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.
Annie Henrie Nader, "Interrupting Angels" — used with permission
Doctrine and Covenants 45: "The Promises ... Shall Be Fulfilled"
The The Lord's promises will be fulfilled.
From Come, Follow Me :
The Second Coming of the Lord has been described as both “great” and “dreadful” (Malachi 4:5). In Doctrine and Covenants 45, both descriptions seem to fit. This revelation includes both sober warnings and hopeful promises about the Lord's coming.
As you study Doctrine and Covenants 45:11–75, ponder how you can prepare for the Second Coming with faith in Christ rather than fear.
Elder Holland gives a description of our day, the work we have been sent to do, and the gratitude of those prophets who have gone on before as they cheer us on to accomplish our part in the "drama of history."
Jeffrey R. Holland: "In short, apostasy and destruction of one kind or another was the ultimate fate of every general dispensation we have ever had down through time. But here's my theory. My theory is that those great men and women, the leaders in those ages past, were able to keep going, to keep testifying, to keep trying to do their best, not because they knew that they would succeed but because they knew that you would. I believe they took courage and hope not so much from their own circumstances as from yours—a magnificent congregation of young adults like you tonight gathered by the hundreds of thousands around the world in a determined effort to see the gospel prevail and triumph....
Ours, not theirs, was the day that gave them "heavenly and joyful anticipations" and caused them to sing and prophesy of victory. Ours is the day, collectively speaking, toward which the prophets have been looking from the beginning of time, and those earlier brethren are over there still cheering us on! In a very real way, their chance to consider themselves fully successful depends on our faithfulness and our victory. I love the idea of going into the battle of the last days representing Alma and Abinadi and what they pled for and representing Peter and Paul and the sacrifices they made. If you can't get excited about that kind of assignment in the drama of history, you can't get excited! ("Terror, Triumph, and a Wedding Feast," CES Fireside for Young Adults, September 12, 2004) Watch the entire presentation here.
President Nelson gives specific counsel and encouragement to the youth of the church concerning their part in gathering Israel on both sides of the veil:
"You—my dear extraordinary youth—were sent to earth at this precise time, this most crucial time in the history of the earth, to help gather Israel ... There is nothing happening on this earth right now that is more important than that. There is nothing of greater consequence. Absolutely nothing. This gathering should mean everything to you. This is the mission for which you were sent to earth.
...Just think of the excitement and urgency of it all: every prophet commencing with Adam has seen our day. And every prophet has talked about our day, when Israel would be gathered and the world would be prepared for the Second Coming of the Savior. Think of it! Of all the people who have ever lived on planet earth, we are the ones who get to participate in this final, great gathering event. How exciting is that!
Our Heavenly Father has reserved many of His most noble spirits—perhaps, I might say, His finest team—for this final phase. Those noble spirits—those finest players, those heroes—are you!
You are part of the finest team, which includes family members from the other side of the veil.
"When messengers are sent to minister to the inhabitants of this earth, they are not strangers, but from the ranks of our kindred [and] friends . . . . In like manner, our fathers and mothers, brothers, sisters, and friends who have passed away from this earth, having been faithful, and worthy to enjoy these rights and privileges, may have a mission given them to visit their relatives and friends upon the earth again, bringing from the divine Presence messages of love, of warning, of reproof and instruction to those whom they had learned to love in the flesh." Joseph F. Smith, Gospel Doctrine
How can you learn more about these loved ones who are cheering you on, right alongside the prophets? How can getting to know about their lives help open the door to receive their influence in your life?
Try some of the activities below to learn more about your ancestors.
Read Ancestor Stories
Read your ancestors' stories on FamilySearch (find them in Memories, or on your fan chart). Or, check out the All The Stories site to see a searchable list of all the stories anyone has placed on your part of the FamilySearch family tree.
You can make it easier to find stories of your ancestors' stories on FamilySearch by creating albums in your memories. Some categories are: Adventure stories, Conversion Stories, Ancestor Stories Told In First Person, Stories of Faith, etc.
A Book of Stories
Create a book of your ancestor stories. You may also want to consider creating a collection of the stories of the first converts in your family lines. See the Weekly Family History Activities, Book of Mormon Week #28 for ideas to illustrate conversion stories.
Angels Cheering Us On
Joseph F. Smith said, "When messengers are sent to minister to the inhabitants of this earth, they are not strangers, but from the ranks of our kindred [and] friends . . . . In like manner, our fathers and mothers, brothers, sisters, and friends who have passed away from this earth, having been faithful, and worthy to enjoy these rights and privileges, may have a mission given them to visit their relatives and friends upon the earth again, bringing from the divine Presence messages of love, of warning, of reproof and instruction to those whom they had learned to love in the flesh." Gospel Doctrine (read more here).
How can you learn more about these loved ones who are cheering you on, right alongside the prophets? Getting to know about their lives can help open the door to receive their influence in your life to help you through troubled times.
"The Lord so declared: 'I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up.' What a promise! When we are faithful, He and His angels will help us." (Russell M. Nelson, April General Conference 2011)
See what Sister Wendy Nelson shares about asking for angels to help you. Watch a video of her presentation here, or use the clip below. To express gratitude to these ancestors, honor their names and perform temple ordinances for them.
"So keep loving. Keep trying. Keep trusting. Keep believing. Keep growing. Heaven is cheering you on today, tomorrow, and forever." Jeffrey R. Holland, Tomorrow the Lord Will Do Wonders Among You
You may also be interested in reading this article by Larry E. Dahl and watching this short video clip by Elder Holland: Angels Round About You. Also, see these inspirational items from Elder Holland:
You might explain to your children that anciently, a standard was a banner or flag carried into battle. It helped soldiers know where to gather and what to do. Read together Doctrine and Covenants 45:9, and discuss ways the gospel is like a standard. Your children may enjoy making their own standard or flag, including images or words that express their feelings about the Savior.
Create a Flag or Coat of Arms
Consider creating a flag or coat of arms or crest for a specific family line, for your current family, or consider designing a collection of symbols that simply inspire you personally. See this article for ideas to help children create a family coat of arms, and check out more instructions here.
Find information about ancestors' homelands and what symbolizes these places in The Family History Guide Countries section. Discover many Latter-Day Saint symbols and their meanings here and in this article. Learn about symbolism in gospel ordinances here.
Pedigree Pie offers a single, easy-to-read chart for your ancestor locations so you can 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 come from. See also Where Are My Ancestors From? to find out more while making interactive discoveries, along with Homelands and Research and other resources from Week #17.
