This week’s “Come, Follow Me” study guide covers Doctrine and Covenants 27-28, which includes the teaching that only prophets receive revelation for the entire Church.
Following are a few quotes from past and present Church leaders about these sections of the Doctrine and Covenants.
Doctrine and Covenants 27
“The Melchizedek Priesthood is the divine authority God has delegated to accomplish His work ‘to bring to pass the … eternal life of man’ (Moses 1:39). In 1829, it was conferred upon Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery by the Savior’s apostles Peter, James and John (see Doctrine and Covenants 27:12). It is sacred and powerful beyond our powers to describe.
“The keys of the priesthood are the powers to direct the exercise of priesthood authority. Thus, when the Apostles conferred the Melchizedek Priesthood upon Joseph and Oliver, they also gave them the keys to direct its exercise (see Doctrine and Covenants 27:12-13). …
“The Melchizedek Priesthood is not a status or a label. It is a divine power held in trust to use for the benefit of God’s work for His children. We should always remember that men who hold the priesthood are not ‘the priesthood.’ It is not appropriate to refer to ‘the priesthood and the women.’ We should refer to ‘the holders of the priesthood and the women.’”
— President Dallin H. Oaks, first counselor in the First Presidency, April 2018 general conference, “The Powers of the Priesthood”
“In a time when the family is under attack from the forces of evil, … the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve have set forth in ‘The Family: A Proclamation to the World’ that ‘parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness.’
“This includes nurturing, supporting and teaching children in all things pertaining to righteousness so that they may remain firm, with their ‘loins girt about with truth, having on the breastplate of righteousness, and [their] feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace’ (Doctrine and Covenants 27:16).”
— Elder Francisco J. Viñas, then a General Authority Seventy, April 2010 general conference, “Things Pertaining to Righteousness”
“One thing is very clear: The safest place and the best protection against the moral and spiritual diseases is a stable home and family. This has always been true; it will be true forever. We must keep that foremost in our minds.
“The scriptures speak of ‘the shield of faith wherewith,’ the Lord said, ‘ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked’ (Doctrine and Covenants 27:17).
“This shield of faith is best fabricated in a cottage industry. While the shield can be polished in classes in the Church and in activities, it is meant to be handcrafted in the home and fitted to each individual.
“The Lord said, ‘Take upon you my whole armor, that ye may be able to withstand the evil day, having done all, that ye may be able to stand’ (Doctrine and Covenants 27:15).
“Our young people in many ways are much stronger and better than we were. They and we should not be afraid of what is ahead.”
— The late President Boyd K. Packer, then the acting president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, April 2004 general conference, “Do Not Fear”
“Individual testimonies are the foundation and strength of the Church. Our testimony provides a guiding light that leads to a commitment which directs our conduct and our way of life. Our testimony is true north on a spiritual compass. It is a moving force that cannot be seen but can truly be felt. It is a burning within that tells us what is right. …
“Our testimony is the fruit of obedience in the form of peace, joy and understanding in our hearts of gospel principles. A testimony is a shield of faith ‘wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked’ (Doctrine and Covenants 27:17).”
— The late Elder Robert D. Hales, then a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, October 1994 general conference, “The Importance of Receiving a Personal Testimony”
“The characteristics of this dispensation, as compared with other dispensations, are unique in that it is the last of all dispensations, concerning which the Prophet Joseph Smith received this divine information as contained in a revelation:
“‘Unto whom I have committed the keys of my kingdom, and a dispensation of the gospel for the last times; and for the fulness of times, in the which I will gather together in one all things, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth’ (Doctrine and Covenants 27:13).”
— The late Elder Alvin R. Dyer, then an assistant to the Council of the Twelve, April 1972 general conference, “The Last Dispensation”
Doctrine and Covenants 28
“Satan will tempt us to misuse our time through disguised distractions. … Hiram Page, one of the Eight Witnesses of the Book of Mormon, taught us a valuable lesson about distractions. He had a certain stone and through it recorded what he thought were revelations for the Church (see Doctrine and Covenants 28). On Hiram’s being corrected, an account says the stone was taken and ground into powder so it would never again be a distraction. I invite us to identify the time-wasting distractions in our lives that may need to be figuratively ground into dust. We will need to be wise in our judgment to ensure that the scales of time are correctly balanced to include the Lord, family, work and wholesome recreational activities. As many have already discovered, there is an increase of happiness in life as we use our time to seek after those things which are ‘virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy’ (Articles of Faith 1:13).”
— Elder Ian S. Ardern, then a General Authority Seventy, October 2011 general conference, “A Time to Prepare”
“There are times when the Lord reveals to us things that are intended only for us. Nevertheless, in many, many cases He entrusts a testimony of the truth to those who will share it with others. This has been the case with every prophet since the days of Adam. Even more, the Lord expects the members of His Church to ‘open [their mouths] at all times, declaring [His] gospel with the sound of rejoicing’ (Doctrine and Covenants 28:16).”
— Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf, then the second counselor in the First Presidency, April 2011 general conference, “Waiting on the Road to Damascus”
“Faultfinding can be another source of personal apostasy. When we look for faults in others or begin to think we could make better decisions than our leaders, we should remember the experience of Oliver Cowdery, the second elder of the Church.
“In Doctrine and Covenants 28:2, Oliver Cowdery is told through revelation given to Joseph Smith, ‘No one shall be appointed to receive commandments and revelations in this church excepting my servant Joseph Smith, Jun.’ In time, sadly, Oliver rebelled against Joseph, saying, ‘If I leave this church, it will fall.’ Joseph responded, ‘Oliver, you try it.’ Oliver did try it, and he fell. The kingdom of God, however, remained firm.
“We enter a state of apostasy when we assume authority we do not possess or when we seek revelation for a stewardship outside of our sphere of responsibility. Our duty, as revealed to Oliver Cowdery, is to ‘be obedient unto the things’ (Doctrine and Covenants 28:3) the Lord reveals to His prophet and to our other leaders called through priesthood authority.”
— Elder Claudio D. Zivic, then a General Authority Seventy, in the June 2009 Ensign article “Avoiding Personal Apostasy”
“Modern prophets have cautioned us that true personal impressions from the Lord will always be in harmony with what is taught in the scriptures and by the living prophets. It is well to remember, furthermore, that only the President of the Church receives revelation for the Church as a whole (see Doctrine and Covenants 28:2; Doctrine and Covenants 107:91-92). Personal revelation is for one’s own edification.”
— Grant E. Barton, then the director of training at the Provo Missionary Training Center, in the February 1996 Ensign article “Discerning Answers to Our Prayers”
“We, like those of old, have the sacred obligation to share the gospel with our neighbors and friends, ‘teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I [the Lord] have commanded you’ (Matthew 28:20). The Lord’s instruction to Oliver Cowdery pertains to each of us as well: ‘Thou must open thy mouth at all times, declaring my gospel with the sound of rejoicing’ (Doctrine and Covenants 28:16).”
— Elder Kwok Yuen Tai, then a General Authority Seventy, in the October 1995 Ensign article “Go Ye Therefore and Teach All Nations”
“Quick and easy ways to ‘come back’ cannot be packaged at Church headquarters and delivered to local priesthood leaders. Love cannot be conveyed remotely, even with new technology. These two great commandments must be applied by leaders of the Church locally, thus building the Church throughout the world:
“‘Preach my gospel … and cause my church to be established’ (Doctrine and Covenants 28:8).
“When that happens, great blessings of eternal worth will result.”
— President Russell M. Nelson, then a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, in the January 1987 Ensign article “Love Thy Neighbor”
