Come, Follow Me Doctrine and Covenants
Doctrine and Covenants 60–63

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In early August 1831, Joseph Smith and other elders of the Church were preparing to return to Kirtland after a short visit to the “land of Zion” (Doctrine and Covenants 59:3). The Lord had wanted them to preach the gospel during their trip (see Doctrine and Covenants 52:10), and some of them did so diligently. But others were hesitant. “They hide the talent which I have given unto them,” the Lord said, “because of the fear of man” (Doctrine and Covenants 60:2). Many of us know how these elders felt. Even though we love the gospel, fear and doubt might keep us from sharing it. But the Lord is merciful. He “knoweth the weakness of man and how to succor [us]” (Doctrine and Covenants 62:1). Scattered throughout these revelations to early missionaries are reassurances that can help us overcome our fears and shortcomings: “I am able to make you holy.” “All flesh is in mine hand.” “I am with the faithful always.” And “He that is faithful and endureth shall overcome the world.” (Doctrine and Covenants 60:7; 61:6; 62:9; 63:47.)

D&C 60: Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, in Independence, Jackson County, Missouri, August 8, 1831. On this occasion the elders who had traveled to Jackson County and participated in the dedication of the land and the temple site desired to know what they were to do.

D&C 61: Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, on the bank of the Missouri River, McIlwaine’s Bend, August 12, 1831. On their return trip to Kirtland, the Prophet and ten elders had traveled down the Missouri River in canoes. On the third day of the journey, many dangers were experienced. Elder William W. Phelps, in a daylight vision, saw the destroyer riding in power upon the face of the waters.

D&C 62: Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, on the bank of the Missouri River at Chariton, Missouri, August 13, 1831. On this day the Prophet and his group, who were on their way from Independence to Kirtland, met several elders who were on their way to the land of Zion, and, after joyful salutations, received this revelation.

D&C 63: Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Kirtland, Ohio, August 30, 1831. The Prophet, Sidney Rigdon, and Oliver Cowdery had arrived in Kirtland on August 27 from their visit to Missouri. Joseph Smith’s history describes this revelation: “In these infant days of the Church, there was a great anxiety to obtain the word of the Lord upon every subject that in any way concerned our salvation; and as the land of Zion was now the most important temporal object in view, I enquired of the Lord for further information upon the gathering of the Saints, and the purchase of the land, and other matters.”

President Ezra Taft Benson taught that when we study the scriptures, “testimonies will increase. Commitment will be strengthened. Families will be fortified. Personal revelation will flow” (“The Power of the Word,” Ensign, May 1986, 81).

D&C 60: Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, in Independence, Jackson County, Missouri, August 8, 1831. On this occasion the elders who had traveled to Jackson County and participated in the dedication of the land and the temple site desired to know what they were to do.

D&C 61: Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, on the bank of the Missouri River, McIlwaine’s Bend, August 12, 1831. On their return trip to Kirtland, the Prophet and ten elders had traveled down the Missouri River in canoes. On the third day of the journey, many dangers were experienced. Elder William W. Phelps, in a daylight vision, saw the destroyer riding in power upon the face of the waters.

D&C 62: Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, on the bank of the Missouri River at Chariton, Missouri, August 13, 1831. On this day the Prophet and his group, who were on their way from Independence to Kirtland, met several elders who were on their way to the land of Zion, and, after joyful salutations, received this revelation.

The Lord said, “Ye receive the Spirit through prayer” (Doctrine and Covenants 63:64). Consider praying for the Spirit to guide your study.

D&C 63: Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Kirtland, Ohio, August 30, 1831. The Prophet, Sidney Rigdon, and Oliver Cowdery had arrived in Kirtland on August 27 from their visit to Missouri. Joseph Smith’s history describes this revelation: “In these infant days of the Church, there was a great anxiety to obtain the word of the Lord upon every subject that in any way concerned our salvation; and as the land of Zion was now the most important temporal object in view, I enquired of the Lord for further information upon the gathering of the Saints, and the purchase of the land, and other matters.”

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)
•   “Reverence Is Love,” Children’s Songbook, 31.
•   What Is Zion?, Liahona – Come, Follow Me: Doctrine and Covenants
•   What Comes from Above Is Sacred, Liahona – Come, Follow Me: Doctrine and Covenants

• Ezra Booth and Isaac Morley, Revelations in Context
• Section 63, “For This Is a Day of Warning, and Not a Day of Many Words”, Doctrine and Covenants Institute Student Manual (2002), pp 133–35
• Chapter 23: Doctrine and Covenants 63, Doctrine and Covenants Institute Student Manual (2017)

Resources on Interpreter Foundation

•   Come, Follow Me Study and Teaching Helps — Lesson 24: D&C 63, Jonn Claybaugh
•     Audio Roundtable: Come, Follow Me Doctrine and Covenants Lesson 24 (D&C 63)

Resources on Other Sites

•   Doctrine and Covenants 63 (Come, Follow Me), FAIR
•   Section 63, Harper, Steven C. – D&C Contexts (Book of Mormon Central Archive)
•     Come Follow Me with Casey Paul Griffiths (Doctrine and Covenants 63, June 7-13), Book of Mormon Central
•     Come Follow Me Insights (Doctrine and Covenants 63, Jun 7—13), Book of Mormon Central
•     Come Follow Me: Act in Doctrine (Doctrine and Covenants 63, May 7-13), Book of Mormon Central
•     Come Follow Me with Taylor Halverson (Doctrine and Covenants 63, June 7-13), Book of Mormon Central
•     Come, Follow Me with John Hilton III (Doctrine and Covenants 63, June 7-13), Book of Mormon Central
•   Doctrine & Covenants 63, Doctrine & Covenants Central
•     Hard Questions in Church History with Lynne Hilton Wilson: Week 22-24 (D&C 58, 63, 65, May 24-30), Doctrine & Covenants Central
•     Doctrine and Covenants 63, with Scott Woodward, Doctrine & Covenants Central
•     Doctrine and Covenants 63 (June 7-13) Come Follow Me Don’t Miss This, Don’t Miss This
•     Come Follow Me – Doctrine and Covenants 63: “Do According to Wisdom”, Unshaken
•     Come Follow Me Podcast #24: “That Which Cometh from Above is Sacred”, Doctrine and Covenants 63, Meridian Magazine
•   Come, Follow Me for Sunday School: “That Which Cometh from Above Is Sacred”, Doctrine and Covenants 63, Meridian Magazine
•     June 7-13, 2021 Come, Follow Me Songs, Music for Latter-day Life
•   Doctrine and Covenants 63 – “That Which Cometh from Above Is Sacred”, BYU Studies

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 Primary (lesson materials at ChurchofJesusChrist.org)
•   “Testimony,” Hymns, no. 137.
•   How Emily Richards Had “Something to Say”, Liahona – Come, Follow Me: Doctrine and Covenants

• Chapter 22: Doctrine and Covenants 59–62, Doctrine and Covenants Institute Student Manual (2017)
• Ezra Booth and Isaac Morley, Revelations in Context
• Section 60, “Thou Shalt Not Idle Away Thy Time nor Bury Thy Talents”, Doctrine and Covenants Institute Student Manual (2002), pp 130–31
• Section 61, The Lord Has Blessed the Land and Cursed the Waters, Doctrine and Covenants Institute Student Manual (2002), pp 131–32
• Section 62, “Ye Are Blessed, for the Testimony Ye Have Borne”, Doctrine and Covenants Institute Student Manual (2002), pp 132–33

Resources on Interpreter Foundation

•   Come, Follow Me Study and Teaching Helps — Lesson 23: D&C 60–62, Jonn Claybaugh
•     Audio Roundtable: Come, Follow Me Doctrine and Covenants Lesson 23 (D&C 60–62)

Resources on Other Sites

•   Doctrine and Covenants 60-62 (Come, Follow Me), FAIR
•   Section 60, Harper, Steven C. – D&C Contexts (Book of Mormon Central Archive)
•   Section 61, Harper, Steven C. – D&C Contexts (Book of Mormon Central Archive)
•   Section 62, Harper, Steven C. – D&C Contexts (Book of Mormon Central Archive)
•     Come Follow Me with Casey Paul Griffiths (Doctrine and Covenants 60-62, May 31-June 6), Book of Mormon Central
•     Come Follow Me Insights (Doctrine and Covenants 60-62, May 31—Jun 6), Book of Mormon Central
•     Come Follow Me: Act in Doctrine (Doctrine and Covenants 60-62, May 31-Jun 6), Book of Mormon Central
•     Come Follow Me with Taylor Halverson (Doctrine and Covenants 60-62, May 31 – June 6), Book of Mormon Central
•     Come Follow Me with John Hilton III (Doctrine and Covenants 60-62, May 31-June 6), Book of Mormon Central
•     Hard Questions in Church History with Lynne Hilton Wilson: Week 22-24 (D&C 58, 63, 65, May 24-30), Doctrine & Covenants Central
•   Doctrine & Covenants 60, Doctrine & Covenants Central
•   Doctrine & Covenants 61, Doctrine & Covenants Central
•   Doctrine & Covenants 62, Doctrine & Covenants Central
•     Doctrine and Covenants 60-62, with Scott Woodward, Doctrine & Covenants Central
•     Doctrine and Covenants 60-62 (May 31-June 6) Come Follow Me Don’t Miss This, Don’t Miss This
•     Come Follow Me – Doctrine and Covenants 60-62: “A Way for the Journeying”, Unshaken
•     Come, Follow Me Podcast #23: “All Flesh is in Mine Hand”, Doctrine and Covenants 60-62, Meridian Magazine
•   Come, Follow Me for Sunday School: “All Flesh Is in Mine Hand”, Doctrine and Covenants 60-62, Meridian Magazine
•     May 31-June 6, 2021 Come, Follow Me Songs, Music for Latter-day Life
•   Doctrine and Covenants 60 to 62 – “All Flesh Is in Mine Hand”, BYU Studies