Come, Follow Me Thoughts and Activity Sheet for D&C 12-17; JSH 1:66-75 (Feb 23)

 This blogpost features some thoughts of mine and  an activity page to complement the Come Follow Me (CFM) reading for February 17-23, which covers Doctrine and Covenants 12-17 and Joseph Smith History 1:66-75.    Click here for an index and links to my CFM blogposts for other weeks.

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 the word searches!

THE LINK TO THIS WEEK'S ACTIVITY PAGE  (in case it's not showing below)
 

*******************************************

A CROSSROADS

I found myself at a crossroads about a decade ago when many people in my immediate circle were experiencing faith crises, mostly centered around the priesthood. Having been a member of the church my entire life I had never really given that much thought to the intricacies of the priesthood, and I found myself at a loss at what I could do to “help them”. Ultimately I realized that it wasn’t my role to help them. They had chosen which side of the line to stand on already and nothing I could say at that time was going to dissuade them or change their mind. After a lot of soul searching and study of my own, I came to realize that my only role in this situation was to work on strengthening my own testimony and to lift those in my circle who were still deciding where they stood.

I was serving in Young Women’s at the time and I felt a strong prompting that we needed to address the topic head-on. Controversy was very much swirling all around us in a very public light and I knew that sweeping it under the rug was going to cause more harm than good. I spent a lot of time studying and counseling with others who shared the same concerns I did and we not only dedicated a few different lessons and a panel to the topic, but also created a printed study guide of sorts for them to guide them as they sorted through their own feelings.

Sadly, I don’t know what ever happened to that study guide, but I remember it was filled with scriptures and quotes from church leaders who discussed the controversial topics boldly.

I’ll pontificate and share more about the priesthood in future weeks, but, for now, I’ll just share that I’m grateful to live in a day and time when the priesthood is on the earth. I do not hold it, but I am blessed by it every day.

I’ll close off with one quote that I love on this topic:

“It is by letting the world go and coming unto Christ that we increasingly live as women of God. We were born for eternal glory. Just as faithful men were foreordained to hold the priesthood, we were foreordained to be women of God. We are women of faith, virtue, vision, and charity who rejoice in motherhood and in womanhood and in the family. We are not panicked about perfection, but we are working to become more pure. And we know that in the strength of the Lord we can do all righteous things because we have immersed ourselves in His gospel (see Alma 26:12). I repeat, we cannot be women of the world, for we are latter-day women of God. As President Kimball taught, “No greater recognition can come to [us] in this world than to be known as [women] of God”

Sheri Dew, “We Are Women of God,” October 1999

**************************************************

Here's an old FHE lesson from my files that might be helpful as you discuss the topic further:



Additionally, here is another blogpost {from a previous year}, which includes a different activity sheet and lots of ideas for teaching about the Priesthood keys. 

Enjoy learning the gospel together!  💗