Come, Follow Me Daily Study Guide for the week of February 1-7, 2021 covering Doctrine and Covenants 10-11. 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.
WISDOM IS GREATER THAN THE CUNNING OF THE DEVIL
BACKGROUND/SCRIPTURE/MINI LESSON
(Taken from Scripture Study for Latter-day Saint Families)
OBJECT LESSON: Place on the floor next to each other a stack of five plates and a stack of two plates. Have your family turn to “A Brief Explanation About the Book of Mormon” in the front pages of the Book of Mormon. (GOSPEL LIBRARY>>SCRIPTURES>>BOOK OF MORMON>>INTRODUCTION & WITNESSES>>BRIEF EXPLANATION ABOUT THE BOOK OF MORMON)
READ: In “A Brief Explanation of the Book of Mormon” read one paragraph. The paragraph that begins “1. The Plates of Nephi”.
- In what way could these plates on the floor represent something in the paragraph we just read?
- How did these two sets of plates differ from each other?
As Nephi was recording the history of his people on the large plates, the Lord commanded him to make another record (the small plates) covering the same period of time.
PREPARED AHEAD OF TIME: Make 6 strips of paper. In large letters write on one of them: “The Large Plates – The Book of Lehi” and on another one write on it “The Small Plates of Nephi”
Place the word strip “The Large Plates – The Book of Lehi” on the tall stack of plates and put the other word strip “The Small Plates of Nephi” on the small stack of plates. (save the other blank strips of paper, we will use them)
READ: 1 Nephi 9:3-6
According to verse 5, why did Nephi have to make two sets of plates?
SUMMARIZE OR READ: If possible, have someone in your family summarize the story of the lost 116 pages and why the Lord told Joseph not to re-translate that portion of the golden plates. (This was covered in the Sunday FHE lesson) OR you can read the section headings to D&C 3 and 10 and discuss what you learned about what happened to the 116 pages of lost manuscript.
The Lord knew the cunning plan of Satan and made a back up plan for the lost 116 pages of manuscript over 2000 years before it happened.
READ: D&C 10:38, 40, and 45 and write down what you learned about the “plates of Nephi” on blank strips of paper and place them on the small stack of plates.
READ: D&C 10: 44 and write down what you learned about the “large plates of Nephi” on a blank strip of paper and place it on the tall stack of plates
- Based on what we read in these verses, which set of plates would seem to be more valuable to us? Why?
- When we consider how everything turned out, what does that teach us about the Lord? Read D&C 10:43 to help answer this question.
VIDEO: How Does the “Mosiah-First” Translation Sequence Strengthen Faith? (3:38), click HERE
When we truly study the Book of Mormon, we can come to know for ourselves it’s truthfulness and gain a witness that it does indeed come from the Lord. You can have a sure testimony, without a doubt, that the Lord is behind the Book of Mormon.
PONDER & DISCUSS
Invite family members to find or mark phrases that begin with “I am” or “I will” in D&C 10:55-70. What do we learn from the “I am” phrases about who Jesus Christ is and what He is like? What do we learn from the “I will” phrases about what He does? Encourage family members to share how these truths strengthen their faith in Jesus Christ. (CFM manual)
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES (optional)
CONFERENCE TALK: Safety for the Soul by Jeffrey R. Holland
A REVELATION FOR HYRUM
*Optional – have some sort of heart-shaped treat to share at the end
BACKGROUND
SLIDES 1-9: Who Am I? Go through all the facts about Hyrum Smith. Ask everyone to hold their guesses until the very end. After all the facts have been read, then ask who they think this person is.
SLIDES 10: Show the picture of Joseph and Hyrum.
EXPLAIN: Several of Joseph Smith’s family members and friends asked him to seek the Lord’s will on their behalf. Joseph was happy to do so, but the Lord was also willing to give them personal revelation. (CFM manual)
These personal revelations that Joseph received for them were much like the patriarchal blessings that we receive today. Hyrum was one of Joseph’s family members who asked him to seek the Lord’s will on his behalf. Doctrine and Covenants 11 is the revelation that Joseph received for Hyrum. In this section we learn of the personal counsel, promises, and cautions that the Lord gave Hyrum.
SCRIPTURE/MINI LESSON
(The following is adapted from Scripture Study for Latter-day Saint Families)
One of the most effective ways to teach is through object lessons.
FOR EXAMPLE: Hold up a rock and ask, “What are some ways this rock can be used to teach a gospel principle?” (Jesus is the rock or build your house upon a rock)
The Lord also uses object lessons.
READ SILENTLY: Have everyone read D&C 11:2-9 silently looking for any objects the Lord used to illustrate an idea to Hyrum. Afterwards ask what objects they found.
Let’s go through some of them and talk about what you think the Lord wanted Hyrum to learn from these objects.
**For each one: show the picture, read the verse together, then ask what they think the Lord wanted Hyrum to learn using that object. An example of what the Lord might have wanted Hyrum to learn is noted below.**
SLIDE 11: The two-edged sword (verse 2) – God’s word is like a two-edged sword that cuts both ways: it can bless us as we use it properly, or it can hurt us if we use it improperly or ignore it.
SLIDE 12: Field that is white (verse 3) – When the wheat is ripe and ready to harvest, the head of the wheat turns a golden white color. People who are ready to hear the gospel are like wheat ready to harvest.
SLIDE 13: Sickle (verses 3 & 4) – A sickle is a tool used to harvest wheat. The Lord also refers to missionary work as a “harvest.” Missionaries harvest with scriptures, prayer, faith, and charity.
SLIDE 14: Knock on a door (verse 5) – Prayer is like knocking on the Lord’s door. See Matthew 7:7
SLIDE 15: Riches (verse 7) – The world focuses on temporal riches, but the Lord offers us true eternal riches.
PONDER & DISCUSS
Hyrum had a gift from the Lord.
READ: D&C 11:10
What do you think Hyrum’s gift was?
Hyrum’s grandson, Joseph Fielding Smith, wrote the following concerning his gift.
SLIDE 16: The Lord declared that Hyrum Smith had a gift. The great gift which he possessed was that of a tender, sympathetic heart; a merciful spirit. The Lord on a later occasion said: “Blessed is my servant Hyrum Smith; for I, the Lord, love him because of the integrity of his heart, and because he loveth that which is right before me, saith the Lord.” (D&C 124:15) This great gift was manifest in his jealous watch care over the Prophet lest some harm come to him. (Joseph Fielding Smith, Church History and Modern Revelation)
- What is a tender, sympathetic heart?
- What do you think is a merciful spirit?
- Who do you know that has these same attributes?
- How can a person develop these attributes?
(Optional) Share with your family a heart-shaped treat and challenge them to be more tender-hearted, sympathetic, and merciful to each other and everyone else they know.
(Optional) SLIDES 17-22: I have added in some extra slides at the end taken from 5 Things You Did Not Know About Hyrum Smith The Patriarch. – MyLifeByGogoGoff just for fun if you wanted to know more about Hyrum.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES (optional)
CONFERENCE TALK: Shall We Not Go On in So Great a Cause? By President M. Russell Ballard
ARTICLE: 5 Things You Did Not Know About Hyrum Smith the Patriarch
HOW DOES THE HOLY SPIRIT GUIDE?
BACKGROUND
OBJECT LESSON: Shine a flashlight on the floor and invite a family member to move to where the light is shining.
How is this like following the guidance of the Holy Ghost?
SCRIPTURE
READ: D&C 11:12-14
According to these verses, what are 6 ways to recognize the spirit? (You may ask everyone to write them down in their scripture journals, and then share the following quote from Emily Freeman to see if they got them all right.)
SHARE QUOTE BY EMILY BELLE FREEMAN: (Taken from Don’t Miss This)
It has been my opportunity to teach youth all over the United States. On many occasions I am asked to participate in Q&A sessions with these youth. The most common question I get asked is, “How do I know if it is the Spirit talking to me?” Section 11 is my favorite place to find the answer to that question. In this section the Lord gives Hyrum six ways to recognize the Spirit:
- It leads you to do good.
- It leads you to do justly.
- It leads you to walk humbly.
- It leads you to judge righteously.
- It will enlighten your mind.
- It will fill your soul with joy.
I tell the youth that we won’t always know if it is the Spirit speaking to us, but section 11 gives us some good guidelines to refer to if we are wondering. If you feel prompted to do something good, you can trust it is the Spirit. If you feel inspired to choose right over wrong, most likely the Spirit. If you are filled with humility or you are led to discover the good in someone, there’s a good chance it’s the Spirit. In those moments when your mind fills with inspiration that isn’t your own, or when you feel an increase of joy, you are most likely feeling the Spirit. Every time I read that list, I realize that the Spirit is playing a larger role in my life than I often realize. It is a gift for which I am intensely grateful.
(Optional) For a printable list on “How to Discern the Influence of the Spirit” by Elder Groberg, click HERE
MINI LESSON
VIDEO: How Does the Holy Spirit Guide? (3:25), click HERE
In your scripture journals, write down ways that you have felt the Spirit in your life. Is there one particular way it has happened the most?
Have you ever had a time when you didn’t follow the Spirit and later wished you had?
President Monson actually had this happen to him one time.
VIDEO: Teachings of Thomas S. Monson: Following the Promptings of the Spirit (1:50), click HERE
PONDER & DISCUSS
Why is it important to understand now how the Holy Ghost speaks to us?
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES (optional)
CONFERENCE TALK: Take the Holy Spirit as Your Guide By Elder Larry Y. Wilson
POEM FROM THE FRIEND: My Special Place By Jan Pinborough
BYU SPEECHES: Investing for Eternity by Elder John H. Groberg
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: Recommended to the Lord By Elder Ronald A. Rasband, 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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