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 37-40: "If Ye Are Not One Ye Are Not Mine"
From Come, Follow Me :
The need to gather to Ohio has long since passed, but Saints today still unite around the same cause, the same work: to "bring forth Zion" (Doctrine and Covenants 39:13). Like those early Saints, we forsake "the cares of the world" (Doctrine and Covenants 40:2) because we trust the Lord's promise: "You shall receive ... a blessing so great as you never have known" (Doctrine and Covenants 39:10). See also Saints, 1:109–11.
D&C 38:32—Wherefore, for this cause I gave unto you the commandment that ye should go to the Ohio; and there I will give unto you my law; and there you shall be endowed with power from on high;
The saints received an outpouring of spiritual gifts and manifestations during the construction, dedication, and use of the Kirtland Temple. Essential priesthood keys were restored in the Kirtland Temple, including the power to seal families for eternity. They also received greater riches as promised (see D&C 38:18; D&C 38:19, 32). This suggests that the Lord's promised blessings were greater than the sacrifices the Saints were asked to make. Read more here.
President Russell M. Nelson said, "After we receive our own temple ordinances and make sacred covenants with God, each one of us needs the ongoing spiritual strengthening and tutoring that is possible only in the house of the Lord. And our ancestors need us to serve as proxy for them...I plead with you to take a prayerful look at how you spend your time. Invest time in your future and in that of your family. If you have reasonable access to a temple, I urge you to find a way to make an appointment regularly with the Lord—to be in His holy house—then keep that appointment with exactness and joy. I promise you that the Lord will bring the miracles He knows you need as you make sacrifices to serve and worship in His temples." (Becoming Exemplary Latter-day Saints)
Temple Traditions
Consider creating family temple traditions that happen (almost) without fail. Some sacrifices will need to be made, but having set times will help make the activity happen. Read more in this article: Sacrifice of Time.
Think about adding an activity to what you already do as a regular routine, connecting one with birthdays, age-related transitions, mission events, and anniversaries, including them in your plans for family reunions and get-togethers, during study time, on Sundays, and having a regular time to attend the temple each week or month.
Search for more temple-related activities using the search bar (magnifying glass icon) found at the top of every page of The Family History Guide.
The Lord concluded His command to gather to Ohio by saying, "Behold, here is wisdom" (Doctrine and Covenants 37:4). But not everyone saw the wisdom in it right away. In section 38, the Lord revealed His wisdom in more detail. What do you learn from verses 11–33 about the blessings of gathering? Church members are no longer commanded to gather by moving to one location; in what ways do we gather today? How do these blessings apply to us? (see Russell M. Nelson, "The Gathering of Scattered Israel)
President Nelson: "True, in the early days of the Church, conversion often meant emigration as well. But now the gathering takes place in each nation. The Lord has decreed the establishment of Zion in each realm where He has given His Saints their birth and nationality. Scripture foretells that the people "shall be gathered home to the lands of their inheritance, and shall be established in all their lands of promise." "Every nation is the gathering place for its own people." The Gathering of Scattered Israel
Temples are key to the gathering of Israel. The Church was not even a year old when plans to build a temple were first discussed. Construction began in Kirtland, Ohio in 1833 and the temple was then dedicated in 1836. Five years later, the Saints began building another temple in Nauvoo, Illinois, which was dedicated in 1846. Crossing the plains to Utah, they were able to find a place of refuge. In the coming years, four temples were constructed in Utah, including the iconic Salt Lake Temple which was dedicated April 6, 1893. Read more about temple building here.
Today, there are operating temples dotting the earth, with dozens more announced or under construction. In contrast to the early saints gathering and then building temples, temples are now being gathered to the Saints!
You can also use your FamilySearch fan chart "Countries" tab and find out more on the profile of each ancestor.
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Next, use this List of Latter-day Saint Temples (along with maps and photos) to see where the closest temples are to the homelands of your ancestors. If they were still living in their homelands today, where would they gather at a temple? You may want to make a list of these and even draw a map.
Use Descendancy Research to discover living relatives who may be living in these homelands. Talk about ways to learn about them and possibly make connections.
What temples are part of your family history? You could post photos of them, along with photos of your ancestors.
President Nelson: "The choice to come unto Christ is not a matter of physical location; it is a matter of individual commitment. People can be 'brought to the knowledge of the Lord' without leaving their homelands." The Gathering of Scattered Israel
Using resources listed in the above activities, you might explore recorded missionary experiences of your ancestors, research the first convert in each of your lines, ask missionaries to share their experiences teaching people from "the four corners" of the world, or find other ways to learn about what temple, family history, and missionary work look like in a specific place of interest to you and your family. Check out International Resources for Latter-day Saints for fun ideas to explore.
Watch this video about a conversion experience of Renu Singh in India.
When Joseph Smith first revealed the place where the Saints would gather, a woman in Canada asked him if Jackson County would be big enough to gather all the people. Brigham Young answered this question by stating that "Zion will extend, eventually, all over this earth. There will be no nook or corner upon the earth but what will be in Zion. It will all be Zion ... We are going to gather as many as we can, bless them, [and] give them their endowments." Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses (Liverpool, UK: George Q. Cannon, 1861), 1:138.
Fulfillment of Promises in Your Life
Note: President Nelson encouraged us to do the following for six months, but it may be a wonderful opportunity to carry this invitation through your study of the Doctrine and Covenants this year:
"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. Find promises in Doctrine and Covenants 37-40 and write or audio-record about their influence in your life.
