"I Will Lead You Along

Ron Linn (American, born 1987)
Signs That Aren’t Signs (Sewer Grate) (2018)
Graphite on paper, 16 x 15 inches
Collection of the artist
Artist’s website
Used with permission of the artist

One day, the artist Ron Linn went for a walk, and he came across a sewer grate with some rocks stuck in its grid. He writes, “…it was this kind of totally random thing, but also the way it was set up, it kind of seemed like a pattern or a code that I might decipher if I worked through it.” He began to wonder whether he might be able to develop his own understanding and vocabulary “of what these rocks were saying.”

At the same time he was working on the drawing project, the Church released again images of Joseph Smith’s seer stones used to translate the Book of Mormon. “And I realized as I was working through this project that I have a kind of this own aspect of my own religious tradition or understanding where there’s a relationship between stones and interpretation and translation and language, and this idea that you might be able to discover something about a hidden aspect of the world by intensely observing a stone.” In this week’s scripture reading, note that God will reveal mysteries to those who seek to know them (see D&C 77-80).

Gospel Questions

1. Many of the revelations in the Doctrine & Covenants came in answer to questions. There are few sections where this is more clear than Section 77 which is formatted as questions and answers. Most of the questions begin with "What are we to understand by..." Everyone has questions and questions are often evidence of serious contemplation. How would you complete the sentence: "What am I to understand by...."?

2. Jesus tells Jared Carter in D&C 79 that He will send the Comforter "which shall teach him the truth" (D&C 79:2). How does truth bring comfort?

3. In D&C 80, Stephen Burnett and Eden Smith are called to "preach the gospel" by declaring the things they have heard and know to be true (D&C 80:4). How can this simple instruction give you courage when sharing principles of the gospel?

For Children

Hi. There’s a passage of scripture this week that makes people happy. “Be of good cheer, for I will lead you along” (D&C 78:18). And it says that those who receive blessings with thankfulness “shall be made glorious” and they will receive more” (78:19).

Have you noticed that when you are grateful and cheerful that life seems to go better? It’s no guarantee, but being thankful and happy can be like a magnet that draws good things to you. If you sometimes don’t feel happy, think of these scriptures, and it may help you to find positive things.

Gospel Questions

1. Jesus teaches Joseph Smith how to take care of the poor and says that people should be "equal in earthly things" (D&C 78:6). What can you do to help people who have less than you do to feel "equal in earthly things"?

2. Jesus explains" he who receiveth all things with thankfulness shall be made glorious" (D7C 78:19). What can you do to show gratitude to someone everyday this week? Write down on a strip of paper each day something that you did to show gratitude. Make a gratitude chain by making each strip of paper into a circle and then linking all of the paper circles together in a chain. Hang your gratitude chain in a place where you can see it to remind you to be thankful (and keep adding links).

3. Missionaries Elder Stephen Burnett and Elder Eden Smith are told that they should go and preach the gospel in any direction they choose, "for ye cannot go amiss" (D&C 80:3). If you are thinking about serving a mission, how does this make you feel about what the Lord thinks of where you might be called to serve?