Teachers: The lessons in the manual contain more information than you will probably be able to teach in one class period. Seek the Spirit of the Lord in selecting the scripture accounts, questions, and other lesson materials that best meet the needs of class members.

Basic Resources

• Do you want to see this week's Gospel Doctrine lesson? Lesson 46

• Would you like to see the class member study guide for this week? Lesson 46

• You can read the assigned scriptures for this week online: Daniel 2.

• Do you have an MP3 player? Try downloading Daniel 2. For more Old Testament audio, click here.

Art

The picture in the upper-right corner of this page shows Daniel interpreting King Nebuchadnezzar's dream. This picture may be available in your meetinghouse library. You can also view it online in the Gospel Art Picture Kit, no. 115.

Recent Talks and Articles in Church Magazines

What is the stone that Daniel saw that was cut out of the mountain without hands and that would become a great mountain and would fill the whole earth? Speaking of the First Vision and the restoration of the gospel through the Prophet Joseph Smith, President Gordon B. Hinckley taught: "After centuries of darkness and pain and struggle, the time was ripe for the restoration of the gospel. Ancient prophets had spoken of this long-awaited day. "All of the history of the past had pointed to this season. The centuries with all of their suffering and all their hope had come and gone. The Almighty Judge of the nations, the Living God, determined that the times of which the prophets had spoken had arrived. Daniel had foreseen a stone which was cut out of the mountain without hands and which became a great mountain and filled the whole earth. " 'And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever' (Dan. 2:44)" ("At the Summit of the Ages," Ensign, Nov. 1999, 73).

The 2006 Mutual theme encourages youth to arise and shine forth, to be good examples and thus help build the kingdom of God on earth. The following is an excerpt from a New Era article that discusses the theme: "Now it is our exciting opportunity to 'arise and shine forth, that [our] light may be a standard for the nations.' With testimonies of the restored gospel vibrant and strong, we can now share our feelings, our experiences, and our talents with the world. What a glorious responsibility it is to be shining examples—to share our testimonies of the Restoration by living gospel standards and serving others! "The Savior taught, 'Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven' (Matthew 5:16). Christ is the perfect example. If we truly follow Him, we, too, will be 'lights' to those around us. "The First Presidency has said, 'We have great confidence in you. . . . We pray for each of you. . . . We pray that you will be worthy to carry on the responsibilities of building the kingdom of God and preparing the world for the Second Coming of the Savior' (For the Strength of Youth [2001], 2–3). "We are grateful for valiant youth who show their love for the Savior by letting His light shine forth in their lives. As you follow the Lord and live the standards He has given us, you will experience joy and happiness. And the example you set will bless the world. "We love you. We pray for you. We bear testimony that the Lord loves you and needs you to help build His kingdom. You can be a light that dispels darkness, revealing by your example the path to celestial glory in the kingdom of God. 'Arise and shine forth,' that the Spirit of the Lord may continue to bear witness of the Restoration of the gospel through you" ("2006 Mutual Theme: Arise and Shine Forth," New Era, Jan. 2006, 7). Download or listen to this article online in MP3 format.

Music

The hymns "The Morning Breaks" (no. 1) and "Battle Hymn of the Republic" (no. 60) relate to this week's lesson. You could read the words from one of the hymns in class or have your class sing the hymn together.

Additional Helps

• You may want to read the Prophet Joseph Smith's prayer recorded in D&C 65:1–6, especially verses 2, 5, and 6, and relate it to the lesson.

• You could ask the students to share what events they have witnessed that indicate that the stone is rolling forth and filling the whole earth.

• You may want to read President Spencer W. Kimball's general conference address from April 1976 ("The Stone Cut without Hands," Ensign, May 1976, 4–9), which provides excellent background information for this lesson.

Historical Context

• Because Daniel spent so many years in exile in Babylon, it is understandable that he was so focused on the future, especially the long-range future, and the ultimate glorious destiny of the restored kingdom of God on earth, including the house of Israel. His vision in Daniel 2 of the rise and fall of the great kingdoms of the earth, culminating in the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, reflects his focus on the ultimate triumph of Israel and constitutes one of the most significant prophecies in the Old Testament.

• Also see the Historical Context section from lesson 45.