Welcome to the Come Follow Me podcast for teens and for parents of teens. A podcast to supplement your weekly study of the Come Follow Me curriculum. with thoughts, ideas, principles, stories and questions all geared towards helping teenagers better follow Christ through their teenage years.
Hey guys, welcome as always to another edition of the Come Follow Me for Teens podcast. I'm your host Josh Downs. This week we're going to be taking a look at one section and one section only, section 18 of the Doctrine and Covenants. with the theme the worth of souls is great and this is a great section because of that particular theme
I don't think there is a personal life that doesn't struggle with a sense of self-worth at some point, and probably multiple points throughout their life. I certainly know that I have, and I would imagine you have as well. So my hope is that in this week's study, There'll be some things that will kind of help bring our self-worth a little bit better back into alignment so that we can feel more secure, more safe in ourselves and just in our life in general.
Now the background of this week's study is as follows. There are many different ways to try to measure a person's worth. Talent, education, wealth, and physical appearance can all affect how we evaluate each other and ourselves. But in God's eyes, our worth is a much simpler matter, and it is stated clearly in Doctrine and Covenants section 18, remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God. This simple truth explains so much of what God does and why He does it.
Why did He instruct Joseph and Oliver Cowdery to establish the Church of Jesus Christ in our day? Because the worth of souls is great. Why does He command all men everywhere to repent and send apostles to preach repentance? Because the worth of souls is great. And why did Jesus Christ suffer death in the flesh and the pain of all men? because the worth of souls is great. Even if one of these souls chooses to accept the Savior's gift, he rejoices, for great is his joy in the soul that repenteth.
Beautiful introduction as always. And those are the kinds of principles and truths that I hope that you will see in your personal study and that we'll talk a little bit about here in this week's episode. To begin with, I want to focus at the very beginning of section 18, verses 1 through 5. There's some great instruction that's given there to Oliver Cowdery that I think in a lot of ways is foundational to being able to get to a place.
where we recognize our own worth and everyone else's as well. And in section 18, it's a revelation that's been given to both Oliver Cowdery and David Whitmer. in which the Lord teaches both men some very important truths and principles to assist them in the work that they are to do. Well, in the first couple of verses, 1 through 5, the Lord teaches them about the role of the Book of Mormon and the role that it should be. play in their life and in the work.
It's a lesson and a message that really all of us should take to heart. So I just invite you to mark in verses one through five as we go through these verses, anything that sticks out to you, especially as it relates. to what the Lord would have us do with the Book of Mormon and with those things that are written within it.
Starting in verse 1, it reads, Behold, I have manifested unto you by my Spirit in many instances that the things which you have written are true, wherefore you know that they are true. And if you know that they are true, behold, I give unto you a commandment that you rely upon the things which are written. For in them are all things written concerning the foundation of my church, my gospel, and my rock.
Wherefore, if you shall build up my church upon the foundation of my gospel and my rock, the gates of hell shall not prevail against you. That's a promise, right, that all of us want to have in our life and that we want to have in effect in our lives. That if we do this, that the gates of hell shall not prevail against you. And what's this? If you shall build up my church upon the foundation of my gospel and my rock, which clearly...
In these verses, the Lord gives Oliver and David counsel on what they should do and be doing to help build up his church. And I think the value for us can really come when we compare that to not just building up the church, but building up us, building up ourselves, building up our faith, building up our testimonies.
Because the Lord clearly starts by pointing Oliver back to all of those times that he had whispered into Oliver's heart the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon, of the things, as he says, which you have written. reminding him in effect that he knows that they're true. And he then leads him to kind of the next course of action to take once we know something is true, in which he says,
if you know that they are true, behold, I give unto you a commandment that you rely upon the things which are written. And the word rely, I really feel like is a significant word here. As I looked at many different meanings of the word, one that I think really stood out was what rely meant in Hebrew, which literally means to lean on.
Kind of signifies the concept of depending on something or trusting something or someone. In English, rely is a verb that... means to rest on something or to let your mind be satisfied when troubled because of the certainty of facts or evidence or confidence or trust that you have in something or against someone The Lord is basically instructing Oliver and David and all of us to let our faith and our testimony rest on the Book of Mormon, on those things that are written within it.
On anything really that contains his words. Because as he says in the next verse. For in them are all things written concerning the foundation of my church. My gospel and my rock. To which he then gives the promise. that wherefore if you shall build up my church upon the foundation of my gospel,
Or, again, we could substitute that. If you shall build up your life, if you shall build up yourself, if you shall build up your family, if you shall build up your testimony, upon the foundation of my gospel and my rock, the gates of hell shall not prevail again.
you now for you young people do you see what he's teaching you here do you see how he is implying to all of us, but especially to you in your young age, to gain a testimony of the Book of Mormon, to read it, to study it, to pray about it so much that as you come to feel and know that it is true,
true and I just pause and remind you here that I really believe that that knowledge will come little by little line upon line precept upon precept verse by verse experience by experience More often than not, a witness of the Book of Mormon does not come like a sudden explosion of light or any...
incredible feeling that you just overpowers you. It really does come almost as gradual as watching a sunrise as the light slowly dissipates the darkness. In a lot of ways, that's how your testimony will come. And when you do come to receive that kind of a witness over time through consistent effort in reading and studying and trying to apply the things that you are learning in the Book of Mormon, that you will then be able to rely on it.
to rest on it, to lean on it, to have confidence and trust in it, even in, especially in, those times and moments where you might have questions or have doubts about other things. because you will continue to be able to come back to that foundation and that rock so that, as he says, the gates of hell shall not prevail against you. I remember a great story being shared in conference. I think it was 1986, just two years after being ordained a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
that President Russell M. Nielsen met an African tribal king who asked, What can you teach me about Jesus Christ? To which President Nielsen responded, May I ask what you already know about him? The king's response revealed that he was a serious student of the Bible and one who loved the Lord.
president nelson recalled after president nelson explained to the king that the savior came to the people of ancient america and a record of his ministry is found in the book of mormon the king said You could have given me diamonds or rubies, but nothing is more precious to me than this additional knowledge about the Lord Jesus Christ.
In relating this experience, President Nelson, then President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, asked all of us as Latter-day Saints, My brothers and sisters, how precious is the Book of Mormon to you? If you were offered diamonds or rubies or the Book of Mormon, which would you choose? Honestly, which is of greater worth to you? He then affirmed that the truths of the Book of Mormon have the power to heal, to comfort, to restore, to succor, to strengthen, to console, and to cheer our souls.
Young people, that is one of the first steps to bringing your personal worth into alignment is to gain an appreciation and to see the worth of the Book of Mormon. Because I can tell you from personal experience that your worth and the way you feel about yourself will be intricately tied to... the worth that you see the Book of Mormon has and the way that you feel about it. And I think you'll see why as we go through a little bit more here today.
In another quote, President Nielsen said, My dear brothers and sisters, I promise that as you prayerfully study the Book of Mormon every day, you will make better decisions. Every day. I promise that as you ponder what you study, the windows of heaven will open and you will receive answers to your own questions and direction for your own life.
I promise that as you daily immerse yourself in the Book of Mormon, you can be immunized against the evils of the day, even the gripping plague of pornography and other mind-numbing addictions. I would just share here again once more my personal testimony of the Book of Mormon.
And how I have multiple times throughout my life had to do exactly what the Lord has instructed Oliver and David to do here, is to rely upon the things that are written. There have been many times, as I've mentioned throughout...
Many other episodes of struggles that I've gone through doubts that I've had crises of faith that I've experienced and i'll tell you for me i am so grateful that at an early age i gained my own personal testimony conviction of and love for the book of mormon Because that is what I have fallen back on multiple times to sustain me through a lot of the storms and again, the questions and doubts that I've had in my life.
I've watched over the years as others might choose to leave the church over a certain policy or a change, but even if I don't understand the meaning of all things, which at times I don't, I know that God loveth His children, as Nephi said, and I have felt that love for me most through the Book of Mormon and my study of it. I know that it is true. I know it, and I know that God knows it.
cannot deny it and my hope is young people that you will take this principle to heart and wherever you are in your personal study and testimony of the book of mormon that you will recommit to continue to read and to study daily from its pages
until you can stand on your own two feet saying for yourself that you know that this book is true. And once you know that it's true, you will then be able to like... many so many have done before rely on those things that are written and you too can experience the promise from the lord that the gates of hell shall not prevail against you
Now some journal and discussion questions for you to consider here. Number one, what does the Book of Mormon mean to you? Why wouldn't you trade it personally for diamonds or rubies? Or maybe why would you? We can be honest here with ourselves. How has its writings been a foundation, a rock for you in your life? In what ways have you already experienced that?
Have you ever had to rely upon the things which were written in it to maybe get you through something? And if so, how? How have you been able to lean on it, to rest on it, when going through something that was hard or facing some kind of discouragement or doubt? And how can you do better to build up yourself and your faith with it? And how can you use it to better build up the church and others?
Now, to apply this, I might invite you to just maybe write of a time that you have had to rely on something that was written in Scripture, in the Book of Mormon, or maybe even in a conference talk. When have you had to lean on or rest on something in the Book of Mormon or one of those places that was taught by a prophet or apostle? And how did it help you get through it? For the second principle today, we're going right to the theme. Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God.
Now, to help you better understand this principle and concept and how to bring this into alignment, your worth into alignment in your own life, there is a wonderful children's book titled You Are Special, written by Max Lucado.
and i would just encourage you to read it in fact i've included it in our study and teaching guide for the week it's relatively short but it just teaches such a wonderful concept to both children and adults about how to stop caring so much about what others in the world thinks and how to allow those things to fall off of you by spending time more with god with your maker and as you go through that story it's a great introduction to kind of
help understand not only our own personal worth but how to feel that a little bit more in our lives and again to care a little bit less about what others say and more about what God says. In these verses that we'll take a look at, section 18, verses 10 through 14.
The Lord teaches here why it is so important for Oliver and David to preach his gospel, to do missionary work, to do all the things that they're doing as a part of the restoration. He teaches them what it is that has the greatest worth to him.
as god and so again as we go through these verses mark anything and everything that the lord teaches can bring us some of the greatest joy in both this life and eternity In section 18, verse 10, it starts by saying, Remember, the worth of souls is great in the sight of God. For behold, the Lord your Redeemer suffered death in the flesh, wherefore he suffered the pains of all men, that all men might repent and come unto him.
And he hath risen again from the dead, that he might bring all men unto him on conditions of repentance. And how great is his joy in the soul that repenteth! Wherefore you are called to cry repentance unto this people. In a world where worth is measured by money and success and power, as we talked about in the introduction, God further explains that the reason why the thing that will be of most worth to us, as we talked about in a previous episode,
episode is to bring souls to him is because every soul has great worth to him. So I just invite you to think about, young people, what this truth really means. consider for a moment that God has literally everything. There's nothing that He doesn't have. All the things you've ever wanted or hoped for or dreamed of, He has all of that.
which also means he's the only one that's truly able to weigh the worth of everything against each other. And yet here he says, the thing which is of the most worth to him. is you is me is us so much so that he was willing to suffer death in the flesh and the pain of all men so that all of us might have the opportunity to repent and to change and to come unto Him. And of all the things that can bring Him joy,
All the things that he has, he mentions how great is his joy in the soul that repenteth. Please see for yourselves. How much repentance is a gift, not only to ourselves, but to God. How much joy He has when we go through the repentance process. There isn't discouragement and doubt and disappointment in us. but a celebration and joy and gratitude and love for the soul that repenteth. Sister Joy D. Jones of the Primary General President in a talk titled Value Beyond Measure.
taught this she recounted kind of an experience where she said now let's meet the seeing sisters from india renew on the far right the first of five sisters to join the church shared these thoughts Before I started my investigation in the church, she said, I didn't really feel that I was very special. I was just one of many people, and my society and culture didn't really teach me that I had any value as an individual.
when i learned the gospel and learned that i was a daughter of our heavenly father it changed me suddenly i felt so special god had actually created me and had created my soul and my life with value and purpose Before I had the gospel in my life, I was always trying to prove to others that I was someone special. But when I learned the truth that I am a daughter of God, I didn't have to prove anything to anyone anymore. I knew that I was special. Don't ever think that you are nothing.
I love that. Just a little example of a young person that found their worth by finding God and the truth that he teaches. One of Satan's greatest attacks has been and always will be... towards your worth as a person, young people. And you have to be prepared for that. President Uchtdorf taught that Satan would rather you define yourself by your sins instead of your divine potential. He doesn't want you to know your worth. That is one of the places he will always attack you first and strongest.
teach this concept and illustrate how we can overcome these attacks We can go to Moses chapter 1. It is a phenomenal chapter to illustrate this point because here Moses has an incredible experience with God, with his Father, one that left him recognizing in a good way that man... was nothing. It didn't matter what they said or what they did. They literally were nothing. Which thing he said I had never before supposed.
After this experience, he also realized that Pharaoh, who was seen as a god by most of the world, was also nothing compared to God, that he was just a man. God referred to Moses in this incredible experience by name. And at the very beginning, he reminded him that Moses was his son and that he had a work for him to do. God made sure, before he taught Moses anything, that Moses knew who he was, that he knew his worth to God. which helped him to have worth for himself.
But then notice how right after that experience, if you read chapter 1 of Moses, Satan comes knocking right immediately after. It's almost as if Satan couldn't help but attack Moses, right after Moses had this spiritual experience. kind of see that in your own life you always need to be prepared for after you have a spiritual high for satan to come and try to knock you down because that's just what he does and in this chapter
you've got to notice what he refers to Moses as, where the attack starts. He says, Moses, thou son of man. Remember what Moses learned man was? He referenced himself that Moses learned that man was nothing. Satan is basically saying, Moses, you are the son of nothing. You are nothing. Why? Because he wants us to doubt ourselves so that we can... turn our power over to him through fear worship me he tells moses satan knows if he can get us to question our worth
that we will more easily give him our power, again, out of fear or out of despair or discouragement. Satan wants us in dark places. so he can get closer to us and whisper in our ears more easily these kinds of lies about who we are. Moses, however, combats him by pointing out that God has taught him who He is, and that He is a Son of God in similitude of God's Only Begotten. That knowledge allows Moses to hold his ground, to stay in the light,
And to call upon his father for strength through Christ to cast Satan out of his life. At least in that moment. But now he knows how to do it again and again. Because Satan will come again and again. But he also knows that it starts by allowing God to remind us who He is and who we are to Him. It starts by remembering our worth. President Thomas S. Monson said it perfectly when he quoted these words, The worth of a soul is its capacity to become as God.
Let those words sink in for just a moment. The worth of a soul is its capacity to become as God. I just want to, again, bear testimony here that one of the places that has helped me probably the place that has helped me the most to feel good about myself and to have worth. It hasn't come from the clothes that I've had. It hasn't come from the car that I've driven. It hasn't come from working out at the gym or that the people I'm associated with.
All those things have been temporary. They've never really built me up in a permanent way. It has been my connection with God over the years. that has helped me feel my worth my true worth as a son of god and better see my potential to become like Him. And there have been a lot of moments in my life where I've questioned my worth. I haven't felt good about myself. I haven't liked myself. I really struggled when I was your age, going through high school especially.
You know, one of the places I learned to came to see my worth the most, ironically, was on my mission. And I really attribute that to the fact that I spent so much time with God there. That he was able to undo all of the lies that I had adopted about myself throughout those early years and throughout my time in high school. And really start to see myself for who I really was because I started to see him more clearly. Now some journal and discussion questions for you to consider. Number one.
I just invite you guys to consider how have you felt Satan attack your worth as a person, as an individual, because I know you have. How has it been hard to feel worth living in the world, especially today? How does it help to know how much worth you have to God? How can that help bring things back into balance for you? How can you better connect with Him so that He can better remind you of that worth that you have? What has been something that has
worked for you to help you remember these principles whenever you felt your worth attacked? Has there been a place that you've been able to go, a person you've been able to talk to, something you've been able to read or study that has kind of helped bring you back to center? and help you remember who you are and your worth as it relates especially to God. And lastly, how can understanding this truth impact your relationship, not just with yourself, but with others?
and the ways that you treat them everything really changes when we understand one of the basic concepts behind that primary song that we all grew up singing, I am a child of God. When we understand that truth deep in our heart and mind and soul, not only do we treat ourselves better and see ourselves in the true light of who we are. But it allows us to see everyone else the way that God does as well. To apply this, I would invite you to write of a time that you felt God remind you.
of your worth as one of his sons or one of his daughters and what kind of an impact did it have on you for the last principle today We're going to take a look at kind of the next step is once we recognize the worth of a soul, there's an opportunity that every single one of us has.
in this section not only does the lord teach the worth of souls is great to him but also what we will experience as we partner with him in bringing those great souls to him Doctrine and Covenants section 18 verses 13 through 7. I want you to mark in these verses anything that the Lord teaches that will bring us some of the greatest joy in life. and starting verse 13 it reads and how great is his joy in the soul that repenteth
Wherefore you are called to cry repentance unto this people. And if it so be that you should labor all your days and cry in repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be, one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him. in the kingdom of my Father. And now if your joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me in the kingdom of my Father, how great will be your joy if you should bring many souls unto me.
In the world today, people, if you've noticed, seem to be searching high and low for what it is that will make them happy. and experience joy in life. Many of you have been and will be told through the messaging of the world that in order to be happy, you need to have a lot of possessions, that you need to have a new car or a truck or boat or a huge house filled with fun toys and go on a lot of trips.
and activities that you can do. You'll be told that happiness will be found in being able to travel the world, seeing exotic places and eating exotic foods, that happiness will be found in a successful career full of recognition and praise.
that happiness will be found in things outside of you. But the Savior teaches something very different. In the account with the woman at the well in the New Testament, he tells her referencing the water that was there at the well that whosoever drinketh of this water the physical water shall thirst again meaning that these physical things that we chase these thirsts that we have, even if we get them, they might quench our thirst, but it will only quench them temporarily, that they will not.
permanently keep us from thirsting again we'll need a newer car a bigger house more money more success more recognition more likes on instagram or facebook those things mentioned yeah they might bring temporary happiness. But they will not bring the kind of joy and happiness that will last. The joy of a new car will only last until a newer car comes out. The joy of success will only last until the applause stops.
The big house will only get old and empty and require updates and upgrades. Likes on social media will only fulfill someone's need to be seen until the next post has to be made.
Whosoever drinks of this water, the water of the world, will thirst again and again and again. It will never be enough. But the Savior taught, Whosoever drinketh of the water that... i will give him it shall be a well of water springing up inside of him unto everlasting life meaning that the best way to quench some of the physical thirst that we have of the world that will never really satisfy us is the living water that Christ can give us.
And one of the things that he points out is that the thing that will be of most worth unto us is also the thing that will bring the most joy to us, which is bringing souls to him. First and foremost, our own. And then everyone else we can possibly bring. So much so that the Lord says, if you should labor all of your days in crying repentance to this people and bring, save it be one soul unto me, just one. Even if that's just your own? How great shall be your joy!
with Him in the kingdom of my Father. And if bringing just one soul to Christ can bring us that kind of joy, boy, just think about how much joy we will experience in bringing many souls to Christ. Young people, I will absolutely put another plug in here for serving a mission because this is what serving a mission is all about. It's about going out and laboring with all your might and crying in repentance and bringing souls to Christ.
so that you can have joy, that much joy with them in life and in eternity. The word labor in... these verses means to work diligently and elder jeffrey r holland of the quorum of the 12 taught on occasion i am convinced that missionary work is not easy because salvation is not a cheap experience I believe missionary work is supposed to require some effort, something from the depths of our soul. And I believe that's because of the reward.
that awaits us on the other side of it. President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, second counselor in the first presidency, said, God sees you not only as a mortal being on a small planet who lives for a brief season, but he sees you as his child. He sees you as the... being you are capable and designed to become, and He wants you to know that you matter to Him. And when we begin to see others more as Heavenly Father does, we'll recognize how important it is to share the gospel with them.
If you have a hard time seeing the potential in others, you can pray for that gift from your Heavenly Father. Few joys in life are sweeter and longer lasting than knowing that you have helped others.
take the restored gospel of Jesus Christ into their hearts. Apostle Orson F. Whitney said that there is no joy that can compare with that of a missionary who has been made the instrument for the salvation of a soul and i can personally attest to that young people from serving a mission myself Some of the experiences I had on my mission that brought me the greatest joy, not just on my mission, but really throughout my entire life.
was seeing someone accept the gospel of Christ and come unto Him. See their lives change. See the light that would come on into their hearts and lives and the joy that they would find as they found Christ. And I've continued to try to... practiced that all throughout my life. It's the reason that I became a seminary teacher. It's the reason that I'm doing these podcasts. When I hear of the impact that some of these things have had, that's what brings me my greatest joy.
is knowing that I'm trying to make a difference in bringing others to Christ. And all of us have the opportunity to do that each and every day in small ways and big ways. All we have to do is look for those opportunities around us. Now some journal discussion questions for this last principle. Number one, how might the kind of joy felt and experienced from bringing another soul to Christ differ from the joy of buying, say, new clothes or a new car or accomplishing something at work?
receiving some kind of recognition how have you experienced this kind of joy for yourself how can understanding this truth become motivation to do something like serve a mission
And how can serving a mission bring joy into a person's life? How have you seen, heard, or experienced this kind of joy being found through missionary work? And how can you shift your mindset to Seek more for the happiness and joy that comes from Christ within than the false belief that happiness can be found in the world without.
To apply this, I'd invite you to write of a time that you felt that kind of joy in your own life. The kind of true joy that is found in Christ and not in the world. Now hopefully that... This has been helpful, you guys. Some great principles in this week's study. Some that I really believe are paramount for you as young people, as a youth of this church, growing up in the world today to know and to understand.
Please, if you do not feel that you have worth, just spend some time with your Heavenly Father. Ask Him. Pray to Him to know how He feels about you. I promise as you do that and you spend time in those places where he can be found, that you will feel his love for you and that you will feel your true worth because great.
is the worth of souls in the sight of God. Thank you for joining me today. As always, please remember that that person is greatest and most blessed and joyful whose life most closely approaches the pattern of the Christ. This has nothing to do with earthly wealth, power, or prestige. The only true test of greatness, blessedness, joyfulness is how close a life can come to being like the Master Jesus Christ. He is the right way, the full truth, and the abundant life, and He invites us all.
to come follow me. So as always, let's follow him better this week and become better as we follow him. Until next week, everyone, I'm Josh Downs, and you've been listening to Come Follow Me for Teens.