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 conclude the study of this week's Come Follow Me with Words of Mormon. This signals the end of the small plates of Nephi and commences the reign of King Benjamin. We consider the evidences of this record and also the model of leadership from King Benjamin. 

Brook P Hales The Father is aware of us, knows our needs, and will help us perfectly. Sometimes that help is given in the very moment or at least soon after we ask for divine help. Sometimes our most earnest and worthy desires are not answered in the way we hope, but we find that God has greater blessings in store. And sometimes our righteous desires are not granted in this life. I will illustrate, through three different accounts, the ways our Father in Heaven may answer our earnest petitions to Him.

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 the book of Omni, focusing on verses 12-30. We consider the role that knowing Book of Mormon geography takes in our study of this spiritual, but historical record. We also reflect on the importance of scripture in keeping the light of Christ amongst the children of God. 

D Todd Christofferson: The scriptures also enlarge our memory by helping us not forget what we and earlier generations have learned. Those who either don’t have or ignore the recorded word of God eventually cease to believe in Him and forget the purpose of their existence. You will remember how important it was for Lehi’s people to take the brass plates with them when they left Jerusalem. These scriptures were key to their knowledge of God and the coming Redemption of Christ. The other group that 'came out from Jerusalem' shortly after Lehi had no scriptures, and when Lehi’s descendants encountered them some 300 or 400 years later, it is recorded that 'their language had become corrupted; … and they denied the being of their Creator.

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 looking into how keeping the commandments leads to prosperity in the book of Omni. We consider the approach and words of each of the authors from Omni to Abinadom and also reflect on the importance of our own record keeping. 

No quote today but I wanted to share the link to the Homework for Life concept that I share in this episode. https://www.authormagazine.org/articles/2018/6/2/homework-for-life It's been extremely good in making sure I keep my journal in an easily accessible, manageable but effective way.

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 study the short book of Jarom. We consider the multiple messages that Jarom seeks to convey to us and reflect on how we always return to the message of keeping the commandments. 

Hugh Nibley: Jarom means 'to prosper or to get a good share of something.' It means 'to support one's family properly.' It also means 'to have good luck in business' or 'finding something of value.' It can also mean 'to grasp or snatch something' or 'to be a crook.' That’s the way these words do; one meaning leads to the next. They are very rich, but the basic meaning of Jarom is 'to be prosperous, to be happy.

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 [email protected]

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

Today we continue studying the experience of Enos. We consider how his pattern of developing faith can be applied to us and also reflect on how the Lord's keeping of covenants can be completely trusted. 

Dale G Renlund: The activation energy needed for us is to have enough faith in Christ to sincerely ask God in prayer and accept His will and timing for the answer.

Often, the activation energy needed for blessings requires more than just looking or asking; ongoing, repeated, faith-filled actions are required.

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 discuss the beginning of Enos and the principles we learn about parenting. We consider the impact that Jacob's teaching had on Enos and we reflect on how we can help our children feel the joy of the Gospel, not just know the steps of it. 

Coleen K Menlove: It is this light, the light of the restored gospel—a “voice of gladness”—that parents can help their children come to know. The adversary is real, but children can feel the peace and the joy that come as they exercise faith in Jesus Christ. Our children will not experience this light unless we teach them the gospel.

The Lord directed parents to “bring up [their] children in light and truth.” He also instructed us to teach our children “to pray, and to walk uprightly before the Lord,” and “to understand the doctrine of repentance, faith in Jesus Christ, … and of baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost.” We help tune their ears, minds, and hearts to recognize “a voice of gladness” and desire to be worthy to obtain eternal joy when we teach the truths of the gospel.

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 [email protected]

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

Today we discuss the experience further that's recorded in Jacob 7. We consider the role that ministering played in the early Nephite times and we reflect on the lessons that we learn from Sherem and his challenge.

Clyde J Williams: One reason Sherem, the anti-Christ, was able to deceive the Nephites was that they lacked scriptural knowledge.... Today individuals… deceive others by their smooth words and scholarly language. These modern Sherems call for such things as modifications in Church doctrine and liberalized moral standards. Some are led into inactivity and even apostasy because they do not search and understand the scriptures as they are illuminated by the light of the Spirit.

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 discuss the experience recorded in Jacob 7. We consider the philosophy and methodology of Sherem and what makes him different from other opponents of the prophets in the Book of Mormon. We also reflect on how we can prepare our faith from challenges in the future. 

Hugh Nibley: Early in Nephite history an ambitious intellectual by the name of Sherem, who was a master of smooth talk and rhetorical tricks and made a great show of being a good and devout church-member, set himself to the task of outshining all others as a Great Mind. . . . The interesting thing about Sherem is his convincing performance as a devout and active churchman who is not attacking the gospel but defending it: no wonder he got a large following!

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 in with the study today as we consider our role in the allegory, in particular as those who labour in the final pruning of the vineyard. We consider how the Lord invites us to labour and what principles we can apply today. 

Dean L Larsen: You have come to the earth when the foundation has been laid for this great work. The gospel has been restored for the last time. The Church has been established in almost every part of the world. The stage is set for the final dramatic scenes to be enacted. You will be the principal players. You are among the last laborers in the vineyard. This is the yoke that is set upon your necks. This is the service for which you are chosen.

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 [email protected]

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

Today we conclude the study of the allegory of the olive tree written by Zenos. We consider what the effort at the time of the Restoration includes and what blessings we have as a result of having this allegory in our scriptures. 

Robert L Millet: This supernal message is echoed in all scripture. If there is a central message that comes through the allegory of Zenos in the Book of Mormon, it is that Israel’s God simply will not let Israel go. Jacob comments prophetically on that lengthy allegory: 'And how merciful is our God unto us, for he remembereth the house of Israel, both roots and branches; and he stretches forth his hands unto them all the day long. . . . Wherefore, my beloved brethren, I beseech of you in words of soberness that ye would repent, and come with full purpose of heart, and cleave unto God as he cleaveth unto you' (Jacob 6:4-5). What is true of a nation is equally true of individuals. Few of us in this life will through our sins place ourselves beyond the pale of saving grace.