Come, Follow Me Doctrine and Covenants
Doctrine and Covenants 85–87
Christmas Day is usually a time to ponder messages like “peace on earth” (see Luke 2:14). But on December 25, 1832, Joseph Smith’s mind was occupied with the threat of war. The state of South Carolina in the United States had just defied the government and was preparing for battle. And the Lord revealed that this was only the beginning: “War,” He declared, “will be poured out upon all nations” (Doctrine and Covenants 87:2). It seemed like this prophecy would be fulfilled very soon.
But then it wasn’t. Within a few weeks, South Carolina and the United States government reached a compromise, and war was averted. Prophecy, however, is not always fulfilled at the time or in the way we expect. Nearly 30 years later, long after Joseph Smith was martyred, South Carolina rebelled and civil war followed. Today, war throughout the world continues to cause “the earth [to] mourn” (Doctrine and Covenants 87:6). The value of this revelation is less in predicting when calamity will come and more in teaching what to do when it comes. The counsel is the same in 1831, 1861, and 2025: “Stand ye in holy places, and be not moved” (verse 8).
D&C 85: Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Kirtland, Ohio, November 27, 1832. This section is an extract from a letter of the Prophet to William W. Phelps, who was living in Independence, Missouri. It answers questions about those Saints who had moved to Zion but who had not followed the commandment to consecrate their properties and had thus not received their inheritances according to the established order in the Church.
D&C 86: Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Kirtland, Ohio, December 6, 1832. This revelation was received while the Prophet was reviewing and editing the manuscript of the translation of the Bible.
D&C 87: Revelation and prophecy on war, given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at or near Kirtland, Ohio, December 25, 1832. At this time disputes in the United States over slavery and South Carolina’s nullification of federal tariffs were prevalent. Joseph Smith’s history states that “appearances of troubles among the nations” were becoming “more visible” to the Prophet “than they had previously been since the Church began her journey out of the wilderness.”
- Come, Follow Me Study and Teaching Helps — Lesson 19: D&C 46–48, Jonn Claybaugh
- Audio Roundtable: Come, Follow Me Doctrine and Covenants Lesson 19 (D&C 46–48)
- Scripture Roundtable: D&C Gospel Doctrine Lesson 15, "Seek Ye Earnestly the Best Gifts", Administration, March 20, 2017
- Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families (lesson materials at ChurchofJesusChrist.org)
- Come, Follow Me—For Sunday School (lesson materials at ChurchofJesusChrist.org)
- Come, Follow Me—For Aaronic Priesthood Quorums and Young Women Classes (lesson materials at ChurchofJesusChrist.org)
- Come, Follow Me—For Primary (lesson materials at ChurchofJesusChrist.org)
- “Have I Done Any Good?” Hymns, no. 223.
- Joseph Smith’s Bible Translation, Revelations in Context
- Gifts of the Spirit Come to the Obedient, Doctrine and Covenants Teaching Videos, President Dieter F. Uchtdorf
- Section 46, “Seek Ye Earnestly the Best Gifts”, Doctrine and Covenants Institute Student Manual (2002), pp 98–102
- Religious Enthusiasm among Early Ohio Converts, Revelations in Context
- Chapter 18: Doctrine and Covenants 46–49, Doctrine and Covenants Institute Student Manual (2017)
- Section 47, The Importance of Church Records, Doctrine and Covenants Institute Student Manual (2002), pp 102–3
- The Book of John Whitmer, Revelations in Context
- Section 48, Ohio: A Temporary Abode, Doctrine and Covenants Institute Student Manual (2002), pp 103–4
- “To Acquire Spiritual Guidance”, Elder Richard G. Scott, Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2009, 8
- 1 Corinthians 12:1–11
- 3 Nephi 18:22–23
- Moroni 6:5–9
- “Welcome”
- “Religious Enthusiasm among Early Ohio Converts” , Revelations in Context, 105–11
- “Gifts of the Spirit”, Elder Robert D. Hales, Ensign, Feb. 2002, 16
- “Spiritual Gifts”, Gospel Topics
- 2 Nephi 29:11–12
- Moses 6:5
- Abraham 1:28, 31
- “There Shall Be a Record Kept among You” , Elder Marlin K. Jensen of the Seventy, Ensign, Dec. 2007, 28, 33
- “Have I Done Any Good?”, Hymns, no. 223
- Doctrine and Covenants 46-48 (Come, Follow Me), FAIR
- Section 46, Harper, Steven C. – D&C Contexts (Book of Mormon Central Archive)
- Section 47, Harper, Steven C. – D&C Contexts (Book of Mormon Central Archive)
- Section 48, Harper, Steven C. – D&C Contexts (Book of Mormon Central Archive)
- Why Did John Whitmer Continue to Testify of the Book of Mormon?, Book of Mormon Central KnoWhy #602
- Come Follow Me with Casey Paul Griffiths (Doctrine and Covenants 46-48, May 3-9), Book of Mormon Central
- Come Follow Me Insights (Doctrine and Covenants 46-48, May 3-9), Book of Mormon Central
- Come Follow Me: Act in Doctrine (Doctrine and Covenants 46-48, May 3-9), Book of Mormon Central
- Come Follow Me with Taylor Halverson (Doctrine and Covenants 46-48, May 3-9), Book of Mormon Central
- Come Follow Me with John Hilton III (Doctrine and Covenants 46-48, May 3-9), Book of Mormon Central
- Doctrine & Covenants 46 – Section Resource, Doctrine & Covenants Central
- Doctrine & Covenants 47 – Section Resource, Doctrine & Covenants Central
- Doctrine & Covenants 48 – Section Resource, Doctrine & Covenants Central
- Doctrine and Covenants 46-48 (May 3-9) Come Follow Me Don’t Miss This, Don’t Miss This
- Come Follow Me – Doctrine and Covenants 46-48: “The Best Gifts”, Unshaken
- Come, Follow Me Podcast #19: “Seek Ye Earnestly the Best Gifts”, Doctrine and Covenants 46-48, Meridian Magazine
- Come, Follow Me for Sunday School: “Seek Ye Earnestly the Best Gifts”, Doctrine and Covenants 46-48, Meridian Magazine
- May 3-9, 2021 Come, Follow Me Songs, Music for Latter-day Life
- Doctrine and Covenants 46 to 48 –“Seek Ye Earnestly the Best Gifts”, BYU Studies
The Spirit may lead you to study principles in sections 85–87 that are not highlighted in this outline. Follow His promptings.
D&C 85: Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Kirtland, Ohio, November 27, 1832. This section is an extract from a letter of the Prophet to William W. Phelps, who was living in Independence, Missouri. It answers questions about those Saints who had moved to Zion but who had not followed the commandment to consecrate their properties and had thus not received their inheritances according to the established order in the Church.
D&C 86: Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Kirtland, Ohio, December 6, 1832. This revelation was received while the Prophet was reviewing and editing the manuscript of the translation of the Bible.
D&C 87: Revelation and prophecy on war, given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at or near Kirtland, Ohio, December 25, 1832. At this time disputes in the United States over slavery and South Carolina’s nullification of federal tariffs were prevalent. Joseph Smith’s history states that “appearances of troubles among the nations” were becoming “more visible” to the Prophet “than they had previously been since the Church began her journey out of the wilderness.”
Resources on ChurchofJesusChrist.org
- Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families (lesson materials at ChurchofJesusChrist.org)
- Come, Follow Me—For Sunday School (lesson materials at ChurchofJesusChrist.org)
- Come, Follow Me—For Aaronic Priesthood Quorums and Young Women Classes (lesson materials at ChurchofJesusChrist.org)
- Come, Follow Me—For Primary (lesson materials at ChurchofJesusChrist.org)
- “Where Love Is,” Children’s Songbook, 138–39.
- Section 85, Those Who Put Their Hands “to Steady the Ark”, Doctrine and Covenants Institute Student Manual (2002), pp 186–88
- Chapter 32: Doctrine and Covenants 85–87, Doctrine and Covenants Institute Student Manual (2017)
- Joseph Smith’s Bible Translation, Revelations in Context
- Section 86, The Parable of the Wheat and the Tares, Doctrine and Covenants Institute Student Manual (2002), pp 189–92
- Peace and War, Revelations in Context
- Section 87, War in the Last Days, Doctrine and Covenants Institute Student Manual (2002), pp 192–96
- Prophecy of War, Prescription for Peace – Doctrine and Covenants 87, Liahona – Come, Follow Me: Doctrine and Covenants
Resources on Interpreter Foundation
- Come, Follow Me Study and Teaching Helps — Lesson 32: D&C 85–87, Jonn Claybaugh
- Audio Roundtable: Come, Follow Me Doctrine and Covenants Lesson 32 (D&C 85–87)
Additional Posts & Roundtables on the Interpreter Foundation Website
- “Thou Shalt…Offer Up Thy Sacraments upon My Holy Day” D&C 87-92, Taylor Halverson, November 9, 2014
Resources on Other Sites
- Doctrine and Covenants 85-87 (Come, Follow Me), FAIR
- Section 85, Harper, Steven C. – D&C Contexts (Book of Mormon Central Archive)
- Section 86, Harper, Steven C. – D&C Contexts (Book of Mormon Central Archive)
- Section 87, Harper, Steven C. – D&C Contexts (Book of Mormon Central Archive)
- Come Follow Me with John Hilton III (Doctrine and Covenants 85-87, August 2-8), Book of Mormon Central
- Come Follow Me with Casey Paul Griffiths (Doctrine and Covenants 85-87, August 2-8), Book of Mormon Central
- Come Follow Me Insights (Doctrine and Covenants 85-87, Aug 2-8), Book of Mormon Central
- Come Follow Me with Taylor Halverson (Doctrine and Covenants 85-87, August 2-8), Book of Mormon Central
- Come Follow Me: Act in Doctrine (Doctrine and Covenants 85-87, Aug 2-8), Book of Mormon Central
- Doctrine & Covenants 85, Doctrine & Covenants Central
- Doctrine & Covenants 86, Doctrine & Covenants Central
- Doctrine & Covenants 87, Doctrine & Covenants Central
- Come Follow Me Doctrine and Covenants 85-87 (Aug. 2-8) Don’t Miss This, Don’t Miss This
- Come Follow Me – Doctrine and Covenants 85-87: “Wheat & Tares”, Unshaken
- Come, Follow Me for Sunday School: “Stand Ye in Holy Places”, Doctrine and Covenants 85-87, Meridian Magazine
- Come Follow Me Podcast #32: “Stand Ye in Holy Places”, Doctrine and Covenants 85-87, Meridian Magazine
- August 2–8, 2021 Come, Follow Me Songs, Music for Latter-day Life
- Doctrine and Covenants 85 to 87 – “Stand Ye in Holy Places”, BYU Studies