Come, Follow Me Daily Study Guide for the week of September 14-20, 2020 covering 3 Nephi 8-11. For personal and/or family study of the scriptures, geared towards families with teenagers, single adults, and empty nesters.
*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.
***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. OR you can add Melanie’s Library to your mobile device home screen by following these instructions, click HERE
****SONGS – For a list of suggested songs for each day of the week, be sure and check out the blog called Music for Latter-day Life by clicking HERE
FHE DAY
Start the week off right with a Family Home Evening that is focused around the upcoming week’s Come, Follow Me. 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.
IF I REPENT, THE SAVIOR WILL GATHER, PROTECT, AND HEAL ME
BACKGROUND/SCRIPTURE
ATTENTION-GETTER: Turn off all the lights, and invite your family to sit in darkness. Ask them to imagine that they were part of the Nephites who just lived through all kinds of fires, earthquakes, and destruction and are now sitting in darkness for 3 days. Quietly tell them that they are alone, their family is lost, and they hear weeping and howling everywhere.
ASK: How would you feel if your entire town was destroyed? What feelings would you have if your family was lost? Why do you think people were howling?
READ: 3 Nephi 9: 1-14 Optional – Read by just the light of your devices or by flashlight
Look at verses 5, 7, 8, 9, and 11. What is similar about those verses?
SHARE INSIGHT: The phrase, “the blood of the prophets and the saints” [as] in verse 5…means “the responsibility for killing the prophets and saints.” “Come any more unto me against them” means, in effect, that until people either repent or are punished for their sins, the law of justice keeps reminding God that they must be punished. (The Book of Mormon Made Easier by David J. Ridges)
Even though the Savior proclaimed that the terrible destruction was a result of the people’s sins, He promised that he would heal those who would return to Him and repent.
Elder Neil L. Andersen remarked: “I am amazed at the Savior’s encircling arms of mercy and love for the repentant, no matter how selfish the forsaken sin. I testify that the Savior is able and eager to forgive our sins” (“Repent … That I May Heal You,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2009, 40; CFM manual).
MINI LESSON
After hearing the Savior’s voice, the people were so astonished that they were silent for many hours. Then He spoke again to the people.
Show the following picture as you read the following verses.
*Image used for educational purposes
READ: 3 Nephi 10: 1-6
- Why would a hen need to gather her chicks? Why does the Savior want to gather us close to Him?
- What might happen if a chick chose not to gather when called? Why does a mother hen gather her chicks under her wings? (One reason is to protect them from predators.)
- What must the chicks do in order to be protected?
PONDER & DISCUSS
Ponder experiences when you have felt Him “gather” and “nourish” you.
Share the following quote by Elder Holland and ponder in what ways you can “come unto [the Savior]”? (3 Nephi 9:14)
“Whoever we are and whatever we reply, [Christ’s] response is always the same: ‘Come,’ He says lovingly. ‘Come, follow me.’ Wherever you are going, first come and see what I do, see where and how I spend my time. Learn of me, walk with me, talk with me, believe. Listen to me pray. In turn you will find answers to your own prayers. God will bring rest to your souls. Come, follow me” (Holland, “He Hath Filled the Hungry with Good Things”)
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES (optional)
VIDEO: Why Did Jesus Christ Compare Himself to a Hen (1:20)
ENSIGN ARTICLE: Come unto Christ
NEW ERA ARTICLE: How to Come unto Christ. Along with video Come unto Christ
NEW ERA ARTICLE: Youth Voices: Coming unto Christ
I CAN LEARN TO HEAR AND UNDERSTAND GOD’S VOICE
BACKGROUND
(Taken from Ensign article)
ATTENTION-GETTER:
- Invite everyone to turn to each other and talk about their day.
- Meanwhile, have someone softly read 3 Nephi 11:7. Then ask the group if they can repeat what was said.
- Read the scripture again, this time with everyone listening quietly.
Discussion: Why was it easier to hear and remember the verse the second time?
This is what happened with the Nephites, at first they couldn’t hear the Savior’s voice when He spoke to them.
SCRIPTURE
READ: 3 Nephi 11:3-7
It took the people three times to truly hear the voice from heaven. What can this teach us about what we need to do to recognize spiritual communication in our lives?
MINI LESSON
There are different ways in which we can hear the Savior in our lives. Watch the following short videos from church leaders giving examples of how they #HearHim. Afterward, discuss the different ways that were mentioned.
OPTIONAL – After the videos, invite family members to share any personal experiences they have had on how they #HearHim.
VIDEO #1: How I #HearHim: Elder Gary E. Stevenson (2:13), click HERE
VIDEO #2: How I #HearHim: President M. Russell Ballard (1:46), click HERE
VIDEO #3: How I #HearHim: Elder David A. Bednar (1:15), click HERE
*You can find more videos like these if you search “How I #HearHim” in the YouTube search bar
PONDER & DISCUSS
Invite family members to ponder and answer the following questions in their scripture journals.
- How do I hear Him?
- How can I eliminate distractions and “open my ears” to the Spirit?
If anyone is unsure, ask them to think of a time in their life when they have felt the influence of the Holy Ghost that left a lasting impression on them. You may also invite them to ask the Lord in prayer to show them and to teach them how He speaks to them.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES (optional)
ENSIGN ARTICLE: How Can We Hear God’s Voice?
ENSIGN ARTICLE: Opening Our Ears
NEW ERA ARTICLE: How to Tune In to the Holy Ghost
JESUS CHRIST INVITES ME TO GAIN A PERSONAL TESTIMONY OF HIM
BACKGROUND/SCRIPTURE
READ: 3 Nephi 11: 14-15
There were about 2,500 people gathered in Bountiful when Jesus Christ appeared. Despite this large number, the Savior invited them each “one by one” to feel the nail prints in His hands and feet. (CFM Manual)
Notice the process each person went through:
- Went forth one by one
- Saw with their eyes
- Felt with their hands
- Knew of a surety
- Bore record
Many have speculated on how long this took. Although we have no way of knowing, if we assume each person took only ten seconds with the Savior, it would have taken almost seven hours for all of them to go forth one by one, see with their eyes, feel with their hands, and know of a surety that He was their personal Savior! (Come Follow Me Through the Book of Mormon)
OPTIONAL – Ask the following questions
- Looking at the previous bullet points; what similarities do you see between this experience and the temple endowment?
- How does the endowment help us receive a sure knowledge of Jesus Christ?
- What role do covenants play in receiving Jesus Christ?
MINI LESSON
VIDEO: I Stand All Amazed (5:15), click HERE
PONDER & DISCUSS
Give each person a chance to “bear record” of what amazes them about Jesus Christ. In your scripture journals have everyone finish this sentence.
Jesus Christ is amazing to me because ____________________________.
You can have it optional to share with the family what they put.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES (optional)
CONFERENCE PARABLE: The Power of a Personal Testimony by Dieter F. Uchtdorf
ENSIGN ARTICLE: Gaining a Testimony of Jesus Christ By Elder Bruce R. McConkie
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 Coming Forth of the Book of Mormon By Elder Ulisses Soares, click 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.
Disclaimer: Melanie’s Library is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. An affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
