Come, Follow Me Daily Study Guide for the week of November 2-8, 2020 covering Mormon 7-9. 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.
THE BOOK OF MORMON IS OF GREAT WORTH
BACKGROUND
Can you fill in the blank?
QUOTE BY PRESIDENT BENSON:
I would like to speak about one of the most significant gifts given to the world in modern times. The gift I am thinking of is more important than any of the inventions that have come out of the industrial and technological revolutions. This is a gift of greater value to mankind than even the many wonderful advances we have seen in modern medicine. It is of greater worth to mankind than the development of flight or space travel. I speak of the gift of _______________. (The Book of Mormon – The Keystone of Our Religion)
You can find the answer in Mormon 8:12 (“This record” refers to the Book of Mormon)
PRESIDENT NELSON HAS ASKED:
If you were offered diamonds or rubies or the Book of Mormon, which would you choose? Honestly, which is of greater worth to you? (“The Book of Mormon: What Would Your Life Be Like without It?” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2017, 61).
In your scripture journals write down 3 ways your life would be different if you did not have the Book of Mormon? Or 3 reasons why the Book of Mormon is of great worth to you.
SCRIPTURE
Mormon and Moroni knew the record they were keeping would be of great worth in our day, so they made great sacrifices to prepare and protect it.
READ: Mormon 8:1-9
How might it have felt to be alone like Moroni was? What impresses you the most about Moroni?
MINI LESSON
THE BOOK OF MORMON AND BIBLE GO HAND IN HAND
As you know, the Book of Mormon and the Bible go hand in hand.
Mormon declared this in Mormon 7:9. (Have everyone read along in their scriptures as you read the clearer version below.)
THIS = the Book of Mormon
THAT = the Bible
For behold, this [the Book of Mormon] is written for the intent that ye may believe that [the Bible]; and if ye believe that [the Bible] ye will believe this [the Book of Mormon] also; and if ye believe this [the Book of Mormon] ye will know concerning your fathers, and also the marvelous works which were wrought by the power of God among them.
*Everyone may want to take a moment and make a note in their scriptures what THIS and THAT stands for.
THE EXPERIMENT
The Book of Mormon is one of the most criticized texts in religious history. Many non-members don’t believe that the Book of Mormon teaches of Christ. Watch this experiment and what they did to prove to non-members that the Book of Mormon does teach of Christ.
VIDEO: Book of Mormon Experiment Honolulu (2:35), click HERE
SIMILAR TRUTHS
The Book of Mormon and the Bible teach similar truths, such as… (You may divide into two groups and have each group look up a set of scripture passages to see examples of similar truths. Then have each group share what they found.)
READ: Alma 7:11-13 and Isaiah 53:3-5
READ: 3 Nephi 15:16-24 and John 10:16
**OPTIONAL** I’d like to suggest 2 options of what you can do next.
- Have a testimony meeting where family members share their testimony of the Book of Mormon and how their testimony has grown over the past year.
- Do the “Ponder & Discuss” below that gives an insight for those who fear having children in an evil world. It relates to how Mormon had Moroni in an evil world and what a blessing and an important role Moroni has played in the restoration of the gospel.
PONDER & DISCUSS
INSIGHT FROM SCOTT SORENSEN: (Taken from Come Follow Me Through the Book of Mormon)
I often hear teenagers and young adults say they don’t want to have kids because of how evil and dark the world is right now. Many conclude that it would be more loving not to bring children into this world. Although I deeply believe everyone has agency to ultimately make this choice for themselves, I do not believe this theory is motivated by love as much as it is motivated by fear.
After reading about the life of Mormon, he is probably a good source to ask about this. He witnessed some of the greatest evil, abuse, and darkness of humanity over the course of many decades. I’m not sure exactly how he’d answer, but we do know he has at least one child named Moroni. The same Moroni who came as an angel to Joseph Smith many times, playing a key role in the Restoration of the gospel. The same Moroni who is on top of our temples. Mormon’s and Moroni’s lives were extremely difficult, but they transcended the hate and fear of their surroundings to be full of the love of God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
What this wicked world really needs is more people of faith having children, not less.
Remember, it was a letter from Mormon to Moroni that testified, “I fear not what man can do; for perfect love casteth out all fear” (Moroni 8:16).
VIDEO: Having Children in Faith (2:25), click HERE
Discuss what everyone’s feelings are on having children in today’s world. If anyone is fearful, discuss how they can overcome that fear.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES (optional)
CONFERENCE TALK: The Book of Mormon—Keystone of Our Religion by Ezra Taft Benson
VIDEO: Bible and Book of Mormon (1:11)
MORONI SAW OUR DAY
BACKGROUND
VIDEO: Choosing to Believe in God | His Grace (4:07), click HERE
In a talk given by Elder Andersen in October 2020’s General Conference, he shared what he has learned from recent studies.
QUOTE BY ELDER ANDERSEN:
“A recent study revealed that in the last 10 years, 30 million people in the United States have stepped away from believing in the divinity of Jesus Christ. Looking worldwide, another study predicts that in the decades ahead, more than twice as many will leave Christianity as will embrace it.”
These studies fulfill a prophesy that was given by Moroni about our day. The prophecy that there will be a widespread lack of belief in Jesus Christ.
SCRIPTURE/MINI LESSON
How did Moroni know there would be widespread disbelief? Because Jesus Christ showed Moroni what would be happening when the Book of Mormon came forth.
READ: Mormon 8:35
What Moroni saw led him to give bold warnings for our day.
In Mormon chapter 9 we read of Moroni’s message in response to seeing the widespread lack of belief in Jesus Christ.
We can separate Moroni’s message into 3 main points. Read and record what you learn from his words in your scripture journals. (Optional – divide up into 3 groups for this activity, assigning each group one of the main points below and then share with each other what you learned)
- The consequences of not believing in Christ. (Mormon 9: 1-6, 26)
- The importance of believing in a God of revelation and miracles (Mormon 9: 7-15)
- Moroni’s counsel for us (Mormon 9: 23, 25-30)
PONDER & DISCUSS
INSIGHT FROM PRESIDENT BENSON:
If they saw our day and chose those things which would be of greatest worth to us, is not that how we should study the Book of Mormon? We should constantly ask ourselves, “Why did the Lord inspire Mormon (or Moroni or Alma) to include that in his record? What lesson can I learn from that to help me live in this day and age?”
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES (optional)
CONFERENCE TALK: Lord, I Believe By Elder Jeffrey R. Holland
HYMN: I Believe in Christ
ENSIGN ARTICLE: From Believing to Knowing By Chiao-yi Lin
A GOD OF MIRACLES
BACKGROUND
As suggested in the Come, Follow Me manual, make your favorite recipe together as a family or do a simple science experiment. I’m not a huge fan of doing science experiments (sorry) but I have included a couple of my family’s favorite easy recipes.
Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treat Topped with Chocolate, click HERE
Easy and Delicious Pumpkin Bars, click HERE
SCRIPTURE
Certain ingredients are needed to make a recipe (or science experiment) work successfully.
READ: Mormon 9:16-24 and look for the necessary “ingredients” that make miracles possible (especially in verses 20-21)
What miracles can we see in the world around us and in our family?
MINI LESSON
INSIGHT BY EMILY BELLE FREEMAN: (Taken from Don’t Miss This)
Once, when I was reading the accounts of the last week of the Savior’s life, one verse stood out to me. It was the verse in Luke 23:22, when Pilate asked the crowd, “What evil hath he done?” As I read, I wondered what would have happened if Pilate had called up witnesses in that moment to discover the works that Jesus had done – the people who had actually experienced the work of Jesus during His three-year ministry. Instead of a line of people listing the evil He had done, I imagined a line forming in the room, and these are the people I envisioned standing there:
The woman who touched His robe
The daughter of Jairus
The man who was blind from birth
The man from the pool of Bethesda
The man from the Gadarenes
The tenth leper
The man lowered down through the roof by his four friends
The centurion’s servant
The boy with the demons
Lazarus
Malchus, the soldier who lost his ear
Can you imagine all of them standing there waiting to share? Consider what their witness would have been like. The first person in line could have begun with just one simple introduction, “Behold, I will show unto you a God of miracles” (Mormon 9:11).
PONDER & DISCUSS
Who can you imagine standing there? What are some of your favorite miracles of Christ?
SONG: The Miracle, click HERE
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES (optional)
CONFERENCE TALK: A God of Miracles by Sydney S. Reynolds
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: We Talk of Christ By Elder Neil L. Andersen, 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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