The November 2025 Come Follow Me Ministering Printable ties together Elder Kevin G. Brown’s October 2025 General Conference talk, “Eternal Gift of Testimony” and the November 2025 “Come, Follow Me” message on Doctrine and Covenants 135.
November 2025 Ministering Printable (4×6)
You can print these printables as 4×6 photo prints. They are also a higher resolution if you want to enlarge them. Made from Poster, Oxhey Woods, London Underground (1915), by Edward McKnight Kauffer.
November 2025 Come Follow Me Ministering Message
Doctrine and Covenants 135 – Eternal Testimony and the Lesson of the Green Tree
If you have ever built a camp fire, you know that you need dry firewood. When the wood is dry, it catches fire quickly. But if the wood is green and still has a lot of moisture, it is very hard to get it to burn. You might singe the bark a little, but to burn you need enough heat to dry out the wood.
This same imagery appears in the scriptures, both in the events leading up to Christ’s crucifixion and later in the martyrdom of Joseph Smith.
Christ’s Crucifixion
On the way to His crucifixion, a large crowd followed Christ, including women who wept and mourned for Him. But Jesus told them not to weep for Him, but for themselves and their children. A time would come, He warned, when they would wish they had never borne children and would cry for the mountains to fall upon them and hide them.
He then added, “For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry tree? This he spake, signifying the scattering of Israel, and the desolation of the heathen, or in other words, the Gentiles.” (JST Luke 23:31–32)
That is to say, if the wicked will crucify a sinless Savior when he is actively ministering among the people, it will get worse once they reject the Savior and grow more and more wicked. If even Christ (the green tree) suffered, what will happen when judgment comes upon those who are guilty (dry trees)?
The imagery is more striking when you consider that in Greek the word ξύλον (xylon) means either wood or tree depending on the context. Christ (the green tree) spoke these words as He walked alongside Simon who was carrying the cross (dry wood). Even though Christ’s warning to the women was that things would get worse, there is also the message of hope. Ultimately, Christ “the green tree” would triumph over the cross.
Martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith
The green tree imagery also appears in Doctrine and Covenants 135:6, in the announcement of the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith.
“If the fire can scathe a green tree for the glory of God, how easy it will burn up the dry trees to purify the vineyard of corruption.”
Here the green tree refers to Joseph and Hyrum. They become a type for Christ’s martyrdom, and like Christ, they were innocent of any crime. In this verse, there is also a warning. If the fire is hot enough to singe the green wood, imagine what it will do to the dry wood. But there is also hope—the fire has a purpose. The trials they are passing through are for the glory of God and are purifying the vineyard.
Joseph Smith’s Connection to the Green Tree
We can better understand Joseph Smith’s connection to the “green tree” by first looking at how trees and vines symbolize Christ and our relationship with Him. For example, in John 15, Christ is referred to as the “true vine” and we are the branches. If we stay connected to the vine, we will bear good fruit. But if we don’t stay connected to the tree, we can’t bear fruit and will wither and die. Without Christ, we can do nothing. Branches that are separated from the vine will be cast into the fire to be burned.
However, in Isaiah 11:1-2, Isaiah talks about a very particular branch or rod.
“And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord;”
We learn in Doctrine and Covenants 113:3-6 that Christ is the stem and the rod that comes from the stem is “a servant in the hands of Christ” who will help the Lord restore His work in the last days. Latter-day prophets have identified this servant as Joseph Smith.
Joseph Smith is a green tree because he grows from the stem, he grows from the original green tree. Joseph is connected to Christ and is only able to perform God’s work through Christ. Without that connection, he is dry wood. Whether Joseph’s works bear fruit and whether he is protected, depends on his connection to the true vine, stem, or green tree.
Trials and Protection
Just as Joseph’s strength and protection came from his connection to Christ, the same principle applies to us. The ‘lesson of the green tree’ shows how staying rooted in Christ gives us strength through trials and protection from spiritual fire.
Trials
First, the Lord will purify His vineyard. The resulting challenges affect everyone, both the righteous and the unrighteous. Not even Jesus Christ was left untouched. When things get hard, it is not a sign of failure, it is a sign of the times.
When Joseph Smith was killed and the Saints faced persecution, some saw that as a reason to doubt their testimonies. But Elder Kevin G. Brown explained to us in his General Conference talk, “Eternal Gift of Testimony,” that a testimony is eternal, it does not change when the world does.
He shared, “Brothers and sisters, a testimony is not given for temporary use. This gift from our loving Heavenly Father is meant to be eternal because the giver is eternal. A testimony should not have an expiration date. It should not weaken or diminish because something in my life has changed or something in the world has changed.”
When we see our testimony through the world, we will assume that trials are reasons to disbelieve. But when we see the world through our testimonies, we will more clearly see God’s blessings and purposes.
Protection
Second, the fire will scathe us all, but we find protection by staying connected to the green tree. Just as moisture-filled wood resists burning, Christ’s “living water” fills us and keeps us safe.
In his talk, Elder Brown promised us that, “your testimony will be a ‘well of living water, springing up unto everlasting life.’ It will be an anchor and a motivator, and it will sustain you through difficult times. It will enable you to develop spiritual gifts. It will help you in your personal ministry and service. It will be a weapon against Satan and your adversaries.”
The lesson of the green tree is about staying connected to Christ. He is the source of all life. He is the true vine and the green tree. Joseph Smith drew his strength from that same source, and because of it, he was able to stand firm even in the fire. The same is true for us. When we stay rooted in Christ and filled with His living water, the trials around us may scorch us, but they can’t destroy us. Just as Christ, the green tree, triumphed over the cross, it is through Christ that we will also triumph over death and sin.
November 2025 Come Follow Me Ministering Handout
For the November 2025 Come Follow Me Ministering handout, I decided to use these cute rustic wood place card holders. They fit perfect with the tree imagery. I minister to some people who like healthier treats, so I used these clear plastic party favor boxes and stuffed them with smokehouse almonds. I figured they would be a good break from all the Halloween candy!
Did you like this October 2025 Come Follow Me Ministering message? Find more Relief Society Ministering Printables for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
These ministering printables are a great way to help families incorporate the “Come, Follow Me” lessons into their own study. They are also perfect for Young Women’s, Relief Society, Sunday School, or Family Home Evening. I hope that these ministering printables will be a simple way to reach out to those we minister to.
