Come, Follow Me Daily Study Guide for the week of January 13-19, 2020 covering 1 Nephi 8-10. For personal and/or family study of the scriptures, geared towards 8 years old and older.
*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.
INVITING OTHERS TO COME AND PARTAKE OF THE FRUIT
SONG
Primary Song: The Church of Jesus Christ pg 77, Video with Lyrics click HERE
BACKGROUND/SCRIPTURE
Can you think of a time when you have received some really exciting news and wanted to share it with your family and friends?
It’s natural to want to share something that makes you happy with those you love. That’s exactly what Lehi wanted to do when he partook of the fruit from The Tree of Life.
Read: 1 Nephi 8:10-16
Just as Lehi wanted to invite his family to come closer to Jesus Christ and feel the sweetness of His love, who could you invite? Be thinking about this as we discuss 2 ways that we can “beckon” others to come unto Christ.
MINI LESSON
(This lesson was adapted from The Family History Guide )
TWO WAYS TO INVITE OTHERS TO COME UNTO CHRIST
- SHARE YOUR TESTIMONY ONLINE
VIDEO: Good Things to Share (2:21), click HERE
QUOTE BY ELDER BEDNAR: “I believe the time has come for us as disciples of Christ to use these inspired tools appropriately and much more effectively to testify of God the Eternal Father and His plan of happiness for His children, of His Son, Jesus Christ, as the Savior of the world, to proclaim the reality of the Restoration of the gospel in the latter days, and to accomplish the Lord’s work.” (David A. Bednar, BYU Education Week devotional, August 19, 2014)
DISCUSS: What are different ways we can share our testimonies online? (You could share portions of your testimony along with memes, quotes, and church videos on social media. You may want to follow President Nelson and the apostles on Facebook and Instagram.)
- PARTICIPATE IN THE WORK OF SALVATION
VIDEO: The Time is Now by Elder Bednar (3:19), click HERE
As Elder Bednar said, “This is the work of salvation. See, it’s not just indexing. It’s not just researching names. These are people, sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father. We are here to participate in the work of salvation in inviting all of these people to come unto Christ and receive the saving ordinances of the gospel.”
PONDER & DISCUSS
Commit to 2 things you will do this week to 1) use social media to share your testimony and 2) participate in the work of salvation. Write them down in your scripture journal and when you have accomplished them, write down any thoughts, feelings or unexpected experiences you had because of them.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES (optional)
VIDEO: Come and Stay (1:39)
VIDEO: Come and See (1:17)
VIDEO: Come and Help (1:03)
VIDEOS: Social Media Shareable Videos
BLOG POST: Missionary Work NOT Out of Your Comfort Zone
BLOG POST: 16 Painless Ways to Be a Member Missionary
NEW APP: Tree of Life AR
WHY TWO SETS OF PLATES?
SONG
Hymn: The Lord is My Light pg 89
BACKGROUND/SCRIPTURE
(Adapted from Scripture Study for Latter-Day Saint Families: The Book of Mormon)
Prepare Ahead of Time:
Gather 4-5 large dinner plates and 2-3 smaller plates.
Write the following words/phrases on index cards:
- Spiritual matters & ministry and teachings of the prophets
- Secular history of people & some items of major spiritual importance
- These plates
- Other plates
ACTIVITY:
Place a stack of dinner plants (about 4-5) on a table and a stack of smaller plates (2-3) next to it.
What are plates used for?
Nephi used two sets of plates but a very different kind. His plates looked more like this…
A painting depicting gold plates by Jerry Thompson used for educational purposes.
Turn to “A Brief Explanation about the Book of Mormon” in the front of your Book of Mormon and read together item number 1: “The Plates of Nephi.” (On your mobile devices it’s under Introduction and Witnesses in the Book of Mormon)
What do we call the two kinds of plates that Nephi used? (The small plates and the large plates)
What was written on the large plates and the small plates? (*Put the corresponding index cards on the correct stack of plates)
READ: 1 Nephi 9:2-4 *As you read, look for the words “these plates” and “other plates” and underline or highlight them.
Which set of plates do you think the words “these plates” refer to? What about the words “other plates?” (*Put the corresponding index cards on the correct stack of plates – “these plates” on the small stack and “other plates” on the large stack)
MINI LESSON
Have you ever done something, just to be obedient, that didn’t seem to make sense at the time, only to find out the reason later and then you were glad you obeyed? Nephi had a similar experience. He had already made the large plates of Nephi when the Lord wanted him to make the smaller plates. Even though he didn’t know why he needed to make a second set of plates, he still did it.
READ: 1 Nephi 9:5
DISCUSS: What does this tell you about Nephi’s trust in the Lord?
SHARE: Nephi did not know the reason for the second set of plates, but we do.
During the time of translating the Book of Mormon, Joseph Smith reluctantly allowed 116 pages of translation to pass from his custody to that of Martin Harris who had served as his scribe for a brief period of time. Martin Harris then loses those 116 pages which we know were from the translation of the Book of Lehi.
After the loss of the 116 pages, the Lord informed Joseph of changes made to those lost pages by wicked men and that the evil design was to wait for Joseph to retranslate those same pages again and then discredit him with their changes. This wicked purpose had been conceived by Satan and known to the Lord even while Mormon was making his abridgment of the plates. (Refer to section headings of D&C 3 and 10)
Losing 116 pages was devastating at the time and still sad to think about today, but we can find peace in knowing that the Lord knew ahead of time that this would happen and so He put a plan in place.
QUOTE: Elder Jefferey R. Holland taught, “At least six times in the Book of Mormon, the phrase ‘for a wise purpose’ is used in reference to the making, writing, and preserving of the small plates of Nephi…We know one such wise purpose – the most obvious one – was to compensate for the future loss of the 116 pages of manuscript…But it strikes me that there is a ‘wiser purpose’ than that…The key to such a suggestion is in D&C 10:45. As the Lord instructs Joseph Smith…he says, ‘Behold, there are many things engraven upon the [small] plates of Nephi which do throw greater views upon my gospel.’ (emphasis added) So clearly this was not…this for that – 116 pages of manuscript for 142 pages of printed text. Not so. We got back more than we lost. And it was known from the beginning that it would be so.” (“For a Wise Purpose,” Ensign, Jan 1996, pp.13-14)
PONDER & DISCUSS
Nephi obeyed the Lord even when he didn’t understand why. What hidden but wise purposes might God have in your own life? How do we trust these purposes when we don’t understand them?
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES (optional)
ENSIGN ARTICLE: For a Wise Purpose by Elder Holland
VIDEO: What Was On the Lost 116 Pages (3:23)
VIDEO: Trust in the Lord (3:30)
OBJECT LESSON: Do You Trust Me?
GOD WILL REVEAL TRUTH TO ME IF I DILIGENTLY SEEK IT
SONG
Primary Song: Search, Ponder, and Pray pg 109, Video and Lyrics click HERE
BACKGROUND
David Butler told the following story:
I can still remember how disappointing it was to sit with my grandma on the bench while I watched the roller-coaster cars click up the first big hill filled with the bigger kids. The screams were like daggers as they came flying through and around the two big loops. The worst of all was when they came running down the ramp exchanging laughs and congratulatory comments: “That was awesome!” and “Let’s go again.” I could try going up to the line with them, but I would still be turned away for being just an inch too short. Even with the extra socks I stuffed in my shoes.
There are times when I still feel like this, when I want to experience something that is just out of my reach. I don’t want to hear about it – I want to see it for myself. I want to experience it!
This was Nephi’s desire too. When he heard what the Lord had shown his father, he was not content to sit on the sidelines. He wanted to see, hear, and know for himself. And the beautiful thing is – he could! The Lord hasn’t reserved visions and revelations and spiritual experiences for prophets only. They are gifts for anyone who diligently seeks Him. The Lord has so many thrilling experiences in store for those who want them. No extra socks needed. (Don’t Miss This, 1 Nephi 10:17)
SCRIPTURE/MINI LESSON
Read: 1 Nephi 10: 17-19
Nephi had faith that he could see, hear, and know the things his father saw by the power of the Holy Ghost.
SHARE:
Image from Lawrence University used for educational purposes
This is a character in the Chinese language and it is a good illustration of what Nephi knew. The Chinese character TING means “to listen.” It is made up of three characters, which individually mean eyes, ear, and heart.
Optional – see if you can draw this character in your scripture journal
To really listen to the Spirit, as Nephi was willing to do, we must see with our eyes, hear with our ears, and know or feel with our hearts.
Read D&C 1:2 to help understand this further.
Laman and Lemuel responded differently to Lehi’s vision. Read 1 Nephi 15: 1-10 and note the differences between the way Nephi responded and the way Laman and Lemuel responded.
PONDER & DISCUSS
What are the “mysteries of God” and why is it important for us to seek after them?
What do you wish you could see, or hear, or know for yourself?
WATCH MUSIC VIDEO: My Own Sacred Grove, click HERE
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES (optional)
CONFERENCE TALK: For Our Spiritual Development and Learning By Elder W. Mark Bassett
BYU’S THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF MORMONISM: Mysteries of God
BYU RELIGIOUS STUDIES CENTER: The Mysteries of God Revealed by the Power of the Holy Ghost by By Gerald N. Lund
LDSLIVING ARTICLE: Why Being Willing to Ask God Will Open Mysteries of the Gospel You Didn’t Even Know Were There by Dr. Taylor Halverson
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: The Joy of the Saints by Elder D. Todd Christofferson, Click HERE
SUMMARY: “Saints are those who have entered into the gospel covenant through baptism and are striving to follow Christ as His disciples. Thus, the ‘joy of the saints’ denotes the joy of becoming Christlike.” Joy comes from keeping God’s commandments, overcoming sorrow and weakness through Christ and serving as the Savior served. Keeping the Lord’s commandments enables us more easily and more fully to feel His love, with the strait and narrow path of the commandments leading directly to the tree of life. We can find joy in overcoming misery in whatever form — sin, trial, weakness or any other obstacle to happiness. “This is the joy of sensing progress in the path of discipleship; the joy of ‘having received a remission of sins and having peace of conscience’ (Mosiah 4:3); the joy of feeling one’s soul expand and grow through the grace of Christ.” The fruits of our service to one another in the Church are part of the joy set before us. “Even in times of discouragement or stress, we can minister patiently if we are focused on the joy of pleasing God and bringing light, relief and happiness to His children, our brothers and sisters.” The ultimate “joy of the saints” comes in knowing that the Savior pleads their cause, and no one can conceive of the joy which will fill our souls as we hear Jesus pray for us unto the Father (3 Nephi 17:17).
*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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