Have you ever had to have an uncomfortable conservation with a loved one? That’s exactly what happened to the prophet Jacob when he had a tough conversation with his family and friends about pride, chastity, and “a grosser crime." But his words about these topics weren’t all bleak. In fact, in this week’s Sunday on Monday study group, we’re digging into Jacob 1–4 to learn how Jacob’s words apply to us today and how they can lead to hope and healing for us all.

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.

And so it begins—our study of the Doctrine and Covenants! If you’re feeling a little wary, maybe a little intimated, don’t freight. If you feel like you already know everything there is to know about the Doctrine and Covenants, hold onto your hats because we are going study like never before. So grab your scriptures, and let’s dive into Doctrine and Covenants section 1.

Read this powerful request from Alma: “I wish from the inmost part of my heart, and with great anxiety even unto pain, that you would hearken unto my words…” (Alma 13:27). He said this while preaching with Amulek to the people of Ammonihah, but what would follow applies just as much to us today. This week’s Come, Follow Me reading in Alma 13–16 tells us what these important words are and how they can lead us to our ultimate goal of God’s rest.

Conference Talk:

One in four people worldwide will be affected by mental illness or neurological disorders at one point in their lives.

Jane Elizabeth Manning was born in Connecticut in about 1820. Her mother had been enslaved, but she was emancipated by the time Jane was born. Jane’s father died when she was a young child and, perhaps in part for that reason, Jane began working as a domestic servant for a wealthy white family in the next town over. As a young woman, she was baptized and joined the local Congregational Church, but not long afterward she heard a missionary from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints preach and she was convinced by his message. She was baptized a short time later, and she appears to have persuaded her family to join the Church as well. In 1843, the Mannings joined an interracial group of converts for the journey to Nauvoo. Although they left the Northeast together, the group was separated at some point during the journey. The white members continued to Nauvoo on public transportation; the black members walked. When Jane and her family reached Nauvoo, they were welcomed by Emma and Joseph Smith and stayed in the mansion house for a short time while they found jobs and housing. Jane remained in the mansion house, working for the Smiths as a domestic servant.

The Piano Guys' Steven Sharp Nelson has lived many people’s dream as he has traveled the world playing the cello. And yet, his journey has been one with many highs and lows that have taught him to trust God and to consecrate each and every performance to Him.

Editor's note: “Resources to follow Him” curates study resources, teachings, and thoughts to deepen your study of this week's Come, Follow Me.

You can find beauty even in the hardest things when you put your faith in God. Stories in this episode: Teresa has a strange prompting that helps her find the compensatory blessings from God when her plans for retirement are upended by loss; A bid for a spot on the village council places Shauna in some crazy situations, with outcomes that only God could have foreseen.