Links to free resources for children, youth, and adults to enhance the Come, Follow Me reading of Doctrine and Covenants 12-17; Joseph Smith History 1:66-75. Choose one thing a day to do with your children or choose a couple to do for family home evening.
Everyone
The Priesthood Restored: A Joseph Smith Papers Podcast – Episode 1 – “The Great Strife and Noise” {transcript} – This episode examines the religious landscape of the United States in 1829 and how debates among Americans over priesthood may have shaped the way that Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery considered their own questions about religious authority. (29:42 minutes)
The Priesthood Restored: A Joseph Smith Papers Podcast – Episode 2: “Days Never to Be Forgotten” {transcript} – This episode tells the story of John the Baptist’s conferral of the Aaronic Priesthood on Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery on May 15, 1829, in Harmony, Pennsylvania. It also considers what else was happening on that day that helps shape our understanding of the Joseph’s experience. (34:13 minutes)
Saints, Volume 1 – Chapter Seven Fellow Servants – Read the narrative history of events surrounding these sections.
Saints, Volume 1 – Fellow Servants – Read this part of the chapter that tells the historical background of these sections.
Video – Restoration of the Aaronic Priesthood – (D&C 13) Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery receive the Aaronic Priesthood by the hand of John the Baptist. (1:02 minutes)
Video – A Day for the Eternities – This film features the experiences of David Whitmer as Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery stay with his family in Fayette, New York, to finish the translation of the Book of Mormon.
Video – Mary Whitmer Sees the Gold Plates – Mary Whitmer’s home became a place of refuge for Joseph and Emma Smith, along with their friend Oliver Cowdery. With eight children, a few grandchildren, and a farm to tend to, Mary Whitmer was strengthened by the Lord in a manner she wasn’t expecting. Illustrated video created by the LDS Church History Library.
Children
Activity – Baptism and the Priesthood Restored – Use the scripture figures to tell the story of the Aaronic Priesthood being conferred on Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery.
Activity – Witnesses of the Book of Mormon – Dot-to-dot and coloring page
Activity – I Can Be a Witness of the Things God has Done for Me – Color and make this booklet.
Activity – Who am I? A Church History Mystery – Includes some facts and images of Oliver Cowdery.
Activity – “Who Am I? (Church History Mysteries)” – Includes some facts and an image of David Whitmer.
Activity/Article – Is the Priesthood Just for Men and Boys? – Short article with a crossword puzzle included.
Activity/Article – Blessings of the Priesthood are Available to All – Read and do the activity to finish each drawing.
Article – The Priesthood is Restored – Gives a brief explanation of how the priesthood was lost from the earth and then restored.
Article – Harmony and the Susquehanna – Shows pictures and talks about what happened there.
Article – “Seeds of Faith” – President James E. Faust shares an experience of hearing a man tell about how he met David Whitmer, who testified of the Book of Mormon.
Audio – Joseph and Oliver are Given the Priesthood – In this episode, we learn about Joseph Smith, Oliver Cowdery, and the restoration of the priesthood. Oliver Cowdery worked as a scribe while Joseph Smith was translating the plates. During this work, they learned about baptism. They went into the woods to pray, and they received the priesthood and baptized each other.
Audio – Witnesses See the Gold Plates – A Primary teacher and children learn about the witnesses to the Book of Mormon. Martin Harris, Oliver Cowdery, and David Whitmer were shown the gold plates by an angel so they could testify the plates were real. Later, eight more people were allowed to hold the plates.
Video – Joseph and Oliver are Given the Priesthood – Doctrine and Covenant Scripture Reader
Video – Angels Restore the Priesthood – Doctrine and Covenants Scripture Stories
Video – A Visit from John the Baptist – Scripture Stories for Young Readers
Video – Witnesses See the Gold Plates – Doctrine and Covenants Scripture Reader
Video – Witnesses See the Book of Mormon Plates – Doctrine and Covenants Scripture Stories
Youth & Adults
Article – What Can We Do to Follow the Prophet? – Doctrine and Covenant Insights from the Liahona.
Article – Restoration of the Aaronic Priesthood – Church History Topics Essay
Article – Restoration of the Melchizedek Priesthood – Church History Topics Essay.
Article – How Was the Joseph Knight Family Important to Bringing Forth the Book of Mormon? – Scripture Central
Article – The Last Witness of the Three Witnesses – Not one of the Three Witnesses ever denied his testimony of the Book of Mormon.
Article – Who was David Whitmer? – Doctrine and Covenant Insights from the Liahona.
Article – The Knight and Whitmer Families – Revelations in Context
Article – Witnesses of the Book of Mormon – Church History topics essay
Video – Endure to the End – (D&C 14:7) President Dieter F. Uchtdorf teaches how to endure to the end.
Video – KnoWhy 279: Why Did Joseph and Oliver Seek Authority to Baptize? – Scripture Central
Video – Ministering of Angels – Scripture Central (4:24 minutes)
Video – KnoWhy 97: At Baptism, What Do We Covenant to Do? – Scripture Central
Video – What is Priesthood? – Scripture Central (8:24)
Video – Angels: Servants of God – Scripture Central (3:16)
Video – KnoWhy 395: Why Is David Whitmer’s Witness of the Book of Mormon So Compelling? – Book of Mormon Central
Video – KnoWhy 488: The Simple Miracle That Helped the Whitmers Further the Book of Mormon – Scripture Central
Video – Personal Scripture – Taylor Halverson (D&C 14–16) – Scripture Central (2:52 minutes)
Video – Sharing the Gospel – John Hilton III (D&C 15–16) – Scripture Central (3:57 minutes)
Video – Witnesses of the Plates – Casey Paul Griffiths (D&C 17) – Scripture Central (8:56) minutes)
Video – KnoWhy 405: Why Were the Three Witnesses Shown the Liahona? – Scripture Central
Video – KnoWhy 267: Why Were Three Key Witnesses Chosen to Testify of the Book of Mormon? – Scripture Central
Video – KnoWhy 54: Who Are the “Few” Who Were Permitted to See the Plates? – Scripture Central
Adults
Article – The Knight and Whitmer Families – Revelations in Context
Article – Doctrine and Covenants 4; 11–12; 14–16 – Doctrine and Covenants Institute Student Manual
Article – “Commissioned of Jesus Christ” – BYU Religious Studies Center
Article – Oliver Cowdery as Second Witness of Priesthood Restoration – BYU Religious Studies Center
Article – Joseph Knight, Sr – Scripture Central
Article – “True to the Book of Mormon—The Whitmers” – Background information on the Whitmer family and their contribution to the Church.
Article – “The Witness: Martin Harris” – Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles speaks about the life of Martin Harris and his contributions to the Church.
Article – The Experience of the Three Witnesses – Revelations in Context
Article – Early Missionaries – Church History topics essay
Article – Witnesses—Those Who Assist to Bring Forth This Work – BYU Religious Studies Center
Article – Firsthand Witness Accounts of the Translation Process – BYU Religious Studies Center
Article – A Multiplicity of Witnesses – BYU Religious Studies Center
Video – Restoration of the Aaronic Priesthood – BYU Religious Studies Center
Video – Restoration of the Melchizedek Priesthood – BYU Religious Studies Center
Video – Discussions on the Doctrine and Covenants: D&C 7 and 13 John the Revelator and John the Baptist – Religious scholars from BYU discuss these sections. BYUtv.
Video – Discussions on the Doctrine and Covenants: D&C 4, 11-12, 14-16 Qualifications for Service – Religious Scholars from BYU discuss these sections. BYUtv.
Video – Episode 8 – Harmony, Pennsylvania – Discusses the significance of Harmony, Pennsylvania, and the events that took place there, including Joseph Smith’s marriage to Emma Hale and the birth and death of their first child. From the Joseph Smith Papers Documentary series.
Video – Episode 9 – Restoration of the Priesthoods – Examines the conferral of divine authority by heavenly beings upon Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery and the importance of those events to later developments. From the Joseph Smith Papers Documentary series.
Video – Act in Doctrine: Joy in the Priesthood – Scripture Central (18:36)
Video – Discussions on the Doctrine & Covenants: D&C 5 & 17 – Witnesses of the Book of Mormon – Religious scholars from BYU discuss these sections. BYUtv.
Video – Discussions on the Doctrine & Covenants: D&C 4, 11-12, 14-16 – Qualifications for Service – Religious scholars from BYU discuss these sections. BYUtv.
Video – Act in Doctrine: Witnesses to the Work – In this discussion they focus on three takeaways: 1. Declaring Repentance, 2. Assisting in the Work, and 3. Becoming a Witness. Book of Mormon Central. (24:47 minutes)
I’m Montserrat. I’m a farmer’s wife, mother of eleven children, and mega chocoholic. I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. A Gospel Centered Home was created to help parents unleash the power of families by transforming their homes into a sanctuary of faith.
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