Always something new to learn. . .

A couple of Sundays ago, the gal giving the Relief Society lesson mentioned that we've been told every member of our households should have their own copy of the Conference Ensign...

I didn't know that!

Needless to say, I bought 5 additional copies of the Conference Ensign and distributed them. I forgot to mention anything about this to Dad. The next morning he said, "Oh, I really like the idea of having the Conference Ensign in every room of the house!" That's about the way it ended up, but I did explain the REAL method to the madness. (He liked that idea, too!)


So, I've been trying to read one talk each day. The only problem is that I keep going back and reading different parts of the previous talk, so my progress through is slow, but I'm learning a lot.

I have really enjoyed Elder Christofferson's talk on page 32. You may remember the story he related about William Tyndale. He was hung after being caught transcribing the Bible into the English language, publishing it and secretly distributing it to all interested in reading the scriptures for themselves and not just having clergy tell them what the scriptures said.

It made me think about how much we take our scriptures for granted. Very much like everything around us, supply v. demand has a big impact. In the 1500's no one but clergy were allowed access to the scriptures. In the 21st century anyone can have a set of scriptures in our hands for under $10. If the exact item isn't in stock at our local retailer, delivery to our doorstep is only a few days away.

It is VERY easy to have access to the scriptures. So do we cherish them, relish the time we have to study them, or do we think, "Ho hum. I really have a lot to do today. I'll read them tomorrow..."

I really do wonder if our study would be different if we had to work hard to translate the scriptures, or if we had to work hard many months to earn the money to pay for them, or if our lives were at risk if we were caught reading the scriptures. Perhaps, because the way is so easy, we don't take the opportunity to look, just like the people in Moses' day who were bitten by the poisonous snakes and just needed to "look" at the staff in order to be healed.

I hope we don't have to be COMPELLED to read the scriptures, to truly cherish them, to rejoice in the teachings of our Savior, and to learn from the record that has been provided for us at such a high cost to others.

Love,
Mom