Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Learning the same lessons again and again

My scripture study has been weak for a while, but in the past few weeks, I've studied the Book of Mormon diligently for the lesson I taught Sunday. At first, the studying was mundane, but the more I studied, the more exciting it got. By the time I taught my lesson, I was really interested in the story of the people of Limhi/Alma the Elder, so I studied yesterday at home, while I did laundry and on my commutes today.

And guess what: All of a sudden I'm feeling all this joy and receiving inspiration for my calling. I was just marveling at how happy I feel, when I remembered this quote:

"It is not just that the Book of Mormon teaches us truth, though it indeed does that. It is not just that the Book of Mormon bears testimony of Christ, though it indeed does that, too. But there is something more. 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' (D&C 84:85), and nowhere is that more true than it is of the Book of Mormon. 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, Nov 1986

I feel it. I know this power is real.

The power has come not just from studying, but from testifying of the things I'm learning during my lesson, to Tiff our my run, and to a coworker who saw me reading on the train this morning. "Faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith." Ether 12: 6