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 85-87: "Stand Ye in Holy Places"
Are you keeping a personal history or journal? What could you record about your manner of life, faith, and works that might be a blessing to future generations? How might this history be a blessing for you?
President Henry B. Eyring shares that after an experience of seeing charity extended toward his family: "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, Henry B. Eyring, General Conference October 2007
Obtain a journal. Another idea is to keep an online journal such as this one.
Write! Need some ideas of what to write about? Write about the funniest thing that ever happened to you, the saddest, the happiest, and the scariest, and document your amazing life.
Randal Wright feels that everything in life can teach us lessons. So he came up with a simple strategy to make things easier: carry a notebook with you everywhere and record important moments in three word blurbs that brings them easily to mind. Later when you have more time, elaborate on those three words.
Here are some tips for writing your own three word personal histories:
"Use specific words, such as a person, place, or thing in your title. Say 'Jane Dress Fiasco' rather than 'I Didn't Think,' which could imply endless situations.
Use key words that will jog your memory of the event.
Spend 30 minutes or less writing down each memory and the lesson(s) learned. Always ask yourself, "What can I learn from this event?"
Incorporate this method in other everyday tasks, such as scripture study. A three word blurb regarding a personal experience, when written next to a scripture, will remind you why that verse is important to you."
Take turns writing a little about what you have learned or what has happened to you and your family each day or each week. Younger children can "write" with art. You could do this online and include a photo or two. Consider using the FamilySearch memories feature to record journal entries.
Create a collection of the spiritual experiences of your family members that they would like to share. This makes a beautiful gift for parents and grandparents. See Week 40, 2020.
"On nearly every headstone, no matter how plain or ornate, is carved one universal symbol. It's a simple horizontal line—a dash—separating two significant dates. The first marks the day one precious soul entered this mortal life. The second marks his or her inevitable journey onward."
A well-known poem by Linda Ellis, "The Dash," speaks of this symbol. She writes (in part):
"For that dash represents all the time
that they spent alive on earth.
And now only those who loved them
know what that little line is worth."
We are each, right now, standing somewhere in the middle of our own individual dashes. What will you record for those who follow you?
What would you like to say to your own posterity? Write and then read it as an audio message (see above), or record it without writing it first. Sharing will leave no question about what you know and love. What a blessing for generations to come to hear the message you want them to remember!
It would be a true gift to record for someone who isn’t able to do it alone, or to record what you love about someone you know and love!
You may want to record and share inspiration you receive from reading journals of those who have gone before you. Another fun idea is to act out the stories from these journals, or stories you know from the lives of your ancestors.
Doctrine and Covenants 86
From Come, Follow Me :
How are we like the wheat? How can we be like the angels who gather the wheat?
The Lord used the parable of the wheat and the tares to illustrate how His people will be gathered in the last days.
Be a Latter-day Gatherer
How can you be a "gatherer" in these latter days? Here are some resources:
Use the search feature in The Family History Guide to find one area of the gathering to focus on this week.
Doctrine and Covenants 87
From Come, Follow Me :
What are your "holy places" (verse 8) where you find peace and safety? What makes a place holy? In addition to physical locations, perhaps there are holy times, holy practices, or holy thoughts that can provide peace. What does it mean to "be not moved" from these places?
Spending Time with the Spirit
"Spend more time—much more time—in places where the Spirit is present. That means more time with friends who are seeking to have the Spirit with them. Spend more time on your knees in prayer, more time in the scriptures, more time in family history work, more time in the temple. I promise you that as you consistently give the Lord a generous portion of your time, He will multiply the remainder." Russell M. Nelson, "Becoming True Millennials. See a beautiful summary here.
What will you do to receive the promised blessings for doing more temple and family history work? Study the following resources and come up with a plan that will help you include family history 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)
Find what the Lord has promised He will do for Covenant Israel in Doctrine and Covenants 85-87 and write or audio-record about what they mean to you and those you love.
