Doctrine and Covenants 67:3

President Thomas S. Monson:

“Remember that faith and doubt cannot exist in the same mind at the same time, for one will dispel the other. Cast out doubt. Cultivate faith” (“The Call to Serve,” Ensign, Nov. 2000, 49).

Doctrine and Covenants 67:5

Elder Neal A. Maxwell:

“Imperfect people are, in fact, called by our perfect Lord to assist in His work. The Lord declared to certain associates of Joseph Smith that He knew that they had observed Joseph’s minor imperfections. Even so, the Lord then testified that the revelations given through the Prophet were true! (See D&C 67:5, 9.)

“Unsurprisingly, therefore, we do notice each other’s weaknesses. But we should not celebrate them. Let us be grateful for the small strides that we and others make, rather than rejoice in the shortfalls. And when mistakes occur, let them become instructive, not destructive.

“I cherish these generous lines from that very able, but very humble, prophet-editor Moroni:

“‘Condemn me not because of mine imperfection, neither my father, because of his imperfection, neither them who have written before him; but rather give thanks unto God that he hath made manifest unto you our imperfections, that ye may learn to be more wise than we have been.’ (Morm. 9:31; italics added.)

“If such is our attitude, we are far less likely to be offended.

“Besides, if the choice is between reforming other Church members or ourselves, is there really any question about where we should begin? The key is to have our eyes wide open to our own faults and partially closed to the faults of others—not the other way around! The imperfections of others never release us from the need to work on our own shortcomings” (“A Brother Offended,” Ensign, May 1982, 38–39).

Doctrine and Covenants 67:6–9

“William E. M’Lellin, as the wisest man, in his own estimation, having more learning than sense, endeavored to write a commandment like unto one of the least of the Lord’s, but failed; it is an awful responsibility to write in the name of the Lord. The Elders and all present that witnessed this vain attempt of a man to imitate the language of Jesus Christ, renewed their faith in the fulness of the Gospel, and in the truth of the commandments and revelations which the Lord had given to the Church through my instrumentality; and the Elders signified a willingness to bear testimony of their truth to all the world” (in History of the Church, 1:226).

Doctrine and Covenants 67:10–14

Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf:

“In the 1960s, a professor at Stanford University began a modest experiment testing the willpower of four-year-old children. He placed before them a large marshmallow and then told them they could eat it right away or, if they waited for 15 minutes, they could have two marshmallows.

“He then left the children alone and watched what happened behind a two-way mirror. Some of the children ate the marshmallow immediately; some could wait only a few minutes before giving in to temptation. Only 30 percent were able to wait” (“Continue in Patience,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2010, 56).

“As time went on, [the professor] kept track of the children and began to notice an interesting correlation: the children who could not wait struggled later in life and had more behavioral problems, while those who waited tended to be more positive and better motivated, have higher grades and incomes, and have healthier relationships.

“… The ability to wait—to be patient—was a key character trait that might predict later success in life. …

“… Without patience, we cannot please God; we cannot become perfect. Indeed, patience is a purifying process that refines understanding, deepens happiness, focuses action, and offers hope for peace” (“Continue in Patience,” 56).

Doctrine and Covenants 68:3–4

President J. Reuben Clark:

“[We] should [bear] in mind that some of the General Authorities have had assigned to them a special calling; they possess a special gift; they are sustained as prophets, seers, and revelators, which gives them a special spiritual endowment in connection with their teaching of the people. They have the right, the power, and authority to declare the mind and will of God to his people, subject to the over-all power and authority of the President of the Church. Others of the General Authorities are not given this special spiritual endowment and authority covering their teaching; they have a resulting limitation, and the resulting limitation upon their power and authority in teaching applies to every other officer and member of the Church, for none of them is spiritually endowed as a prophet, seer, and revelator. Furthermore, as just indicated, the President of the Church has a further and special spiritual endowment in this respect, for he is the Prophet, Seer, and Revelator for the whole Church” (“When Are Church Leaders’ Words Entitled to Claim of Scripture?” Church News, July 31, 1954, 9–10).

Elder D. Todd Christofferson:

“It should be remembered that not every statement made by a Church leader, past or present, necessarily constitutes doctrine. It is commonly understood in the Church that a statement made by one leader on a single occasion often represents a personal, though well-considered, opinion, not meant to be official or binding for the whole Church. The Prophet Joseph Smith taught that ‘a prophet [is] a prophet only when he [is] acting as such’ [in History of the Church, 5:265]. President [J. Reuben] Clark … observed: …

“‘… The Church will know by the testimony of the Holy Ghost in the body of the members, whether the brethren in voicing their views are “moved upon by the Holy Ghost”; and in due time that knowledge will be made manifest’ [J. Reuben Clark Jr., “When Are Church Leaders’ Words Entitled to Claim of Scripture?” Church News, July 31, 1954, 10.]” (“The Doctrine of Christ,” Ensign orLiahona, May 2012, 88, 89).

Doctrine and Covenants 68:15–20

Verses 15–20 contain instructions concerning literal descendants of Aaron who may be called as Presiding Bishop. The phrase “literal descendant of Aaron” refers to descendants of Moses’s brother Aaron in the Old Testament. Such a descendant would have a right to the office of Presiding Bishop if he is called and approved by the First Presidency. Verses 16–20 pertain only to the Presiding Bishop, not to bishops of wards (see Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, comp. Bruce R. McConkie, 3 vols. [1954–56], 3:92–93). Early Church literature often referred to Bishop Partridge as the Presiding Bishop. The responsibilities of the Presiding Bishop developed and changed over the next several years. Under the direction of President Brigham Young, the responsibilities of the Presiding Bishop were clarified more fully in 1847 at Winter Quarters, with Bishop Newel K. Whitney receiving that calling.

You may want to explain that in the early days of the Church, members of the First Presidency ordained and set apart all bishops. In the Church today, this is still true for the Presiding Bishop. However, the calling, ordaining, and setting apart of bishops is conducted by stake presidents under the direction of the First Presidency. A stake president, with support from his counselors in the stake presidency, seeks revelation to know when to call a new bishop and whom to call. He sends his recommendation to the First Presidency for approval. When the First Presidency approves the calling, they authorize the stake president to ordain and set apart the new bishop. (For more information, see Handbook 2: Administering the Church [2010], 19.6.)

Doctrine and Covenants 68:15–21

President Joseph Fielding Smith:

“The person spoken of in the revelations as having the right by lineage to the bishopric is the one who is the firstborn. By virtue of his birth he is entitled to hold ‘the keys or authority of the same.’ This has reference only to the one who presides over the Aaronic Priesthood. It has no reference whatever to bishops of wards. Further, such a one must be designated by the First Presidency of the Church and receive his … ordination under their hands. The revelation comes from the Presidency, not from the patriarch, to establish a claim to the right to preside in this office. In the absence of knowledge concerning such a descendant, any high priest, chosen by the Presidency, may hold the office of Presiding Bishop and serve with counselors” (Doctrines of Salvation, ed. Bruce R. McConkie, 3 vols. [1954–56], 3:92–93; italics in original).