Come, Follow Me 2021 Doctrine and Covenants 2 and Joseph Smith History 1: 27-65,
Last week's study of the First Vision was just amazing! To think what a profound effect a 14 year old boy who prayed in faith would have on the world, is just fascinating. It has had a profound effect on my life. I would not be the person I am without the gospel of Jesus Christ. The gospel gives my life direction and purpose. How grateful I am that Joseph not only pondered his questions in his heart, but also faithfully took those questions to God.
This week is another fascinating week of study!! It has been three years since the first vision and once again Joseph is concerned about where he stands with God. In this blog post, I will share images I create for social media. They will be printables on here and I will share my insights that I gain each day from my individual and family study. I'd love this to become a place where we can discuss these lessons together, so if you have insights you'd like to share, please do!! Leave a comment on my Instagram or Facebook, or on the blog post. You are also always welcome to message or email me.
Let's get started with Day 1:
Haven’t we each at times felt disappointed in our own actions? Frustrated by our imperfections and weaknesses? I have! I love that Joseph shares that he has too.
He felt condemned for his weaknesses and imperfections. Thankfully for us, we do not need to feel condemned! Because the gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored, along with the knowledge of the power of Christ’s atonement. We can repent, we can turn to the Savior for forgiveness and strength to overcome our weaknesses and imperfections. It’s an ongoing process & sometimes we need to be patient with ourselves. The beauty of Christ’s atonement is that it invites all to turn to Him. ♥️
I watched a fabulous podcast today, so many great analogies that I’m excited to share with my family!! Tomorrow, I’ll be sharing this week’s post where this image will be available as a printable & I’ll share links to the podcast 😊
Day 2:
I love this quote from Russell M. Nelson ♥️ Each one of us chose to follow our Heavenly Father and he has a great work for each of us to do! Greater maybe than we think we are capable of, but our Heavenly Father loves us and knows us so perfectly. He knows what we are capable of and with the Lord’s help all that we do can be magnified.
I think that Satan wants to prevent us from understanding how our Heavenly Father feels about us & stop us from the learning what the great work is He has for us to do!
Look at Joseph Smith, he even says, “It seems as though the adversary was aware, at a very early period of my life, that I was destined to prove a disturber and an annoyer of his kingdom; else why should the powers of darkness combine against me? Why the opposition and persecution that arose against me, almost in my infancy?” (JSH 1:20)
I believe that the adversary knew very well what Joseph’s great work was going to be & he tried his hardest to prevent it! But we learn we are unstoppable when we let God prevail in our life, because He can not be stopped.
I had studied and planned what I thought would be a great discussion today with my family, I was so excited to discuss and explain to my kids the love that their Heavenly Father has for them and that they can find out for themselves what great work He would have them do. Well, let’s just say things did not go as planned, contention entered the discussion and I was left discouraged. I know what an important topic this is and I’m sure the adversary did not want our discussion to go well. The great thing with family discussions is they aren’t a one time shot. We will learn and discuss again tomorrow night & I’m their mom, I can talk to them about these things at anytime of the day! I guess I’m saying, if you have a family discussion that flops, it’s okay, just keep trying, the lessons and discussion we have in our home, could very well be our great work as parents 😊♥️
Here are a couple great podcasts to add to your list to listen too:
Follow Him Episode 3 Part 2
Don't Miss This
We also watched this music video as a family:
A Great Work from Face to Face Event
Also, for our family study I created these little papers for the kids to write on. On the paper it asks, "What work does God have for met to do?" I love the quote in the lesson from President Nelson. We read that as a family and I encouraged my kids to do what it says. To pray to their Heavenly Father and ask Him how He feels about them and what the work is that he has for them to do. You can download the papers by clicking the link below:
Day 3:
Do you know what I love? I love when we are doing Come, Follow Me family discussions and someone has a question. Because questions can lead to gaining greater truth and knowledge.
Tonight, we were discussing the topic of, “The Book of Mormon contains “the fulness of the everlasting Gospel.”” The question was asked, what that means?
So, we went on a search on the church’s website. I quickly found some great articles. One by Daniel H Ludlow said, “The fulness of the gospel as contained in the Book of Mormon means that it contains those instructions a person needs to observe in order to be worthy to enter the presence of God in the celestial kingdom.”
And in an article titled, “Why We Need the Book of Mormon”, it says, “The Book of Mormon clarifies Christ’s doctrine and brings the fulness of the gospel to the earth once again”
How grateful I am for the Book of Mormon! I’m grateful that it works together with the Bible to testify of Christ! I’m grateful for the clarity it brings!
How is your Come, Follow Me study going this week? What things have you learned?
Here are the links & reminder this image will be on the blog tomorrow as a printable:
Day 4;
Moroni quotes scripture to Joseph, shares prophesies with him, which would all be a part of Joseph’s great work. Can you imagine what had to have been going through Joseph’s mind?!
One of those scriptures was Isaiah 11, which speaks of the gathering of Israel. My heart swells whenever I hear those words! Why? Because as God’s covenant children, this is our great work! To gather scattered Israel on both sides of the veil!
We talked last night as a family about how the first thing we need to do, is work on gaining a testimony for ourselves. We need to have faith in Christ and in God’s plan. Then we can share that with others.
I like to think of the three ways we can gather Israel. President Kimball said they are, “First, to proclaim the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people;
Secondly, to perfect the Saints by preparing them to receive the ordinances of the gospel and by instruction and discipline to gain exaltation;
Thirdly, to redeem the dead by performing vicarious ordinances of the gospel for those who have lived on the earth.”
President Nelson said, “The Lord is hastening His work to gather Israel. That gathering is the most important thing taking place on earth today. Nothing else compares in magnitude, nothing else compares in importance, nothing else compares in majesty. And if you choose to, if you want to, you can be a big part of it. You can be a big part of something big, something grand, something majestic!
When we speak of the gathering, we are simply saying this fundamental truth: every one of our Heavenly Father’s children, on both sides of the veil, deserves to hear the message of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. They decide for themselves if they want to know more.”
The hastening of the Lord’s work is exciting and fascinating to me! Might we encourage our families to be involved in this great work, a work that is of the most importance in the world today!!
I also, listened to this great podcast: Real Talk Episode 3 I really liked this podcast because it was super relatable and it was only around 20 minutes long, so it was really easy to listen to.
One thing I really wanted my family to get out of our study and discussion was that we are invited to participate in the Gathering of Israel. If we accept we will be involved in the most important thing on the earth!
We also discussed all of the things Moroni told Joseph that he would do, then we read a quote by John Taylor in D&C 135 that said all of the things that Joseph did. It was really neat to see that all of the things that Moroni told Joseph that he had a mission to do, he accomplished. Joseph did all of those things, and now it is our turn to see what we will do with them. The Book of Mormon was translated by the prophet, Joseph Smith, we have it, what are we going to do with it?
Day 5:
I love everything about the coming of Elijah and the restoration of the sealing keys.
This week I listened to @hankrsmith & @johngbytheway podcast @followhimpodcast They had Dr. Michael MacKay on. I loved how he talked about how this priesthood sealing power, binds us not only to our families but to previous dispensations. There is a connection. He uses a beautiful analogy of the priesthood being the thread that binds all of the pieces of fabric together, making a beautiful patchwork quilt of God’s children. I love that concept of all of us being bound together.
Right now, when we are unable to attend the temple, I feel like the spirit of Elijah is still very strong. I LOVE learning about my ancestors!! I can’t get enough of it! Last night my youngest and I sat and spent so much time just looking through our family lines to see how far back they went. We love looking at pictures and reading their stories. I feel so connected to them when we do this and their stories fascinate me.
I have a firm testimony of the spirit of Elijah that the hearts of the children are turning and being bound to their Fathers and the hearts of the Fathers are turning to their children. I have that testimony, because I’ve felt that power in my own life.
Day 6:
The thought came to my mind today, as I was thinking about turning our hearts to our fathers, that one reason why the scriptures touch our hearts is because they turn our hearts to our Fathers. In the scriptures we learn stories of those who have lived in dispensations before us. Those who testify of Christ and are His disciples. The power of Elijah, not only binds and seals our immediate family, but binds and seals God’s family together.
I just love this!
My heart pounds within my chest and I feel the spirit, as I think about my ancestors, my love for them grows as I learn about them. I wholeheartedly agree that we are blessed as we participate in family history and temple work! I feel like there is a power that enters our lives. That as we feel connected to our ancestors, they feel connected to us and will be there for us when we need them! It’s so sacred and so special to think about
Here is a beautiful talk by Elder Renlund:
Remember to check back throughout the week, as each day a new printable, insights and resources are added!
Here are some past Sharing Time ideas that could help with family study or if you are a primary teacher:
Here is a link to past Come, Follow Me Posts:
Come, Follow Me 2021Joseph Smith—History 1:1–26 Insights & Printables
Get Free Common Core Lesson Plans at World Book
ReplyDelete