5 TEACHING IDEAS FOR COME FOLLOW ME LESSONS

See the complete list of CFM Lessons

Doctrine and Covenants 125 – 128

This week’s lesson plan includes: Joseph Smith’s troubled life, visitors from heaven, the importance of temples, gratitude, and our great cause as a Church.

Tips for delivering a successful lesson are located at the end of the article.

Note: All blue quotes are from the Doctrine and Covenants (unless otherwise noted).

Quote #1 (joseph)

Possible Intro: Joseph Smith wrote these verses in 1842, twelve years after he established the Church.

Note: Please divide among several readers.

And as for the perils which I am called to pass through, they seem but a small thing to me, as the envy and wrath of man have been my common lot all the days of my life; and for what cause it seems mysterious, unless I was ordained from before the foundation of the world for some good end, or bad, as you may choose to call it. Judge ye for yourselves. God knoweth all these things, whether it be good or bad. But nevertheless, deep water is what I am wont to swim in.

It all has become a second nature to me; and I feel, like Paul, to glory in tribulation; for to this day has the God of my fathers delivered me out of them all, and will deliver me from henceforth; for behold, and lo, I shall triumph over all my enemies, for

—AND—

the Lord God hath spoken it. (Doctrine and Covenants 127:2)

“He [Joseph Smith] was poor, harassed, distressed, afflicted, and tormented with lawsuits upon lawsuits, persecution upon persecution, and thus it cost thousands and hundreds of thousands of dollars to keep him alive, which a few had to sustain.”

He was full of sorrow, trouble, poverty, and distress…” (Brigham Young – JD 1:75, 78)

Possible discussion questions: Was Joseph’s life ever easy? What kinds of trouble did he have to wade through? What kind of strength did Joseph Smith’s faithfulness show? Is it possible to be chosen and favored by the Lord and still have a lot of troubles?

Quote #2 (connected)

Possible engagement tool: One of the most extraordinary things that set us apart is the amount of direct revelation from heaven. Most Christian denominations claim the heavens are closed and there is no revelation. Joseph rejoices in how much we have had as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Note: Please divide among two readers.

20 And again, what do we hear? Glad tidings from Cumorah! Moroni, an angel from heaven, declaring the fulfilment of the prophets—the book to be revealed. A voice of the Lord in the wilderness of Fayette, Seneca county, declaring the three witnesses to bear record of the book! The voice of Michael on the banks of the Susquehanna, detecting the devil when he appeared as an angel of light! The voice of Peter, James, and John in the wilderness between Harmony, Susquehanna county, and Colesville, Broome county, on the Susquehanna river, declaring themselves as possessing the keys of the kingdom, and of the dispensation of the fulness of times!

21 And again, the voice of God in the chamber of old Father Whitmer, in Fayette, Seneca county, and at sundry times, and in divers places through all the travels and tribulations of this Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints! And the voice of Michael, the archangel; the voice of Gabriel, and of Raphael, and of divers angels, from Michael or Adam down to the present time, all declaring their dispensation, their rights, their keys, their honors, their majesty and glory, and the power of their priesthood; giving line upon line, precept upon precept; here a little, and there a little; giving us consolation by holding forth that which is to come, confirming our hope! (Doctrine and Covenants 128:20-21)

Possible discussion questions: If you could pick one of those angels to meet, which one would it be? Why did you pick that one? Who wrote almost all of our modern scriptures? (Joseph Smith) How do you feel about the heavens being so open to Joseph Smith and his receiving so much instruction and revelation?

Quote #3 (temples)

Possible intro: Our temple work really matters.

Behold, the great day of the Lord is at hand; and who can abide the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appeareth? For he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fuller’s soap; and he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness. Let us, therefore, as a church and a people, and as Latter-day Saints, offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness; and let us present in his holy temple, when it is finished, a book containing the records of our dead, which shall be worthy of all acceptation. (Doctrine and Covenants 128:24)

Possible discussion questions: How important is the work we do in our temples to the Lord? Why is it essential to do baptisms for the dead? Have you ever been baptized for the dead? What was your experience like?

Quote #4 (gratitude)

Possible engagement tool: Even when in hiding from his enemies, the prophet Joseph Smith felt great joy for the gospel.

Let the mountains shout for joy, and all ye valleys cry aloud; and all ye seas and dry lands tell the wonders of your Eternal King! And ye rivers, and brooks, and rills, flow down with gladness. Let the woods and all the trees of the field praise the Lord; and ye solid rocks weep for joy! And let the sun, moon, and the morning stars sing together, and let all the sons of God shout for joy! And let the eternal creations declare his name forever and ever! And again I say, how glorious is the voice we hear from heaven, proclaiming in our ears, glory, and salvation, and honor, and immortality, and eternal life; kingdoms, principalities, and powers! (Doctrine and Covenants 128:23)

Possible discussion question: Who is frequently called the King in the Scriptures? (Jesus Christ – see Moses 7:53) What is Joseph Smith most excited about in this particular verse? (Accept all reasonable answers – the kinds of glory and gifts we’ll receive in the celestial kingdom) What does the gospel bring to your life, that makes you happy? Can we express gratitude for these kinds of things in our prayers? What might you thank Heavenly Father for when you pray?

Quote #5 (great cause)

Possible intro: Have your class notice how Joseph Smith’s message to his fellow members makes them feel.

22 Brethren, shall we not go on in so great a cause? Go forward and not backward. Courage, brethren; and on, on to the victory! Let your hearts rejoice, and be exceedingly glad. Let the earth break forth into singing. Let the dead speak forth anthems of eternal praise to the King Immanuel, who hath ordained, before the world was, that which would enable us to redeem them out of their prison; for the prisoners shall go free.

Possible discussion questions: What makes our Church and the gospel a great cause to you? Why is it essential that this work go on? If you were to encourage a friend to stay faithful, what things might you say or bring up? Who is at the head of our Church? (Jesus Christ)

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 Doctrine and Covenant teachings into the lives of others.

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.

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 Doctrine and Covenant teachings into the lives of others.

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.

(You can find the Church’s Come, Follow Me lesson here.)

How to Teach Successfully and Give a Better Lesson

You have great content; now let’s ensure the lesson goes smoothly.

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.

Lesson Prep

• If you want the discussion to be more robust and meaningful, hand out reading assignments ahead of time and ask the reader to answer one question about them (i.e. pick one of the questions below and give it to them, along with the assigned quote). The sooner you do this, the better, but if possible, at least show it to them before the Sacrament meeting. You can also send it via text or email.
• 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 during class. If you want more discussion and engagement, here are some tips:

• Ensure every class member has a set of scriptures in front of them or on their phone. Always invite the class to read along—hearing and seeing the words together increases comprehension and engagement.
• Avoid videos – they shut down discussion. Save them for personal study.
• If the discussion becomes too non-spiritual, pull it back by moving on to the next quote or question.
• Make sure you assign others to read the quotes. You’re talking enough already, and 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 the discussion takes a different turn than you had planned, roll with it. The Spirit intends for you to be successful.