68- 5/27/24 Book of Mormon
68- 5/27/24
Here we are at the end of May already. I know the kids are super excited for Summer. We are all counting down the days for Elder Miller to come home!
I was studying a talk from this past conference by President Pace the General Sunday School President - It is Wisdom in the Lord That We Should Have the Book of Mormon
I thought I would share a few highlights that I took away from his message that have strengthened my resolve to study the Book of Mormon everyday.
- Reading the Savior’s teachings in the scriptures helps us transform our homes into sanctuaries of faith and centers of gospel learning. It invites the Spirit into our homes.
- When people stop heeding the words of the prophets they distance themselves from the Lord and His gospel
- Heeding means to pay attention to or take notice. Obviously we all believe in living prophets, and have a testimony that President Nelson is the Lord’s mouthpiece today. We listen to his inspired counsel, but do we “pay attention”? None of us actively are going to disagree with his words, but are we heeding them?
- This thought reminded me of a talk given by Elder Bednar who was quoting Elder Holland.
“While I was serving as the president of Brigham Young University–Idaho, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland came to the campus in December 1998 to speak in one of our weekly devotionals. Susan and I invited a group of students to meet and visit with Elder Holland before he delivered his message. As our time together was drawing to a close, I asked Elder Holland, “If you could teach these students just one thing, what would it be?”
He answered:
“We are witnessing an ever greater movement toward polarity. The middle-ground options will be removed from us as Latter-day Saints. The middle of the road will be withdrawn.
“If you are treading water in the current of a river, you will go somewhere. You simply will go wherever the current takes you. Going with the stream, following the tide, drifting in the current will not do.
“Choices have to be made. Not making a choice is a choice. Learn to choose now.”
- We need to be mindful and careful to avoid a personal apostasy (that can be caused by a host of things like busy lives, apathy, or just our priorities being out of line) —remembering, as President Russell M. Nelson has taught, “We are each responsible for our individual spiritual growth.”
- We don’t always need to learn some new fact (when we study or read the scriptures). Sometimes reading the Book of Mormon is just about feeling connected to God today—nourishing the soul, being strengthened spiritually before heading out to face the world, or finding healing after a rough day out in the world.
I love this quote he shared from the Book of Mormon:
…it was wisdom in the Lord that we should carry them (the plates of Brass) with us, as we journeyed in the wilderness towards the land of promise.” This is where we are all striving to go, “to the land of promise”, and it is wisdom in God for our day to have the Book of Mormon to carry with us as we journey through this life and all of its challenges and opportunities.
We have heard it many times, and if you are like me you have recommitted many times. If we need to recommit again today to these specific words from our prophet then let’s get it done.
President Russell M. Nelson
“I promise,” he said, “that as you prayerfully study the Book of Mormon every day, you will make better decisions—every day. I promise that as you ponder what you study, the windows of heaven will open, and you will receive answers to your own questions and direction for your own life.”
Invitation: Let each of us prayerfully look for the promised blessings of reading the Book of Mormon each and every day. These promises come to us directly from the Lord through His mouthpiece. Let us take Him at His word!
Love you,
Dad
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