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 27-28 —"All Things Must Be Done in Order"
President M. Russell Ballard said: "There is not one great and grand thing we can do to arm ourselves spiritually. True spiritual power lies in numerous smaller acts woven together in a fabric of spiritual fortification that protects and shields from all evil" (Be Strong in the Lord, Ensign, July 2004).
"I have suggested a few ways to incorporate gospel principles into your lives. In most cases, we are not talking about massive changes of behavior. As with chain mail, you need simply to add small, individual pieces of armor each day through prayer, scripture study, focusing on things that matter, and acting in a reverent manner." M. Russell Ballard, Be Strong in the Lord, Ensign, July 2004).
President Russell M. Nelson invites us all to "focus on things that matter," by being involved in the gathering of Israel.
"My beloved brothers and sisters, thank you for your faith, your devotion, and your love. We share an enormous responsibility to be who the Lord wants us to be and to do what He wants us to do. We are part of a great movement—the gathering of scattered Israel. I speak of this doctrine today because of its unique importance in God's eternal plan...We are among the covenant people of the Lord. Ours is the privilege to participate personally in the fulfillment of these promises. What an exciting time to live!" (President Russell M. Nelson, The Gathering of Scattered Israel, Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2006).
In October 2018 General Conference, President Nelson spoke during the women's session about their role in gathering Israel. In 2016 he invited millennials to help in the cause, and promised that as they consistently gave the Lord a generous portion of their time, He would "multiply the remainder." Becoming True Millennials (see also this article).
President Nelson also invited the youth to gather Israel on both sides of the veil to prepare for the second coming of the Lord. "Are you willing to enlist in the youth battalion of the Lord to help gather Israel?" See Latter-day Saint Youth: Gather Israel.
"Anytime you do anything that helps anyone—on either side of the veil—take a step toward making covenants with God and receiving their essential baptismal and temple ordinances, you are helping to gather Israel. It is as simple as that." Hope of Israel, Worldwide Youth Devotional—June 3, 2018
The Gathering of Israel
Study about the gathering of Israel in these latter days, and decide how you can be involved. Each week, you will find activities to help gather Israel (on both sides of the veil) in the Come, Follow Me Companion. You may decide to do an activity each day to "add small, individual pieces of armor" as President Ballard counsels. Check out 5-Minute Ideas for Latter-day Saints.
Consider the "add-on" method as you plan family history activities. Make a routine by adding an activity to a meal, bed-time, travel time, family prayers or scripture reading, etc. Check out Need a Time Filler? Think Family History!
You may also want to join the Facebook group for The Twenty-one Day Family Connections Experiment to do family history (gathering on both sides of the veil) for 21 straight days, and select a plan to follow for ideas and motivation. Read more about it here.
Why was Oliver Cowdery's mission to the Lamanites significant?
From Come, Follow Me :
One purpose of the Book of Mormon is "that the Lamanites might come to the knowledge of their fathers, and that they might know the promises of the Lord" (Doctrine and Covenants 3:20). This was consistent with promises the Lord made to many Book of Mormon prophets (see, for example, 1 Nephi 13:34–41; Enos 1:11–18; Helaman 15:12–13). Early Church members considered the American Indians to be descendants of the Book of Mormon people. (The official position of the Church today is that the Lamanites "are among the ancestors of the American Indians" [Introduction to the Book of Mormon].)
To read more about Oliver's mission to nearby American Indian tribes, see "A Mission to the Lamanites" (Revelations in Context, 45–49). What does this mission teach you about the Lord and His work?
The Delaware Indians were receptive, and the chief requested that the missionaries return in the spring when "you shall read to us and teach us more concerning the Book of our fathers and the will of the Great Spirit."
Although the Lamanite mission was abruptly ended, it helped chart the course the Church would follow during the coming decade. Read more in Mission To The "Lamanites".
Like the Delaware Indians who desired to know about their ancestors in the Book of Mormon, many people desire to know of their heritage. As they learn about those who went before them, they may become interested in knowing about eternal families and what the gospel of Jesus Christ teaches about sealing families together. Thus, teaching about temple work and helping with family history can be a successful finding, teaching, and retention tool.
Elder Bednar explains: "Missionary work and family history and temple work are complementary and interrelated aspects of one great work, 'that in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him'" (Ephesians 1:10) "... The artificial boundary line we so often place between missionary work and temple and family history work is being erased; this is one great work of salvation." Missionary, Family History, and Temple Work
Family History and Missionary Work
Talk about times when you or your ancestors felt the Spirit prompting you in your temple and family history efforts to help others. You might want to role-play missionary scenarios where family history can be a tool for introducing someone to the gospel.
Divide into companionships and practice door approaches with this guidance from Preach My Gospel: "Talk to people about their families. Help them see how the restored gospel can be a blessing to their families. Offer to help them find the names of grandparents, great-grandparents, or other ancestors. Enlist the help of ward temple and family history consultants."
Family History As A Retention Tool
Practice using The Family History Guide as a resource to explain how to find and record information about ancestors. Practice what you might say to new converts about the temple blessings available to them, their families, and their ancestors. Share how the temple has blessed your life and the lives of your loved ones.
Discovering and Preserving Family Conversion Stories
See Week 2 for more ideas, including illustrating conversion 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)
Journaling Suggestion: Find what the Lord has promised He will do for Covenant Israel in Doctrine and Covenants 27–28 and write or audio-record about what they mean to you and those you love.
