Come, Follow Me Daily Study Guide for the week of January 6-12, covering 1 Nephi 1-7. For personal and/or family study of the scriptures, geared towards 8 years old and older. 

I Did Obey the Voice of the Spirit by Walter Rane and Lehi Traveling Near the Red Sea by Gary Smith, images used for educational purposes

*This is a suggested outline that coincides with the Come, Follow Me manual. There is not just one right way when it comes to studying the scriptures. Everyone should study in a way that is best for them, but I do hope that you find these outlines helpful.

**I highly suggest getting a scripture journal. Throughout the year there will be several times that I will suggest jotting something down in your scripture journal. These are also great for writing down any impressions or “Aha” moments that you might have as you study the scriptures. 

 

FHE DAY

Start the week off right with a Family Home Evening that introduces what you’ll be studying during the week. Sign up for the Teach Me FHE email group and receive an FHE outline delivered right to your inbox every Sunday morning. Sign up at the bottom of this post. 

 

2 Things I Can Do to Help Me Have Faith in Keeping His Commandments  

SONG

Primary Song: Keep the Commandments pg 146

BACKGROUND

When Laman and Lemuel felt like murmuring, they usually had Nephi and Lehi nearby to encourage and admonish them. When we feel like murmuring, reading the words of Nephi and Lehi can provide valuable counsel and perspective. (CFM, pg 7)  

SCRIPTURE/MINI LESSON

There are 2 things we can do to help us to have faith as we try to keep the commandments of God. They are:

1. Remember the works of God
2. Live as if 

REMEMBER THE WORKS OF GOD

READ: Read the following examples of Nephi remembering the works of God. After each set of scripture verses, point out which works of God that Nephi remembers. 

1 Nephi 4:1-3 and 1 Nephi 7:6-12

DISCUSS:  Why do you think remembering the works of God can help you in keeping God’s commandments?  

ACTIVITY: HOW GOOD IS YOUR MEMORY?

It is important that we remember the blessings of God, but the question is, how good is your memory? Watch the following 2 minute VIDEO and keep track of how many questions you answer correctly, click HERE

None of us have perfect memories. Even if you aced the memory test, can you remember where you were or what you did 2 days ago? 2 months ago? 2 years ago? That’s why it is important that we record our spiritual experiences so that we can always remember them.    

LIVE AS IF 

When Sariah experienced a trial of faith when her sons had not yet returned from obtaining the plates of brass, Lehi comforted her with the following words: Read 1 Nephi 5: 4-5

Notice that Lehi said “I have obtained a land of promise, in the which things I do rejoice,” this was 8 years before they made it to the Promised Land.  

There are other examples of positive thinkers in the scriptures as well, read Jarom 1:11 (“Look forward unto the Messiah, and believe in him to come as though he already was”) or Mosiah 3:13 (“even as though he had already come among them”). The Lord wants us to have faith and live as if. 

QUOTE BY JEFFREY R. HOLLAND:

“God is eagerly waiting for the chance to answer your prayers and fulfill your dreams, just as He always has. But He can’t if you don’t pray, and He can’t if you don’t dream. In short, He can’t if you don’t believe.” 

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES (optional)

VIDEO FOR YOUTH: Blessed and Happy Are Those Who Keep the Commandments of God (5:42)
VIDEO FOR YOUTH: Consider the Blessings (1:02)
VIDEO: O Remember, Remember (1:27)
VIDEO: Click for Moms, Looking for the Positive by Hilary Weeks (5:37)
ARTICLE FOR YOUTH: 5 Blessings that Come from Remembering the Savior
CONFERENCE TALK: Recognizing God’s Hand in Our Daily Blessings by Elder D. Todd Christofferson
CONFERENCE TALK: Learning to Recognize Answers to Prayer by Richard G. Scott

 

I WILL GO AND DO 

SONG

Primary Song Nephi’s Courage pg 120, Video with Lyrics click HERE
OR
Watch Go and Do: 2020 Youth Theme Music Video (4:29), Click HERE

SCRIPTURE ACTIVITY

See how well you and your family can retell or act out the story of Nephi and his brothers returning to get the brass plates from Laban that can be found in 1 Nephi chapters 3 & 4. Can you do it without looking at your scriptures? If you choose to retell the story, you may go around in a circle and have each person tell a part of the story.

*If you prefer watching a video of the story, click HERE (4:28)

MINI LESSON

What was the difference between the attitude of Nephi and Sam compared to the attitude of Laman and Lemuel?

*(Optional) Divide up into two groups, each reading a set of scriptures below and writing down their answers and then share and discuss what they found.

1. Read 1 Nephi 2:11-14 and write down clues as to why Laman and Lemuel responded negatively to the Lord’s command. (Answers should include their focus on riches and they did not know God)

2. Read 1 Nephi 2: 16-20 and write down why Nephi and Sam were more ready to obey the Lord. (Answers should include a desire to know God, prayed, believed, and had faith)

DISCUSS: Discuss the differences that were found. What can we learn from these differences? Are there times that we are sometimes more like Laman and Lemuel than Nephi and Sam? 

SHARE: The Parable of Nephi and Netflix (Taken from The User-Friendly Book of Mormon by Marilyn Green Faulkner)

The story of Nephi going back to Jerusalem to get the brass plates is inspiring on the surface because of his faith and courage. But it also lends itself to interpretation as a parable.

If I am Nephi trying to bring the scriptures into my life, who or what might my Laban be? Who or what do I have to “kill” to make the scriptures mine? My “Laban” may be too much TV, time at the gym, or work. My “Laban” may be too much socializing and not enough personal time. Whatever is keeping me from the scriptures must be eliminated.

To be victorious over the adversary, we may need to take the Sword of Laban and cut the cable cord. The moral of the story? It is better that one Netflix series go unwatched than a whole soul perish in unbelief!

PONDER & DISCUSS

What can I “kill” to make the scriptures mine? (Discuss out loud and/or write your answer in your scripture journal)

MUSIC VIDEO: I Will Be What I Believe, click HERE

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES (optional)

NEW ERA: The Youth’s new theme for 2020 is Go and Do. This month’s issue of the New Era has many great resources introducing this theme. This week would be a great time to discuss and explore the new theme and resources. Be sure and check out pg 18 of the New Era where it tells about music, graphics, and the new app!
CONFERENCE TALK: Three Sisters by Dieter Uchtdorf
SCRIPTURE: Make a goal this week to memorize 1 Nephi 3:7, perhaps reward yourself with a treat once it’s memorized
ACTIVITY: Courageous Hot Potatoe -When Nephi’s brothers Laman and Lemuel complained that the Lord required hard things, Nephi said he would “go and do” whatever the Lord commanded. Have everyone sit in a circle. Give someone a small, soft object (beanbag, tennis ball, balled-up sock, etc.). Play “Nephi’s Courage” on the Sacred Music app (no. 120 in the Children’s Songbook) while family members pass the object around the circle. Pause the music at a random moment. Whoever is holding the object when the music stops will explain one faithful act they will “go and do” this week. Discussion: What are some things the Lord has asked us to do that seem hard? How can we be more faithful in our responses to those commandments? (Ensign, Jan 2020)

 

FRANKLY FORGIVE

SONG

Hymn Lord I Would Follow Thee  pg 220 – Video with lyrics click HERE

BACKGROUND

In 1 Nephi chapter 7, Lehi takes care of a really big problem. The family will eventually end up in the Americas and their sons need wives. So Lehi sends his sons back to Jerusalem again to ask a man named Ishmael to bring his family and join them on their journey. Ishmael and his family agree to come. (As a side note, you may notice how this time Laman and Lemuel do not complain at all!)

SCRIPTURE/MINI LESSON

After Nephi and his brothers have convinced Ishmael and his family to go with them, it didn’t take long on their journey back to Lehi and Sariah that Lamen and Lemuel begin to complain. This time some of Ishmael’s children join in with murmuring as well because they wanted to go back home to Jerusalem.

Nephi scolds them and then kindly and gently invites them to exercise faith in the Lord. But it doesn’t seem to be enough. 

READ AND DISCUSS: Read 1 Nephi 7:16 to find out what Laman and Lemuel’s reaction was when Nephi invited them to exercise faith in the Lord. 

QUOTE: According to Hugh Nibley, this was actually a common practice in the desert if you wanted to get rid of someone you didn’t like. “You won’t kill a person; that’s murder. But if you tie him up and just leave him there, you don’t have to worry. Let the animals carry it out. That’s a custom you read about in the Arab poets, etc” (Hugh Nibley, Teachings of the Book of Mormon, 1:169).

Faithful Nephi prayed to the Lord and was given strength to break the cords that they had tied him up with. That makes Laman and Lemuel even more angry – which also shows just how far gone spiritually the brothers had to of been to do what they did next after seeing Nephi break the cords because of his faith and prayer. 

READ AND DISCUSS: Read 1 Nephi 7: 19 and discuss what Laman and Lemuel wanted to do next and what caused them to spare Nephi’s life.

QUOTE: Another quote by Hugh Nibley says, “All that saved Nephi’s life on one occasion was the pleading of a daughter of Ishmael and her mother – another authentic touch, since the proud Semite may yield only to the entreaties of a woman without losing face” (Hugh Nibley, Teachings of the Book of Mormon, 1:169). 

It was an ancient act of chivalry for men to yield to the pleas of women. 

GREATEST LESSON WE CAN LEARN

One of the greatest lessons we learn from this experience is from Nephi’s response after his brothers plead for his forgiveness. 

READ AND DISCUSS: Read Nephi’s response in 1 Nephi 7:21. 

Nephi’s example of frankly forgiving his brothers…is one of the greatest examples anywhere in the scriptures for showing us how to handle it when others ask us for forgiveness. Not only does it help free them from the burden of guilt but it frees us from the greater burden and damage that comes from holding grudges. (Book of Mormon Made Easier for Teens by Ridges)

How is our family blessed when we “frankly forgive” each other?

OBJECT LESSON: Walking Backwards with Our Eyes Shut, click HERE

PONDER & DISCUSS

• Should we frankly forgive others even if they don’t ask for our forgiveness? Why?
• Is there anyone in your life that has wronged you and in your heart you haven’t fully forgave them?
• Who can we turn to and what are some things we can do if we need help frankly forgiving others? 

Discuss your answers and/or write them down in your scripture journal. 

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES (optional)

QUOTE: In Book of Mormon Made Easier for Teens by David J. Ridges it states: We note that there are five who need wives – namely, Laman, Lemuel, Sam, Nephi, and Zoram. Ishmael’s family has five unmarried daughters plus two married sons and their families. Also, we are given to understand that Ishmael’s two sons had married into Lehi’s family. Apostle Erastus Snow said that Joseph Smith said that this was the case. From this we would gather that Lehi and Sariah had two older daughters, and that they had married Ishmael’s sons and already had families of their own.
NEW ERA ARTICLE: Lehi’s Family Tree
LDSLIVING ARTICLE: 5 Things You Didn’t Know About Lehi’s Family
BOOK OF MORMON VIDEO:The Lord Delivers Nephi from his Rebellious Brothers (7:02)
PODCAST: Love Thy Enemies
OLD SAYING: Holding on to anger is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.
BLOG POST: I Did Frankly Forgive Them
CONFERENCE TALK:Forgiveness by Gordon B. Hinckley
CONFERENCE TALK: The Healing Power of Forgiveness by James E. Faust
BYU SPEECH: On Measuring Flour and Forgiveness by Madison U. Sowell

 

GENERAL CONFERENCE DAY

Study a recent General Conference talk. A great way to study a conference talk is to have your own conference issue of the Ensign and a highlighter. Listen to the talk and as you listen, highlight the part(s) that stands out to you. Then after the talk, review and/or share and discuss what you have highlighted.   

THIS WEEK’S TALK: Unwavering Commitment to Jesus Christ by Elder Dale G. Renlund, Click HERE

SUMMARY: More than a century ago, many in Congo worshiped inanimate objects. After their conversion to Christianity, some would intentionally make a pilgrimage to throw these objects into the churning waters of a massive waterfall, where the items became unrecognizable. “These actions were a token of a new, but unwavering, commitment to Jesus Christ.” Similarly, in the Book of Mormon the Anti-Nephi-Lehies “laid down the weapons of their rebellion,” burying them “deep in the earth” as “a testimony to God … that they never would use (their) weapons again.” “Being ‘converted unto the Lord’ means leaving one course of action, directed by an old belief system, and adopting a new one based on faith in Heavenly Father’s plan and in Jesus Christ and His Atonement.” As faith in Jesus Christ grows, God invites individuals to make promises, or covenants, with Him. Covenants anchor individuals to the Savior and propel them along the path that leads to their heavenly home. Commit to a lifelong process of discipleship. “Make and keep covenants. Throw your old ways into deep, churning waterfalls. Completely bury your weapons of rebellion with no handles sticking out. Because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, making covenants with a real intent to reliably honor them will bless your life forever.”

*For a list of discussion questions that go along with this talk, check out these from Chicken Scratch n Sniff by Clicking HERE

 

CATCH UP DAYS

Do one of the days that you missed OR any of the additional resources listed.

Yours Truly,

P.S. For more Come, Follow Me resources, check out my post Your Ultimate Guide to Come, Follow Me. It lists over 100 Come, Follow Me resources that are available online starting with the church’s resources at the top. You can find it by clicking HERE. 

P.P.S. Sign up here for the Teach Me FHE email group and receive FHE outlines delivered right to your inbox every Sunday morning. 

 

 

 

 

 

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