Even though we are not meeting as a class in the church building on Sunday (See Church News, 12 March 2020), I'm sharing some of the slides I prepared for the adult Sunday School lesson that I was scheduled to teach. These slides are not meant to be viewed in order but to jump around based on our class discussion and inspiration. I hope they add to your pondering and discussions at home! (Click on any image to see a larger version of the slide.)
The last two weeks of Come Follow Me cover chapters written by Nephi and Jacob. I am fascinated by Jacob who spent his childhood, youth, and early adulthood traveling through the wilderness.
Thinking about Jacob, and of course, the Savior, and how all of these great people magnified their callings while here on earth, what did we learn from them? What do we learn from our leaders today, in all their "humanness"?
My favorite way that I have seen leaders magnify their callings is in small and simple things - remembering the names of all of their flock. I remember moving into this area and meeting a brother in the ward that I didn't know even know knew my name, and he asked how my husband and I were doing, by name. Later, when he was called to be the bishop, I already felt he was someone that cared about others individually.
I highlighted four points from Elder Cook's talk, and I think this slide alone could be used for an entire one-hour discussion, or even just one of the four blocks that I created:
The last two weeks of Come Follow Me cover chapters written by Nephi and Jacob. I am fascinated by Jacob who spent his childhood, youth, and early adulthood traveling through the wilderness.
In 2 Nephi 31-23 we learn that "Jesus Christ and His Doctrine are the Only Way to Eternal Life."
As quoted in the Adult Sunday School manual, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland explains this further:
We can gain inspiration in our daily lives as we ponder what this mean. I like the reminder above that Elder Holland shared in 1997 above paired with a Facebook post he published last month:
How can you personally seek the path to eternal life? What areas do you need to work on? How have you been inspired by others on the path to eternal life?
In 2 Nephi 31:15-20, we study that "He that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved." This made me think about 2 Nephi 5:11, that the blessings that come, come with work. That we reap the fruit of the seed that we sow. I added that on the right in the slide below to be viewed alongside President Uchtdorf's insightful words in 2007:
In 2 Nephi 32:1-6, we learn about how the Holy Ghost instructs us. Nephi understood this well, and chastised his older brother in 1 Nephi 15:8-11 for not understanding this. Again, this goes back to the previous slide, where we discuss that the blessings require effort.
Jacob 1-4
I've skipped over a number of slides that just don't make sense without discussion. Moving on to Jacob 1-4, the next lesson, Jacob talks about how we can "Be Reconciled to God through the atonement of Christ."
I love this image of King Benjamin speaking from a tower so that more people could hear him. He is one of my many scripture heroes, as he was "truly good without guile." We study in the Come Follow Me for Individuals and Families manual about our own worthiness in the Lord's eyes to magnify our callings, and we see how righteous leaders like Jacob did this for his people. Jacob was so faithful. He grew up in the wilderness, wandering for the first part of his life, and listening to his older brothers - not just Nephi, but Laman and Lemuel undoubtedly had opinions and shared them in his presence. However, he was unfaltering in choosing the Lord.
Thinking about Jacob, and of course, the Savior, and how all of these great people magnified their callings while here on earth, what did we learn from them? What do we learn from our leaders today, in all their "humanness"?
I love President Henry B. Eyring's talk, "Rise to Your Call," that he gave in October 2002. He says, "Your call has
eternal consequences for others and for you. In the world to come, thousands
may call your name blessed, even more than the people you serve here. They will
be the ancestors and the descendants of those who chose eternal life because of
something you said or did, or even what you were."
In Jacob 2:12-21, Jacob talks about being careful of pride.
In verse 13 he warns, "you have obtained many riches; and because some of you have obtained more abundantly than that of your brethern ye are lifted up in the pride of your heart ... and persecute your brethern because ye suppose ye are better than they." He continues to verse 18-19, "But before ye seek for riches, seek ye for the kingdom of God. And after ye have obtained a hope of Christ ye shall obtain riches, if ye seek them; and ye will seek them for the intent to do good ..."
The Sunday School manual references an excellent talk from Elder L. Tom Perry:
I also thought this set of scriptures about "looking beyond the mark," would lead to valuable discussion:
I highlighted four points from Elder Cook's talk, and I think this slide alone could be used for an entire one-hour discussion, or even just one of the four blocks that I created:
While I'm disappointed that I didn't get to have a discussion with the class and hear all of their amazing and spirit-led insights as they read the scriptures, pondered the lesson, and were inspired in class, I'm grateful to have read the words of Nephi and Jacob in these scriptures, and been blessed by their insights. I have more studying to do on Sunday around these scriptures and am excited to "feast upon the words of Christ" further.
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