Come, Follow Me 2021 Doctrine and Covenants 77–80 Resources and Insights,
This past week, we learned about the Plan of Salvation and how our Savior and His atonement is a central part of that plan. Our Heavenly Father loves us and desires us to return to His presence and receive the blessings of eternal life and exaltation.
This week, we are going to be learning about how our Heavenly Father will reveal the mysteries of Heaven to us as we turn to Him in prayer asking in faith. We also learn about our our Father leads us and the importance of the call to serve.
Throughout this blog post you will find images I create daily, which I am offering as free printables. As well as insights and links to resources to help with individual, family and even class room study. Remember to check back throughout the week as more printables and resources are added daily.
DAY 1:
I thought this message was very interesting. Have you thought about how some temporal things have an eternal impact??
What things in our lives today, are a means to bring to pass God’s eternal purposes? What things help us to build the kingdom. I would have to say, that the internet and electronic devices, can be used quite essentially in building God’s kingdom. Think about the missionary work that is done online, think about the inspiring messages and testimonies that are shared. Think about how quickly and more efficiently, family history work can be done. I LOVE that I can get on and see pictures and read stories of my ancestors, that others have put on there! What a blessing that is!! It helps me feel connected to my ancestors!
I like to think that our talents and our means, can all also be used to further our Father’s work. I’ve loved to open up our home and yard to our boys youth activities!! It’s just a small thing, but hopefully, it allows for strengthening of testimonies & strengthening of relationships.
What insights or thoughts came to your mind as you read this quote from this week’s Come, Follow Me manual?
Check back throughout the week, as more printables and insights are added daily.
Day 2:
What I want to post today, is such an important topic, I have prayed about it & hope that the words come out right.
Today, our family discussed how we can receive answers to our questions and that God reveals His mysteries to those who seek them. What I love about the restoration of the gospel and Christ’s church is that it is a restoration brought by questions. The restoration was ushered in by a question, as Joseph Smith, sought to know what church was true. Through Joseph’s life, as he translated the Book of Mormon, organized the church & worked on the translation of the Bible, whenever He had a question, He turned to God in prayer. We see that still today with our prophets. I know that President Nelson is in constant communication with our Heavenly Father.
Questions can give us greater light and knowledge when we turn to our Heavenly Father and the correct resources. There will be times when we have questions. We’ve had fabulous family discussions about questions that family members have. My sources are always prayer & turning to the church’s website.
There is so much information circling around in the world. Anybody can write anything. So how do we decipher truth? That is one of the roles of the Holy Ghost is to be a witness of truth. So, we need to be living worthy of that influence. I also loved the quote by Elder Uchtdorf, “please, first doubt your doubts before you doubt your faith.” This is such wonderful counsel!! Why is it that one little doubt can fester and grow and can overcome all of the remarkable faith building experiences one has had? We must keep our faith and doubt our doubt!
I found this fabulous article and a quote that I just loved from it! In speaking about church history, Matt Grow, a historian, said, “when we visit the past, we don’t want to be an “ugly tourist.” We want to try to understand people within their own context and their own culture. We want to be patient with what we perceive as their faults. We want to be humble about the limits of our own knowledge. And we want to have a spirit of charity about the past.”
I have to say, that as we have studied the Doctrine and Covenants this year, my faith and testimony of Joseph Smith and the restoration of the gospel has been strengthened!! I know that he was imperfect as we all are, and he made mistakes as we all do. But I also, know, without any doubt in my mind, that he was a prophet of God! I have read and studied the Book of Mormon and I know that it is the word of God, so, that means that Joseph translated it by the power of God!! I am grateful for a loving Heavenly Father, who allows us to have questions and invites us to turn to Him!!
I guess my hope in writing this post is that when we have questions we turn our our Heavenly Father, we draw closer to Him and allow the Holy Ghost to work in our lives! Here’s the link to the fabulous article by Elder Cook, it also has so wonderful quotes from historians:
Here’s the link to Elder Uchtdorf’s talk:
Day 3:
As I was reading about the United Firm, for some reason I was focusing on the negative aspect of it not really working out in the end & being dissolved.
But then I read this scripture, “For ye are the church of the Firstborn” (D&C 78:21) It reminded me that this is Christ’s church and He sits at the head. Why was I being judgmental of the perceived failure of the United Firm? At the time it served it’s purpose. “The United Firm played a key role in administering the Church.” (Matthew C. Godfrey) I love the faith of the Saints, including Newel K. Whitney, who forgave the large sum of debt and held no hard feelings.
I love this quote by President Eyring!! We must as members of Christ church and servants in His church have faith and trust in Him. Our Savior and Father see the eternal picture, their perception of things is much different than our mortal perception. I think that’s so important to remember. I think that letting go and just trusting Christ, can bring some peace into our lives!
Here’s some study resources:
Day 4:
Can you believe how lucky we are to live in a time where we can participate in the greatest cause there has ever been on the earth?!? The cause to gather God’s children and to prepare for the Lord’s second coming.
The song, “How Great Shall Be Your Joy” by Janice Kapp Perry, came to my mind. Have you heard it?!? This is the phrase that came to my mind, “And if it so be that ye should labor all your days, and bring but one soul unto me; how great shall be your joy with Him in the kingdom of our Father. ”
The first soul we bring unto Christ is our own. We must work on our own conversion and strengthening of our own testimony. That will bring us great joy. Then think of the immense joy we will feel as we help others come unto Christ!
We discussed three ways we can participate in the great cause:
1st- Strengthening the Saints. We do this as we love those we minister to and have stewardship over. We do this as we attend church, as we teach and participate in lessons and as we serve each other. I loved hearing one of my sons say that he prays for each member of his quorum, including those who are not active, or whom aren’t even members. I truly believe that strengthening each other, comes from loving each other.
2nd, proclaiming the gospel. We can do this verbally, electronically or by setting the example by the way we live our lives. A while back as my family was flying to Utah from out of state. I was sitting by a man who was not a member of the church. As the plain descended on the hillside we saw the illuminated Bountiful temple. I think I said something like isn’t it beautiful. I then said that my brother was married in that temple. He told me that he had neighbors who were members of the church and that he knows that families were important to them. Because of these neighbors example and actions and my willingness to point out the beautiful temple, we were able to have a fabulous conversation about our church and what we believe.
I do believe that it is in our everyday living and conversations that have the biggest effect on proclaiming the gospel. As we center our lives on Christ and live the gospel everyday, opportunities arise. I also, have seen the many ways the gospel can be proclaimed online and the amazing reach and effect it can have! Our stake leaders and missionaries were so excited when they saw a post from our newly formed Stake’s Facebook page had reached people from another church on the other side of the country.
3rd, redeeming the dead! Family History work and temple work, help us grow spiritually! We create connections with our ancestors and ultimately draw closer to Christ! Can you imagine how grateful those people are who receive their ordinances are! There has to be a connection formed and great joy had!
Our prophet has invited us, especially our youth to participate in the great cause of gathering Zion on both sides of the veil. I know that when a prophet invites us to do something, great blessings will come to us as we participate and heed his invitation!
What a wonderful time to live! & what a great responsibility we have 😊💕
Here’s a link:
Day 5:
Do you know what? Sometimes, somethings don’t go as planned. Bad things happen to good people, it’s just part of living in this mortal world. But I am grateful that even amidst the troubles and trials of this word, we can find peace & can be of good cheer! Because we have our Savior! He is the good news! He loves us and leads the way!
Neal A Maxwell said, “Brothers and sisters, it is my testimony to the Church that the Lord will lead us along, just as promised. He balances giving to the Church and its people the needed, specific directions, with providing the relevant learning experiences, including having our faith and patience tried in order to be strengthened. Thus He leads us along, but He desires that during that process we take His yoke upon us in order to learn of Him by our personal experiences. We surely feel the weight of that yoke at times, but the path is clear.
Jesus, our Shepherd, has “marked the path and led the way, And ev’ry point defines” (Hymns, 1985, no. 195). His clearly defined footprints are easy to see. They are pressed distinctly and deeply into the soil of the second estate, deeply and distinctly because of the enormous weight which pressed down upon Him, including the awful burden of all of our individual sins.”
I find so much comfort in this! Comfort in my Savior and His presence in my life, especially during those difficult times!
Side note…I found this article from Elder Maxwell, it is so good!! It was written in 1988, so the statements in it about prophesies are astonishing! If you get a chance read through it!
Here’s the link:
Day 6:
My favorite thing in the world is being set part for a calling! I love to know that I’ve been called of God and set apart by those who have the authority and keys to do so.
We discussed callings tonight as a family & I told them that the calling I had that helped me realize how extremely important all other callings are is when I served as primary president! I knew how important it was to have primary teachers, nursery leaders, choristers and pianist, activity leaders, etc. To me those callings were of the most importance, because I loved our primary children and I wanted people in there that would love them and help them come unto Christ! I would pray over those positions and would turn names into the bishopric of who I felt that the Lord wanted in particular callings. I loved those people who served in those callings!! Who served the Lord and those sweet primary kiddos!! I feel so strongly that each calling within our church is important, because we are serving the Lord & building His kingdom.
I found the best talk by President Eyring! This quote really stood out to me, “Your call has eternal consequences for others and for you. In the world to come, thousands may call your name blessed, even more than the people you serve here. They will be the ancestors and the descendants of those who chose eternal life because of something you said or did, or even what you were.” Wow!! Do we really understand the importance of our service?!? The eternal effects it may have 💕 It really has made me reflect on my service and what I can do better!
I also loved this quote, “God magnifies those He calls, even in what may seem to you a small or inconspicuous service. You will have the gift of seeing your service magnified.” I testify that this is true!! In each of my callings, I know that the Lord has magnified my efforts!! This is His church, we are His people & it is His work!! 💕
Ponder on your calling, how have you seen the Lord magnify your efforts?
Here’s the link:
Here are some activities and lessons that could go with this week's study:
God created every creature on earth.
I can share what I have with others.
I can share what I have with others.
Here are some links to some of the past Come, Follow Me posts:
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