Talks
Quotes
Scriptures are simple enough for children to understand, but complex enough for prophets to ponder.
Scriptures are like a stop sign. Reading it is not enough. Reading it and understanding it is also insufficient. It does us absolutely no good unless we actually do what it says. Just as failure to heed the stop sign can cause temporal death, a spiritual death occurs if we fail to heed the teachings of the scriptures. – Shannon Williams
When I drink from a spring, I love to get the water from where it comes out of the ground, not down the stream after the cattle have waded in it…….I appreciate other people’s interpretation, but when it comes to the gospel, we ought to be acquainted with what the Lord says. (Romney as quoted by JJ Christensen “To Grow more in Spirit”)
Christ as a child read from the Old Testament. He was taught by Jewish elders. He was actually reading the words He wrote. Did he know he was the Messiah?
Revelations in the Doctrine and Covenants were received 1) in answer to prayer 2) in times of need and 3) came out of real-life situations involving real-life people.
Ten great people discuss one great book – The Bible
George Washington: It is impossible to rightly govern without God and the Bible
Napolean: The Bible is a living creature with the power that conquers all that oppose it.
Queen Victoria: That book accounts for the supremacy of England.
Charles Dickens: The New Testament is the very best book that ever was or ever will beknown in the world.
Lord Tennyson: Bible reading is an education in itself.
Andrew Jackson: The Bible is the Rock on which our republic rests.
Patrick Henry: The Bible is worth all the other books that have ever been written.
Daniel Webster: If there be anything in my style to commend, credit is due to an early love of scriptures.
Theodore Roosevelt: A thorough knowledge of the Bible is better than a college education.
Become addicted to the Book of Mormon. Read until you have withdrawals.
“I am one of his witnesses, and in a coming day I shall feel the nail marks in his feet and in his hands and shall wet his feet with my tears. But I shall not know any better then, than I know now, that he is God’s Almighty Son, that he is our Savior and Redeemer, and that salvation comes in and through his atoning blood and in no other way.” Bruce R. McConkie April, 1985
How did Bruce R. McConkie get his testimony? Think of the hours he must have spent studying the scriptures in order to put together the topical guide and footnotes.
The Book of Mormon isn’t on trial – you are.
In the Book of Mormon Index there are 53 references to the word “remember.” We don’t need new information. We just need to remember what we already know. It’s the reason we read the scriptures. It’s the reason we go to church. It’s the reason we take the sacrament, “in remembrance.”
Have you noticed that in the scriptures it rarely if ever says, “Read your scriptures.” It always says something like “search, ponder and pray” or “feast upon the words of Christ” which is a totally different experience. It requires much more interest and intensity on our part and brings a much greater reward.
Reading the scriptures helps us spiritually prepare in three ways. First of all, that which we usually seek during trials is an answer to our prayers. So often, these answers can be found in the scriptures. We need to recognize that the reason the Lord had the prophets take the time to write down their experiences is that so many experiences are universal and can have application to many different individuals. Perhaps, sometimes we don’t receive an answer to our prayers because the Lord has already answered us – but perhaps we are just too lazy to do our part and look for it in the scriptures.
The second reason scriptures help us is that the spirit testifies of truth. The scriptures are nothing but pure truth. Each time we read them, the spirit will testify of their truthfulness and will remain with us until we do something to offend it. By reading our scriptures, we can have the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost, which will allow the Lord to answer our prayers through inspiration.
Finally, reading about the Savior’s life in the scriptures will help us come to know him, which will ultimately increase our faith and trust in him.- Shannon Williams
Blessings that come from reading the Book of Mormon
- Resist temptation
- Nearer to God
- Receive heaven’s help
- Overcome doubt and fear
- Faith, hope and charity abound in your home
- Righteousness will increase
- Spirit will be with you
- Spirit of reverence will increase
- Life in greater abundance
- Mutual respect and love
- Spiritual and intellectual unity to life
- Hear voice of the spirit and added measure to it
- Children will respect counsel – parents will be able to give inspired counsel.
After we read and study, perhaps the most important part is to ponder – to just stop and think about what we read and what it means in our lives. President Benson has said, “The reason we must make the Book of Mormon a center focus of study is that is was written for our day. The Nephites never had the book; neither did the Lamanites of ancient times. It was meant for us. Mormon said, “Behold I speak unto you as if ye were present, and yet are not. But behold, Jesus Christ hath shown you unto me, and I know your doing.” If they saw our day and chose those things which would be of greatest worth to us, is not that how we should study the Book of Mormon? We should constantly ask ourselves, “Why did the Lord inspire Mormon (or Moroni or Alma) to include that in his record? What lesson can I learn from that to help me live in this day and age?”
I’d like to leave each of you with a challenge. Each time you get into your vehicle and look at the gas gauge, stop and ask yourself “How full is my spiritual tank?” Take a moment to assess your spiritual strength. And each time you sit down to eat a meal, just quickly ask yourself “Have I fed my spirit today? – Shannon Williams
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