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He "Has Sealed His Mission and His Works with His Own Blood"
Doctrine and Covenants 135; 136:37–39
From Come, Follow Me:
Imagine how you might have felt if you had been living in Nauvoo when Joseph and Hyrum Smith were killed (see Saints, 1:554–55). How would you have tried to make sense of this tragic event?
In answering this question, it might be helpful to know how your ancestors and others who lived in Nauvoo during this tragic event tried to make sense of it. Who were they and what did they write about it?
See Nauvoo Family Search Records to discover your Nauvoo relatives.
“It’s a story that’s part of our shared past and will be meaningful to anyone who had ancestors who came through Nauvoo or who are members today of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...Users can see how the timeline of their ancestors in Nauvoo coincides with the listing of key historical events there.” Read more here.
Descriptions of the historical events listed on the timeline are linked to chapters in Saints. You may want to make a list of relatives in Nauvoo from all of your family lines.
Examine your FamilySearch Fan Chart for ancestors who lived in Nauvoo during this time period and to discover what stories have been recorded. You can also explore Relative Finder. If you do not have relatives who lived in Nauvoo, see below for ways to learn from others who lived there. Discuss what you learn together as families. Record your gratitude for your ancestors and your feelings about how their faith in Christ has influenced yours.
“Come experience this historic site through a live, virtual visit. Joseph and Hyrum went to Carthage on June 24, 1844. That day they said their final goodbyes and put their complete trust in the Lord, no matter what might happen. In this 30-minute tour you will see where Joseph and Hyrum spent their last hours and were then martyred on June 27, sealing their testimonies with their blood. As you feel the Spirit in the jail, you will also hear the stories of other men who were there and who later recorded the events that took place.”
To see tour times and schedule a tour, click here.
Consider reading more here and watching Joseph Smith: The Prophet of the Restoration.
From Come, Follow Me:
Joseph Smith has done more for our salvation than anyone except Jesus Christ. Think about the blessings that have come to you as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ. How many of them are a result of the mission accomplished by the Prophet Joseph Smith? Doctrine and Covenants 135:3 names some of the great things Joseph Smith accomplished in the 24 years following the First Vision. How have these things affected you and your relationship with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ? Consider recording your testimony of the Prophet Joseph Smith. Who might need to hear your testimony?
Record your feelings about Joseph Smith to strengthen your own testimony and to influence and bless those now living and generations to come. Consider scanning or taking a photo of hand-written testimonies to preserve in Memories on FamilySearch. You can also type directly into a document in Memories. See instructions in The Family History Guide here.
Read your written testimony as an audio message on FamilySearch using the FamilySearch Memories Audio App, the "Record My Story" feature on FamilySearch, or from FamilySearch memories on your computer (see this link). You could also record it without writing it first. What a blessing for generations to come to hear your voice sharing the message you want them to remember! Read more here.
You may want to help young children write what they feel and invite them to share favorite stories or teachings.
The Lord gives me counsel for my “journeyings” in life.
From Come, Follow Me:
After being driven from Nauvoo, the Saints faced a long journey to the Salt Lake Valley, and the first few hundred miles were slow and miserable. Brigham Young, who now led the Church as President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, worried about how the Saints would survive the rest of the trek. He set up a temporary settlement called Winter Quarters and pled for guidance. In response, the Lord gave him a revelation, now section 136.
[See Mormon Trail Center at Winter Quarters, and consider scheduling a virtual tour through the Mormon Trail Center at Winter Quarters].
Keep this context in mind as you study section 136. What counsel do you find that could help turn a difficult trial in your life “into an important … spiritual experience”? You might also ponder how the counsel can help you accomplish the Lord’s will in your own life, as it helped the early Saints make the difficult trek to the West...think about difficult things your family may have to face. What counsel do we find in this revelation that could help us access the Lord’s help and power?
The more we learn about our ancestors and others who lived in Winter Quarters and made the trek west, the more we can be inspired by their faith and their examples of fortitude, their dedication to the cause of truth, their testimonies of Jesus Christ and his gospel, and their willingness to follow the prophet. Study the following resources along with the Come, Follow Me lesson, and decide how to use what you learn to be a better disciple of Christ.
You may want to consider creating a collection of the stories of the first converts in your family lines. Find family history stories using the suggestions in 10 Ways To Discover, Gather, and Share Ancestor Stories. If you don't have many stories from the lives of your ancestors available, you could learn from conversion stories and other stories from the lives of our church leaders. Read more here.
Have fun doing the following activities to learn more about the stories of your ancestors and others who were pioneers - forging the trail to Zion.
Find more activity videos on The Family History Guide Youtube Channel.
From Come, follow Me
What does it mean to “walk in all the ordinances of the Lord”? How do the ordinances we have received affect our daily lives?
“Ordinances and covenants help us remember who we are. They remind us of our duty to God. The Lord has provided them to help us come unto Him and receive eternal life. When we honor them, He strengthens us spiritually.” Covenants and Ordinances.
You have ancestors in the spirit world who have accepted the gospel message and are waiting to receive the ordinances of salvation. Consider what your ancestors must feel and the urgency of temple and family history work. Consider the many ways being involved in this great work blesses you personally and your family on both sides of the veil, and how you can receive the promised blessings.
Explore Latter-day Saint Youth: Take Ancestors To The Temple and Latter-day Saint Topics in The Family History Guide. Review the promised blessings of temple and family history work. Check out the temple and family history activity ideas in the Come, Follow Me Companion (see Ye Are Children Of The Covenant for example) and find joy in being blessed and blessing others!
President Nelson: "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." (Russell M. Nelson, Let God Prevail). You can choose to continue your search to identify promises the Lord has promised by searching in Doctrine and Covenants 135–136. Write or audio-record about the influence of these promises in your life.