You know that little feeling of joy that comes from opening a Christmas card and reading a loved one's reflections from the past year? Well, this week's “Come, Follow Me” lesson is a Christmas card of sorts, beginning with an invitation to consider how the Old Testament has strengthened your testimony of the Savior this year. On this week's episode, we'll hear from past guests and a few listeners who share how the Old Testament has strengthened their testimony of Christ. As you listen, we hope that you, too, will reflect on how your relationship with the Savior has grown and that you find joy in the process.

How do you know God loves you? Maybe you feel His love through simple things, like sunsets or the existence of your favorite ice cream. Or maybe tenderly answered prayers assure you that He cares. Gaining a testimony of God’s love isn’t a journey only relevant in today’s world—the people in Malachi’s day wrestled with the same thing. This week’s lesson in Malachi gives us many truths to “lay to heart” (Malachi 2:2) and is a perfect finale to what we’ve learned all year long: no matter what, God loves us.

Have you ever heard someone use the phrase “the apple of my eye”? Did you (or they) know they were quoting the prophet Zechariah? We may be approaching the end of our Old Testament study for the year, but we still have a lot to learn. The books of Haggai and Zechariah are full of wisdom regarding temples, repentance, and the sweet reminder that God’s children are always the apple of His eye. These two prophets taught their people the same truth we like to say at the end of every podcast episode: you are God’s favorite.

Imagine being in a courtroom and holding your breath before a sentence is given to someone. You might experience a similar feeling studying the books of Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah. While these books may be short in length, they are rich in passion and conviction as prophets of old pronounce sentences on the people they have been sent to save. So as we dive into the scriptures this week, we invite you to sit in on these cases to watch and learn as the prophets’ judgments unfold.

Sometimes we find the Old Testament relatable not because of the stories where people have everything figured out, but because of the stories where they don't. Like us, these individuals are imperfect—and occasionally, they might even have a bit of a rebellious streak. This week’s story is about one such prophet. Jonah sacrificed everything to go and do, but when he got his call to serve, he ran in the opposite direction. Eventually, though, he repented and served with his whole heart. Our study today is in the books of Jonah and Micah, where we learn the stories of normal people who answered the call to be prophets.

The prophet Amos’s name has a Hebrew translation that we find fascinating; Amos means being burdened or troubled. At first that seems like an odd name for a prophet, but when you consider the weighty responsibilities God’s chosen servants carry, the name makes sense. In this week’s study of Amos and Obadiah, we’ll learn about the vital role of prophets and why they are asked to carry such a heavy burden. We will also find the comforting reassurance that the Lord “will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.”

Christ spoke in symbolism and parables when He was on the Earth and that metaphorical language is in the Old Testament too. Hosea chapter 1 begins with a story of heartbreak, a shared human experience that can teach us something about our relationship with God if we know where to look. The books of Hosea and Joel remind us that Christ will always be there and always love us, no matter what low point we find ourselves in.

Daniel was a prophet—we know that from the Primary song, but how well do you really know Daniel? You might have heard that he was thrown into a lion's den, or that three of his friends were thrown into a fiery furnace by the king. But there is so much more to Daniel's story. He had a steadfast testimony, served with several kings, translated dreams, and even had visions of the last days. In Hebrew, his name means "God is my judge"—and in this week's lesson of Daniel 1–6 we see how the prophet lived up to his name and found great power in obeying God's law.

Have you ever called out in a moment of desperation, “Lord, give me strength?” Maybe a do-it-yourself project turned out to be far more complicated and frustrating than the internet made it look, or maybe your moment of pleading came from something more serious and life-altering. In this week’s lesson, we study the words of a prophet whose name in Hebrew translates to “God will strengthen.” We have much to learn from Ezekiel’s 48 chapters about drawing on God’s strength, so let’s dig in.

We all have experienced wounds of some sort. These can be physical wounds, like those that come from falling off a bike, or emotional wounds, like those that occur when your feelings are hurt. Jeremiah and his people saw many kinds of wounds in their day, and the prophet lamented over them in his writing. But these scriptures are about more than mourning—Jeremiah 30–52 and the book of Lamentations also express sympathy for those with wounds of their own while promising that all will be healed through Christ.

Have you ever had that sinking feeling when you find out someone snooped in your diary? Or maybe you've done the snooping yourself? In someone's journal you can learn all about that person's most personal experiences—their pains, joys, hopes, and dreams. Well, the books of Jeremiah and Lamentations are no exception. In these writings, we learn about the deepest and most personal thoughts of a great prophet. But in Jeremiah 1–20, we also learn that despite Jeremiah's sorrows, God had a plan for him—and it serves as a powerful reminder that He has a plan for us too.

Hopefully, the following sentence makes you feel a little sad: this week will conclude our study of Isaiah. When we started on this journey four weeks ago, our goal was to be able to see the great worth of Isaiah’s words and delight in them. Have you experienced that sense of delight yet? Do you feel less timid and more excited about this precious part of scripture? If you do, wonderful. If you haven’t felt that way yet, don’t worry–this week’s lesson in Isaiah 58-66, is sure to do the trick. So let’s dive into our discussion about fasting, repentance, and how God always has our back.

Beauty, majesty, rejoicing, joyful—those are all words that could be used to describe the message we’ll discover within Isaiah 50–57. But as in life, not everything is cheery sunshine: these chapters also invite us to think about rejection and the effects of evil influences. The goal of this week’s lesson is to enlarge our tent and invite everyone to come and learn from the words of Isaiah.

What brings you comfort or peace? If we asked a child that question, their answer might be an ice cream cone or a trip to Disneyland. And while the kid in many of us may find solace in a little ice cream, we’ve likely found deeper sources of comfort; things like a good conversation with someone we trust or a long hug. But the deepest and most lasting peace comes from a knowledge of Christ and His plan. You’ll want to get comfortable for this week’s lesson in Isaiah 40-49, because Isaiah’s words are just what a weary soul needs.

If you've listened to past episodes of this podcast, you've probably heard the phrase "Jesus is coming." That's because we love to talk about the Second Coming and look forward to it with anticipation. Let's be honest, though—the events of the Second Coming, specifically those mentioned in Isaiah 13–35, can be a little frightening. But after today's discussion, you might not find them as scary as you thought. In fact, you might even be excited about that great and important day.

What do you delight in? What really makes you happy? Our goal over the next five weeks is for your answer to be the same as Nephi’s when he said “...that his soul delighteth in the words of Isaiah” (2 Nephi 25:5) And right after that he talked to us saying the words of Isaiah are of great worth and that they are particularly of great worth to those in the last days. Isaiah chapters 1-12 have plenty to delight in and it starts with the message that God is our salvation.

If you’ve ever had a fortune cookie, you know its crispy sweetness is just half the fun—inside these cookies is a fortune on a slip of paper that is said to bring luck and prosperity to the receiver. The verses in this week’s lesson of Proverbs 1–4; 15–16; 22; and 31 as well as Ecclesiastes 1–3 and 11–12, may at first remind you of the messages inside one of these tasty treats. But as we dive deeper into the meaning of these verses, we think you’ll find something much more satisfying than any fortune cookie can offer.

We’ve talked a lot about trusting in the Lord this year. And in this week’s lesson of Psalms 102–103; 110; 116–119; 127–128; 135–139; 146–150, that trust is an important theme. To help us dive deeper into this topic, we invited Chad and Kymberly Wells to talk with us. The Wells' are the parents of Mason Wells, who was severely injured as a missionary in the 2016 Brussels attacks. Their perspective on those harrowing events is anchored in trusting the Lord even through days of great distress and heartache. Their story, along with these chapters in Psalms, will teach us what trust in the Lord can do in our darkest moments.

Growing up, did you ever learn about the three Rs of education? They stand for three basic skills taught in school: reading, writing, and arithmetic—which is a little confusing as only one of those words actually starts with the letter “r.” But just as those three subjects are fundamental to education systems, there are six Rs that are fundamental to this week’s lesson. As we study Psalms chapters 49–51; 61–66; 69–72; 77–78; and 85–86, we’ll learn what those six Rs are and what they have to do with our relationship with Christ.

Pray, sing, pray, sing, pray, sing—this pattern of worship may feel familiar to you as you think about church meetings, but it’s more than a repetitive practice. When we sing and pray, we are literally “pray-sing” or praising God, which is what this week’s lesson is all about. Psalms chapters 1–2; 8; 19–33; 40; and 46 are a collection of songs and poetry that the Israelites used to praise God and His divine love. And as you study these chapters this week, you may find yourself doing the same thing through these inspired words.

You may be surprised to learn that many famous authors like Victor Hugo, Daniel Webster, and Thomas Carlyle, have praised the book of Job as a work of literary art. But why? Isn’t the book of Job a sad account of death and grave sickness befalling a good man and his family? You could look at Job’s story that way, but as we talk about him as a human, a kinsman, and a religious man, you may start to see these chapters as an example of how to react when bad things happen and a comforting reminder that the Savior is always in charge.

Here’s a fun fact: did you know that the name Esther means star in Persian? And when you consider Esther’s story in the Old Testament, there’s obviously no coincidence that one of the greatest biblical heroines was given that name. In fact, as we study this incredible book of scripture this week, we’re going to see how brightly Esther shined in the midst of terrible adversity. Not only was she incredibly brave even when faced with death, but she also had an enduring faith in Jesus Christ that ultimately led to the salvation of an entire nation.

Do you watch DIY shows for hours on end or daydream about home improvement projects? If so, this episode is for you. But if you don’t, this episode is still for you because today we are talking about one of the most monumental moments in all of scripture: the rebuilding of the temple at Jerusalem. This event was crucial to the Jews who had gone without a temple since their Babylonian captivity. And after the past two years of a worldwide pandemic, we can relate to their hardships and the joys of having a temple once again, even if we have no idea how to read a blueprint.

This week's lesson contains six unnamed women in the Old Testament. Six! That's as many as we'll be covering in detail during this year's special Unnamed Women of the Old Testament series. But in this episode about 2 Kings 2–7, we learn about the adversity some of these women faced and how they performed heroic acts through their faith. Others show us the dire consequences of shutting Christ out of our lives. But all show us the importance of staying on the covenant path and helping others do the same. So grab your scriptures and let’s dig into these powerful stories.

This week's lesson contains six unnamed women in the Old Testament. Six! That's as many as we'll be covering in detail during this year's special Unnamed Women of the Old Testament series. But in this episode about 2 Kings 2–7, we learn about the adversity some of these women faced and how they performed heroic acts through their faith. Others show us the dire consequences of shutting Christ out of our lives. But all show us the importance of staying on the covenant path and helping others do the same. So grab your scriptures and let’s dig into these powerful stories.

One definition of the word destitute is to be “without basic necessities.” Has there ever been a time where you felt spiritually destitute? Like you were missing the basic necessities? If so, this week’s lesson 1 Kings 17–19 is for you because if there is anyone who understands the feeling of being destitute, it’s Elijah the prophet and the widow of Zarephath. Through their examples of faith, we’ll learn who we should turn to in our greatest moments of need and learn how all things can be restored through the Savior.

What does it mean to inquire of the Lord? We have a sneaking suspicion that it means more than asking a question, and a look at David’s life might confirm our hunch. For most of his life, David inquired of the Lord to know what he should do—and he was blessed. And sadly, David sometimes chose not to inquire of the Lord—and he suffered a lot of regret and sorrow. As we study 2 Samuel 5–7, 11–12 and 1 Kings 3, 8, and 11, we’ll look for examples of what it means to inquire of the Lord, and how this action can bless and protect our lives.

Have you ever heard that part of “Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing” where the lyrics read, “Here I raise my Ebenezer” and wondered what it was talking about? It turns out "Eben-ezer" was the name Samuel gave a stone as a token of gratitude for deliverance. In Hebrew, the word also means "stone of help." So when we think about David and Goliath, we see how crucial a stone of help is—and not just in slaying giants. As we study 1 Samuel chapters 8–10, 13, and 15–18 we'll discover how the Savior is our personal Ebenezer, and how He helps us face our own Goliaths.

Here’s a fun fact—the word for “Ruth” in Hebrew means "compassionate friend." And when you think of how friendship was all Ruth and Naomi had during a time of uncertainty, that name has an extra special meaning. As we study the book of Ruth and 1 Samuel 1–3 this week, we’ll see how this compassionate friendship exists between Ruth and Naomi and between all of us and Christ as we face challenges and uncertainties in our lives.

Warfare, scandal, espionage—you’re going to need to buckle up for this week’s lesson in Judges 2–4, 6–8, and 13–16. We are entering a turbulent and wicked time among the Israelites, but also a time when great heroes and heroines rose up to meet the challenges of their day. Now, these men and women weren’t superheroes with magic powers; they were imperfect people who learned to accomplish great works through faith in God—something we can learn to do, too.

Think of a time you were on the verge of starting a new chapter in your life. Were you nervous? Excited? Afraid? Maybe a combination of all three? Now imagine how the children of Israel felt as they finally crossed over the Jordan River into the promised land. Their emotions had to be off the charts with each step they took toward their new lives. And as we study Joshua chapters 1–8 and 23–24, we’ll see how they followed God’s counsel to be “strong and of a good courage” in the face of the unknown.

If you had to decide who gave the greatest speech of all time, who would you choose? Maybe included on your list of candidates would be Martin Luther King Jr., Winston Churchill, Sojourner Truth, or Abraham Lincoln. But would you ever consider Moses? This week we’ll dive into Deuteronomy chapters 6–8, 15, 18, 29–30, and 34, and learn about Moses’s last moments with the children of Israel and how his final speech could be one of the greatest of all time.

How do you know if you can trust someone? Whether you feel an instant connection or it's earned over time, the first leap to really trusting someone can be a little scary. In this week’s discussion of Numbers 11–14 and 20–24, we’ll see how the children of Israel made the leap several times not just with each other, but with the Lord as they were asked again and again to trust in Him.

What do you say when someone asks you to do something difficult? Do you sometimes give a noncommittal maybe? Or do you sometimes say yes, but secretly mean no? In this week’s lesson of Exodus 35–40 and Leviticus 1, 16, and 19, we’ll see how the Israelites responded when the Lord asked them to do something difficult, and what we can learn from their response.

After reading this week’s lesson in Exodus, you may be wondering, Why did the Israelites make a golden calf? Didn’t they just see all these miracles that proved there was only one God they should worship? But in this week’s discussion of Exodus 24 and 31–34, we’ll see how the Israelites' experience relates to us and how we can remember to put God first in our lives.

One son; two shoe; three tree; four door—these all sound like completely unrelated items, right? Well, you might be surprised to learn that they're actually a good way to remember the Ten Commandments in order. As we study this week’s lesson in Exodus 18–20, we’ll discuss why remembering the order of the commandments matter and how their meanings and applications reach deeper into our lives than we might have thought.

What do you know about the Jewish week-long celebration of Passover? If your answer is little to nothing, you are going to love this special episode of Sunday on Monday. We are going to discuss the rich symbolism of this Jewish holiday and how it’s linked to the Christian observance of Easter. We’ll also explore what the celebration of Passover has to do with the ordinance we participate in every week—the sacrament. So grab your scriptures, and let’s dig into this special episode of Sunday on Monday.

When you were younger, what made you feel afraid? Was it the dark? Monsters under the bed? Spiders? Maybe some of your little kid worries remain (is anyone really not scared of spiders?), but likely you’ve matured out of most of them. There is one fear, however, that seems to stick with most of us—the fear of the unknown. The children of Israel in Moses’ day knew this unsettling feeling all too well, especially after they left Egypt. As we study Exodus 14–17, we’ll learn what the children of Israel found to be the antidote for fear, even in the face of uncertainty.

What is it about the heart? Phrases like, “bless your heart,” “cross my heart,” “young at heart,” and more pepper our everyday speech. But other than the obvious fact that a beating heart is essential for life, what compels us to so often speak figuratively about it? In this week’s lesson, we’ll dive into that question as we study Pharaoh’s response to the ten plagues of Egypt in Exodus 7–13. And we’ll learn what actually softened his heart enough to let the Israelites go.

President George Q. Cannon once said, “No matter how serious the trial, how deep the distress, how great the affliction, [God] will never desert us.” But sometimes it’s only in hindsight that we can see how God was with us all the way. Take the lives of the enslaved Israelites, for example. For generations, the Israelites suffered at the hands of the Egyptians without deliverance. But as we study Exodus 1–6, we’ll see how God never once abandoned them. In fact, we’ll even discover how God worked in the lives of His servants to bring to pass deliverance for the Israelites through His servant, Moses.

Have you ever had a dream in the middle of the night that actually came true later? Or have you had dreams you're grateful never materialized because they were so strange or embarrassing? Well, whether they were his own or came to others, dreams played an important role in the life of Joseph of Egypt. In this week's lesson, we'll study Genesis 42–50 and read about how some of this prophet's dreams actually came true and discover how they changed the house of Israel forever.

Every family has stories that they don’t like to talk about. But when it comes to things like selling your brother as a slave into Egypt and lying about his death, Joseph’s brothers take uncomfortable family stories to a whole new level. But there are powerful lessons in this timeless story, and in today’s study of Genesis 34–41 we are going to study how these complex family stories impact us today.

Who remembers this gem of a Janice Kapp Perry song from the 80s? "Integrity, a word so seldom understood / Integrity is doing all that is right and good." That song was ringing through our ears while reading about the Old Testament prophet Jacob this week. From being tricked by his father-in-law to struggling with his brother Esau, Jacob faced a lot of challenges in his life. But he always kept his word, and the blessings he received for doing so still make an impact on us today. So grab your scriptures and let's dig into Genesis 28–33 to learn more about how this prophet was blessed for keeping his integrity.

When we read about Rebekah generously offering to get water for not only Abraham's servant but also for all of his camels, her task seems simple enough. But have you ever stopped to consider just how much water those camels would need? And how this wasn't a matter of turning on a faucet? It might give us a little insight into what a hard worker Rebekah was. This week as we study Genesis 24–27, we'll dive into Rebekah and Isaac’s story to learn from their faithful examples. We'll also discuss their commitment to preserving the Abrahamic covenant amidst all the ups and downs of parenting two very different sons.

Have you ever felt a prompting to do something that seemed so impossible, you could only shake your head in disbelief? But then somehow, God intervened and everything turned out better than you could have imagined? We read about Sarah experiencing those same feelings when the Lord tells her she is going to have a son way past her childbearing years. This week, we'll dig into Genesis chapters 18–23 and learn from the stories of Abraham, Sarah, and Isaac about how nothing is too hard for the Lord—and how our disbelief can be turned into rejoicing.

Do you remember a time when you made a promise? And not just a silly pinky promise about something trivial, but a promise so serious it was practically an oath? Abraham knew all about making and keeping these kinds of promises. In this week's discussion, we're going to study about a covenant he made with God in Genesis 12–17 and Abraham 1–2 and learn how we can enter into that same promise.

You may have heard these lyrics sung around a campfire before: “The Lord said to Noah, ‘There’s gonna be a floody, floody.’” And yes, that song will now be on repeat in your head all week—you’re welcome. But we couldn't resist because these words perfectly illustrate what we will be studying this week: Noah and the flood. So grab your scriptures because we are going to dig into Genesis 6–11 and Moses 8 to study what exactly caused this flood and what happened to Noah and his family once the waters receded.

What is something you are super dedicated to? Maybe you love exercising every day or practicing a musical instrument. Or maybe there is a good cause you feel strongly about and want to spread awareness of. Whatever it is you’re dedicated to, we all know that those feelings of commitment don’t just come out of the blue; there is a reason for them. This week we'll dig into Moses chapter 7 to learn all about what it means to be dedicated to the Lord, and how that dedication can support us—no matter what trials come our way.

You may have been extended a calling and thought, “What in the world? There’s no way I could do this!” Or even, “So-and-so would be way better at this calling. Why me?” Don't worry, you're not the only one who has felt this way. This week we'll dig into Genesis 5 and Moses 6 and study the Hebrew words for “Lord God” to discover how we can overcome our feelings of inadequacy.

Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel—you probably think you know their stories. They are, after all, the very first mortals mentioned in the Bible. But what if we were to tell you that there’s more to these pivotal figures in the Old Testament than you may have thought? In this week’s discussion, we’ll dig into Genesis 3–4 and Moses 4–5 to uncover priceless truths we may have misunderstood about Adam and Eve and their children.

Did you know that the books in the Old Testament have Hebrew names that are different from what we see in the King James Version of the Bible? Which, once you think about it, is a no-brainer considering all the translations the Bible has been through. But these other names for the Old Testament books reveal something so profound about God and our mission on earth that we just have to talk about it. In fact, we invited our friend and Hebrew scholar Donald Parry to really dig into this week’s lesson in Genesis 1–2, Moses 2–3, and Abraham 4–5 to find out more about what has been lost in the English translation of the Bible.

We made it to the Old Testament year for Come, Follow Me! But before we begin with the book of Genesis, we need to make an important stop in the Pearl of Great Price. Moses 1 and Abraham 3 contain what we like to call a “love letter” from our heavenly parents to us because these words give us a greater understanding of our divine potential. So grab your scriptures, and let's dig into the Pearl of Great Price.