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'.

Join us as we explore the time before Christ, outlined in Zenos' allegory of the Olive Tree. As we continue we discover the developments through the time of Christ and afterwards and just what feelings the Lord has through the Great Apostasy.

Neal A Maxwell: In the anguishing process of repentance, we may sometimes feel God has deserted us. The reality is that our behavior has isolated us from Him. Thus, while we are turning away from evil but have not yet turned fully to God, we are especially vulnerable. Yet we must not give up, but, instead, reach out to God’s awaiting arm of mercy, which is outstretched 'all the day long.' Unlike us, God has no restrictive office hours.

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 explore the time before Christ, outlined in Zenos' allegory of the Olive Tree. We consider the loving attributes of the Lord of the Vineyard and what symbolism is captured in the early parts of this allegory. 

Truman G Madsen: Without cultivation the olive tree is a wild, unruly, easily corrupted tree. Only after long, patient cultivating, usually eight to ten years, does it begin to yield fruit. Long after that, new shoots often come forth from apparently dead roots. As one stands in the olive groves and is struck by the gnarled tree trunks that are at once ugly and beautiful, it is hard to avoid the impression of travail - of ancient life and renewing life. . .The olive tree appears 'almost immortal.

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 begin our study of Jacob 5 and consider who Zenos was and also why this allegory was so emphasised by Jacob. We reflect on where this allegory may have come from and how we can liken it to us today. 

Book of Mormon Central: The Allegory of the Olive Tree is a valuable piece of prophetic writing that was of great worth to the Nephite people. Although we do not have direct evidence for a prophet Zenos from texts outside of the Book of Mormon, it is possible to see the significant influence of his writings on Book of Mormon authors and potentially on other biblical authors as well.

The Allegory of the Olive Tree serves as both a warning and a call to action for members of the Church today. It warns everyone in the household of faith against the dangers of apostasy. It graphically communicates the doctrine that the Lord will one day judge all mankind and separate the righteous from the wicked. It also informs all people that this is a great day of opportunity in which the servants of the Lord are called, for the last time, to labor with all diligence in the vineyard. This is the day for members of scattered Israel, even from the most remote parts of the world, to be reunited through God’s servant and thereby enjoy the blessings promised in God’s covenants with His beloved children.

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 gather ourselves before we dive back into Jacob to consider how important it is to learn about the nature of God. We reflect on the power of this doctrine of the Restoration and how we can come to know him more.

Elder D Todd Christofferson: Just as in former times, we “meet together oft, to fast and to pray, and to speak one with another concerning the welfare of [our] souls. And … to partake of bread and [water], in remembrance of the Lord Jesus.” As President Russell M. Nelson explained in general conference last October, “The long-standing objective of the Church is to assist all members to increase their faith in our Lord Jesus Christ and in His Atonement, to assist them in making and keeping their covenants with God, and to strengthen and seal their families.” Accordingly, he emphasizes the significance of temple covenants, hallowing the Sabbath, and a daily feasting upon the gospel, centered at home and supported by an integrated study curriculum at church. We want to know about the Lord, and we want to know the Lord.

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, on this unique Sabbath Day where all members of the Church will be conducting Church in the home, we consider how the real grip of fear can be a challenge in itself and a few experiences that have had an impact on me. 

David A Bednar: Correct knowledge of and faith in the Lord empower us to hush our fears because Jesus Christ is the only source of enduring peace. He declared, “Learn of me, and listen to my words; walk in the meekness of my Spirit, and you shall have peace in me” (D&C 19:23).

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 move into Jacob 4 where we now continue with Jacob's comments into how we can lose things by looking beyond the mark. We consider what this phrase means and how under the surface it can be attributed as a tool of Satan.

Quentin L Cook: Today there is a tendency among some of us to 'look beyond the mark' rather than to maintain a testimony of gospel basics. We do this when we substitute the philosophies of men for gospel truths, engage in gospel extremism, seek heroic gestures at the expense of daily consecration, or elevate rules over doctrine. Avoiding these behaviors will help us avoid the theological blindness and stumbling that Jacob described.

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 study Jacob's heartfelt writing about us being reconciled to God through the atonement of Christ. We consider how the Book of Mormon is a culmination of all the most important records from the Nephite nation and we reflect on the power brought to our lives by a hope in Christ. 

Kenneth Johnson: Although spiritual truths may appear less tangible, to the humble heart their impact is undeniable. It is important to understand that natural laws were not determined on the basis of popularity. They were established and rest on the rock of reality.

There are also moral verities that did not originate with man. They are central to a divine plan which, when discovered and applied, brings great happiness and hope on our mortal journey.

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 conclude studying Jacob's words on chastity and being pure in heart in Jacob 2-3. We consider the pattern of marriage and the consequences of mistreating women and children through the Book of Mormon. We also reflect on the phrase 'pure in heart' and think about how it applies to those who strive to be pure. 

Gerald N Lund: So how do we open our hearts? In the Sermon on the Mount, the Savior said, 'Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.' If something is pure, it is not polluted or tainted by things which do not belong to it. Purity of heart is certainly one of the most important qualifications for receiving inspiration from God. While none of our hearts are perfect, the more diligently we strive to eliminate impurity, or push out things which do not belong there, the more we open our hearts to the Holy Spirit. Note this sweet promise of the prophet Jacob: 'O all ye that are pure in heart, lift up your heads and receive the pleasing word of God, and feast upon his love.

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 to study the powerful words of Jacob, today hitting the really heavy stuff in Jacob 2:23-30. We consider the effect that seeking for riches and wealth has on further sins and how the practice of polygamy was discussed in Jacob's time. 

John W Welch: I recently read an article in the Deseret News about a study done in Holland. It showed that there is a direct correlation between power and promiscuity. Typically, the more power an individual has of any kind—whether it be corporate, political, or economic—and the more that individual ascends into the higher ranks of power, the more likely he or she is to be involved in some form of sexual infidelity. Power tends to get to people's heads, and when they get power they think they are immune or can get away with things that are risky. Many of us could probably name celebrities or social elites who fit this pattern.

It is important that we warn people, especially our young people who have their whole lives ahead of them, about the temptations that come with power. On the other hand, children need to know we want them to succeed. We want them to be wealthy and prosperous. We want them to excel in business and so forth. But I think we need to talk more directly and say, "You're going to go out into this world and face a lot of temptations. You should know that there is a direct correlation between power and immorality."

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 a deep study of the prophet Jacob's words. We begin in Jacob 1-2 where we discuss Jacob's excellent example of magnifying a calling and how a proactive approach is important. We also reflect on the love in the invitation to repent.

Gordon B Hinckley: To every officer, to every teacher in this Church who acts in a priesthood office, there comes the sacred responsibility of magnifying that priesthood calling. Each of us is responsible for the welfare and the growth and development of others. We do not live only unto ourselves. If we are to magnify our callings, we cannot live only unto ourselves. As we serve with diligence, as we teach with faith and testimony, as we lift and strengthen and build convictions of righteousness in those whose lives we touch, we magnify our priesthood. To live only unto ourselves, on the other hand, to serve grudgingly, to give less than our best effort to our duty, diminishes our priesthood just as looking through the wrong lenses of binoculars reduces the image and makes more distant the object."