Points to Ponder in Doctrine and Covenants 102-105

August 29, 2021

To accompany your Come Follow Me study for September 15-21

In addition to reading these sections you will want to read: 

You may also enjoy the following videos:

If you would like a Kahoot game related to these sections which you could use with your family or your class, or which you could play or learn from individually by converting it to a “Challenge” version, click here:   https://create.kahoot.it/share/doctrine-and-covenants-102-105/c6fae694-2cf9-4ec0-acb7-df2dd3e8bb3d. To use it with a group, after clicking on this link, you will need to log into Kahoot, creating a free account if you have not done so previously, then click on the blue “Host Live” button or the gray “Assign” button, depending on how you wish to use the Kahoot. Some of the Kahoot questions may presuppose that the player has read through the suggested answers to the following Points to Ponder and at least has browsed the Institute student manual as well.

Points to Ponder in Doctrine and Covenants 102-105

1. What are the main things that stake high councilors typically do?

2. Why do you suppose Church disciplinary councils were recently renamed “Church membership councils”? 

3. What is the biggest difference between the procedures of a Church membership council comprised of a stake presidency and a high council and those of a criminal trial before the law of the land? 

4. Which two verses in D&C 103 best explain the Lord’s reasons for allowing the Jackson County saints to suffer and be driven out?

5. What do we know and what don’t we know about the identity of the man who shall someday lead latter-day Israel “like as Moses” in redeeming Zion?  (103:16) 

6. What kind of “bondage” do you suppose latter-day Israel will need to be freed from?  (103:17)

7. Which passage infers that those who don’t pay generous fast offerings will go to hell?

8. Why would the Lord have scared members of Zion’s camp with the suggestion that they might be killed in the process (103:27), when He already knew that he would be giving D&C 105 which would instruct them once they reached Jackson County not to fight after all? 

9. List at least two major benefits of Zion’s Camp, even though it failed to achieve its avowed purpose:

10. Which verse in D&C 105 best summarizes what has to happen before Zion can be redeemed?  

Possible Answers to Points to Ponder in Doctrine and Covenants 102-105

1. What are the main things that stake high councilors typically do?

  • Approve stake officers to be called
  • Advise an assigned ward or priesthood quorum
  • Advise a stake auxiliary or program
  • Speak in the wards
  • Participate in Church membership councils
  • Advise stake presidency and carry out assignments from them.

2. Why do you suppose Church disciplinary councils were recently renamed “Church membership councils”? 

No doubt it was to eliminate the punitive connotations of the word “discipline” and emphasize that Church membership councils are councils of love, whose purpose is to help, not simply punish the offender.

3. What is the biggest difference between the procedures of a Church membership council comprised of a stake presidency and a high council and those of a criminal trial before the law of the land? 

In a Church membership council, all high councilors speak according to the evidence and try to put the circumstances in their true light.  In the world, one side tries to convict, and the other side tries to acquit.

4. Which two verses in D&C 103 best explain the Lord’s reasons for allowing the Jackson County saints to suffer and be driven out?

103:4-5

5. What do we know and what don’t we know about the identity of the man who shall someday lead latter-day Israel “like as Moses” in redeeming Zion?  (103:16) 

We know he will be a duly ordained President of the Church.  We don’t yet know which one.

6. What kind of “bondage” do you suppose latter-day Israel will need to be freed from?  (103:17)

The Lord has not yet revealed the answer to that question.  Possibilities presumably could include economic bondage, a bondage to sin, or even a political bondage as human governments become increasingly oppressive of the righteous.

7. Which passage infers that those who don’t pay generous fast offerings will go to hell?

104:18

8. Why would the Lord have scared members of Zion’s camp with the suggestion that they might be killed in the process (103:27), when He already knew that He would be giving D&C 105, which would instruct them once they reached Jackson County not to fight after all? 

It was not important for them to fight but it was important for them to show their willingness to fight and die if necessary.  Their faith was promoted thereby, and they became eligible for the blessings which come through sacrifice.

9. List at least two major benefits of Zion’s Camp, even though it failed to achieve its avowed purpose:

  • Tested and identified faithful men who could become future leaders, such as apostles and members of the Seventy
  • Provided training in leadership
  • Provided needed experience for future exoduses

  • On a personal note, Zion’s Camp resulted in the conversion of my fourth great-grandfather, William Taylor, and his family, who were baptized after hearing just one sermon from the Prophet Joseph Smith when he spoke at Sunday services in the home of friends of the Taylors when members of Zion’s Camp took refuge from a severe storm in the Fishing River, Missouri area. 

10. Which verse in D&C 105 best summarizes what has to happen before Zion can be redeemed?  

 105:10 would be a good choice, though all of verses 2-12 touch on the subject, as does v. 26.