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 41-44: "My Law to Govern My Church"
From Come, Follow Me :
The rapid growth of the Church in 1830 and 1831—especially the rush of new converts coming to Kirtland, Ohio—was exciting and encouraging to the Saints. But it also presented some challenges. How do you unify a quickly expanding body of believers, especially when they are bringing with them doctrine and practices from their previous faiths? For example, when Joseph Smith arrived in Kirtland in early February 1831, he found new members sharing common property in a genuine attempt to imitate the New Testament Christians (see Acts 4:32–37). The Lord made some important corrections and clarifications on this and other topics, largely through a revelation recorded in Doctrine and Covenants 42, that He called "my law to govern my church" (verse 59). In this revelation, we learn truths that are fundamental in establishing the Lord's Church in the latter days, including a significant promise making clear that there is always more to learn: "If thou shalt ask, thou shalt receive revelation upon revelation, knowledge upon knowledge" (Doctrine and Covenants 42:61).
"The prophets have taught that it is necessary to leave behind anything in our old cultures that is inconsistent with the culture of Christ. But that doesn't mean we have to leave behind everything. The prophets have also emphasized that we are invited, one and all, to bring our faith and talents and knowledge—all that is good in our lives and our individual cultures—with us and let the Church "add to it" through the message of the gospel.
"The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is...an international church, as it was always meant to be….New members from around the world bring richness, diversity, and excitement into our ever-growing family. Latter-day Saints everywhere still celebrate and honor their own heritage and heroes, but now they are also part of something far grander." (The Culture of Christ, William K. Jackson, October 2020 General Conference)
Discover Your International Heritage
What can you learn about your international heritage? Discover where your ancestors lived. Pedigree Pie offers a single, easy-to-read chart for your ancestor locations. Trace your family's path through history! Another option is to use the FamilySearch fan chart. By using the Birth Country option you can see what countries your ancestors came from. For additional fun, before checking out the fan chart, guess the countries where you think your ancestors lived. How close were your guesses?
Present Day in Your Ancestral Homelands
Using tips from the article Where I Come From, you can trace your family origins and learn about your ancestral homelands. You will identify the countries that are part of your family ancestry and locate them on a map to help you connect with your ancestors.
Have fun using your branch of the FamilySearch tree with the Where Are My Ancestors From? activity. See your family's movement on a map, discover the countries your ancestors lived in, and explore the heritage and traditions of those countries. You need to have a FamilySearch account (create one for free here). You also should have at least four generations entered into your family tree, which will provide enough data to get you started.
The My Heritage feature pulls data from your family tree to show what countries your ancestors came from. The page displays both a flag and the percentage of your family members in the tree that lived there. There is so much more to explore on this site! The more data you have in the tree—names, birth and death dates and places, photos, and so on—the more this tool will map out your heritage. The Family Tree is the world's largest shared tree. When you connect to it, your ancestor's information might already be available for you to find.
See also the Countries section of The Family history Guide to learn more about your homelands and to find records of your ancestors. The Family history Guide is translatable into all the major languages of the world, and the links take you directly to the repositories listed for each country.
"He that receiveth my law and doeth it, the same is my disciple."
From Come, Follow Me :
By early 1831, the Saints were starting to gather in Ohio, eager to receive the law that God had promised to reveal there (see Doctrine and Covenants 38:32). But first, the Lord taught how His disciples should prepare to receive His law. What principles do you find in verses 1–5 that would have helped the Saints receive God's law? How might these principles help you receive instruction from Him?
Maybe you could read this verse while putting a puzzle together. Use the puzzle to teach how God reveals His mysteries—"revelation upon revelation, knowledge upon knowledge.
"If thou shalt ask, thou shalt receive revelation upon revelation, knowledge upon knowledge, that thou mayest know the mysteries and peaceable things—that which bringeth joy, that which bringeth life eternal." (Doctrine and Covenants 42:61)
What does "knowledge upon knowledge" mean to you? How might you receive additional instruction and knowledge about family history? How can you prepare to receive this knowledge? Below are just a few methods to help you enlarge your understanding of family history.
RootsTech
RootsTech is one of the largest family history conferences in the world. Participants enjoy a variety of topics in hundreds of family history classes, motivational speakers, genealogy tips and much more. Learn virtually on Rootstech.org until March 2022. Watch past sessions of RootsTech conferences to enhance your learning of family history from a variety of sessions such as:
Keynotes
General Sessions
RootsTech Sessions
Sessions for Latter-day Saints
The Family History Guide
Part of The Family History Guide's mission is to "make everyone's family history journey easier, more efficient, and more enjoyable." Check out some of the ways to begin your family history journey, increase your family history knowledge, and have some fun with the following:
Discover more ways to make your family history journey, easier, more efficient and more enjoyable in The Family History Guide by clicking the Tour button on the Home page.
What would help your family "live together in love"? (see also Mosiah 4:14–15). Consider writing or saying positive things about one another or singing a hymn about love within the family, such as "Love at Home" (Hymns, no. 294).
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 the promises in Doctrine and Covenants 41-44. Write or audio-record about their influence in your life, and share with your family.
