life. Following each achievement, write a different character trait you think a person would especially need in order to accomplish that task.

2. Briefly explain which character trait on your list you would like to develop more fully and how you plan on accomplishing it.

Make Corrections

1. Each of the following statements is an incorrect version of one of President Hunter’s teachings. Rewrite the statement so that it is correct.

1. “I would invite all people everywhere to live with ever-more attention to the life and example of their friends” (see par. 1).

2. “I pray that we might treat each other with more kindness, more courtesy, more joy and patience and forgiveness” (see par. 2).

3. “It would be the deepest desire of my heart to have every member of the Church be a missionary” (see par. 3).

4. “Our detours and disappointments are but bumps along the road to our Savior” (see par. 5).

5. “Rarely did the Savior give in expectation of receiving. He gave freely and without judgment, and His gifts were of little worldly value” (see par. 11).

2. Choose one of those statements and explain why the correct version is better than the incorrect version.

A Survey about the Savior

1. How many of the statements in “The Teachings and Testimony of Howard W. Hunter” (see par. 11–22) speak of the Savior?

2. List what President Hunter taught about Jesus Christ. Circle those ideas on your list that most impressed you.

3. Briefly explain what you think President Hunter wanted us to know and feel about the Savior.

President Gordon B. Hinckley
“I Am an Optimist. I Think the Future Looks Good.”

During his first five years as President of the Church, President Gordon B. Hinckley visited Church members on every continent of the world except Antarctica. “‘I do not enjoy travel, . . .’ [he] said during the October 1996 general conference. ‘But I do enjoy looking into the faces and shaking the hands of faithful Latter-day Saints.’ . . .

“. . . [Several years later, he said:] ‘I’m determined to continue this for as long as I have the strength to do so. I’m getting old. I’ll be 90 in June. That’s getting up there. I can feel it in my feet sometimes. [But] that’s my desire [to be among the members]. I think the people of the Church are entitled the opportunity to meet the president of the Church” (“‘Looking into the Faces of Faithful Latter-day Saints,’” Church News, Mar. 4, 2000, 8, 13).

The Life of President Gordon B. Hinckley

1. “When Gordon B. Hinckley became President of the Church following the death of President Hunter, he was asked what would be the focus of his Presidency. He replied: ‘Carry on. Yes, our theme will be to carry on the great work which has been furthered by our predecessors who have served so admirably, so faithfully and so well. Building family values, yes. Fostering education, yes. Building a spirit of tolerance and forbearance among people everywhere, yes. And proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ’ [Church News, Mar. 18, 1995, 10].

2. “President Hinckley’s extensive experience with Church leadership prepared him well for the Presidency. He was sustained to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in 1961. Beginning in 1981, he served as a Counselor in the First Presidency to three Church Presidents—Spencer W. Kimball, Ezra Taft Benson, and Howard W. Hunter. During some of these years, he carried extraordinarily heavy responsibilities when these Church Presidents suffered from the infirmities of age.

3. “While young Gordon B. Hinckley was on his mission in England, he received some counsel that has served him well throughout his years of challenging responsibilities. Being somewhat discouraged, he wrote a letter to his father, saying, ‘I am wasting my time and your money. I don’t see any point in my staying here.’ After some time, he received a short letter from his father that said: ‘Dear Gordon. I have your letter. . . . I have only one suggestion. Forget yourself and go to work. With love, Your Father.’

4. “President Hinckley said of that moment: ‘I pondered that, and the next morning in our scripture class we read that great statement of the Lord: “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it” (Mark 8:35). It touched me. That statement, that promise, in conjunction with my father’s letter, prompted me to go upstairs, . . . get on my knees, and make a covenant with the Lord that I would try to forget myself and go to work. I count that as the day of decision in my life. Everything good that has happened to me since then I can trace back to the decision I made at that time’ [Gordon B. Hinckley: Man of Integrity, 15th President of the Church, videocassette (1994)].

5. “President Hinckley is well known as a person of irrepressible optimism, always filled with faith in God and in the future. ‘ “Things will work out” may well be President Hinckley’s most repeated assurance to family, friends, and associates. “Keep trying,” he will say. “Be believing. Be happy. Don’t get discouraged. Things will work out”’ [in Jeffrey R. Holland, “President Gordon B. Hinckley,” Ensign, June 1995, 5].

6. “When asked by a reporter to identify the greatest challenge facing the Church, he responded, ‘The most serious challenge we face and the most wonderful challenge is the challenge that comes of growth.’ He explained that increased growth presents the need for more buildings, including more temples: ‘This is the greatest era in the history of the Church for temple building. Never has the construction of temples gone forward with the momentum that is now being carried forward. We have 47 operating temples. We have 13 other temples in some course of construction reaching back to the drawing board. We will continue to build temples’ [in Church News, Mar. 18, 1995, 10]. Increased Church growth has also made necessary the translation of the Book of Mormon into many languages.

7. “President Hinckley has had personal experience with the dramatic growth of the Church. While attending a conference in Osaka, Japan, in 1967, he looked out at the audience, which included many young people, and said: ‘In you I see the future of the Church in Japan. And I see a great future. We have scarcely scratched the surface. But I feel impressed to say what I have felt for a long time, and that is that the day is not far distant when there will be stakes of Zion in this great land’ [“Addresses,” AV 1801; in LDS Church Archives]. Within a generation, there were 100,000 Latter-day Saints in Japan, many stakes, missions, and districts, and a temple.

8. “President Hinckley is also very interested in the growth of the Church in the Philippines, where the first stake was organized in Manila in 1973. Two decades later, at the time he became President of the Church, over 300,000 Philippine members were receiving the blessings of the gospel, including a temple in their country. President Hinckley has shown great concern for the growth of the Church in other parts of Asia as well, including Korea, China, and Southeast Asia.

9. “The spirituality of many members in Asia is evidenced by the experience of a General Authority who was assigned to call a new stake president in a Philippines stake. After interviewing a number of priesthood brethren, he was impressed to call a man in his mid-twenties to be the stake president. He asked the young brother to go into an adjoining room and take some time to select his counselors. The brother came back in about 30 seconds. The General Authority thought he had misunderstood, but the new stake president said, ‘No. I knew through the Spirit of the Lord that I was going to be the stake president a month ago. I’ve already selected my counselors.’

10. “It is fitting that President Hinckley, who has done so much to assist in the establishment of the Church throughout the world, was able to announce during his administration: ‘Our statisticians tell me that if the present trend continues, then some time in February of 1996, just a few months from now, there will be more members of the Church outside the United States than in the United States. The crossover of that line is a wonderfully significant thing. It represents the fruit of a tremendous outreach’ [in Conference Report, Oct 1995, 92–93; or Ensign, Nov. 1995, 70]. . . .

11. “One General Authority explained how each Saint can best sustain President Hinckley: ‘As he assumes the holy office to which he has been called—prophet, seer, revelator, Presiding High Priest and President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, . . . the best thing we can do to sustain him in his office is to “carry on, carry on, carry on!”’ [Jeffrey R. Holland, “President Gordon B. Hinckley,” 13]” (Our Heritage, 139–43).

Understanding the Reading

The Teachings and Testimony of Gordon B. Hinckley

12. “When asked about the coming years, President Hinckley said, ‘I see our young people in the Church. I see a lot of them. I see them all over. I’m absolutely enthusiastic about the quality of their lives, their strength, their goodness, their faithfulness. I haven’t the slightest concern about the future of this Church, as I see our young people. They study the scriptures. They go to seminary and institute. They pray about their decisions. They socialize among themselves, in a wonderful atmosphere of faithfulness. They’re on their way to becoming strong, faithful and able Latter-day Saints who will deliver when they are called upon to do so’” (“‘We Must Look After the Individual,’” Church News, Mar. 4, 2000, 13).

13. “The lives of our people must become the only meaningful expression of our faith. . . .

14. “. . . Because our Savior lives, we do not use the symbol of His death [the crucifix] as the symbol of our faith. But what shall we use? No sign, no work of art, no representation of form is adequate to express the glory and the wonder of the living Christ. He told us what that symbol should be when He said: ‘If ye love me, keep my commandments’ (John 14:15).

15. “As His followers, we cannot do a mean or shoddy or ungracious thing without tarnishing His image. Nor can we do a good and gracious and generous act without burnishing more brightly the symbol of Him whose name we have taken upon ourselves.

16. “Our lives must become a symbol of meaningful expression, the symbol of our declaration of our testimony of the living Christ, the Eternal Son of the living God” (“Our One Bright Hope,” Ensign, Apr. 1994, 2, 5).

17. “Every one of you was endowed by your Father in Heaven with a tremendous capacity to do good in the world. Train your minds and your hands that you may be equipped to serve well in the society of which you are a part. Cultivate the art of being kind, of being thoughtful, of being helpful. Refine within you the quality of mercy which comes as a part of the divine attributes you have inherited. . . .

18. “You need never feel inferior. You need never feel that you were born without talents or without opportunities to give them expression. Cultivate whatever talents you have, and they will grow and refine and become an expression of your true self appreciated by others” (“The Light within You,” Ensign, May 1995, 99; an address during a General Young Women Meeting).

19. “I am suggesting that the time has come to get our houses in order.

20. “So many of our people are living on the very edge of their incomes. In fact, some are living on borrowings. . . .

21. “We are carrying a message of self-reliance throughout the Church. Self-reliance cannot [be obtained] when there is serious debt hanging over a household. One has neither independence nor freedom from bondage when he is obligated to others” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1998, 70–71; or Ensign, Nov. 1998, 53).

22. “It is not an easy thing to become a member of this Church. In most cases it involves setting aside old habits, leaving old friends and associations, and stepping into a new society which is different and somewhat demanding.

23. “With the ever increasing number of converts, we must make an increasingly substantial effort to assist them as they find their way. Every one of them needs three things: a friend, a responsibility, and nurturing with ‘the good word of God’ (Moroni 6:4). It is our duty and opportunity to provide these things. . . .

24. “The challenge now is greater than it has ever been because the number of converts is greater than we have ever before known. . . . Every convert is a son or daughter of God. Every convert is a great and serious responsibility” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1997, 66–67; or Ensign, May 1997, 47–48).

25. “Having looked over all of this [created earth], [God] declared it to be good. He then created man in His own likeness and image. Then as His final creation, the crowning of His glorious work, He created woman. I like to regard Eve as His masterpiece after all that had gone before, the final work before He rested from His labors” (“Daughters of God,” Ensign, Nov. 1991, 99).

26. “I thank the Lord for the knowledge He has given me that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. I have spoken before of the experience I had as a twelve-year-old boy, a newly ordained deacon. With my father I went to our stake priesthood meeting. He sat on the stand as a member of the stake presidency, and I sat on the back row of the chapel. The men of that large congregation stood and sang [“Praise to the Man.”]

27. “As I heard them sing that hymn with power and conviction, there came into my heart a witness of the divine calling of the boy Joseph, and I am grateful that the Lord has sustained that witness through more than seventy years since then” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1993, 70; or Ensign, Nov. 1993, 51).

28. “Of all the things for which I feel grateful this morning, one stands out preeminently. That is a living testimony of Jesus Christ, the Son of the Almighty God, the Prince of Peace, the Holy One. . . .

29. “. . . I have become His Apostle, appointed to do His will and teach His word. I have become His witness to the world. I repeat that witness of faith to you and to all who hear my voice. . . .

30. “Jesus is my friend. None other has given me so much. . . .

31. “He is my exemplar. . . .

32. “He is my teacher. . . .

33. “He is my healer. . . .

34. “He is my leader. . . .

35. “He is my Savior and my Redeemer. Through giving His life in pain and unspeakable suffering, He has reached down to lift me and each of us and all the sons and daughters of God from the abyss of eternal darkness following death. . . .

36. “He is my God and my King. . . . To His glory there will be no night. . . .

37. “. . . He is the Lamb of God, to whom I bow and through whom I approach my Father in Heaven” (in Conference Report, Apr. 2000, 86–88; or Ensign, May 2000, 69–71).

Understanding the Reading

Studying the Reading

Do activities A and B and either activity C or D as you study “President Gordon B. Hinckley.”

Getting Acquainted with President Hinckley

Answer the following questions from the information about President Gordon B. Hinckley’s life and presidency:

1. Where did he serve a full-time mission?

2. What scripture helped him make a covenant with the Lord on his mission?

3. How many Presidents of the Church has he been associated with since he became a full-time employee of the Church and a General Authority?

4. How long did he serve as a counselor in the First Presidency?

5. What did Elder Holland say is the best way we can sustain the prophet?

Being an Optimist

1. What are three reasons people let themselves become upset over existing conditions or circumstances in their nation or the world?

2. President Hinckley described himself as an optimist. Briefly explain what an optimist is. Review paragraph 5, and explain why you think President Hinckley is an optimist.

3. Study paragraphs 6–11 and list three reasons why a member of the Church should feel optimistic.

4. Would you describe yourself as an optimist? Why, or why not?

Create Eight Titles

Write a title for each of the eight statements in “The Teachings and Testimony of Gordon B. Hinckley” (par. 12, 13–16, 17–18, 19–21, 22–24, 25, 26–27, 28–37). For each title, use a phrase from what President Hinckley said that expresses the major theme of the statement. For example, a title for paragraphs 13–16 could be “The Symbol of Our Faith.”

Choosing to Do Better

President Hinckley has often challenged Church members to do better. From paragraphs 12–37, list 10 ways he counseled us to improve. From your list, choose one way in which you want to improve during the next week. Briefly explain what you will do to follow his counsel.

The Family: A Proclamation to the World

Before President Gordon B. Hinckley read “The Family: A Proclamation to the World” at a general meeting of the Relief Society in September 1995, he said: “With so much of sophistry that is passed off as truth, with so much of deception concerning standards and values, with so much of allurement and enticement to take on the slow stain of the world, we have felt to warn and forewarn. In furtherance of this we of the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve Apostles now issue a proclamation to the Church and to the world as a declaration and reaffirmation of standards, doctrines, and practices relative to the family which the prophets, seers, and revelators of this church have repeatedly stated throughout its history” (“Stand Strong against the Wiles of the World,” Ensign, Nov. 1995, 100).

The Family: A Proclamation to the World

1. “We, the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, solemnly proclaim that marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and that the family is central to the Creator’s plan for the eternal destiny of His children.

2. “All human beings—male and female—are created in the image of God. Each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents, and, as such, each has a divine nature and destiny. Gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose.

3. “In the premortal realm, spirit sons and daughters knew and worshiped God as their Eternal Father and accepted His plan by which His children could obtain a physical body and gain earthly experience to progress toward perfection and ultimately realize his or her divine destiny as an heir of eternal life. The divine plan of happiness enables family relationships to be perpetuated beyond the grave. Sacred ordinances and covenants available in holy temples make it possible for individuals to return to the presence of God and for families to be united eternally.

4. “The first commandment that God gave to Adam and Eve pertained to their potential for parenthood as husband and wife. We declare that God’s commandment for His children to multiply and replenish the earth remains in force. We further declare that God has commanded that the sacred powers of procreation are to be employed only between man and woman, lawfully wedded as husband and wife.

5. “We declare the means by which mortal life is created to be divinely appointed. We affirm the sanctity of life and of its importance in God’s eternal plan.

6. “Husband and wife have a solemn responsibility to love and care for each other and for their children. ‘Children are an heritage of the Lord’ (Psalms 127:3). Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness, to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, to teach them to love and serve one another, to observe the commandments of God and to be law-abiding citizens wherever they live. Husbands and wives—mothers and father—will be held accountable before God for the discharge of these obligations.

7. “The family is ordained of God. Marriage between man and woman is essential to His eternal plan. Children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and to be reared by a father and a mother who honor marital vows with complete fidelity. Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities. By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families. Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children. In these sacred responsibilities, fathers and mothers are obligated to help one another as equal partners. Disability, death, or other circumstances may necessitate individual adaptation. Extended families should lend support when needed.

8. “We warn that individuals who violate covenants of chastity, who abuse spouse or offspring, or who fail to fulfill family responsibilities will one day stand accountable before God. Further, we warn that the disintegration of the family will bring upon individuals, communities, and nations the calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets.

9. “We call upon responsible citizens and officers of government everywhere to promote those measures designed to maintain and strengthen the family as the fundamental unit of society” (Ensign, Nov. 1995, 102).

Understanding the Reading

Studying the Reading

Do two of the following activities (A–C) as you study “The Family: A Proclamation to the World.”

Memorize a Paragraph

Choose any of the nine paragraphs in the proclamation and memorize it. You could do this by writing it three times, looking at a copy of the proclamation for help as needed. Then write it from memory under the supervision of a member of your family. Or you could repeat it out loud several times, looking at the proclamation for help as needed. Then repeat it from memory to a member of your family.

Matching Exercise

List the numbers 1–9 down a column in your notebook and match each of the following subjects with one of the nine paragraphs in “The Family: A Proclamation to the World.” Some paragraphs contain teachings about more than one subject.

1. Abortion

2. Family home evening

3. Disciplining children

4. The extended family

5. Fatherhood

6. Same-sex marriage

7. Temple marriage

8. Gender roles in marriage

9. Making family decisions

10. Adultery

11. The judgments of God

12. Temple work for the dead

13. God-given sexual urges

14. Mercy killing

15. Birth control

16. The plan of salvation

17. Suicide

18. Governmental laws

19. Child abuse

20. Divorce

List Ideas to Build a Strong Marriage

1. From paragraph 7 of the proclamation on the family, list 10 ideas that you think are important to a successful marriage and family.

2. Briefly describe what you are now doing or hope to do to follow each of those ideas. For example: Prayer—I pray personally and with my family.

The Living Christ: The Testimony of the Apostles

Elder Russell M. Nelson, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and a renowned heart surgeon, wrote:

“My lifelong interest in the human heart took an unexpected turn in April 1984, when I was called to leave the operating room of the hospital and enter the upper room of the temple. There I became an ordained Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ. I did not seek such a call but have humbly tried to be worthy of that trust and privilege of being His representative, now hoping to mend hearts spiritually as I previously did surgically.

“As one who has been called, sustained, and ordained—one of 15 special witnesses of our Lord and Master—I follow this vital theme from the Book of Mormon: ‘We talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, [and] we prophesy of Christ’ (2 Ne. 25:26)” (“Jesus the Christ: Our Master and More,” Ensign, Apr. 2000, 4).

The Living Christ: The Testimony of the Apostles

The following testimony was dated January 1, 2000, and signed by the members of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles:

1. “As we commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ two millennia ago, we offer our testimony of the reality of His matchless life and the infinite virtue of His great atoning sacrifice. None other has had so profound an influence upon all who have lived and will yet live upon the earth.

2. “He was the Great Jehovah of the Old Testament, the Messiah of the New. Under the direction of His Father, He was the creator of the earth. ‘All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made’ (John 1:3). Though sinless, He was baptized to fulfill all righteousness. He ‘went about doing good’ (Acts 10:38), yet was despised for it. His gospel was a message of peace and goodwill. He entreated all to follow His example. He walked the roads of Palestine, healing the sick, causing the blind to see, and raising the dead. He taught the truths of eternity, the reality of our premortal existence, the purpose of our life on earth, and the potential for the sons and daughters of God in the life to come.

3. “He instituted the sacrament as a reminder of His great atoning sacrifice. He was arrested and condemned on spurious charges, convicted to satisfy a mob, and sentenced to die on Calvary’s cross. He gave His life to atone for the sins of all mankind. His was a great vicarious gift in behalf of all who would ever live upon the earth.

4. “We solemnly testify that His life, which is central to all human history, neither began in Bethlehem nor concluded on Calvary. He was the Firstborn of the Father, the Only Begotten Son in the flesh, the Redeemer of the world.

5. “He rose from the grave to ‘become the firstfruits of them that slept’ (1 Corinthians 15:20). As Risen Lord, He visited among those He had loved in life. He also ministered among his ‘other sheep’ (John 10:16) in ancient America. In the modern world, He and His Father appeared to the boy Joseph Smith, ushering in the long-promised ‘dispensation of the fulness of times’ (Ephesians 1:10).

6. “Of the Living Christ, the Prophet Joseph wrote: ‘His eyes were as a flame of fire; the hair of his head was white like the pure snow; his countenance shone above the brightness of the sun; and his voice was as the sound of the rushing of great waters, even the voice of Jehovah, saying:

7. “‘I am the first and the last; I am he who liveth, I am he who was slain; I am your advocate with the Father’ (D&C 110:3–4).

8. “Of Him the Prophet also declared: ‘And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he lives!

9. “‘For we saw him, even on the right hand of God; and we heard the voice bearing record that he is the Only Begotten of the Father—

10. “‘That by him, and through him, and of him, the worlds are and were created, and the inhabitants thereof are begotten sons and daughters unto God’ (D&C 76:22–24).

11. “We declare in words of solemnity that His priesthood and His Church have been restored upon the earth—‘built upon the foundation of . . . apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone’ (Ephesians 2:20).

12. “We testify that He will someday return to earth. ‘And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together’ (Isaiah 40:5). He will rule as King of Kings and reign as Lord of Lords, and every knee shall bend and every tongue shall speak in worship before Him. Each of us will stand to be judged of Him according to our works and the desires of our hearts.

13. “We bear testimony, as His duly ordained Apostles—that Jesus is the Living Christ, the immortal Son of God. He is the great King Immanuel, who stands today on the right hand of His Father. He is the light, the life, and the hope of the world. His way is the path that leads to happiness in this life and eternal life in the world to come. God be thanked for the matchless gift of His divine Son” (Ensign, Apr. 2000, 2–3).

Understanding the Reading

Studying the Reading

Do two of the following activities (A–C) as you study “The Living Christ: The Testimony of the Apostles.”

Names and Titles

1. Review “The Living Christ: The Testimony of the Apostles” and list at least 10 names or titles the Apostles used for Jesus Christ.

2. After each name and title in your list, write a brief explanation of what each one teaches you about the Savior.

3. Choose one title and explain why it is important to you.

What Is the Mission of an Apostle?

1. Read Doctrine and Covenants 107:23 and complete the following sentence in your notebook: “An Apostle is . . .”

2. Review paragraphs 1, 4, 11–13 of “The Living Christ.” List the phrases the Apostles used that show they are fulfilling their responsibility referred to in Doctrine and Covenants 107:23.

The Living Christ

1. Write your own testimony of the living Christ.

2. Write a brief paragraph that explains how you came to know that Jesus is the living Christ.

The Articles of Faith
What We Believe

In 1842 a newspaper editor named John Wentworth asked the Prophet Joseph Smith about the history and beliefs of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Prophet wrote a letter to him, explaining “the rise, progress, persecution, and faith of the Latter-day Saints” (History of the Church, 4:535). He included 13 short statements about some of the Church’s doctrines and beliefs. These statements became known as the Articles of Faith and were accepted as scripture during the October 1880 general conference (see “Introductory Note” to the Pearl of Great Price).

Of the Articles of Faith, Elder L. Tom Perry, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, said:

“They contain direct and simple statements of the principles of our religion, and they constitute strong evidence of the divine inspiration that rested upon the Prophet Joseph Smith.

“I encourage each of you to study the Articles of Faith and the doctrines they teach. . . . If you will use them as a guide to direct your studies of the Savior’s doctrine, you will find yourself prepared to declare your witness of the restored, true Church of the Lord. You will be able to declare with conviction: ‘We believe these things’” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1998, 30; or Ensign, May 1998, 24).

Understanding the Scriptures

Studying the Scriptures

Do five of the following activities (A–G) as you study the Articles of Faith.

Answering Questions about What We Believe

Write five questions that you have been asked about the Church by nonmember friends or that you think nonmembers might ask. For each question, list the Articles of Faith that could be used to answer it. For example, a nonmember might ask, “Do Latter-day Saints believe in Jesus Christ?” This question could be answered by Articles of Faith 1:1, 3, 4, 6, 8, and 10.

Memorizing the Articles of Faith

Elder L. Tom Perry said: “What a great blessing it would be if every member of the Church memorized the Articles of Faith and became knowledgeable about the principles contained in each” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1998, 28; or Ensign, May 1998, 23).

1. Write a brief paragraph explaining how memorizing the Articles of Faith could help in your life.

2. Memorize 4 of the 13 Articles of Faith and write or repeat them from memory to a family member.

Teaching the Articles of Faith

Prepare a 15-minute lesson that you could teach to your family or other group on the meaning of any one of the Articles of Faith. Use scripture stories, scripture references, questions, personal experiences, pictures, objects, or your testimony to help teach this lesson.

Hymns and the Articles of Faith

Using a hymnbook and Primary songbook, for each Article of Faith, list at least one hymn or song that teaches the same truth or doctrine. You may want to also write the hymn number or song title next to the appropriate Article of Faith in your scriptures. (Use the “Scriptures” and “Topics” indexes in the hymnbook and the index in the Primary songbook for help, if needed).

Pieces of the Plan of Salvation

Read Articles of Faith 1:1–4 and list the parts of the plan of salvation noted there. Draw a picture or make a chart that includes these elements and from which you could teach the plan of salvation to your family or others.

What Do Others Believe?

Review Articles of Faith 1:5–10 and list words and phrases that describe the Lord’s Church. Ask a nonmember friend to share his or her beliefs about the ideas on your list. (Be kind and respectful of your friend’s beliefs. You are asking for information, not arguing about differences in beliefs.) Write a paragraph about what you learned.

Rights and Responsibilities of a Latter-day Saint

1. In your notebook, list the following situations:

1. Exceeding the speed limit while driving

2. Teasing a person for wearing religious clothing

3. Pressuring a person to listen to the missionary discussions

4. Refusing to follow the instructions of the leaders in your country

5. Failing to help a person who needs assistance

6. Not being friendly to someone because he or she is not of your faith

7. Watching a sexually explicit movie or television program

8. Opposing the building of a place of worship in your community

9. Using vulgar gestures and language

10. Feeling that people in all religions except yours are wicked

2. Review Articles of Faith 1:11–13, and after each situation list an article of faith that closely relates to it and explain how it applies.

3. Write a personal code of conduct with at least three statements of what you will do to live according to the teachings in Articles of Faith 1:11–13. Begin your statements with “I will (do something)” or “I will not (do something).”

Our Place in Church History
A Legacy of Faith

A study of the history of the restored Church can tell us much about the faith and commitment of those who have lived before us. Since the days of the Prophet Joseph Smith, many Church members have been inspiring examples of true Latter-day Saints. But the best and most glorious days of the kingdom of God on earth are ahead of us. Like those faithful Saints who lived before, you too can make your own place in the history of the Church through your faithfulness, diligence, sacrifice, and service to God and His prophets. After all, the history of the Church in many areas of the world has not yet been written.

Your Place in Church History

1. “Each of us has a place in Church history. Some members are born into families who for generations have embraced the gospel and nurtured their children in the ways of the Lord. Others are hearing the gospel for the first time and entering the waters of baptism, thereby making sacred covenants to do their part in building the kingdom of God. Many members live in areas where they are just beginning their era of Church history and are creating a heritage of faith for their children. Whatever our circumstances, we are each a vital part of the cause of building Zion and preparing for the second coming of the Savior. We are ‘no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God’ (Ephesians 2:19).

2. “Whether we are new members or old, we inherit a legacy of faith and sacrifice from those who have gone before us. We are also modern-day pioneers to our children and to those millions of our Heavenly Father’s children who have yet to hear and accept the gospel of Jesus Christ. We make our contributions in different ways throughout the world by faithfully carrying out the work of the Lord.

3. “Fathers and mothers prayerfully train their children in principles of righteousness. Home and visiting teachers care for those in need. Families bid good-bye to missionaries who have chosen to devote years of their lives to carrying the gospel message to others. Selfless priesthood and auxiliary leaders answer calls to serve. Through countless hours of quiet service given in searching out the names of ancestors and performing sacred ordinances in the temple, blessings are extended to the living and the dead.

4. “We are each helping to fulfill the destiny of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that was revealed to the Prophet Joseph Smith. In 1842 he prophesied:

5. “‘The Standard of Truth has been erected; no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done’ [History of the Church, 4:540].

6. “Although the Church remained very small during the Prophet Joseph Smith’s lifetime, he knew that it was the kingdom of God on earth with a destiny to fill the whole earth with the truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ. We have seen the dramatic growth of the Church in recent years. We are privileged to live at a time when we can offer our faith and sacrifices in helping to establish the kingdom of God, a kingdom that will stand forever” (Our Heritage, 145–46).

Understanding the Reading

Studying the Reading

Do activity A or B as you study “Our Place in Church History.”

Your Place in the Kingdom of God

List the words and phrases from paragraphs 1–6 that describe you, your experiences, and your role in the Church. Then answer the following questions:

1. Approximately how many members of the Church were there in your city or town 10 years ago? How many are there now? (Ask your parents or local Church leaders for help with these questions, if needed.)

2. How many members do you think there will be in 2 years? in 5 years? in 10 years?

3. What are five things you can do to help the Church grow in your area?

4. How would you like to be remembered by people in future generations?

Write a Brief History

Interview at least two people who know about the history of the Church in your area. Also try to find some pictures, histories, journals, diaries, or news stories about your local Church history. Write a brief history of the Church in your area, and explain how what you learned inspires you to participate in the building up of the kingdom of God in your area.

People and Terms in the Doctrine and Covenants

President Ezra Taft Benson said: “The Doctrine and Covenants is true, for its author is Jesus Christ and His message is for all men” (Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson, 46).

The Doctrine and Covenants contains revelations the Lord has given in our day and refers to many of the people, places, and events in the history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Before you begin preparing to study the Doctrine and Covenants, read the following information. It will help you understand some of the history and events surrounding the revelations.

People in the Doctrine and Covenants

The following accounts are brief histories of some of the important people you will read about in the Doctrine and Covenants:

Joseph Smith Jr., the Prophet, “has done more, save Jesus only, for the salvation of men in this world, than any other man that ever lived in it” (D&C 135:3). He was born on December 23, 1805. See Joseph Smith—History 1:5–54 for a short history of his early life, his vision of God the Father and Jesus Christ, and the visits of the angel Moroni. Joseph Smith was given the priesthood by heavenly messengers and received many revelations. He translated and published the Book of Mormon, and through him the Lord Jesus Christ restored His true Church. Similar to other prophets, he was persecuted by his enemies, unjustly put in jail many times, and suffered many afflictions (see D&C 121–23). He and his brother Hyrum were killed by a mob in 1844 because of their testimonies of Jesus Christ (see D&C 135).

Emma Hale Smith married the Prophet Joseph Smith in January 1827 and wrote for him when he began the translation of the Book of Mormon. She was the first president of the Relief Society and chose the hymns for the first Church hymnbook (see D&C 25:1–15; see also 132:51–56). She suffered many persecutions and afflictions. Several of her young children died and her husband, Joseph, was killed by enemies. She stayed in Illinois when the Church moved to Utah. She died at Nauvoo, Illinois, in 1879.

Hyrum Smith was the Prophet Joseph Smith’s older brother. From the beginning, Hyrum Smith knew that God had called his younger brother to be a prophet, and he remained faithful to that testimony (see D&C 11 heading, 6–26; 23:3; 52:8; 124:15, 124). He served as Assistant President and as a member of the First Presidency and was Patriarch to the Church (see D&C 124:91–95). He gave his life in Carthage Jail with his brother as a testimony that the true Church had been restored to the earth (see D&C 135:1–7). One of his sons, Joseph F. Smith, and a grandson, Joseph Fielding Smith, became Presidents of the Church.

Joseph Smith Sr. (see Joseph Smith—History 1:48–50; D&C 4 heading; 23 heading, 5; 90:20, 25–26; 102:3; 124:19; 137:5) was born on July 12, 1771, in Topsfield, Massachusetts. At the age of 24 he married Lucy Mack Smith (see D&C 137:5) and settled in Vermont. Successive crop failures and financial losses forced Joseph Sr. to move his family to the area near Palmyra, New York, in the vicinity of the Hill Cumorah. Joseph Smith Sr. was always very supportive of his son’s calling as the prophet of the Lord (see Joseph Smith—History 1:50). He was baptized on the day the Church was organized, April 6, 1830. Joseph Smith Sr. and two sons, Hyrum and Samuel, were among the witnesses of the gold plates of the Book of Mormon (see “The Testimony of Eight Witnesses” in the front pages of the Book of Mormon). Joseph Smith Sr. was the first Patriarch of the Church and a counselor in the First Presidency. He died at Nauvoo, Illinois, in 1840.

Joseph Smith Sr. and Lucy Smith were the parents of 11 children. Their first child was a son who did not survive his birth. Their other sons were Alvin (see Joseph Smith—History 1:56; D&C 137:5–6), Hyrum (see “Hyrum Smith” above), Joseph (see “Joseph Smith Jr.” above), Samuel (see D&C 23 heading, 4; 61:35; 66:8; 75:13; 102:3, 34; 124:141), Ephraim (who lived only 11 days), William (see “Testimony of the Twelve Apostles to the Truth of the Book of Doctrine and Covenants” at the front of the Doctrine and Covenants; D&C 124:129), and Don Carlos. Their daughters were Sophronia, Catherine, and Lucy. Samuel Smith was the first missionary of the Church and served in a bishopric in Nauvoo. He suffered much persecution and died at age 36, about a month after his brothers Joseph and Hyrum were killed.

Martin Harris was a wealthy farmer in Palmyra, New York. He befriended the young Joseph Smith and helped pay his expenses. For a short time he wrote for Joseph Smith as the Prophet translated the Book of Mormon. Later he sold part of his farm to pay for the printing of the first 5,000 copies of the Book of Mormon (see D&C 3 heading, 12–13; 5:1–15, 24–32; 10 heading; 19 heading, 25–41). He was one of the three special witnesses of the gold plates and was faithful to that testimony all of his life (see “The Testimony of Three Witnesses” in the front of the Book of Mormon; D&C 17 heading, 1–9; 58:35–39; 104:24–26; Joseph Smith—History 1:61–65). Martin Harris left the Church in 1838, but he came to Utah in 1870 to be with the Church and was rebaptized. He died in 1875.

Oliver Cowdery was born in Vermont in 1806. He became a schoolteacher and learned about the Prophet Joseph Smith and received a spiritual witness of the Prophet’s calling while living with Joseph’s parents in Palmyra, New York (see D&C 6 heading, 14–24). In April 1829, Oliver Cowdery went to Harmony, Pennsylvania, to meet the Prophet. He became the scribe as the Prophet translated the Book of Mormon from the gold plates (see D&C 8 heading, 1–12; 9 heading, 1–14). He was one of the three special witnesses of the gold plates (see “The Testimony of Three Witnesses” in the front of the Book of Mormon; D&C 17 heading, 1–9). He was with the Prophet Joseph Smith when the priesthood authority was restored and when many other revelations were received (see D&C 13 heading; 18:37; 20:3–4; 21 heading; 27:8, 12; 28 heading, 1–16; 47 heading; 69 heading; 104:28–30; 110 heading, 1–16; 111 heading; see also Joseph Smith—History 1:66–72). He also served as an Assistant President of the Church (see Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, 1:211). Oliver Cowdery left the Church in 1838 but returned and was rebaptized in 1848 (see D&C 124:95). He died on March 3, 1850, in Missouri, before he was able to emigrate to Utah.

Peter Whitmer Sr. and his wife Mary had three daughters and five sons. One daughter, Elizabeth Ann, married Oliver Cowdery (see “Oliver Cowdery” above); their second daughter, Nancy, died when she was nearly four months old; and their third daughter, Catherine, married Hiram Page (see D&C 28 heading). The five sons were witnesses of the gold plates of the Book of Mormon (see “The Testimony of Three Witnesses” and “The Testimony of Eight Witnesses” in the front of the Book of Mormon). David Whitmer was one of the six men who signed the document incorporating the Church as a religious society. He later served as a leader of the Church in Missouri until he left the Church in 1838 (see D&C 14 heading, 11; 17 heading, 1–9; 18 heading, 9, 37–39; 30:1–4; 52:25). The Whitmer family gave money, food, and a place to live to Joseph and Emma Smith and Oliver Cowdery during the translation of the Book of Mormon in 1829. The Church was organized in the Whitmer home in Fayette, New York, in 1830 (see D&C 21 heading).

Sidney Rigdon was a minister in Mentor, Ohio, who joined the Church in 1830 after prayerfully reading the Book of Mormon. He was a counselor in the First Presidency from 1833 to 1844 and served in many other Church positions (see D&C heading, 3–6; 36:2, 5; 58:50, 57–58; 63:65–66; 71:1; 76 heading, 11–24; 82:11; 90:6, 21; 93:44, 51; 102:3; 124:125–26). After the death of the Prophet Joseph Smith, he presented his claim to lead the Church as its “guardian,” but members sustained the Twelve Apostles. He did not sustain the Twelve and was excommunicated in 1844.

Edward Partridge joined the Church in 1830 and was the first bishop of the Church (see D&C 35 heading; D&C 36:1–7; 41:9–11; 42:10; 50:39; 51:1–4, 18; 52:24; 57:7; 58:14–16, 24–25, 61–62; 60:10; 64:17; 82:11; 124:19). Bishop Partridge suffered many persecutions in Missouri and died in 1840 in Nauvoo, Illinois, at the age of 47.

Joseph Knight Sr. became acquainted with the Prophet Joseph Smith in 1826 and became interested in assisting with the work of the Restoration. He was more than 30 years older than the Prophet Joseph and often gave him necessary provisions so that the translation of the Book of Mormon could continue—including a wagon on the night the Prophet and his wife brought the gold plates from the Hill Cumorah in 1827. Brother Knight died at Mt. Pisgah, Iowa Territory, in 1847 during the exodus of the Saints from Nauvoo.

Newel K. Whitney owned a store in Kirtland, Ohio. He joined the Church in 1830 and became a great friend to the Prophet Joseph Smith. The Prophet and his family stayed for a time in the Whitney home, and several revelations in the Doctrine and Covenants were received there. Newel K. Whitney was called to be the second bishop of the Church and became the Presiding Bishop of the Church in 1847 (see D&C 63:42–46; 72 heading, 1–8; 78:8–10; 82:11–12; 84:112; 93:50; 96 heading, 2; 104:39–42; 117:1–2, 11). He died in Utah in 1850. His wife, Elizabeth Ann Whitney, was a counselor to Emma Smith in the first Relief Society presidency.

Thomas B. Marsh joined the Church in 1830 after reading the first 16 pages of a copy of the Book of Mormon that had just come off of E. B. Grandin’s press. He became the first President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (see D&C 31 heading, 1–13; 52:22; 56:5; 112 heading, 1–19; 118:2). He became angry with the Prophet Joseph Smith and began to persecute the Church in Missouri. He left the Church in 1838 and was excommunicated in 1839 but was rebaptized in 1857.

Parley P. Pratt and his brother Orson Pratt joined the Church in 1830 and were members of the first Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in this dispensation. Parley P. Pratt served many missions for the Church (see D&C 32 heading, 1–2; 34 heading; 49:1–3; 50:37; 52:26; 97:3–5; 103 heading, 30, 37; 124:127–29). He wrote many sermons and hymns that were published by the Church and was one of the early pioneers to arrive in Utah. He was killed in 1857 while serving a mission in the southern part of the United States. Orson Pratt also served many missions for the Church (see D&C 34 heading, 1–10; 52:26; 75:14; 103:40; 124:127–29; 136:13). Acting under the direction of the President of the Church, he added 26 revelations to the Doctrine and Covenants, changed the sentences and paragraphs into verses, and placed the first footnotes in the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price. He wrote many books on religious and scientific subjects and was one of the first pioneers to arrive in Utah. He was an Apostle for over 45 years, until his death in 1881.

Terms in the Doctrine and Covenants

The Apostasy

In New Testament times Jesus Christ taught His gospel, chose Apostles, and organized His Church. After His Atonement, death, and Resurrection, people rejected the Apostles and changed the doctrines of the gospel, and the true Church of Jesus Christ was taken from the earth. This “falling away” (2 Thessalonians 2:3) from the true Church is called the Apostasy.

The Restoration

The Lord chose the Prophet Joseph Smith to restore (bring back) the gospel and the true Church of Jesus Christ, which had been taken from the earth because of apostasy. Joseph Smith, by the gift and power of God, translated the Book of Mormon, which contains the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Lord also restored the priesthood authority, covenants, ordinances, spiritual gifts, Church organization, and so forth, that was on the earth in New Testament times (see Articles of Faith 1:4–7, 9).

The Gathering of Israel

The Old Testament tells of the Lord changing Jacob’s name to “Israel” (see Genesis 32:28; 35:10). The descendants of Israel’s 12 sons were called the “twelve tribes of Israel,” or the “children of Israel.” In some places in the scriptures they are called the “children of Jacob” (see Psalm 105:6; D&C 109:61), and in other places they are simply called “Israel.” Members of the Church today are also called “Israel,” “the house of Israel,” or the “children of Israel” (see 2 Nephi 29:14; D&C 103:17).

Because of their wickedness, 10 of the 12 tribes of Israel were conquered and taken away as captives (see 2 Kings 17:18–23; 1 Nephi 22:3–4). These tribes are called the “ten lost tribes.” The rest of the tribes of Israel, called “Judah,” or the “Jews,” later were also conquered and scattered (see 2 Nephi 6:8–11).

The Lord promised He would gather His people Israel in the last days (see Jeremiah 16:14–15; 1 Nephi 22:24–25; 2 Nephi 9:1–2). This gathering began with the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the true Church through the Prophet Joseph Smith. Members of the Church first gathered in the United States, in the state of New York. Later, the Lord told the members to gather to Kirtland, Ohio (see D&C 37:1–4). In 1831 the Lord commanded some members to prepare a gathering place for the Church in the state of Missouri (see D&C 57:1–2), and by 1838 the rest of the Church had gathered there. Because some members, however, did not obey the Lord’s commandments, and because of persecution by enemies of the Church, in 1839 the Church moved to Nauvoo, Illinois. After the death of the Prophet Joseph Smith, persecution forced the members to leave the state of Illinois, and the Lord led the Church to a gathering place in the western part of the United States. (See the map section at the back of the triple combination.)

The Lord continues to fulfill His promise to gather His people, but today we are commanded to build up the Church wherever we live. As Elder Bruce R. McConkie, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, said: “Israel shall be gathered one by one, family by family, unto the stakes of Zion established in all parts of the earth so that the whole earth shall be blessed with the fruits of the gospel” (“Come: Let Israel Build Zion,” Ensign, May 1977, 118).

History of the Doctrine and Covenants

The “unfinished” Book of Commandments, published in Missouri in 1833, contained 65 revelations the Prophet Joseph Smith received from the Lord, but there were others to be placed in the book (see D&C 1:6 and the section headings for D&C 1; 67; 69–70). In 1835, new revelations the Prophet Joseph received from the Lord, together with those published in the Book of Commandments, were published as the Doctrine and Covenants. This edition of the Doctrine and Covenants had 103 sections (there were 2 sections numbered 66). Since then, Presidents of the Church have received many more revelations, and some of them have been added to the Doctrine and Covenants. Elder Howard W. Hunter, then a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, said that God “continues to provide guidance for all his children through a living prophet today. We declare that he, as promised, is with his servants always and directs the affairs of his Church throughout the world” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1981, 88; or Ensign, May 1981, 65).

JST (The Joseph Smith Translation of the King James Version of the Bible)

Many important parts of the Bible have been lost or changed (see 1 Nephi 13:24–29). The Lord commanded the Prophet Joseph Smith to make many corrections to the Bible (see D&C 35:20; 41:7; 45:60–61; 73:3–4; 93:53). These corrections are called the Joseph Smith Translation, or JST. Some of the JST changes are found in the footnotes and in the last pages of the Church’s publication of the King James Version of the Bible. As the Prophet Joseph Smith worked on the translation of the Bible, the Lord gave him revelations that explained many parts of the Bible (see D&C 76; 77; 86; 91; 93; 113; 132; see also Moses; Joseph Smith—Matthew).

The Law of Consecration

The law of consecration teaches that all things belong to the Lord and that everything He has given us should be used to help build His kingdom on the earth (see D&C 104:11–18). In the early days of the Church, members who chose to live the law of consecration gave their money and property to the bishop and received in return a stewardship (money, property, and other responsibilities). What they received from the bishop became their own property and was used to take care of their own needs. Whatever they produced that was more than they needed was returned to the bishop to help the poor and the needy (see D&C 42:30–39). The law of consecration was given to help members overcome pride and selfishness and prepare them to live in the celestial kingdom (see Moses 7:16–20). For a time, some members of the Church tried to live the law of consecration, but they were not able to fully live this law (see D&C 105:1–5, 9–13). Today, tithing, fast offerings, donations to Deseret Industries, the Church welfare program, giving of time and talents, and other sacrifices we make for building the kingdom of God are all part of the law of consecration (see D&C 119 heading).

Zion

The Doctrine and Covenants refers to Zion as:

• A group of people who are “pure in heart” (D&C 97:21), love one another, keep the Lord’s commandments, and take care of the poor (see also Moses 7:18).

• Another name for the area of Independence, Missouri (see D&C 57:1–3). The phrase “land of Zion” in the Doctrine and Covenants refers to this part of Missouri.

• A city to be built in Missouri in the future (see D&C 45:64–71; 84:2–4; see also Articles of Faith 1:10). In the 1830s, members of the Church were not able to establish (live the laws of) Zion, but the Lord promised that the city of Zion would be built at some future time (see D&C 58:3–7; 101:16–21; 105:1–5).

• The city of the prophet Enoch (D&C 38:4; 45:11–14; see also Moses 7:16–21).

• The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (D&C 21:7–8; 68:25–30).

Zion’s Camp

Zion’s Camp was the name of a group of about 200 men and a few women and children who obeyed the command of the Lord in 1834 to go to the “land of Zion” (D&C 103:22; see heading and verses 22–35). They traveled over 900 miles (1,450 kilometers) from Ohio to Missouri to build Zion (see “ Zion” above) and to help members of the Church who had been forced out of their homes by mobs. When Zion’s Camp arrived in Missouri, the Lord told them to “wait for a little season” (a little while) to build Zion (D&C 105:9; see heading and verses 1–19). Many of the men who were obedient and faithful during Zion’s Camp later became leaders in the Church.

Section Headings

The sections of the Doctrine and Covenants are introduced by section headings. The headings tell when the revelation was given, whom it was directed to, and some of the history of the Church at the time that the Lord gave the revelation. You should always read the section heading as you study each section.