Come, Follow Me - June 15, 2025 "I Am With The Faithful Always" D&C 60-63

 

 

D&C 60-63 

Quotations

items in italics were not included in my lesson outline

Section 60

60:2 “for they will not open their mouths. . . they hide the talent . . given them”

The Prophet Joseph Smith (1805–1844) taught that our “greatest and most important duty is to preach the Gospel” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith [2007], 330).

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf explained ways we can fulfill this responsibility:

“My dear young friends, perhaps the Lord’s encouragement to ‘open [your] mouths’ [D&C 60:2] might today include ‘use your hands’ to blog and text message the gospel to all the world! But please remember, all at the right time and at the right place.

“… With the blessings of modern technology, we can express gratitude and joy about God’s great plan for His children in a way that can be heard not only around our workplace but around the world. Sometimes a single phrase of testimony can set events in motion that affect someone’s life for eternity.

“The most effective way to preach the gospel is through example. If we live according to our beliefs, people will notice. If the countenance of Jesus Christ shines in our lives, if we are joyful and at peace with the world, people will want to know why. One of the greatest sermons ever pronounced on missionary work is this simple thought attributed to Saint Francis of Assisi: ‘Preach the gospel at all times and if necessary, use words’ [in William Fay and Linda Evans Shepherd, Share Jesus without Fear (1999), 22]” (“Waiting on the Road to Damascus,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2011, 76–77).

60:5; 61:22; 62:5 “It mattereth not unto me”

Concerning this response, Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught:

“The Lord’s statement that such things ‘mattereth not unto me’ initially may seem surprising. Clearly, the Savior was not saying to these missionaries that He did not care about what they were doing. Rather, He was emphasizing the importance of putting first things first and focusing upon the right things. … They were to exercise faith, use good judgment, act in accordance with the direction of the Spirit, and determine the best way to travel to their assignments. The essential thing was the work they had been called to perform; how they got there was important but was not essential. …

“The most demanding judgments we ever make are seldom between good or bad or between attractive and unattractive alternatives. Usually, our toughest choices are between good and good. In this scriptural episode [referring to D&C 62:7–9], horses, mules, and chariots may have been equally effective options for missionary travel. In a similar way, you and I also might identify at various times in our lives more than one acceptable opportunity or option that we could choose to pursue. We should remember this pattern from the scriptures as we approach such important decisions. If we put essential things first in our lives—things such as dedicated discipleship, honoring covenants, and keeping the commandments—then we will be blessed with inspiration and strong judgment as we pursue the path that leads us back to our heavenly home” (“A Reservoir of Living Water,” [Brigham Young University fireside, Feb. 4, 2007], 5–6, speeches.byu.edu).

Elder Dallin H. Oaks explained why our Heavenly Father leaves many decisions to our own judgment:

“A desire to be led by the Lord is a strength, but it needs to be accompanied by an understanding that our Heavenly Father leaves many decisions for our personal choices. Personal decision making is one of the sources of the growth we are meant to experience in mortality. …

“We should study things out in our minds, using the reasoning powers our Creator has placed within us. Then we should pray for guidance and act upon it if we receive it. If we do not receive guidance, we should act upon our best judgment” (“Our Strengths Can Become Our Downfall,” Ensign, Oct. 1994, 13–14).

60:8, 13–14. “Preach My Gospel among the Congregations of the Wicked”

President Joseph Fielding Smith wrote that the Lord often:

“refers to the people scattered abroad as ‘congregations of the wicked.’ We have good reason to believe that wickedness prevailed among the congregations. The elders were to seek out from among the people the honest in heart and leave their warning testimony with all others, thus they would become clean from their blood.” (Church History and Modern Revelation, 1:223.)

60:13–14. “Thou shalt not idle away thy time”

The Lord commanded the elders to preach the gospel as they traveled back to Ohio and warned them to not “idle away [their] time” (D&C 60:13).

Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles illustrated some of the ways we idle away our time and the dangers of doing so:

“One of the ways Satan lessens your effectiveness and weakens your spiritual strength is by encouraging you to spend large blocks of your time doing things that matter very little. I speak of such things as sitting for hours on end watching television or videos, playing video games night in and night out, surfing the Internet, or devoting huge blocks of time to sports, games, or other recreational activities.

“Don’t misunderstand me. … Games, sports, recreational activities, and even television can be relaxing and rejuvenating, especially in times when you are under stress or heavily scheduled. You need activities that help you to unwind and rest your minds. …

“But I speak of letting things get out of balance. …

“One devastating effect of idling away our time is that it deflects us from focusing on the things that matter most. Too many people are willing to sit back and let life just happen to them. It takes time to develop the attributes that will help you to be a well-balanced person. …

“… So focus the best that you can on those things in life that will lead you back to the presence of God—keeping all things in their proper balance” (“Be Strong in the Lord,” Ensign, July 2004, 13–14).

60:15–17. “Shake Off the Dust of Thy Feet”

The ordinance of washing the dust from one’s feet was practiced in New Testament times and was reinstituted in this dispensation (see D&C 88:139–40; John 11:2; 12:3; 13:5–14). The action of shaking or cleansing the dust from one’s feet is a testimony against those who refuse to accept the gospel (see D&C 24:15; 84:92; 99:4). Because of the serious nature of this act, Church leaders have directed that it be done only at the command of the Spirit.

President Joseph Fielding Smith explained:

“The cleansing of their feet, either by washing or wiping off the dust, would be recorded in heaven as a testimony against the wicked. This act, however, was not to be performed in the presence of the offenders, ‘lest thou provoke them, but in secret, and wash thy feet, as a testimony against them in the day of judgment.’ The missionaries of the Church who faithfully perform their duty are under the obligation of leaving their testimony with all with whom they come in contact in their work. This testimony will stand as a witness against those who reject the message, at the judgment.” (Church History and Modern Revelation, 1:223; see also Notes and Commentary for D&C 24:15.)

Section 61

61:4–19. “In the last days … I cursed the waters”

The Lord’s words in Doctrine and Covenants 61:4–19 do not prohibit Latter-day Saints from traveling on or swimming in water. In describing the curse on the waters in the last days, the Lord may have been referring to passages in the book of Revelation in which the Apostle John described destruction that will occur in the waters before the Second Coming of Jesus Christ (see Revelation 8:8–11; 16:2–6). In Doctrine and Covenants 61, the Lord refers specifically to the danger of “these waters,” meaning the Missouri River (see D&C 61:5, 18). At the time of this revelation, the dangers of the Missouri River included accidents due to difficulties in navigating the waters and contracting cholera, a disease most commonly spread by contaminated water (see “The Way of Journeying for the Saints of Christ,” Evening and Morning Star, Dec. 1832, 105). [2018 Institute D&C Student Manual, p 328]

President Joseph Fielding Smith pointed out how:

“in the beginning the Lord blessed the waters and cursed the land, but in these last days this was reversed, the land was to be blessed and the waters to be cursed. A little reflection will bear witness to the truth of this declaration. In the early millenniums of this earth’s history, men did not understand the composition of the soils, and how they needed building up when crops were taken from them. The facilities at the command of the people were primitive and limited, acreage under cultivation was limited, famines were prevalent and the luxuries which we have today were not obtainable. Someone may rise up and say that the soil in those days was just as productive as now, and this may be the case. It is not a matter of dispute, but the manner of cultivation did not lend itself to the abundant production which we are receiving today. It matters not what the causes were, in those early days of world history there could not be the production, nor the varieties of fruits coming from the earth, and the Lord can very properly speak of this as a curse, or the lack of blessing, upon the land. In those early periods we have every reason to believe that the torrents, floods, and the dangers upon the waters were not as great as they are today, and by no means as great as what the Lord has promised us. The early mariners among the ancients traversed the seas as they knew them in that day in comparative safety. . . . Today this manner of travel in such boats would be of the most dangerous and risky nature. Moreover, we have seen the dangers upon the waters increase until the hearts of men failed them and only the brave, and those who were compelled to travel the seas, ventured out upon them.

“In regard to the Missouri-Mississippi waters, we have seen year by year great destruction upon them, and coming from them. Millions upon millions of dollars, almost annually are lost by this great stream overflowing its banks. Many have lost their lives in these floods as they sweep over the land, and even upon this apparently tranquil or sluggish stream there can arise storms that bring destruction. Verily the word of the Lord has been, and is being, fulfilled in relation to those waters. While the Lord has spoken of the sea heaving itself beyond its bounds, and the waves roaring, yet we must include the great destruction upon the waters by means of war, and especially by submarine warfare as we have learned of it in recent years.” (Church History and Modern Revelation, 1:224; see also Genesis 3:17–19; Ether 7:23–25; 9:16, 28; Revelation 16:1–6; Alma 45:16; D&C 59:3; 16–19.)

61:34 “shall rid their garments”

The phrase “thou shalt rid thy garments” is seen in other forms elsewhere in the scriptures. For example, in 2 Nephi 9:44, Jacob says “I take off my garments and I shake them before you,” symbolizing that he is “shaking their sins off his clothing” that they have now heard the gospel, and that their souls are in their own hands. He has fulfilled his duty by preaching it to them. Therefore their sins are no longer his responsibility. In Jacob 2:2, he teaches his people in order “that I might rid my garments of your sins.” Likewise, King Benjamin assembled his people in order to teach them in order “that I might read my garments of your blood.” (Ridges, D&C, B2, P100)

61:37–39. “He Cometh in an Hour You Think Not”

The Prophet Joseph Smith said:

“Jesus Christ never did reveal to any man the precise time that He would come. Go and read the Scriptures, and you cannot find anything that specifies the exact hour He would come; and all that say so are false teachers.” (History of the Church, 6:254.)

Elder M. Russell Ballard when speaking of the Second Coming of our Savior, noted that the scriptures contain what we call “signs of the times”. Events that will happen prior to the Lord’s return. He then listed some of the “natural” events and scientific data associated with those events. He then said”

“So can we use this scientific data to extrapolate that the Second Coming is likely to occur during the next few years, or the next decade, or the next century? Not really. I am called as one of the apostles to be a special witness of Christ in these exciting, trying times, and I do not know when He is going to come again. As far as I know, none of my brethren in the Council of the Twelve or even in the First Presidency know. And I would humbly suggest to you, my young brothers and sisters, that if we do not know, then nobody knows, no matter how compelling their arguments or how reasonable their calculations. The Savior said that ‘of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.’ (Matthew 24:36).

“I believe when the Lord says “no man” knows, it really means that no man knows. You should be extremely wary of anyone who claims to be an exception to divine decree. But while the exact timing of the Second Coming remains in doubt, there is no question that scriptural prophecy relative to that momentous and sacred event is being fulfilled, sometimes in remarkable ways.” (M Russell Ballard, When Shall These Things Be?, BYU Devotional, March 12, 1996)

Section 62

62:3. Testimony Is Recorded in Heaven

“In this Revelation we are told that angels are scrutinizing the records kept of the testimonies of the Elders, and that they rejoice over the witnesses. It appears from this that the ministry on earth has its effects beyond the veil as well as on this side. An Elder who bears his faithful testimony to the truth does not know how far-reaching the result may be, though his visible audience may consist of but few.” (Smith and Sjodahl, Doctrine and Covenants Commentary, p. 371.)

62:2–3. “Your Sins Are Forgiven You”

Missionary work has a redemptive effect for the missionary as well as the convert. The Apostle James wrote, “He which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins” (James 5:20). Of that teaching, Elder Bruce R. McConkie wrote:

“By reclaiming an erring brother, we save both him and ourselves. Our sins are hidden (remitted) because we ministered for the salvation and blessing of another member of the kingdom. In principle this special reward for Christ’s ministers applies also to those who preach the gospel and bring souls into the kingdom. The minister is rewarded with salvation and, of necessity, in the process, is freed from his own sins. (D. & C. 4:1–4.)” (Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, 3:279.)

President Spencer W. Kimball (1895–1985) taught:

“The Lord has told us that our sins will be forgiven more readily as we bring souls unto Christ and remain steadfast in bearing testimony to the world, and surely every one of us is looking for additional help in being forgiven of our sins” (“It Becometh Every Man,” Ensign, Oct. 1977, 5).

Section 63

63:7–13. “Signs follow those that believe”

President Joseph F. Smith (1838–1918) further explained the dangers of depending on miracles for our faith:

“Show me Latter-day Saints who have to feed upon miracles, signs and visions in order to keep them steadfast in the Church, and I will show you members of the Church who are not in good standing before God, and who are walking in slippery paths” (Gospel Doctrine, 5th ed. [1939], 7).

Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles counseled Church members about seeking signs:

“In bearing testimonies and in our public addresses we rarely mention our most miraculous experiences, and we rarely rely on signs that the gospel is true. We usually just affirm our testimony of the truthfulness of the restored gospel and give few details on how we obtained it. Why is this? Signs follow those that believe. Seeking a miracle to convert someone is improper sign seeking. …

“There are good reasons why we do not seek conversions by exhibiting signs. ‘The viewing of signs or miracles is not a secure foundation for conversion. Scriptural history attests that people converted by signs and wonders soon forget them and again become susceptible to the lies and distortions of Satan and his servants (Hel. 16:23; 3 Ne. 1:22; 2:1; 8:4.). …

“‘In contrast to the witness of the Spirit, which can be renewed from time to time as needed by a worthy recipient, the viewing of a sign or the experiencing of a miracle is a one-time event that will fade in the memory of its witness and can dim in its impact upon him or her’ [Dallin H. Oaks, The Lord’s Way (1991), 87]” (“Miracles,” Ensign, June 2001, 10).

President Boyd K. Packer (1924–2015) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained how faith prepares a person to believe:

“In a world filled with skepticism and doubt, the expression ‘seeing is believing’ promotes the attitude, ‘You show me, and I will believe.’ We want all of the proof and all of the evidence first. It seems hard to take things on faith.

“When will we learn that in spiritual things it works the other way about—that believing is seeing? Spiritual belief precedes spiritual knowledge. When we believe in things that are not seen but are nevertheless true, then we have faith” (“What Is Faith?” in Faith [1983], 43).

63:17. What Does It Mean to Burn with Fire and Brimstone?

Elder Bruce R. McConkie explained:

“. . . brimstone is “sulfur, an easily melted, very inflammable mineral which burns with a blue flame and emits a suffocating odor. . . . The nature of burning brimstone is such that it perfectly symbolized to the prophetic mind the eternal torment of the damned. Accordingly we read that the wicked are ‘tormented with fire and brimstone’ (Rev. 14:9–11; 19:20; 20:10), or in other words that ‘their torment is as a lake of fire and brimstone, whose flame ascendeth up forever and ever and has no end.’ (2 Ne. 9:16; Alma 12:17.) This burning scene, a horrifying ‘lake of fire and brimstone,’ symbolizes ‘endless torment’ (2 Ne. 9:19, 26; 28:23; Jac. 6:10; Alma 14:14; D. & C. 76:36); those who find place therein are subject to the second death.” (Mormon Doctrine, pp. 280–81.)

63:20–21, 49–51. The Transfiguration of the Earth

“The earth will pass through two changes which might be called transfigurations:

“1. At the beginning of the Millennium, it will be raised from its present telestial to a terrestrial state, and only the righteous will have a place on earth at that time.

“2. After the thousand years are ended, the earth will be celestialized and the faithful who are worthy of that glory will receive their permanent inheritance thereon.” (Cowan, Doctrine and Covenants, p. 101; see also D&C 77; 88:17–20, 25–26; 101: 24–25; 130:4–11.)

63:20–21. The transfiguration of the earth

President Joseph Fielding Smith (1876–1972) identified the four stages of the earth’s existence:

“This earth is passing through four grand degrees or stages: 1. The creation and the condition antedating [existing before] the fall. 2. The telestial condition which has prevailed since the fall of Adam. 3. The terrestrial condition [or transfiguration of the earth] that will prevail when the Savior comes and ushers in the millennial era. 4. The celestial or final state of the earth when it has obtained its exaltation” (Doctrines of Salvation, comp. Bruce R. McConkie [1954], 1:82).

63:33–35. “The saints also shall hardly escape”

In response to the increasing wickedness upon the earth, the Lord has decreed judgments and consequences. As recorded in Doctrine and Covenants 63:33–35, the rebellious will be chastened and eventually destroyed, and though the Saints will also suffer, the Lord’s promise is that He will be with them.

The Prophet Joseph Smith (1805–1844) recorded what took place during a meeting at his home in September 1839:

“[I] explained concerning the coming of the Son of Man; also that it is a false idea that the Saints will escape all the judgments, whilst the wicked suffer; for all flesh is subject to suffer, and ‘the righteous shall hardly escape’ [see D&C 63:34]; still many of the Saints will escape, for the just shall live by faith [see Habakkuk 2:4]; yet many of the righteous shall fall a prey to disease, to pestilence, etc., by reason of the weakness of the flesh, and yet be saved in the Kingdom of God. So that it is an unhallowed principle to say that such and such have transgressed because they have been preyed upon by disease or death, for all flesh is subject to death; and the Savior has said, ‘Judge not, lest ye be judged’ [see Matthew 7:1]” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith [2007], 253).

63:50 “he that liveth when the Lord shall come”

Elder Joseph Fielding Smith wrote:

“When Christ comes, the Saints who are on the earth will be quickened and caught up to meet Him. This does not mean that those who are living in mortality at that time will be changed and passed through the resurrection, for mortals must remain on the earth until after the 1000 years has ended. A change, nevertheless, will come over all who remain on the earth; they will be quickened so that they will not be subject unto death until they are old. Men shall die when they are 100 years of age, and the change shall be made suddenly to the immortal state. Graves will not be made during that 1000 years. . . death shall come as a peaceful transition from the mortal to the immortal state.” (Way to Perfection, 298-99, 311)

63:53–54. “These things … are now nigh at hand”

Elder Dallin H. Oaks explained the need for Church members to prepare:

“While we are powerless to alter the fact of the Second Coming and unable to know its exact time, we can accelerate our own preparation and try to influence the preparation of those around us.

“A parable that contains an important and challenging teaching on this subject is the parable of the ten virgins. Of this parable, the Lord said, ‘And at that day, when I shall come in my glory, shall the parable be fulfilled which I spake concerning the ten virgins’ (D&C 45:56).

“Given in the 25th chapter of Matthew, this parable contrasts the circumstances of the five foolish and the five wise virgins. All ten were invited to the wedding feast, but only half of them were prepared with oil in their lamps when the bridegroom came. The five who were prepared went into the marriage feast, and the door was shut. The five who had delayed their preparations came late. The door had been closed, and the Lord denied them entrance, saying, ‘I know you not’ (v. 12). ‘Watch therefore,’ the Savior concluded, ‘for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh’ (v. 13).

“The arithmetic of this parable is chilling. The ten virgins obviously represent members of Christ’s Church, for all were invited to the wedding feast and all knew what was required to be admitted when the bridegroom came. But only half were ready when he came” (“Preparation for the Second Coming,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2004, 8).

63:61–64. “Let All Men Beware How They Take My Name in Their Lips”

To take the name of the Lord in vain is often thought of only as profanity.

Elder James E. Talmage offered a broader definition:

“1. We may take the name of God in vain by profane speech.

“2. We take it in vain when we swear falsely, not being true to our oaths and promises.

“3. We take it in vain in a blasphemous sense when we presume to speak in that name without authority.

“4. And we take his name in vain whenever we willfully do aught that is in defiance of his commandments, since we have taken his name upon ourselves.” (In Conference Report, Oct. 1931, pp. 53.)

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