How to Make 2025 the Best Doctrine and Covenants Study Ever

by | Jan 6, 2025

floating book

Christ Speaks 91,000 Direct Words

2025 is the year of Christ. When teaching the Doctrine and Covenants, people typically focus on Church History and the background for individuals involved in the different sections which is great stuff and we ought to know something about that – but tonight I’m going to go at it from a different angle. I see something far more remarkable in the Doctrine and Covenants. That book has more than 91,000 direct words spoken by Jesus Christ. That’s more than the New Testament, Book of Mormon and Pearl of Great Price combined. It’s like His auto-biography – titled, This is Who I Really Am.

If someone asked me to describe the D&C in one sentence, it would be “The Doctrine and Covenants is 1) an end times playbook and 2) an advanced Be-close-to-Jesus-Christ manual.

Ezra Taft Benson described the Book of Mormon as the keystone of our religion and the Doctrine and Covenants as the capstone. A capstone is the final piece placed during construction, symbolizing the completion of the work.

Blazing Message

First a bit of background: By the time section 1 comes around, approximately 66 sections have already been written and recorded.

Section 1 is a glimpse into the Lord’s perspective of this extraordinary book – He states His intentions for the Doctrine and Covenants and how HE feels about it.

In section 1 – Jesus Christ comes right out of the starting gate with a BLAZING MESSAGE for you about the Doctrine and Covenants, and its role in our day. If you are a Saint in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, you’ll want to take the time to understand this section. Christ is setting the stage for the rest of the book, very much like the first chapter of Isaiah sums up the 66 Isaiah chapters.

A quick word here for those who are not members. We know that Jesus Christ is the true and living God. True because He means what He says and living because He is active in our here and now.

Savior Calls to You

Open up a space inside your soul as we read His direct call to you.

[Hearken is an interesting word – it means to listen intentionally and with all your faculties.

Not only is Jesus Christ very earnest about this message – this publication of the Doctrine and Covenants. He makes a promise that every single heart will be penetrated with this message. We can talk about ways He will deliver that message later, if we have time. But don’t assume it’s all through missionary work.] (D&C 43:24-25 – voice of thunder)

The Lord knows you are going to get this message and He wants you to know He knows. How much heed and hearken you give it is up to you. But you just heard a strong call to you…personally.

Personable Jesus

He’s also sharing how much your presence and existence are in His view and consciousness. And that’s a repeating theme throughout the Doctrine and Covenants. You’ll find Christ is a personable, approachable Savior throughout the sections. Let me give you a quick example of this frequent experience.

You don’t hear this verse quoted a lot, but consider how the Savior talks and imagine what it is like to hear Him speaking in person.

One of the greatest discoveries of the Doctrine and  Covenants is that Jesus Christ desires to have a close presence and to be connected to you. We are the gateway to that experience…or the fence that keeps it from happening.

Who Is Jesus Christ

The Doctrine and Covenants is Primarily Jesus speaking. And Jesus has a distinct personality. He also has a recognizable cadence, voice and style. By the time you’ve read the Doctrine and Covenants through, you’ll see how He talks and sounds. He is firm, He is authoritative, but He is also tender, and merciful and surprisingly personable for being a powerful God.

If I were to liken Him to people we experience around us – I would describe His voice and style as much like a really good, accomplished, top-of-his-class sports team coach. One who truly cares about his players individually and knows them well, who they are and what they need – but also knows the task at hand and what it’s going to take to get them that team trophy. He’s that coach who knows you have muscles to develop, hand-eye coordination to improve, and skills to acquire, and that only comes from repetition, practice, and working out. He will use that coach voice to get you to do more laps, pushups, and ball practice.

Imagine a coach who knows the possible trophy and prize you could win is spectacular. Quick, simple analogy. Imagine Every player on the winning team gets the 10-acre vacation property of their choice, be that beachfront or mountain top. Along with the favorite car of your choice. The coach knows the workouts matter; he knows that developing your strengths and skills matters. He’s going to push you, be stern when needed, cheer you on, and care about the outcome.

That’s the Savior, that’s his voice. He’s that super-skilled, incredible coach who actually cares about you, notices you, and thinks about you.

We just read verses 1-2 Which are authoritative and no-nonsense.

Now lets read D&C 88 to illustrate the other side of him.

His message: If you’re going to be into Him as a coach and follow His instructions and allow Him to work with you  – He’s personally going to be into you as a player. He will put a lot into you. That’s the message.

The Playbook for 2025

Doctrine and Covenants is a playbook. He’s calling the plays and telling you how to win. Or you get to hear him coach others and spell out the playbook for them, but on some level, you know those coaching calls really apply to you too.

If you really want to enjoy the Doctrine and Covenants this year. Get yourself a notebook – and use it like a playbook for 2025. Write down the Savior’s direct messages and instructions to you as you read. What is He saying to you? What is the Lord’s particular message to me in this verse? There are more direct quotes by the Savior to us in the Doctrine and Covenants than any other body of scripture from the beginning of time.

Let me tell you what will happen if you keep a notebook.

You will fill that notebook with winning strategies and personable messages that matter. As you do this, from time to time, the Spirit will include even more personalized insights and instructions for you to write down. Because if you lean into the Savior, He will lean into you. Further instructions, further light, further knowledge. That playbook will be valuable enough to be read repeatedly and will help you acquire new levels of spiritual power. Be sure to include the verse reference in your notes if you don’t write the verse down – so you can read the specific verses later.

Were I to sum it up, the Doctrine and Covenants is a guide for 2025 that matters.

True and Living

We described Christ as the True and living God earlier. True because Everything will happen just as He says it. Living because He is proactive Just as much as He has ever been.

Let’s listen to that voice and style in the following verses.

Doctrine and Covenants 6:32-37

Did you hear that personable, very present, firm coach personality we referenced earlier?

Book of Commandments

Okay, switching to a New topic

Originally, the Doctrine and Covenants was called the Book of Commandments, so it is sometimes referenced that way simply as “these commandments.”

[Christ is literally putting his signature on the Doctrine and Covenants; everything I say in this publication is going to happen. This is your playbook for end times.]

Every Man

Let’s skip to verse 19 -20. In these verses, the Lord lists His reasons for giving us the Doctrine and Covenants:

That might be a little harder to understand but it’s pretty awesome what He is saying there.

First, notice how often the Lord favors the broken hearted, the contrite, the weak, the simple and the meek who will inherit the earth. At some point we learn humbleness is a strength that opens essential heavenly doors. That’s part of our journey.

Next

That every man might speak in the name of the God the Lord – this is unprecedented. In all of world history, the prophet and priests at the temples and the synagogues had the rare, sacred writings. They had to be hand copied. You would go to hear designated men read them and teach about God’s word. And that was how you learned what the scriptures said.

For the first time ever, you don’t have to depend on another person for these revelations. They’re given to you – they are yours to own and to have and absorb as much as you are willing.

You have a direct connection to His words and a front row seat to a major Prophet getting powerful revelation. You get to experience it almost like you were there. And because you have so many of His words given to you – you can speak and teach with surety, with power and with accuracy in God’s name.

You were destined for this.

Let’s read that again.

Everyone who wills it can come forth, be made strong in the knowledge and education of the Savior’s words.

Weak and the Simple

Jesus Christ goes on to list why He is doing it this way…

He’s saying, I’m going to give it to you, I’m going to give it all to you. This is incredible. Never, in the history of our entire world has anyone had the resources we have and they’re on our phone and in our pocket. More than 10.000 new verses specifically for our end times.

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2 Comments

  1. Cris Coleman

    Well thought out, but I would like to add one thing. You quoted D&C 1:19-20 twice. These are indeed very important verses. But Jesus isn’t referencing speaking in the name of the Lord by quoting from the Doctrine and Covenants. While you didn’t come right out and say it, it was kind of implied, at least to me. He’s talking in the same vein as Moses did when he said, “Enviest thou for my sake? Would God that all the Lord’s people were prophets,and that the Lord would put his spirit upon them!” (Numbers 11:29.)

    Coming from that direction, D&C 1:19-20 takes on additional important meanings. Would not faith increase upon the earth if we all spoke in the name of the Lord because his Spirit was upon us? We would have no need for man to counsel his fellow man, such as both you and I are doing. (See my blog.)

    When the Spirit of the Lord is upon a person, he has no need to be counseled by any man, woman or child unless the Lord directs him to do so. When the Spirit of the Lord is upon a person, that person, in essence, becomes a prophet or prophetess—not for the Church, the Stake, the Ward, nor anyone else unless it’s part of one’s calling or family.

    And isn’t that the object of baptism? To receive the Holy Ghost—not some warm and fuzzy feeling one might get attending Church, although that is important too. But the ultimate blessing of receiving the Holy Ghost is to become sanctified; for the Holy Ghost is a sanctifier, according to Joseph Smith, if I remember correctly. And that is the greatest gift of all—the true meaning of Lehi and Nephi’s Tree of Life.

    At least, that is the way I see it.

    Reply
    • Shawnie Cannon

      “But Jesus isn’t referencing speaking in the name of the Lord by quoting from the Doctrine and Covenants. [Actually, he is] While you didn’t come right out and say it, it was kind of implied, at least to me. He’s talking in the same vein as Moses did when he said, “Enviest thou for my sake? Would God that all the Lord’s people were prophets,and that the Lord would put his spirit upon them!” (Numbers 11:29.)”

      In order to make a statement like men should all be prophesying in the Lord’s name, when the verse doesn’t use the word prophesy – you need to cross reference that and make a stronger case. Saying it doesn’t make it true. Taking a singular, unusual OT verse and saying that’s what He meant – is not a strong pedigree on its own and that scripture in Numbers has nothing to do with the publication of the D&C. Section 1 is exclusively about the publishing of the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Lord is listing His reasons for publishing the Doctrine and Covenants. That comment in 19 and 20 is part of an ongoing list and directly references the publication.

      So show me how 19,20 verses are not about the publication of the D&C and is instead related to men prophesying. Speaking in the Lord’s name and prophesying are two different meanings.

      Reply

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