Come, Follow Me
Doctrine and Covenants Lesson 21:
May 17–23

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Studying the scriptures helps you recognize the Lord’s voice, for the scriptures were given by Him through His Spirit (see Doctrine and Covenants 18:34–36).

D&C 51: Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Thompson, Ohio, May 20, 1831. At this time the Saints migrating from the eastern states began to arrive in Ohio, and it became necessary to make definite arrangements for their settlement. As this undertaking belonged particularly to the bishop’s office, Bishop Edward Partridge sought instruction on the matter, and the Prophet inquired of the Lord.

D&C 52: Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet to the elders of the Church, at Kirtland, Ohio, June 6, 1831. A conference had been held at Kirtland, beginning on the 3rd and closing on the 6th of June. At this conference the first distinctive ordinations to the office of high priest were made, and certain manifestations of false and deceiving spirits were discerned and rebuked.

D&C 53: Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet to Algernon Sidney Gilbert, at Kirtland, Ohio, June 8, 1831. At Sidney Gilbert’s request, the Prophet inquired of the Lord as to Brother Gilbert’s work and appointment in the Church.

D&C 54: Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet to Newel Knight, at Kirtland, Ohio, June 10, 1831. Members of the Church living in Thompson, Ohio, were divided on questions having to do with the consecration of properties. Selfishness and greed were manifest. Following his mission to the Shakers (see the heading to section 49), Leman Copley had broken his covenant to consecrate his large farm as a place of inheritance for the Saints arriving from Colesville, New York. As a consequence, Newel Knight (leader of the members living in Thompson) and other elders had come to the Prophet asking how to proceed. The Prophet inquired of the Lord and received this revelation, which commands the members in Thompson to leave Leman Copley’s farm and journey to Missouri.

D&C 55: Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet to William W. Phelps, at Kirtland, Ohio, June 14, 1831. William W. Phelps, a printer, and his family had just arrived at Kirtland, and the Prophet sought the Lord for information concerning him.

D&C 56: Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Kirtland, Ohio, June 15, 1831. This revelation chastises Ezra Thayre for not obeying a former revelation (the “commandment” referred to in verse 8), which Joseph Smith had received for him, instructing Thayre concerning his duties on Frederick G. Williams’ farm, where he lived. The following revelation also revokes Thayre’s call to travel to Missouri with Thomas B. Marsh (see section 52:22).

D&C 57: Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, in Zion, Jackson County, Missouri, July 20, 1831. In compliance with the Lord’s command to travel to Missouri, where He would reveal “the land of your inheritance” (section 52), the elders had journeyed from Ohio to Missouri’s western border. Joseph Smith contemplated the state of the Lamanites and wondered: “When will the wilderness blossom as the rose? When will Zion be built up in her glory, and where will Thy temple stand, unto which all nations shall come in the last days?” Subsequently he received this revelation.

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)
•   “‘Give,’ Said the Little Stream,” Children’s Songbook, 236.

• The Journey of the Colesville Branch, Revelations in Context
• “A Bishop unto the Church”, Revelations in Context
• Section 51, Bishop Edward Partridge and the Law of Consecration, Doctrine and Covenants Institute Student Manual (2002), pp 110–12
• Chapter 20: Doctrine and Covenants 51–56, Doctrine and Covenants Institute Student Manual (2017)
• Section 52, “Let Them Go Two by Two”, Doctrine and Covenants Institute Student Manual (2002), pp 112–13
• The Center Place, Revelations in Context
• Section 53, A Call to Sidney Gilbert to Foraske the World, Doctrine and Covenants Institute Student Manual (2002), pp 113–14
• Section 54, “Stand Fast in the Office Whereunto I Have Appointed You”, Doctrine and Covenants Institute Student Manual (2002), pp 114–15
• Section 55, W. W. Phelps Is Called and Chosen, Doctrine and Covenants Institute Student Manual (2002), pp 116
• Section 56, The Lord Commands and the Lord Revokes, Doctrine and Covenants Institute Student Manual (2002), pp 117–18
• Section 57, Independence: Center Place of Zion, Doctrine and Covenants Institute Student Manual (2002), pp 118–19
• Chapter 21: Doctrine and Covenants 57–58, Doctrine and Covenants Institute Student Manual (2017)
• Ezra Booth and Isaac Morley, Revelations in Context

Resources on Interpreter Foundation

•   Come, Follow Me Study and Teaching Helps — Lesson 21: D&C 51–57, Jonn Claybaugh
•     Audio Roundtable: Come, Follow Me Doctrine and Covenants Lesson 21 (D&C 51–57)

Resources on Other Sites

•   Doctrine and Covenants 51-57 (Come, Follow Me), FAIR
•   Section 52, Harper, Steven C. – D&C Contexts (Book of Mormon Central Archive)
•   Section 53, Harper, Steven C. – D&C Contexts (Book of Mormon Central Archive)
•   Section 54, Harper, Steven C. – D&C Contexts (Book of Mormon Central Archive)
•   Section 54, Harper, Steven C. – D&C Contexts (Book of Mormon Central Archive)
•   Section 55, Harper, Steven C. – D&C Contexts (Book of Mormon Central Archive)
•   Section 56, Harper, Steven C. – D&C Contexts (Book of Mormon Central Archive)
•   Section 57, Harper, Steven C. – D&C Contexts (Book of Mormon Central Archive)
•     Come Follow Me with Casey Paul Griffiths (Doctrine and Covenants 51-57, May 17-23), Book of Mormon Central
•     Come Follow Me Insights (Doctrine and Covenants 51-57, May 17-23), Book of Mormon Central
•     Come Follow Me: Act in Doctrine (Doctrine and Covenants 51-57, May 17-23), Book of Mormon Central
•     Come Follow Me with Taylor Halverson (Doctrine and Covenants 51-57, May 17-23), Book of Mormon Central
•     Come Follow Me with John Hilton III (Doctrine and Covenants 51-57, May 17-23), Book of Mormon Central
•   Doctrine & Covenants 51 – Section Resource, Doctrine & Covenants Central
•   Doctrine & Covenants 52 – Section Resource, Doctrine & Covenants Central
•   Doctrine & Covenants 53 – Section Resource, Doctrine & Covenants Central
•   Doctrine & Covenants 54 – Section Resource, Doctrine & Covenants Central
•   Doctrine & Covenants 55 – Section Resource, Doctrine & Covenants Central
•   Doctrine & Covenants 56 – Section Resource, Doctrine & Covenants Central
•   Doctrine & Covenants 57 – Section Resource, Doctrine & Covenants Central
•     Hard Questions in Church History with Lynne Hilton Wilson: Week 21-22 (D&C 51-57, May 17-23, Doctrine & Covenants Central
•     Doctrine and Covenants 57, with Scott Woodward, Doctrine & Covenants Central
•     Doctrine and Covenants 51-57 (May 17-23) Come Follow Me Don’t Miss This, Don’t Miss This
•     Come Follow Me – Doctrine and Covenants 51-57: “Planted in this Place”, Unshaken
•     Come, Follow Me Podcast #21: “A Faithful, a Just, and a Wise Servant”, Doctrine and Covenants 51-57, Meridian Magazine
•   Doctrine and Covenants 51 to 57– “A Faithful, a Just, and a Wise Steward”, BYU Studies