Come, Follow Me is a resource offered by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is designed to be used in the home to support personal and family scripture study to build faith in Heavenly Father and His plan of salvation and in the Savior Jesus Christ and His Atonement. Come, Follow Me is self-contained and adequate, when used properly. Products and materials designed to supplement this resource, though they may be helpful in some instances, are not necessary for a successful home study program.
Week 2: Joseph Smith—History 1:1–26—"I Saw a Pillar of Light"
God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph Smith. They are separate, distinct, glorified beings with bodies of flesh and bones (see Joseph Smith—History 1:17; see also Acts 7:55–56; D&C 76:20–23; 130:22).
God and Satan both know who we are and the roles we can play in the establishment of the kingdom of God. Satan uses whatever means he can to try to thwart us from attaining our divine destiny (see Joseph Smith—History 1:20; see also 2 Thessalonians 2:3–10; Moses 7:26).
The truths from Joseph Smith—History 1:1–26 are those that were taught by missionaries to the ancestors (or living relatives) of many of us. As these ancestors received a witness of these truths and made the decision to be baptized, they became examples of the believers for generations to come. Their faith and efforts made it possible for their posterity to have a gospel foundation. Perhaps you are the first convert in your family to accept these truths and be baptized. Your decision will also influence those who come after you.
Writing a letter of gratitude and testimony to an ancestor, living relative, or to yourself, will document your feelings about how life is different for you because of the decisions your convert made. Consider creating an audio recording of your letter, or simply recording your testimony of the restored gospel. See instructions and suggestions for preserving your recording on FamilySearch Memories.
Conversion Stories
You may want to consider creating a collection of the stories of the first converts in your family lines. Find family history stories using the suggestions in 10 Ways To Discover, Gather, and Share Ancestor Stories. If you don't have many stories from the lives of your ancestors available, you could learn from conversion stories and other stories from the lives of our church leaders. Read more here. You may want to put these stories in your memories on FamilySearch and attach them to your tree. Find instructions in this FamilySearch article. The Family History Guide gives step-by-step instructions for preserving your photos and stories in Project 2: Memories.
Stories illustrated by anyone, of any skill level, can be copied for gift-giving, shared for bedtime stories, or used as coloring books. These stories can help us all make connections to those who have gone on before. See Week #10, 2019 of the Come, Follow Me Companion for ideas to illustrate conversion stories. One young man even gave drawing lessons to improve the skills of his cousins who were the illustrators, to help create ties to their ancestors.
Watch President and Sister Nelson's RootsTech 2017 presentation (story at 2:13) in which Sister Nelson describes the experience of creating a storybook illustrated by her great nieces and nephews, ages 3-18, about their 4th great grandmother, Sarah Elizabeth. Have fun discovering, illustrating, and sharing your own family history stories, including the conversion stories and the miracles in your family!
"The Lord had his eyes upon [Joseph Smith], and upon his father, and upon his father’s father, and upon their progenitors clear back to ... Adam. He has watched that family and that blood as it has circulated from its fountain to the birth of that man. He was fore-ordained in eternity to preside over this last dispensation." President Brigham Young, Joseph Smith's Family Tree
From Come, Follow Me :
As you read Joseph Smith—History 1:1–26, what strengthens your testimony of his divine calling? Note the evidences you find that the Lord prepared Joseph Smith for his prophetic mission.
... We are each profoundly affected by our family life, and Joseph Smith was no different. His parents’ religious convictions and practices planted seeds of faith that made the Restoration possible. Joseph’s journal records this tribute: "Words and language [are] inadequate to express the gratitude that I owe to God for having given me so honorable a parentage."
... Joseph Smith learned much from his ancestors and his upbringing in New England, including hard work, devotion to God, and patriotism.
When we examine the positive attributes and character traits of those ancestors who have gone before us, we see how their example can influence our lives and make us better people.
You may want to plan an activity similar to this one that President and Sister Oaks created for their family.
Click the picture below to view the full-length presentation. How are you already like your ancestors, and how would you like to emulate them even more? Learn more about them and decide how you will work to incorporate their positive qualities into your lives.
"As you study your scriptures during the next six months, I encourage you to make a list of all that the Lord has promised He will do for covenant Israel. I think you will be astounded! Ponder these promises. Talk about them with your family and friends. Then live and watch for these promises to be fulfilled in your own life." (President Russell M. Nelson, Let God Prevail, October 2020 General Conference)
Suggestion for journaling this week: Find the promises in Joseph Smith—History 1:1—26 and write or audio record about their influence in your life.
