Lesson 9

“The Only True and Living Church”

“Lesson 9: ‘The Only True and Living Church’” Doctrine and Covenants and Church History Class Member Study Guide (1999)


After the Book of Mormon was published and the priesthood was restored, the next major step in the restoration of the gospel was the formal organization of the Church. Doctrine and Covenants 20 contains instructions from the Lord to Joseph Smith about organizing the Church.

  • On what date was the Church organized in this dispensation? (See D&C 20:1; 21:3.)

  • Read D&C 20:68–69. What do these verses reveal about the Lord’s expectations of us as Church members?

  • How might your life be different if the Church had not been restored or if you were not a member of the Church? What can you do to more fully enjoy the blessings of membership in the Church?

Scripture Chain: Prophecies of the Restoration of the Lord’s Church

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