13 Ways to Study Your Scriptures

The Savior and His servants have encouraged us to read, seek, search, ponder, study, feast upon, and treasure up His words (see Isaiah 34:16; John 5:39; 2 Nephi 31:20; 3 Nephi 17:3; and D&C 11:22). The number and variety of invitations suggest that there are different ways to study the scriptures. My own experience confirms this. Sometimes I like to read from cover to cover. At other times I search for answers to personal questions or challenges. Often I study topics listed in the Topical Guide or Guide to the Scriptures. I also enjoy researching how the Lord uses a specific word throughout the scriptures. When I am really serious, I mark phrases, underline words, or write notes in the margins of my scriptures. Occasionally, I relish in learning the Greek, Hebrew, or dictionary definitions of scriptural words. There are even times when I rush home on Sundays after church to open the scriptures, anxious to verify something taught in a lesson. One thing is certain: there is no one right way to study the scriptures. (February 2009 Ensign "Getting the Most Out of Your Scripture Study" by David B. Marsh)

I used many resources to teach my lesson on Sunday, Sept. 5th. The main resource I used was this article in the September Ensign.

LDS.org - Ensign Article - Ten Scripture Study Tools

#11: Compare Scriptural Events ot Our Own Lives One way to liken the scriptures to ourselves is to compare events in the scriptures to events in our lives. One member who learned how to liken the scriptures to himself told of his experience with Ether chapter 6. The first few times I read the chapter, I saw only an account of the Jaredites’ journey across the ocean. However, as I read it again one day, it occurred to me to liken their journey across the ocean to my journey in mortality. As I did so, I discovered insights that strengthened my faith in Jesus Christ. The stones that gave light so the Jaredites would not have to cross the ocean in darkness reminded me of prophets, scriptures, and the Holy Ghost that give me light so I won’t have to go through mortality in darkness or confusion (see Ether 6:3). I likened the wind from the Lord that moved the Jaredite vessels “towards the promised land” to the experiences the Lord provides that help me progress toward heaven (see Ether 6:5). It seemed to me that their being under the water was like my trials or times of stress (see Ether 6:6). But just as prayer persuaded the Lord to bring them ‘upon the top of the waters’ (Ether 6:7) for fresh air and sunshine, so I could pray for relief from my trials and stress.

#12 Find the Principle Being Taught Another way to liken the scriptures to our personal lives is to look past the story and find the principle being taught. For example, Nephi was commanded to build a boat. Though he had never done such a thing, he went about his task with great personal effort and received divine help. We may not be asked to build a boat, but we may be asked to do things that seem beyond our abilities. Like Nephi, we can exert our personal effort to “go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded” and exercise faith that the Lord will “prepare a way for [us] that [we] may accomplish the thing which he commandeth” (1 Nephi 3:7). One principle taught in this story is to be diligent in obeying the Lord’s commands. We can liken Nephi’s example to ourselves by diligently obeying the things the Lord asks us to do. (March 2009 Ensign "Likening the Scriptures To Our Personal Lives")

#13 Bridging the Gap Imagine a bridge. One side of the bridge is anchored in the past and is made up of three parts: (1) they—the prophets and people of the past, (2) there—the place where these people lived, and (3) then—the time period when they lived.

The other side of the bridge is anchored in the present and is made up of three parallel parts: (1) I—who live in the present, (2) here—the place where I live, and (3) now—the time period I live in.

The goal is to build a bridge from they-there-then to I-here-now, identifying common parallels between their day and ours.

Elder Jay E. Jensen explains this in further detail and with charts in this article LDS.org - Ensign Article - Scripture Stories as Patterns for Our Lives

President Hinckley said "As you read, your minds will be enlightened and your spirits will be lifted. At first it may seem tedious, but that will change into a wondrous experience with thoughts and words of things divine."

Missionary Work! To bless the Nations! (starting right here in North Phoenix!) RS Lesson August 1, 2010

Click on the pages below for a full-screen view of the lesson.
There is more in the outline that we didn't get to in the time we had in class.

And click below on each talk's link to read very inspired insights into missionary work and service (also referenced in the lesson). Please study this at home and prayerfully put it into practice and faith-driven action! Remember the promise of our Stake President at Stake Conference and again in Relief Society on Sunday... "as we do these things the windows of heaven will pour out upon our Stake."

M. Russell Ballard, “Write Down a Date,” Ensign, Nov 1984, 15

Clayton M. Christensen and Christine Quinn Christensen, “Seven Lessons on Sharing the Gospel,” Liahona, Feb 2005, 16

Lesson on Missionary Work_2 Aug 1 2010

We didn't have time to get to this, but here is a list of questions to ask yourself and to practice within your families or with a friend or just to go over in your mind yourself and/or write down... thought provoking practical questions to get yourself more in tune with being ready to share the gospel...

Missionary Fish Game Questions_2


"Cottage Meetings" are held every first Sunday of the month at 7 p.m. at a member of the Stake Presidency's home. We are encouraged to bring our friends for uplifting discussion on principles of the gospel.

Outside of regular weekly Sunday meetings, youth mutual activities on Tuesday nights, Activity Days and cub scouts' activities, here are some other upcoming activities to which you can please invite and bring your friends and neighbors... If you have a question about contact info for a member of a presidency in an auxiliary or any questions about activities & resources, or want to let us know of friends who will be coming to church or to a church activity, we would LOVE to be contacted and help support and serve. Please don't hesitate to contact a member of the RS presidency. (If you don't have access to our contact info on lds.org or at home, leave a comment below and we will contact you!, thanks!)

August 7: 4 p.m. baptism

August 15: Seminary Kick-Off (for youth ages 14-18) Deer Valley Stake Center
O'Connor students and parents meet at 5:30 p.m, Goldwater and Boulder Creek students and parents meet at 7 p.m.

August 18: Cannery assignment at the Mesa Cannery (wet pack) 9 a.m. sharp, 3 people from each ward

August 18th: "Daughters of Royal Birth" stake activity day (girls ages 8-11) 6:30-8:30 PM

August 19: Relief Society Meeting "Maintaining Equilibrium" Something to inspire for each stage of a woman's life... uplifting speakers and yummy refreshments as well as enjoyable social interaction - 6:30 p.m. at the Happy Valley LDS Church building

August 27: Preparedness Class 4 - Emergency Evacuations Happy Valley Building 7 p.m.

August 28: Back to School Ward Potluck and Talent Show

How to find Joy in Work

How to find joy in Work

(or how to smile while changing a diaper.)

THE LORD & WORK

What would happen if everyone refused to work anymore?

• Read Doctrine & Covenants 42:42
  
• Read Doctrine & Covenants 68:30
  
• Read Doctrine & Covenants 75:28-29
  

How does the Lord feel about work?

Read Moses 5:1

• President J. Reuben Clark said "I believe that we are here to work, and I believe there is no escape from it. I think that we cannot get that thought into our souls and into our beings too soon. Work we must, if we shall succeed or if we shall advance. There is no other way."
  
• President Gordon B. Hinckley said "We are all inherently lazy. We would rather play than work…But it is work that spells the difference in the life of a man or woman." In our world today, many people are unwilling to work hard and to render an honest day's work for an honest day's pay."
  
• Elder Boyd K. Packer said "There is great dignity and worth in any honest occupation. Do not use the word menial for any labor that improves the world or the people who live in it. There is no shame in any honorable work. Honest work is and always has been an instrument of provident living and a vital component of our religion."
  
• President Kimball said "The worthwhile things of life are not the things you just want to do. They're the things you should do. You're headed for a total loss if you only do the thing you want to do."
  
• President Brigham Young said that is was nonsense to talk about building up any kingdom except by labor, it requires the labor of every part of our organization, whether it be physical, or spiritual, and that is the only way to build up the kingdom of God."
  
• President Ezra Taft Benson said "Energetic, purposeful work leads to vigorous health, praiseworthy achievement, a clear conscience, and refreshing sleep. Work has always been a boon to man. May you have a wholesome respect for labor whether with head, heart or hand. May you ever enjoy the satisfaction of honest toil."
  
• President Brigham Young said "Each will find that happiness in this world mainly depends on the work he does, and the way in which he does it."
  

  
  

WOMEN & WORK

• "Enjoy to the End" words and music by Ann Luke Bailey
  

"Let me tell you a story about a girl full of love and laughter,

who grew up with the notion that once you were wed

You'd live happily ever after.

For she'd reached her life's goal,

But had not passed away,

And she didn't know what to do next!

Life was new and exciting with the challenge of growing and sharing.

And, except for a couple of quarrels,

They'd managed to keep their home full of caring

But before it seemed possible there were babies in every room

And the girl who was laughing and carefree before

Changed to riding around on her broom!

One day mom called to pull me up out of a heap.

I told her Momma, I'm changing diapers in my sleep!

And she said you've just got to

Endure to the end.

But I'm simply not sure

That is there is an end.

So I'm trying a cure I can recommend

I'll not only endure it all.

But I'm gonna enjoy to the end!

Now my life's in a new phase.

And the problem with diapers has minimized

For my babies have grown and believe me

The challenges seem oversized.

There are mud pies in my oven,

Full of things I've been missing and looking for.

And I just found my oil container

And children are sliding all over my floor.

We do soccer and baseball,

Then on Thursday it's piano and clogging

Then somewhere between scouting and homework

I try to squeeze in a months worth of jogging.

Then my well meaning husband

Recommends that the children help out

Now it takes twice as long

To do half do the work

But I guess that's what life's all about.

Then on Sunday as we go to church I scream out this expletive

FOLD YOUR'E ARMS AND BE REVERENT IF YOU WANT TO LIVE!!

Then I go in and they tell me

Endure to the end.

But I'm simply not sure

That is there is an end.

So I'm trying a cure I can recommend

I'll not only endure it all.

But I'm gonna enjoy to the end!

Now I know a lady

And her children have flown from the nest

But she's quick to explain

That she still doesn't seem to get very much rest.

She takes care of her mother now

And the grandkids come through in a steady stream

And she tries to do more

Except once she gets started

Her body just runs out of steam.

Once I told her I thought that my life would be

Better next year. She told me,

It doesn't get better

It only gets different my dear.

So I guess I'll just have to go on and

Endure to the end.

But I'm simply not sure

That is there is an end.

So I'm trying a cure I can recommend

I'll not only endure it all.

But I'm gonna enjoy to the end!

• Emma C. Seegmiller's recollection of living in Utah describes: "The first two or three years…proved a tremendous struggle for life's necessities and as a result of that necessity women as well as men had to work hard. In fact work always seemed to be waiting for them in spinning, weaving, carding, tailoring, dyeing cloth, and sewing, knitting, making straw hats…For years women washed, carded and spun wool into yarn and wove it into cloth on the hand loom.
  
• For some women the already rigorous work routine was compounded even more difficult circumstances: "I worked very hard while my husband was away on a mission. I worked in a harvest field…I was not the only woman who worked in the field. But it came hard on me because I was not used to that kind of work…it was always late at night when I came home.
  
• Life then was not easy, but it was satisfying, for doing something that needs to be done, whether routine or extraordinary, feels good. There is genuine satisfaction in work, especially in work done well and for a good purpose. No sociological case studies need be conducted to demonstrate this cause-and-effect phenomenon. It is as true now as it was in the last century.
  
• Doctrine & Covenants 58:27
  

CHILDREN & WORK

• Elder Larry W. Gibbons of the Seventy said "My mother taught me to work hard. She asked me to get the work done first and then go play. One day a few of us helped my mom move a piano from upstairs to downstairs. It was a big, old piano. It wasn't easy to move. We moved it around corners and finally down the stairs. When we set it down, my mother was glowing with happiness—just because we'd moved a piano! I said "Mom, I think you would rather move a piano than listen to a piano." She nodded. She loved to work.
  
• Lorenzo S. Clark who arrived in Utah in 1853 described his youth "My earliest impression is one of work; the idea and ambition of everyone around me seemed to be to accomplish more and do it better than anyone else. Work was more conspicuous than play, even among the young children who were expected to carry wood and water, run errands, feed the chicken and the pigs, kill crickets and grasshoppers on sight with sticks, gather lucern seed, and help as far as possible with the gardening…though we enjoyed and remembered the willow whistles and spool tops made and put into our hands by older persons, the real spirit of the pioneer group was industry and everyone scorned the idler."
  
• Failure to teach children to work may tempt them to look for easy pathways in life. Such pathways more often than not lead downward. There is dignity in a job well done. Elder L. Tom Perry taught that "Teaching children the joy of honest labor is one of the greatest of all gifts you can bestow upon them."
  
• Alma 36:25
  
• Elder Brad Corbett (Carla's nephew) in Guatemala "During this last week here I have noticed the importance in having love in whatever you do. There are some people here in the Branch that really trusts in their own abilities and talents to get things done, and they measure the success that they have with the numbers and results that they get. But then there are also others that work hard and do their best just because they love God and their fellow man. It is amazing the difference in the spirit that they bring with them. So that is something that I have really been working on, just loving the people here, and making that love seen through my actions."