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Week 30 COME FOLLOW ME: Doctrine and Covenants – TEACHING IDEAS & RESOURCES | D&C Sections 81 – 83

Questions to Ponder:

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. Each Come Follow Me Lesson asks important and reflective questions.

• Do you sometimes wonder how you can fulfill the important responsibilities in your life?

• What are some ways a person can be “weak”? What does it mean to “succor” those who are weak?

• What might cause a person’s hands to figuratively “hang down”? How can we “lift up” those hands?

• What might the phrase “feeble knees” mean? How can we “strengthen” those with feeble knees?

• Perhaps studying this verse has brought to mind someone you could “succor,” “lift up,” or “strengthen.” What will you do to minister to that person?
• As you read Doctrine and Covenants 82:1–7, consider making two lists of things you learn: warnings about sin and truths about forgiveness. How can these truths help you resist the temptations of the adversary?
• What insights in these verses could help you explain to someone why you choose to follow the Lord’s commandments?
  • You might also consider how His commandments have changed your life.
  • What do you learn about the Lord as you read verse 10?
• What do you learn from section 83 about how the Lord feels about widows and orphans?
  • Do you know anyone in this situation who would benefit from your love or care?
• Discuss how your family can regularly serve each other in simple ways.
• What can each family member do to “improve upon his [or her] talent” and “gain other talents”?
• What do you find in this section that can help you fulfill the responsibilities given to you by the Lord?

Lesson:

When I first read through this week’s Come Follow Me section in the manual, I was INSTANTLY reminded of a presentation by Brooke Romney I had attended with my mom in 2019 at a Time Out For Women Tour.

For whatever reason, this lesson has stayed with me.

I may butcher this story, and this may be so far off from the main idea and details of the story, however, I know I will at least get the spirit of it right, because it was one of those moments where the spirit taught me a much needed lesson through someone else’s words and experience.

Brooke mentioned a time when she felt impressed to check-in on a ward member. As her busy week went on she continued to feel a prompting that she needed to reach out.

Brooke mentioned acknowledging these promptings, and setting them aside until she had something to bring, maybe dinner or banana bread, or a little trinket…etc.

Like with my life, these intentions to act and to bring something are good. However, often the need to bring something, or do something that justifies these little drop-ins, often get in the way of the actual acting, remaining forever only an intention.

Click Here to Follow Brooke on Instagram

The week went on.

Life is busy.

Brooke never followed through with the prompting, and in time the once prodded promptings paused. (The teacher in me can’t help but throw in a little alliteration when I can :D) 

Brooke then went to church on Sunday, where she saw this sister in a meeting. The sister made a comment about sharing about what a horrible time she had been going through this week, and how she had been served by others in the ward. These other members in the ward were actual answers to her desperate prayers.

Brooke approached the sister after the meeting, expressing how she had felt impressed to check in with this sister.

I can’t remember the sister’s polished reply, something to the effect that she was glad that others DID repspond and act on those promptings.

But I do remember Brooke’s takeaway after that moment.

This is “My” work. “My” work will go on with, or without you.

Brooke concluded her talk, urging us to CHOOSE to hear Him, and to CHOOSE to ACT when we do.

This story reminds me of  Doctrine and Covenants 81. In this section, the Lord calls Jesse Gause to be a counselor to Joseph Smith in the Presidency of the High Priesthood (now called the First Presidency). The revelation instructs Brother Gause, in his new calling and promises him blessings for serving faithfully.

…But Jesse Gause did not serve faithfully. So Frederick G. Williams was called to replace him, and Brother Gause’s name was replaced with Brother Williams’s name in the revelation.

This is “My” work. “My” work will go on with, or without you.

 

“[…] No unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done” (History of the Church, 4:540).”

Click Here to read the rest of the address

Watch or Listen To:

With young children, 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.  Many of these are PERFECT for when everyone is strapped in the car seat. My 5-year-old now requests many of these over the radio. 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.)

Drawn In: Free Sample of Subscription Videos

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 one of 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!

Check out the last FREE Sample Video! Head to davidbowmanart.com for more information!

 

• 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)

 

 

Read:

• Activity Suggestion from the Friend
• Scripture Stories: Doctrine and Covenants
• For Young Readers: Scripture Stories

 

Activity Suggestions:

 

Click Here to Download

Doctrine and Covenants Coloring Book:

Come Follow Me Activities:

Kate of Play Beyond the Box started @comefollowmeactivities Each week she posts a FREE Weekly Lesson plan that breaks down Come Follow Me into simple, easy to digest and implement, DAILY LESSONS and activities. Her lessons and activities are created with primary-aged children in mind.

Click Here to check out this week’s Activity Schedule for Come Follow Me by @Comefollowmeactivities

Norman The Latter Day Saint

I found ANOTHER free, weekly resource that you are going to LOVE! Danette Smith and Brittany Smith, the creators behind @NormantheLatterdaySaint share the sweetest illustrated coloring pages to go along with Come Follow Me each week! Check out this week’s coloring page below, then check out their, “Norman the Latter Day Saint,” picture-book series! They create wonderful children’s book with LDS themes.

***There are lots of fun coloring pages to pick from, SCROLL DOWN to the bottom of the page to find the most recent Come Follow Me Coloring Page

CLICK HERE to Download this week’s Norman Book Series Coloring Page

Activity Suggestion from Church Magazines

• Words of Comfort

  For Doctrine and Covenants 81–83

  • Sing “Have I Done Any Good?” (Hymns, no. 223).

  • Jesus taught that we should “lift up the hands which hang down” (Doctrine and Covenants 81:5). That means helping others and encouraging them when they are sad or tired.

  • Make a helping hand! Trace your hand on a piece of paper and cut it out. Write something on it that you will do to help others and then hang it up where you can see it. If you want, you could hang your family’s hands up together to make a helping hands tree!

• For Doctrine and Covenants 81–83: Think of someone your family can serve. Give them a treat or card or help them with something. Help your little ones say, “I can help others!”

Activity Suggestions From Come Follow Me:

• You could give paper hearts to family members and invite them to draw or write something they would like to pray about. Talk about what it means to pray “always, vocally and in thy heart.”

• To learn about the principles in this verse, perhaps family members could share examples of when they felt “weak” or “feeble” and someone succored or strengthened them. You could also watch videos about serving others, such as “Works of God” or “The Miracle of the Roof”
• Perhaps a simple game would help your family feel thankful for God’s commandments. One family member could give instructions to help a blindfolded family member make a sandwich or go through an obstacle course. Think of something fun and creative! Then discuss how God’s commandments are like the instructions in this game.
• What can each family member do to “improve upon his [or her] talent” and “gain other talents”? It might be fun to have a family talent show. Think of ways to include talents that aren’t easily displayed (such as spiritual gifts; see Doctrine and Covenants 46:11–26). How can we use our talents and share the things we have to bless our family and neighbors? What does it mean to use our talents “with an eye single to the glory of God”?
• Read Doctrine and Covenants 82:19 to the children, emphasizing the phrase “seeking the interest of his neighbor.” Explain that this means doing things that help our neighbors—including our family. Help the children think of ways they can serve someone this week.

• Invite the children to take turns setting up dominoes (or similar objects) while naming ways they can serve others. Ask a child to knock over one domino and notice how it affects the others. How can our service have a similar effect on people around us? (See also the video “Dominoes,” ChurchofJesusChrist.org.) Tell about how someone’s loving service encouraged you to serve someone else.