Come, Follow Me Daily Study Guide for the week of February 17-23, 2020 covering 2 Nephi 11-25. 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.
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A free PDF DOWNLOAD of the Study Guide is available at the bottom of this post. Making it easy for those who’d like to print out a copy.
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SONGS – For a list of suggested songs for each day of the week, be sure and check out the new blog called Music for Latter-day Life by clicking HERE
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.
TEMPLE WORTHY IN GOOD TIMES AND BAD
BACKGROUND/SCRIPTURE
READ: 2 Nephi 15:18-23
VIDEO & STORY: Counterfeit Happiness, Click HERE (Share the “Funniest Chinese Rip Offs” video along with the explanation/quote underneath the video and the short story told by Elder Cook. *The video is 6 minutes long but can be shortened to however long you want to watch it.)
(OPTIONAL– I did post Counterfeit Happiness as an additional resource a couple of weeks ago. If you already shared it with your family then feel free to watch this short video “Satan Seeks to Deceive Us” by Elder Oaks instead. Click HERE)
DISCUSS: Can you think of modern examples of things in the world today that are evil but are considered good? How can we avoid being deceived by false ideas about good and evil?
MINI LESSON
One of the ways we can avoid being deceived by Satan can be found in 2 Nephi.
READ: 2 Nephi 12:2-3
*SCRIPTURE INSIGHT: LeGrand Richards explained, “The word mountain is used in the scriptures in different allegorical or figurative senses. In 2 Nephi 12:1-4 the word mountain refers to a high place of God, a place of revelation, even the temple of the Lord.” (Taken from Isaiah Made Easier)
As it says in verse 3, “he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths,” the temple does just that. The temple teaches us God’s ways and draws us closer to Him helping us to resist temptation and to see the deceptions of Satan as they really are.
Being temple worthy, in good times and in bad times, will help us to be in “Shipshape and Bristol Fashion” for when Satan tries to deceive us as Elder Cook explains in the following short video.
WATCH VIDEO: Conference Parable “Shipshape and Bristol Fashion,” by clicking HERE
PONDER & DISCUSS
How are temple covenants helping you to “walk in [the Lord’s] paths”?
How does attending the temple or having the goal to attend the temple, help you from being deceived by Satan?
If you have not been to the temple, how might these verses inspire you to prepare for temple blessings?
What must one do in order to be temple worthy?
Why is it important to you to be temple worthy? (You may write this answer in your scripture journal)
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES (optional)
VIDEO: Things As They Really Are
QUOTE: At the October 1995 general conference, Elder Durrel A. Woolsey of the Seventy said: “Satan offers a strange mixture of just enough good to disguise the evil along his downward path to destruction…”
CONFERENCE TALK: Quentin L. Cook, “Shipshape and Bristol Fashion: Be Temple Worthy—in Good Times and Bad Times,” Gen Conf, Oct 2015
CONFERENCE TALK: Elaine S. Dalton, “Now Is the Time to Arise and Shine!” Gen Conf, Apr 2012
CONFERENCE TALK: Temple Worship: The Source of Strength and Power in Times of Need by Elder Richard G. Scott
CHURCH WEBSITE: The Importance and Power of Holding a Temple Recommend
MORE SCRIPTURE INSIGHT: Because Isaiah uses so much symbolism, his writing can have many different meanings and applications. The phrase “mountain of the Lord’s house” can mean the headquarters of the Church in Salt Lake City in the Rocky Mountains in the last days. Also, since “mountains” are often symbolic of temples (“high places” where we can draw closer to God”), “mountain of the Lord’s house” can have a dual meaning referring to temples. (Taken from Isaiah Made Easier)
THE PROUD AND WORLDLY WILL BE HUMBLED
BACKGROUND/SCRIPTURE
Nephi had foreseen that pride would cause the downfall of his people (see 1 Nephi 12:19). So it’s not surprising that Nephi would share with his people Isaiah’s repeated warnings against pride.
READ: 2 Nephi 12: 11-17 and look for words that Isaiah used to describe pridefulness, such as lofty and haughty.
MINI LESSON
The lesson today is watching a CES film made in 1993. (I think it’s a great video, if you can get past the acting and wardrobe 🙂 It covers several aspects of pride that are oftentimes overlooked.) It’s about a father who takes his family to a futuristic center to learn about pride. Through a simulated experience, two of his children discover aspects of pride in their own lives.
WATCH VIDEO: Pride (1993) by clicking HERE
(*This movie is 9 minutes long. If you are needing it shorter, you can watch just a segment of it. The Gospel Media Library has it broken up into 3 segments. Segment 1 explains the definition of pride and Jan’s experience. Segment 2 and Segment 3 covers Steve’s experience. If you choose to only watch part of the video, I have the discussion questions broken up below between Jan and Steve. If you watch only Steve’s experience, be sure and explain President Benson’s definition of pride which is “Pride is enmity.” Enmity means when someone has hatred, hostility or opposition toward God or their fellow man.)
PONDER & DISCUSS
Jan:
Have you ever felt hatred towards someone else?
Why do you think hatred is considered a form of pride?
How often do you hear people putting other people down?
How often do you find yourself doing it?
Have you ever felt anger or hostility towards someone else?
Why do you think anger or hostility is considered a form of pride?
Why do you think it is easier to see the pride in others rather than in yourself?
Is it easy to change your feelings of hatred, anger or hostility towards someone else?
How can we change our negative feelings towards others?
Steve:
How can contention stop spiritual progress?
Have you ever found yourself justifying your actions or making excuses for them?
If you admit that you are wrong but try to justify or make excuses for your actions, how is that not being humble?
Is it more important to worry about what others think of you or what God thinks of you? Why? Is it ok to worry about both?
What is the difference between being proud and being prideful?
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES (optional)
CONFERENCE TALK: Ezra Taft Benson, “Beware of Pride,” Gen Conf, Apr 1989
See also “Chapter 18: Beware of Pride” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Ezra Taft Benson [2014], 229–40)
CONFERENCE TALK: Pride and the Priesthood By Dieter F. Uchtdorf
VIDEO: Elder and Sister Bednar – Pride (3:10)
IN THE MILLENNIUM, GOD’S PEOPLE WILL ENJOY PEACE
BACKGROUND
The Prophet Malachi taught that the second coming of Jesus Christ would be both “great” and “dreadful.” (Malachi 4:5) Other prophets, including Isaiah, also wrote many prophecies about the Second Coming to help us understand it.
Think of the movies that are now showing at your local movie theatre complex. (Look them up if needed) Is it possible to have two entirely different movies playing in the same movie theater complex? Could there be a comedy playing in one theatre and a horror playing in another?
Would your experience of watching one type of movie be changed, even though a different type of movie was playing at the same time in an adjoining theater? Why not?
The experience people have as the Savior prepares the world for the second coming, and as He returns to the earth, could be compared to a movie theater. Even though the Savior will appear to the entire world, the experiences the righteous have will be very different from the experiences of the wicked.
READ: 2 Nephi 23: 22 and find what will happen to the righteous and the wicked.
SCRIPTURE
Also in 2 Nephi, Isaiah prophesies of the gathering of Israel in the last days and also of a peaceful Millennium.
As you read the following verses “you might…visualize yourself in the place of Nephi and his people. Imagine you fled from Jerusalem just before it was destroyed (see 2 Nephi 25:10), and now you are part of the scattering of Israel. How might it have felt to read Isaiah’s teachings about the future gathering of Israel and a peaceful Millennium?” (CFM, pg 31)
READ: 2 Nephi 21:9; 22; 24-1-3
MINI LESSON
Who will be on the earth during the Millennium, and what will they be doing?
(This comes from an article in the New Era)
Those remaining on the earth during the Millennium will be the good people of the earth—those who were righteous and just, regardless of their religion. This includes those who will be on the earth at the time of the Second Coming as well as those who will be resurrected at that time and other times throughout the Millennium. The wicked will not remain on the earth and will not be resurrected until after the Millennium.
So, what will people do during these 1,000 years? We know that a main focus will be to continue the work of salvation—helping people come unto Christ. Church members will share the gospel with those remaining who have not received it in its fulness. Family history and temple work will be especially important and will link the entire family of man all the way back to Adam and Eve.
A thousand years is a long time, so it’s safe to assume that people will likely do a wide variety of things that are “virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy” (Articles of Faith 1:13) but that have not necessarily been mentioned in any of the revelations.
How Do I Prepare for the Second Coming?
WATCH VIDEO: Preparing for the Lord’s Return – D. Todd Christofferson (2:21), by clicking HERE
PONDER & DISCUSS
What can and should we be doing to prepare ourselves for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ?
How can studying the signs of the Second Coming help us to prepare?
How does keeping the commandments of God help us to have faith and hope in the future?
What do you look forward to the most in the Millennium?
Ponder on the following quotes from church leaders and ask yourself, “How does knowing God will win in the end make me feel?”
Dallin H. Oaks has said: “To borrow a metaphor from the familiar world of athletic competitions, we do not know when this game will end, and we do not know the final score, but we do know that when the game finally ends, our team wins.”
Jeffrey R. Holland has said:
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES (optional)
CONFERENCE TALK: Preparation for the Second Coming by Dallin H. Oaks
CHURCH WEBSITE: Resources regarding the Millennium
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: Two Great Commandments By President Dallin H. Oaks, Click HERE
SUMMARY: God requires His children to obey His commandments because only through obedience, including repentance, can one return to live in His presence and become perfect as He is. The Lord’s apostles are commissioned to teach nothing but truth. They cannot modify divine law. “Thus, the leaders of the Church must always teach the unique importance of marriage between a man and a woman and the related law of chastity.” Exaltation is possible only through eternal marriage. Those who follow lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender teachings and actions should be treated with the love Christ commanded all to show to “our neighbors.” Never persecute those who do not share “our beliefs and commitments.” It’s difficult to understand the challenges that one might face in mortality. But God helps His children overcome challenges if they sincerely seek His help. “The ultimate and final judgement will be by the Lord, Who alone has the required knowledge, wisdom and grace to judge each of us.” The walk to follow God’s two great commandments demands that one not compromise on commandments — “but show forth a full measure of understanding and love.”
*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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