Scripture Reading
Scripture reading + late, late at night + my really smart husband = the best learning experience of the Book of Mormon in my whole life.
It never ceases to amaze me that I can pick up a book I've read and studied a gazillion times and learn something new. All it takes is a willingness on my part. If I roll over onto my stomach and let out a long, loud groan and hurl my arm over the side of the bed and feel for my scriptures only to read a quick chapter before plopping them back down on the floor, I never learn anything.
But if I take the time to let the Lord know I'm truly interested in learning and growing by taking my time and really thinking about what I read, He never hesitates to teach me mounds and mounds of information until I think my head might actually be bigger in circumference.
Take last night for example. Chuck was getting ready for bed (you know, brushing his pearly whites, washing his oh-so-handsome face...) and I decided to do my personal scripture reading while waiting. I don't think I had my scriptures open for 34 seconds before I was flipping pages and diving into the Topical Guide and researching the Bible Dictionary-- trying to piece together the pieces that I've never even taken thought of before.
I read the final testimony of Nephi, and then noticed that the next book, Jacob, was written by Nephi's brother. Then Jacob had a son, Enos, who wrote the next book. It goes on and on until Mosiah.
"Uhh... Chuck? Who wrote the book of Mosiah? Mosiah?"
He turned and looked at me with a quizzical look and a mouth full of toothpaste. After finishing, he sat down on the bed and whipped out his handy dandy Droid (it's never too far away, see). He began researching my question via the 3G world and pretty soon we were up to our eyeballs in questions and answers.
It was the most amazing feeling ever to have "ah HA!" moments while reading the word of God. The puzzle pieces fit perfectly into place in my mind and I had a deeper understanding that the men who wrote and preserved the scriptures were REAL. They were real people. The stories in the Bible and the Book of Mormon are not fictional fantasies to inspire us humans or petrify us into behaving. They were real events!
Nephi really did sail to the Western Hemisphere. And Moroni really did live to see the entire Nephite civilization crumble to the ground through wickedness. Jesus really did walk the earth, and He really did heal the sick and raise the dead. He really did pay for our sins, imperfections, sorrows, and pains in the Garden of Gethsemane with His own perfect blood. And he really was crucified and he really did rise triumphant from the tomb. He really did appear to the "other sheep" in America as a resurrected being. I KNOW these things are true. Just as I know Joseph Smith was prophet and he ushered in the restoration of the gospel in these latter days. The gospel is never again to be taken from the earth... and what a beautiful, comforting promise that is!
But let me ask you this: how easy is it to do as I often did-- grumble about having to fulfill the obligation to read scriptures or kneel in prayer? How often do we forget just what we're doing there?
Uh, HELLO! hahahaha!
We are reading a sacred book that has been preserved at much cost and much sacrifice so that it can be restored in our day. It was SOOOO important to the prophets of old not because they (or their people) were going to learn from its words, but because they knew WE would. Right now. All over the world. We each need to learn from the Book of Mormon, and there is SOOO much to learn! Let's get crackin'!
And praying... who would ever roll their eyes because they had the opportunity to converse with their Father in Heaven?-- The infinite being who gave them life, created the world, and instituted the Plan of Salvation that we may live forever in Their presence? I'll tell you who! People, just like me, who take it for granted. People who forget the infinite importance of such a blessing and what a special opportunity it is to have the freedom to exercise it.
I'm going to work hard to keep the scriptures alive and my respect for prayer in the forefront of my mind. It's too important to let get overshadowed by cooking dinner or vacuuming the carpet or running errands! In fact, I figured out this cool way to keep my mind focused on spiritual things while still being able to keep busy with the tasks of the day. Not to mention this trick works great at inviting the Holy Ghost into the house to uplift, strengthen, comfort, and make everyone who enters feel welcome. =)
What I do is I go to www.lds.org/broadcast and click on "General Conference Archives" on the left. After selecting my language, I scroll through the various talks from our wonderful General Authorities and crank it up so I can hear their words over the sizzle of dinner on the stove or the running water in the sink. I prepare dinner or clean the house while listening to the Prophet, and it is so amazing! I love what it does to my mood (and attitude) and how it keeps me calm despite stress. I encourage you to try this cool trick or any other you can think of! Anything that invites the Spirit to take up residence in your home is well worth the effort!!
It never ceases to amaze me that I can pick up a book I've read and studied a gazillion times and learn something new. All it takes is a willingness on my part. If I roll over onto my stomach and let out a long, loud groan and hurl my arm over the side of the bed and feel for my scriptures only to read a quick chapter before plopping them back down on the floor, I never learn anything.
But if I take the time to let the Lord know I'm truly interested in learning and growing by taking my time and really thinking about what I read, He never hesitates to teach me mounds and mounds of information until I think my head might actually be bigger in circumference.
Take last night for example. Chuck was getting ready for bed (you know, brushing his pearly whites, washing his oh-so-handsome face...) and I decided to do my personal scripture reading while waiting. I don't think I had my scriptures open for 34 seconds before I was flipping pages and diving into the Topical Guide and researching the Bible Dictionary-- trying to piece together the pieces that I've never even taken thought of before.
I read the final testimony of Nephi, and then noticed that the next book, Jacob, was written by Nephi's brother. Then Jacob had a son, Enos, who wrote the next book. It goes on and on until Mosiah.
"Uhh... Chuck? Who wrote the book of Mosiah? Mosiah?"
He turned and looked at me with a quizzical look and a mouth full of toothpaste. After finishing, he sat down on the bed and whipped out his handy dandy Droid (it's never too far away, see). He began researching my question via the 3G world and pretty soon we were up to our eyeballs in questions and answers.
It was the most amazing feeling ever to have "ah HA!" moments while reading the word of God. The puzzle pieces fit perfectly into place in my mind and I had a deeper understanding that the men who wrote and preserved the scriptures were REAL. They were real people. The stories in the Bible and the Book of Mormon are not fictional fantasies to inspire us humans or petrify us into behaving. They were real events!
Nephi really did sail to the Western Hemisphere. And Moroni really did live to see the entire Nephite civilization crumble to the ground through wickedness. Jesus really did walk the earth, and He really did heal the sick and raise the dead. He really did pay for our sins, imperfections, sorrows, and pains in the Garden of Gethsemane with His own perfect blood. And he really was crucified and he really did rise triumphant from the tomb. He really did appear to the "other sheep" in America as a resurrected being. I KNOW these things are true. Just as I know Joseph Smith was prophet and he ushered in the restoration of the gospel in these latter days. The gospel is never again to be taken from the earth... and what a beautiful, comforting promise that is!
But let me ask you this: how easy is it to do as I often did-- grumble about having to fulfill the obligation to read scriptures or kneel in prayer? How often do we forget just what we're doing there?
Uh, HELLO! hahahaha!
We are reading a sacred book that has been preserved at much cost and much sacrifice so that it can be restored in our day. It was SOOOO important to the prophets of old not because they (or their people) were going to learn from its words, but because they knew WE would. Right now. All over the world. We each need to learn from the Book of Mormon, and there is SOOO much to learn! Let's get crackin'!
And praying... who would ever roll their eyes because they had the opportunity to converse with their Father in Heaven?-- The infinite being who gave them life, created the world, and instituted the Plan of Salvation that we may live forever in Their presence? I'll tell you who! People, just like me, who take it for granted. People who forget the infinite importance of such a blessing and what a special opportunity it is to have the freedom to exercise it.
I'm going to work hard to keep the scriptures alive and my respect for prayer in the forefront of my mind. It's too important to let get overshadowed by cooking dinner or vacuuming the carpet or running errands! In fact, I figured out this cool way to keep my mind focused on spiritual things while still being able to keep busy with the tasks of the day. Not to mention this trick works great at inviting the Holy Ghost into the house to uplift, strengthen, comfort, and make everyone who enters feel welcome. =)
What I do is I go to www.lds.org/broadcast and click on "General Conference Archives" on the left. After selecting my language, I scroll through the various talks from our wonderful General Authorities and crank it up so I can hear their words over the sizzle of dinner on the stove or the running water in the sink. I prepare dinner or clean the house while listening to the Prophet, and it is so amazing! I love what it does to my mood (and attitude) and how it keeps me calm despite stress. I encourage you to try this cool trick or any other you can think of! Anything that invites the Spirit to take up residence in your home is well worth the effort!!
Last night was definitely a fun experience. Lots of questions and lots of answers! I'm glad you were as inquisitive as you were last night, even despite the sleep deprivation I was sure to experience. It made my night, for sure! Love you, babe!
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