Post # 256 -- Come, Follow Me -- Week # 39-- September 28–October 1 -- 3 Nephi 17–19 --0 “Behold, My Joy Is Full”

Dear Family and Friends

You know the other day I actually received a phone call from a good friend. Which allowed me to have a good conversation with an adult.  This was an actual conversation with a real live person over the phone:)

This is something that doesn't happen very often at all. I found it quite refreshing to talk to an adult for a change. Don’t get me wrong, I talk with my coworkers – but its usually about work

I mean, I talk with my adult children and young grandchildren all the time but our conversations either revolve around work or household things. and with the children it's either the latest toy, game,or movie.

But the part i really love it when we talk about their day and what they learned, what they were excited about and what fun they had on that day. Oh, now I will need to take that back as my youngest brother calls me just about every weekend. … unless I am asleep.

These past few months I have been doing a lot of sleeping

And my brother and I talk about everything under the sun. anything really; any subject, any topic, any movie, and we have found that we can add at least one song a week.

I think we add at least one song to every conversation that we have. So why can I remember the lyrics to a song that I haven't heard in 30+ years but I cannot remember if I took my medications 3 hours ago??

How does that work??? Have you any ideas??? I certainly do not!!! The mind is a funny thing and I do not mean the “ha, ha!” sort of funny, I mean a strange sort of funny! Something that I would like to learn more about,

Though I'm not really sure if I have enough time before I pass on to my next life to get it done. It is very important that your preparation to teach your family should always start with your own personal study of the scriptures, …

Reading and searching them carefully so that you do not miss a thing that the Holy Ghost will teach you so that you can teach what you earn to your family. This next part comes to you directly from our Come, Follow Me for Individuals and Families:

While previous chapters in 3 Nephi focused mainly on the Savior’s words, chapters 17–19 describe His ministry and teachings among the people. As you read these chapters, what does the Spirit teach you about the Savior? 

Remember too that your Come, Follow Me -- For Individuals and Families can and should be a great support and supplement to your study, as well as this outline can also provide ideas for you as you are preparing this lesson:)

Don’t forget there is great power in prayer, so be sure to pray before, during and after your study:) This next part comes to you directly from our Come, Follow Me for Individuals and Families:'

Jesus Christ had just spent the day ministering in the land of Bountiful, teaching His gospel, giving the people a chance to see and feel the marks in His resurrected body, and testifying that He was the promised Savior.

And now it was time for Him to leave. He needed to return to His Father, and He knew that the people needed time to ponder what He had taught. So promising to return the next day, He dismissed the multitude to their homes.

But no one left. They didn’t say what they were feeling, but Jesus could sense it: they hoped He would “tarry a little longer with them” (3 Nephi 17:5). He had other important things to do, but the opportunity to show compassion does not always come at a convenient time, so Jesus stayed with the people a little longer. What followed was perhaps the most tender example of ministering recorded in scripture. Those who were present could only say it was indescribable (see 3 Nephi 17:16–17). Jesus Himself summed up the impromptu spiritual outpouring with these simple words: “Now behold, my joy is full” (3 Nephi 17:20).

As you might know, the Savior often invited the people He was teaching, to go back to their homes and ponder or think about what He had taught them. He wanted them to “prepare [their] minds” before they came again.

To learn from Him the next day. You may want to ask your family members and friends if it is age appropriate to do so.

Ask each one of them just how they had prepared for this week’s lesson and discussion.

Ask them what sort of things did they lightly think about?  Which did they think were important enough to take the time to ponder on them?? What did you take time to ponder on as you were preparing to teach this lesson??

This next part comes to you directly from our Come, Follow Me for Individuals and Families:

3 Nephi 17; 18:24–25, 28–32

The Savior is our perfect example of ministering.

You should begin this section by asking your family members and friends the following questions: What do we learn about the Savior’s character that made Him a great example of ministering? What truths do we learn about ministering from the Savior’s example?

I don't know about each one of you, but i know that i can be much better at ministering, how about you? Are you doing a spectacular job with your ministering? There is surely one way to get better at our ministering.

You can read 3 Nephi chapter 17 with your family members and friends. It is here we can find the Savior’s example to follow. I believe that there is most likely someone who needs your ministering every single day --

This means that we each have at least one opportunity to minister to someone every day. As you are reading through chapter 17 ask your family members and friends to speak up when they hear something that teaches about ministering

You could also look for additional insights in the following scripture passages: Nephi 18:24–25 and 28–32 . you and your family members and friends can then discuss those specific things that they feel so inspired to do individually.

Or as a family group. Do  those things which you were inspired to do to follow the Savior’s example of ministering

This next part comes to you directly from our Come, Follow Me for Individuals and Families’

Ideas for Personal Scripture Study

3 Nephi 17

The Savior is my perfect example of ministering.

We know that there were about 2,500 people (see 3 Nephi 17:25) who experienced Christ’s first visit, as recorded in 3 Nephi 11–18. Yet the Savior found a way to minister to them one by one. What do you learn about ministering from the Savior’s example in this chapter? What needs did He minister to? Ponder how His example can help you minister to others.

3 Nephi 17:13–22; 18:15–25; 19:6–9, 15–36

The Savior taught us how to pray.

You should probably get out a sheet of your poster board. Do you think that we have a little stock in the poster board company yet? With all of the poster boards that we have been using you might think that we should have some stock in their company?

Are you ready? Do you have your poster board our and your markers warmed up? I do not know why the diagraphing box sis not transfer, this is the best i could do on this computer to make a diagram box for you,

Scripture passages ll Who? ll How? llWhen? llWhy? l

3 Nephi 17:13–22;   ll ll ll ll l

3 Nephi 18:15–25  ll ll ll ll l

3 Nephi 19:6–9 ll ll ll ll l

3 Nephi 15–36 ll ll ll ll l

Now the purpose for this chart is for you and your family members and friends to learn from a few of the many examples of prayer as well as the teachings about prayer which are found in 3 Nephi 17–19.

You will be looking for the answers to the questions written upon your poster board.You will be looking for the answers to the questions posted on your poster board as these questions relate to prayer,

Which are in the following verses [written on my chart]: 3 Nephi 17:13–22; 18:15–25; and 19:6–9, 15–36. Are there any other insights which you and / or your family members and friends have gained.

As your and / or they have read through the scripture passages? The following statement by Elder Richard G. Scott might add to the discussion. You and your family members and friends might also consider together.

You may consider sharing some of the things that you

and/or they each do to make yours and or their personal

and yours and or their family prayers more meaningful.

(see 3 Nephi 18:18–21).

18 Behold, verily, verily, I say unto you, ye must watch and pray always lest ye enter into temptation; for Satan desireth to have you, that he may sift you as wheat.

19 Therefore ye must always pray unto the Father in my name;

20 And whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, which is right, believing that ye shall receive, behold it shall be given unto you.

21 Pray in your families unto the Father, always in my name, that your wives and your children may be blessed.

The value of prayer.

Elder Richard G. Scott testified of the value of prayer:

“We pray to our Heavenly Father in the sacred name of His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ. Prayer is most effective when we strive to be clean and obedient, with worthy motives, and are willing to do what He asks. Humble, trusting prayer brings direction and peace.

“Don’t worry about your clumsily expressed feelings. Just talk to your compassionate, understanding Father. You are His precious child whom He loves perfectly and wants to help. As you pray, recognize that Father in Heaven is near and He is listening.

“A key to improved prayer is to learn to ask the right questions. Consider changing from asking for the things you want to honestly seeking what He wants for you. Then as you learn His will, pray that you will be led to have the strength to fulfill it.

“Should you ever feel distanced from our Father, it could be for many reasons. Whatever the cause, as you continue to plead for help, He will guide you to do that which will restore your confidence that He is near. Pray even when you have no desire to pray. Sometimes, like a child, you may misbehave and feel you cannot approach your Father with a problem. That is when you most need to pray. Never feel you are too unworthy to pray.

“I wonder if we can ever really fathom the immense power of prayer until we encounter an overpowering, urgent problem and realize that we are powerless to resolve it. Then we will turn to our Father in humble recognition of our total dependence on Him. It helps to find a secluded place where our feelings can be vocally expressed as long and as intensely as necessary” (“Using the Supernal Gift of Prayer,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2007, 8).

You may consider asking your family members and friends to share with the others in your family study group any insights they may have had about these questions from your chart.

This week’s outline in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families suggests questions to ponder about prayer when reading these verses.

You may also consider asking a few of your daily members and friends to come to your study group prepared to talk about something that they have learned about prayer from 3 Nephi 17–19.

What were they inspired to do to make their prayers more meaningful? Here is where a good object lesson could fit in really well to help your family members and friends understand what the Savior taught us.

The following example may work well for you and your family members and friends: you might fill a container with water to represent Satan’s influence. 

Stuff a tissue (which represents us) securely into the bottom of a cup (which represents praying always). Turn the cup upside down, and push it straight down into the container of water.

The tissue should remain dry in the bottom of the cup, even though it is surrounded by water. What do this object lesson and 3 Nephi 18:15–18 teach us about prayer? (see also Doctrine and Covenants 10:5).

What does it mean to “pray always”? How can prayer help us resist the influence of Satan? Remember that if we look in 3 Nephi 18:15–18 we will find that Jesus has taught us how to pray.

When you are finished with the above activities remember to give yourself and your family members and friends some time to think about prayer, what they have learned about prayer.

Then give them time and encourage each of them to write down what they feel impressed to do to improve their individual and their family prayers. This next part comes to you directly from our Come, Follow Me for Individuals and Families:

Ideas for Personal Scripture Study'

3 Nephi 17:13–22; 18:15–25; 19:6–9, 15–36

The Savior taught us how to pray.

Imagine what it would be like to hear the Savior pray for you. What might He say in your behalf? His teachings and prayers in these chapters might give you an idea. As you study, what do you learn from Christ’s example that can make your own prayers more meaningful? What blessings from prayer have you seen in your life?

3 Nephi 18:1–12

We can be spiritually filled as we partake of the sacrament.

How can you each be spiritually filled as you partake of the sacrament? You may want to have a discussion about what the Savior’s teachings are, in 3 Nephi chapter 18 which you find are teachings on the sacrament.

Jesus institutes the sacrament among the Nephites—They are commanded to pray always in His name—Those who eat His flesh and drink His blood unworthily are damned—The disciples are given power to confer the Holy Ghost. About A.D. 34.

You and your family members might want to consider continuing on with your discussion about the Savior’s teachings on the subject of prayer as is found in 3 Nephi chapter 18.

You may decide to divide your family study group into

smaller groups for this next activity. Then give each

group scripture passage to read and discuss. Or you

can let each group choose one of the following scripture passages:

Matthew 26:26–28; 3 Nephi 18:1–12; and Doctrine and Covenants 20:75–79; 27:1–4.  After your family members and friends have finished reading their assigned scripture verses, each group could think of a couple of questions.

these questions would be about the sacrament. In order for this to work, each group must have questions which are answered within the verses they have read. Get out your poster board for a place to write your questions down on.

Then the rest of your family members and friends can study up and be busy searching through the listed scriptures for answers to the questions written on the poster board.

Together with your family members and friends you could also have a discussion about how they can each one have a more meaningful experience in partaking of the sacrament.

What does it mean to be “filled” as we partake of the sacrament? (see 3 Nephi 18:4–5, 9; 20:9). If it is conducive for your family members and friends to do so you could discuss this question in pairs.

Then as they read 3 Nephi 18:1–12 together they will be ready with the answers to the questions. Another thing you could do is to ask your family study group think of the last time they felt spiritually “filled” when partaking of the sacrament. 

You may want to try having a discussion about things that may be preventing or distracting you and / or your family members and friends from being “filled” by the sacrament and share some ideas as to how you can overcome those obstacles.

All of these things which you and your family members and friends study and you get confirmation from the Holy Ghost should be written in your journal. Be sure to write your thoughts and feelings in your own words unless the Holy Ghost is speaking to you then you write exactly what He tells you to write and do.

This is why it is so important for you and each of your family members and friends [and me too!!!] to be in tune with His Spirit. Because we always want to be in the position to be able to hear His voice. The following comes to you directly from our Come, Follow Me for Individuals and Families:

Ideas for Personal Scripture Study

3 Nephi 18:1–12

I can be spiritually filled as I partake of the sacrament.

As you read 3 Nephi 18:1–12, ponder how taking the sacrament can vfhthelp you be spiritually “filled” (3 Nephi 18:3–5, 9; see also 3 Nephi 20:1–9).

For example, you could make a list of questions to prompt personal reflection when you take the sacrament, such as “How do I feel about the Savior and His sacrifice for me?” “How is His sacrifice influencing my daily life?” or “What am I doing well as a disciple, and what can I improve?”

These words from President Henry B. Eyring may help you ponder one way the sacrament can help you be spiritually filled: “As you examine your life during the ordinance of the sacrament, I hope your thoughts center not only on things you have done wrong but also on things you have done right—moments when you have felt that Heavenly Father and the Savior were pleased with you.

You may even take a moment during the sacrament to ask God to help you see these things. … When I have done this, the Spirit has reassured me that while I’m still far from perfect, I’m better today than I was yesterday. And this gives me confidence that, because of the Savior, I can be even better tomorrow” (“Always Remember Him,” Ensign, Feb. 2018, 5).

3 Nephi 19:9–15, 20–22

Disciples of Jesus Christ seek the gift of the Holy Ghost.

You should think about asking your family members and friends to think too, and even to ponder on what they truly desire. Something that they would be willing to do most anything to receive their cherished, and desired item.

Once they have thought about their desired item you could begin your discussion with them. In your discussion with you and your family members and friends you may want to encourage them to have a discussion to find out.

Oh, no! Did you loose your place too? Now what was it that we needed to find out? Oh, now I got it!!! You and your family members and friends [and me too!!] wanted to find out just what the twelve disciples “most desired,”

What do you and your family study group think it was that the Twelve Disciples desires most? The desires of their hearts is something which is described in 3 Nephi 19:9–15 and 20–22. Why might this have been so important to them?

Why is it important to us? According to these verses, how can we earnestly seek the companionship of the Holy Ghost? This next part comes to you directly from our Come, Follow Me for Individuals and Families:

Ideas for Personal Scripture Study

3 Nephi 18:36–37; 19:6–22

Disciples of Jesus Christ seek the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Think about a prayer you said recently. What do your prayers teach you about your deepest desires? After spending a day in the presence of the Savior, the multitude “did pray for that which they most desired”—the gift of the Holy Ghost (3 Nephi 19:9). As you read these passages, ponder your own desire for the companionship of the Holy Ghost. What do you learn about seeking the companionship of the Holy Ghost?

This next part comes to you directly from our Come, Follow Me for Individuals and Families:

Ideas for Family Scripture Study and Family Home Evening

As you read the scriptures 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 ideas.

3 Nephi 17

As you read this chapter as a family, consider pausing from time to time to invite your family to imagine experiencing these events firsthand. For example, you might ask questions like “What afflictions would you bring to the Savior to be healed?” “What would you want Him to pray for in your behalf?” or “What loved ones would you want Him to bless?” Reading this chapter may also inspire you to pray for your family members, one by one, as Jesus did.

3 Nephi 18:1–12

What does it mean to be “filled” by partaking of the sacrament, and how do we experience it? What do we learn from verses 5–7 about why Jesus gave us the ordinance of the sacrament?

3 Nephi 18:17–21

What do we learn from these verses about the purposes of prayer? How can we improve the spiritual power of our prayers, both as individuals and as a family?

3 Nephi 18:25; 19:1–3

What has our family experienced through the gospel that we wish everyone around us could also experience? How can we follow the example of the people in these verses and “labor exceedingly” (3 Nephi 19:3) to bring others to Christ, that they too might “feel and see” (3 Nephi 18:25) what we have found in the gospel?

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

Suggested song: “Reverently, Quietly,” Children’s Songbook, 26.

In our upcoming reading in 3 Nephi chapters 20 - 26 you will find how Jesus Christ has explained some of the great prophet Isaiah’s “great” words for each one of us. The Lord saids, “Great are the words of Isaiah '' (3 Nephi 23:1). Please encourage your family members and friends to read 3 Nephi 20–26,

As you and your family members and friends are studying the readings for next week make sure that you all come ready to share with your family study group what you have learned. Remember to really think about Isaiah’s words and why Isaiah’s words are great. This next part comes to you directly from our Come, Follow Me for Individuals and Families:

Improving Personal Study

Let the Spirit guide your study. The Holy Ghost can guide you toward the things you need to learn each day. Be sensitive to His promptings, even if they seem to suggest that you read a different topic or study in a different way than you usually would. For example, as you read about the sacrament in 3 Nephi 18, the Spirit might prompt you to spend more time on that topic than you planned.

Well folks here we are at the end of our lesson for this week. I hope that you and your family members and friends have enjoyed this lesson:) I also hope that you all have learned as much or more than I have. I feel as though there certainly was a lot to be learned in this lesson. I don't know if it is more or less than in others we have had:)

Please remember who you and your family members and friends are, … you are eadh one a child of God!!! The one God of this earth. Your Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus Christ both love each of you and your family members and friends. It's up to you to make sure that they all know this truth, .. it can change their/ and your lives!!!

Please, do continue to pray every day, at least morning and night. Pray before, during and after your scripture study and please continue to study your scriptures individually as well as with your family, … every day:) Also please continue to read and study from the Book of Mormon with me,

And of course all of our vyber study buddies out there in cyberspace. If you would like to talk with me about anything that i have written please use my email address or use the comment section on this blog space. Until my next post, please continue to do whatever you need to do to keep you and your family members safe, and healthy.