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 everybody, welcome to another edition of the Come Follow Me for Teens podcast. As always, I'm your host Josh Downs.
This week we're going to be taking a look at Doctrine and Covenants sections 23 through 26. Seek for things of a better world.
i just love these sections especially section 25 which we'll get into because it's a revelation that was given to the prophet joseph directly related to emma and I just having two daughters of my own there are some wonderful things that are taught in there especially as it relates to being an elect lady, to being a woman of God, which I think is so important and needed, especially in the world that we are living in today.
But to start off, here's the background of this week's study. For most people, being baptized is a reverent, peaceful experience. The baptism of Emma Smith and others, however, was disrupted by a mob who mocked them, threatened them, and forced them to flee. Later, just as Joseph was about to confirm the new members, he was arrested for upsetting the community with his preaching. In all this opposition, how could Emma find reassurance that she was doing the right thing?
Well, the same place that we can all find it, through revelation from the Lord. He spoke to Emma about the things of a better world, his kingdom, and her place in it. He told her not to fear, to lift up her heart and rejoice, and to cleave unto the covenant she had made. And these words of encouragement and counsel are His voice unto all.
Now to begin with today, I want to take a look at a particular warning that several are given throughout these sections. One was to Oliver Cowdery and Emma was also warned of this as well. But we first see it in section 23, which is a revelation that was given to basically five different people, all who are seeking counsel from the Lord.
And Oliver Cowdery, being one of those, was told that he was blessed and under no condemnation, but was counseled to beware of something, something that we all need to beware of. And it's in Doctrine and Covenants section 23, verse 1. Just invite you to look through that as we go through it and mark what it is that Oliver is specifically warned about.
Verse 1 reads, Behold, I speak unto you, Oliver, a few words. Behold, thou art blessed and are under no condemnation, but beware of pride, lest thou shouldest enter into temptation. In section 25, as I mentioned, Emma is warned of the same thing, to beware of pride. And really, this is one of the central messages in all of Scripture, especially the Book of Mormon. This statement from the Lord to beware of pride.
And the reason being is because President Benson, I believe, taught it best that pride, he said, is the universal sin, meaning that All of us are guilty of it. All of us have it. All of us are susceptible to it. All of us need to beware of it and most likely repent of it. President Uchtdorf on one occasion taught that the great deceiver knows that one of his most effective tools in leading the children of God astray is to appeal to the extremes of the paradox of man.
To some he appeals to their prideful tendencies, puffing them up and encouraging them to believe in the fantasy of their own self-importance and invincibility. He tells them that they have transcended the ordinary. and that because of ability or birthright or social status, that they are set apart from the common measure of all that surrounds them. He leads them to conclude that they are therefore not subject to anyone else's rules and are not to be bothered by anyone else's problems.
Well, one of the best places that I've ever come across that teaches about what pride is and how to really see it for what it is. Because being universal, one of the reasons it's universal is it can be very hard to see in ourselves. And in Jacob, in the Book of Mormon, Jacob outlines very clearly what pride is to help us to see it, what causes it, the way that we react as we have it. And, but then he also gives really the antidote to it. And this is in Jacob chapter two, verses 13 through 19.
And I'm just going to read through these verses and want you to listen for those kinds of things I mentioned, things that kind of help us to understand what pride is, where it comes from, how to recognize it in ourselves, and then most importantly, how to cure ourselves from it. In Jacob chapter 2, he's delivering this sermon to his people, the Nephites, who have started to become puffed up a little bit in pride. So he wants to stop that before it gets too strong of a hold on their heart.
In verse 13, he says, And the hand of providence hath smiled upon you most pleasingly. This is chapter 2, by the way. that you have obtained many riches. And because some of you have obtained more abundantly, and I'd have you mark that phrase, more abundantly, than that of your brethren, I'd have you mark that. Because ye suppose that ye are better than they. And then mark that last phrase, ye suppose that ye are better than they.
In that verse, do you see why they're becoming prideful, what it is that their pride is causing them to think, and what it is that their pride is causing them to do? Because pride can, as I mentioned, be very subtle and can be caused by anything. that we might have more of than another person. That's what Jacob defined as one of the causes for pride. Because they had obtained more abundantly, but he didn't say what that more abundance was. And it can be anything that we have.
in more abundance than that of our brethren. can cause us to begin to be lifted up in pride. And so I'd invite you guys to consider, especially you young people, boy, if you can learn this early on, it's going to save you so much heartache and the Lord needing to humble you to get the pride out of you. But just consider what are some of the things that people can have more of than another. It's not always money. Think of the kinds of things that maybe wouldn't normally be thought.
Yes, there's money, but what about those that have more friends? or better grades, or more talent at something, or have had more success or recognition. or better clothes, or a nice car, or maybe a bigger house, or better health, or a more good looking, or a better body, or a better cell phone, or more pictures, or posts, or likes. I mean, you could go on and on on anything that we could have more of abundance of than someone else.
Well, what are some of the things that you might have more than another person might have? Can you identify those in yourself? And the reason I think we need to start with that, again, pointing to the subtlety of it, I remember a friend of mine sharing a story as we were discussing elements of pride.
where he had as a young person been blessed with... keen intellect and he was very smart and he was able to to get some really good grades in school and he became kind of known as that person that would always get an a on the test or you know an a in the class or whatever
And he said he didn't recognize it. But now looking back, one of the things that he used to do was whenever the teacher would pass back an assignment or a test, you know, usually they'd have the letter grade in the top right corner. And he would get his test back, which inevitably almost always had an A.
He said, I didn't see it at the time, but what I had a tendency to do was to leave that paper on my desk as long as I could. Maybe even push it a little more further out to the edge so that more people could see it. Well, one of the things that Jacob says is that when we obtain more of something, whatever it is, another person, it can cause us to feel...
that we are better than them. And because we suppose that we are better than someone else, what that leads us to do is to persecute our brethren. There's kind of a chain of events that pride leads to, and the end result is the persecution of our brethren. And he said, I didn't realize it at the time, but what I was doing... was flaunting my success, my pride, because I thought I was better and I was persecuting those that maybe
didn't do so well on the test or struggled in school. He said it was very... subtle, but now the more I come to understand pride, the more I can see what it was that I was doing and the subtlety of it. And I thought that was just so insightful and helped me to really kind of look deep inside to recognize, am I doing some of that? Are there ways that I'm persecuting people that I may not even be aware of because of maybe the things that I say or the things that I do or the things that I post?
online, am I persecuting those that maybe don't have that? Whatever it is that maybe I've been blessed to have. Do you see, young people, how subtle that can be? If you can really start to develop this mindset of recognizing pride in yourself and in others, you will start to see it everywhere. But that is a precursor to change.
President Uchtdorf said on one occasion that the greatest, most capable, most accomplished man who ever walked this earth was also the most humble he performed some of his most impressive service in private moments with only a few observers whom he asked often to tell no man what he had When someone called him good, he quickly deflected the compliment, insisting that only God is truly good. Clearly, the praise of the world meant nothing to him.
His single purpose was to serve His Father and do always those things that please Him. We would do well, He said, to follow the example of our Master. Elder Quentin L. Cook, on one occasion, taught that in our quest for humility, the modern internet creates challenges to avoiding pride. Now think about this one, young people. Two examples, he said, are the self-indulgent, look-at-me approach, or attacking others by ranting on social media.
He said one more example is the humblebrag. And how often have you guys seen this? It is defined as an ostensibly modest or self-depreciating statement or picture. whose actual purpose is to draw attention to something of which one is proud of. Well, the prophets have always warned about pride and emphasizing the vain things of the world. The Lord teaches very clearly the need to let go of pride. In Doctrine and Covenants section 78 verse 6, this is a great cross-reference verse for you guys.
The Lord says, For if ye are not equal in earthly things, ye cannot be equal in obtaining heavenly things. See, a part of our reason in coming here is to, yes, have the desire to want it all, which is a part of living in this world, but to overcome that to the point where we can let it all go. to be humble and submissive to whatever the Lord gives us and appreciative of it all and to not allow anything that we've been blessed more of than another person.
to cause us to develop an element of pride thinking that we're better than someone and then eventually persecuting Jacob gives the solution to pride, which I want to give to you guys as well. And it's in verse 17, 18, and 19. Listen carefully to this. He says, number one, that we need to think of our brethren like unto yourself. And be familiar with all and free with your substance that they may be rich like unto you.
But before ye seek for riches, he says, seek ye for the kingdom of God. And after ye have obtained a hope in Christ, ye shall obtain riches, if ye seek them. And ye will seek them for the intent to do good, to clothe the naked, to feed the hungry, and to liberate the captive. and administer relief to the sick and the afflicted. In those two statements, those two sets of verses, we are given both the causes of pride and the solutions to pride.
And as Jacob says, it begins by receiving more of something than another. That's where the challenge lies because it can, if we're not careful, lead us to develop pride, which is best seen when we think that we are better than someone else that has less and we persecute them for it.
is to think of your brethren like unto you. To think of everybody being the same, regardless of what you have, regardless of what they have. And to be familiar with all. To be free with what you've been given. To be friendly with all. to give freely of your substance so that others can be rich like you. And all of that falls into place when we tend to seek first for the kingdom of God instead of seeking for the world.
Now, I just want to bear my testimony of this truth. I have seen pride lead to so many problems in others, but also in myself. I have seen and felt and experienced how pride has caused separation between me and God and me and others. And that's what pride does. It causes us to separate ourselves.
from Him and from others, while humility, on the other hand, helps bring us closer to Him and closer to everyone else. You've been around people, I think, that have been very prideful, very arrogant, and you know what that feels like. but you also I'm sure have been around people that are very humble and very kind. And you know what that is like as well. I would encourage each and every one of you. to do your best to develop humility.
to identify whatever it is that you've been blessed with more of than another person and to share that with others, whether it's money or talent or ability. In the end, everything that we've been given is from God anyway. And the best way that we could use it is by supporting, lifting, helping, and loving His children, our brothers and sisters, and being humble, just like the Savior was.
some journal discussion questions for you to consider about this principle and warning is what are some of the things that you might have received more of than another And why do you think pride is referred to by President Benson as the universal sin? How have you seen it in the world around you and in others? And why do you think pride is so dangerous?
I mean, wasn't it pride that basically caused the entire Nephite civilization to fall? What are some of the ways that you might be persecuting other people without even realizing that you're doing? And how can you better think of others as you think of yourself? And how can you be more familiar with all, like Jacob says? And what do you think Jacob means by that statement, be familiar with all?
How can we give of our substance freely to others, especially if what we've been blessed with more of isn't just money? What are some of the other ways we can give of some other things freely? What does it look like to seek the kingdom of God first? And what does it look like when a person has more of something than another, but is seeking the kingdom of God first?
And to apply this principle, I'd invite you guys to consider how can you apply these truths and principles in your own life when it comes to pride here and now. Maybe write of a time that you gave freely from something that you were blessed with. And how did it help others? And how did you feel in sharing that with you? Now for our second principle today, I want to look at Doctrine and Covenants section 24. Although the church was only recently organized, the persecution became intense.
forcing many of the leaders to basically go into hiding. It was during this time that Section 24 was received, and it was given to give them counsel and help in facing these kinds of challenges of persecution. and in section 24 i want to take a look at verses seven through nine just some great simple verses really for any of us that we can turn to whenever we go through anything difficult or face any kind of trial or suffering or challenge or persecution for that matter.
In verse 7, the Lord tells the prophet Joseph, And in this thou shalt have strength. And then he says, For thou shalt have many, but endure them. For lo, I am with thee, even unto the end of thy day. And then in verse 9 he says, And in temporal labors thou shalt not have strength, for this is not thy calling. attend to thy calling, and thou shalt have wherewith to magnify thine office, and to expound all scriptures, and continue in laying on of the hands in confirming the church.
Basically, Joseph is counseled to continue to dedicate himself to the work and that he would be given the strength to do the work. He was also counseled, if you notice, to be patient in affliction because he would have many and he certainly did. but he was counseled to endure them and told that the Lord would be with him until the very end. And he was also promised that he would be directed and strengthened to fulfill the purpose that he was meant to fulfill.
And that counsel is something you guys that each of us will need to hear and follow from time to time. Like Joseph, each of us will have many afflictions. And we'll be asked to be patient, just like he was, and to endure them as well. But in so doing, the same promise to Joseph that was given to him is the same promise that we can rely on, will be, and can be, and has been given to us.
that the lord will be with us until the end of our days and help us to fulfill the purposes that we have come here on earth to fulfill and that we'll be given strength to both accomplish them and endure whatever it is that we're meant to endure Basically, this is one of those adversity scriptures that you can just file away for a rainy day when you just need a reminder.
that everything's going to be okay in the end, that God is aware of you, that He may be asking you too to be patient and just endure something, but to trust that He'll give you strength and He'll help you to fulfill all that you were sent here to fulfill. I certainly don't know what any of you are going through that are listening to this podcast. But my hope is that those verses will mean something to you in whatever it is that you're experiencing.
President Packer, I remember on one occasion, said that we live in a day when the adversary stresses on every hand the philosophy of instant gratification. that we seem to demand instant everything, including instant solutions to our problems. It was meant to be that life would be a challenge. To suffer some anxiety, some depression, some disappointment, even some failure is normal. And on another occasion, he said, things that we cannot solve, we must survive.
And Sister Linda Reeves testified, I do not know why we have the many trials that we have. But it is my personal feeling that the reward is so great, so joyful, and beyond our understanding, that in that day of reward we may feel to say to our merciful, loving Father, Was that all that was required? What will it matter what we have suffered here if in the end those trials qualify us for eternal life in the kingdom of God?
I love that statement and I love that thought. There have been so many times I've needed to hold on to that. Times where I've needed to remind myself that whatever I was going through, that it will be worth it in the end. that I just need to continue to exercise patience and faith and trust that the Lord is aware of me and what I'm going through and will strengthen me and help me to be able to, if I can't solve it, to survive it.
like President Packer encouraged us to do. And I hope that you can take some solace in those words for yourself. And Joseph, as good as he was, wasn't spared suffering and persecution and challenges. Nobody will. that life was meant to be a test. And that those things that we experience, we may not be able to see all the reasons for them, but we can trust that there is purpose behind it. And certainly that God can help take those things.
consecrate as the scriptures say our afflictions for our gain now some journal and discussion questions for you to consider on this principle might be number one why do you feel that we are asked to go through so much suffering at times How have you felt the Lord ask you personally to be patient with your afflictions? And how have you experienced the Lord giving you strength to endure what you have had to endure?
And why do you personally believe, if you do, that it will all be worth it in the end? And how does this knowledge give you confidence and help you to be more patient in your trial? Maybe lastly, how have you felt the Lord was with you during times of adversity or has been with you? To apply this, I just encourage you to maybe write of a time that you have experienced the Lord being with you during a particularly difficult time. And how did you...
feel him with you? In what ways did he kind of show up for you in those moments? I think these are great experiences to document because like I said, We will continue to have them almost throughout our entire life. And so the more that we can see this principle in action, we can fall back on it when we need it in future challenges that we will. For the last principle today, this is the one that was directly given to Emma. It's a revelation, section 25.
It was given to Emma Smith, and it contains the Lord's will concerning her specifically, especially in relation to some of the challenges that she had been experiencing as a part of the early days of the church. and in this revelation she's basically given counsel about what it means to be an elect lady
what it means to be one of God's chosen daughters, which we can also apply to His sons. But this is a very specific section to her, and so I always like to invite... you young women to read and study this section in that context that not only is he speaking to her as an elect lady but he's speaking to each and every one of you obviously young men you can take some things from this to help
you better understand how and what it means to be an elect son. But you can also look at it from the perspective of what kind of qualities should you be looking for in a woman that you want to marry one day, a woman that you want to date and potentially take to the temple. And so I would invite both of you, young women, young men, to read and study this section through that context.
There's a lot in here. We don't have time to go through each and every one. There's so much in there. I'll try to include a lot more in my study and teaching guide. But there is one quality in particular that I want to focus on that Emma was counseled to develop within herself. And it starts in verse 4. which he encourages her in verse 4. He says, for they are withheld from thee and from the world, which is wisdom in me in a time to come.
Now there's lots of different things that he could be referencing there. Emma didn't see a lot of things that she would have loved to have seen. She didn't see peace. for a very long time in her life she didn't see that the health of her children having lost six of them at a very young age
She didn't see the gold plates, if you could believe it. She never saw them. She wasn't allowed to. Even though she helped Joseph translate on multiple occasions, she was around them constantly. She was the prophet's wife. There are so many things that she was not allowed to see or to experience. But as the Lord said, and he counseled her to murmur not because of them, because they are withheld from thee and from the world for a purpose.
which he said is wisdom in me for a time to come. Verse 10 then, he encourages her to do this. And verily I say unto thee that thou shalt lay aside the things of this world and seek for the things of a better. That is one of the greatest marks of an elect woman. Somebody that... can be in the world but not of the world. Somebody that can allow the world to go and is focused and dedicated to seeking for the things of a better one.
Now, I'm sure that all Emma Smith wanted was just a simple home for our family to grow up in and to live in. Yet again, this was something that she and Joseph struggled to have and maintain. They were constantly staying with others, and anything that they did have didn't last long, as they were forced on multiple occasions to move.
And on top of that, several of her children, as I mentioned, they died at a young age. Emma was never allowed to see the gold plates. Just imagine her frustration in losing so much and sacrificing so much and suffering so much. for something that she was around all the time and even helped with the translation but was never allowed to see.
And then it's just simply told to murmur not because of the things as thou hast not seen. I mean, this is one of the most difficult qualities to cultivate in us, you guys. But it's also one of the most important. There's an old movie that many of you probably haven't seen, that your parents I'm sure have, that I remember growing up with. It's a movie called Cool Runnings. It's a Disney show. It basically is the true story of the first ever Jamaican bobsled team.
And there's a scene in the movie where the captain of the team asks his coach why he felt he needed to cheat to win a second gold medal. See, the coach had already legitimately won a gold medal at an earlier Olympics. But then, in trying to compete for a second gold medal, got caught cheating and was therefore barred from ever competing personally again, although he could obviously coach. Well, his answer to the captain of this team was profound.
He said, a gold medal is a wonderful thing, but if you are not enough without it, you will never be enough without it. I want you to let that sink in for a minute, you guys. This is one of the most important principles I could teach you. A gold medal is a wonderful thing, but if you are not enough without it, you'll never be enough with it.
See, God has in mind to give us the greatest gold medal of all, which is everything that he has. Eternal life is basically God's life because he's eternal. Remember, as we talked about. He wants to give you and I everything. Yet the irony is that we will only be ready for it when we are enough without it. When we are willing and able to let it all go.
Tell me you can see that principle now. Tell me that you can see why pride is so dangerous, how it's the opposite of that, and how humility is what will really unlock the door to everything that we want. Understanding this truth can help us also make sense of many of the tests of life and why many things are withheld from us. God is simply testing us to see if we are enough without it, whatever it is.
Therefore, many of our tests, I really believe, will be unique to each and every one of us and will be unique to where we might need to be tested the most. And much of it will come down to just simply trusting the lord trusting his wisdom trust that that he knows what he's doing in our lives that certain things might be withheld due to that wisdom for for reasons that we can't currently see And oh man, is that a hard thing to develop and to just learn to trust in.
But along with that, the Lord invites Emma and us to lay aside the things of this world and to seek for the things of a better world. And this, you guys, is really much of what life just simply consists of. Learning to let go of the things of this world, the desires, the wealth, the comforts, even some of the dreams that we naturally want to have. that we want to experience that might be withheld from us.
and just trust that the things of a better world will be better. I've had very close friends that have wanted children, and they haven't been able to. Others that have wanted to be married, and it didn't work out for them. Others that wanted great health and they didn't get it, didn't experience it in their lives. Things that were really, really good, but that were withheld from them.
But we know that if things are withheld from us, that it might be due to the wisdom of God. And just all we can do is trust Him. That one day all of our losses will be made up. And that one day everything will make sense. And if we can learn to do it all without murmuring and complaining, well, we'll be well on our way to receiving all that God has. Now, be patient with yourselves because that takes a lifetime to develop that kind of patience.
President Monson once taught that the evil one too has placed road signs to frustrate your progress and to lead you from the path of truth into detours of sin. And his detours all lead to a dead end. And have you noticed his markers, he asks? Just this once won't matter. It can't hurt anyone but me. My love is mine to give. My life is mine to live. Times have changed. Now we see coming into focus the responsibility to choose that inevitable crisis at the crossroads of life.
He who would lead you down waits patiently for a dark night, a wavering will, a confused conscience, a mixed up mind. Are you prepared to make the decisions at the crossroads? That's kind of what we've been talking about. Those things that will be withheld from you, those things that you'll experience.
that will be very difficult for you to go through and endure, those are the moments where the choices that you make will really shape your eventual destiny. Those are the moments that Satan will try to exploit you the most. and get you to let down your guard and to give up on your faith and your trust in God. President Monson said I can't stress too strongly that decisions determine destiny. You can't make eternal decisions without eternal consequences.
And President Nielsen on one occasion taught that part of this endeavor in accessing the power in Christ will require you to put aside many things of this world. Sometimes we speak almost casually about walking away from the world with its contention and pervasive temptations and false philosophies. requires you to examine your life meticulously and regularly. As you do so, the Holy Ghost will prompt you about what is no longer needful, what is no longer worthy of your time and energy.
as you shift your focus away from worldly distractions. Some things that seem important to you now will recede in priority. You will need to say no to some things, even though they may seem harmless. As you embark upon and continue this lifelong process of consecrating your life to the Lord, the changes in your perspective, feelings, and spiritual strength will amaze you.
This principle has been near and dear to my heart because, as I've mentioned on several occasions, there have been multiple things that have been withheld from me that I've always wanted. And I've had to learn to try to exercise faith and patience and trust. And I haven't always done that very well. Which is, again, why I tell you guys, be patient with yourselves in learning this lesson.
But the sooner you can learn it, I think the more able and willing you'll be able to be in letting things of the world go. And the more quick you will be to trust God that He knows. I just would bear testimony that He does. And that, yes, your tests will be unique to you, but they will also be very challenging to you.
and that they will pull at your very heartstrings. It's the Lord said very clearly that it's just quite as necessary for each of us to be tried as it was for Abraham and every other great man or woman of God.
and that he will feel after you and tug on your heartstrings. And if you cannot take it, you will not be fit for an inheritance in the celestial kingdom in order to receive it all we have to be willing and able to let it all go Now, some journal discussion questions for you to consider might be, one, how have you felt the Lord ask you to lay aside the things of the world?
How hard has it been to do it without murmuring? And what are some of the things of the world that the Lord asks us maybe to lay? What are some of the things that he invites us to seek for that are part of a better world? And what does that look like when a person is seeking for those things of a better world? And how does all of this require faith and trust? And why should we trust the Lord when certain things might seem to be held back, even good things that we know are good?
To apply this, I would invite you to write how you have seen someone handle this kind of adversity with grace and faith and with confidence that those things held back from them will one day be made right. and that everything will be worth it in the end. Been helpful to you guys. Just some great principles there. Again, just loaded sections there. Section 25. I can't encourage you enough to really read and look for all the qualities that the Lord mentions in there.
They're a part of being an elect lady, a woman, and a daughter of God. things that will help you through your trials, through your challenges, and to accomplish all that the Lord has sent you here to accomplish and eventually receive all that He has in store to give you.
Again, hope that that's been helpful. 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 let's follow him better this week. And as always, 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.