The Come Follow Me study for 2025 has been the Doctrine and Covenants.1 I finished the last section of the Doctrine and Covenants on October 2, 2025. This post contains a summary, or overview, of the notes I took while studying the Doctrine and Covenants this year.
My process
This post is very much like the posts I wrote for my Book of Mormon 2024 study,2 and my study of the April 2025 General Conference.3
I have described my process in those prior posts, but I’ll briefly mention it here. When beginning the standard works, I take some time to decide on a marking system that helps me focus on a particular topic. For this recent study of the standard works (beginning with the Book of Mormon in 2024), I’m using the missionary lessons from the Preach My Gospel.4 I have “Journal Editions” of the scriptures, which have thicker pages and wider margins. When I read a passage that I want to mark, I have to determine which color to use. That process helps me to think about those four missionary lessons: in order to determine which color to use, I have to think about how the scripture I’m going to mark relates to the doctrine taught in those four missionary lessons.
I love writing notes in the margins, including references to other scriptures that I think relate to what I’m reading. Once I finished my study of the Doctrine and Covenants, I went through the whole book and wrote down all the notes that I had made in the margins. I didn’t write down all my highlights, just my handwritten notes.
Then, similar to my recent General Conference post, I asked Copilot (Microsoft’s AI) to review my notes and identify common themes. With my Book of Mormon post, I went through all my notes and organized them myself, so using AI to organize my Doctrine and Covenants notes seems a bit like cheating. However, using AI to organize my notes is fascinating, as it’s like a third party giving me feedback. It has helped me realize a few things about my study, given me a different perspective of what I’ve learned this year, and has caused me to think about how I can improve my study.
Feast upon the words of Christ
The most powerful experiences we can have as we study the scriptures are found as we seek guidance from the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost will guide our thoughts, help us think of relevant and meaningful questions, and encourage us to continue searching to find answers. As we study the scriptures under the influence of the Holy Ghost, we have a personal guide to teach, correct, encourage, and answer our questions.
One of the scriptures that has had the most influence on me is 2 Nephi 32:1-3. In these verses, Nephi encourages us to “feast upon the words of Christ.” We so often talk about that as feasting upon the scriptures, but as I have pondered these verses, I believe Nephi is telling us to feast upon the words of Christ that come to us through the Holy Ghost.
In 2 Nephi 31, we read Nephi teaching about the doctrine of Christ, and he frequently teaches about the role of the Holy Ghost:
- “[A]fter [the Lamb of God] was baptized with water the Holy Ghost descended upon him in the form of a dove.” 2 Nephi 31:8.
- “[T]he voice of the Son came unto me, saying: He that is baptized in my name, to him will the Father give the Holy Ghost, like unto me.” 2 Nephi 31:12.
- “[I]f ye shall follow the Son, with full purpose of heart, acting no hypocrisy and no deception before God, but with real intent, repenting of your sins, witnessing unto the Father that ye are willing to take upon you the name of Christ, by baptism—yea, by following your Lord and your Savior down into the water, according to his word, behold, then shall ye receive the Holy Ghost; yea, then cometh the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost; and then can ye speak with the tongue of angels, and shout praises unto the Holy One of Israel.” 2 Nephi 31:13.
- “[T]he gate by which ye should enter is repentance and baptism by water; and then cometh a remission of your sins by fire and by the Holy Ghost.” 2 Nephi 31:17.
- “[T]hen are ye in this strait and narrow path which leads to eternal life; yea, ye have entered in by the gate; ye have done according to the commandments of the Father and the Son; and ye have received the Holy Ghost, which witnesses of the Father and the Son, unto the fulfilling of the promise which he hath made, that if ye entered in by the way ye should receive.” 2 Nephi 31:18.
- “Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.” 2 Nephi 31:20.
In this remarkable sermon, Nephi teaches us the significant role of the Holy Ghost in the doctrine of Christ. As we begin the next chapter, we see that Nephi’s people have questions about what needs to be done after baptism:
And now, behold, my beloved brethren, I suppose that ye ponder somewhat in your hearts concerning that which ye should do after ye have entered in by the way. But, behold, why do ye ponder these things in your hearts?
Do ye not remember that I said unto you that after ye had received the Holy Ghost ye could speak with the tongue of angels? And now, how could ye speak with the tongue of angels save it were by the Holy Ghost?
Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, they speak the words of Christ. Wherefore, I said unto you, feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do.5
In the context of these verses, Nephi is encouraging his people to feast upon the words of Christ that come to them through the Holy Ghost. Several years ago, I had an experience in my personal study that helped me see how the Spirit can teach us in very personal and specific ways as we study the scriptures.
I was contemplating changing jobs. As I wrestled with that decision, one day I was reading Doctrine and Covenants 111. That revelation came as Joseph and others were in Salem, Massachusetts, looking for funds to help the poverty-stricken Church. But the trip didn’t turn out as they had hoped, and Joseph didn’t understand what they were doing there. In this revelation, the Lord said to Joseph, “Concern not yourselves about your debts, for I will give you power to pay them. . . . Tarry in this place, and in the regions round about; And the place where it is my will that you should tarry, for the main, shall be signalized unto you by the peace and power of my Spirit, that shall flow unto you.” (D&C 111:5-8).
As I read those verses, worrying and thinking about possibly changing jobs, I read those words differently. When I read, “tarry in this place,” it was as if the words rose off the page. I knew that the Holy Ghost was instructing me to “tarry,” or stay at my job. Throughout my life I had often struggled to recognize and understand the Holy Ghost, but in that moment, I knew what the Holy Ghost was prompting me to do. It brought me a tremendous amount of peace, and the courage to turn down the other job and stay where I was.
That experience helped me think differently about Nephi’s counsel to “feast upon the words of Christ.” On the surface, the scriptures are just words on a page. But as we seek the guidance of the Holy Ghost, we open ourselves to the guidance and teachings of the perfect tutor.
That’s why my notes in my scriptures are so meaningful for me. They represent what I believe to be inspiration by the Holy Ghost, condescending to teach me in a very personal way. In other words, my notes show me what the Lord is trying to teach me, and I believe they help me have a broader perspective of what I have needed to learn over the course of almost a full year.
Summaries and patterns from my notes, organized by AI
As a reminder, these doctrines, principles, and scripture references come from my notes. They’re what I noticed and commented on in my scriptures throughout 2025. Also, this is not all of my notes. As I’ve gone through the AI outline, I’ve been surprised at what has been left out. However, it’s a good sample.
Revelation and the Pattern of Receiving Guidance
Revelation is both personal and prophetic. The Lord invites all to “ask in faith” (D&C 8:1), promising to speak “in your mind and in your heart” (D&C 8:2). The process is active: “study it out in your mind; then…ask” (D&C 9:8). The Spirit leads to do good, enlightens the mind, and fills with joy (D&C 11:13).
The Lord’s house is a house of order; revelation for the Church comes through appointed prophets (D&C 28:2, 43:3–4).
Weakness, Humility, and the Lord’s Strength
The Lord calls upon “the weak things of the world” to confound the wise (D&C 1:19, 35:13, 124:1, 133:58).
Chastening is a sign of the Lord’s love (D&C 95:1, 101:4-5, 136:31).
After tribulation come the blessings (D&C 58:4, 103:12).
The Lord’s commandments are blessings, which He gives us to prolong our days and prepare us for deliverance (D&C 5:33, 59:4).
Agency, Accountability, and Conditional Promises
“Men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause…for the power is in them” (D&C 58:27–28). “These things remain with you to do according to judgment and the directions of the Spirit.” (D&C 62:8).
Blessings are predicated on obedience to law, and any blessings from the Lord are conditioned on keeping the commandments associated with that blessing. (D&C 82:10, 93:1, 130:20–21, 132:5, 132:21).
Repentance, Forgiveness, and the Worth of Souls
“The worth of souls is great in the sight of God” (D&C 18:10).
As a result of the fall, Adam “became spiritually dead,” but God “gave unto Adam and his seed, that they should not die as to the temporal death,” until they learned “repentance and redemption, through faith on the name of mine Only Begotten Son.” (D&C 29:41-42, 58:42-43).
The Lord requires us to forgive all men (D&C 64:9–10, 98:39-48).
The Savior’s life and atonement are the central message of His gospel. (D&C 19:16–19, 76:40-42, 109:34).
Little children are redeemed through Christ (D&C 29:46-48, 74:7, 93:38, 137:10).
Unity, Zion, and the Gathering of Israel
“If ye are not one ye are not mine” (D&C 38:27, 41:2, 42:3).
Zion is “the pure in heart” (D&C 97:21).
The Lord gathers His people to holy places (D&C 45:64, 57:1–3, 101:17–21).
The gathering is both spiritual and physical, culminating in the building of Zion and the New Jerusalem (D&C 103:11-20, 133:4-9, 133:32–34).
Priesthood, Keys, and Authority
The priesthood is conferred by one who has authority (D&C 13, 42:11).
Keys are given for the administration of ordinances and the gathering of Israel (D&C 27:12–13, 65:2, 110:11–16).
The Melchizedek Priesthood holds the keys of all spiritual blessings (D&C 84:19–22, 107:8–20, 124:91-95, 124:123-129).
Sacrifice, Endurance, and Chastening
“After much tribulation come the blessings” (D&C 58:4, 103:12).
The Lord chastens those He loves (D&C 95:1, 101:4, 136:31).
Sacrifice is required for sanctification and exaltation (D&C 97:8, 132:50).
Law, Order, and Scriptural Foundation
The Lord’s house is a house of order (D&C 88:119, 132:8).
We are to rely upon the things which have been written in the scriptures (D&C 18:3, 32:4, 42:59).
The law is given for the governance of the Church and the sanctification of the people (D&C 42:2, 58:23, 88:34).
Conclusion
One significant aspect of my study that is lacking in this summary is my study of the historical context of each section. One overarching principle that I see while studying the Doctrine and Covenants is how revelation works. The revelations canonized in the Doctrine and Covenants represent answers to questions. They embody the principle of ask, seek, and knock. I am grateful for the lessons I have learned while studying this great book, and I look forward to moving on to study the Old Testament.6
References
- Come, Follow Me—For Home and Church: Doctrine and Covenants 2025, https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/come-follow-me-for-home-and-church-doctrine-and-covenants-2025?lang=eng. ↩︎
- “Book of Mormon 2024,” https://discoverfaithinchrist.com/book-of-mormon-2024/. ↩︎
- “General Conference April 2025,” https://discoverfaithinchrist.com/general-conference-april-2025/. ↩︎
- Lesson 1, The Message of the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ; Lesson 2, Heavenly Father’s Plan of Salvation; Lesson 3, The Gospel of Jesus Christ; Lesson 4, Becoming Lifelong Disciples of Jesus Christ. See https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/preach-my-gospel-2023?lang=eng. ↩︎
- 2 Nephi 32:1-3. ↩︎
- See Come, Follow Me—For Home and Church: Old Testament 2026, https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/come-follow-me-for-home-and-church-old-testament-2026?lang=eng. ↩︎
