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.
The Lord will be with me in my adversity.
From Come, Follow Me:
Time and again, good fortune seemed to abandon Joseph, but the Lord never did. As you read Joseph’s story, ponder questions such as these: What did Joseph do to stay close to the Lord? How was the Lord “with him”? (see Genesis 39; 40:1–19; 41:9–45). What do you learn from Joseph’s story that could help you recognize the Lord’s presence in your life?
You might also ask similar questions about your life. What evidence have you seen that the Lord has not forsaken you in times of trial? Consider how you can share your experiences with family members and future generations (see 1 Nephi 5:14).
"Embrace your sacred memories. Believe them. Write them down. Share them with your family. Trust that they come to you from your Heavenly Father and His Beloved Son. Let them bring patience to your doubts and understanding to your difficulties. I promise you that as you willingly acknowledge and carefully treasure the spiritually defining events in your life, more and more will come to you. Heavenly Father knows you and loves you!"
“Think of your own life. Over the years, I have listened to thousands of profoundly spiritual experiences from Latter-day Saints all across the world, confirming to me beyond any question that God knows and loves each of us and that He eagerly desires to reveal Himself to us. These experiences may come at pivotal times in our lives or in what may at first seem as uneventful happenings, but they are always accompanied by an exceptionally strong spiritual confirmation of the love of God.
Remembering these spiritually defining experiences takes us to our knees, declaring as did the Prophet Joseph: “What I received was from heaven. I know it, and I know that God knows that I know it.” (see Joseph Smith—History 1).” Neil L. Anderson Spiritually Defining Memories
President Henry B. Eyring shares why he began writing things down. After an experience of seeing charity extended toward his family, he states, "I heard in my mind—not in my own voice— these words: "I'm not giving you these experiences for yourself. Write them down."
"Tonight, and tomorrow night, you might pray and ponder, asking the questions: Did God send a message that was just for me? Did I see His hand in my life or the lives of my children? I will do that. And then I will find a way to preserve that memory ..." O Remember, Remember
You might want to consider creating a collection of your spiritual experiences, and the spiritual experiences of your family members that they would like to share. This book can be a beautiful and meaningful gift for siblings, children, parents, grandparents, and other family members. You may also record your spiritual experiences using the FamilySearch Memories Audio app or the "Record My Story" feature on FamilySearch Discovery.
You may want to use the Memories Audio app or the Record My Story feature on FamilySearch to preserve your memories. Read more in The Family History Guide here.
When recorded and preserved on FamilySearch Memories, you have the option of placing them in an individual album. See How do I create an album in Memories?
From Come, Follow Me:
Joseph had a gift for discerning messages from the Lord through dreams. What can you learn from Genesis 37:5–11; 40:5–8; 41:14–25, 37–38 about receiving and understanding revelation from the Lord? For instance, what can you learn from Joseph’s example when revelation seems difficult to understand? (see Genesis 40:8; 41:16).
Ponder how the Lord is revealing His will to you. What are you doing to act on revelation He has given you? How are you seeking additional guidance from Him?’
"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
President 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)
President Russell M. Nelson, in his first message as President of the Church, declared: “Your worship in the temple and your service there for your ancestors will bless you with increased personal revelation and peace and will fortify your commitment to stay on the covenant path."
What inspiration have you received as you have participated in family history? Share these experiences with your family, and record in individual journals, a family journal, or an audio recording.
Take turns writing about how the Lord has worked wonders in your family. Share being scribe. Younger children can "write" with their artwork. See The Benefits and Blessings of Keeping A Family Journal.
Gather important records of your living family and ancestors. Scan or make paper copies of vital and religious records, and legal documents. Digitize them. List missing records and get replacements. (See Gather Family Information)
Gather photos of your ancestors and the stories behind them, making note of the date, place, event by writing or audio recording.
Look through the ideas below and determine how you will preserve your family memories. How will you divide up the work? When do you plan to accomplish this? Set some smart goals to enable you to preserve your family history.
From Come, Follow Me:
If Joseph were to give counsel on how to resist temptation to commit sexual sin, what do you think he would say?
Read this article. This is part two in a series based on Elder Dale G. Renlund's talk Family History and Temple Work: Sealing and Healing. Also, if you or someone you know is struggling with pornography, visit this site.
In the video below, Steven Jezek describes how he was able to feel the Spirit again, overcome addictions, and get baptized because of his experiencing indexing.
The FamilySearch Get Involved App has replaced indexing, Review computer information and check for mistakes "on the go."
What Are Vital Records? - Vital records include birth, marriage and death records, and they are some of the most useful records to work with in your research. For tips on understanding and using different types of vital records, see Goal B1 in the United States page.