Sunday, September 14, 2025

Come Follow Me Study Guide on the Topic of Grace from D&C 106-108 (Sept 28)

    This blogpost features a study guide and a half-sheet activity page to complement the Come Follow Me (CFM) reading for  September 22-28,  which includes Doctrine and Covenants 106-108.    Click here for an index and links to my CFM blogposts for other weeks

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GRACE
  My husband and I just received challenging new callings that seem very daunting and this is a topic that's very near and dear to our hearts right now.    

QUESTIONS TO PONDER/ASK:  

What is grace? {here's a good summary}

How do YOU define grace? 

How have you been CHANGED by grace? 
 

QUOTES ABOUT GRACE:

#1  “The Savior’s gift of grace to us is not necessarily limited in time to ‘after’ all we can do. We may receive his grace before, during and after the time when we expend our own efforts”
 (Bruce C. Hafen, The Broken Heart: Applying the Atonement to Life’s Experiences [1989], 155–56)

#2 “So grace is not a booster engine that kicks in once our fuel supply is exhausted. Rather, it is our constant energy source. It is not the light at the end of the tunnel but the light that moves us through the tunnel. Grace is not achieved somewhere down the road. It is received right here and right now. It is not a finishing touch; it is the Finisher’s touch.” Elder Brad Wilcox

#3  "...every one of us aspires to a more Christlike life than we often succeed in living. If we admit that honestly and are trying to improve, we are not hypocrites; we are human. May we refuse to let our own mortal follies, and the inevitable shortcomings of even the best men and women around us, make us cynical about the truths of the gospel, the truthfulness of the Church, our hope for our future, or the possibility of godliness. If we persevere, then somewhere in eternity our refinement will be finished and complete—which is the New Testament meaning of perfection.

I testify of that grand destiny, made available to us by the Atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ, who Himself continued “from grace to grace” until in His immortality He received a perfect fulness of celestial glory. I testify that in this and every hour He is, with nail-scarred hands, extending to us that same grace, holding on to us and encouraging us, refusing to let us go until we are safely home in the embrace of Heavenly Parents."  President Jeffrey R. Holland

#4 “The miracle of the Atonement is not just that we can be cleansed and consoled but that we can be transformed.” Elder Brad Wilcox

#5 “God’s grace is sufficient. Jesus’s grace is sufficient. It is enough. It is all we need. Don’t quit. Keep trying. Don’t look for escapes and excuses. Look for the Lord and His perfect strength. Don’t search for someone to blame. Search for someone to help you. Seek Christ, and, as you do, you will feel the enabling power and divine help we call His amazing grace.” Elder Brad Wilcox

#6 “Thus, the enabling and strengthening aspect of the Atonement helps us to see and to do and to become good in ways that we could never recognize or accomplish with our limited mortal capacity. I testify and witness that the enabling power of the Savior’s Atonement is real.”
Elder David A. Bednar

#7 “In all of these cases there should never be just two options: perfection or giving up. When learning the piano, are the only options performing at Carnegie Hall or quitting? No. Growth and development take time. Learning takes time. When we understand grace, we understand that God is long-suffering, that change is a process, and that repentance is a pattern in our lives. When we understand grace, we understand that the blessings of Christ’s Atonement are continuous and His strength is perfect in our weakness. When we understand grace, we can, as it says in the Doctrine and Covenants, “continue in patience until [we] are perfected”.  Elder Brad Wilcox

#8  "Another element of God’s grace is the opening of the windows of heaven, through which God pours out blessings of power and strength, enabling us to achieve things that otherwise would be far beyond our reach. It is by God’s amazing grace that His children can overcome the undercurrents and quicksands of the deceiver, rise above sin, and “be perfect[ed] in Christ.”

Though we all have weaknesses, we can overcome them. Indeed it is by the grace of God that, if we humble ourselves and have faith, weak things can become strong."  Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf

#9  "When our earnest efforts fall short of our aspirations due to circumstances beyond our control, the Lord still accepts the desires of our hearts as a worthy offering."  Elder Gerald Causse

TALKS ABOUT GRACE

"His Grace is Sufficient" by Elder Brad Wilcox
"Compensating Grace" by Elder Gerald Causse 
"In the Strength of the Lord" by Elder David Bednar
"Am I Good Enough? Will I Make it?" by Elder J. Devn Cornish
"The Gift of Grace" by Elder Dieter Uchtdorf 
"Be Ye Therefore Perfect--Eventually" by President Jeffrey R. Holland


ANALOGY ABOUT GRACE

from "His Grace is Sufficient" by Brad Wilcox

Christ’s arrangement with us is similar to a mom providing music lessons for her child. Mom pays the piano teacher. How many know what I am talking about? Because Mom pays the debt in full, she can turn to her child and ask for something. What is it? Practice! Does the child’s practice pay the piano teacher? No. Does the child’s practice repay Mom for paying the piano teacher? No. Practicing is how the child shows appreciation for Mom’s incredible gift. It is how he takes advantage of the amazing opportunity Mom is giving him to live his life at a higher level. Mom’s joy is found not in getting repaid but in seeing her gift used—seeing her child improve. And so she continues to call for practice, practice, practice.

If the child sees Mom’s requirement of practice as being too overbearing (“Gosh, Mom, why do I need to practice? None of the other kids have to practice! I’m just going to be a professional baseball player anyway!”), perhaps it is because he doesn’t yet see with mom’s eyes. He doesn’t see how much better his life could be if he would choose to live on a higher plane.

“But Brother Wilcox, don’t you realize how hard it is to practice? I’m just not very good at the piano. I hit a lot of wrong notes. It takes me forever to get it right.” Now wait. Isn’t that all part of the learning process? When a young pianist hits a wrong note, we don’t say he is not worthy to keep practicing. We don’t expect him to be flawless. We just expect him to keep trying. Perfection may be his ultimate goal, but for now we can be content with progress in the right direction. Why is this perspective so easy to see in the context of learning piano but so hard to see in the context of learning heaven?

In all of these cases there should never be just two options: perfection or giving up. When learning the piano, are the only options performing at Carnegie Hall or quitting? No. Growth and development take time. Learning takes time. When we understand grace, we understand that God is long-suffering, that change is a process, and that repentance is a pattern in our lives. When we understand grace, we understand that the blessings of Christ’s Atonement are continuous and His strength is perfect in our weakness (see 2 Corinthians 12:9). When we understand grace, we can, as it says in the Doctrine and Covenants, “continue in patience until [we] are perfected” (D&C 67:13).


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FILL IN THE BLANK SCRIPTURES ABOUT GRACE

Doctrine and Covenants 106:8
"And I will give him grace and ______________ wherewith he may __________; and if he continue to be a faithful witness and a light unto the church I have prepared a _____________ for him in the mansions of my Father. Even so. Amen."  



2 Nephi 25:23

"For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be ____________ to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are ____________, after all we can do."  


Philippians 4:13

"I can do _________ things through _____________ which strengtheneth me."  


Moroni 10:32-33

"Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny youselvs of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all you might, mind and strenth, then  is his grace __________________ for you, that by his grace ye may be ______________ in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the _______________  of _________."      

Ether 12:27
"And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is ___________ for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they ________________ themselves before me, and have ___________ in me, then will I make weak things become ______________ unto them."


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AN ORIGINAL ACTIVITY SHEET (PRINTABLE) 

These activity sheets are designed to print double-sided and cut in half.  They're perfect for reviewing or introducing the content found in the Come, Follow Me reading each week and would be great used in a classroom or home setting.   I have no children at home, nor do I have a calling working with youth, so I copy these to be handed out with the sacrament programs each week.  Kids, teens, and adults enjoy them...especially when it's a word search! 

THIS WEEK'S ACTIVITY SHEET LINK (in case it's not showing below)



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Have fun learning the gospel together!


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Sunday, September 7, 2025

Study Guide on Being a Peacemaker and An Original CFM Activity Sheet for D&C 102-105 (Sept 21 )

    This blogpost features a half-sheet activity page to complement the Come Follow Me (CFM) reading for  September 15-21,  which includes Doctrine and Covenants 102-105.    Click here for an index and links to my CFM blogposts for other weeks

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STUDY GUIDE ON BEING A PEACEMAKER

ARTICLES ON BEING A PEACEMAKER 

Peacemakers Needed by President Nelson (Apr 2023)

Following Christ (section III) by President Oaks (Oct 2024)

Following Jesus: Being a Peacemaker by Elder Andersen (Apr 2022) 


SCRIPTURES:

D&C 105:38-40
 "And again I say unto you, sue for peace, not only to the people that have smitten you, but also to all people. And lift up an ensign of peace, and make a proclamation of peace unto the ends of the earth. And make proposals for peace unto those who have smitten you, according to the voice of the Spirit which is in you, and all things shall work together for your good."

Matthew 25:40
"And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."

Matthew 5:9, 44
9 "Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God."
44 "But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;"


QUESTIONS TO PONDER 

1. How Christ is the perfect example of being a peacemaker. 

2. How can I find and share  peace in a world filled with turmoil?  

3. How can we be peacemakers in the contentious society we live in?

"HOW CAN I BE A PEACEMAKER?" VIDEO CLIP (WITH VISUALS) FROM PRESIDENT NELSON
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqM7LFOIXBs


ORIGINAL COME FOLLOW ME ACTIVITY SHEET

THIS WEEK'S ACTIVITY SHEET LINK (in case it's not showing below)


FOR KIDS
I Can Be A Peacemaker When...

A VIDEO FOR KIDS: A STORY ABOUT RESOLVING CONTENTION






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Be sure to come back every week and check for more Come, Follow Me resources.  

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Sunday, August 31, 2025

Finding Peace in Christ Study Guide and an Original Activity Sheet for D&C 98-101 (Sept 14)

   This blogpost features a half-sheet activity page to complement the Come Follow Me (CFM) reading for  September 8-14,  which includes Doctrine and Covenants 98-101.    Click here for an index and links to my CFM blogposts for other weeks

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FINDING PEACE IN CHRIST 

"Therefore, let your hearts be comforted concerning Zion; for all flesh is in mine hands; be still and know that I am God." D&C 101:16

One of the things I love to do is hike. Because we lived at sea level for so many years, though, we sometimes get a little intimidated by hiking in the mountains. One day we were trying a new trail that had a pretty significant incline early on in the hike. I was ready to turn around and find a flatter trail, when we came across a group coming down the mountain. I stopped and asked one of them if it was worth the effort to continue on, and his answer surprised me. Instead of a yes or no, he simply said, “You can hear the sounds of peace.”

To be honest, at that point in the hike, the only sound I could hear was my own heavy breathing and I certainly wasn’t feeling very peaceful! But something about that comment inspired us to keep going.

Although the trail didn’t get easier for a while, I noticed that when I shifted my focus from thinking “this is so hard” to listening for the “sounds of peace,” my entire experience changed.

Later, I reflected on that moment and realized it taught me something profound about peace. I used to think peace was just something that fell upon you in quiet, perfect moments. And while that can happen, the more life experiences I have, the more I’ve come to believe that peace is most often something we must actively seek and choose, especially in hard times.

I want to explore that idea a little more.

Elder Waddell (source) taught us in a general conference talk several years ago that, “Peace of mind, peace of conscience, and peace of heart are not determined by our ability to avoid trials, sorrow, or heartache. Despite our sincere pleas, not every storm will change course, not every infirmity will be healed, and we may not fully understand every doctrine, principle, or practice taught by prophets, seers, and revelators. Nevertheless, we have been promised peace–but with a condition....The peace we all seek requires more than {just} a desire. It requires us to act—by learning of Him, by listening to His words, and by walking with Him. We may not have the ability to control all that happens around us, but we can control how we apply the pattern for peace that the Lord has provided—a pattern that makes it easy to think often about Jesus.”

When I look back at different times in my life when I desperately needed peace, I see how different those situations looked on the surface.

There were times when I was making big decisions, or caught in conflict, or facing a huge trial. Other times it was more internal—moments of doubt, guilt, anxiety, or just feeling overwhelmed by life.

In the New Testament, Jesus says:

“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

I love that verse—but I’ll be honest: not letting my heart be troubled is easier said than done!

So what is this pattern for peace, and how do we live it and apply it in all the different situations?

Elder Waddell quotes the Savior directly:

“Learn of me, and listen to my words; walk in the meekness of my Spirit, and you shall have peace in me.” D&C 19:23

Learn. Listen. Walk. A simple pattern—with a powerful promise.

As part of my reflections on peace while preparing this, I decided to look back at a couple of experiences in my life where I sought for and received peace and see how that pattern came into play.

One of the biggest experiences was when several years ago my husband and I were preparing talks on the topic of the “Worth of Souls” to share in sacrament meeting. It was a busy season in our lives with 5 young kids at home, so taking time to dive into a gospel topic took a very deliberate effort on our parts. I had a couple hours while everyone was at their various activities, so I turned off my phone and ended up having one of the most memorable spiritual experiences of my life when I read these words from Elder Uchtdorf: 

 “The most powerful Being in the universe is the Father of your spirit. He knows you. He loves you with a perfect love. God sees you not only as a mortal being on a small planet who lives for a brief season—He sees you as His child. He sees you as the being you are capable and designed to become. He wants you to know that you matter to Him.” 
President Dieter Uchtdorf, “You Matter to Him,” General Conference, October 2011

I had read them before, but this time the words hit me differently and I became overwhelmed with an immeasurable peace and reassurance that I was a child of God and that the worth of my soul was indeed great. I was overcome with an unmistakable feeling that God was keenly aware of me personally, as well as my family. My heart was touched and I packed up my talk that day with a deep sense of calm and gratitude for God’s love in my life. 

Although it was meant to be preparation for a talk, in reality that experience instead became a much needed spiritual preparation for the storm that was about to befall our family. Within a few hours of that powerful, yet very personal spiritual experience, we received the news that our sixteen-year-old son, Spencer, didn’t have mono like we thought, but actually had leukemia. Further tests showed that his leukemia was aggressive and would require many months of fully in-hospital treatment. A few days after our son’s diagnosis, my husband was very unexpectedly laid off from his job.

In a matter of days, our world was turned upside down. But somehow, amid the chaos, we still felt peace—because of that quiet experience I’d had just before the storm hit. I knew deep down inside that whatever happened-- it would be okay. Not that we wouldn’t experience fear, or that we’d enjoy every moment along the way, but that whether our son lived or died or whether my husband found a job soon or not, that God was in the details and that in the end it would be alright. And it was. I had learned of Christ, I had listened, and when it came time to walk with Him, we found those sounds of peace throughout that journey.

Our son is now 30 years old, and that experience still reminds me that peace is not about circumstances—it’s about Christ.

Thankfully, not all my experiences with seeking peace have been that dramatic. More often than not, my need for peace comes in the middle of everyday chaos—when there’s too much to do and not enough time, or when I feel inadequate or stretched thin.

But the pattern still applies in those moments. Learn. Listen. Walk.

Sometimes it can feel like too much. Like how can I take the time to learn, listen, and walk when I already feel too stretched? How can I possibly fit in one more thing? It’s those times in life when I feel like Christ has invited me to think outside the box. Why not do scripture study in the car? Or during my morning workout? Why not pray in the shower when my phone is put away and no one bothers me? Those are things I’m doing anyway and changing the focus from just me to me and Christ can absolutely change the trajectory of my day.

And while sometimes that may feel like “checking a box,” it’s better than not doing it at all. And I’ve learned that He honors even small efforts.

In my personal experience, I think the listening part of the pattern is the hardest. It requires me to quiet my mind, put down my phone, and push past the noise of life and self-doubt—so I can hear those sounds of peace. The temple is a great place to do that. So is being out in nature. But, even in those quiet places, it takes effort. If I’m not deliberately trying to quiet my mind to listen, the noise in my brain can easily drown out the sounds of peace.

In the Old Testament, Isaiah calls Christ the Prince of Peace. And it is through Him that we find the peace our souls long for.

Just like that steep mountain trail, peace often requires us to keep climbing—but if we stay the course, we’ll hear the sounds of peace. Not just in stillness, but in the midst of the struggle.

And those sounds—His peace—can carry us through anything.

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PEACE IN CHRIST MUSIC VIDEO



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ORIGINAL ACTIVITY PAGE 

These activity sheets are designed to print double-sided and cut in half.  They're perfect for reviewing or introducing the content found in the Come, Follow Me reading each week and would be great used in a classroom or home setting.   I have no children at home, nor do I have a calling working with youth, so I copy these to be handed out with the sacrament programs each week.  Kids, teens, and adults enjoy them...especially when it's a word search! 

THIS WEEK'S ACTIVITY SHEET LINK (in case it's not showing below)



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Be sure to come back every week for a new Come, Follow Me activity page and other resources. 

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Sunday, August 24, 2025

Come Follow Me Printable Activity Sheet for D&C 94-97 (Sept 7)

   This blogpost features a half-sheet activity page to complement the Come Follow Me (CFM) reading for  September 1-7,  which includes Doctrine and Covenants 94-97.    Click here for an index and links to my CFM blogposts for other weeks
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AN ORIGINAL PRINTABLE ACTIVITY PAGE 

These activity sheets are designed to print double-sided and cut in half.  They're perfect for reviewing or introducing the content found in the Come, Follow Me reading each week and would be great used in a classroom or home setting.   I have no children at home, nor do I have a calling working with youth, so I copy these to be handed out with the sacrament programs each week.  Kids, teens, and adults enjoy them! 

THIS WEEK'S ACTIVITY SHEET LINK (in case it's not showing below)

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Be sure to come back every week for a new Come, Follow Me activity sheet and maybe a  study guide!  

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Sunday, August 17, 2025

Receiving Light and Truth CFM Study Guide and An Original Activity Sheet D&C 93 (Aug 31)

  This blogpost features a study guide and a  half-sheet activity page to complement the Come Follow Me (CFM) reading for  August 25-31,  which includes Doctrine and Covenants 93.    Click here for an index and links to my CFM blogposts for other weeks.

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 Receiving Light and Truth

 There are several verses that mention "light and truth" in Doctrine and Covenants 93, but the one that stood out to me was: 

"The glory of God is intelligence, or, in other words, light and truth."  D&C 93:36

Light lends itself well to many gospel analogies, but my favorite are when compared to hope and/or truth.  To me, it just makes it easier to understand these concepts to compare it with something as familiar as light.  

Twice, our family has traveled to see a solar eclipse in totality and twice I've been in awe at the power the light has to dispel the darkness, even when it's only a tiny sliver.  I've thought of that power many times in my life when  I feel like hope and truth are feeling elusive for whatever reason.    

I love this quote from Elder Uchtdorf:  

“Night is nothing more than a shadow.

Even in the darkest of nights, the sun does not cease to radiate its light. It continues to shine as bright as ever. But half of the earth is in darkness.

The absence of light causes darkness.

When the darkness of night falls, we do not despair and worry that the sun is extinguished. We do not postulate that the sun is not there or is dead. We understand that we are in a shadow, that the earth will continue to rotate, and that eventually the rays of the sun will reach us once again.

Darkness is not an indication that there is no light. Most often, it simply means we’re not in the right place to receive the light….”


It reminds me, that just because I happen to be standing in a shadow in my life's journey, that the sun still shines.  God's love is just as real as it ever was and I just need keep on moving toward whatever sliver of light I can see!   



ARTICLES 
Bearers of Heavenly Light” by Elder Uchtdorf 
"Walk in God's Light" For the Strength of Youth
"My Thoughts on Light and Hope


SCRIPTURES ABOUT LIGHT 

John 8:12:  “I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in [the] darkness, but shall have the light of life.”

D&C 84:45 "For the word of the Lord is truth, and whatsoever is truth is light, and whatsoever is light is Spirit, even the Spirit of Jesus Christ."

D&C 93:36
"The glory of God is intelligence, or, in other words, light and truth." 

Matthew 6:22:  "The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light."

Matthew 5:16:  "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."

2 Nephi 31:20:  "Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life."

TEACH ME TO WALK IN THE LIGHT / LOVE ONE ANOTHER MEDLEY


 AN ORIGINAL CFM ACTIVITY SHEET
THIS WEEK'S ACTIVITY SHEET LINK (in case it's not showing below)


PATTERNS OF LIGHT VIDEO SERIES BY ELDER BEDNAR
Part 1 
Part 2 
Part 3 

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Be sure to come back every week for more Come, Follow Me resources.  

Have fun learning the gospel together! 


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