D&C 111-114 - More Treasures than One

Oct 5, 2025

Dive into the intriguing quest for treasure by Joseph Smith and his counselors in Salem, driven by Church debt. Explore how God transformed their pursuit of wealth into a profound lesson about spiritual riches, emphasizing the importance of souls and ancestry. Discover a powerful message of humility directed at Thomas B. Marsh, urging him to embrace love for all. Uncover revelations about Isaiah's messianic imagery, including Christ’s role and the significance of priesthood authority in gathering Israel. Reflect on the Church's principles of leadership succession.

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ADVICE

Manage Debt With Patience And Diligence

Concern your debts but avoid get-rich-quick schemes; act with humility and diligence to repay obligations.
Focus on patient, faithful steps while trusting God to provide means to pay debts.

INSIGHT

Partial Love Reveals Hidden Pride

Partiality in love is a subtle form of pride that leaders must guard against.
True leadership requires impartial, whole-hearted love for all, not conditional favoritism.

ANECDOTE

Snow Lesson That Stuck With Kids

Jared recalls his father's extreme family-home-evening lesson using barefoot snow to teach pioneers' sacrifice.
The kids rushed back to a roaring fire, making the lesson memorable and effective.

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Joseph Smith and his counselors were deep in debt, so they went searching for buried treasure in Salem, Massachusetts, leading to one of the most remarkable sections of the Doctrine and Covenants! Did God really approve of their "follies," and what did they find that was "more treasures than one"?

SUMMARY: Join us as we explore D&C 111–114, covering a pivotal and often misunderstood moment in early Church history and the profound doctrinal answers God gave in response to conflict and confusion.

D&C 111 | The Salem Trip: We analyze the search for wealth to settle Church debt, the warning against "get-rich-quick" schemes , and the Lord’s promise to Joseph Smith: "I have much treasure in this city for you" , shifting the focus from temporal silver to the spiritual treasure of souls and ancestry.

D&C 112 | The Quorum of the Twelve: The Lord speaks directly to Thomas B. Marsh, President of the Twelve, to address "some few things in thine heart". The revelation is a powerful call to humility, urging him to "Be not partial" and let his "love abound unto all men". This section also outlines the authority given to the Twelve to "unlock the door of the kingdom" in the Dispensation of the Fulness of Times.

D&C 113 | Q&A on Isaiah: Joseph Smith seeks clarity on Isaiah 11. The Lord reveals that the "Stem of Jesse" is Christ , and the "Rod" that comes from it is a servant in the hands of Christ—identified as Joseph Smith. We also discuss what it means for Zion to "put on thy strength" (priesthood authority) and loose the "bands of her neck".

D&C 114 | Taking the Opportunity: In a stark warning against apostasy , the Lord calls David W. Patten to "settle up all his business" for a mission. The revelation teaches a critical principle: if leaders deny the Lord, others "shall be planted in their stead and receive their bishopric".

CALL-TO-ACTION: Which of these four sections spoke most powerfully to you? Was it the call to patience with debt, the need for humility in leadership, the promised keys for the gathering, or the warning to take the "lifetime of an opportunity"? Let us know in the comments below! If you're studying the Doctrine and Covenants, hit the like button and subscribe for more deep dives into the scriptures.

Chapter Timestamps:

0:00 Introduction

6:36 Get Rich Quick

18:14 Playing Favorites

31:03 Opening the Door

44:51 The Last Dispensation

55:28 Jesus Christ & Joseph Smith

1:12:12 Getting In on the Action

1:18:08 The Lifetime of an Opportunity

1:28:41 One-Liners