Doctrine and Covenants
The Doctrine and Covenants is a part of the open scriptural canon of several denominations of the Latter Day Saint movement. Originally published in 1835 as Doctrine and Covenants of the Church of the Latter Day Saints: Carefully Selected from the Revelations of God, editions of the book continue to be printed mainly by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the Community of Christ.
The book originally contained two parts: a sequence of lectures setting forth basic church doctrine, followed by a compilation of revelations, or "covenants" of the church: thus the name "Doctrine and Covenants". The "doctrine" portion of the book, however, has been removed by both the LDS Church and Community of Christ. The remaining portion of the book contains revelations on numerous topics, most of which were dictated by the movement's founder Joseph Smith, supplemented by materials periodically added by each denomination.
Controversy has existed between the two largest denominations of the Latter Day Saint movement over some sections added to the 1876 LDS edition, attributed to founder Smith. Whereas the LDS Church believes these sections to have been revelations to Smith, the RLDS Church traditionally disputed their authenticity.
History
The Doctrine and Covenants was first published in 1835 as a later version of the Book of Commandments, which had been partially printed in 1833. This earlier book contained 65 early revelations to church leaders, including Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery. Before many copies of the book could be printed, the printing press and most of the printed copies were destroyed by a mob in Missouri.On September 24, 1834, a committee was appointed by the general assembly of the church to organize a new volume containing the most significant revelations. This committee of Presiding Elders, consisting of Smith, Cowdery, Sidney Rigdon, and Frederick G. Williams, began to review and revise numerous revelations for inclusion in the new work. The committee eventually organized the book into two parts: a "Doctrine" part and a "Covenants" part.
The "Doctrine" part of the book consisted of a theological course now called the "Lectures on Faith". The lectures were a series of doctrinal courses used in the School of the Prophets which had recently been completed in Kirtland, Ohio. According to the committee, these lectures were included in the compilation "in consequence of their embracing the important doctrine of salvation."
The "Covenants" part of the book, labeled "Covenants and Commandments of the Lord, to his servants of the church of the Latter Day Saints", contained a total of 103 revelations. These 103 revelations were said to "contain items or principles for the regulation of the church, as taken from the revelations which have been given since its organization, as well as from former ones." Each of the 103 revelations was assigned a "section number"; however, section 66 was mistakenly used twice. Thus, the sections of the original work were numbered only to 102.
On February 17, 1835, after the committee had selected the book's contents, the committee wrote that the resulting work represents "our belief, and when we say this, humbly trust, the faith and principles of this society as a body."
The book was first introduced to the church body in a general conference on August 17, 1835. Smith and Williams, two of the Presiding Elders on the committee, were absent, but Cowdery and Rigdon were present. The church membership at the time had not yet seen the Doctrine and Covenants manuscript as it had been compiled and revised solely by the committee; however, various church members who were familiar with the work "bore record" of the book's truth. At the end of the conference, the church "by a unanimous vote" agreed to accept the compilation as "the doctrine and covenants of their faith" and to make arrangements for its printing.
In 1835, the book was printed and published under the title Doctrine and Covenants of the Church of the Latter Day Saints: Carefully Selected from the Revelations of God.
A copy of the Doctrine and Covenants from NASA photographer M. Edward Thomas traveled to the moon and back in 1972 with astronaut John Young aboard Apollo 16.
LDS Church editions
In the LDS Church, The Doctrine and Covenants of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints stands alongside the Bible, the Book of Mormon, and The Pearl of Great Price as scripture. Together the LDS Church's scriptures are referred to as the "standard works". The LDS Church's version of the Doctrine and Covenants is described by the church as "containing revelations given to Joseph Smith, the Prophet, with some additions by his successors in the Presidency of the Church."Sections added to LDS edition
The 138 sections and two official declarations in LDS Church's Doctrine and Covenants break down as follows:- Sections 1–134, 137: From the presidency of Joseph Smith
- Sections 135–136: During the administration of the Quorum of the Twelve
- Official Declaration 1: From the presidency of Wilford Woodruff
- Section 138: From the presidency of Joseph F. Smith
- Official Declaration 2: From the presidency of Spencer W. Kimball
In 1844, the church added eight sections not included in the 1835 edition. In the current edition, these added sections are numbered 103, 105, 112, 119, 124, 127, 128, and 135.
In 1876, a new LDS Church edition renumbered most of the sections in a roughly chronological order instead of the earlier topical order, and included 26 sections not included in previous editions, now numbered as sections 2, 13, 77, 85, 87, 108–111, 113–118, 120–123, 125, 126, 129–132, and 136. Previous editions had been divided into verses with the early versifications generally following the paragraph structure of the original text. It was with the 1876 edition that the currently used versification was first employed.
During the 1880s, five foreign editions contained two revelations to John Taylor that were received in 1882 and 1883; these revelations "set in order" the priesthood, gave more clarification about the roles of priesthood offices—especially the seventy—and required "men who... preside over my priesthood" to live plural marriage in order to qualify to hold their church positions. Due to the LDS Church's change in attitude to polygamy in 1890, these sections were not included in future English editions of the Doctrine and Covenants.
In 1930, a small volume edited by apostle James E. Talmage titled Latter-day Revelations was published, which was a highly edited selective version of the Doctrine and Covenants. Talmage wrote that the book's purpose was "to make the strictly doctrinal parts of the Doctrine and Covenants of easy access and reduce its bulk" by including only "the sections comprising scriptures of general and enduring value". Ninety-five of the sections of the Doctrine and Covenants were completely omitted—most notably section 132 on plural and celestial marriage—along with parts of 21 others. Twenty complete sections were retained along with parts of 21 others. Fundamentalist Mormons were offended, particularly at the exclusion of section 132, and accused the church of "changing the scriptures." As a result, church president Heber J. Grant ordered the withdrawal of the book from sale with the remaining copies shredded in order to "avoid further conflict with the fundamentalists".
Sections 137 and 138 were added to the LDS Church's 1981 edition of the Doctrine and Covenants, which is the edition currently in use by the church. These were accounts of two visions, one from Joseph Smith in 1837 and the other from his nephew, Joseph F. Smith, in 1918. The revelations were earlier accepted as scripture when added to the Pearl of Great Price in April 1976. No new revelatory sections have been added since 1981.
The LDS Church's 1981 edition contains two "Official Declarations" at the book's conclusion. The 1890 Official Declaration 1 ended the church-authorized practice of plural marriage, and the 1978 Official Declaration 2 announces the opening of priesthood ordination to all worthy male members without regard to race or color. The two Official Declarations are not revelations, but they serve as the formal announcements that a revelation was received. In neither case is the revelation included in the Doctrine and Covenants. The text of Official Declaration 1 has been included in every LDS Church printing of the Doctrine and Covenants since 1908.
Portions removed from the LDS edition
In 1876, section 101 from the 1835 edition was removed. Section 101 was a "Statement on Marriage" as adopted by an 1835 conference of the church, and contained the following text:This section was removed because it had been superseded by section 132 of the modern LDS edition, recorded in 1843, which contains a revelation received by Joseph Smith on eternal marriage and plural marriage, the principles of which can be dated to as early as 1831.
In 1921, the LDS Church removed the "Lectures on Faith" portion of the book, with an explanation that the lectures "were never presented to nor accepted by the Church as being otherwise than theological lectures or lessons". The lectures contain theology concerning the Godhead and emphasize the importance of faith and works.
Until 1981, editions of the book used code names for certain people and places in those sections that dealt with the United Order. The 1981 LDS edition replaced these with the real names, relegating the code names to footnotes. The Community of Christ edition still uses the code names.
Community of Christ editions
Officials of the Community of Christ first published an edition of the Doctrine and Covenants in 1864, based on the previous 1844 edition. A general conference of the church in 1878 approved a resolution that declared that the revelations of the Prophet-President Joseph Smith III had equal standing to those previously included in the work. Since that time, the church has continued to add sections to its edition of the Doctrine and Covenants, containing the revelations of succeeding Prophet–Presidents. The most recent addition was formally authorized on April 14, 2010, after being presented to the church for informal consideration on January 17, 2010. The numbers of the sections and versification differ from the edition published by the LDS Church and both modern editions differ from the original 1835 edition numeration.Regarding the contents of the Doctrine and Covenants, the church has stated: "As with other books of scripture, the various passages vary in their enduring quality."
Sections added to the Community of Christ edition
The 167 sections of the Community of Christ's Doctrine and Covenants break down as follows:- Sections 1–113 : From the presidency of Joseph Smith
- Sections 114–131: From the presidency of Joseph Smith III
- Sections 132–138: From the presidency of Frederick M. Smith
- Sections 139–144: From the presidency of Israel A. Smith
- Sections 145–152 : From the presidency of W. Wallace Smith
- Sections 153–160: From the presidency of Wallace B. Smith
- Sections 161–162: From the presidency of W. Grant McMurray
- Sections 163–165: From the presidency of Stephen M. Veazey
Based on the above, the number of revelations presented by each Community of Christ president, are as follows:
- Joseph Smith: 107
- Joseph Smith III: 17
- Frederick M. Smith: 7
- Israel A. Smith: 6
- W. Wallace Smith: 9
- Wallace B. Smith: 8
- W. Grant McMurray: 2
- Stephen M. Veazey: 3
Portions removed from the Community of Christ edition
Doctrinal developments in the Community of Christ edition
The ongoing additions to the Community of Christ edition provide a record of the leadership changes and doctrinal developments within the denomination. When W. Grant McMurray became Prophet-President, he declared that instruction specific to leadership changes would no longer be included, so that the focus of the work could be more doctrinal in nature, and less administrative. The record of these leadership changes are still maintained in the form of published "letters of counsel." Prophet–President Stephen M. Veazey has conformed to this pattern. Although these letters are not formally published in the Doctrine and Covenants, they are still deemed to be inspired, and are dealt with in the same manner that revelations are.A modern revelation that resulted in some "disaffection" and "led to intense conflict in scattered areas of the RLDS Church" is contained in the Community of Christ version's section 156, presented by Prophet–President Wallace B. Smith and added in 1984, which called for the ordination of women to the priesthood and set out the primary purpose of temples to be "the pursuit of peace". A resulting schism over the legitimacy of these change led to the formation of the Restoration Branches movement, the Restoration Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and the Remnant Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
While some of the prose in the new revelations seems designed to guide the denomination on matters of church governance and doctrine, others are seen as inspirational. One such example can be cited from section 161, presented as counsel to the church by W. Grant McMurray in 1996: "Become a people of the Temple—those who see violence but proclaim peace, who feel conflict yet extend the hand of reconciliation, who encounter broken spirits and find pathways for healing."
Editions used by other denominations
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints uses the 1846 edition that was published in Nauvoo, Illinois; this version is virtually identical to the 1844 edition. Most recently a facsimile reprint was produced for the church at Voree, Wisconsin by Richard Drew in 1993.The Church of Christ contends that the thousands of changes made to the original revelations as published in the Book of Commandments are not doctrinal and result from Joseph Smith's fall from his original calling. As a result, the Church of Christ prefers to use reprints of the Book of Commandments text.
The Church of Jesus Christ accepts the 1844 edition of the Doctrine and Covenants, including the Lectures on Faith, which it insists are as much inspired as the revelations themselves.
The Restoration Branches generally use the older RLDS Church Doctrine and Covenants, typically sections 1–144.
The Remnant Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints uses the older RLDS Church version of the Doctrine and Covenants up to section 144, and also 19 new revelations from their previous president, Frederick Niels Larsen.
"Remnant" movement, a spiritual movement in schism with the LDS Church, published an online "Restoration" edition of the Doctrine and Covenants in 2017. It includes any sections authored by Joseph Smith. It also: includes a new version of D&C 54, as revised by Denver Snuffer; excludes the Kirtland Temple visitation by Elijah and others angelic being in D&C 110; excludes portions based on fragmentary teachings by Smith in D&C 129; includes Smith's Lectures on Faith; and includes a new appendix titled, "A Prophet’s Prerogative," by Jeff Savage.
Chart comparison of editions
The following chart compares the current editions of the Doctrine and Covenants used by the LDS Church and Community of Christ with the 1833 Book of Commandments, the 1835 edition published in Kirtland, and the 1844 edition published in Nauvoo. Unless otherwise specified, the document is styled a "revelation" of the person delivering it.LDS ed. | CofC ed. | BofC | Kirtland ed. | Nauvoo ed. | Date | Delivered by | Description |
Joseph Smith | Lord's "Preface" | ||||||
– | – | – | – | Joseph Smith | Moroni's visit to Joseph Smith | ||
Joseph Smith | lost 116 pages | ||||||
Joseph Smith | To Joseph Smith, Sr. | ||||||
Joseph Smith | To Martin Harris; golden plates | ||||||
Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery | To Oliver Cowdery | ||||||
Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery | To Joseph Smith, Oliver Cowdery; John the Apostle | ||||||
Joseph Smith | To Oliver Cowdery; Book of Mormon translation | ||||||
Joseph Smith | To Oliver Cowdery; Book of Mormon translation | ||||||
Joseph Smith | lost 116 pages | ||||||
Joseph Smith | To Hyrum Smith | ||||||
Joseph Smith | To Joseph Knight, Sr. | ||||||
– | – | – | – | Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery | Conferral of Aaronic priesthood by John the Baptist | ||
Joseph Smith | To David Whitmer | ||||||
Joseph Smith | To John Whitmer | ||||||
Joseph Smith | To Peter Whitmer, Jr. | ||||||
– | Joseph Smith | To Three Witnesses | |||||
Joseph Smith, Oliver Cowdery, and David Whitmer | selection of Twelve Apostles | ||||||
Joseph Smith | To Martin Harris | ||||||
Joseph Smith | Church organization and government | ||||||
Joseph Smith | Joseph Smith's calling | ||||||
Joseph Smith | baptism | ||||||
Joseph Smith | To Oliver Cowdery, Hyrum Smith, Samuel H. Smith, Joseph Smith, Sr., Joseph Knight, Sr. | ||||||
Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery | Callings of Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery | ||||||
Joseph Smith | To Emma Smith; compilation of a church hymnal | ||||||
Joseph Smith, Oliver Cowdery, and John Whitmer | Common consent | ||||||
Joseph Smith | Sacrament and priesthood ordinations | ||||||
Joseph Smith | To Oliver Cowdery; Joseph Smith to receive revelations until another appointed | ||||||
Joseph Smith | To six elders; Second Coming; origin of Satan; redemption of children | ||||||
Joseph Smith | To David Whitmer, Peter Whitmer, Jr., John Whitmer | ||||||
Joseph Smith | To Thomas B. Marsh | ||||||
– | Joseph Smith | To Parley P. Pratt and Ziba Peterson | |||||
Joseph Smith | To Ezra Thayre and Northrop Sweet | ||||||
Joseph Smith | To Orson Pratt | ||||||
Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon | Callings Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon; signs and miracles; the elect | ||||||
Joseph Smith | To Edward Partridge | ||||||
Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon | Saints to gather in Ohio | ||||||
Joseph Smith | equality; wars | ||||||
Joseph Smith | To James Covel | ||||||
Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon | Concerning James Covel | ||||||
Joseph Smith | To the church; Edward Partridge called as bishop | ||||||
Joseph Smith | "the law" of the church | ||||||
Joseph Smith | Role of President of the Church; missionary work; forces of nature | ||||||
Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon | Church conference called | ||||||
Joseph Smith | Matthew chapter 24 explained; missionary work; Christ as advocate | ||||||
Joseph Smith | Sacrament meeting, gifts of the Spirit | ||||||
Joseph Smith | John Whitmer to keep history of church | ||||||
Joseph Smith | Purchase of lands | ||||||
Joseph Smith | To Joseph Smith, Sidney Rigdon, Parley P. Pratt, and Leman Copley; Shaker beliefs | ||||||
Joseph Smith | Recognizing the Spirit | ||||||
– | Joseph Smith | Property division | |||||
Joseph Smith | Sending elders to Missouri | ||||||
Joseph Smith | To Algernon Sidney Gilbert | ||||||
Joseph Smith | To Newel Knight | ||||||
Joseph Smith | To W. W. Phelps | ||||||
Joseph Smith | The rebellious; the rich and the poor | ||||||
– | Joseph Smith | Location of Zion at Jackson County, Missouri | |||||
Joseph Smith | Tribulations; gather to Zion | ||||||
Joseph Smith | The sabbath; reward for the righteous | ||||||
Joseph Smith | Elders to travel to Cincinnati, Ohio; missionary work | ||||||
Joseph Smith | "Destruction upon the waters" | ||||||
Joseph Smith | Missionary work | ||||||
Joseph Smith | Signs; mysteries; impending war and woe; gather to Zion; authority to use Lord's name | ||||||
Joseph Smith | Forgiveness; financial debt; tithing; Zion to flourish | ||||||
– | Joseph Smith | Prayer of Joseph Smith; keys of the kingdom | |||||
– | Joseph Smith | To William E. McLellin | |||||
– | Joseph Smith | Testimony of the Book of Commandments | |||||
– | Joseph Smith | To Orson Hyde, Luke S. Johnson, Lyman E. Johnson, and William E. McLellin; bishops; parents | |||||
– | Joseph Smith | Assignments for John Whitmer | |||||
– | Joseph Smith | Stewardship; equality | |||||
– | Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon | Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon called to preach | |||||
– | Joseph Smith | Bishops | |||||
– | Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon | Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible | |||||
– | Joseph Smith | Explanation of 1 Corinthians 7:14; salvation of children | |||||
– | Joseph Smith | Missionary work; families of missionaries | |||||
– | Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon | Jesus Christ; resurrection; degrees of glory; origin of Satan | |||||
– | – | – | – | Joseph Smith | Explanation of certain verses in Revelation | ||
– | Joseph Smith | United Order; equality | |||||
– | Joseph Smith | To Jared Carter | |||||
– | Joseph Smith | To Stephen Burnett and Eden Smith | |||||
– | Joseph Smith | To Jesse Gause; on 18 Mar 1833 its application was transferred to Frederick G. Williams | |||||
– | Joseph Smith | Obedience; United Order; equality | |||||
– | Joseph Smith | Husbands and fathers; widows and orphans | |||||
– | Joseph Smith | Priesthood | |||||
– | – | – | – | Joseph Smith | Letter from Joseph Smith to W. W. Phelps; United Order; One Mighty and Strong; equality | ||
– | Joseph Smith | Parable of the Tares explained | |||||
– | – | – | – | Joseph Smith | Prophecy of war and calamity | ||
– | Joseph Smith | The "olive leaf"; "Lord's message of peace" | |||||
– | Joseph Smith | A "Word of Wisdom" | |||||
– | Joseph Smith | Keys of the kingdom; First Presidency | |||||
– | Joseph Smith | The Apocrypha | |||||
– | Joseph Smith | To Frederick G. Williams | |||||
– | Joseph Smith | John's record of Christ; intelligence; innocence of children | |||||
– | Joseph Smith | To Hyrum Smith, Reynolds Cahoon, and Jared Carter; construction of various buildings commanded | |||||
– | Joseph Smith | Kirtland Temple to be built; purpose of temples | |||||
– | Joseph Smith | Division of property | |||||
– | Joseph Smith | Saints in Jackson County, Missouri; temple to be built in Jackson County | |||||
– | Joseph Smith | Promises and warnings; martyrs; when war is justified; forgiving enemies | |||||
– | Joseph Smith | To John Murdock | |||||
– | Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon | Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon to preach gospel; Rigdon to be Smith's spokesman; welfare of Orson Hyde and John Gould | |||||
– | Joseph Smith | Redemption of Zion; parables; United States and the U.S. Constitution; Saints to seek redress | |||||
– | Oliver Cowdery and Orson Hyde | Minutes for first high council meeting | |||||
100 | – | – | 101 | Joseph Smith | Redemption of Zion; organization of Zion's Camp | ||
101 | – | Joseph Smith | United Order | ||||
102 | – | – | 102 | Joseph Smith | Redemption of Zion; purpose of Kirtland Temple; peace | ||
103 | – | 100 | Joseph Smith | To Warren A. Cowdery; Second Coming | |||
104 | – | ; some portions received 11 Nov 1831 | Joseph Smith | Priesthood; quorums | |||
– | – | – | – | Joseph Smith | To Lyman Sherman | ||
– | – | – | – | Joseph Smith | Dedicatory prayer for Kirtland Temple | ||
– | – | – | – | Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery | Visitation of Jesus Christ to accept Kirtland Temple; conferral of priesthood keys; coming of Moses, Elias, and Elijah | ||
– | – | – | – | Joseph Smith | temporal needs of the church | ||
105 | – | – | 104 | Joseph Smith | To Thomas B. Marsh; Quorum of the Twelve Apostles; First Presidency | ||
– | – | – | – | Joseph Smith | Answers to questions on the Book of Isaiah | ||
– | – | – | – | Joseph Smith | Concerning David W. Patten | ||
– | – | – | – | Joseph Smith | Name of the church; stakes; temple to be built at Far West, Missouri | ||
– | – | – | – | Joseph Smith | Adam-ondi-Ahman | ||
– | – | – | – | Joseph Smith | Concerning William Marks, Newel K. Whitney, and Oliver Granger; property; sacrifice | ||
– | – | – | – | Joseph Smith | Vacancies in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles filled | ||
106 | – | – | 107 | Joseph Smith | Tithing | ||
– | – | – | – | Joseph Smith | Council on the Disposition of the Tithes | ||
– | – | – | – | Joseph Smith | Prayer and prophecies of Joseph Smith; why many are called but few chosen | ||
– | – | – | – | Joseph Smith | Destiny of Joseph Smith | ||
– | – | – | – | Joseph Smith | Letter to church; duty in relation to their persecutors | ||
107 | – | – | 103 | Joseph Smith | Nauvoo Temple and Nauvoo House to be built; baptism for the dead | ||
– | – | – | – | Joseph Smith | Saints in Iowa | ||
– | – | – | – | Joseph Smith | To Brigham Young | ||
109 | – | – | 105 | Joseph Smith | Letter to church; baptism for the dead | ||
110 | – | – | 106 | Joseph Smith | Letter to church; baptism for the dead | ||
– | – | – | – | Joseph Smith | Distinguishing the nature of angels and disembodied spirits | ||
– | – | – | – | Joseph Smith | Various items of instruction; corporeal nature of God and Jesus Christ; intelligence; seer stones | ||
– | – | – | – | Joseph Smith | Various items of instruction; celestial marriage; eternal life | ||
– | – | – | – | Joseph Smith | Plural marriage; celestial marriage; sealing power; exaltation | ||
108 | – | 100 | 108 | Joseph Smith | Original "Appendix"; Second Coming; missionary work | ||
112 | – | 102 | 110 | Church | secular governments and laws in general | ||
113 | – | – | 111 | John Taylor | Martyrdom of Joseph Smith and Hyrum Smith | ||
– | – | – | – | Brigham Young | Organization of Mormon pioneer westward journey | ||
– | – | – | – | Joseph Smith | Salvation for the dead; salvation of little children | ||
– | – | – | – | Joseph F. Smith | Jesus Christ preached to spirits in prison; salvation for the dead | ||
– | – | – | – | Wilford Woodruff | Cessation of plural marriage | ||
– | – | – | – | Spencer W. Kimball, N. Eldon Tanner, Marion G. Romney | 1978 Revelation on Priesthood: cessation of priesthood restrictions based on race | ||
– | – | – | – | Joseph Smith | God's words to Moses | ||
– | – | – | – | Joseph Smith | Prophecy of Enoch | ||
– | – | 103 | – | Thomas Burdick, Warren Parrish, and Sylvester Smith | General meeting of the quorums of the church to consider the labors of the committee charged with organizing publication of the revelations into a book | ||
– | – | 101 | 109 | Church | Declaration on marriage; one spouse only | ||
– | – | – | – | Joseph Smith III | Tithing | ||
– | – | – | – | Joseph Smith III | Calling of William Marks | ||
– | – | – | – | Joseph Smith III | Priesthood ordination of other races | ||
– | – | – | – | Joseph Smith III | Changes in leadership positions | ||
– | – | – | – | Joseph Smith III | Foreign missions | ||
– | – | – | – | Joseph Smith III | Instructions to the elders | ||
– | – | – | – | Joseph Smith III | Branch and district presidents | ||
– | – | – | – | Joseph Smith III | Changes in leadership positions | ||
– | – | – | – | Joseph Smith III | Duties of quorums | ||
– | – | – | – | Joint council of the First Presidency, Council of Twelve Apostles, and Presiding Bishopric | Lamoni College; church publications; relations with the LDS Church; doctrinal tracts; interpretation of various scriptures; gospel boat; branch in Detroit | ||
– | – | – | – | Joseph Smith III | Changes in leadership positions | ||
– | – | – | – | Joseph Smith III | Patriarchs; foreign missions | ||
– | – | – | – | Joseph Smith III | Quorums | ||
– | – | – | – | Joseph Smith III | Sanitarium | ||
– | – | – | – | Joseph Smith III | Organization and colonization | ||
– | – | – | – | Joseph Smith III | Changes in leadership positions | ||
– | – | – | – | Joseph Smith III | Changes in leadership positions | ||
– | – | – | – | Joseph Smith III | Presiding Bishopric | ||
– | – | – | – | Frederick M. Smith | Presiding Bishop | ||
– | – | – | – | Frederick M. Smith | Missionary work | ||
– | – | – | – | Frederick M. Smith | Changes in leadership positions | ||
– | – | – | – | Frederick M. Smith | Changes in leadership positions | ||
– | – | – | – | Frederick M. Smith | Changes in leadership positions; unity | ||
– | – | – | – | Frederick M. Smith | Changes in leadership positions | ||
– | – | – | – | Frederick M. Smith | Changes in leadership positions; work toward Zion | ||
– | – | – | – | Israel A. Smith | Changes in leadership positions | ||
– | – | – | – | Israel A. Smith | Changes in leadership positions; Zion | ||
– | – | – | – | Israel A. Smith | Changes in leadership positions; counsel | ||
– | – | – | – | Israel A. Smith | Commendation; urge to work | ||
– | – | – | – | Israel A. Smith | Changes in leadership positions; counsel | ||
– | – | – | – | Israel A. Smith | New President of the Church named | ||
– | – | – | – | W. Wallace Smith | Changes in leadership positions | ||
– | – | – | – | W. Wallace Smith | Changes in leadership positions; unity commended | ||
– | – | – | – | W. Wallace Smith | Changes in leadership positions; stewardship | ||
– | – | – | – | W. Wallace Smith | Changes in leadership positions; counsel | ||
– | – | – | – | W. Wallace Smith | Changes in leadership positions; relationship between ministerial programs; prepare to build temple at Independence | ||
– | – | – | – | W. Wallace Smith | Clarification of 149 | ||
– | – | – | – | W. Wallace Smith | Changes in leadership positions; counsel on culture; Independence Temple preparation; ecology | ||
– | – | – | – | W. Wallace Smith | Changes in leadership positions; reconciliation | ||
– | – | – | – | W. Wallace Smith | New precedent on presidential succession; presidential successor named; changes in leadership positions; reconciliation | ||
– | – | – | – | Wallace B. Smith | New President of the Church; changes in leadership positions; counsel on outreach | ||
– | – | – | – | Wallace B. Smith | Changes in leadership positions; counsel on outreach | ||
– | – | – | – | Wallace B. Smith | Changes in leadership positions; counsel on witness | ||
– | – | – | – | Wallace B. Smith | Purpose of Independence Temple; priesthood opened to women; changes in leadership positions | ||
– | – | – | – | Wallace B. Smith | Changes in leadership positions; unity; humility | ||
– | – | – | – | Wallace B. Smith | Changes in leadership positions; the spiritual life | ||
– | – | – | – | Wallace B. Smith | Changes in leadership positions; trusting the Spirit; Independence Temple accepted | ||
– | – | – | – | Wallace B. Smith | New President of the Church named | ||
– | – | – | – | W. Grant McMurray | Proclaim peace; reach out; patience; embrace differences; respect tradition | ||
– | – | – | – | W. Grant McMurray | Be a prophetic people; diversity; tithing | ||
– | – | – | – | Stephen M. Veazey | Strive for peace; missionary work; use and misuse of scripture; equality; generosity | ||
– | – | – | – | Stephen M. Veazey | Effects of baptism, confirmation, and sacrament of the Lord's Supper; cultural awareness and sensitivity; flexibility in number of quorums of seventy; accelerate evangelism | ||
– | – | – | – | Stephen M. Veazey | Expand community, promote peace, and end poverty; tithing; unity in diversity; act in accordance to beliefs |