Doctrine and Covenants Section 1

 

I am teaching Sunday School this week, which means I recorded the lesson and posted it to YouTube.  If you are interested in what I have to say about the introduction to the D&C and Section 1, here are all the links and pictures.

1. Here are the links on YouTube to the lesson.  (Sorry there are TWO: as I was recording the lesson, I tried to share an image and it turned off the camera.  Sigh. So, there are TWO links to be used in order) for Sunday School for this week.

Part 1: Introduction to the Doctrine and Covenants.

Part 1: https://youtu.be/yhNjXut8P4k 

 

Part 2: Continuing with the Introduction.  

At minute 27:17, I switch over to discussing D&C section 1 in detail.  If you don't want to listen to the first half of D&C introduction, you can just start at 27:17 for Section 1

Part 2: https://youtu.be/AsKEPGFATfs  

Link is included for this great old seminary and institute video on the six periods of Church History.  My grandkids love this one.

During the class, I refer to some images.  They are in this blogpost if you want to see them better.

Image of Come Follow Me D&C for Individuals and Families webpage at ChurchofJesusChrist.org showing links, photos, footnotes, etc you can open in the right hand column. 

2.   At the bottom of this post, you will find a whole list of active links to Church-approved webpages (on ChurchofJesusChrist.org or  lds.org) and videos pertaining to this week's reading and the text of some extended quotes from President Nelson.

3, Most of us have hard copies of the Doctrine and Covenants that were printed years ago.  There have been changes and additions made  to the  "Explanatory Introduction" in the front of the D&C. The new version is on ChurchofJesusChrist.org (or LDS.org).

Email me  (rebeccahstay@gmail.com) if you want a word document formatted so that you can print out the NEW material expanding on the old "Explanatory Introduction" in the front of the D&C. If you print it twice, front and back, you will have TWO copies to cut apart and glue or tape into your hardcopy scriptures.( Sorry, I can't figure out how to insert a word document into this post at the moment)

I can also send you a reading schedule for the year and a chart for you to mark off what you have read is attached.  This is especially for families.

4.  DIGITAL RESOURCES : ALL of these are FREE!

 1.      Seminary and Institute created a great video which clearly talks about this westward movement and six distinct periods of Church History. 

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/media/video/2010-07-0001-overview-of-church-history?lang=eng

 

2.   On the Web: Come Follow Me : at Book of Mormon Central

EVERY WEEK,  a reading and study guide will be posted on Book of Mormon Central giving DAILY reading scriptures from the Doctrine and Covenants and helpful links, photos and resources.

This DAILY guide is available on the website.  SOME of this is available on the ScripturePlus App, but you may need to UPDATE your app.

https://bookofmormoncentral.org/come-follow-me/doctrine-and-covenants/come-follow-me-2021-doctrine-and-covenants-1

http://doctrineandcovenantscentral.org/section-1/

On your ScripturePlus App : to find D&C info, type “Doctrine and Covenants” into the search box.  Your phone will then download this new material.

 

3.   How was each section received or revealed?

Casey Griffiths : great video introduction to D&C from Book of Mormon Central : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bC4DHwOX6Z4&feature=youtu.be

 

4.   Where do I find historical background for the D&C?

A.  Read the chapter headings.  Digital versions are newer and contain new information.

B.  Steven Harper (a church historian ) wrote a book with one chapter about each section.  You can find the book “ Doctrine and Covenants Contexts” free online.

https://archive.bookofmormoncentral.org/content/section-1

 

5.   Taylor and Tyler’s Come Follow Me Insights will continue weekly on Book of Mormon Central.  These guys are really good.  Give them a try.

Section 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upb7kwWrdt8

 

6.   A NEW presenter, Casey Griffiths, will be commenting on each CFM lesson.  He is very clear and concise.  Here is his video for D&C 1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWIIfZ9tT3E&feature=youtu.be

7.   TALK : Elder Russell M Nelson : April 1991 Gen Conf. : “Listen to Learn”

 https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/1991/04/listen-to-learn?lang=eng

 Pres. Nelson wrote a footnote about HEARKEN in the digital version of this talk:

That term, when used in the Old Testament Hebrew, was (shâma’), which means “to hear intelligently.” The term was used hundreds of times in the Hebrew Old Testament, as Israel was counseled to hearken to the word of the Lord and obey it.

Different terms were used in some instances in the Hebrew text whenever reference was made to hearing or responding without implied obedience.  

Examples:“They have ears, but they hear not.” (Ps. 135:17; see also Ps. 140:6; italics added.) (‘âzan) to give ear—to listen

“I will hear, saith the Lord, I will hear the heavens, and they shall hear the earth.” (Hosea 2:21; italics added.) (‘ânâh) to pay attention—to answer

“Lift up thy voice, O daughter … : cause it to be heard.” (Isa. 10:30; italics added; see also Ps. 10:17.) (qâshav) to give heed

Still different terms were employed in the Old Testament when referring to obedience not to Deity but to other people. Examples:“The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother.” (Prov. 30:17; italics added.) (yiqqâhâh) obedience, to obey

“The children of Ammon shall obey them.” (Isa. 11:14; italics added.) (mishma’ath) audience—obedience

That link between listening and obedience is found not only in Hebrew, but in Latin and Greek.

The word obey comes from two Latin roots: the prefix ob “to” or “toward,” and the root audio, audire “to hear” or “to listen.” This root occurs in words such as audio, audience, or auditorium. Literally, then, the word obey means “to hear or to listen toward,” that is, “to comply.”

The word for obey in Greek, (hupakouo), literally means “listen under,” from hypo “under” as in hypo-dermic, also

and the root akouo “hear, listen” as in acoustics. 

In New Testament times, its use was gradually broadened to less sacred realms, including expressions such as “children, obey parents” (see Eph. 6:1; Col. 3:20), “wives, [obey] husbands” (see 1 Pet. 3:1), “servants, obey … masters” (see Col. 3:22), and so on.

A parallel pattern is found in the Book of Mormon.

Use of terms such as listen, hear, and hearken, written at the time of the Old Testament, generally carried the same implication of obedience to Deity. Those terms in Book of Mormon scriptures written after the earthly advent of Christ were also broadened to include the more familiar usage, as in the language of the New Testament.

 Funny Story from Marion G Romney in ‘Listen to Learn,’  talk by Pres. Nelson

 Husbands and wives, learn to listen, and listen to learn from one another. I was amused to read of an experience recorded by Elder F. Burton Howard in his biography of President Marion G. Romney: “His good-humored love for Ida was manifested in many ways. He delighted in telling of her hearing loss. ‘I once went to see a doctor about her hearing,’ he would say. ‘He asked me how bad it was, and I said I didn’t know. He told me to go home and find out. The doctor instructed me to go into a far room and speak to her. Then I should move nearer and nearer until she does hear. Following the doctor’s instructions, I spoke to her from the bedroom while she was in the kitchen—no answer. I moved nearer and spoke again—no answer. So I went right up to the door of the kitchen and said, “Ida, can you hear me?” She responded, “What is it, Marion—I’ve answered you three times.”’”

 

Rabbi Jonathan Sacks quote: The test of faith is whether I can make space for difference.  Can I recognize God’s image in someone who is not in my image, whose language, faith, ideals are different from mine? If I cannot, then I have made God in my image instead of allowing him to remake me in his. 

From The Dignity of Difference