Catch a Falling Star – Scripture Study

Those of you who know me know that I love the scriptures. I don’t think there is anything more fantastic than slowly feasting on the word of the Lord, as recorded by His prophets.

I’m a slow reader. The unhurried style suits me just fine. I take time to write and think and counsel with the Lord and allow the Lord to counsel with me through the Spirit. I’m never disappointed. I’m always well fed, even if all I cover is a verse or two.

I look up words in the dictionary for greater understanding. In my ward and family I'm known for carrying around my little electronic dictionary along with my scriptures. I often search cross-references, and as I study I always record the Lord’s message to me in my journal.

This way of coming unto Christ has been a great blessing to me. It has awakened a love and appreciation of Jesus Christ and His work in my behalf, that has literally transformed my life.

I want to share an experience I had with President Hinckley’s challenge to read the Book of Mormon quickly. I say challenge because that is exactly what it was for me. One week I wrote in my journal: “President Hinckley has challenged all members of the Church to read the entire Book of Mormon by the end of the year. To accomplish such a task I have to read six pages a day. I am doing it, but it is very frustrating! I feel like I am being asked to eat thanksgiving dinner in five minutes.”

I finally started using my Book of Mormon CDs to help me move along. One particular day, as I was listening, following along, and finishing up 2 Nephi, I was particularly amazed at the number of verses I was familiar with in my six-page reading:

“For ye have not come thus far save it were by the word of Christ…Press forward with a steadfastness in Christ…Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, they speak the words of Christ…Feast…The words of Christ will tell you all things what you should do…I glory in plainness…in truth…in my Jesus…”

These were verses I had come to love during my slow study. They were verses preciously associated with my love for Jesus. They had become beautiful to me. As they whizzed by on this particular day a new picture came into my mind.

I recalled our late-summer family trip to Yellowstone. After an evening rain, the sky cleared and we were in a privileged position to view a wonderful meteor shower. “Did you see that one! Oh, Look! That was a bright one! Wow!” We must have exchanged comments like that for an hour or more before settling in our tents.

Using this memory, just as I began to feel frustrated over not being able to catch a verse “and put it in my pocket,” the Lord reminded me that the quick read is a great opportunity to go “star gazing” in the scriptures. Now, instead of bemoaning the quick trip through God’s word, I find myself saying: “There’s another one. Wow, that was beautiful.”

By Nannette W.
Posted Friday, September 19, 2008

Copyright 2008 by Nannette W. All right reserved.
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