DC Introduction

I do not remember ever reading the introduction of the Doctrine and Covenants. I'm glad I read it! Here are a few things that popped out to me:

• That the DC is mainly directed to the members of The Chruch of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but is also for all mankind so they can "hear the voice of the Lord Jesus Christ speaking to them for their temporal well-being and their everlasting salvation." There are many revelations that I can think of that seem to be common sense goodness, but it will be interesting to read the DC with a non-LDS perspective in mind.


• This is the only book of scripture that is not a translation.


• I enjoyed the list of fundamental doctrines in paragraph 8.


• The last line in the introduction reads that we should "understand and rejoice in the messages of the Lord." I thought about some of the messages. Some are very loving, but it seems that the majority of them belong in the "tough love" category. I look forward to thinking more about this "tough love" as I read through the DC. I wonder sometimes that I tend to crave just straight love and sympathy, but really what I need is maybe a little rebuke and direction. Hmmmm.

Curiosity pique: the introduction explains a few of the literary changes and references the name changes starting in 78. Here is the explanation of name changes, which is in the heading of section 78.

Happy New Year! Welcome 2009!

Week 1, Introductions

If you've read nothing on this blog, read the post below this one for an explanation.

Week one begins with Section one in the Doctrine and Covanants (hereto referred to as DC, I just can't do D&C). If I can, I will post the links to the reading. If there are multiple readings, I will post the link to the Sunday School Study Guide which already includes all of the links. I've included the link to the Sunday School Guide, just so you can take a look at it. It has some other commentary, which is usually a very small portion of the commentary from the teacher's manual.

Sunday School Study Guide

Dec 31st and Jan 1st: Introduction to the DC

Jan 2nd : Introduction to "Our Heritage"

Jan 3rd: DC 1


As I mentioned in my original post, this is not meant as something to hold over our heads and provide yet another venue for guilt. If you can read for the day, great, if you can't, move to the next day or the next. The great thing about the Doctrine and Covenants is that there is not a real story line, just doctrine, so it will be easy to enter conversations throughout the year.

Another iron in the fire

When I was young, I used to have a school for the neighborhood kids. I made up worksheets like mazes and simple addition and dot-to-dots for the kids. I don't know what gave me the idea that I could actually handle it all, but I did it and at the very least the neighborhood parents enjoyed their children being supervised by a nine-year old (which in today's standards could be reported to Child Protective Services probably). I have always been like this. Starting some big project, teaching something, figuring that if I have a need, someone else might too. I don't report this as a boast, but just an admittance that I'm this way and I've decided to embrace it. We all have our different notes to play on, this is one of mine I suppose. Read on.

Last year at this time I was reading a blog that I frequent, which directed me to another blog called Engage the Journey. When I clicked on the link I discovered that it was a year long Bible study and for some reason I really felt like I should do it. So, I started a chronological reading of the Bible and participated in almost daily discussions of the reading. The blogger kept a calendar for the readers to keep up with and made a general post for the reading of the day. I enjoyed contributing my thoughts on readings and did so regularly until school started in the fall. I learned a lot by reading the Old Testament, which I hadn't done since Seminary, and feel greatly enriched by the experience. The blog went on to read the New Testament as well, but I couldn't keep up through the fall busy-ness. I'm just now finishing the Old Testament.

During this experience, it occured to me, through converstation with some of my friends that perhaps other people might benefit from this, within the LDS realm. There are those who just need a little push, those who need a little accountability, those who need a schedule (me), those who need it at their fingertips and those who really want to talk about what they read but lack time, a person to talk to or have a calling that keeps them away from Sunday School. So, I thought I might start a blog that coincides with the Sunday School reading for the year. We are reading the Doctrine and Covenants this year, with a supportive book "Our Heritage." It is my intent to post the readings a week at a time, as well as links to all of the readings, so my blog/computer addicted friends can look it up quickly. I thought about dividing the readings out day by day, but some weeks have very short readings. So I think I will do it like this:

Every Sunday I will post the break-up for the week and I will post a daily blog for each reading (this is mostly for my benefit, as I will be able to journal my thoughts - at least the ones I can share on-line). Some weeks will have daily readings, some weeks will only have a few days of readings that follow the SS lessons. I will not have a sign-up sheet or anything and even if you decide to start and then stop or comment and then never comment again, I will still look you in the eye and be your friend, so don't feel like you can't look me in the eye if you decide not to join in. It may very well be that I will be the only one interested in my little project, but like I said above, if I need this, maybe someone else out there needs it too. Feel free to invite whoever you think might need it. Please write comments about what you read and your insights, so we can all learn together. This blog is not a substitute for Sunday School, just something to get us reading and then commenting to help us remember what we read.

Happy reading!