Saturday, September 7, 2019


Post # 127 -- Come Follow Me -- # 25 - June 24–30 -- “He Is Risen”

Dear Family and Friends
I have been trying to get the basement cleaned up this past little while it seems like I can get a little section done and then the boys come downstairs to play… and yup, you guessed it, it no longer looks like I had been working down there at all! or I have all the trash bagged up and ready to take out, but the dog gets through the gate when it gets opened and she tears our all the trash stringing it all over the floor. And of course, you have never had this happen at your home… right😊everything goes as planned!

Since I get tired so easily these days… I know that some of it may be a bit of depression, but I don’t really have time to be depressed if I can avoid it:>) I know that I have fought with it all of my life, I just have to stay focused on something else other than my troubles… I find that serving others helps to combat this a lot. I know that when our home was full of foster children who needed more than my own children did, then my own children found less time to be selfish with one another. 

They were too busy trying to help their ‘brothers and sisters’ who had been sent to us for help and a safe place to live and grow closer to one another😊 I love this Hymn I saw this and I wanted to share it with you. I think that it is a great reminder for each one of us if we ask ourselves this question every single day and can answer it honestly with a resounding 'Yes'!



Over a span of 6 – 8 years we had the opportunity of helping 87 plus children who were placed in our home for varying amounts of time. I think the most rewarding time for us was a span of about two and a half years when we had 10 children all under the age of nine! We lived in a five-bedroom ranch house on almost six acres of land and during the weekends when they didn’t have home visits. 

And then in the summers we would take all of our children up to the mountains. We would go camping, fishing, and a lot of pretend play, it was an amazing time. I think the most amazing thing was just how well all of those ten children worked together to help one another out.. in our home we treated everyone like they were a part of our family😊

I think all of the children had fun and I believe they all felt loved by their mother and father in the home with them.  I would like to think that we as a family had a positive impact on at least some of the children that we had the opportunity to care for in our home😊 





It’s is like that with my students that I have had the privilege of teaching throughout the past forty five years. I hope and pray that I have taught them something that has helped them out in their lives, and maybe in some small way helped them feel safe and loved.

Well, I guess I got right of my track pretty good, didn’t I? I think I was going to tell you about how I have developed a system of being a commercial cleaner, but I will have to save that for another post since I rambled so much here. 

We had better get right to our lesson, hadn’t we? Are you ready? Okay, here we go… in our lesson today we are going to be studying the books of Matthew; Mark; Luke; and John. In chapters 28; 16; 24; and 20--21, respectively. Were you able to get them all read during the week and were you ready to teach your family? 







This first part comes directly from the manual Come, Follow Me for Individuals and Families:

To many observers, the death of Jesus of Nazareth may have seemed like an ironic end to a remarkable life. 

Wasn’t this the man who raised Lazarus from the dead? Hadn’t He withstood the murderous threats from the Pharisees time after time? 

He had demonstrated power to heal blindness, leprosy, and palsy. The very winds and the seas obeyed Him. 

And yet here He was, hanging from a cross, declaring, “It is finished” (John 19:30).

John 19:30           New Testament
30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.





There may have been some sincere surprise in the mocking words “He saved others; himself he cannot save” (Matthew 27:42).

Matthew 27:42                  New Testament
42 He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him.

But we know that Jesus’s death was not the end of the story. We know that the silence of the tomb was temporary and that Christ’s saving work was just beginning. He is found today not “among the dead” but among the living (Luke 24:5).

Luke 24:5             New Testament
And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead?

His teachings would not be silenced, for His loyal disciples would preach the gospel in “all nations,” trusting His promise that He would be “with [them] alway, even unto the end of the world” (Matthew 28:19–20).

Matthew 28:19–20          New Testament
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nationsbaptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.




Because Jesus was resurrected, we too will be resurrected.

Before we get into this next section I think it may be a good time to look up “Resurrection” in the Bible Dictionary. I will include the truths that I find there, but I will not include all of the scripture references. 

If you want to do further study on ‘Resurrection’ and look up all of the scriptures that go along with the truths you can find them here: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bd/resurrection?lang=eng

Okay on with the definition of “Resurrection” from the Bible dictionary, as follows:

Resurrection                      Bible Dictionary
I did not change any of the teachings, they come directly from the Bible Dictionary. The only thing I did was to give the truths a number and remove the scripture references so we could focus on the truths themselves😊




Resurrection

1.      The Resurrection consists in the uniting of a spirit body with a body of flesh and bones, never again to be divided.
2.      The Resurrection shall come to all, because of Christ’s victory over death.
3.      Jesus Christ was the first to be resurrected on this earth.
4.       Others had been brought back from death but were restored to mortality, whereas a resurrection means to become immortal, with a body of flesh and bone.
5.      All will not be raised to the same glory in the Resurrection,
6.      nor will all come forth at the same time.
7.      Christ was first; the righteous have precedence over the wicked and come forth in the First Resurrection,
8.      whereas the unrepentant sinners come forth in the last resurrection.
9.      The New Testament gives ample evidence that Jesus rose with His physical body: He ate fish and honey; He said He had flesh and bones; the people touched Him; the tomb was empty; and the angels said He had risen.
10.  One of the most fundamental doctrines taught by the Twelve was that Jesus was risen from the tomb, with His glorified, resurrected body,
11.  To obtain a resurrection with a celestial, exalted body is the center point of hope in the gospel of Jesus Christ.
12.  The Resurrection of Jesus is the most glorious of all messages to mankind.
13.  Latter-day revelation confirms the reality of the Resurrection of Christ and of all mankind.




Now I want to share with you some questions that our instructor asked us in class: Why are these truths important to us? How does knowing that we will be resurrected affect our feelings about Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ? Then we watched a video: “He Is Risen” (LDS.org).  you should watch it and share it with your family members and friends during your study this week. You can find it here: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/bible-videos/videos/he-is-risen?lang=eng

We can invite the Savior to “abide with us.”

To help your family members and friends see connections between their experiences and the experience of the disciples on the road to Emmaus, you might want to do like we did in class and draw a road on a large sheet of paper, and then ask your family members and friends to write the details from the account in Luke 24:13–35 on one side of the road. Then, on the other side of the road, they could write parallels they see to their own experiences as followers of Jesus Christ. This activity is kind of like the one we did last week with the hearts – just a tiny bit different😊





This is the example our instructor used. He wrote: Their eyes were holden (Luke 24:16) on one side of the road and We sometimes don’t recognize the Lord’s influence in our lives on the other side. This really was an interesting and enlightening activity, so I wanted to share it with you and your family and friends😊


There are two hymns based on  Luke 24:13–35“Abide with Me; ’Tis Eventide” and “Abide with Me!” Hymns, nos. 165, 166. How can you use these hymns to help your family members and friends to find a deeper meaning in the scriptural account? I think it is good to even read the words of a hymn and then look up the scripture references given at the bottom of the hymn and look for the similarities and then see how you can apply what the hymn is teaching you😊



We are commanded to preach the gospel to all the world.

You know that the commandment that the resurrected Savior gave to His Apostles to preach His gospel can also apply to us today.  Our instructor asked us the following questions and therefore I wanted to share them with you as well😊
How can you help your family members and friends see their role in preaching the gospel? Our instructor said  that maybe we could invite our family members and friends and  even our neighbors over for a family home evening as part of the lesson we might ask them to imagine that they were giving some counsel to a family member or friend who is about to leave on a full-time mission. 
If they are not members then we could explain first what a missionary is and what they do while they are on their mission. Remember to mention that our missionaries volunteer their service to the lord for two years to do their part in helping with His work. Here on the earth. We are His hands and feet - His body😊
What would we share from the Savior’s words to His Apostles?
How can we apply these same words in our efforts to share the gospel with others?



“Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.”
Some of your family members and friends might be ones who empathize with Thomas, who desired to see the risen Lord before he would believe. Your home can be a place for your family members and friends to help strengthen each other’s faith in things that they cannot see. You may do well by asking someone to share with everyone Thomas’s experience in John 20:19–28. You may also want to show the video “Blessed Are They That Have Not Seen, and Yet Have Believed” (LDS.org). you can watch the video: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/bible-videos/videos/blessed-are-they-that-have-not-seen-and-yet-have-believed?lang=eng





You and your family members and friends could make a list of some of the things God asks us to believe without seeing. Then you could ask them each to share some experiences that have strengthened their testimonies of these things. What blessings have come to you and your family members and friends as they have exercised faith?

I remember when I first joined the church of Jesus Christ od Latter-day Saints and I taught my husband about tithing. I learned that you must have faith to pay your tithing first before you pay anything else. My husband was not of the same mind. He didn’t feel like it would make any difference  he did not have enough faith in the promise that the Lord made to us if we paid our tithing first😊 it is a very good thing that we are given many chances to learn things from the Lord!  I know the I have been blessed continually for paying my tithing 00 and paying it first! If you pay the Lord first, you will have enough.




I paid tithing on my pay checks immediately after I joined the church, but I don’t believe my husband ever got into that pattern before he fell away from the teachings of the Lord. He agreed to pay tithing during our marriage after I became a member of the church. Then after a couple of months he decided that he could use that money for other things. 

When he didn’t pay tithing on his money we ended up being short on our bills the exact amount that he would have paid in his tithing for the month after that he allowed me to pay tithing on his pay checks as well as mine for a long time. Then one day he just took over his checks and used his money how he liked. I don’t know if he ever went back to paying tithing I do not know much about his life anymore, he’s on his own now!




The Savior invites us to feed His sheep.
What do you think might help you and your family members and friends accept the Savior’s invitation to “feed [His] sheep”? I think we could start by reading John 21:15–17 silently, replacing Simon’s name with our own [ I am including myself in this]. We put our own name or our family members and friends could put their own name in where Simon’s name is😊

And then where “my lambs” and “my sheep” are we would fill in with the names of people we (or each of our family members and friends) feel the Lord wants us or each of them to serve, —for example: it may be people they minister to, it may be their neighbors, or people they know at work or school 😊



After giving a few minutes for you and your family members and friends to finish reading the verses, maybe you could each share the impressions that you each had as you read through the verses. What does it mean to feed the Savior’s lambs and sheep? I have used the name Barbara to give you an example of how it might look in writing when you substitute your name in the scriptures😊

John 21:15–17             New Testament
15 So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Barbara, Barbara, daughter of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? She saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.

16 He saith to her again the second time, Barbara, daughter of Jonas, lovest thou me? She saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

17 He saith unto her the third time, Barabra, daughter of Jonas, lovest thou me? Barbara was grieved because he said unto her the third time, Lovest thou me? And she said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto her, Feed my sheep.





Our instructor shared the following statements given by President Russell M. Nelson and Elder Marvin J. Ashton during their talks, he said they could also be of great help to share them with our family and friends to answer the following important question:

What does it mean to feed the Savior’s sheep?

President Russell M. Nelson shared these insights from the ancient Greek text of John 21:
“In [John 21:15], the word feed comes from the Greek term bosko, which means ‘to nourish or to pasture.’ The word lamb comes from the diminutive term arnion, meaning ‘little lamb.’ …

John 21:15       New Testament
15 So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lamb

“In [John 21:16], the word feed comes from a different term, poimaino, which means ‘to shepherd, to tend, or to care.’ The word sheep comes from the term probaton, meaning ‘mature sheep.’ …

John 21:16       New Testament
16 He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.





“In [John 21:17], the word feed again comes from the Greek bosko, referring to nourishment. The word sheep was again translated from the Greek term probaton, referring to adult sheep.

John 21:17                   New Testament
17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

“These three verses, which seem so similar in the English language, really contain three distinct messages in Greek:
·         Little lambs need to be nourished in order to grow;
·         Sheep need to be tended;
·         Sheep need to be nourished” (“Shepherds, Lambs, and Home Teachers,” Ensign, Aug. 1994, 16). You can read the whole talk here:  https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/1994/08/shepherds-lambs-and-home-teachers?lang=eng



I think it is very interesting to learn about how the same words can mean such different things and still be so similar😊 so the way I understand this is that we need to nourish those that are young in the gospel so that they can grow in the gospel. We need to tend and care to our neighbors and friends, especially those new members and investigators. All people need to be nourished and cared for, they need to feel truly loved and wanted and needed. It doesn’t matter what their age is, young or old. Remember, we are all God’s children.

I know that this talk is geared toward home teachers, but I believe it can and ford apply to each of us😊  Here is a good question for you to pose in your family scripture study of this lesson:  What do you each feel is one way for us as family members and friends, to “feed His sheep”?




How can we “feed [His] sheep”?

Elder Marvin J. Ashton explained how we can fulfill the Lord’s commandment to feed His sheep:
“Jesus said, ‘Feed my sheep.’ (John 21:16.) You can’t feed them if you don’t know where they are. You can’t feed them if you give them reason to resist you. You can’t feed them if you don’t have the food. You can’t feed them if you don’t have charity. You can’t feed them if you aren’t willing to work and share. …

“Those who need help come in all age brackets. Some of His sheep are young, lonely, and lost. Some are weary, afflicted, and worn with age. Some are in our own family, in our own neighborhood, or in the far corners of the world where we can help with fast offerings. Some are starving for food. Some are starving for love and concern.




“If we give His sheep reasons to resist us, the feeding process becomes difficult, if not impossible. No one can teach or help with sarcasm or ridicule. Dictatorship or ‘I’m right and you are wrong’ will negate all efforts to feed a wandering sheep. A wall of resistance will be built, and no one will benefit. …
By our actions we show our love. Expressions of affection are empty if actions don’t match. All His sheep need the touch of a shepherd who cares (“Give with Wisdom That They May Receive with Dignity,” Ensign, Nov. 1981, 91).

Well, I guess I have marked his words up a bit. I just wanted to be sure that you were able to notice what I thought stuck out at me as I read through it.  I am glad I was able to review this talk as it was given before I joined the church and it has a lot of great information in it that most certainly still apply all these year later😊 You can read  or listen to the whole talk here: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/1981/10/give-with-wisdom-that-they-may-receive-with-dignity?lang=eng



 For this week, you may want to ask your family members and friends to pay attention to how an unlearned fisherman became the powerful leader of Christ’s Church as it spread throughout the world This may help to inspire your family members and friends to read Acts 1–5 .  Tell them that as they study these chapters, they will see how this transformation took place.

This next section comes directly from the manual Come, follow Me for Individuals and Families:

Ideas for Personal Scripture Study

Because Jesus was resurrected, I too will be resurrected.

In these passages, you will read about one of the most important events in the history of humankind: the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. 

As you read, put yourself in the place of the people who witnessed the events surrounding the Resurrection. 

How might these witnesses have felt? How do you feel as you read about the Savior’s Resurrection?

Consider how it has affected you—your outlook on life, your relationships with others, your faith in Christ, and your faith in other gospel truths. 

See also Bible Dictionary, “Resurrection”“Resurrection,” Gospel Topics, topics.lds.org.





I have shared part of this reference with you earlier in this post with the link for you to check it out for further scriptural study of the topic, if this is something that you would like to do with your family and friends😊

We can invite the Savior to “abide with us.”
The experience of the two traveling disciples who met the resurrected Savior can have parallels to your path of discipleship.

What connections do you see between this account and your experiences as a follower of Christ?

 How can you walk with Him today and invite Him to “tarry” a little longer? (Luke 24:29).

 How do you recognize His presence in your life? In what ways has the Holy Ghost testified of the divinity of Jesus Christ to you?



Does Jesus Christ have a body?
Through the accounts of the risen Lord appearing to Mary Magdalene and His later interactions with His disciples, we learn that Jesus’s Resurrection was literal and physical. 

With His resurrected, glorified body, He walked, talked, and ate with His followers. Other scriptures also testify that Jesus Christ has a body of flesh and bones: Philippians 3:20–213 Nephi 11:13–15Doctrine and Covenants 110:2–3130:1, 22.


“Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.”
It can be difficult to believe that something is true without seeing physical proof. You may at times feel like Thomas, who said, “Except I shall see … I will not believe” (John 20:25).

In response, the Savior said to Thomas, “Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed” (John 20:29).




How have you been blessed for believing in spiritual things you could not see? 

What helps you have faith in the Savior even when you cannot see Him? 

What other truths do you believe even without physical evidence? 

How can you continue to strengthen your faith in “things which are not seen, which are true”? (Alma 32:21;see also Ether 12:6).

Consider recording in a journal experiences that have helped you believe in Jesus Christ, or share them with someone you know.

The Savior invites me to feed His sheep.

It might be interesting to compare the Savior’s interaction with His Apostles in John 21 to the first time He commanded them to let down their fishing nets, recorded in Luke 5:1–11.

What similarities and differences do you find? What insights about discipleship do you find?

Consider how the Savior’s words to Peter in John 21:15–17 might apply to you.

Is there anything holding you back from ministering to the Lord’s sheep? 

What would your response be if the Lord asked you, “Lovest thou me?” Ponder how you can show your love for the Lord. See also Jeffrey R. Holland, “The First Great Commandment,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2012, 83–85.





Ideas for Family Scripture Study and Family Home Evening

As you finish reading the Gospels with your family, the Spirit can help you know what principles to emphasize and discuss in order to meet the needs of your family. Here are some suggestions:

Why are the words “He is not here: for he is risen” some of the most hopeful and important words ever spoken?

As your family reads these chapters, pay attention to the people who interacted with Jesus in each account. 

For example, at one point you might focus on the people who visited the Savior’s tomb. 

At another point, you might carefully study the actions of the Apostles or the disciples on the road to Emmaus.



As a family, discuss the work Christ was asking His Apostles to do. How can we help accomplish this work?

 Can you share a time when you felt “the Lord working with [you]” to help you accomplish His purposes? (Mark 16:20).

Consider reading these verses while eating together. This could add some meaning to the Savior’s words “feed my sheep.” 

Based on what Jesus taught about sheep in the New Testament (see, for example, Matthew 9:35–3610:5–625:31–46Luke 15:4–7John 10:1–16), 

why is feeding sheep a good metaphor for nourishing and caring for God’s children? What does the metaphor teach about how Heavenly Father and Jesus feel about us?

For more ideas for teaching children, see this week’s outline in Come, Follow Me—For Primary.

Improving Personal Study
Use music to invite the Spirit and learn doctrine. Listening to or singing hymns such as “He Is Risen!” or “Christ the Lord Is Risen Today,” Hymns, nos. 199, 200, can invite the Spirit and help you learn about the Savior’s Resurrection.





Guess where we are now, my dear Family and Friends? We have found ourselves down here, again, at the end of our lesson for this week and at the end of this post as well. As always, I do hope and pray that I have shared something with you that has inspired and uplifted each or you in some small way😊 I challenge you to check our all the links to the wonderful talks that I have shared with you. They are worth the read and they do add great insights into our lesson. 😊

And do at least read through the words of the hymns – if you can sing them with your family and friends – all the better. Unfortunately, I was not blessed with a singing voice at all! I love to sing though! So, now you have your challenge and all the links that you need. If you come up with more information or ideas to help give further insight into this lesson and the topics we have covered, please feel free to share them with me😊 I would love to hear your ideas!





I guess I have rambled on enough for today! Please each one of you – Remember who you are! You are each a child of God, a son or a daughter of a loving Heavenly Father.  With that said, I know that you each have great potential inside of you. Just ask your Heavenly Father for His help to reach that great potential – you are amazing!!! 

Keep studying your scriptures with me. If you are ahead of me in the lessons – great job! Keep up the good work! If you are a bit slower – like me, that is okay too! Just as long as you keep studying and learning about your Savior, Jesus Christ, and your Heavenly Father. As always, please, everyone – make it a great week😊




No comments:

Post a Comment