From
Come, Follow Me :
After the Church was organized, the Saints faced a new challenge—to spread the gospel and strengthen those who had already united with the Church, all while persecution continued to increase. Emma Smith witnessed the opposition firsthand. In June 1830, Emma and members of the Knight family wished to be baptized. But enemies of the Church tried to disrupt what should have been a sacred experience. First they destroyed the dam that had been built to provide deep enough water for the baptisms. Even after the dam was repaired, the persecutors gathered to shout threats and mock those being baptized. Then, just as Joseph was about to confirm the new members, he was arrested for upsetting the community by preaching about the Book of Mormon. It seemed like an unpromising start for the Lord's newly restored Church. But in the midst of this uncertainty and upheaval, the Lord provided precious words of counsel and encouragement, which represent His "voice unto all" (Doctrine and Covenants 25:16).
Voices of the Restoration—Emma Hale Smith
From
Come, Follow Me :
The Lord's words to Emma Smith recorded in Doctrine and Covenants 25 reveal how He felt about her and the contributions she could make to His work. But what was Emma like? What do we know about her personality, her relationships, her strengths? One way to get to know this "elect lady" (Doctrine and Covenants 25:3) is to read the words of people who knew her personally.
How can you get to know more about your ancestors?
Ancestor Characteristics
Review stories about your ancestors. (If you need help locating some stories,
All the Stories is a website that syncs with FamilySearch to help you easily find the stories of your ancestors. You can also locate stories on your part of the FamilySearch tree using the "Stories" option in the fan chart view. Read more
here.)
Identify some characteristics of your ancestors. What were their challenges? What were their strengths?
Is there a phrase or quote that typifies one of their strong characteristics? If so, consider posting it in a prominent place (such as mirror, refrigerator, or main door) for all family members to remember and try to emulate.
Doctrine and Covenants 25
Emma Smith is "an elect lady."
From
Come, Follow Me :
When Emma Hale married Joseph Smith, she likely knew she would be making sacrifices. She was going against the wishes of her father and trading a relatively comfortable life for a life of uncertainty. She might have wondered what the Lord expected of her in the work of the Restoration. Look for the answers the Lord provided in Doctrine and Covenants 25. Note the Lord's words in verse 16—do you find anything in this section that you feel is His "voice unto [you]"?
Emma Smith, The Elect Lady
"Emma Smith was among 13 Saints baptized in Colesville, New York, on June 28, 1830. As a consequence of mob action and the Prophet Joseph Smith being arrested on false charges, these newly baptized individuals were not confirmed as Church members that evening. Between Emma's baptism in June and her eventual confirmation in August, the Lord provided the revelation recorded in
Doctrine and Covenants 25 to Emma through her husband, Joseph. Of all of the revelations that Joseph Smith received for individuals through July 1830, this was the first given to a woman. This revelation is an indication of the prominent role that Emma would fulfill in the Restoration. She was selected as the first president of the Relief Society in March 1842 in Nauvoo, Illinois." (Doctrine and Covenants Student Manual,
Chapter 10: Doctrine and Covenants 23–25)
"In her calling to help the Lord build His kingdom, she was given instructions about how to increase her faith and personal righteousness, how to strengthen her family and her home, and how to serve others….from the day the gospel began to be restored in this dispensation, the Lord has needed faithful women to participate as His disciples." (
What I Hope My Granddaughters (and Grandsons) Will Understand about Relief Society, Julie B. Beck, October 2011 General Conference)
What do you know about the faithful women in your family history?
Women of Faith
Learn about some of the
Extraordinary Women in Your Family Tree. Go to
Women of Faith and log in to your FamilySearch account. Read about the women in your family tree and discover how these women showed leadership and dedication in their lives. Share these stories with your family.
The Women in My Family
"Your family can gain strength as you learn and share the inspiring stories of the women that came before you" as you join in this activity,
The Women in My Family, from FamilySearch.org.
Doctrine and Covenants 25:11–12
From
Come, Follow Me :
Perhaps you could sing each family member's favorite hymn or song and talk about why it is his or her "song of the heart." How are these songs like "a prayer unto [God]"?
How does music influence your family? Maybe your family has a favorite lullaby that has been passed down from generation to generation that mothers sang to their babies. Maybe you have created a song specifically for your family that has special meaning to family members. Music touches the soul.
Family Sing-Along
Think of some songs that have meaning to your family. Have fun and sing them together. Discuss why these songs are special to your family. How far back have you heard of your ancestors singing them? You may want to sing the song
Family History, I am Doing It.
Songs of Strength
Music can bring strength and hope. Does your family have any memorable songs that have helped you through tough challenges?
The pioneers sang the hymn "Come, Come Ye Saints" to help give them courage on their trek west. (
The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square version; Hymns,
music and lyrics version)
Gancci, a young five-year-old boy, his two siblings and babysitter were buried in the rubble of a three-story apartment building during Haiti's devastating 2010 earthquake. Rescuers found them by following the sound of Gancci's voice singing
Primary songs. (See
Sacred Anthems: Why Latter-day Saints Worship with Music—Church News)
Families can gain strength through stories and music passed down from generation to generation. Write or
audio-record about songs that have had a comforting or encouraging influence in the lives of your family.
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)
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 23-26 and write or
audio-record about their influence in your life.
