Church of Jesus Christ Study Session with Come Follow Me

LDS Study Session seeks to generate reflection and 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. @mattsroberts90

Today we continue our study of 1 Nephi 16-22, this time focusing on the end of 1 Nephi 16 and move into 1 Nephi 17. We learn about the number of references to existing places in the Old World and the fertile parts of the wilderness, including the land Bountiful, which we have evidence of today. We also consider the contrasting attitudes of Nephi and his brethren, including Lemuel's role in enabling this negativity to continue when it could have been so different.

Neal A Maxwell: Early on, Laman rejected the role he should have played, and, instead, wanted to be “top dog in the manger,” resenting all the while Nephi’s spiritual leadership. Lemuel was not only Laman’s dutiful satellite, but he was also his enabler by allowing himself to be “stirred up” by Laman (see 1 Ne. 16:37–38). If, instead, Laman had been fully isolated, certain outcomes could have been very different. We have enablers in our society too. They allow themselves to be stirred up against that which is good. They are not entitled to a free pass any more than Lemuel. Like him, their comparative visibility is low, but their hypocrisy is high!

LDS Study Session seeks to generate reflection and 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. @mattsroberts90

Join us as we begin our study of an eventful six chapters in 1 Nephi 16-22. We begin with the account of the broken bow (following some gratitude for recent comments about the podcast). We consider how the story of the bow is steeped in symbolism and why Nephi included it in his records of his family's journey.

Robert R Steuer: Third, we must be obedient to the instruction we receive. Alma said, “Experiment upon my words, and exercise a particle of faith.” Nephi simply said, “I will go and do.” What a wonderful attitude of submission and obedience as he accepted his father’s counsel in getting the brass plates and in being told where to hunt, and the Lord’s counsel in building a ship. In each case he proceeded with trust, moving forward, “not knowing beforehand the things” that he should do or the outcome. But since we are free agents, life can sometimes be a difficult journey of applying our hearts and minds to the truths of God. Nevertheless, as President Thomas S. Monson said, “The Lord expects our thinking. He expects our action. He expects our labors.”

LDS Study Session seeks to generate reflection and 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. @mattsroberts90

Today we study into what we know now about the lost 116 pages of the Book of Mormon. We learn about the translation process and those involved, we discover some key historical details that were lost and also how more principles of the Gospel can be gained from them.

https://www.ldsliving.com/7-Things-We-Now-Know-About-the-Lost-116-Pages-of-the-Book-of-Mormon/s/87422

From Source: The earliest scripture revealed in the Restoration, the Book of Mormon’s “lost 116 pages,” disappeared 192 years ago this summer, never to resurface. But evidence is emerging that provides new discoveries about those lost pages.

LDS Study Session seeks to generate reflection and 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. @mattsroberts90

Join us as we conclude our Come Follow Me study this week with a look at 1 Nephi 15:1-11. We look at the difference of approach to gospel questions between Nephi and his brethren. We also consider what we need to do when we have questions of our own.

Barbara Thompson: The way to receive personal revelation is really quite clear. We need to desire to receive revelation, we must not harden our hearts, and then we need to ask in faith, truly believe that we will receive an answer, and then diligently keep the commandments of God.

Following this pattern does not mean that every time we ask a question of God, the answer will immediately appear with every detail of what to do. However, it does mean that if we diligently keep the commandments and ask in faith, answers will come in the Lord’s own way and in His time.

LDS Study Session seeks to generate reflection and 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. @mattsroberts90

Today we continue the study of Nephi's remarkable vision, focusing today on principles expounded on in 1 Nephi 13. We discuss the idea of the great and abominable church and also the value of latter day scripture with the blessings that it brings.

Bruce R McConkie: The titles church of the devil and great and abominable church are used to identify all churches or organizations of whatever name or nature - whether political, philosophical, educational, economic social, fraternal, civic, or religious - which are designed to take men on a course that leads away from God and his laws and thus from salvation in the kingdom of God…. Any church or organization of any kind whatever which satisfies the innate religious longings of man and keeps him from coming to the saving truths of Christ and his gospel is therefore not of God.

LDS Study Session seeks to generate reflection and 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. @mattsroberts90

Join us as we continue to search the latter-day vision that Nephi had, this time focusing on the latter part which involved his vision of the Bible and the Book of Mormon coming forth. We consider the power of this for Nephi seeing it and the blessing they bring today.

L Tom Perry: Neither the Bible nor the Book of Mormon in and of themselves is sufficient. Both are necessary for us to teach and learn about the full and complete doctrine of Christ. The need for the other does not diminish either one of them. Both the Bible and the Book of Mormon are necessary for our salvation and exaltation. As President Ezra Taft Benson so powerfully taught, “When used together, the Bible and the Book of Mormon confound false doctrines” (“A New Witness for Christ,” Ensign, Nov. 1984, 8).

LDS Study Session seeks to generate reflection and 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. @mattsroberts90

Today we dive into the part of Nephi's vision where he is given insight into the latter days and the Restoration of the Gospel. We consider how this fits into Lehi's original dream and how Nephi was blessed for seeing this future time.

Book of Mormon Central KnoWhy: One of the best examples of material like this is found in 2 Enoch 10 when two men showed Enoch what Hell is like. Enoch described it as a place of “darkness and gloom” with “a river of fire that comes out over the whole place.”The word translated as “gloom” can also be translated as “fog” or “mist.” So, in this text, heavenly beings showed Enoch both a mist of darkness and a flaming river in connection to hell.

In 1 Nephi 12:16–17, an angel showed Nephi the same things. Nephi saw “the fountain of filthy water” that his father saw, “yea, even the river of which he spake; and the depths thereof are the depths of hell.” 1 Nephi 15:30 states that this river was “like unto the brightness of a flaming fire. Immediately after showing Nephi the fountain of filthy water, the angel showed him “the mists of darkness” (1 Nephi 12:17). Thus, mists of darkness and a flaming river are connected together in a description of hell, just as in 2 Enoch.

LDS Study Session seeks to generate reflection and 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. @mattsroberts90

Join us as we continue our Come Follow Me study for this week, today we conclude our discussion of 1 Nephi 11. We consider the condescension of God, as described by the visions that the angel showed. We also reflect on the perils of the great and spacious building, which may be closer to us than we think.

Robert S Wood: It is far too easy sometimes to fall into a spirit of mockery and cynicism in dealing with those of contrary views. We demoralize or demean so as to bring others or their ideas in contempt. It is a primary tool of those who occupy the large and spacious building that Father Lehi saw in vision. Jude, the brother of Christ, warned that “there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts. These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.”

Closely related to mockery is a spirit of cynicism. Cynics are disposed to find and to catch at fault. Implicitly or explicitly, they display a sneering disbelief in sincerity and rectitude. Isaiah spoke of those who “watch for iniquity” and “make a man an offender for a word, and lay a snare for him that reproveth in the gate, and turn aside the just for a thing of nought.” In this regard, the Lord has counseled in latter days that we “cease to find fault one with another” and “above all things, clothe [ourselves] with the bond of charity, as with a mantle, which is the bond of perfectness and peace.”

LDS Study Session seeks to generate reflection and 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. @mattsroberts90

This episode a day early just because... why not? We begin our study of Nephi's version of Lehi's Dream and how Christ is an expression of God's love. We consider the importance of meditation and also the principles we learn from this blessed experience.

David O McKay: I think we pay too little attention to the value of meditation, a principle of devotion....  Meditation is the language of the soul. It is defined as ‘a form of private devotion or spiritual exercise, consisting in deep, continued reflection on some religious theme.’ Meditation is a form of prayer.... Meditation is one of the most secret, most sacred doors through which we pass into the presence of the Lord.

LDS Study Session seeks to generate reflection and 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. @mattsroberts90

Today we share an exciting podcast that has been commissioned from the Church and Joseph Smith Papers. In response to an invitation from our living day prophet, we study some highlights from these fascinating episodes and consider how they develop our faith.

Just search First Vision and it should come up 'First Vision: A Joseph Smith Papers Podcast' and it is 6 main episodes.

President Russell M Nelson: You may wish to begin your preparation by reading afresh Joseph Smith’s account of the First Vision as recorded in the Pearl of Great Price.