"My Law to Govern My Church"

Kyle Denning (American, born 1950)
John, Santa Fe Depot (2020)
Oil on canvas, 36 x 24 inches
Collection of the artist
www.kyledenning.com
Used with permission of the artist

The painting above is from a series of portraits, Faces on the Streets of San Diego, created by Kyle Denning in 2019-2020. When the artist saw John at the train depot one cold morning around 7:00 a.m., the artist thought to himself, “These people really have stories to tell.” He asked for permission and then photographed the man, who had been a computer technician and had grown up in San Diego. Then, he created a painting based on the photo. Denning’s interest in portraiture combines with his compassion for the homeless—as a former bishop in Escondido, California who dealt with these issues, and someone whose immediate family member was homeless.

This week’s Come, Follow Me curriculum includes Section 44, which instructs Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon to assemble together, to preach to the “regions round about,” and this admonishment, “that ye must visit the poor and the needy and administer to their relief, that they may be kept until all things may be done according to my law which ye have received” (D&C 44: 2, 6).

Discussion Questions

1. How do you feel Jesus' delight in your blessings ("ye whom I delight to bless with the greatest of all blessings" D&C 41:1)?

2. Much of what we read in this week's reading and in what we are currently hearing from the Prophet relates to our gathering. Jesus instructs us to be "gathered in one, that ye may be my people, and I will be your God" (D&C 42:9; see also D&C 42:36). How does being one with others make us His people?

3. Jesus speaks of an unbreakable covenant to remember and take care of the poor (D&C 42:30). How do you remember the poor?

For Children

Hello. The issues of homelessness are complex. The thing for you to remember as you see people in your community who are suffering and in need is that it is not for you to judge them. But it is for you to help them. And there are many ways of helping. One thing you can do is simply to be nice. How would you feel if you had an uncle or an aunt who was homeless? Would you want people to smile and say hello to them? I think you would. Many people are in need and suffer without anyone knowing they need help. Show everyone respect and provide them dignity simply by acknowledging them as human beings and treating all beings with kindness.

Discussion Questions

1. Jesus directed that missionaries should preach His gospel "two by two, in my name, lifting up your voices as with the sound of a trump, declaring my word like unto angels of God" (D&C 42:6). Why do you think missionaries serve in pairs? If there are missionaries in your ward or branch, or a returned missionary in your family, ask them why they think missionaries have been commanded to serve in pairs and what they learned in the two-by-two process and from their companions.

2. Jesus says that when we are kind to "the least of these, ye do it unto me" (D&C 42:38). What does it mean to be "the least of these"? Do you think that when Jesus lived on the earth, some people around Him thought of Jesus as "the least of these"? Have you ever felt like "the least of these"? Did someone help you to then feel included? What can you do to help others feel included, too? What does Jesus say about treating others kindly?

3. Jesus tells us that "every person who belongeth to this church of Christ, shall observe to keep all the commandments and covenants of the church" (D&C 42:78). There are many commandments described in D&C 42 and the 10 commandments are in Matthew 5:21-28. Name three commandments that are "keeping" currently. What are you doing to keep these commandments? How does keeping these commandments make you happy?

Art project

Has someone offended you? Make an artistic olive branch to privately offer to this person ("And if thy brother or sister offend thee, thou shalt take him or her between him or her and thee alone" D&C 42:88).