Come, Follow Me Doctrine and Covenants
Doctrine and Covenants 64–66
Daviess County, Missouri
In the miserable heat of August 1831, several elders were traveling back to Kirtland from the land of Zion in Missouri. The travelers were hot and weary, and tensions soon turned into quarrels. It may have seemed like building Zion, a city of love, unity, and peace, was going to take a long time.
Fortunately, building Zion—in Missouri in 1831 or in our hearts, families, and wards today—doesn’t require us to be perfect. Instead, “of you it is required to forgive,” the Lord said (Doctrine and Covenants 64:10). He requires “the heart and a willing mind” (verse 34). And He requires patience and diligence, for Zion is built on the foundation of “small things,” accomplished by those who do not become “weary in well-doing” (verse 33).
D&C 64: Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet to the elders of the Church, at Kirtland, Ohio, September 11, 1831. The Prophet was preparing to move to Hiram, Ohio, to renew his work on the translation of the Bible, which had been laid aside while he had been in Missouri. A company of brethren who had been commanded to journey to Zion (Missouri) was earnestly engaged in making preparations to leave in October. At this busy time, the revelation was received.
D&C 65: Revelation on prayer given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Hiram, Ohio, October 30, 1831.
D&C 66: Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Hiram, Ohio, October 29, 1831. William E. McLellin had petitioned the Lord in secret to make known through the Prophet the answer to five questions, which were unknown to Joseph Smith. At McLellin’s request, the Prophet inquired of the Lord and received this revelation.
- 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
President Henry B. Eyring said: “I often go to the scriptures with the questions ‘What would God have me do?’ or ‘What would He have me feel?’ Invariably I find new ideas and thoughts I have never had before” (“How God Speaks to Me through the Scriptures,” Feb. 6, 2019, blog.ChurchofJesusChrist.org).
D&C 64: Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet to the elders of the Church, at Kirtland, Ohio, September 11, 1831. The Prophet was preparing to move to Hiram, Ohio, to renew his work on the translation of the Bible, which had been laid aside while he had been in Missouri. A company of brethren who had been commanded to journey to Zion (Missouri) was earnestly engaged in making preparations to leave in October. At this busy time, the revelation was received.
D&C 65: Revelation on prayer given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Hiram, Ohio, October 30, 1831.
D&C 66: Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Hiram, Ohio, October 29, 1831. William E. McLellin had petitioned the Lord in secret to make known through the Prophet the answer to five questions, which were unknown to Joseph Smith. At McLellin’s request, the Prophet inquired of the Lord and 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 Primary (lesson materials at ChurchofJesusChrist.org)
- “Help Me, Dear Father,” Children’s Songbook, 99.
- What Is Zion?, Liahona – Come, Follow Me: Doctrine and Covenants
- Ezra Booth and Isaac Morley, Revelations in Context
- The Heart and a Willing Mind, Doctrine and Covenants Teaching Videos
- Those Tithed Not Burned at His Coming, Doctrine and Covenants Teaching Videos, President Gordon B. Hinckley
- Section 64, “Of You It Is Required to Forgive All Men”, Doctrine and Covenants Institute Student Manual (2002), pp 136–39
- Chapter 24: Doctrine and Covenants 64–65, Doctrine and Covenants Institute Student Manual (2017)
- William McLellin’s Five Questions, Revelations in Context
- The Church to Fill the Earth, Doctrine and Covenants Teaching Videos, President Gordon B. Hinckley
- Section 65, “May the Kingdom of God Go Forth, That the Kingdom of Heaven May Come”, Doctrine and Covenants Institute Student Manual (2002), pp 139–40
- Section 66, “You Are Clean, but Not All”, Doctrine and Covenants Institute Student Manual (2002), pp 140–41
- Chapter 25: Doctrine and Covenants 66–70, Doctrine and Covenants Institute Student Manual (2017)
Resources Mentioned in the Lesson Manual
- “How God Speaks to Me through the Scriptures”, President Henry B. Eyring, Feb. 6, 2019, blog.ChurchofJesusChrist.org
- Saints, 1:133–34
- Saints, 1:136–37
- “The Ministry of Reconciliation”, Jeffrey R. Holland, Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2018, 77–79
- “Forgive”, Guide to the Scriptures
- “Ensign”, Guide to the Scriptures
- Numbers 21:6–9
- Matthew 5:14–16
- Alma 46:11–20
- Matthew 3:3
- Isaiah 40:3
- Matthew 3:1–12
- “William McLellin’s Five Questions”, Revelations in Context, 138
- Saints, 1:138–40
- “Patriarchal Blessings”, Gospel Topics
- Luke 10:38–42
- “Help Me, Dear Father”, Children’s Songbook, 99
Resources on Interpreter Foundation
- Come, Follow Me Study and Teaching Helps — Lesson 25: D&C 64–66, Jonn Claybaugh
- Audio Roundtable: Come, Follow Me Doctrine and Covenants Lesson 25 (D&C 64–66)
Additional Posts & Roundtables on the Interpreter Foundation Website
- Scripture Roundtable: D&C Gospel Doctrine Lesson 41, "Every Member a Missionary", Administration, October 12, 2013
- Scripture Roundtable: D&C Gospel Doctrine Lesson 46, "Zion—The Pure in Heart", Administration, October 30, 2013
- Scripture Roundtable: Old Testament Gospel Doctrine Lesson 12, “Fruitful in the Land of My Affliction”, Administration, March 8, 2014
Resources on Other Sites
- Doctrine and Covenants 64-66 (Come, Follow Me), FAIR
- Why Is Doctrine and Covenants 65 Called a Revelation on Prayer?, Book of Mormon Central KnoWhy #610
- Why Did the Kirtland Safety Society Fail?, Book of Mormon Central KnoWhy #604
- Section 64, Harper, Steven C. – D&C Contexts (Book of Mormon Central Archive)
- Section 65, Harper, Steven C. – D&C Contexts (Book of Mormon Central Archive)
- Section 66, Harper, Steven C. – D&C Contexts (Book of Mormon Central Archive)
- Come Follow Me with Casey Paul Griffiths (Doctrine and Covenants 64-66, June 14-20), Book of Mormon Central
- Come Follow Me Insights (Doctrine and Covenants 64-66, Jun 14—20), Book of Mormon Central
- Come Follow Me: Act in Doctrine (Doctrine and Covenants 64-66, June 14-20), Book of Mormon Central
- Come Follow Me with Taylor Halverson (Doctrine and Covenants 64-66, June 14-20), Book of Mormon Central
- Come, Follow Me with John Hilton III (Doctrine and Covenants 64-66, June 14-20), Book of Mormon Central
- Why Did William E. McLellin Call the Book of Mormon the “Apple of My Eye”?, Book of Mormon Central KnoWhy #611
- Doctrine and Covenants 65, with Scott Woodward, Doctrine & Covenants Central
- Doctrine & Covenants 64, Doctrine & Covenants Central
- Doctrine & Covenants 65, Doctrine & Covenants Central
- Doctrine & Covenants 66, Doctrine & Covenants Central
- Hard Questions in Church History with Lynne Hilton Wilson: Week 25-27 (D&C 64-70, Jun 14-27), Doctrine & Covenants Central
- Doctrine and Covenants 64-66 (June 14-20) Come Follow Me Don’t Miss This, Don’t Miss This
- Come Follow Me – Doctrine and Covenants 64-66: “The Heart & a Willing Mind”, Unshaken
- Come, Follow Me Podcast #25: “The Lord Requireth the Heart and a Willing Mind”, Doctrine & Covenants 64-66, Meridian Magazine
- June 14-20, 2021 Come, Follow Me Songs, Music for Latter-day Life
- Doctrine and Covenants 64 to 66 – “The Lord Requireth the Heart and a Willing Mind”, BYU Studies