Excuses
I can't find time!
“Don’t yield to Satan’s lie that you don’t have time to study the scriptures.
Choose to take time to study them.
Feasting on the word of God each day is more important than sleep, school, work, television shows, video games, or social media.
You may need to reorganize your priorities to provide time for the study of the word of God. If so, do it!”
Elder Richard G. Scott (1928–2015) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Make the Exercise of Faith Your First Priority, Oct 2014
Gratitude and a Question
“Daily kneel and thank your Heavenly Father for the scriptures.
Tell Him the one question you most need to have answered that day.
Plead to have the Holy Ghost with you as you read.
Then open your scriptures anywhere,
and read until you find the answer.
Try it for 30 days and see what happens.”
Wendy Watson Nelson, Becoming the Person You Were Born to Be, Worldwide Devotional for Young Adults, January 2016, Brigham Young University–Hawaii
“Do you love the Lord? Spend time with Him. Meditate on His words.
Take His yoke upon you. Seek to understand and obey.”
Joseph B. Wirthlin, The Great Commandment, Oct 2007
What specific aspects of the Savior might we consider as we follow this counsel?
"We gained a deeper appreciation for who [Jesus] was and what was important to Him [as] we considered:
how He taught, what He taught,
the ways He showed love,
what He did to bless and serve,
His miracles, His parables,
how He responded to betrayal,
what He did with difficult human emotions,
His titles and names,
how He listened,
how He resolved conflict,
the world He lived in,
how He encouraged unity and kindness,
His capacity to forgive and to heal,
His sermons, His prayers, His gospel,
His atoning sacrifice, His Resurrection"
Elder James W. McConkie III of the Seventy, And They Sought to See Jesus Who He Was, October 2022
3 ways to obtain living water from the scriptural reservoir
(1) reading scriptures from beginning to end,
(2) studying the scriptures by topic, and
(3) searching the scriptures for connections, patterns, and themes.
"In my judgment, diligently searching to discover connections, patterns, and themes is in part what it means to “feast” upon the words of Christ.
This approach can...produce a depth of gratitude for the holy scriptures and a degree of spiritual commitment that can be received in no other way."
David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, A Reservoir of Living Water, BYU Speeches, February 2007
I can't focus.
I don't feel motivated.
I lack self-discipline.
“You must…see that…searching the scriptures is not a burden laid upon [us] by the Lord,
but a marvelous blessing and opportunity”
President Ezra Taft Benson, Ensign, Nov 1986
“It is not just that the Book of Mormon teaches us truth...There is a power in the book
which will begin to flow into your lives the moment you begin a serious study of the book.
You will find greater power to resist temptation.
You will find the power to avoid deception.
You will find the power to stay on the strait and narrow path.
The scriptures are called ‘the words of life’... When you begin to hunger and thirst after those words,
you will find life in greater and greater abundance.”
Ezra Taft Benson, The Book of Mormon—Keystone of Our Religion, Ensign, Oct 1986; Oct 2011 25th anniversary reprint)
Consistency in time and place.
“…a set number of chapters each day or week…does not constitute meaningful study...
Sometimes we find that the study of a single verse will occupy the whole time”
"The important thing is to allow nothing else to ever interfere with our study."
Elder Howard W. Hunter of the Council of the Twelve, Reading the Scriptures, Oct 1979
"'[H]oping' to find the time for meaningful scripture study [is] not sufficient.
...a specific and scheduled time set aside each day and, as much as possible, a particular place for study
greatly increase the effectiveness of our searching."
Elder David A. Bednar, Understanding the Importance of Scripture Study, Ricks College Devotional, January 1998
“I plead with you to make time for immersing yourselves in the scriptures.
Couple scripture study with your prayers.
Half an hour each morning privately studying, pondering, and communicating with your Heavenly Father
can make an amazing difference in your lives.
It will give increased success in your daily activities.
It will bring increased alertness to your minds.
It will give you comfort and rock-steady assurance when the storms of life descend upon you”
M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Be Strong in the Lord, and in the Power of His Might, BYU Speeches, 2002
How does scripture study help us address
life's "terrible" existential questions:
Where did we come from?
Why are we here?
Where are we going?
Joseph Smith taught that to gain faith men must have a knowledge of the nature and kind of being God is; they must have a correct idea of his character, perfections, and attributes; and they must so live as to gain the assurance that their conduct is in harmony with the divine will. Faith is thus born of scripture study.
Those who study, ponder, and pray about the scriptures, seeking to understand their deep and hidden meanings, receive great outpourings of light and knowledge from the Holy Spirit.
Bruce R. McConkie, Holy Writ Published Anew, Regional Representatives Seminar, April 1982
What are some ways we honor our covenant to
"Always Remember Him"
so that we may have His Spirit?
"The covenant we make in the waters of baptism is a commitment to always remember him…
in meaningful, personal prayer every morning and night
and in diligent study of the scriptures."
"Pondering is very much related to our covenant responsibility to "always remember him."
Recording our learnings and writing about our thoughts and feelings
is [a] form of pondering and of always remembering him
and is an invitation to the Holy Ghost for continued instruction."
Elder David A. Bednar, Understanding the Importance of Scripture Study, Ricks College Devotional, January 1998
It’s complicated.
I don't feel smart enough.
"If the language of the scriptures at first seems strange to you, keep reading.
Soon you will come to recognize the beauty and power found on those pages.
...I bear certain witness of the scriptures as a key to our spiritual protection."
President Boyd K. Packer, President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, The Key to Spiritual Protection, October 2013
"There will be times when you feel that your progress in learning how better to nurture is slow.
It will take faith to endure. The Savior sent you this encouragement:
“Wherefore, be not weary in well-doing, for ye are laying the foundation of a great work.
And out of small things proceedeth that which is great.
Behold, the Lord requireth the heart and a willing mind;
and the willing and obedient shall eat the good of the land of Zion in these last days.”
Doctrine and Covenants 64:33–34
President Henry B. Eyring - Second Counselor in the First Presidency, Women and Gospel Learning in the Home, Oct 2018
Begin and end your study with prayer.
An ACTUAL prayer.
"Before I partake of food to nourish my body, I bow my head and ask the Lord to bless that food. I do the same before I partake of the spiritual food in the scriptures. Before I begin to read the scriptures each day, I bow my head and ask the Lord to bless me that I will have His spirit to enlighten me on the meaning of what I’m reading and to be with me throughout the day to help me make decisions and to resist temptation.
I urge you to make that your practice.”
Dallin H. Oaks. Seminary Training 2.3.1 I Love My Daily Scripture Study
"If you proceed to learn all you can about Jesus Christ, I promise you that your love for Him and for God's laws will grow beyond what you currently imagine.
I promise you also that your ability to turn away from sin will increase.
Your desire to keep the commandments will soar.
You will find yourself better able to walk away from the entertainment and entanglements of those who mock the followers of Jesus Christ."
Russell M. Nelson, Worldwide Devotional, January 2017
How did he suggest going about it?
During the January 2017 Worldwide Devotional for Young Adults, President Nelson challenged those watching to increase their testimony of the Savior by taking time each week to study:
* everything Jesus said and did as recorded in the Old Testament
* His laws as recorded in the New Testament
* His doctrine as recorded in the Book of Mormon
* His words as recorded in the Doctrine and Covenants
* "The Family: A Proclamation to the World"
* the "Living Christ"
* everything Jesus Christ is -by prayerfully and vigorously seeking to understand what each of His various titles and names means personally for you. [refer to the Topical Guide under the topic "Jesus Christ]"
Bypass the Gulf of Misery and Endless Woe
“Whosoever will may lay hold upon the word of God, which is quick and powerful, which shall divide asunder all the cunning and the snares and the wiles of the devil, and lead the man of Christ in a strait and narrow course across that everlasting gulf of misery which is prepared to engulf the wicked—
“And land their souls, yea, their immortal souls, at the right hand of God in the kingdom of heaven, to sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and with Jacob, and with all our holy fathers, to go no more out”
Helaman 3:29–30
I'm not getting anything out of it.
I urge you to stretch beyond your current spiritual ability to receive personal revelation, for the Lord has promised that “if thou shalt [seek], thou shalt receive revelation upon revelation…
that thou mayest know…that which bringeth joy.”
Oh, there is so much more that your Father in Heaven wants you to know!
...Nothing opens the heavens quite like the combination of
increased purity,
exact obedience,
earnest seeking,
daily feasting on the words of Christ in the Book of Mormon,
and regular time committed to temple and family history work.
To be sure, there may be times when you feel as though the heavens are closed. But I promise that as you continue to be obedient, expressing gratitude for every blessing the Lord gives you, and as you patiently honor the Lord’s timetable, you will be given the knowledge and understanding you seek.
President Russell M. Nelson, Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives, April 2018
"Humility is essential
to the acquiring of spiritual knowledge."
"Memorized scripture brings spiritual power."
"…Humility permits you to be tutored by the Spirit.
…to gain knowledge of great worth requires extraordinary personal effort."
Elder Richard G. Scott of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Acquiring Spiritual Knowledge, Oct 1993
"There is great solace, direction, and power that flow from the scriptures,
especially the words of the Lord”
Elder Richard G. Scott of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, He Lives, Nov 1999
What are some specific things President Nelson
has invited/entreated us, as women, to study?
Hint: "[M]y dear sisters, your ability to discern truth from error,
to be society’s guardians of morality, is crucial in these latter days.
...You have the right to draw liberally upon the Savior’s power to help your family and others you love.
...What could possibly be more exciting than to labor with the Spirit to understand God’s power—priesthood power?"
President Russell M. Nelson, Spiritual Treasures, Oct 2018
"…I invite you to study prayerfully section 25 of the Doctrine and Covenants
"I entreat you to study prayerfully all the truths you can find about priesthood power. You might begin with Doctrine and Covenants sections 84 and 107."
President Russell M. Nelson, Spiritual Treasures, Oct 2018
"Studying the scriptures...helps us become familiar with the voice of the Lord and thus better prepared to receive His direction in our lives.
...It is a preparation for and prerequisite to receiving personal revelation."
Elder David A. Bednar, Understanding the Importance of Scripture Study, Ricks College Devotional, January 1998
Hear Him!
"The scriptures will help us resolve all of our personal questions because by reading them we invite and qualify ourselves for the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, which will guide us into all truth [and can] give us a very personal message adapted to our personal needs today.”
Dallin H. Oaks, “Studying the Scriptures,” BYU—Hawaii devotional address, Mar. 14, 1986
"Do whatever it takes to increase your spiritual capacity to receive personal revelation."
President Russell M. Nelson, April 2020
"It is important to note that I did not start my reading with a preconceived set of things for which I was looking."
David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, A Reservoir of Living Water, BYU Speeches, February 2007