Church of Jesus Christ Study Session with Come Follow Me

Church of Jesus Christ Study Session seeks to generate reflection about areas in the Restored Gospel. Whether it's Come Follow Me, a General Conference talk or a recent Gospel Topic, hopefully you'll find something to keep the Spirit of Christ in your life. Twitter - @mattsroberts90

You can also join the discussion in the Facebook Group 'Church of Jesus Christ Study Session with Come Follow Me'.

Today we complete this week's study of the Come Follow Me materials, focusing on three very important verses. 

Stephen Robinson: All the negative aspects of human existence brought about by the Fall, Jesus Christ absorbed into himself. He experienced vicariously in Gethsemane all the private griefs and heartaches, all the physical pains and handicaps, all the emotional burdens and depressions of the human family. He knows the loneliness of those who don't fit in or who aren't handsome or pretty. He knows what it's like to choose up teams and be the last one chosen. He knows the anguish of parents whose children go wrong. He knows the private hell of the abused child or spouse. He knows all these things personally and intimately because he lived them in the Gethsemane experience. Having personally lived a perfect life, he then chose to experience our imperfect lives. In that infinite Gethsemane experience, the meridian of time, the center of eternity, he lived a billion billion lifetimes of sin, pain, disease, and sorrow.

“God uses no magic wand to simply wave bad things into nonexistence. The sins that he remits, he remits by making them his own and suffering them. The pain and heartaches that he relieves, he relieves by suffering them himself. These things can be shared and absorbed, but they cannot be simply wished or waved away. They must be suffered. Thus we owe him not only for our spiritual cleansing from sin, but for our physical, mental, and emotional healings as well, for he has borne these infirmities for us also. All that the Fall put wrong, the Savior in his atonement puts right. It is all part of his infinite sacrifice—of his infinite gift.

Church of Jesus Christ Study Session seeks to generate reflection about areas in the Restored Gospel. Whether it's Come Follow Me, a General Conference talk or a recent Gospel Topic, hopefully you'll find something to keep the Spirit of Christ in your life. Twitter - @mattsroberts90

You can also join the discussion in the Facebook Group 'Church of Jesus Christ Study Session with Come Follow Me'.

Join us today as we continue with our study of Alma 7. Today we focus on the teachings Alma learnt by the Spirit about the coming of the Saviour. We consider the way that prophets receive revelation and also reflect on the role of Mary. 

D Kelly Ogden and Andrew C Skinner: It is interesting to see a prophet of God admit he does not know something. Nephi confessed that he did not know the meaning of some doctrine, and so did Mormon. And because something has not yet been revealed, prophets may also give their judgment or their opinion, as did Alma  and Paul. Prophets, like all mortals, learn line upon line. They, too, have to inquire. They ask, and the answers that are revealed to them often become scripture.

Church of Jesus Christ Study Session seeks to generate reflection about areas in the Restored Gospel. Whether it's Come Follow Me, a General Conference talk or a recent Gospel Topic, hopefully you'll find something to keep the Spirit of Christ in your life. Twitter - @mattsroberts90

You can also join the discussion in the Facebook Group 'Church of Jesus Christ Study Session with Come Follow Me'.

Today we continue our study of the Come Follow Me materials, focusing on some principles in Alma 7. We consider how Alma was able to customise his message for this people in Gideon and what we learn that these faithful saints had to learn. 

D Kelly Ogden and Andrew C Skinner: These verses summarize the whole of the gospel; they are a master list of Christlike qualities that all true disciples should pursue and emulate. Similar lists of Christlike attributes appear in 2 Peter 1:4–7; Alma 13:28–29; D&C 4:5–6; 107:30. Doctrine and Covenants 121:36 calls these attributes the ‘principles of righteousness.’ By working hard and being obedient, we eventually acquire these divine attributes as part of our character. They are the ‘fruits’ of the Spirit of the Lord working in our lives

Church of Jesus Christ Study Session seeks to generate reflection about areas in the Restored Gospel. Whether it's Come Follow Me, a General Conference talk or a recent Gospel Topic, hopefully you'll find something to keep the Spirit of Christ in your life. Twitter - @mattsroberts90

You can also join the discussion in the Facebook Group 'Church of Jesus Christ Study Session with Come Follow Me'.

Join us today as we conclude the study of Alma 5. Today we consider how Alma received a witness of the Saviour and reflect on how it may not the be method by which you may think. 

James E Faust: In our day, we are bombarded by messages from many sources, both profane and spiritual. How can we determine the ones that are most vital to us? I suggest that we may look at the source of the messages and the motivation behind them. The Lord has given us a guide through the prophet Alma: ‘Whatsoever is good cometh from God, and whatsoever is evil cometh from the devil.’ (Alma 5:40) We must strive to be worthy so that we do not miss the profound messages that come from God. Ultimately, these messages include the sum total of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Church of Jesus Christ Study Session seeks to generate reflection about areas in the Restored Gospel. Whether it's Come Follow Me, a General Conference talk or a recent Gospel Topic, hopefully you'll find something to keep the Spirit of Christ in your life. Twitter - @mattsroberts90

You can also join the discussion in the Facebook Group 'Church of Jesus Christ Study Session with Come Follow Me'.

Today we continue studying Alma and his sermon to the people in Zarahemla. We consider what we must do in order to continue receiving changes in our heart. We also reflect on the infinite and redeeming reach of the Saviour's love. 

Russell M Nelson: Rich meaning is found in study of the word atonement in the Semitic languages of Old Testament times. In Hebrew, the basic word for atonement is kaphar, a verb that means ‘to cover’ or ‘to forgive.’ (We might even surmise that if an individual qualifies for the blessings of the Atonement, through obedience to the principles and ordinances of the gospel, Jesus will ‘cover’ our past transgressions from the Father.) Closely related is the Aramaic and Arabic word kafat, meaning ‘a close embrace’—no doubt related to the Egyptian ritual embrace. References to that embrace are evident in the Book of Mormon. One states that ‘the Lord hath redeemed my soul … ; I have beheld his glory, and I am encircled about eternally in the arms of his love.’ Another proffers the glorious hope of our being ‘clasped in the arms of Jesus.’

Church of Jesus Christ Study Session seeks to generate reflection about areas in the Restored Gospel. Whether it's Come Follow Me, a General Conference talk or a recent Gospel Topic, hopefully you'll find something to keep the Spirit of Christ in your life. Twitter - @mattsroberts90

You can also join the discussion in the Facebook Group 'Church of Jesus Christ Study Session with Come Follow Me'.

Join us as we begin our study of the Come Follow Me materials for this week, starting with Alma's teaching in the heart of the land of the Nephites, Zarahemla. We consider what he meant when he talked about having a change in heart and why this Mesoamerican prophet may have spoken a lot about countenances. 

Book of Mormon Central: According to Brant Gardner, “Having the image of God engraven on the countenances of the righteous appears to be unique to Alma.”2 By using the terms engraven and image together as he did, Alma might have been making a deliberate allusion to rituals and practices found in pre-Columbian America. As explained by Brant Gardner and Mark Wright, many Mesoamerican cultures participated in rituals of deity impersonation, where “a ritual specialist, typically the ruler, puts on an engraved mask or elaborate headdress and transforms himself into the god whose mask or headdress is being worn.”

Church of Jesus Christ Study Session seeks to generate reflection about areas in the Restored Gospel. Whether it's Come Follow Me, a General Conference talk or a recent Gospel Topic, hopefully you'll find something to keep the Spirit of Christ in your life. Twitter - @mattsroberts90

You can also join the discussion in the Facebook Group 'Church of Jesus Christ Study Session with Come Follow Me'.

Today we pause to consider how the Church has been producing some valuable self-reliance materials for quite a while now. At this time of great upheaval and uncertainty, we reflect on how it may be worthwhile to look at these and try studying one of them even if your unit may not be offering them at this time. 

The First Presidency: We invite you to diligently study and apply these principles and teach them to your family members. As you do so, your life will be blessed. You will learn how to act on your path toward greater self-reliance. You will be blessed with greater hope, peace, and progress.

Please be assured that you are a child of our Father in Heaven. He loves you and will never forsake you. He knows you and is ready to extend to you the spiritual and temporal blessings of self-reliance.

Church of Jesus Christ Study Session seeks to generate reflection about areas in the Restored Gospel. Whether it's Come Follow Me, a General Conference talk or a recent Gospel Topic, hopefully you'll find something to keep the Spirit of Christ in your life. Twitter - @mattsroberts90

You can also join the discussion in the Facebook Group 'Church of Jesus Christ Study Session with Come Follow Me'.

Join us today as we conclude our study of this week's Come Follow Me with focusing on Alma 4. We consider the choice Alma makes to give up the judgement seat and reflect on how this can apply on decisions we make in our lives. 

Quentin L Cook: Every time I read about Alma the Younger relinquishing his role as head of state to preach the word of God, I am impressed. Alma clearly had a profound testimony of God the Father and Jesus Christ and felt accountable to Them completely and without reservation. He had the correct priorities and humility to give up status and position because he realized that serving the Lord was more important.

Church of Jesus Christ Study Session seeks to generate reflection about areas in the Restored Gospel. Whether it's Come Follow Me, a General Conference talk or a recent Gospel Topic, hopefully you'll find something to keep the Spirit of Christ in your life. Twitter - @mattsroberts90

You can also join the discussion in the Facebook Group 'Church of Jesus Christ Study Session with Come Follow Me'.

Today we continue our study of this week's Come Follow Me, moving into Alma 4 and the slow descent into materialism for the new church. We consider the need to be giving of what we are able to and we also reflect on the decision that Alma takes to leave the judgement seat.

L Tom Perry: It was a time of decision for Alma. In his role as chief high priest, he had been attempting to protect his people from falling into sin by teaching them the gospel. In his role as chief judge, he had been administering the laws of the land. As he found the wickedness of the people increasing, he could not continue to divide his time between these dual roles

Church of Jesus Christ Study Session seeks to generate reflection about areas in the Restored Gospel. Whether it's Come Follow Me, a General Conference talk or a recent Gospel Topic, hopefully you'll find something to keep the Spirit of Christ in your life. Twitter - @mattsroberts90

You can also join the discussion in the Facebook Group 'Church of Jesus Christ Study Session with Come Follow Me'.

Join us today as we conclude the experience of Nehor in Alma 1. We consider the ignominious death that is spoken of and also reflect on the impact of Nehor's teachings. 

Neal L Andersen: Unlike some Nephites who ‘withdrew themselves’ from the church, others did ‘stand fast.’ How do you remain ‘steadfast and immovable’ during a trial of faith? You immerse yourself in the very things that helped build your core of faith: you exercise faith in Christ, you pray, you ponder the scriptures, you repent, you keep the commandments, and you serve others. When faced with a trial of faith—whatever you do, you don’t step away from the Church! Distancing yourself from the kingdom of God during a trial of faith is like leaving the safety of a secure storm cellar just as the tornado comes into view.