Yes, I Really Believe that 4: Power in the Words

I must apologize for my lack of posts lately. I just have not been inspired. Everything that I would start to write would not come out properly in words. So I have been editing posts and re-editing, but nothing lately has excited me. If I am bored by my posts, then I know for sure you will be. So for this week's post, I thought I would share a modified version of a talk I gave today in church. I spent a lot of time on this talk, so I might as well get more than one use out of it.

For those of you not familiar with how an LDS church meeting is run, I will explain. Basically a few people from the congregation are chosen from a member of the bishopric to give the "sermon." It's not a sermon, but generally we will get up and talk about a topic given to us about a week prior. Hubs and I were asked to talk about the scriptures and why it is important to study them. Just for a little bit of exaggerated truth, the beginning of a talk might sound something like this. No I did not introduce myself this way. I only mentioned that I was nervous because it had been over a year since my last talk.

HAHA! This is probably only funny to Mormons, but it is more or less true. So I am sorry to my few non-LDS readers who don't get it. It's okay. Alright now for my talk. As mentioned this is slightly modified for this medium, but it is pretty much what I said. (I apologize for the length.)

Vaughn J. Featherstone (a past general authority) said “I believe that the scriptures have every dimension of life that we can cleave unto and find a pattern for living, if we will just go back to the scriptures and study them and learn from them.”

When you think of why studying the scriptures is important to life what comes to mind? You might think several of the following things.

The scriptures teach about Christ and His atonement. 

They are a source for personal revelation.

They instruct and give guidance. 

They teach how to discern what is right and wrong. 

They remind us to have faith and pray.

They allow the Holy Ghost to be a constant companion, and in conjunction with that the scriptures can be your most precious friend. 

I am a bookworm. I love books. Many of my books in my library have become my friends, and I relate and share thoughts and feelings with the characters on the pages. Each one of my books has a memory attached to them, and much to [Hubs] chagrin means that I cannot get rid of them if we ever move again. Reading is a most intimate past time for me. Emily Dickenson said, “The dearest ones of time, the strongest friends of the soul—books.” The scriptures can be our "strongest friend of the soul" if we allow them to be. This part of my talk is inspired and has a lot of quotes from Richard G Scott’s talk entitled “The Power of Scripture."

Richard G. Scott said this about scriptures, “They can become stalwart friends that are not limited by geography or calendar. They are always available when needed.” 

So how do we allow the scriptures to be our friends, our constant companions? By reading, studying, pondering, and memorizing, or the recently popular term “ponderizing” coined by Elder Devin G. Durrant in this last conference. If you don’t remember, or don't know what that is, "ponderizing" is 80% pondering, 20% memorizing. I will touch on this later. Elder Scott referring to memorizing scripture said that it is “to forge a new friendship. It is like discovering a new individual who can help in time of need, give inspiration and comfort, and be a source of motivation for needed change.”

We go to our friends, whoever they may be, when we are down and we need a confidant. Or even when we are celebrating. We seek comfort and guidance, and our truest and most loyal friends will provide and not disappoint. Elder Scott says, “Learning, pondering, searching, and memorizing scriptures is like filling a filing cabinet with friends, values, and truths that can be called upon anytime, anywhere in the world.” So in a way, scriptures are better than our people friends because they are not bound to their daily lives that take them away from us. You can read your scriptures at 3 AM and they won't hate you for it. Scriptures will be your most loyal companions. We can carry the scriptures in our phones now. They are literally always at our fingertips, or back pocket, ready and waiting to be read. 

While Scriptures are a source of comfort and friendship, reading is a source of knowledge, and the scriptures are too. In around 7th or 8th grade, I struggled in math when they decided to put letters in the equations. My grades dropped dramatically. My dad counseled me to read the scriptures, specifically the Book of Mormon, more diligently and it would help me succeed in math. Well I tried it, and lo and behold, I received a much better grade on my next math test. It never happened to be again on a math test, but I did pass the classes from then on out. Reading the scriptures can help you in whatever is important to you when it is righteous desire, like stellar grades. Elder Richard G Scott said, “Scriptures can communicate different meanings at different times in our life, according to our needs (my math class). A scripture that we may have read many times can take on nuances of meaning that are refreshing and insightful when we face a new challenge in life.”

He also said, “Scriptures are like packets of light that illuminate our minds and give place to guidance and inspiration from on high.” So whether for school, or personal gain, scriptures can be a source of light, and truth, and knowledge. We all know the cliche, "Knowledge is power." 

We have all heard say that the scriptures are a source of power. in reference to the aforementioned "ponderize" Devin G. Durrant says, “The Primary goal of ponderize is to provide an uplifting place for your thoughts to go—a place that keeps you close to the spirit of the Lord…. You will experience a feeling of perpetual purpose, protection, and power.” I am not a powerful person. In fact I am quite the weakling. There is not much muscle in these arms, but I can find power in my mouth through the words I use. Sheri Dew, in her book "God Wants a Powerful People" she says, "There is power in the word, for the Word is God. And the Word is taught persuasively in the Book of Mormon, which a latter-day prophet has promised will bring power into our lives." The scripture that goes along with that is John 1:1. “In the beginning was the word of God, and the word with God, and the word was God.” So if God is the word, or if God is in the word and we know of the word. Don’t you think that the words, and you with knowledge of the word, will be endowed with power?

There is a book by Dennis Rasmussen called “The Lord’s Question." In it Rasmussen talks about the testimonies and words of the prophets. “Though man travels throughout his days, he need not wander. The way is marked by the testimonies of those who have gone before. In scripture the words of prophets whose lives belong to the past guide man's step as he enters the future.[...] Those who follow the prophets take upon themselves the task of building the words of scripture into structures of life and then sharing the words with all others.” There is power in the words of the prophets. But the words mean nothing if we only carry them in our minds. We must carry them in our hearts, which is where “ponderizing” comes in handy. Rasmussen says, “Those in former times did not hurry when they read the word of God. They did not use only their eyes. They placed the word in their mouths and in their hearts.” You need that foundation of the spirit testifying to you of the truth of the Word. You cannot build a building from the top down. Rasmussen suggests that you “build your souls with words” by taking and learning them by heart. I don’t mean by memorizing, but meaning as well. 

Words don’t have meaning without the spirit behind them. Dennis Rasmussen defines what "word" is. “What is word? A vocalized breath? A set of symbols on paper? Both of these and yet more. Word is one of the titles of God himself, the very Son of God who was with the Father at the creation. A word is the sign of intelligence, and intelligence is the glory of God. Man can use words because he is the child of God. [...] To man was given the power to gather into words his wisdom and to hand it on to his children. [...] The words of Christ and his prophets are lifegiving. They alone can give all other words real meaning.” It is these words that give hope and faith to the testimonies written in the scriptures. Elder Scott said, “Throughout the ages Father in Heaven has inspired select men and women to find, through the guidance of the Holy Ghost, solutions to life’s most perplexing problems. He has inspired those authorized servants to record those solutions as a type of handbook.” With these words, this “handbook,” we can withstand the storms of life, and the war against evil. Words that are truly written in our hearts will heal, comfort, guide and protect us against the guile of Satan. Rasmussen also says there is no excuse not to study and read the scriptures. “I can easily convince myself that I have no time to study scripture. But truth remains: I do what I choose to do; I neglect what I choose to neglect. How often is there no time for reading scriptures when there is ample time for sitting before the glassy face of the electronic idol? [...] I belong to the people of a book. we are named after a book. Shall I not then study our holy books?” (referring to the Book of Mormon). In other words if we have time for our phones, tv, Netflix then we have time to read the scriptures. This is to be understood if we are to have power in our words. 

Think of it this way with an object lesson that you may have seen. I mentioned I have weak arms. If I take this weight,

and I start moving my arm up and down, my arm will eventually become stronger. They will have more definition, and you might see a bump emerge etc. The weight will do nothing if it just sits on the floor and you don't pick it up. Your arms will not become stronger by osmosis or by positive thinking. You actually have to pick up the weight. The scriptures are the same way. They are useless to you if they just sit on your night stand. If you study and read the scriptures your “power” with the word, your faith, your knowledge will increase and be more defining, and people will know the difference. Pres Monson and all prophets before him, and all the general authorities. How much “power” and “presence” do they command? Tons. You can recognize it and feel it as they are speaking at the pulpit. They get this power from reading the scriptures and studying. Thomas S Monson said, “I reiterate what we have been told repeatedly—that in order to gain and to keep the faith we need, it is essential that we read and study and ponder the scriptures.”

I know that if you read and study the scriptures, you will find hope, faith, comfort, and strength that you need. I also know that if you allow the words and the prophets speak to you, you will find the most loyal and cherished friends in the scriptures.

What I Write when Afflicted with Writer's Block

My lesson in Relief Society today was about finding joy and happiness in this life, and I thought, "Oh good, some material for my blog." Sadly I don't remember much of what was said during the lesson except for a quote from the movie, The Music Man. "You pile up enough tomorrows, and you'll find yourself with a lot of empty yesterdays." Not what I want to talk about. After 30 minutes of writing blubber, I know what I want to write. Sorry I erased all the blubber. Hope it makes sense.

Over Christmas at my in-laws, we watched "Inside Out."(watch trailer here) I love Pixar. I really do, and this movie was so fun. Brief premise, it goes inside the mind of a girl named Riley and the "lives" of her emotions. They concentrate on the prominent emotions, joy, fear, disgust, sadness, and anger. It's a difficult movie to explain, so I won't attempt it except to say that "joy" is the most dominant of the emotions, but she has to learn how to live with other emotions especially "sadness." "Joy" realizes that there cannot be "joy" without the "Sadness." That bit to me was the most profound part of the movie. I have always understood the principle of opposites, and no not Newton's third law "for every action there is an opposite and equal reaction (although it fits perfectly to what I am talking about, and it goes hand in hand with gospel principle). I am talking about, "For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things." (2 Nephi 2:11, 13), and this movie made me think of it.

When I started my happiness journal, and then when I started this blog, I have come to understand more and more, that happiness is more of a journey. We don't just reach one moment of happiness, and boom we are done. We are happy. (That won't happen until after judgement and we live with God again) Most likely that happiness will fade, and we must find some more happiness. Don't misunderstand, there are people who seem to be always happy and chipper, and I love those people. I envy those people. They have a very unique perspective and personality. I, on the other hand, sometimes have to really search for my silver linings. A few of those extra happy people, one would be amazed to find out, that they have had the toughest lives full of heartache and sorrow. I always think of Job in The Bible. He really had it rough. He lost his wealth, his children, and was sick with boils and sores. Still, he remained "optimistic" that God would be good to him. Because of that "optimism" Job got everything back tenfold. I am sure the years to follow his ordeals were some of his happiest. Job had to go through hell to find his happiness again.

I wonder how many churches believe that Adam and Eve played a part in our understanding of happiness. Here is what I believe. Before the forbidden fruit, Adam and Eve lived in a state of just being. They knew not good nor evil and in retrospect, happy nor sad. I cannot imagine a life without emotion. But when Adam and Eve chose to eat the forbidden fruit, they came to understand happiness and sorrow. Without opposition what would be our purpose? What would God's purpose be?  In verse 13 of 2 Nephi 2 (see link above) it says that if there weren't opposites then God would not be, because Satan would not be. In verse 25 of that same chapter it says "Adam fell that man might be; and men are, that they might have joy." God wants us to be happy, but first Adam and Eve must eat a fruit (or whatever metaphor you believe). What a wonderful gift they could give the world.

I would say I am a generally happy person. I am content and happy in my small world. I have had my ups and downs. I feel I definitely haven't had some of the more tragic downs as some other people. I also believe that God gives us our own set of challenges designed just for us. My challenges are mine, and they are not easy for me. Yours are yours, and they are not easy for you. Still those challenges can put many things into perspective. For those temporary trials, after they are done they are exhilarating. You can still find the joy rather easily. Now those life-long "chronic trials", they are a bit more challenging to stay positive. There is always a constant reminder of something bad. Those things that just can't be let go and forgotten. I know a lady who is blind. She has not always been blind, and I don't recall what made her go blind. I know she has struggled, and I am sure she gets frustrated. But she is one of the sweetest, kindest people I know, and one can't help but love her. I am sure she finds her silver linings and finds her happiness in other ways.

Many people say that happiness is a choice. Yes it is, and no it isn't. Yes because you choose how you react to situations. And no it isn't because it is impossible to be "happy" 24/7. There are things that will make you sad, or angry, or whatever. Quite frankly, happiness can be exhausting. Good exhausting, but exhausting. Remember opposition? Sometimes you need to shout out that anger to feel right with the world again. I write in a journal my bottled frustrations. It helps me, in the long run, be happier. But, for the sake of argument. Happiness is a choice. Here are 2 quotes to prove this point, and I will end it there and let you find your own happiness journey. I can only help so far with this blog in reminding you of things that might make you happy. The rest is up to you.

1. (I don't know where I got this, or who said it) "The key to happiness is letting each situation be what it is instead of what you think it should be."

2. From the LDS study book, "True to the Faith". Your success and happiness, both now and in the eternities, depend largely on your responses to the difficulties of life."