This week’s “Come, Follow Me” study guide covers Doctrine and Covenants 93, which includes the commandment to “bring up your children in light and truth” (verse 40).
Following are a few quotes from past and present Church leaders about this section of the Doctrine and Covenants.
‘Bring up your children in light and truth’
“Repentance is required of every accountable person who desires eternal glory. There are no exceptions. In a revelation to the Prophet Joseph Smith, the Lord chastised early Church leaders for not teaching the gospel to their children (see Doctrine and Covenants 93:40-48). Repenting is the key to progress. Pure faith keeps us moving forward on the covenant path.”
— President Russell M. Nelson, April 2022 general conference, “The Power of Spiritual Momentum”
“How to ‘bring up [our] children in light and truth’ (Doctrine and Covenants 93:40) may be a challenging question since it is individualized for each family and each child, but Heavenly Father has given universal guidelines that will help us. The Spirit will inspire us in the most effective ways we can spiritually inoculate our children.
“To begin, having a vision of the importance of this responsibility is essential. We must understand our — and their — divine identity and purpose before we can help our children see who they are and why they are here. We must help them know without question that they are sons and daughters of a loving Heavenly Father and that He has divine expectations of them.”
— Sister Joy D. Jones, then the Primary general president, April 2017 general conference, “A Sin-Resistant Generation”
“Doctrine and Covenants 93:39-40 teaches: ‘And that wicked one cometh and taketh away light and truth, through disobedience, from the children of men, and because of the tradition of their fathers.
“‘But I have commanded you to bring up your children in light and truth.’
“By reading the scriptures, I can be assured that I will know the ‘light and truth’ that will bless me and my family. As I know what to do, I can work to bring my actions — my ‘traditions’ — into line with what I know. Then my example will not lead my children astray but rather will lead them to the scriptures and to the truth that is found there.”
— Sister Cheryl C. Lant, then the Primary general president, October 2005 general conference, “My Soul Delighteth in the Scriptures”
“Brothers and sisters, as parents let us heed the admonition, even the rebuke, given by the Lord to Joseph Smith and the leaders of the Church in 1833 to ‘set in order [our] own house’ (Doctrine and Covenants 93:43). ‘I have commanded you to bring up your children in light and truth’ (Doctrine and Covenants 93:40). ‘Set in order [our] family, and see that they are more diligent and concerned at home, and pray always, or they shall be removed out of their place’ (Doctrine and Covenants 93:50).
“The prophets of our day have given a similar admonition and warning to parents to set in order our families. May we be blessed with the inspiration and love to meet opposition with faith within our families. We will then know that our trials are to draw us closer to the Lord and to one another. May we listen to a prophet’s voice and set in order our own homes (see Doctrine and Covenants 93:41-49). The family is strengthened as we draw near to the Lord, and each member of the family is strengthened as we lift and strengthen and love and care for one another.”
— The late Elder Robert D. Hales, then a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, April 1999 general conference, “Strengthening Families: Our Sacred Duty”
“In another revelation given in May 1833, the Lord chastised each of the leading brethren of the Church for having failed to bring up their children in light and truth and otherwise set their homes in order (see Doctrine and Covenants 93:41-50). Although no specific time period during which this should be done is mentioned, at the time the revelation was given all four of the brethren reprimanded were relatively young fathers with small children in their homes.
“In this revelation the Lord points out that children in their infant state are innocent before God but that Satan takes away light and truth from them because of disobedience and the tradition of their fathers. To prevent this, He commands parents to bring up their children in light and truth (see Doctrine and Covenants 93:38-40).
“Although the Lord chastised the leading brethren, and indeed all parents in Zion, for parental delinquency, he indicated that repentance is possible. But he also said that if we did not repent, we would be removed out of our place (see Doctrine and Covenants 93:41-50).”
— The late Elder H. Verlan Andersen, then a released General Authority Seventy, October 1991 general conference, “Bring Up Your Children in Light and Truth”
‘Knowledge of things as they are’
“The Lord has taught us in scripture that ‘truth is knowledge of things as they are, and as they were, and as they are to come’ (Doctrine and Covenants 93:24). It ‘was not created or made’ (Doctrine and Covenants 93:29) and has ‘no end’ (Doctrine and Covenants 88:66). Truth is absolute, fixed and immutable. In other words, truth is eternal.
“Truth helps us avoid deception, discern good from evil, receive protection, and find comfort and healing. Truth can also guide our actions, make us free, sanctify us and lead us to eternal life.”
— Elder John C. Pingree Jr., General Authority Seventy, October 2023 general conference, “Eternal Truth”
“The holy scriptures teach us, ‘Truth is knowledge of things as they are, and as they were, and as they are to come’ (Doctrine and Covenants 93:24).
“The knowledge of the truth does not make us better than other people, but it teaches us what we must do to return to God’s presence.
“As you proceed firmly in Christ and with courage not only to proclaim the truth but to live the truth, you will find comfort and peace during the turbulence that you shall encounter in these days.”
— Elder Denelson Silva, General Authority Seventy, October 2022 general conference, “Courage To Proclaim the Truth”
“Blessed with the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, we humbly declare that there are some things that are completely and absolutely true. These eternal truths are the same for every son and daughter of God.
“The scriptures teach, ‘Truth is knowledge of things as they are, and as they were, and as they are to come’ (Doctrine and Covenants 93:24). Truth looks backward and forward, expanding the perspective of our small point in time.”
— Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, April 2019 general conference, “The Eye of Faith”
“Modern revelation defines truth as a ‘knowledge of things as they are, and as they were, and as they are to come’ (Doctrine and Covenants 93:24). …
“We live in a time of greatly expanded and disseminated information. But not all of this information is true. We need to be cautious as we seek truth and choose sources for that search. We should not consider secular prominence or authority as qualified sources of truth. We should be cautious about relying on information or advice offered by entertainment stars, prominent athletes or anonymous internet sources. Expertise in one field should not be taken as expertise on truth in other subjects.”
— President Dallin H. Oaks, first counselor in the First Presidency, October 2018 general conference, “Truth and the Plan”
“With the keys of the kingdom, the Lord’s servants can identify both truth and falsehood and once again authoritatively state, ‘Thus saith the Lord.’ Regrettably, some resent the Church because they want to define their own truth, but in reality it is a surpassing blessing to receive a ‘knowledge of things as they [truly] are, and as they were, and as they are to come’ (Doctrine and Covenants 93:24) insofar as the Lord wills to reveal it. The Church safeguards and publishes God’s revelations — the canon of scripture.”
— Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, October 2015 general conference, “Why the Church”
‘From grace to grace’
“I testify of that grand destiny, made available to us by the Atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ, who Himself continued ‘from grace to grace’ (Doctrine and Covenants 93:13) until in His immortality He received a perfect fulness of celestial glory. I testify that in this and every hour He is, with nail-scarred hands, extending to us that same grace, holding on to us and encouraging us, refusing to let us go until we are safely home in the embrace of heavenly parents. For such a perfect moment, I continue to strive, however clumsily. For such a perfect gift, I continue to give thanks, however inadequately. I do so in the very name of Perfection itself, of Him who has never been clumsy or inadequate but who loves all of us who are.”
— President Jeffrey R. Holland, then a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, October 2017 general conference, “Be Ye Therefore Perfect — Eventually”
“Discover and develop spiritual gifts. Heavenly Father gave us these gifts to help us identify, perform and enjoy the work He has for us. …
“As we discover our gifts, we have a responsibility to develop them. Even Jesus Christ ‘received not of the fulness at first, but [developed] from grace to grace’ (Doctrine and Covenants 93:13).”
— Elder John C. Pingree Jr., General Authority Seventy, October 2017 general conference, “I Have a Work for Thee”
‘Every soul who forsaketh his sins’
“To help us as we progress toward the Father, the Lord gave us this promise: ‘Every soul who forsaketh his sins and cometh unto me, and calleth on my name, and obeyeth my voice, and keepeth my commandments, shall see my face and know that I am’ (Doctrine and Covenants 93:1).
“Through our faith in His atoning sacrifice, the Savior cleanses us, heals us and enables us to know Him by helping us become like Him. … As we strive to become like God, He can make of us more than we could ever make of ourselves.”
— Elder C. Scott Grow, then a General Authority Seventy, April 2017 general conference, “And This Is Life Eternal”
‘The glory of God is intelligence’
“We are committed to knowledge of every kind and believe ‘the glory of God is intelligence’ (Doctrine and Covenants 93:36). But we also know that the preferred strategy of the adversary is to lead people away from God and cause them to stumble by emphasizing the philosophies of men over the Savior and His teachings. …
“We know the Apostasy occurred in part because the philosophies of men were elevated over Christ’s basic, essential doctrine. Instead of the simplicity of the Savior’s message being taught, many plain and precious truths were changed or lost. In fact, Christianity adopted some Greek philosophical traditions to reconcile people’s beliefs with their existing culture. … Historically, and in our own day, some people reject the gospel of Jesus Christ because, in their view, it doesn’t have adequate intellectual sophistication.”
— Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, October 2016 general conference, “Valiant in the Testimony of Jesus”
‘Receive a fulness of joy’
“After resurrection, the spirit will never again be separated from the body because the Savior’s Resurrection brought total victory over death. In order to obtain our eternal destiny, we need to have this immortal soul — a spirit and body — united forever. With spirit and immortal body inseparably connected, we can ‘receive a fulness of joy’ (Doctrine and Covenants 93:33). In fact, without the Resurrection we could never receive a fulness of joy but would be miserable forever. Even faithful, righteous people view the separation of their bodies from their spirits as captivity. We are released from this captivity through the Resurrection, which is redemption from the bands or chains of death. There is no salvation without both our spirit and our body.”
— Sunday School General President Paul V. Johnson, then a General Authority Seventy, April 2016 general conference, “And There Shall Be No More Death”
‘All things were made by him’
“Jesus Christ is the light and life of the world because all things were made by Him. Under the direction and according to the plan of God the Father, Jesus Christ is the Creator, the source of the light and life of all things. Through modern revelation we have the testimony of John, who bore record that Jesus Christ is ‘the light and the Redeemer of the world, the Spirit of truth, who came into the world, because the world was made by him, and in him was the life of men and the light of men.
“‘The worlds were made by him; men were made by him; all things were made by him, and through him, and of him’ (Doctrine and Covenants 93:9-10).”
— President Dallin H. Oaks, then a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, October 1987 general conference, “The Light and Life of the World”
