The prophet Joseph Smith said the Book of Mormon is, "the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book."
President Ezra Taft Benson further commented... "The Book of Mormon teaches us truth [and] bears testimony of Christ...But there is something more. (and this next part is the part I love the most) 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,' and nowhere is that more true than it is of the Book of Mormon....'Every Latter-day Saint should make the study of this book a lifetime pursuit'".
Those are words from the prophets to us. And the last of President Benson's comments refer to EVERY Latter-day Saint, which leaves very little misinterpretation... which includes the prophet, apostles, stake presidencies, bishoprics, primary teachers, nursery leaders, missionaries, gospel doctrine teachers, and everyone else who has been baptized a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. And, might I include, the counsel is not to just read through the book... but to study it for a lifetime.
My lifetime pursuit has thus commenced and on most days, I just can't get enough! How vastly different are the days when I wait until later in the day to get my studying in... if I, in fact, get any in at all. Those few, busy, hectic, stressful, and unfortifying days are ones that I don't enjoy, and when I crawl in my bed at night after saying my prayers and repenting for just reading them instead of studying them, I make a commitment to myself to do better tomorrow.
For the past few weeks, Jason and I have tried a new approach to our studying. I purchased the little scripture marking crayons in various colors from Deseret Book, along with some marking pens in the same various colors. To start, we went to the Index in the back of our Triple Combination (just after the Articles of Faith) and recorded each scripture listed for particular gospel topics into a little notebook. Then, we went to our scriptures - The Book of Mormon, The Doctrine and Covenants, and The Pearl of Great Price and marked each of those scriptures with the colors that we designated.
Now, at any given time, I can open my scriptures and at-a-glance, see exactly what gospel topics are discussed on that page. I highlight with my crayon, the main topic that is discussed and underline any topics that are also found within the same verse. This has been SO exciting. Also, in my reading, I am able to mark the verses that I am reading with the appropriate colors. Even more... as I have read the articles in the Ensign (especially the sections of We Believe), I have gone through my scriptures and marked those scriptures as well.
I love color, which is hard to miss in my home and see all of my children's stuff. And now my scriptures present a rainbow of color, each color having its own meaning:
Faith - Green
Repentance/The Atonement - Red
Prayer/Fasting - Turquoise
Obedience/Commandments - Purple
Charity/Service - Pink
The Word of God/Scriptures - Brown
Adversity/Trials/Affliction - Orange
Holy Ghost/The Spirit - Yellow
Blessings - Underline in Black
-Verses that I really like, I underline in Blue.
-Definitions, I circle in blue, and put the meaning in the margin
I have learned of many different ways to mark scriptures and have even tried a few, but so far have found this way to be my absolute favorite. I can highlight a verse about prayer in turquoise, underline the commandment given in purple, and then underline the blessing given in black, all within in the same verse - and with just a glance, I know that that verse talks about prayer, and the blessings we can receive if we are obedient in following the commandment in doing it, and doing it right! It's awesome! I just can't get enough! Jason and I crave to sit down and study independently, and then share what we have learned with each other! It's amazing really, but not surprising. The Lord has promised us these blessings if we but feast on His words! I am striving to feast, daily, and I am experiencing the sacred gift of Scripture Power!
2 comments:
Love your way of using color, I've been using color in mine for a couple of years but like the way you put mulitple colors in the same verse.....may have to work that into my way of marking! :)
I like this :)
I too have been using color although not so strategic, I must say, to mark mine. Highlighting the verse, line or phrase that I've liked or felt something while reading. I like this though, may have to borrow it :)
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