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Come Follow Me: Book of Mormon, Teaching Ideas and Free Resources
Ether 6 – 11
QUESTIONS TO PONDER:
Each Come Follow Me Lesson asks important and reflective questions. When I first began my individual study these questions threw me off. Simply because many of these questions required so much depth and individual reflection in order to answer honestly. My first approach to come follow me was to get in, get out, get it done, check it off. These questions simply didn’t allow me to do so. In fact, I felt a little sick when I would read a question like, “How does the spirit speak to you?” and I wouldn’t know the answer right away. After a time, and pondering on that specific question I realized IT’S OKAY. In fact, I think these questions were meant to be set aside, thought about, and pondered. When we try and come up with the quick easy, obvious, answer, we are depriving ourselves of an opportunity to reflect, ponder, pray, and RECEIVE REVELATION. Is this not the whole reason for Come Follow Me? Are we not trying to finetune and recognize how we, and how to receive personal revelation.
So each week I will list out some of the questions issued in Come Follow Me. Maybe you pick to ponder about all of them, maybe you pick just one. Whatever you do, ponder on this for the ENTIRE week. Pray about it, discuss it with loved ones, then at the start of the new week, take the time to write down your impressions or thoughts, share them with your family, testify of powerful insights.
For example, what has the Lord provided that lights your way like the stones in the Jaredites’ barges?
- What might the barges represent, or the winds that “blow towards the promised land”? (Ether 6:8).
- What do you learn from the actions of the Jaredites before, during, and after the voyage?
- How is the Lord leading you toward your promised land?
- Why did these Jaredites humble themselves in these situations?
- What did they do to show their humility?
- How were they blessed as a result?
- Notice that in some cases, the people were compelled by their circumstances to be humble. Consider what you can do to willingly “walk humbly before the Lord” (Ether 6:17) rather than be compelled to be humble (see Mosiah 4:11–12; Alma 32:14–18).
- How can our homes be compared to the Jaredites’ barges?
- What is the promised land the Lord is leading our family toward?
- What warnings have our Church leaders given us? In what ways could dismissing their counsel lead to captivity?
- Why was Moroni commanded to write “these things” about secret combinations? (Ether 8:23).
- What have we learned from the book of Ether that can help us obtain the blessings described in verse 26?
- How do our desires affect our choices?
- What can we do as a family to ensure that we desire the things of God?
- How can you help the children turn to the Lord when they feel afraid?
Lesson:
In his 96 years, President Russell M. Nelson of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has seen many trials. But he says there’s a simple remedy to help us find joy in hard times—gratitude. What a wonderful message and challenge as we approach Thanksgiving #GIVETHANKS
“There is no medication or operation that can fix the many spiritual woes and maladies that we face,” President Nelson said. “There is, however, a remedy—one that may seem surprising—because it flies in the face of our natural intuitions. Nevertheless, its effects have been validated by scientists as well as men and women of faith. I am referring to the healing power of gratitude.” – President Nelson
Excerpt from President Nelson’s Address:
He called gratitude a therapy for those problems that has been validated by scientists and believers alike. As a doctor, he said he would prescribe two activities to help anyone experience the healing power of gratitude.
“First, I invite you — just for the next seven days — to turn social media into your own personal gratitude journal,” he said. “Post every day about what you are grateful for, whom you are grateful for and why you are grateful. At the end of seven days, see if you feel happier and more at peace. Use the hashtag #GiveThanks. Working together, we can flood social media with a wave of gratitude that reaches the four corners of the earth.”
Second, he asked people to unite in thanking God daily through prayer and said he hoped they would be inspired to follow suit, “pouring out your heart in gratitude for the countless blessings God has given you and petitioning him to heal our hearts, our families, our societies and the world at large.”“Wilt Thou bless us with a healing spirit that unites us despite our differences,” he asked in his prayer. “Wilt Thou also help us repent from selfishness, unkindness, pride and prejudice of any kind so that we can better serve and love one another as brothers and sisters and as Thy grateful children.”
The full prayer offered Friday by President Nelson:
“Our Father in Heaven, as fellow passengers on Thy planet earth, we humbly pray unto Thee. We thank Thee for life and all that sustains life. We thank Thee for the beauties of the earth, for order in the universe, the planets, stars and all things of eternal significance. We thank Thee for Thy laws that protect and guide us. We thank Thee for Thy mercy and loving watchcare. We thank Thee for our families and loved ones who fill our lives with joy.
“We are grateful for all who are striving to combat the COVID pandemic. Please bless them with protection and inspiration. Wilt Thou help us end this virus that has plagued so many of Thy children. We thank Thee for the leaders of nations and others who strive to lift us. We pray for relief from political strife. Wilt Thou bless us with a healing spirit that unites us despite our differences. Wilt Thou also help us repent from selfishness, unkindness, pride, and prejudice of any kind so that we can better serve and love one another as brothers and sisters and as Thy grateful children. We love Thee, our dear Father, and pray for Thy blessings upon us in the name of Thy Beloved Son, Jesus Christ, amen.
In hopes of helping you get into the attitude of gratitude I wanted to share this Free Activity that I initially created for Teachers and members of Teaching on Lemon Lane:
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Teaching Ideas for Toddlers & Young Children
Watch or Listen To:
With a 2-year-old and 4-year-old, I understand the STRUGGLE and the attention span you are dealing with. Below are some of my favorite videos or audio recordings|podcasts you can listen to and watch with your children. My favorites right now are the Book of Mormon Story videos.**Different from the newly released B.O.M. videos. These are illustrated and READ stories to your children. THESE are PERFECT for when everyone is strapped in the car seat. My 4-year-old now requests these over the radio. Each segment is only 2-4 minutes long. This allows us to listen, review and discuss together, and listen again throughout the week. Many of the videos I share can be found on the Saint’s Radio Channel App. (Formerly Mormon Channel App, If you don’t already have this, DOWNLOAD NOW.)
I am absolutely LOVING the YouTube Channel, Latter Day Kids. Each week they put out a beautifully illustrated video meant for young children to be used in conjunction with the Come Follow Me Lessons. This week’s video is all about All Things Denoting there is a God! You can even head to their website to download discussion questions to go along with the video and a fun coloring page.
Click Here to access this week’s Printables and Activities
Click here to subscribe to Latter Day Kids
Drawn In: Free Sample of Subscription Videos
The ONLY Paid Subscription I use for Come Follow Me
I’ve recently teamed up with David Bowman artist, author and creator of the Drawn-In Video Subscription to bring a discount to all Living on Lemon Lane readers. This is the ONLY Paid Come Follow Me product that I have a subscription to, and it is worth every cent. Each week you get TWO engaging and fun videos (around 20 minutes long each!) as well as exclusive content and printables! Like his books, instead of just introducing the scripture story he explains a principle, then takes it a step further by exploring APPLICATION. Click here to watch his Free Videos, If you’re interested make sure to use the promo code LEMONLANE10 at checkout to receive 10% off of the yearly membership!
WOOHOO! Free Video for this week:
Click Here to Learn More, Use Code LEMONLANE10 for an exclusive discount off the yearly membership!Head to davidbowmanart.com to watch more FREE episodes and learn more about subscribing ($4.95 per month – gets you 2 episodes PER WEEK that go directly with Come Follow Me as well as supplemental PDF print outs)
PODCAST FOR KIDS:
Read:
- Illustrated Book of Mormon page 145
- Book of Mormon Stories Young Readers ***My Favorite (INCLUDES VIDEO)
Activity Suggestions:
Click Here to Download Page 31 (or 33 if printing)
Activity Suggestions from the Friend or the Come Follow Me Manual:
- Ether 6:2–12 Would your family enjoy acting out the Jaredites’ voyage to the promised land? Maybe you could use a dark room as a barge and flashlights to represent the shining stones. You could talk about how the Jaredites showed their faith in the Lord by getting in the barges, despite knowing that they would be “buried in the depths of the sea” (Ether 6:6). After reading verse 9, family members could share favorite hymns of praise and sing them together. How can our homes be compared to the Jaredites’ barges? What is the promised land the Lord is leading our family toward?
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Using words and phrases from Ether 6:2–12, describe to the children the Jaredites’ journey across the sea. Invite the children to pretend to climb into the barges and pretend that their barge is being moved and covered by waves. How would it feel to be in a real barge in rough waters? What can we do when we are scared? Read together verses 7 and 9 to see what the Jaredites did when they were frightened.
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Tell about a time when you were afraid and Heavenly Father comforted you. Share with the children a hymn or song that helps you “thank and praise the Lord” (Ether 6:9) for His help. Let the children share their favorite Primary songs, and sing some of them together.
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- I can be thankful: After arriving safely in the promised land, the Jaredites were so thankful that they “shed tears of joy” (Ether 6:12). How can you encourage a spirit of thankfulness in the children you teach?
- Read to the children phrases from Ether 6:9 and 12 to teach them how the Jaredites showed their gratitude to the Lord for helping them reach the promised land. Ask the children to name some things they are thankful for. Sing together, like the Jaredites did, a song that expresses gratitude, such as “I Thank Thee, Dear Father” (Children’s Songbook, 7).
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Show a picture of the living prophet, and ask the children what they know about him. What does a prophet do? Explain that the Jaredites had prophets too, and whenever they followed the prophet, they were blessed and happy (see Ether 7:24–27). How can we follow the prophet.
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Sing together a song about prophets, such as “Follow the Prophet” (Children’s Songbook, 110–11; see also Gospel Art Book, nos. 4–27, 67–87). Talk with the children about things the prophets have taught us to do (for example, reading our scriptures daily, keeping the Sabbath day holy, or serving others), and invite them to act out obeying that counsel when you say “Follow the prophet!”
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Teaching Ideas for Families
Watch or Listen To:
Finding time to make Come Follow Me can be tough, it can also be tough to keep the attention of family members. The Book of Mormon videos recently released by the church are a WONDERFUL resource. ***Filming has recently been postponed due to Covid 19
Read
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- I LOVE using the Institute and Seminary Manuals to aid my study! They answer questions, provide insight and background coupled with beautiful quotes from Prophets and Apostles.
- A Promised Land: Holland
- You Need to Leave This Place: New Era Article
- Learning to be a Leader: New Era Article
Activity Suggestions:
Activity Suggestion from Come Follow Me:
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Tell about a time when you were afraid and Heavenly Father comforted you. Share with the children a hymn or song that helps you “thank and praise the Lord” (Ether 6:9) for His help. Let the children share their favorite Primary songs, and sing some of them together.
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Use this week’s activity page to help the children make paper barges. Explain that the barges helped the Jaredites stay safe even when they were surrounded by water (see Ether 6:7, 10). What has Heavenly Father given us to keep us safe on our journey back to Him?
Individual Study & Extension
Watch or Listen To:
Read:
:MOST IMPORTANT PART:
Comment below and share YOUR favorite resources for this week of Come Follow Me in the Book of Mormon. Join the conversation on @livingonlemonlane on Instagram and stay updated on new blog posts! If you enjoyed this PLEASE SHARE! Till next week.
