Come, Follow Me—For Home and Church: Doctrine and Covenants 2025

Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Kirtland, Ohio, February 27, 1833. As a consequence of the early brethren using tobacco in their meetings, the Prophet was led to ponder upon the matter; consequently, he inquired of the Lord concerning it. This revelation, known as the Word of Wisdom, was the result.

Doctrine and Covenants 89–92

In the School of the Prophets, the Prophet Joseph Smith taught the elders of Israel about building God’s kingdom on earth. They discussed spiritual truths, prayed together, fasted, and prepared to preach the gospel. But there was something about the atmosphere that might seem odd to us today, and it didn’t seem right to Emma Smith either. During the meetings, the men smoked and chewed tobacco, which wasn’t unusual for the time, but it stained the wood floors black and left a strong odor in the air. Emma shared her concerns with Joseph, and Joseph asked the Lord. His response was a revelation that went far beyond smoke and tobacco stains. It gave the Saints, for generations to come, “a principle with promise”—promises of physical health, “wisdom,” and “great treasures of knowledge” (Doctrine and Covenants 89:3, 19).

See also Saints, 1:166–68.

Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet at Kirtland, Ohio, December 27 and 28, 1832, and January 3, 1833. The Prophet designated it as the “‘olive leaf’ … plucked from the Tree of Paradise, the Lord’s message of peace to us.” The revelation was given after high priests at a conference prayed “separately and vocally to the Lord to reveal his will unto us concerning the upbuilding of Zion.”

Doctrine and Covenants 88

Every so often, the Lord gives us a glimpse of His boundless “majesty and power” (Doctrine and Covenants 88:47) through stunning revelations. Doctrine and Covenants 88 is that kind of revelation—one about light and glory and kingdoms that can make our earthly cares seem small by comparison. Even if we can’t comprehend it all, we can at least sense that there’s far more to eternity than we ever realized. Of course, the Lord doesn’t share these grand truths to intimidate us or make us feel small. In fact, He promised, “The day shall come when you shall comprehend even God” (verse 49; emphasis added). Perhaps it was to that glorious end that the Lord commanded His Saints in Kirtland to form the School of the Prophets. “Organize yourselves,” He said. “Prepare every needful thing; and establish … a house of God” (verse 119). More than anywhere else, it is within God’s holy house—and in our homes—that He can lift our vision beyond the mortal world, “unveil his face unto [us],” and prepare us to “abide a celestial glory” (verses 68, 22).

See Saints, 1:164–66.

Elder Quentin L. Cook shares insights about Doctrine and Covenants 85:6.

Section 87

Revelation and prophecy on war, given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at or near Kirtland, Ohio, December 25, 1832. At this time disputes in the United States over slavery and South Carolina’s nullification of federal tariffs were prevalent. Joseph Smith’s history states that “appearances of troubles among the nations” were becoming “more visible” to the Prophet “than they had previously been since the Church began her journey out of the wilderness.”

Section 86

Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Kirtland, Ohio, December 6, 1832. This revelation was received while the Prophet was reviewing and editing the manuscript of the translation of the Bible.

Section 85

Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Kirtland, Ohio, November 27, 1832. This section is an extract from a letter of the Prophet to William W. Phelps, who was living in Independence, Missouri. It answers questions about those Saints who had moved to Zion but who had not followed the commandment to consecrate their properties and had thus not received their inheritances according to the established order in the Church.

Doctrine and Covenants 85–87

Christmas Day is usually a time to ponder messages like “peace on earth” (see Luke 2:14). But on December 25, 1832, Joseph Smith’s mind was occupied with the threat of war. The state of South Carolina in the United States had just defied the government and was preparing for battle. And the Lord revealed that this was only the beginning: “War,” He declared, “will be poured out upon all nations” (Doctrine and Covenants 87:2). It seemed like this prophecy would be fulfilled very soon.

But then it wasn’t. Within a few weeks, South Carolina and the United States government reached a compromise, and war was averted. Prophecy, however, is not always fulfilled at the time or in the way we expect. Nearly 30 years later, long after Joseph Smith was martyred, South Carolina rebelled and civil war followed. Today, war throughout the world continues to cause “the earth [to] mourn” (Doctrine and Covenants 87:6). The value of this revelation is less in predicting when calamity will come and more in teaching what to do when it comes. The counsel is the same in 1831, 1861, and 2025: “Stand ye in holy places, and be not moved” (verse 8).

Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Kirtland, Ohio, September 22 and 23, 1832. During the month of September, elders had begun to return from their missions in the eastern states and to make reports of their labors. It was while they were together in this season of joy that the following communication was received. The Prophet designated it a revelation on priesthood.