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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.
From Come, Follow Me:
The Israelites were trapped. The Red Sea was on one side, and the army of Pharaoh was advancing on the other. Their escape from Egypt, it seemed, would be short-lived. But God had a message for the Israelites that He wanted them to remember for generations: “Fear ye not. … The Lord shall fight for you” ( Exodus 14:13–14 ).
Imagine how the Israelites may have felt as they saw themselves trapped between Pharaoh and the Red Sea. What feelings do you think they may have experienced? Can you recall a situation in your life in which you were dependent on someone else to help you out of a difficult situation? What were your feelings at the time–before and after?
"In 1741, George Frideric Handel composed an oratorio about Jesus Christ titled Messiah. Handel determined that the proceeds of a performance of Messiah would be donated to pay for the release of debtors from debtor's prison. Over 140 people who had been jailed because they were unable to pay their debts were set free as a result. Commenting on this event, President Russell M. Nelson said, 'Without the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we would all be hopelessly indebted, just as were those people in debtor's prison. Our Redeemer, the Lord Jesus Christ, came to pay a debt He didn't owe because we owed a debt we couldn't pay.'" (Come, Follow Me 2019 - Easter)
Discuss how the release of these prisoners in this video can also represent the redemption of our ancestors through baptismal and other ordinances for the dead.
President Spencer W. Kimball taught about the anticipation of many in the spirit world who desire to receive gospel ordinances:
“The spirit world is full of spirits who are anxiously awaiting for us to perform these earthly ordinances for them.…
“Some of us have had occasion to wait for someone or something for a minute, an hour, a day, a week, or even a year. Can you imagine how our progenitors must feel, some of whom have perhaps been waiting for decades and even centuries for the temple work to be done for them?” (“The Things of Eternity—Stand We in Jeopardy?” Ensign, Jan. 1977).
Play Frozen Tag with your family. Can you think of anyone who may be "frozen" or doesn't feel free to move forward that needs your help? Compare this with how our ancestors in spirit prison cannot be released or progress without our help.Are there any ancestors you know of who may feel “frozen” or “trapped?”
President Russell M. Nelson said "ordinances can bring liberty to captives on the other side of the veil." (General Conference April 2010, Generations Linked in Love.)
Look at Ordinances Ready to help you find relatives that you can do work for. If you haven't used Ordinances Ready yet, read Ordinances Ready—Inspiring Members Around the World.
Redeem the Dead is another activity you may want to do. It was created for a stake but is adaptable to a ward or family setting. (It is found near the end of 2019-Week 24.)
“When you give of your time to help your ancestors stranded in the spirit world, you show your love for them. You will feel their love and appreciation as you act in faith to find them, because they need you!” (Prepare Family Names for the Temple)
From Come, Follow Me:
Your family members might enjoy trying to “divide” the water in a bowl or a bathtub, as Moses divided the Red Sea. Help them understand that the Red Sea could not be divided without the power of God. How have we seen God’s power in our lives and the lives of our ancestors?
A descendent of Eliza Leuella Stewart Udall describes how she draws strength from her 2nd great grandmother's life. She learns, "With God, you can do anything." What do you learn from your ancestors?
Find some of the stories of your ancestors. If you need help locating them, All the Stories is a tool which syncs with FamilySearch to help you easily find the stories of your ancestors. Read these stories together as a family. Discuss the following questions and share your thoughts and feelings with each other.
Note: You can also locate stories on your part of the FamilySearch tree using the Stories option in the fan chart. Read more here.
From Come, Follow Me:
You might act out the story of Aaron and Hur holding up the hands of Moses and discuss how this could symbolize how we sustain those whom God has called to lead us. You might also contrast the example of Aaron and Hur with the Israelites’ murmuring against Moses (described throughout chapters 15–17). What are some ways we can help and sustain our leaders?
“Sustaining the prophet is a sacred privilege…but sustaining the prophet is more than just raising one’s hand — it means standing behind the prophet, praying for him, defending his good name and striving to carry out the instructions he gives as directed by the Lord…Members sustain the prophet through personally committing to do their utmost to uphold the prophetic priorities. ('Sustaining the prophets' - Church News)
At the beginning of the October 2021 General Conference, President Russell M. Nelson, invited you to listen for three things–”pure truth, the pure doctrine of Christ, and pure revelation.” (Pure Truth, Pure Doctrine, and Pure Revelation) As a family, search through talks from the prophets and apostles to see what they say about temple and family history. Make a list of their counsel and challenges for you. Decide as a family what you want to do individually and collectively to follow their counsel. Make a plan. Here are a few resources to help get you started:
One priority of President Russell M. Nelson was made clear In his closing remarks at the October 2021 General Conference. He pleaded with you four times to “make time for the Lord in your life.” In one of the pleadings, he stated: “As I emphasized this morning, please make time for the Lord in His holy house. Nothing will strengthen your spiritual foundation like temple service and temple worship.” (Make Time for the Lord)
For instructions on how to find names to take to the temple see Temple Opportunities in The Family History Guide. After you find names, plan your temple trip and attend.
Identify a Line for Research - Which of your family lines should you focus on for starting your research? Choosing one line at a time to pursue is a more efficient way to do research. Find some practical ideas for identifying lines to research in Project 4: Discover, Goal 2, Choice B.