D&C 1:6

Behold, this is mine authority, and the authority of my servants, and my preface unto the book of my commandments, which I have given them to publish unto you, O inhabitants of the earth. D&C 1:6

Doctrine and Covenants 1 is the Lord’s preface to his latter-day commandments. A preface often alerts the reader to the significant points that will be covered and summarizes the important issues that will be raised. In a revelation given 1 November 1831, the Savior describes the state of things in the days of Joseph Smith (a time when the fulness of the gospel had not yet been made known), as well as the plight of humanity because individuals had chosen uninspired paths to happiness. It also contains the Lord’s prescription for a generation that now wanders in darkness – the call of a modern prophet, the teachings that flow through him, and the blessings that accrue to those who heed the prophetic word. (Robert L. Millet and Lloyd D. Newell. Draw Near Unto Me: Daily Reflections on the Doctrine and Covenants. 5)