This week’s Come, Follow Me study guide features Joshua 1-8 and 23-24, which contain the Lord’s commandment to “be strong and courageous” (Joshua 1:6).
Below are quotes from past and present leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints regarding these chapters of the Bible.
Joshua 1
“Therefore, my dear listeners, wherever this message reaches you, I say to you, as Jehovah said to Joshua, “Be strong and courageous.” (Joshua 1:6) Be strong and be as prepared as you can be, be prepared to be a good husband and father, be prepared to be a good and productive citizen, and wherever you are, your Heavenly Father cares for you. You are not alone.
— President D. Todd Christofferson, then a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, October 2012 general conference, “Brethren, we have work to do.”
“When we hear stories of the mighty servants of God who came before us, like Moses, Mary, Moroni, Alma, Esther, Joseph, and many others, they seem like larger-than-life men. But they are not that different from us. They were ordinary people who faced hardship. They trusted the Lord and made the right choice at a critical moment. And by faith in Jesus Christ, they performed the necessary work of their time.
“Consider Joshua, the hero of the Old Testament. He was a devoted follower of Moses, one of the greatest leaders in history. After Moses left, it was the time of Joshua, who was to lead the children of Israel into the Promised Land. How could he do that? Joshua was born and raised in slavery in Egypt. He didn’t have any handbooks or instructional videos to help him. But he had a promise from the Lord.
“‘As I was with Moses, so am I with you; I will not leave you nor forsake you.
“‘Be strong and courageous’ (Joshua 1:5-6).”
―Elder S. Gifford Nielsen, then a General Authority Seventy, April 2021 General Conference “Now is Our Time!”
“Have you ever felt afraid or discouraged when faced with a challenge that seemed far beyond your capabilities? Have you ever felt like giving up?
“How did Joshua, the successor of the great prophet Moses, feel when he learned that he was to lead the children of Israel into the Promised Land? I’m sure there were times when he wanted to give up, but the Lord is strong and courageous. He comforted Joshua by reminding him three times (see Joshua 1:6-9). In faith that God was with them, the children of Israel resolved, “Everything you command us we will do” (Joshua). 1:16).
“The scriptures are full of accounts of men and women who showed great courage to do whatever the Lord commanded, even when it seemed impossible, even when they wanted to give up.”
―Sister Mary N. Cook, then the first counselor in the Young Women general presidency, April 2010 general conference, “Never, Never, Never Give Up!”
“Joshua was an influential leader. The Bible Dictionary calls him ‘the highest type of godly warrior’ and indicates that his name means ‘God is help’ (Biblical Dictionary ‘Joshua’). His inspired leadership was greatly needed as there were still many rivers to be crossed and battles to be won before all that the Lord had promised to the children of Israel could be fulfilled and obtained.”
“The Lord knew that the prophet Joshua and the children of Israel would need great courage during this time. In the first chapter of the book of Joshua, the Lord repeatedly told Joshua, ‘Be strong and have good courage’ (Joshua 1:9). The word courage is defined as ‘mental or moral strength to endure and endure danger, fear, or hardship’ (Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary, 11th edition) (2003), “Courage”) Through courage and obedience, Joshua and the children of Israel were able to enter the Promised Land and find happiness in the blessings of the Lord.
— Sister Ann M. Dibb, then second counselor in the Young Women general presidency, April 2010 general conference, “Be of Courage.”
Joshua 3
“You are not alone. You may be the only Latter-day Saint in your school, your friend group, or even your family, but you are not alone. You can rely on the Lord’s strength. As Joshua said to the Israelites, ‘Sanctify yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will perform miracles among you.'” (Joshua) This is Joshua’s call to return to virtue, and it is the same call for us today. We simply cannot do the work for which we are reserved and ready unless we have access to the strength and confidence that comes from living a virtuous life. ”
—Sister Elaine S. Dalton, then Young Women general president, April 2010 general conference, “Remember Who You Are!”
“My call to you tonight is like the call that Joshua gave to earlier generations of priesthood holders, young men and not-so-young people who needed to perform miracles in their day. To those who needed to carry out ancient Israel’s most terrifying task: reclaiming and reclaiming the old Promised Land, Joshua said, ‘Sanctify yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will perform miracles among you’ (Joshua 3:5).
“Young men, if you have not already learned, you will learn that even in scary and dangerous times, your faith and your priesthood demand what is best for you and the best that heaven can call to you. Although we do not use the priesthood in exactly the same way that the elders used it, all priesthood holders must be instruments in God’s hands. To do this, you must, as Joshua said, ‘sanctify’ yourselves. You must be ready and worthy of action. ”
— Late President Jeffrey R. Holland (then a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles), October 2000 general conference, “‘Sanctify Yourself’”
“According to the record, the tribes of Israel moved to the Jordan River and camped there for three days, preparing to cross at a point near the city of Jericho. Then Joshua gave this interesting advice to the people: He said, ‘Sanctify yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will perform miracles among you’ (Joshua 3:5).
“Joshua knew that the victory that was sure to come depended on their will to do the will of the Lord. Then the Lord said to him, ‘Today I will begin to praise you before all Israel, so that they may know that as I was with Moses, so am I with you'” (Joshua 3:7).
“Just as Moses was the leader of Israel, Joshua knew that the miracles of the Lord would continue. And when the feet of the priests who carried the Ark of the Covenant in the presence of the people touched the water of the Jordan River, the water dried up. ‘And all the Israelites crossed over on dry land’ (Joshua 3:17).”
— Late President Howard W. Hunter, then a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, October 1982 general conference, “A Commitment to God.”
Joshua 4
“After the Israelites had crossed the dry riverbed, the Lord commanded Joshua to select twelve men, one from each tribe, and to take on their shoulders twelve stones that they had picked up from the Jordan River and place them where they would camp for the night.Then he added, “This is to be a sign for your children in the future when they will ask their fathers, “What do you mean by these stones?”
“‘Then answer ye, ‘The waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord; and when it passed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off; and these stones shall be an everlasting memorial to the children of Israel'” (Joshua 4:6-7).
“Since the beginning of time, fathers have left monuments to their children, and children have raised monuments to their fathers. … These serve to unite generation after generation and preserve the long and uninterrupted preservation of the important events that are our common heritage. The passage of time and the growth of our institutions often separate us from one another. It tends not only to separate us, but also to separate us from our common purpose. Throughout history, we have been commanded to erect monuments, hold Passovers, and convene general conferences to preserve the power of our united faith and the commandments of God to accomplish our eternal and abiding goals.”
—The late President Howard W. Hunter, then a member of the Council of the Twelve Apostles, April 1976 general conference, “That We Can Be One.”
Joshua 7
“After the Children of Israel crossed the Jordan River and Jericho was destroyed, they confronted the city of Ai. Ai was a smaller city than Jericho and had a smaller garrison, and Joshua intended to conquer it with only 3,000 men. But the men of Ai defeated the Israelites and routed them. Joshua fell down before the Lord and asked the reason for their defeat. And there was an answer, and a lesson.”
“When Jericho was destroyed, the Lord forbade them to take away the precious possessions that were there. But one man, Achan, grabbed some of the spoils and tried to hide them. ‘When I saw (them),’ he said, And he said, “I coveted them, and I took them; and, behold, they are hidden in the ground in the midst of my tent.” (Joshua 7:21) The Lord commanded them to be destroyed, and Achan was stoned to death.
“It may seem difficult to understand how one man’s dishonesty had such a widespread effect as to cause the defeat of the Israelite army and the deaths of 36 people. Elder James E. Talmage said: ‘The law of righteousness was broken, and a curse was brought into the camp of the covenant people. This violation prevented resistance to the flow of divine help, and power was not renewed until the people sanctified themselves.” (Articles of Faith, No. 12) (1924), 105; see also Joshua 7:10-13).
“When a person violates one of God’s commandments and does not repent, the Lord withdraws his protective and sustaining influence. When we lose power over God, we become convinced that the problem is not in God but in ourselves.”
—The late Elder Ray H. Wood, then a General Authority Seventy, April 1999 general conference, “‘Made in the Image of a Son of God’”
Joshua Chapter 24
“‘No unclean hand can stop the progress of the work’ (Teachings: Joseph Smith, 444). ‘Choose today whom you will serve’ (Joshua 24:15), for the work will go on triumphantly without you or me” (Joshua 24:15). Don’t be fooled or intimidated by the loud noises of the enemy, their desperate decibels have a silent effect on broken hearts and repentant spirits.
— Elder Jorg Klevingat, General Authority Seventy, April 2022 General Conference, “Vourageous Discipleship in the Latter Days”
“Every day, consciously or not, we all choose who we will serve (Joshua 24:15). We demonstrate our commitment to serve the Lord by being faithful in daily acts of devotion. The Lord promises to direct our path, but for Him to do so, we must walk trusting that He knows the way, for He is the Way (John 14:6). We must fill our water jars to the brim. If we follow Him, our lives will turn from water to wine and become better than ever.”
— Elder L. Whitney Creighton, then a General Authority Seventy, April 2017 general conference, “Whatever the Lord tells you, do it.”
“One of the great heroes of the Old Testament was the prophet and warrior Joshua, who extended this invitation to the children of Israel whom he led: “Choose today whom you will serve…But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” ” (Joshua 24:15). For Joshua and all of us, conversion to gospel principles comes by being faithful to the principles of the gospel and our covenants with the Lord.
“[Joshua]was not only converted himself, but worked tirelessly to the end of his life to lead the children of Israel to God. The Old Testament says, “And Israel served the Lord all the days of Joshua” (Joshua 24:31). Those who experience true conversion receive the salvation of their own souls through the power of the Atonement, and then go on to exert a powerful influence on all who know them.”
— Sister Bonnie L. Oscarson, then Young Women general president, October 2013 general conference “Be Converted”
