So I got up this morning at 7am, which is early for me during the summer, and I thought to myself, "I've got extra time today, so I'll do some scripture study!" I was reading in Joseph Smith History, in the back of the Pearl of Great Price. In chapter one it talks about the First Vision, and as I was reading, I was thinking about how Joseph went about inquiring of the Lord. He found a quiet, serene place where he could be alone to communicate with God, and he went with a humble heart and an open mind, with faith that he would receive an answer. And even when the adversary came upon him and tried to deter him, he had faith and called upon God to save him from the hold of the devil. I was thinking about that, and I realized that, again, it all goes back to faith. If Joseph hadn't had faith that he would receive an answer, he probably wouldn't have gotten one, and if he hadn't had faith that the Lord could save him from the adversary, he would have been in the devil's clutches. That really touched me. I want to develop such strong faith that I can do the same as Joseph did. I decided to make a deal with myself. I am going to study my scriptures for at least thirty minutes a day (not including seminary), and I am going to try to gain a full understanding of the one hundred scripture mastery scriptures as I memorize them. If I do that, then I will treat myself to ice cream at Jeremiah's. ;)
I think that's a fair deal, right? I need to gain a better understanding of the scriptures, and a better understanding of how they apply to me. Joseph knew clearly that the advice given by James in the Bible is supposed to be directly applied to him and to everyone else in the world. The scriptures aren't just a story book. They're a guide to help us in our daily lives, and I'm grateful I have them in my life.
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