In my family, we keep family scripture study pretty short. We’re busy, just like everyone else. But my favorite scripture study nights are ones where we read a scripture or two and take a couple minutes to discuss it – maybe over the dinner table. 

A few years ago, my daughter (who is now 9 years old) started complaining that during our scripture reading we almost exclusively learned from men’s voices. The scriptures are almost entirely written by men and the quotes from General Conference were pretty solidly men’s voices as well. I started seeking more women’s voices to add to our nightly devotionals. 

The current lesson plan is designed for families like mine who are busy but would like to spend a couple minutes discussing God’s word and would like to include women’s voices in those discussions. I divided the lesson plan into segments and each segment contains a scripture from this week’s Come Follow Me verses, a quote from a woman highlighting the concept taught, and a few discussion questions that you can go over. 

If you’re doing this on your own, you can write your answers to the questions in a journal or ponder them. If you’re doing this as a family, you may choose to do one segment a day, break up a segment over a couple days, or spend one day and go into several segments. If you’re doing this for a class at church, focus on whichever segments you feel your class would most benefit from. If you have a large class, you may want to have class members divide into groups for some of the discussions.

Segment 1:

Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

In a General Conference talk in October 2012, then 2nd Counselor in the YW General Presidency, Ann M. Dibb discussed this idea of not being ashamed of the gospel of Christ. She said:

“At different times in our lives, whether we are new converts to the Church or lifelong members, we may find that this vibrant enthusiasm has faded. Sometimes this happens when times are challenging and we must practice patience. Sometimes it happens at the peak of our prosperity and abundance. Whenever I have this feeling, I know I need to refocus my efforts on increasing my gospel knowledge and living gospel principles more fully in my life.

“One of the most effective but sometimes difficult gospel principles to apply is humility and submission to the will of God. In Christ’s prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, He expressed to the Father, “Not my will, but thine, be done.”⁸ This should be our prayer as well. Oftentimes, it is in these quiet, prayerful moments that we feel encircled in Heavenly Father’s love and those joyful, loving feelings are restored.”

I think what she’s saying is to take time to focus on the Savior specifically. Ask God for help. Try to center your life around your relationship with God.

Questions to ponder/discuss:

1. When have I felt ashamed? When have I not felt ashamed?
2. How can I focus more on the Savior specifically and His pure gospel?
3. What is it about the gospel of Christ that brings me joy, personally? 

Segment 2:

In the Segment 1, we focused mainly on the beginning of that verse (not being ashamed). But it’s important to note that that scripture had talked about the “power of God unto salvation.” In this segment, we’ll discuss how that power works. We receive His power through His grace:

Romans 3: 23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; 24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus

In the October 2018 General Conference, Michelle D. Craig (then first counselor of the General YW Presidency) said,

“Of course, all of us will fall short of our divine potential, and there is some truth in the realization that alone we are not enough. But the good news of the gospel is that with the grace of God, we are enough. With Christ’s help, we can do all things. The scriptures promise that we will ‘find grace to help in time of need.’”

Questions to ponder/discuss:

1. When have I felt Christ’s grace helping me?
2. How can I allow Christ’s grace to help me in this life?
3. How can I allow Christ’s grace to help me beyond death?
4. What does Christ’s grace feel like to me?

Segment 3:

In the first two verses of Chapter 5, we learn some valuable lessons about the nature of Christ.

First, Christ is a peacemaker – not just for those he walked with – but for us.

Romans 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

And next, We have access to Christ’s grace wherein we stand. That means today. Not some distant after-death thing. But we can feel his grace today

Romans 5:2 By whom also we have access by ^afaith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

The current Young Women General President, Emily Belle Freeman, wrote in a blogpost on LDS Living in 2020 about this concept. She said,

 “He can fill your hungry soul. He can help you to discover joy. He will meet you in your emptiness, your wandering, your dark places, there in your aching, and He will bring grace even if you don’t know how it’s done. You don’t have to have a complete understanding for His grace to begin its work in you. The Lord will meet us in our ordinary places.”

Questions to ponder/discuss:

1. How has the Lord met you in your ordinary places? When have you felt His grace?
2. What are some places that you want Him to meet you but maybe you haven’t felt Him there yet? How can you invite Him to meet you there?
3. How can the Lord help you discover joy today? This week? This year? How can you invite Him to help you discover this joy?

Segment 4:

Let’s talk about learning from our hardships

Romans 5:3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; 4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope: 5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

In the same talk we discussed in Segment 2, Michelle D. Craig discussed a similar idea to that of Paul’s from these scriptures in Romans. Michelle D. Craig said: 

“The surprising truth is that our weaknesses can be a blessing when they humble us and turn us to Christ. Discontent becomes divine when we humbly approach Jesus Christ with our want, rather than hold back in self-pity.

“In fact, Jesus’s miracles often begin with a recognition of want, need, failure, or inadequacy. Remember the loaves and the fishes? Each of the Gospel writers tells how Jesus miraculously fed the thousands who followed Him. But the story begins with the disciples’ recognition of their lack; they realized they had only “five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?” The disciples were right: they didn’t have enough food, but they gave what they had to Jesus, and then He provided the miracle.

“Have you ever felt your talents and gifts were too small for the task ahead? I have. But you and I can give what we have to Christ, and He will multiply our efforts. What you have to offer is more than enough—even with your human frailties and weaknesses—if you rely on the grace of God.”

Questions to discuss/ponder:

1. Paul said that we glory in tribulations. Michelle D. Craig said that our weaknesses can become strong if we rely on the grace of God. How do these two ideas fit together?
2. When have you seen your weaknesses become strengths? Or when have you been able to glory in tribulations?
3. It is often easy to think about these things after the tribulation is over. What about during? How do you feel God’s grace during the tribulation?

Segment 5:

Christ died for us while we were still sinners. He had to have faith in us that we would be willing to accept his Atonement.

Romans 5:6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. 8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Christian blogger Kristin from “Raising Everyday Disciples” shared her love for the Savior and joy this concept brings to her. She said,

“The truth that even while I was still a sinner, God showed His love for me by sending Christ to die for my sin draws my heart to repentance. How could God be so good to me? My heart rejoices in not only the forgiveness and life through Christ for today but also for the hope of an eternity worshiping Him without the distraction of my sin and struggles.”

Questions to discuss/ponder:

1. How can knowing that Christ died for us while we were still sinners draw our hearts to repentance?
2. How does this show/testify of God’s unconditional love for us?
3. While we won’t need to die for others’ sins, Christ’s example of pure love for us regardless of our choices does show an amazing example of how we can love others completely. How can we follow Christ’s example in our relationships with our loved ones?

Segment 6:

Sometimes our conversations focus so heavily on the afterlife. Like, “Follow the Savior now because you’ll be happy in eternity.” That’s great and all, but feels way too abstract for me to think that far in advance to something that I really won’t ever fully understand until I’m there. 

However, what I can more easily find meaningful is understanding how Christ’s love/support can help me in my life now. We can find joy in Him today and He allows us to live life more fully when He takes away our sins today. 

Romans 5:11 And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.

Romans 6:11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. 12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.

Sister J. Anette Dennis, current first counselor in the General Relief Society presidency gave a talk in October 2022 General Conference where she advocated for following Christ’s example and love others wholeheartedly without judgment. In doing so, she suggests we will find full joy from Christ. She said,

“His love will flow through us and make all that He asks not only possible but eventually much easier and lighter and more joyful than we could ever imagine.”

Questions to discuss/ponder:

1. How have you felt Christ’s love bring you joy?
2. How has Christ made things easier and lighter?
3. How does following Christ’s example bring this joy and ease and lightness?