Come, Follow Me
December 28–January 3. Heavenly Father Wants Me to Learn and Progress

“December 28–January 3. Heavenly Father Wants Me to Learn and Progress,” Come, Follow Me: For Sunday School (2015), 2–3

“December 28–January 3. Heavenly Father Wants Me to Learn and Progress,” For Sunday School, 2–3

December 28–January 3

Heavenly Father Wants Me to Learn and Progress

Preparing to Teach in Sunday School

Begin your preparation to teach by reading 2 Nephi 25:26; 28:30; Alma 5:45–46; and 3 Nephi 14:7–8 before studying any supplemental material. Prepare your teaching plan and record your thoughts and impressions. You might also use some of the ideas on the next page or in Come, Follow Me for individuals and families.

Encourage Sharing

  • How can you encourage class members to share insights they had as they studied these scriptures individually and with their families?

  • What experiences have class members had as they acted on what they learned?

Teach the Doctrine

  • As you teach gospel principles from these scriptures, what verses, quotations, experiences, questions, and other materials might you share?

  • How might you use these resources to help class members ponder the gospel principles?

  • How can you encourage class members to record and act upon the impressions they receive?

Encourage Sharing and Learning at Home

  • To help class members begin their study of the Book of Mormon this year, share something inspiring from the testimonies of those who saw the golden plates, and invite class members to read the introductory pages found at the front of the Book of Mormon during the coming week.

My Teaching Plan

Additional Ideas

Matthew 11:28–30. The Savior invites us to learn of Him.

  • What experiences could we share that have taught us about Jesus Christ?

  • When the Savior invites us to learn of Him, what does He want us to learn? As we read Matthew 11:28–30, what words or phrases do we find that teach about how to “learn of [Christ]”? How could we illustrate what a yoke is? A yoke is a beam used to harness two similar animals together, allowing them to share a burden. What could a yoke represent as we learn of Christ?

2 Nephi 28:30; 3 Nephi 14:7–8. We receive more knowledge as we ask, seek, and knock.

  • How have we experienced the principles of asking, seeking, and knocking as we have sought to receive more knowledge?

  • Latter-day prophets have repeatedly taught us about the process of receiving spiritual light and knowledge through revelation. To help start a discussion, you could divide class members into small groups to review portions of Elder David A. Bednar’s talk “The Spirit of Revelation” (Ensign or Liahona, May 2011, 87–90; see the following “Optional Resource”). What did each group learn from this talk about receiving revelation?

Alma 5:45–46. We must learn for ourselves.

  • Class members could choose one of the verses from this week’s study outline and share a thought about learning based on that verse. It may help to write the verses on the board.

  • What activities can we think of that require personal effort in order to master? These ideas could include learning to ride a bike, swim, play an instrument, or participate in a sport. Why is our own effort required in order to learn these skills? How do these examples relate to gaining our own testimony? As we review Alma 5:45–46, what do we learn from Alma’s example? How do we gain testimonies for ourselves? What are we doing to strengthen our testimonies?

Optional Resource

Counsel from Elder David A. Bednar

Elder David A. Bednar used the examples of a light switch being turned on and the sun gradually rising to illustrate important truths about receiving revelation:

“A light turned on in a dark room is like receiving a message from God quickly, completely, and all at once. Many of us have experienced this pattern of revelation as we have been given answers to sincere prayers or been provided with needed direction or protection, according to God’s will and timing. Descriptions of such immediate and intense manifestations are found in the scriptures, recounted in Church history, and evidenced in our own lives. Indeed, these mighty miracles do occur. However, this pattern of revelation tends to be more rare than common.

“The gradual increase of light radiating from the rising sun is like receiving a message from God ‘line upon line, precept upon precept’ (2 Nephi 28:30). Most frequently, revelation comes in small increments over time and is granted according to our desire, worthiness, and preparation. Such communications from Heavenly Father gradually and gently ‘distil upon [our souls] as the dews from heaven’ (D&C 121:45). This pattern of revelation tends to be more common than rare” (“The Spirit of Revelation,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2011, 88).