The document provides the lesson plan and reading assignments for an upcoming Sunday School lesson on personal revelation. It includes questions about why personal revelation is important, how to study out questions and seek revelation through scripture study, focusing on God rather than worldly things, and teachings about receiving personal revelation. It also provides the lesson plan and reading assignments for the previous Sunday's lesson on the bringing forth of the Book of Mormon, including challenges Joseph Smith faced, the lost manuscript pages, the Witnesses, and why the Church was under condemnation in 1832 when members did not remember the new covenant and the Book of Mormon.

1. Next Week
Lesson 5: “This Is the Spirit of Revelation”
Reading assignment:
Doctrine and Covenants 6; 8; 9;
Joseph Smith—History 1:8–17
•Why is personal revelation vitally important
in our day?
•What can we do to study out a question in
our own minds?
•Why should we study and ponder the
scriptures when we seek revelation?
•Why is it important to focus on “the things
of [God]” rather than “the things of the
earth” as we seek revelation? How can we
free ourselves from the concerns and noise
of the world as we seek revelation?
•What do these verses teach about how to
receive personal revelation?
This Week
Lesson 4: “Remember the New Covenant, Even
the Book of Mormon”
Reading assignment:
Joseph Smith—History 1:27–65;
Doctrine and Covenants 3; 5; 10; 17; 20:5–15;
84:54–62;
Our Heritage, pages 5–10
•What were some of the challenges that Joseph
Smith faced while he translated the Book of
Mormon?
•What does the account of the lost manuscript
pages teach about the Lord’s power?
•Who were the Witnessess of the Book of
Mormon?
•In September 1832 the Prophet Joseph
received a revelation in which the Lord said that
“the whole church [was] under condemnation”
(D&C 84:55). Why was the Church under
condemnation? (D&C 84:54–56.) What did
Church members need to do for the
condemnation to be lifted? (D&C 84:57–58, 60–
62.)

2. “Remember the New Covenant, Even the
Book of Mormon”
What were some of the challenges of the
Bringing forth of the Book of Mormon?

3. • Video of Martin Harris

4. Does Father in Heaven Change his mind?
1 The aworks, and the designs, and the purposes
of God cannot bebfrustrated, neither can they
come to naught.
2 For God doth not awalk in crooked paths,
neither doth he bturn to the right hand nor to the
left, neither doth he vary from that which he
hath said, therefore his paths are straight, and
his ccourse is one eternal round.
D&C 3:1-3

5. I did inquire, and the answer was that he must not. However, he
was not satisfied with this answer, and desired that I should
inquire again. I did so, and the answer was as before.
Still he could not be contented, but insisted that I should inquire
once more. After much solicitation I again inquired of the Lord,
and permission was granted him to have the writings on certain
conditions; which were, that he show them only to his brother,
Preserved Harris, his own wife, his father and his mother, and a
Mrs. Cobb, a sister to his wife.
In accordance with this last answer, I required of him that he
should bind himself in a covenant to me in a most solemn
manner that he would not do otherwise than had been directed.
He did so. He bound himself as I required of him, took the
writings, and went his way.

6. Where should we place our trust?
7 For, behold, you should not have afeared man
more than God. Although men set at naught the
counsels of God, and bdespise his words—
8 Yet you should have been faithful; and he
would have extended his arm
and asupported you against all the fiery bdarts of
thecadversary; and he would have been with you
in every time of dtrouble.
D&C 3:1-3

7. Using the Book of Mormon…. And all other
Scripture, but particularly the Book of Mormon

8. In September 1832 the Prophet Joseph received
a revelation in which the Lord said that “the
whole church [was] under condemnation”
(D&C 84:55).
Why was the Church under condemnation?

10. 57 And they shall remain under this condemnation until they
repent and remember the new acovenant, even the bBook of
Mormon and the cformer commandments which I have given
them, not only to say, but to ddo according to that which I have
written—
58 That they may bring forth afruit meet for their Father’s
kingdom; otherwise there remaineth a bscourge and judgment to
be poured out upon the children of Zion….
61 For I will aforgive you of your sins with this commandment—
that you remain bsteadfast in your minds in csolemnity and the
spirit of prayer, in bearing dtestimony to all the world of those
things which are communicated unto you.
62 Therefore, ago ye into all the world; and unto whatsoever
place ye cannot go ye shall send, that the testimony may go from
you into all the world unto every creature.

11. Using the Book of Mormon In
Our Lives
In 1832, as some early missionaries returned from their fields
of labor, the Lord reproved them for treating the Book of
Mormon lightly. As a result of that attitude, he said, their
minds had been darkened. Not only had treating this sacred
book lightly brought a loss of light to themselves, it had also
brought the whole Church under condemnation, even all the
children of Zion. And then the Lord said, “And they shall
remain under this condemnation until they repent and
remember the new covenant, even the Book of Mormon”
(D&C 84:54–57).
Ezra Taft Benson, “The Book of Mormon—Keystone of Our Religion,” Ensign, Nov 1986, 4

12. Seeing and learning from patterns
and principles in the scriptures…
How did the Brother of Jared
know to use clear stones for light?

13. (Presents the problem after hard work…)
19 Presents the problem after hard work…And behold, O Lord, in them
there is no light; whither shall we steer? And also we shall perish…
(Father gives some instruction, but not about the light…)
20 And the Lord said unto the brother of Jared: Behold, thou shalt make
a hole in the top, and also in the bottom; and when thou shalt suffer for
air thou shalt unstop the hole and receive air. And if it be so that the
water come in upon thee, behold, ye shall stop the hole, that ye may not
perish in the flood.
(Father gives Brother of Jared the responsibility…)
25 And behold, I prepare you against these things; for ye cannot cross
this great deep save I prepare you against the waves of the sea, and the
winds which have gone forth, and the floods which shall come.
Therefore what will ye that I should prepare for you that ye may
have light when ye are swallowed up in the depths of the sea?
Ether 2:19-25

14. (Brother of Jared seeks out answer in great faith…)
1 And it came to pass that the brother of Jared, (now the number of the
vessels which had been prepared was eight) went forth unto the amount,
which they called the mount bShelem, because of its exceeding height,
and did cmolten out of a rock sixteen small stones; and they were
white and clear, even as transparent dglass; and he did carry them in
his hands upon the top of the mount, and cried again unto the Lord,
saying:
2 O Lord, thou hast said that we must be encompassed about by the
floods. Now behold, O Lord, and do not be aangry with thy servant
because of his weakness before thee; for we know that thou art holy and
dwellest in the heavens, and that we are bunworthy before thee; because
of the cfall our dnatures have become evil continually; nevertheless, O
Lord, thou hast given us a commandment that we must call upon thee,
that from thee we may receive according to our desires…..
6 And it came to pass that when the brother of Jared had said these
words, behold, the aLord stretched forth his hand and touched the
stones one by one with his bfinger. Ether 3:1-6

15. (Learning from Noah)
16 A awindow shalt thou make to the ark, and in a
cubit shalt thou finish it above; and the door of the ark
shalt thou set in the side thereof; with lower, second,
and third stories shalt thou make it.
17 And, behold, I, even I, do bring
a aflood of bwaters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh,
wherein is the cbreath of life, from under
heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die.
Genesis 6:16-17
16 a window
HEB tsohar; some rabbis believed it was a precious
stone that shone in the ark. Ether 2:23 (23–24).

16. . . . the purpose of the gospel is . . . to make
bad men good and good men better, and to
change human nature (from the film Every
Member a Missionary, as acknowledged by
Franklin D. Richards, CR, October 1965, pp.
136-137; see also Brigham Young, JD 8:130
[22 July 1860]).
Thus, the journey of a lifetime is to progress
from bad to good to better and to experience
the mighty change of heart--and to have our
fallen natures changed.
May I suggest that the Book of Mormon is
our handbook of instructions as we travel
the pathway from bad to good to better and
to have our hearts changed.
BAD
Good
Better
Elder David A. Bednar, In the Strength of the Lord Brigham Young University–Idaho Devotional January 8, 2002

17. How has the scriptures,
particularly Book of Mormon,
been a handbook of instructions
for you in your life?

18. Continuing to see and learn from
patterns and principles in the
scriptures…
How do we become Better?

19. FEAR: To the restored Church the Lord has stated time and time again that fear is not
of God and will not enter the hearts of those who love the Lord and live righteously:
"Wherefore, be of good cheer, and do not fear, for I the Lord am with you, and will
stand by you" (D&C 68:6).
DUTY: Men who only carry out that which is within their duty and go no further have
no claim to any reward beyond the scope of that duty and are unprofitable servants.
(Luke 17:7-10)
LOVE: "And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul,
and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment…The
logic of this is simple, clear, and unequivocal: the proof of love of God is love of one's
brother. This becomes the fundamental commandment of Christianity. (Mark 12:30-
31).
Elder Howard W. Hunter; Motivations for Good , Conference Report, April 1966, pp. 46-49

20. Elder Howard W. Hunter; Motivations for Good , Conference Report, April 1966, pp. 46-49

21. FEAR
What examples are there of those we know or
in Scripture that have been motivated by
FEAR?

22. FEAR
24 And it came to pass that I beheld others
pressing forward, and they came forth and caught
hold of the end of the rod of iron; and they did
press forward through the mist of
darkness, aclinging to the rod of iron, even until
they did come forth and partake of the bfruit of the
tree.
25 And after they had partaken of the fruit of the
tree they did cast their eyes about as if they
were aashamed.
1 Nephi 8:24-25

23. DUTY
What examples are there of those we know or
in Scripture that have been motivated by
DUTY?

24. Nephi
16 And it came to pass that I,
Nephi, being exceedingly young,
nevertheless being large in
stature, and also having great
desires to know of the mysteries
of God, wherefore, I did cry unto
the Lord; and behold he did
visit me, and did soften my
heart that I did believe all the
words which had been spoken
by my father; wherefore, I did
not rebel against him like unto
my brothers.
1 Nephi 2: 16
Laman & Lemuel
7 And they said: Behold, we
cannot understand the words
which our father hath spoken
concerning the natural
branches of the olive tree, and
also concerning the Gentiles.
8 And I said unto them: Have
ye inquired of the Lord?
9 And they said unto me: We
have not; for the Lord
maketh no such thing known
unto us.
1 Nephi 15:7-9
VS.

25. LOVE
What examples are there of those we know or
in Scripture that have been motivated by
LOVE?

26. FEAR: To the restored Church the Lord has stated time and time again that fear is not
of God and will not enter the hearts of those who love the Lord and live righteously:
"Wherefore, be of good cheer, and do not fear, for I the Lord am with you, and will
stand by you" (D&C 68:6).
DUTY: Men who only carry out that which is within their duty and go no further have
no claim to any reward beyond the scope of that duty and are unprofitable servants.
(Luke 17:7-10)
LOVE: "And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul,
and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment…The
logic of this is simple, clear, and unequivocal: the proof of love of God is love of one's
brother. This becomes the fundamental commandment of Christianity. (Mark 12:30-
31).
Elder Howard W. Hunter; Motivations for Good , Conference Report, April 1966, pp. 46-49