5 TEACHING IDEAS FOR COME FOLLOW ME LESSONS

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Jacob 1-4

Jacob gives his heartfelt all into saving his people from their iniquities. He models how a dedicated leader thinks and feels about his people.

Lesson Notes

You can find the full Come, Follow Me lesson here. Unless you opt to spend a lot of time on a particular quote, try to pick around 2 questions per quote. Choose the questions that resonate the most with you and make a meaningful discussion for your group of personalities.

All blue quotes from the Book of Mormon (unless otherwise noted).

Lesson Prep

• If you want the discussion to be more meaningful, hand out reading assignments ahead of time and ask the reader to answer one question about it (pick one of the questions below and give it to them, along with the assigned quote). The sooner you do this, the better, but at least show it to them before Sacrament meeting if possible. You can text it or email it, too.
• Ask various people to read and participate – especially those who aren’t asked as much.

Lesson Delivery

You can arrange the quotes in any order that makes sense to you. I suggest starting with the most important ones and working your way down. Don’t worry about covering all the quotes.

• Make sure you assign others to read the quotes. You’re talking enough already. Letting others read allows more people to participate.
• Encourage discussion by accepting all reasonable answers. Validate people for participating and be thankful they spoke up. Engage with the answer in a conversational way whenever it feels natural. Never say, “That’s not the right answer,” or “We haven’t got to that part of the lesson yet.”
• Remember, spiritual discussion is golden. We want people to talk about the gospel together.
• If a lesson takes a different turn, roll with it. The Spirit intends for you to be successful.
• If the discussion gets too non-spiritual, pull it back by going to the following quote or question.
• Avoid videos – they shut down discussion. Save them for personal study.

Quote #1 (brother’s keeper)

Possible engagement tool: Ask: “Are we our brother’s keeper?” “What does the gospel of Christ teach us about that?” (Accept all reasonable answers. Some possible answers might include the parable of the Good Samaritan or the commandment, “Love thy neighbor as thyself.”)

Let’s listen to how the priests, Jacob and Joseph, felt about being their brother’s keeper.

18 For I, Jacob, and my brother Joseph had been consecrated priests and teachers of this people, by the hand of Nephi.

19 And we did magnify our office unto the Lord, taking upon us the responsibility, answering the sins of the people upon our own heads if we did not teach them the word of God with all diligence; wherefore, by laboring with our might their blood might not come upon our garments; otherwise their blood would come upon our garments, and we would not be found spotless at the last day. (Jacob 1:19)

Priests

Possible engagement tool: Ask your class to notice in what ways being a priest in Jacob’s time is similar to the instructions given to priests in the Doctrine and Covenants.

46 The priest’s duty is to preach, teach, expound, exhort, and baptize, and administer the sacrament,

47 And visit the house of each member, and exhort them to pray vocally and in secret and attend to all family duties. (Doctrine and Covenants 20:46-47)

Possible discussion questions: How dedicated was Jacob to his calling as priest and teacher? Do you sometimes need a reminder to pray or to pray more often? Why is encouraging people to pray so essential? How can we encourage others to pray? (Accept all reasonable answers – #1 is sharing your stories about praying and how it helped you personally.) Has prayer ever helped you? Does anyone have an experience with prayer they want to share?

Teachers

Possible engagement tool: Ask your class to notice in what ways being a teacher in Jacob’s time is similar to the instructions given to teachers in the Doctrine and Covenants.

53 The teacher’s duty is to watch over the church always, and be with and strengthen them;

54 And see that there is no iniquity in the church, neither hardness with each other, neither lying, backbiting, nor evil speaking; (Doctrine and Covenants 20:54-57)

Possible discussion questions: Did Jacob’s teachers watch over the church and strengthen the members? The Doctrine and Covenants instruct teachers to keep an eye on the church and to be peacemakers. How can we help prevent hard feelings and “hard speeches”? (See D&C 124:116 – the footnote says that “hard speeches” means slander.)

Quote #2 (disciple)

Possible engagement tool: Ask your class to think about, “What is a peacemaker”? as they listen to this quote by President Nelson:

Note: This quote can be divided among 3 readers.

Vulgarity, faultfinding, and evil speaking of others are all too common. Too many pundits, politicians, entertainers, and other influencers throw insults constantly. I am greatly concerned that so many people seem to believe that it is completely acceptable to condemn, malign, and vilify anyone who does not agree with them. Many seem eager to damage another’s reputation with pathetic and pithy barbs!

Anger never persuades. Hostility builds no one. Contention never leads to inspired solutions. Regrettably, we sometimes see contentious behavior even within our own ranks. We hear of those who belittle their spouses and children, of those who use angry outbursts to control others, and of those who punish family members with the “silent treatment.” We hear of youth and children who bully and of employees who defame their colleagues.

My dear brothers and sisters, this should not be. As disciples of Jesus Christ, we are to be examples of how to interact with others—especially when we have differences of opinion. One of the easiest ways to identify a true follower of Jesus Christ is how compassionately that person treats other people. (Peacemakers Needed —President Nelson, April 2023)

Possible discussion questions: What stands out for you from this quote? How does it relate to the duty of teachers spoken of in Doctrine and Covenants, section 20? Who else has this duty? (All of us!) Is there something that you could do better? Does anyone want to share something they can do? (Keep it about yourself!)

Quote #3 (providence)

Possible engagement tool: Explain what providence means—

providence: God is aware of what is happening in a person’s life and is invested in how things go for them.

13 And the hand of providence hath smiled upon you most pleasingly, that you have obtained many riches; and because some of you have obtained more abundantly than that of your brethren ye are lifted up in the pride of your hearts, and wear stiff necks and high heads because of the costliness of your apparel, and persecute your brethren because ye suppose that ye are better than they.

14 And now, my brethren, do ye suppose that God justifieth you in this thing? Behold, I say unto you, Nay. But he condemneth you, and if ye persist in these things his judgments must speedily come unto you. (Jacob 2:13-14)

Possible discussion question: What does Jacob mean when he says, “The hand of providence hath smiled upon you”? What does it mean to wear a stiff neck and a high head? (Accept all reasonable answers – to be arrogant, conceited, or assume you are better/worth more than others.) Can a person be dressed very well, have nice cars and homes, and still be of inferior character? Does the world look and measure people differently than the Lord does? What does the Lord see, and why does that matter more?

Quote #4 (revelations)

Search the prophets!

8 Behold, great and marvelous are the works of the Lord. How unsearchable are the depths of the mysteries of him; and it is impossible that man should find out all his ways. And no man knoweth of his ways save it be revealed unto him; wherefore, brethren, despise not the revelations of God. (Jacob 4:8)

Possible discussion questions: Why are revelations essential to us in 2024? What’s another word for “revelation,” or how would you describe revelation? (vision, epiphany, sudden answers, whisperings of the Spirit, confirmation, burning, enlightenment, greater understanding, new knowledge) What does it mean to “despise” the revelations of God? (Accept all reasonable answers – it means to disregard them or think they’re not essential or necessary.) Does the world sometimes despise the revelations of God? (i.e., they reject the prophets, that God speaks to us now, and the Book of Mormon)

Possible activity: Ask your class how revelations are made available to us. Write the responses on the board as people say them. (i.e., scriptures, General Conference, promptings from the Holy Ghost, Light of Christ, prayer, patriarchal blessings, other blessings, inspired family, teacher, and friends)

Quote #5 (why not)

Possible engagement tool: Tell your class that Jacob asks us a couple of important questions and to see if they can tell what they are.

12 And now, beloved, marvel not that I tell you these things; for why not speak of the atonement of Christ, and attain to a perfect knowledge of him, as to attain to the knowledge of a resurrection and the world to come? (Jacob 4:12)

Possible activity: Divide the class into teams or let them search individually. Assign half of the class to find a good verse about the atonement of Christ and the other half to find a good verse about the resurrection. Let them share the verse with the class. Then, have them switch topics. Have the first half find a different verse about the resurrection, and the second half find a different verse about the atonement. Share those verses, too.

Possible discussion question: How does knowing about Christ’s atonement and the gift of resurrection influence your outlook on life? Why is this essential gospel knowledge?

Example of an atonement verse:

15 Therefore I command you to repent—repent, lest I smite you by the rod of my mouth, and by my wrath, and by my anger, and your sufferings be sore—how sore you know not, how exquisite you know not, yea, how hard to bear you know not.

16 For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent;

17 But if they would not repent they must suffer even as I;

18 Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit—and would that I might not drink the bitter cup, and shrink. (Doctrine and Covenants 19:15-18)

Example of a resurrection verse:

42 Now, there is a death which is called a temporal death; and the death of Christ shall loose the bands of this temporal death, that all shall be raised from this temporal death.

43 The spirit and the body shall be reunited again in its perfect form; both limb and joint shall be restored to its proper frame, even as we now are at this time; and we shall be brought to stand before God, knowing even as we know now, and have a bright recollection of all our guilt. (Alma 11:42-43)

Summary

Summarize class discussion highlights and/or share your testimony and feelings about the lesson. Thank your class for their excellent contributions and insights.

Final Comment

As you study and teach, you can help others find more truths in the scriptures. Thank you for bringing powerful Book of Mormon teachings into other people’s lives.

If you would like some tips on how to feel more confident while teaching, try “9 Tips for More Class Participation.” Please arrange the quotes in any order that makes sense to you.