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.
Doctrine and Covenants 6-9 —"This Is the Spirit of Revelation"
Heavenly Father speaks to me through "the Spirit of truth."
From Come, Follow Me :
In spring 1829 Oliver Cowdery traveled to Harmony and volunteered to be Joseph Smith's scribe as he translated the Book of Mormon. Oliver now had a close view of the revelatory process of translation. The experience thrilled him, and he wondered if he could also be blessed with a gift to translate. The Lord allowed him to attempt to translate, but receiving revelation was new for Oliver, and his attempt did not go well. He still had a lot to learn, and Doctrine and Covenants 6, 8, and 9 show that the Lord was willing to teach him.
As you read these sections, notice what the Lord taught about personal revelation. How do His words relate to experiences you've had—or would like to have?
"Nothing opens the heavens quite like the combination of increased purity, exact obedience, earnest seeking, daily feasting on the words of Christ in the Book of Mormon, and regular time committed to temple and family history work." (Russell M. Nelson, Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives, April 2018 General Conference)
In the April 2017 General Conference, Elder Henry B. Eyring also spoke regarding revelation. "I have learned...that even the best technology can never be a substitute for revelation from heaven....This is a spiritual work, and the Lord directs it through His Holy Spirit.
"Just a few weeks ago, I was working on my family history with a consultant by my side and another helper on the phone. On the computer screen before me was a problem beyond my mortal power to solve. I saw two names, sent to me by the wonders of technology, of people who might be waiting for a temple ordinance. But the trouble was that the names were different, but there was a reason to believe they might be the same person. My task was to determine what was true.
"I asked my consultants to tell me. They said, "No, you must choose." And they were completely sure I would discover the truth. The computer, with all its power and information, had left me the blessing of staring at those names on a screen, evaluating the available information, seeking other research, praying silently, and discovering what was true. As I prayed, I knew with surety what to do—just as I have in other situations when I needed to rely on heaven's help to solve a problem.
We do not know what marvels God will inspire people to create to help in His work of gathering His family. But whatever marvelous inventions may come, their use will require the Spirit working in people like you and me. This should not surprise us. After all, these are beloved sons and daughters of God. He will send whatever inspiration is needed to give them the opportunity to return to Him." (Gathering the Family of God)
Hear Him
How has God spoken to you? How can these experiences help you going forward? What inspiration have you received as you have participated in family history? Share these experiences with your family. You could also record these experiences in individual journals, a family journal, an audio recording, or any method you choose.
Live to Receive Revelation
What do you need to do more of in your life to be better prepared to receive the revelation God has in store for you? What do you need to do less of? Some suggested ways to hear HIm (Jesus Christ) more clearly were given in the May 2020 Friend, adapted from President Nelson's April 2020 General Conference address, Hear Him).
Feast daily on His words in the scriptures.
Go to the temple or do family history work.
Pay attention to the words of the prophets.
Listen to the whisperings of the Holy Ghost.
Decide how you and your family will change to be better prepared to receive the revelation God would send you. Check out the Get Started page in the Family History Guide to see different ways you can begin or continue your family history journey, to reap the rewards including hearing Him more clearly.
Even though Joseph had already experienced "difficult circumstances" while doing the Lord's work (Doctrine and Covenants 6:18), he and Oliver likely had no idea how difficult those circumstances would become over the next several years. But the Lord knew, and He knows what trials are in your future too. His counsel to Joseph and Oliver in Doctrine and Covenants 6:18–21, 29–37 can also help you. How might Joseph and Oliver have felt after hearing these words? What do you find in these verses that helps you trust the Lord?
What are some examples of your ancestors who turned to the Lord to overcome doubt and fear (verse 36)? How have your ancestors' faith in Jesus Christ strengthened you and your family? See below for ways to find ancestor stories.
Ancestors' Stories
What can you learn from the experiences of your ancestors? Use some of the resources below to help you find stories of your ancestors. What do you learn about their lives? Share these stories with your family.
All the Stories, when synced with FamilySearch, can help you find your ancestors' stories back nine generations.
Use the FamilySearch Story Fan Chart to see how many stories are available for each person listed on the chart.
From FamilySearch: "Apart from the Savior, everyone who has lived on earth has made mistakes. What matters is that we bounce back, learn, and grow from them. The more stories you know of your family bouncing back from hard times the easier it will be for you to bounce back when life gets hard." Try these We Bounce Back activities. You may also want to consider audio-recording the stories.
Fulfillment of Promises in Your Life
"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)
As you read your Come, Follow Me lesson this week, identify promises the Lord has promised He will do for you and add them to your list. Write these promises in your journal. Share how their fulfillment has blessed or is blessing your life. Below are just a couple of promised blessings. What additional promises can you find?
If you will ask, you will receive according to your faith. (D&C 6:5; 7:1; 8:9-11; 9:8)
If you are faithful, you will receive the gift of salvation. (D&C 6:7-13)
