3 Unique Ways to Study the Scriptures

The scriptures are so fun to me. I love them!

To read them front to back is only one way to study but really I feel like I would miss out if this was all I did.

Throughout the years I have studied in different formats that have been enlightening.

Here are a three:

Study in one Word
Find a word that calls to you. When I read the scriptures certain words will get my attention and I feel compelled to learn their meaning in more depth. Charity, for example, was my favorite! Fruit, water, fish, vessels, virtue, salt, light...and the list goes on.

This type of study is so deliciously fun! I studied the word Charity for an entire year. I honestly feel like I could have studied it even longer.

The other day I started studying the word feet  :) when I ran across the scripture "How beautiful are the feet upon the mountains of him that bring good tidings of good..."Isaiah 52:7 Then it went on to the washing of the feet and so forth. It gave perspective to a lot of scriptures.

Type of People
The scriptures are filled with groups and categories of people. These groups are interesting. I think we are meant to learn from their mistakes and their virtues. A while back I noticed there were certain people who who wanted to follow the Savior but didn't. I wanted to know what kept them from the path- These included: The young rich man, the seeds which were sown that did not grow, the people in Lehi's dream, Laman and Lemuel, someone that Paul taught who said that Paul might have "convinced him to be a Christian", even king Noah...the list goes on. These people are not in the scriptures by accident their stories are important to us.

One time I studied all the different people and ways in which Christ healed. How did they show their faith,  or did they? What were the methods in which Christ healed them? Again. I find a sliver of me in them as I am often broken. How can I be healed whether it is spiritually, mentally or simple flaws in my personality and so forth. If he cured the impossible can he not heal me or my children or my loved ones? Or when does the line of mortality end and we accept that the Savior healing will be in the eternities? These are questions that can be answered when our hearts are opened. I studied this as my father was dying of cancer. Although he was never healed, I saw great miracles occur.

Spiritual Nudges
Sometimes we may feel compelled to study a principle. Perhaps we have feel like we should learn more about pride, hope or family history. This is most likely a spiritual promoting. Go with this promoting. Great discovery awaits!

There are other ways of study. Remember President Nelson's challenge to read about Christ words when he was still Elder Nelson a few months back? Studying callings and roles (I have studied "mothers"). You can read the scriptures like a novel or simply listen to them. Read all about Covenants, Promises and Blessings (That will take a lifetime).

They are so wonderful! If accompanied with prayer and an open heart they become life changing and personal.

Meet Sister Wendy Watson Nelson!

On Tuesday we will hear a special announcement from our beloved Apostle President Russel M. Nelson.

I have always LOVED him!

There is no secret. No surprise. We know he will be the next President and therefore Prophet of our church. "We believe in apostles, prophets, pastors teachers, evangelists and so forth..." just in the days set up by our Lord Jesus Christ.

Not to detract from our sweet and pretty incredible soon-to-be prophet. I know there will be plenty of announcements, articles, thoughts and blog posts about him and his amazing life (did I mention he was a world renowned cardiothoracic surgeon, if you don't know this there is much to learn about him). But forgive me, I want to bring up his wife!!!

Meet WENDY WATSON NELSON!!!

If you think that it wasn't possible that a world renowned cardiothoraic surgeon, apostle, soon-to-be prophet could have a suitable match you would BE WRONG!

He has had one, twice in fact. His first sweet wife Dantzel passed away in 2005. She and Elder Nelson had 10 children. One boy and NINE girls! Yep that is right! NINE girls!

Sister Nelson was an amazing person I wish I would have known more about her. From what I know she was a true hero. He talks about her tenderly and lovingly.

Wendy Watson Nelson married President Nelson in 2006. I first heard her speak at a regional conference on family history.

Before she began I thought she may be quiet soft spoken (Silly me, what was I thinking?) but from the moment she stood I realized I was very mistaken.

It is not that soft spoken is a bad thing but she was poised, confident, well educated but relate-able. Her talk was impactful, powerful and moved me to action on family history. I was sitting at the edge of my chair. Who does that with family history? Who was this woman? I thought.

She left me in awe. I knew little about her.

I heard Wendy speak a couple more times. Each time has been a delightful experience. I found more out about this powerhouse. A RN, A psychologist and Phd in Marriage and Family. A professor and Author and chair of women conferences.

When I heard that she was going to speak with Elder Nelson at a broadcast for a young adult fireside on marriage and family I didn't care that it was for young adults. I found the broadcast and I listened.

AND I WAS NOT DISSAPOINTED. She spoke like a LION! She was fierce and relentless at telling young married adults (and all adults) about what it takes to make a marriage successful. Her talk is not for the faint of heart. This woman is no cowardess. It makes me smile to think of it.

I listened to this while sitting at the airport waiting for a flight in Hawaii. I couldn't stop smiling. I kept thinking "Who is this woman?" "I want to tell the world about this woman." Elder Nelson's talk given at the same time was great, of course, as his talks always are but everyone already anticipates his talks will be excellent. I wanted to shout out to the world about hers as well.

Here is a link from that talk. Listen to it after you have fastened your spiritual seat belts and if it is an appropriate subject for you. The woman doesn't pull any spiritual punches. Oh she makes me smile. Seriously.

https://www.lds.org/broadcasts/article/worldwide-devotionals/2017/01/love-and-marriage?lang=eng

I look forward to seeing her in the future. As the wife of the prophet we will probably get the opportunity of hearing from her at different women's conferences (sounds like we would have any way she has been directing them for some time) and other types of broadcasts. It will be fun to hear from her more.

Sister Nelson has a book out that I can't wait to read it has a 21 day Challenge!!!

Here is what LDS living wrote about it

"In Covenant Keepers: Unlocking the Miracles God Wants for You, Sister Wendy Watson Nelson uses pure doctrine, and examples of those who have taken the Lord at His word and put His doctrine to the test, to offer us invigorating insights into our baptismal, sacramental, and temple covenants.

Sister Nelson invites us to consider how our covenants can help us with everything from loneliness and despair to boredom, meaninglessness, and feeling overwhelmed. She teaches us how we can ask for angels to help us and those we love; how our premortal covenants can help us make meaning out of the anguishing experiences of this mortal life; how the covenant of sacrifice and the covenant of service, and even the very words of our covenants, can give us access to power we may have been overlooking.

Encouraging us to participate in a 21-day experiment that changed the lives of stressed-out young mothers, Sister Nelson takes us behind the scenes into a most unexpected journey she personally has been on, sharing three truths that now compel her life."

Here are some delightful articles from her.
on being and Apostles wife -
http://www.ldsliving.com/Just-Asking-Sister-Wendy-Watson-Nelson/s/81238

When she was attacked but felt comfort:
https://www.deseretnews.com/article/705344538/Apostles-wife-felt-comfort-despite-attack.html

Hard

Today I had something happen that I thought was hard. I'll be honest it wasn't super hard. But in my mortal mind at the time I did feel it was hard.

I was driving out of the church parking lot in my car after the event and I cried out in part prayer, part complaint "Why does this have to be so hard?". I hadn't even taken a breath, and I mean that literally, when my car turned to face a house that sits out in front of the church. A woman sat in the window. She was bald, and sick. She wasn't facing the road but was sitting in the warm sunshine of the window. I have seen her husband caring for her in the past and pushing her in a wheelchair but I had forgotten about her.

In that moment my throat was still closed from my last uttered sentence of "Why does it have to be so hard?" I sat looking at her. My hands gripped the steering wheel of my car and she sat in plain view in front of me. 

I don't know her but I know of her. She is in my stake, a young mom fighting for her life against cancer. The heavens could have opened and sent either a lightening bolt or a bucket of ice water and it would have not gotten my attention and or the stab of pure regret from my words like I felt from this humble moment seeing this daughter of God and stealing only a glimpse of her "hard". 

It was a reprimand. Straight from a loving Father, who watches and knows what "hard" is. 

This week I have pondered "hard". I have pondered why people have certain trials. And this morning in my prayers and reading this scripture it seemed to relay peace to my soul. Normally I would have skipped right over it but for some reason the two sentences beginning to the end and accomplishing his works stuck out to me.

Nephi 9:6 "But the Lord knoweth all things from the beginning; wherefore, he prepareth a way to accomplish all his works among the children of men; for behold, he hath all power unto the fulfilling of all his words. And thus it is. 
Amen."

He knows all things from the beginning to the end. He knows our hard.

His Son knows our hard. He suffered them too. A silent passenger to our sorrow, guilt, regret and pain.

Life's lessons were meant to be hard, back breaking and stretching. In our hard we are mended. In our hard we are reborn and created.

****
It has been several weeks since I wrote this post. I never published it until now out of respect for the privacy of this young mom who I still never knew personally.

I found out she passed away yesterday. Her brilliant mortal light has gone out.

I did decided to publish this post today in honor of her memory.

It goes to show that you never know who you can impact.

For example this woman helped to mend the breaking heart of me a stranger by simply sitting by her window enjoying the light. She put into perspective my hard.