Descriptions:
For Come Follow Me in 2025, Latter-day Saints (more colloquially known as Mormons) will be studying the Doctrine and Covenants, which is primarily composed of revelations given to the prophet Joseph Smith. Interestingly, Joseph Smith himself later revisited and edited many of his own revelations. In this episode, we explore why.
— The introduction to our current version of the Doctrine and Covenants: https://bit.ly/3ps141H
— “Relishing the Revisions: Joseph Smith and the Revelatory Process,” by Grant Underwood, BYUH: https://bit.ly/3TjStfs
— “That They Might Come to Understanding”: Revelation as Process,” by Steven Harper, BYU Studies: https://bit.ly/3PFPsTG
— 1833 Book of Commandments (JSPP): https://tinyurl.com/49nn9ck6
— 1835 Doctrine and Covenants (JSPP): https://tinyurl.com/yhrsprc5
— Historical Introduction to the 1835 D&C, via Joseph Smith Papers: https://bit.ly/3CnbZRZ
— “Preparing Early Revelations for Publication,” by Melvin J. Peterson (Feb. 1985 Ensign): https://bit.ly/3CkVYvR
— “Why and how revelations were modified in the Doctrine and Covenants,” via FAIR: https://bit.ly/3QxzM66
— “Changes in the Doctrine and Covenants: What the Mormon Church is Hiding from You!” via Stephen Smoot’s blog, Ploni Almoni: https://bit.ly/3ADz4yR
— Far West Record meeting minutes in which Joseph is asked to correct errors in revelations: https://bit.ly/3QGETkA
— “The Story of the Doctrine and Covenants,” Robert J. Woodford (1984 Ensign): https://bit.ly/3T1n94O
— “Great and Marvelous are the Revelations of God,” by Gerrit Dirkmaat (Jan. 2013 Ensign): https://tinyurl.com/ycxyf9mn
— “Part 44: CES Letter Priesthood Restoration Questions [Section B],” by Sarah Allen (published by FAIR): https://tinyurl.com/4ntehufm
Notes:
— From Elder Richard G. Scott (emphasis mine): “When I am faced with a very difficult matter, this is how I try to understand what to do. I fast. I pray to find and understand scriptures that will be helpful. That process is cyclical. I start reading a passage of scripture; I ponder what the verse means and pray for inspiration. I then ponder and pray to know if I have captured all the Lord wants me to do. Often *more impressions come* with increased understanding of doctrine. I have found that pattern to be a good way to learn from the scriptures.” Source: https://bit.ly/3wnTB7U
— Another one from Elder Scott: “In that environment, strong impressions began to flow to me again. I wrote them down. The message included specific counsel on how to become more effective as an instrument in the hands of the Lord. [I continued to write the feelings that flooded into my mind and heart. As faithful as possible, I’d reach powerful impressions recorded.] I pondered the feelings I had received to determine if I had accurately expressed them in writing. As a result, I made a few minor changes to what had been written. Then I studied their meaning and application in my life. Subsequently I prayed, reviewing with the Lord what I thought had been taught by the Spirit. When the feeling of peace came, I thanked him for the guidance given.” Source: https://bit.ly/3dKGK9j
— From Steven Harper: “It is important that the revelations are true, not that they are flawless.” Source: “Making Sense of the Doctrine & Covenants,” Harper, pg. 6.
— For the record, I acknowledge that while the vast majority of revelations in our modern D&C come from Joseph Smith, we’ve also got pieces of content from Joseph Fielding Smith (Section 138), Wilford Woodruff (OD1), and Spencer W. Kimball (OD2).
— In the very first section of the Doctrine and Covenants we read that the revelations “…were given unto [God’s] servants in their weakness, after the manner of their language, that they might come to understanding.”
— From Steven Harper: “Joseph recognized as a result of the revelatory process that the texts of his revelations were not set in stone. Rather, he felt responsible to revise and redact them to reflect his latest understanding. He was always open, in other words, to receive more revelation.” Source: https://bit.ly/3PFPsTG
— From B. H. Roberts: “Some of the early revelations first published in the ‘Book of Commandments,’ in 1833, were revised by the Prophet himself in the way of correcting errors made by the scribes and publishers; and some additional clauses were inserted to throw increased light upon the subjects treated in the revelations, and paragraphs added, to make the principles or instructions apply to officers not in the Church at the time some of the earlier revelations were given.” Source: “History of the Church,” 1:173.
— From Gerrit Dirkmaat: “While many members today may look at the revelations as being static and unchanging, the Prophet Joseph Smith saw the revelations as living and subject to change as the Lord revealed more of His will.”
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