Come, Follow Me Daily Study Guide for the week of January 18-24, 2021 covering Doctrine and Covenants 3-5. For personal and/or family study of the scriptures, geared towards families with teenagers.
**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.
**SCRIPTURE JOURNALS – I highly suggest getting a scripture journal for each person. Many times my outlines will suggest writing 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. Composition books found at the Dollar Store work great!
**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
**OPENING SONG SUGGESTION FOR NON-SINGERS – We are not big singers in our family but I know how powerful music can be when it comes to inviting the Spirit. Instead of singing, we have begun listening to the song suggested on Music for Latter-day Life and as we listen we each write in our scripture journals how we have seen the hand of the Lord in our lives or something we are grateful for. It has been a wonderful way to get everyone in the right mindset and to invite the Spirit for our family scripture study.
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.
THE LORD ASKS ME TO SERVE HIM WITH ALL MY HEART
BACKGROUND
After Joseph Smith received D&C 3 in July 1828, the plates and the Urim and Thummim were taken away from him. According to Joseph’s mother, Joseph desired to have them again and so he continually prayed to God without ceasing (History of Joseph Smith by His Mother). On September 22, 1828, just over two months later, Joseph received them again. How do you think Joseph felt once he received them again?
Unfortunately due to destitute circumstances, Joseph did not immediately go back to translating. Instead Joseph labored on a small farm to provide for his family. In early 1829, the Prophet’s father came for a visit. Although section 4 is often applied to full-time missionaries, it’s interesting to note that this revelation was received for Joseph Smith Sr., the Prophet’s father, giving him instruction at his request.
GET TO KNOW JOSEPH SMITH, SR.
PUZZLE: Print out the PDF below and cut it up into puzzle pieces. (If possible, print it out on cardstock) There is also a PDF of a puzzle outline if you need to tape it to the back of the picture and use it as a guide for cutting up the picture into a puzzle.
Have your family put the puzzle together and then see if they know who the picture is of.
FACTS: Print the following PDF and cut up the different facts about Joseph Smith, Sr. Put the facts into a hat and have family members take turns picking a fact about Joseph Smith, Sr. and sharing it with everyone.
SCRIPTURE/MINI LESSON
(Adapted from Scripture Study for Latter-day Saint Families)
Although we know the revelation in D&C 4 came because Joseph Smith Sr. sought direction from the Lord, we do not know his specific question (or questions). What we do have is the answer.
Write the following questions on a piece of paper that can be displayed as you study D&C 4:
What? Who? Where? Why? When? How?
Have each person read section 4 silently and then in their scripture journals have them come up with a question that Joseph Smith, Sr. could have possibly asked. They will ask their question to the rest of the family when everyone is done.
Each person is to pick one of the above one-word questions and expand on it. They must come up with a question that can be answered in section 4.
For example, someone might come up with the question: “How are we to serve God?” They would write this question in their scripture journal along with the answer which would be: With all our heart, might, mind, and strength – verse 2.
When everyone is finished, give each family member a turn to ask their question and have the rest of the family answer it.
PONDER & DISCUSS
One way to read this section is to imagine it as a job description for someone who wants to do the Lord’s work. What are the qualifications? Why are these skills or characteristics necessary? Perhaps you could prayerfully choose one thing you could do to better “qualify [yourself] for the work” (verse 5). Write it in your scripture journal as a reminder of what you’d like to work on.
These verses not only give us a description of the qualifications needed to do God’s work, but it also gives us a glimpse into Christ’s personality.
If you were to name the most important attribute needed to qualify for the work, which would it be? Which attribute is at the heart of all others as we do God’s work? (Love)
“To someone who loves us, it does not matter whether we are lovable. Like Christ, we do not love another because he or she is lovable, but because we are able to love.” (The Essential D&C Companion, M.J. Woodger)
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES (optional)
CONFERENCE TALK: For Him By Joy D. Jones
RESTORATION AND CHURCH HISTORY: Joseph Smith, Sr.
NEW ERA: Joseph Smith, Sr.
I CAN GAIN MY OWN WITNESS OF THE BOOK OF MORMON
BACKGROUND
In early 1829 Martin Harris goes back to Harmony, Pennsylvania to see Joseph Smith. At this point, Martin had humbled himself and repented for his part in losing the 116 pages of manuscript. Although Martin Harris had witnessed many things in the past that could be considered credible evidence that the gold plates were real, Martin was still not satisfied. It also didn’t help that Martin’s wife, Lucy, filed a claim that Joseph Smith was deceiving the people by pretending to translate gold plates (see Saints, 1:56–58).
SCRIPTURE
READ: Section headings for D&C 3 and 5
How many months after the loss of the 116 manuscript pages was the revelation in section 5 given to Joseph Smith? (about 8 months)
READ: D&C 5:1
Why did Martin Harris request this revelation?
READ: D&C 5: 2, 11-12, 15-16
In answer to Martin’s desire for further evidence, the Lord declares that the testimony of three witnesses would be added to the Prophet’s testimony.
MINI LESSON/PONDER & DISCUSS
SHARE STORY:
It is said that during an epidemic of cholera in a great city, a scientific man proved to his own satisfaction, by chemical and microscopical tests, that the water supply was infected, and that through it [the disease] was being spread. He proclaimed the fact throughout the city, and warned all against the use of unboiled water. Many of the people, although incapable of comprehending his methods of investigation,…had faith in his warning words, followed his instructions, and escaped the death to which their careless and unbelieving fellows succumbed. Their faith was a saving one. To the man himself, the truth by which so many lives had been spared was a matter of knowledge. He had actually perceived, under the microscope, proof of the existence of death-dealing germs in the water…he knew of what he spoke. Nevertheless, in a moment of forgetfulness he drank of the unsterilized water, and soon thereafter died, a victim to the plague. His knowledge did not save him, convincing though it was; yet others, whose reliance was only that of confidence of faith in the truth that he declared, escaped the threatening destruction. (James E. Talmage, Articles of Faith, 99-100)
- How can we compare the story to that of Martin Harris?
- How does the Lord feel about those who don’t believe in spiritual truths unless they have evidence? (D&C 5: 5-8)
SHARE QUOTE: “The knowledge of the truthfulness of the Lord’s work…is a matter between each individual and the Savior Himself. Each person has the responsibility to accept or reject the Lord’s witness.” (Sacred Truths of the Doctrine and Covenants by Otten and Caldwell)
- What are some examples of truths we believe in but can’t see?
- How could we respond to a friend who wants evidence that the Book of Mormon is true?
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES (optional)
ENSIGN: Mounting Evidence for the Book of Mormon By Daniel C. Peterson
HOW IMPORTANT ARE WITNESSES?
BACKGROUND
Imagine that you were lawyers in a courtroom.
- Why are witnesses brought to the stand?
- What kinds of things do witnesses testify of?
- How hard would it be to prove your case if you had only one witness?
- How does having more than one witness make your case stronger?
As discussed yesterday, section 5 is an answer to Martin Harris’s desire for further evidence that the gold plates were in fact real. God promised that there would be three witnesses who would add their testimony to Joseph Smith’s. We will learn more about the fulfillment of that promise when we study section 17.
SCRIPTURE/MINI LESSON
GAME: Who Is Telling the Truth? Click HERE for instructions on how to play
*You can call 2 people up at a time instead of 3 if you have a smaller family.
(2nd Option) You could also play 2 Truths and a Lie. Go around the room and have each person tell 2 Truths and 1 Lie about themselves and everyone else is to try and guess which one is the lie.
In today’s world it is sometimes hard to determine who is telling us the truth and who is not. In the same sense, how are we to know if the testimony of Joseph Smith and the three witnesses are true?
READ: D&C 5:16
The Lord has promised that the Spirit will manifest the truth to us.
In verses 18-20, the Lord also warns us of the curses that will come from rejecting these witnesses.
READ: D&C 5: 18-20 and discuss what the curses are
READ: Testimony of Three Witnesses found at the beginning of the Book of Mormon and evaluate the strength of their testimonies as if you were a judge in a courtroom.
PONDER & DISCUSS
Ponder on a time when you have received spiritual confirmation that the Book of Mormon was true or that Joseph Smith was a true prophet who translated the gold plates. Consider inviting family members to share their testimonies or to write their testimonies in their scriptures journals.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES (optional)
CONFERENCE TALK: The Witness: Martin Harris by Elder Dallin H. Oaks
VIDEO: Why Were Three Key Witnesses Chosen to Testify of the Book of Mormon?
GENERAL CONFERENCE DAY
Study a recent General Conference talk. A great way to study a conference talk is to read along and highlight the parts that stand out to you. Then after the talk, review and discuss what you have highlighted.
THIS WEEK’S TALK: Highly Favored of the Lord By Elder Gary E. Stevenson, 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.
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