This week’s “Come, Follow Me” study guide covers Doctrine and Covenants 20-22, which includes The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint’s organization on April 6, 1830.
Following are a few quotes from past and present leaders about this section of the Doctrine and Covenants.
Doctrine and Covenants 20
“The clear and simple doctrine set forth in Doctrine and Covenants 20 is touching and compelling as it amplifies and clarifies sacred spiritual concepts. It teaches that salvation comes as Jesus Christ justifies and sanctifies repentant souls because of the Savior’s grace (Doctrine and Covenants 20: 29-34). It sets the stage for the preeminent role of His Atonement.”
— Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, April 2024 general conference, “Be One with Christ”
“Among the marvelous habits that should be normal for members of the Church are … weekly sacrament meeting attendance. We do so to remember Jesus Christ as we take the sacrament. In this ordinance the members of the Church renew their covenant of taking upon themselves the name of the Savior, of always remembering Him and of keeping His commandments (see Doctrine and Covenants 20:77, 79).”
— Elder Rafael E. Pino, General Authority Seventy, October 2022 general conference, “Let Doing Good Be Our Normal”
“As part of the Father’s plan, the Resurrection of Jesus Christ overcame death to assure each of us immortality. Jesus Christ’s atoning sacrifice gives each of us the opportunity to repent of our sins and return clean to our heavenly home. His commandments and covenants show us the way, and His priesthood gives the authority to perform the ordinances that are essential to reach that destiny. And our Savior willingly experienced all mortal pains and infirmities that He would know how to strengthen us in our afflictions.
“Jesus Christ did all of this because He loves all of the children of God. Love is the motivation for it all, and it was so from the very beginning. God has told us in modern revelation that ‘he created … male and female, after his own image… and gave unto them commandments that they should love and serve him’ (Doctrine and Covenants 20:18-19).”
— President Dallin H. Oaks, first counselor in the First Presidency, April 2021 general conference, “What Has Our Savior Done for Us?”
“As members of the Church, we have been gifted personal spiritual alarms that warn us when we are looking with only mortal eyes away from salvation. The sacrament is our weekly reminder to continually focus on Jesus Christ that we might always remember Him and that we might always have His Spirit to be with us (see Doctrine and Covenants 20:77). Yet we sometimes ignore these feelings of reminder and alarm. When we have Jesus Christ at the center of our lives, He will cause that our eyes may be opened to larger possibilities than we alone can comprehend.”
— Elder W. Craig Zwick, emeritus General Authority Seventy, October 2017 general conference, “Lord, Wilt Thou Cause That My Eyes May Be Opened”
“The teacher in the Aaronic Priesthood can see in his home teaching assignment an opportunity to help the Lord change the lives of a family. The Lord suggested that in the Doctrine and Covenants:
“‘The teacher’s duty is to watch over the church always, and be with and strengthen them;
“‘And see that there is no iniquity in the church, neither hardness with each other, neither lying, backbiting, nor evil speaking (Doctrine and Covenants 20:53-54).
“Similarly, the priest in the Aaronic Priesthood is given this charge:
“‘The priest’s duty is to preach, teach, expound, exhort, and baptize, and administer the sacrament,
“‘And visit the house of each member, and exhort them to pray vocally and in secret and attend to all family duties’ (Doctrine and Covenants 20:46-47).
“You may wonder, as I did when I was a young teacher and priest, how in the world I could rise to those challenges. I was never sure how I could exhort in a way that would move a family toward eternal life without offending or seeming to criticize. I have learned that the only exhortation that changes hearts comes from the Holy Ghost. That occurs most often as we bear testimony of the Savior, who was and is the perfect family member. As we focus on our love for Him, harmony and peace will grow in the homes we visit. The Holy Ghost will attend us in our service to families.”
— President Henry B. Eyring, then the first counselor in the First Presidency, April 2016 general conference, “Eternal Families”
“To be steadfast in Christ implies keeping covenants. Each week we renew our baptismal covenants to take His name upon us, to ‘always remember him,’ and to ‘keep his commandments’ (see Doctrine and Covenants 20:77). We are steadfast in Christ when we do these things, and our spirits are lifted and our hearts are filled with love. Simply stated, when I keep my covenants, I feel hope and I feel love.”
— Sister Susan W. Tanner, then the Young Women general president, April 2003 general conference, “Steadfast in Our Covenants”
“When you pray for personal guidance, your Father in Heaven knows what is in your heart, but He wants you to tell Him of your hopes and dreams and needs. Only when you speak with certainty that, indeed, you do want to be a witness will you know what you are going to do about it. Let God speak to you and let the sacrament take on deeper meaning. Hear these familiar words: ‘And witness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they are willing to take upon them the name of thy Son, and always remember him and keep his commandments which he has given them’ (Doctrine and Covenants 20:77).”
— Sister Sharon G. Larsen, then the second counselor in the Young Women general presidency, April 2000 general conference, “Standing with God”
“Baptism is the critical priesthood ordinance which opens the door to eternal life for each one of us. It is the benchmark from which we count our many blessings because this is when our accountability to follow Jesus Christ and live His gospel begins. And then each week as we partake of the sacrament, we are reminded to ‘always remember him’ (Doctrine and Covenants 20:79). What a blessing this visual reminder is.”
— Sister Elaine L. Jack, then the Relief Society general president, October 1996 general conference, “‘Partakers of the Glories’”
“Shortly after Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery received the priesthood from heavenly messengers in 1829, they were shown in revelation how they should proceed to organize the Church again on earth. Doctrine and Covenants 20 gives the reason for this specific date: ‘The rise of the Church of Christ in these last days, being one thousand eight hundred and thirty years since the coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in the flesh, it being regularly organized and established agreeable to [all] the laws of [the] country, by the will and commandments of God, in the fourth month… on the sixth day of the month which is called April’ (Doctrine and Covenants 20:1).
“Peter Whitmer Sr. offered his home for the organization that was scheduled for Tuesday, April 6, 1830, in accordance with previously received revelations. At the appointed hour, somewhere around 60 people assembled to witness the formal organization of the Church of Jesus Christ.
“The meeting was simple. Joseph Smith, then 24 years of age, called the group to order and designated five associates — Oliver Cowdery, Hyrum Smith, Peter Whitmer Jr., Samuel H. Smith and David Whitmer — to join him to meet New York’s legal requirements for the incorporation of a religious society. After kneeling in solemn prayer, Joseph asked those present if they were willing to accept him and Oliver as their teachers and spiritual advisers. Everyone raised their hands to the affirmative. Although they had previously received the Melchizedek Priesthood, Joseph and Oliver ordained each other to the office of elder. They did this to signify that they were elders in the newly organized Church. The sacrament of the Lord’s Supper was administered next. The Restoration of the gospel clarified the use and meaning of the sacrament, which through dark periods of the Apostasy had suffered many perversions. By revelation, the members of the Church were counseled, ‘It is expedient that the church meet together often to partake of bread and wine in the remembrance of the Lord Jesus’ (Doctrine and Covenants 20:75).”
— The late Elder L. Tom Perry, then a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, April 1996 general conference, “Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper”
Doctrine and Covenants 21
“Please follow our living prophet President [Russell M.] Nelson’s wise counsel. As recorded in Doctrine and Covenants 21:5-6:
“‘For his word ye shall receive, as if from mine own mouth, in all patience and faith.
“‘For by doing these things the gates of hell shall not prevail against you; yea, and the Lord God will disperse the powers of darkness from before you, and cause the heavens to shake for your good, and his name’s glory.’
“For that reason, they cannot prevail and we cannot fall!”
— Elder Chi Hong (Sam) Wong, General Authority Seventy, April 2021 general conference, “They Cannot Prevail; We Cannot Fall”
“Now the only safety we have as members of this Church is to do exactly what the Lord said to the Church in that day when the Church was organized. We must learn to give heed to the words and commandments that the Lord shall give through His prophet, ‘as he receiveth them, walking in all holiness before me … as if from mine own mouth, in all patience and faith’ (Doctrine and Covenants 21:4-5). There will be some things that take patience and faith. You may not like what comes from the authority of the Church. It may contradict your political views. It may contradict your social views. It may interfere with some of your social life. But if you listen to these things, as if from the mouth of the Lord Himself, with patience and faith, the promise is that ‘the gates of hell shall not prevail against you; yea, and the Lord God will disperse the powers of darkness from before you, and cause the heavens to shake for your good, and his name’s glory’ (Doctrine and Covenants 21:6).”
— The late President Harold B. Lee in “Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Harold B. Lee,” 2000, 84-85
“Prophets ancient and modern were and are giants of the Lord, chosen and ordained before they came to this earth. Our prophets are men whom the Lord has raised up specifically to preside over the Church for the particular time in which they have served. The Lord is working through the leaders of His Church today, just as He has always done in the past. …
“Brothers and sisters, listen to the instructions and promise found in the Doctrine and Covenants:
“‘Wherefore … thou shalt give heed unto all his words and commandments which he shall give unto you as he receiveth them, walking in all holiness before me;
“‘For his word ye shall receive, as if from mine own mouth, in all patience and faith’ (Doctrine and Covenants 21:4–5).”
— The late Sister Virginia U. Jensen, then the first counselor in the Relief Society general presidency, October 1998 general conference, “‘Come, Listen to a Prophet’s Voice’”
Doctrine and Covenants 22
“The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in this day is a covenant-making people. The gospel is the everlasting covenant. …
“In the 22nd section of the Doctrine and Covenants the Lord says: ‘This is a new and an everlasting covenant, even that which was from the beginning’ (Doctrine and Covenants 22:1), meaning the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. …
“Baptism by water is a part of that covenant — that everlasting covenant. Before entering into the waters of baptism one must learn about the gospel. He must have faith in it, that it is what the Lord says it is, His everlasting covenant, a light to the world, a light to His people. One must prove his faith and sincerity by repentance, by laying aside his evil ways before entering into the covenant of baptism. This holy ordinance, to be valid, must be performed by one having proper authority from Jesus Christ.
“Following baptism by immersion we must have hands laid upon our heads by authorized servants of the Lord for the reception of the Holy Ghost. We are then prepared to receive for our individual guidance such inspiration and even revelation as may be expedient.”
— The late Elder Joseph Anderson, then a General Authority Seventy, October 1976 general conference, “We Are a Covenant-Making People”
