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 discuss the principle of patience and how can lead us to stronger faith and power as we rely on the Lord to guide us through our trials. We reflect on the Lord's ability to know our trials and how He has great patience with us.

Robert D Hales: As individuals, we do not know when the end of mortality will come. We need to develop the ability to endure and complete our responsibilities of today, however difficult the days ahead may be.

There is nothing that we are enduring that Jesus does not understand, and He waits for us to go to our Heavenly Father in prayer. I testify that if we will be obedient and if we are diligent, our prayers will be answered, our problems will diminish, our fears will dissipate, light will come upon us, the darkness of despair will be dispersed, and we will be close to the Lord and feel of His love and of the comfort of the Holy Ghost.

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 [email protected]

Join us today as we begin our study of the epistle of James. We consider who this individual is and his role he played in the ancient church of Christ. We also reflect on the key messages we can look forward to over the next week of study.

Robert J Whetten: James directed his epistle “to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad.” His teachings may be applied to us, the Lord’s people who in a latter day would accept the restored gospel. He teaches principles that should guide your relationships with other members of the Church. He considers the commandment to “love thy neighbour as thyself” to be the “royal law.” To James, a testimony alone is not enough. The gospel has to become a living reality in your life. “And I will shew thee my faith by my works.” “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only.” James’s definition of the converted is: “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.” He ends his brief epistle with these words: “Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul … and shall hide a multitude of sins.” By reclaiming an errant brother, you save both him and yourself. Your sins are hidden or remitted because you ministered for the salvation of another.

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 track back a little and review a final part of Hebrews from last week's study about faith. We consider how, often faith is a principle of accepting and trusting the Lord rather than asking for our will to be done.

Dieter F Uchtdorf: The scriptures teach us that “without faith it is impossible to please [God]: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is.”

For some, the act of believing is difficult. Sometimes our pride gets in the way. Perhaps we think that because we are intelligent, educated, or experienced, we simply cannot believe in God. And we begin to look at religion as foolish tradition.

In my experience, belief is not so much like a painting we look at and admire and about which we discuss and theorize. It is more like a plow that we take into the fields and, by the sweat of our brow, create furrows in the earth that accept seeds and bear fruit that shall remain.

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 reflect on the news about new materials for guiding missionaries in their full time mission. We consider these adjustments and how they lead a spirit led individual rather than a schedule led individual.

Missionary Standards for Disciples of Jesus Christ: Your mission didn’t really begin the day you were set apart and won’t end the day you are released. A mission isn’t like putting on an employee or school uniform in the morning only to take it off again when the day is done. Since the time you were baptized, you have been on the covenant path that leads to eternal happiness, joy, and peace. Your full-time mission experience can be a transforming event but should also be an integral part of your life mission experience.

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 today as we continue our study of Hebrews, looking at the excellent passage of faith by the author. We learn about how faith is based on assurance and we can receive our own evidences to fuel our growing faith.

Dieter F Uchtdorf: Faith is a strong conviction about something we believe—a conviction so strong that it moves us to do things that we otherwise might not do. “Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”

While this makes sense to believing people, it is often confusing to nonbelievers. They shake their heads and ask, “How can anyone be certain of what they cannot see?” To them, this is evidence of the irrationality of religion.

What they fail to understand is that there are more ways to see than with our eyes, more ways to feel than with our hands, more ways to hear than with our ears.

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 Hebrews 9-10, looking specifically at the end of the law of Moses and the infinite nature of the Saviour's Atonement. We reflect on its impact on us individually and how we can walk in a newness of life because of His promise.

Russell M Nelson: In preparatory times of the Old Testament, the practice of atonement was finite—meaning it had an end. It was a symbolic forecast of the definitive Atonement of Jesus the Christ. His Atonement is infinite—without an end. It was also infinite in that all humankind would be saved from never-ending death. It was infinite in terms of His immense suffering. It was infinite in time, putting an end to the preceding prototype of animal sacrifice. It was infinite in scope—it was to be done once for all. And the mercy of the Atonement extends not only to an infinite number of people, but also to an infinite number of worlds created by Him. It was infinite beyond any human scale of measurement or mortal comprehension.

Jesus was the only one who could offer such an infinite atonement, since He was born of a mortal mother and an immortal Father. Because of that unique birthright, Jesus was an infinite Being.

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 consider the importance of the ancient and now modern ordinances in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, spoken of by Paul. We reflect on these necessary acts and how the Saviour is symbolised in all of these ceremonies.

John Q Canon: There never was a man breathed the breath of life in any age of the world, who had power to go forth and administer the ordinances of the Gospel of Christ, only by the power of that eternal and everlasting Priesthood which Melchizedek held, which Adam, Abraham, Moses, and Elias, and all the ancient Patriarchs and Prophets held. Jesus Christ held it. He was a High Priest after the order of Melchizedek, and has entered into the presence of God to plead for His brethren. The Apostles held it. No man in any age of the world had power to administer the ordinances of the Gospel.

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 what we learn about the Melchizedek Priesthood in the book of Hebrews and also with the Book of Mormon. We consider the blessing it brings to mankind and how we should remember to reverence the great blessing we have to have it with us today.

Stephen L Richards: Priesthood is an essential component of the gospel plan. Why should men be ashamed of the priesthood? In granting the priesthood to man, the Lord has dignified and honored him as perhaps he could have done in no other way. The priesthood is the power by which the worlds were created, and is "...without beginning of days or end of years" It is the specific delegation of the authority of the Lord to administer the ordinances of the holy gospel, and it is the requisite investiture of a man to receive his highest reward in the life to come. It is the kindest, most charitable, most considerate and merciful power and authority ever described in all literature. It tempers and sweetens the life of him who holds it and it and blesses the lives of those to whom he ministers. It is the perfect plan of service to humankind because within its province come the greatest of all blessings to man and woman. Why should any man be ashamed of this precious endowment? If he had a commission from political authority, he would probably boast of it. I speak to my own brethren when I ask them how they justify themselves in speaking lightly of this sacred and divine blessing which has come into their lives. There are men, I know, and I hope I won't offend by mentioning them as a class, who have flippantly joked about the priesthood most of their lives. Some of these men, like myself, are reaching an age where life's expectancy is not too long. Out of my friendship for them, I ask them to repent before it is too late.

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 today as we delve into this week's Come Follow Me study, beginning with a study of the Melchizedek Priesthood. We consider the blessings that come through this higher priesthood and why the Jewish Saints needed to understand this important aspect of the Gospel.

Dale G Renlund: A Melchizedek Priesthood holder covenants to fulfill the responsibilities associated with the Aaronic Priesthood and to magnify his calling in the Melchizedek Priesthood. He does so by keeping the commandments associated with the covenant. These commandments include giving “diligent heed to the words of eternal life” by living by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God, bearing testimony of Jesus Christ and His latter-day work, not boasting of himself, and becoming the Savior’s friend, trusting Him as a friend would.

In return, God promises that a Melchizedek Priesthood holder will receive keys to understand the mysteries of God. He will become perfect so that he can stand in the presence of God. He will be able to fulfill his role in the work of salvation. Jesus Christ will prepare the way before the priesthood holder and will be with him. The Holy Ghost will be in the priesthood holder’s heart, and angels will bear him up. His body will be strengthened and renewed. He will become heir to the blessings of Abraham and, along with his wife, joint-heir with Jesus Christ to Heavenly Father’s kingdom. These are “exceeding great and precious promises.” No greater promises can be imagined.

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 pause from our regular study to dip into the Book of Mormon Study Challenge. We consider the events after the Saviour's Resurrection with the people on the American Continent and what lessons we learn. We reflect on the principles taught here and how it cements the Book of Mormon's aim to be a testament of Jesus Christ.

Kathleen H Hughes: I’m certain that each of you has felt, at one time or another, encircled in Christ’s arms. But if you are like me, there are times when you are fearful, when the stress and busyness of life seem to overwhelm you, when you feel adrift from the Spirit. Perhaps you even feel as though you have been abandoned. When I encounter those feelings, the best antidote is my memory of the moments when Christ’s peace has come to strengthen me. So tonight I invite you to remember with me what it is to feel the Lord’s love in your life and to feel encircled in His arms.