DOCTRINE & COVENANTS

65-67FILL THE EARTH!

Do you know what this picture is about?

Read Doctrine and Covenants 65:1–2:• According to verse 2, what has the Lord “committed unto man” that enables the gospel to fill the whole earth?

If the world were a Ward of 100 people:

• 48 of those people would live in the United States or Canada• 36 of those people would live in Latin America• 3 would live in Europe• 3 would live in Africa• 3 would live in Oceania• 7 would live in Asia• 48 members of the ward joined after 1995.• 79 joined after 1978.

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865613347/LDS-spokesman-breaks-down-membership-demographics.html

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“The Prophet Joseph said, ‘Brethren, you know no more concerning the destinies of this Church and kingdom than a babe upon its mother’s lap. You don’t comprehend it.’ I was rather surprised. He said, ‘It is only a little handful of Priesthood you see here tonight, but this Church will fill North and South America—it will fill the world’” (Wilford Woodruff, in Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith [2007], 137).

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The LDS Church by the Numbers

3100

Number of Stakes

70,000

Pioneers that crossed the United States

6

Number of Original Members of the church

83

% of members within 200 mi. of a temple

28,000

Number of Wards

156 million

Copies of the Book Of Mormon printed

1.3 million

Number of people that have served missions

50,000

#ldsconf tweets

400,000

Number of Seminary Students

185Countries that the church is in

98

Total number of Apostles called in our dispensation

https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2010-07-060-the-gospel-shall-roll-forth?category=doctrine-and-covenants/section-40-section-84

https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2010-07-060-the-gospel-shall-roll-forth?category=doctrine-and-covenants/section-40-section-84

Read Doctrine and Covenants 65:4• In what ways can we “make known [the Lord’s] wonderful works among the people”?

“Have you ever thought about why you were sent to earth at this specific time? You were not born during the time of Adam and Eve or while pharaohs ruled Egypt or during the Ming dynasty. You have come to earth at this time, 20 centuries after the first coming of Christ. The priesthood of God has been restored to the earth, and the Lord has set His hand to prepare the world for His glorious return. These are days of great opportunity and important responsibilities. These are your days. … One of your important responsibilities is to help prepare the world for the Second Coming of the Savior”

Elder Anderson, “Preparing the World for the

Second Coming,” Ensign M

ay 2011, 49).

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DOCTRINE & COVENANTS

66William E. McLellin

Satan God

Which person is doing better?

“If you want to stay close to someone who has been dear to you, but from whom you are separated, you know how to do it. You would find a way to speak to them, you would listen to them, and you would discover ways to do things for each other. The more often that happened, the longer it went on, the deeper would be the bond of affection. If much time passed without the speaking, the listening, and the doing, the bond would weaken.

“God is perfect and omnipotent, and you and I are mortal. But he is our Father, he loves us, and he offers the same opportunity to draw closer to him as would a loving friend. And you will do it in much the same way: speaking, listening, and doing” (Elder Eyring, “To Draw Closer to God,” Ensign, May 1991, 66).

“One of the questions we must ask of our Heavenly Father in private prayer is this: ‘What have I done today, or not done, which displeases Thee? If I can only know, I will repent with all my heart without delay.’ That humble prayer will be answered” (Elder Eyring, “Do Not Delay,” Ensign, Nov. 1999, 34).

Read D&C 66:1-3, 10

William E. McLellin drew closer to God when he learned about the restored gospel. He was baptized on August 20, 1831. Soon after that, he was ordained an elder, and he accompanied Hyrum Smith for a few weeks as a missionary. In October 1831, he traveled to Ohio for a conference of the Church. While there, he met the Prophet Joseph Smith. On October 29, Brother McLellin prayed in secret, asking the Lord to reveal answers to five specific questions through Joseph Smith. Without telling Joseph Smith the questions, Brother McLellin requested a revelation. As the Prophet dictated the revelation found in Doctrine and Covenants 66, Brother McLellin found that each of his questions was answered. The Lord gave him instructions and warnings to help him stay faithful and eventually receive eternal life. Even after he fell away from the Church, McLellin stated that he still considered this revelation an “evidence” of Joseph’s prophetic calling “which I cannot refute.”

“William E. M’Lellin, as the wisest man, in his own estimation, having more learning than sense, endeavored to write a commandment like unto one of the least of the Lord’s, but failed; it is an awful responsibility to write in the name of the Lord. The Elders and all present that witnessed this vain attempt of a man to imitate the language of Jesus Christ, renewed their faith in the fulness of the Gospel, and in the truth of the commandments and revelations which the Lord had given to the Church through my instrumentality; and the Elders signified a willingness to bear testimony of their truth to all the world” (in History of the Church, 1:226).

 Doctrine and Covenants 67:6–9The challenge the Lord gave to those who criticized the language of the revelations.

DOCTRINE & COVENANTS

67PATIENCE

Read Doctrine and Covenants 67:10–14 and fill in the blanks:

If we strip ourselves of _____________and ______, and continue in __________________, we will be able to abide in the presence of God.

Mormon Messages video “Continue in Patience.”

Read Doctrine and Covenants 67:10–14 and fill in the blanks:

If we strip ourselves of _____________and ______, and continue in __________________, we will be able to abide in the presence of God.

Mormon Messages video “Continue in Patience.”

DOCTRINE & COVENANTS

65-67FILL THE EARTH!