Opening song
Opening prayer
Scripture-Hunter Hanshew
Doctrines
1. The purposes of God cannot be frustrated.
2. We should fear God more than we fear man.
3. If we are faithful to the Lord's commands he will support us during times of trouble.
4. If we repent of our sins we will receive the Lord's mercy.
Ponder situations in which they might be tempted to listen to a friend rather than follow the commandments or the counsel of their parents or leaders.
Why is it sometimes difficult to resist our friends when they encourage us to do something wrong?
History of the lost 116 pages
From mid-April 1828 to mid-June 1828, the Prophet Joseph Smith was translating the plates while living in Harmony, Pennsylvania. A prosperous farmer and businessman named Martin Harris was acting as scribe to Joseph while he translated. Martin was 22 years older than Joseph and had given Joseph and Emma $50 (which was a substantial amount of money at that time) to help them move to Harmony, Pennsylvania (where Emma's family lived), thus helping to support Joseph while he translated the plates. In February 1828, Joseph encouraged Martin to take copies of characters from the plates to professors in New York (see Joseph Smith--History 1:63–65). Lucy Harris, Martin's wife, became increasingly concerned about Martin's interest and financial involvement in the translation of the plates. She and others began to press Martin for evidence of the plates' existence. To appease their concerns, in mid-June Martin requested that Joseph allow him to take the 116 pages of manuscript they had completed to show as evidence.
Invite students to imagine the difficult position the Prophet was in when Martin Harris asked to take the manuscript pages. To help with context, consider inviting a student to read the following account from the history of the Prophet Joseph Smith:
"[Martin] desired of me that I would inquire of the Lord, through the Urim and Thummim, if he might not [take the manuscript home and show it]. 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" (in History of the Church, 1:21).
Why do you think Joseph Smith persistent in asking the same question even after receiving a clear answer?
After much pleading from Martin, Joseph asked the Lord a third time, and the Lord gave permission for Martin to take the manuscript "on certain conditions" (History of the Church, 1:21). Martin promised that he would show the manuscript only to his wife and a few other family members. Martin returned to New York with the manuscript. Shortly after Martin's departure, Emma Smith gave birth to a son, Alvin, who died shortly after birth. Emma nearly died herself, and for two weeks Joseph stayed at her bedside. By this time, Martin had been gone for three weeks and they had heard nothing from him. Emma, who was slowly recovering, persuaded Joseph to go to New York and find out why Martin had not sent any word. Joseph traveled to his parents' home, and once he arrived there, he sent for Martin. Martin took all morning to arrive. When he did, he sat down to eat with the Smith family but immediately dropped his utensils. When asked if he was all right, he cried out and eventually admitted that he had lost the 116 pages of manuscript. (See History of Joseph Smith by His Mother, ed. Preston Nibley [1958], 124–29 for more details of this account.)
How do you think you would feel in the situation?
Upon returning to Harmony without the 116 pages of manuscript, Joseph Smith prayed for forgiveness. Because Joseph had "wearied the Lord in asking for the privilege of letting Martin Harris take the writings" (History of the Church, 1:21), Moroni had taken the Urim and Thummim and Joseph had lost the gift to translate. However, Moroni promised that Joseph could receive them again if he would be "humble and penitent" (History of Joseph Smith by His Mother, 134). Some time later, Joseph received the revelation now known as Doctrine and Covenants 3.
D&C 3:1-3
Look for things the Lord want to Joseph Smith to understand.
How would you summarize the Lords message to Joseph Smith?
1st doctrine
How might this truth have helped Joseph Smith during this difficult time? Why is it important for all of us to understand this truth?
D&C 3:4-6
Identify words and phrases that might've been hard for Joseph Smith hear.
In what way had Joseph Smith "gone on in the persuasions of men? "
D&C 3:12-15
Find phrases that emphasize why Joseph's actions were so serious.
D&C 3:7
Identify what the Lord said Joseph should've done when he was pressured by Martin Harris.
Doctrine 2
What do you think it means to fear God more than man?
Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles:
"There are many places in the scriptures that counsel mankind to fear God. In our day we generally interpret the word fear as "respect" or "reverence" or "love"; that is, the fear of God means the love of God or respect for Him and His law. That may often be a correct reading, but I wonder if sometimes fear doesn't really mean fear, as when the prophets speak of fearing to offend God by breaking His commandments. …We should so love and reverence Him that we fear doing anything wrong in His sight, whatever may be the opinions of or pressure from others" ("A Sense of the Sacred" [CES fireside for young adults, Nov. 7, 2004], 6–7.
According to Elder Christofferson what does it mean to fear God?
How can fearing God in the way Elder Christofferson suggests help us make right decisions even when we feel pure pressure?
D&C 3:8
Look for what God would have done if Joseph had listened to his initial answer about Martin Harris
Doctrine 3
D&C 3:9-10
Look for the promise God gave Joseph Smith despite the seriousness of the mistake Joseph made.
What promise did Lord give Joseph Smith?
Doctrine 4
D&C 3:9,11
Identify the warnings the Lord gave to Joseph Smith.
Why are these warnings important for us to remember as we repent of our sins and seek the Lord's mercy?
D&C 3:16-20
Identify the purpose is the Lord gave for the Book of Mormon.
Why was the work that Joseph Smith and Martin Harris were doing so important to the Lord and His people?
Closing prayer
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