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 51-57: "A Faithful, a Just, and a Wise Steward"
From Come, Follow Me :
For Church members in the 1830s, gathering the Saints and building the city of Zion were spiritual as well as temporal works, with many practical matters to address: Someone needed to purchase and distribute land where the Saints could settle. Someone needed to print books and other publications. And someone needed to run a store to provide goods to those in Zion. In the revelations recorded in Doctrine and Covenants 51–57, the Lord appointed and instructed people to handle these tasks, and He identified Independence, Missouri, as "the center place" of Zion (Doctrine and Covenants 57:3).
But while skills in such things as purchasing land, printing, and running a store are valuable to the temporal work of building Zion, these revelations also teach that the Lord desires His Saints to become spiritually worthy to be called a Zion people. He calls each of us to be "a faithful, a just, and a wise steward," having a contrite spirit, "stand[ing] fast" in our appointed responsibilities (see Doctrine and Covenants 51:19; 52:15; 54:2). If we can do that—regardless of our temporal skills—the Lord can use us to build Zion, and He "will hasten the city in its time" (Doctrine and Covenants 52:43).
"Have you ever wondered if your ancestors were carpenters, traders, farmers, architects, or perhaps even royalty? The careers your ancestors led come with intriguing stories and hint at the kinds of lives they led, what their social classes were, and what their interests were. The same is true about the jobs you and your family hold." (Occupations: A Piece of Family History - FamilySearch)
Discover Your Ancestor's Occupation
If you could step back in time, what would your ancestor's occupation look like?
Look at some of your ancestors on your family tree and see if you can determine their occupations. Was it a family business? Did their parents have the same occupation? Did you find any unusual occupations?
Over time, certain jobs became obsolete. Have you found any ancestors with occupations that are now obsolete? Why was their occupation no longer considered useful? What trade did your ancestor choose to move on to? Have fun Testing your Knowledge on Jobs that No Longer Exist. You can look through a List of Old English Occupations and Descriptions and see which ones you recognize. How many are still relevant today?
With many people claiming spiritual manifestations, the early Saints were concerned about being deceived. How could they tell who was "accepted of [God]"? (verse 15). In Doctrine and Covenants 52:14–19, the Lord gave a helpful pattern. How can you apply this pattern to detect false messages in the world? You might also use this pattern to evaluate yourself: consider using phrases from these verses to write questions such as "When I speak, is my spirit Contrite?"
As you discuss the pattern described in these verses, your family might enjoy looking at other patterns you use—such as patterns for sewing clothing or making a craft.
"When you research your family's history it is important to keep track of patterns and parallels that you observe in your ancestors' lives. By using some of the tools [timelines, map plotting and spreadsheets] ... you will be able to keep track of your ancestors and make certain that you have the right people in your family tree." (Tracking Patterns and Parallels - FamilySearch)
Timelines
"Using a timeline to keep track of events in your ancestor's life will help you in your search for your ancestor's records. If you find that your ancestor is frequently switching from one county to another, during that same time period, you may have a case of two people with the same name. Timelines may also help you realize new record sets that you can search. When you plot each document on a timeline you will be much better able to establish an ancestor's identity." (Tracking Patterns and Parallels - FamilySearch)
You may also want to review 2020 Come, Follow Me Companion Lesson 45 for additional activity ideas on timelines. Creating Ancestor Timelines from The Family History Guide Blog shares ideas on how using a timeline can help move your research forward.
Plotting a Map
"Plot the locations where your ancestor had records made. Sometimes we assume that just because a record has our ancestor's name that it is their record. But, when the locations are plotted on a map we discover that the location of a record may be outside the probable area in which our ancestor lived and created records ... Mapping also helps to establish associations with other potential relatives. There is a good chance people living close to your ancestor were relatives. When you plot the area around your ancestor's residence you will be able to see relationships between your ancestor and his or her neighbors." (Tracking Patterns and Parallels - FamilySearch)
On a Person page for one of your ancestors in FamilySearch, find "Time Line" below the Name header. Click on "Time Line." You will see your ancestor's information formatted in a timeline with a map of those events to the right. (You may need to click on "Map" if the map is not currently appearing. For more information on navigating the "Time Line" menu, see Family Tree Person Page Update | FamilySearch. You can also see eight historical events on your ancestor's timeline to see what they may have been experiencing at the time. Read Timeline and Map in Family Tree for more information on using the map feature.
Spreadsheets
"Using a spreadsheet will allow you to look at several pieces of information about an ancestor at the same time. Spreadsheets are particularly helpful in genealogical questions concerned with the Identity of your ancestor. With the use of a spreadsheet you can look across multiple people's records and find patterns that you may have missed if you did not use a spreadsheet." (Tracking Patterns and Parallels - FamilySearch)
Do you have any ancestors that are difficult to identify because of other individuals with the same name who live in close proximity to each other? Use a spreadsheet to list information and record information for each person to help you distinguish one individual from another.
Genealogy Research Forms from the FamilySearch Wiki can also help you organize your family history research.
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)
Suggestion for journaling this week: Find the promises in Doctrine and Covenants 51-57. Write or audio-record about their influence in your life, and share with your family.
