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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.
Jeremiah 1–3; 7; 16–18; 20
God knew me before I was born.
From Come, Follow Me:
Before Jeremiah was born, God knew him and chose him, or foreordained him, to fulfill a specific mission on earth (see Jeremiah 1:5). Why do you think it was valuable for Jeremiah to know this?
God also knew you before you were born and foreordained you to specific responsibilities (see Alma 13:1–4; Doctrine and Covenants 138:53–56; Abraham 3:22–23). What difference can this knowledge make in your life?
…If you have received your patriarchal blessing, you might prayerfully review it and ask God how to accomplish what He foreordained you to do.
“Through our patriarchal blessings, we are shown how we fit into the Lord’s plan to gather Israel by learning of our tribe; we are given personal counsel, admonitions, and promises; and we are taught about the unique gifts and talents Heavenly Father has given us to serve Him.” Read more in this article: Understanding Your Patriarchal Blessing.
If you have received your patriarchal blessing, note what reminds you about pre-mortally, and what you were sent to earth to accomplish in these latter days. Make a list of what you need to do to receive the promised blessings contained in your blessing. Keep your list and blessing handy to review and pray about often.
See also Gospel Topics, “Foreordination,” “Premortality.”
In addition to studying your own patriarchal blessing, you can read and study those of your ancestors.
Locate your deceased ancestors' patriarchal blessings that have been preserved if possible. See this website to order copies if you are missing them.
Discovering how the Lord loved, guided, and blessed your ancestors, and for those who followed God’s plan for them, you could write a letter of gratitude describing what their examples have helped you in your life. Record your letter using the Memories App or FamilySearch-Record A Story.
If the information is included on FamilySearch, use the timeline Timeline and map in Family Tree feature to learn about how the events of an ancestor’s life corresponded with what is spoken of in his or her patriarchal blessing. Make a list as you make discoveries to share with your immediate and extended family members.
The Lord will gather His people.
When Jeremiah prophesied of the gathering of scattered Israel, he said it would be even more monumental than the Exodus from Egypt (see Jeremiah 16:14–15). In a similar spirit, President Russell M. Nelson said: “You were sent to earth at this precise time … to help gather Israel. There is nothing happening on this earth right now that is more important than that [gathering]. … This gathering should mean everything to you” (Russell M. Nelson and Wendy W. Nelson, “Hope of Israel” [worldwide youth devotional, June 3, 2018], supplement to the New Era and Ensign, Aug. 2018, 12, ChurchofJesusChrist.org).
As you study Jeremiah 3:14–18; 16:14–21, what inspires you about the latter-day gathering of Israel? What do these verses suggest about how that gathering happens? What additional insights do you find in the rest of President Nelson’s message cited above?
See also: The Gathering of Scattered Israel
Study about the gathering of Israel in these latter days, and decide how you can be involved, or how you can increase your participation.
President Nelson: “When we speak of gathering Israel on both sides of the veil, we are referring, of course, to missionary, temple, and family history work. We are also referring to building faith and testimony in the hearts of those with whom we live, work, and serve. Anytime we do anything that helps anyone—on either side of the veil—to make and keep their covenants with God, we are helping to gather Israel” Let God Prevail
President Nelson: "I invite you prayerfully to consider what kind of sacrifice, and preferably a sacrifice of time, you can make to do more family history and temple work..." RootsTech Family Discovery Day 2017
Each week, you will find activities to help gather Israel (on both sides of the veil) in Weekly Family History Activities - A Come, Follow Me Companion. Although the Come, Follow Me Resource stands alone, having suggestions at your fingertips to do optional, related family history activities can help immensely to streamline your time and extend and enrich your gospel centered home studies. You could have family members select and lead out in an activity for the week. For individuals, there are always suggestions to help you make family history discoveries, gather information and preserve memories, and to connect the past and present. See the following video for ways to use this helpful resource, and give it a try!
In addition to giving Weekly Family History Activities - A Come, Follow Me Companion a try (see above) here are some more suggestions to unite your family in the work of gathering:
Watch the video below to see how Mandy Phillips accepts Elder Anderson's temple challenge and is reunited with her grandparents she hasn't seen in 20 years!
Elder Bednar: "Missionary work and family history and temple work are complementary and interrelated aspects of one great work, 'that in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him'" (Ephesians 1:10) "... The artificial boundary line we so often place between missionary work and temple and family history work is being erased; this is one great work of salvation." Missionary, Family History, and Temple Work
You might try the following "practice sharing the gospel" activity using family history as a finding and retention tool. Invite other families to join in the fun if you would like.
Divide into companionships and practice door approaches with this guidance from Preach My Gospel: "Talk to people about their families. Help them see how the restored gospel can be a blessing to their families. Offer to help them find the names of grandparents, great-grandparents, or other ancestors. Enlist the help of ward temple and family history consultants."
See also:
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