Simple FHE Plan for 2012 and Some Additional Family Scripture Study Thoughts

So we have our new scripture plan rolling and so far so good, although I did change from making a poster to using a 3 ring binder for our characterisitics instead.  Right now it is filled with blank pages and we will add characterstics and our characteristic sentences as time goes on and we discover them.  I think it will work well but we are still in the new transitional period and I am sure things will be revamped as time goes on.  I also realized that we are going to bite off even smaller chunks of scripture each day.  More along the lines of somewhere between 2-8 verses rather than 5-15.  We just took about 6 days to get through the introduction to the Book of Mormon and the 3 and 8 witnesses and I also planned out our readings for the next month and by the 5th of February we are only going to be at 1 Nephi 6.  Nice and steady. I think it will work, I guess we shall see.  It may take us a year and a half to finish this scripture plan or maybe it'll go quicker than I think and we will head into the Bible after this.  :) Who knows.  If anyone wants more details I'd be happy to share if you have specific questions, that is if I have answers.  Hey, I'll take additional suggestions and thoughts too.   

Now onto our simple FHE plan for the year....Gospel Principles manual.  Yep, that's it.  Nothing fancy or over the top but something so perfectly simple and essential that I don't think we can go wrong.  There are 47 lessons total which gives us leeway on 5 weeks out of the year.  We plan to go in order cover to cover but that may change as we see the need for a specific chapter as we go along.   We'll each just take turns on our week to take care of the lesson and can do whatever we wish with our chapter.  The first week went well. Our almost 5 year old sat and listened intently about our Heavenly Father.  He asked good questions and I could tell that he got something out of it. When it is his turn I'll help him write a lesson, more like a talk to give. He always does a great job when we do this.  He actually loves to stand up on our step ladder as he presents his lesson like he is giving a talk in church.  Sometimes he even gets out his play microphone to add to the fun.  It is good fun.  I am excited to continue to learn from this great resource and to teach our children these simple, essential gospel truths. 

Do you have a plan for your family FHE and scripture study in 2012?  I feel like I am usually floating from week to week and haphazardly figuring things out so I hope that these plans stick it out for the whole year and we gain something from it all. Here's to a good year!

BINGO New Year's Resolutions and a New Family Scripture Study Plan

So with a strike of the clock at midnight and a change from December to January a new year has begun.  Time to transition from writing 2011 to writing 2012.  Time to check in with yourself and say out with the old and the ugly and in with the new and the more worthy.  I really enjoy this new period of freshness. Of course each day can be a day of resolving to be better or the change from each month or week can bring a newness that stirs up change but there is still something about a brand new year that is so liberating.  I am excited. 

How do you make resolutions at your house?  Do you think up one giant goal and go forth?  Do you write it down in your journal?  Do you list off so many that there is just no way you could ever complete it all?  Do you involve your family or is it totally individual? 

How do you keep yourself motivated?  Do you tell your spouse or child so that you have some accountability to someone? 

I'd love to hear your New Year traditions.  I'd love to hear how things roll at your house.

This year we decided to try something new and kind of fun. I read in a comment on a blog during the last week or so someone who puts their resolutions onto a BINGO card.  I am not sure of any details.  They mostly put on their board simple things that they wanted to do as a family that year like build a snowman, or go to the beach, etc.  It sounded like a fun idea and I thought I'd try our own version of their BINGO idea. 

I thought about doing a card together but my son really wanted to do individual ones, so today we are all thinking about what our 24 squares will contain.  They must be measurable.  Something we can put a sticker on to say we've completed it or vastly improved.  We are going to see who can get BINGO first and then who can get black out first. 

Now 24 resolutions could be quite unattainable if made too large so we plan to have our BINGO cards contain a few more difficult and needed resolutions and somethings we'd like to do this year just for fun. 

For example, I'd like to dejunk and organize our entire home but that is quite a lofty goal and thus I have turned it into 7 different squares on my BINGO card and mixed in there I'd like to read a parenting book or two, run a 5k this summer after baby arrives, etc. 

Among the list that is slowly developing is this very important resolution of a Revamped Family Scripture Study  - Yeah, so we have been in need of a change for a while.    In the past we have done topical scripture study, gospel art kit scripture studies with direction, and more, but things have become a little laxed.  We have been reading (mostly telling) the scriptures every day but for the past little while it has been without much thought or real investment or purpose and that is about to change.  Now I don't have all of the kinks worked out but our plan will go something like this:

We are going to READ from the Book of Mormon directly.  We will focus on a particular scripture story or block each week.  In the January Friend they have THIS weekly reading schedule but I am not sure it will fit what I am looking for.  I'd love a schedule that covers the main stories and characters of the Book of Mormon but that does not require a cover to cover read.  I'd love to read anywhere from 5-15 verses a day but still keep some continuity in story lines and such.  Does anyone have a family plan you've created or something you've seen online that would work? 

Unless one of you sends me a perfect schedule I plan to use the Book of Mormon Stories book to guide me in my verse selections for each week.  Then we will read from the pages of the actual Book of Mormon, 5-15 verses each day.  I will sometimes use pictures for the Gospel Art Kit or Book to give visuals.  At the end of each week we will review the story we have just learned from the scriptures by reading the story in the Book of Mormon Stories book. 

Now so far this sounds like a typical family scripture study regimen but here is the twist.  We are going to be focusing on CHARACTERISTICS of people in the Book of Mormon.  I am going to create a poster (yea still have some work to do :) and as we discover worthy characteristics then we will add them to the poster in this fashion:

OBEDIENT:
Nephi was obedient when he built the boat.

And as time goes on our list will expand and be added to.  We will also add how we have seen those characteristics in people in our family or people we know, for example the obedient characteristic may grow to look like this:

OBEDIENT:
Nephi was obedient when he built the boat.
Bob was obedient when he cleaned his room.

I am hoping that this will help our little family to see the things we can improve in, how we are like those in the scriptures, and motivate us to be better.

I am excited to try out this year long Book of Mormon reading feast and to put this promise to the test:

President Marion G. Romney said:
       
'I feel certain that if, in our homes, parents will read from the Book of Mormon prayerfully and regularly, both by themselves and with their children, the spirit of that great book will come to permeate our homes and all who dwell therein. The spirit of reverence will increase; mutual respect and consideration for each other will grow. The spirit of contention will depart. Parents will counsel their children in greater love and wisdom. Children will be more responsive and submissive to the counsel of their parents. Righteousness will increase. Faith, hope, and charity—the pure love of Christ—will abound in our homes and lives, bringing in their wake peace, joy, and happiness' (Ensign, May 1980, p. 67).
       
"These promises—increased love and harmony in the home, greater respect between parent and child, increased spirituality and righteousness—are not idle promises, but exactly what the Prophet Joseph Smith meant when he said the Book of Mormon will help us draw nearer to God."

  "The Book of Mormon - Keystone of our Religion" - President Benson - Oct. 1986 Gen. Conf.    

We could use that!

So there is a little bit of what is going on at our house, so what's happening out your house this year?

The Book of Mormon: What's the Story?

This starts a series of several posts about the Book of Mormon.  The content will come from the October 2011 Ensign which is available to look at online today. 

Over the next several days I will be posting about what happens in the Book of Mormon (today), common questions about the book, how you can know if the Book of Mormon is true, how to study it, and lastly the formats it is available in and the devices you can access it on. 

If any of you have any questions about the Book of Mormon along the way don't hesitate to ask.  I am happy to help in any way I can.

So on to today's post:

The Story of the Book of Mormon
Article taken from October 2011 Ensign pgs 16-19

1. The Book of Mormon begins with a prophet named Lehi. He warned the wicked people in Jerusalem to repent, but the people didn’t listen. The Lord told Lehi to take his family, including his wife, Sariah, and their sons—Laman, Lemuel, Sam, and Nephi—into the wilderness. (See 1 Nephi 1–2.)
2. Lehi sent his sons back to get the scriptures written on brass plates. These plates had the history of their ancestors and other things the Lord had told them to write. Lehi and Nephi took good care of these plates. They also wrote on metal plates what happened to their family. (See 1 Nephi 3–5.)
3. The Lord gave Lehi a compass called the Liahona to guide his family through the wilderness to the promised land. (See 1 Nephi 16.)
4. The Lord told Nephi to build a boat to take Lehi’s family to the promised land. Nephi obeyed his father and the Lord, but Laman and Lemuel did not. (See 1 Nephi 17.)
5. Lehi and his family sailed to the promised land on the boat they built. (See 1 Nephi 18.)
6. Laman and Lemuel continued to disobey their father and the Lord. Their descendants are known as the Lamanites. Nephi continued to obey his father and the Lord. His descendants are called Nephites. (See 2 Nephi 4–5.)
7. After Lehi and Nephi died, other people, such as Nephi’s brother Jacob, were in charge of writing important teachings and events on the plates. (See Jacob 1.)
8. Enos prayed to be forgiven of his sins, and he was forgiven. (See Enos 1.)
9. King Benjamin built a tower to teach his people the gospel. (See Mosiah 2–6.)
10. A wicked king named Noah had the prophet Abinadi put to death. But Abinadi’s teachings converted one of Noah’s priests named Alma. (See Mosiah 11–17.)
11. Alma escaped from King Noah’s court, taught other people about the gospel, and baptized them. (See Mosiah 18.)
12. Alma’s son Alma the Younger was not obedient. He and his friends, the sons of Mosiah, were wicked. Then an angel told them to repent. Alma and the sons of Mosiah repented and spent the rest of their lives preaching the gospel. (See Mosiah 27–28.)
13. Mosiah’s son Ammon converted many Lamanites after Ammon defended King Lamoni’s flocks and won his trust. (See Alma 17–19.)
14. Captain Moroni wrote the title of liberty and fought to defend the liberty of his people. (See Alma 46; 48.)
15. Helaman led an army of 2,000 righteous young men. (See Alma 53; 56–58.)
16. A Lamanite prophet named Samuel prophesied that Jesus Christ would soon be born. (See Helaman 13–16.)
17. Far away in Bethlehem, Jesus Christ was born. He taught His gospel, healed and blessed people, and set up His Church. Then He was crucified and resurrected. (See 3 Nephi 1; 8–10.)
18. After His Resurrection, He visited the righteous Nephites and Lamanites. He taught them His gospel, healed them, and blessed them, just as He had in the land around Jerusalem. (See 3 Nephi 11–28.)
19. A 10-year-old boy named Mormon was chosen to write on the plates when he grew older. At age 24 he began combining the most important stories from all the records onto a set of metal plates. (See Mormon 1.)
20. Before Mormon died, he gave the plates to his son Moroni. Moroni was a general in the army. He was the last Nephite to survive a great battle between the Lamanites and the Nephites. (See Mormon 6; 8.)
21. Before Moroni died, he buried the plates in a place called Cumorah. About 1,400 years after Moroni buried the plates, a 14-year-old boy named Joseph Smith prayed to know which church was right. (See Joseph Smith—History 1:5–16.)
22. Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ visited Joseph Smith and told him that none of the churches were true and complete. Joseph would help restore the true Church of Jesus Christ. (See Joseph Smith—History 1:17–20.)
23. Moroni visited Joseph Smith and told him about the buried plates. When Joseph Smith got older, he would get the plates and translate them. (See Joseph Smith—History 1:27–54.)
24. When Joseph Smith was 21, he went to the Hill Cumorah and got the plates from the place where Moroni had buried them. (See Joseph Smith—History 1:59.)
25. Through the power of God, Joseph Smith translated the writing on the plates. He published this translation. It is called the Book of Mormon. (See title page and introduction to the Book of Mormon.)

You can read the entire Book of Mormon online HERE.
You can also request a FREE hard copy of the Book of Mormon HERE.

What's The Book of Mormon All About?

The Church has been working on a special Edition of the Ensign (a Church magazine) since 2009 that will focus solely on The Book of Mormon.

LDS Church News had this to say about the special edition:

You can find the full article at this link.

"The special-edition Ensign and Liahona will be available for purchase Oct. 1 at Church distribution centers. A digital version will be available online at LDS.org on Sept. 20. Subscribers will receive their monthly issues as usual."

"Members are encouraged to use the special issue in two ways," said Elder Paul B. Pieper of the Seventy and executive director of the Curriculum Department. "First, members and missionaries should review it for their personal edification and to strengthen their testimonies. Second, they should share the magazine with others, including less-active Church members and nonmembers."

Here is a list of just some of the things you will find in this special issue:

• First Presidency message by President Thomas S. Monson.

• Visiting teaching message by Sister Julie B. Beck, general Relief Society president.

• A new full-color Book of Mormon timeline.

• Full-page artwork.

• Sheet music for a new Book of Mormon-themed song called "Two Thousand Stripling Warriors," with music by Janice Kapp Perry and lyrics by Bonnie Hart Murray.

• Tips on using mobile devices for scripture study.

• President Ezra Taft Benson's classic address — "The Book of Mormon: Keystone of Our Religion."

• A new Book of Mormon-themed Mormon ad.
• Tips on how to study the Book of Mormon
• A side-by-side comparison of doctrinal passages from the Bible and Book of Mormon
• Commonly asked questions about the Book of Mormon and corresponding answers.

I you want to learn more about the Book of Mormon head over to LDS.org on September 20th.  As we all receive access to this special edition I plan to have several posts to correspond with it.  I am excited.

What is a Mormon?

Mormon: The People, the Church, the Prophet

"Mormon" is a term commonly applied to members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Church is sometimes inaccurately called the "Mormon Church" because its members believe that the Book of Mormon is an additional volume of scripture to the Bible. The Book of Mormon is named after Mormon, a fourth-century prophet-historian who compiled and abridged many records of his ancestors into the Book of Mormon.

Mormon: The People

Mormons live and work in every state of the United States and throughout the world. They value their family, their communities and the countries where they reside. They actively participate in business and agriculture, education and the sciences, government, the entertainment industry and news media. They work in public service and professional fields and serve as ambassadors, legislators, judges, and CEOs. There are currently five U.S. senators, including the senate majority leader, who are Mormon.

Mormon: The Church

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is the fourth-largest religious institution in America, with over 6 million members in the United States and a total of nearly 14 million worldwide. While the term "Mormon Church" has long been publicly applied to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as a nickname, it is not an official title, and the Church encourages the use of the full authorized title. There are nearly 28,000 Mormon congregations worldwide, with meetings held in more than 180 languages, and Sunday services are open for anyone to attend. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is well known for its humanitarian work and has teamed up with Catholic Relief Services, the Red Cross, UNICEF, and many other agencies to help relieve suffering throughout the world. The Church also operates the world's largest genealogical library, located in Salt Lake City, and has one of the world's largest databases of online genealogical records. This database can be accessed for free by anyone at FamilySearch.

Mormon: The Prophet

Mormon was an actual historical figure in the Book of Mormon. He was a prophet, military general, and record keeper who lived about A.D. 311-385 on the American Continent. He was a military leader for most of his life, beginning at age fifteen. He also kept extensive historical and spiritual records of his people, who lived in the Americas. After recording the history of his own lifetime, he compiled and abridged the records, engraved on plates of gold, of previous prophets. These plates were part of the record from which the Prophet Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon in the early 19th century.

The Sacrifices Made For Scriptures

A few nights ago for scripture study we talked about Moroni and how far and long he wandered to stay away from the Lamanites and protect the plates. I hadn’t realized that it was probably thousands of miles. My husband ended by saying and we have the scriptures right by our beds, we need to read them.

Then on Sunday morning I watched this video of the great sacrifices that Joseph Smith and other early saints went through to translate and make available the Book of Mormon. I love Elder Hollands words about how they would not have done what they did if this book wasn't true. I know that the Book of Mormon is true and I am grateful for the sacrfices made so that I can have access to its words.

Then I thought of others like Nephi who also risked their lives to obtain the word of God and I felt blessed and grateful to all of these wonderful men for their faith and their diligence in bringing the word of God to me. I think I often take for granted all that has gone on before so that I can have access to the scriptures right in my own home, right next to my own bed, always at my fingertips whenever I chose to pick them up. I need to be more faithful and diligent in my personal scripture journey because if I don’t I will be risking my own spiritual life and there is no reason why I or any of us should do this when our scriptures lie right by our beds (or on our bookshelves).

And when I shared all of these thoughts with my husband he reminded me of these great words from Elder Christofferson:

On October 6, in the year 1536, a pitiful figure was led from a dungeon in Vilvorde Castle near Brussels, Belgium. For nearly a year and a half, the man had suffered isolation in a dark, damp cell. Now outside the castle wall, the prisoner was fastened to a post. He had time to utter aloud his final prayer, “Lord! open the king of England’s eyes,” and then he was strangled. Immediately, his body was burned at the stake. Who was this man, and what was the offense for which both political and ecclesiastical authorities had condemned him? His name was William Tyndale, and his crime was to have translated and published the Bible in English.

William Tyndale was not the first, nor the last, of those who in many countries and languages have sacrificed, even to the point of death, to bring the word of God out of obscurity. We owe them all a great debt of gratitude. We owe perhaps an even greater debt to those who faithfully recorded and preserved the word through the ages, often with painstaking labor and sacrifice—Moses, Isaiah, Abraham, John, Paul, Nephi, Mormon, Joseph Smith, and many others. What did they know about the importance of scriptures that we also need to know?

In Tyndale’s day, scriptural ignorance abounded because people lacked access to the Bible, especially in a language they could understand. Today the Bible and other scripture are readily at hand, yet there is a growing scriptural illiteracy because people will not open the books. Consequently they have forgotten things their grandparents knew.

I suppose that never in history has a people been blessed with such a quantity of holy writ. And not only that, but every man, woman, and child may possess and study his or her own personal copy of these sacred texts, most in his or her own language. How incredible such a thing would have seemed to the people of William Tyndale’s day and to the Saints of earlier dispensations! Surely with this blessing the Lord is telling us that our need for constant recourse to the scriptures is greater than in any previous time. May we feast continuously on the words of Christ that will tell us all things we should do (see 2 Nephi 32:3).

Words of Widsdom Wednesday: Answers to Everything

Address to CES Religious Educators • October 14, 1977 • Elder Boyd K. Packer

"There is no question—personal or social or political or occupational—that need go unanswered. [The Scriptures contain] the fulness of the everlasting gospel. Therein we find principles of truth that will resolve every confusion and every problem and every dilemma that will face the human family or any individual in it."

Any thoughts or experiences?

You can read from the Scriptures HERE.

You can request a FREE copy of the Book of Mormon HERE (just scroll to the bottom of the home page).

What is the Book of Mormon?

I just discovered this wonderful page about the Book of Mormon on LDS.org. It answers questions such as What is the Book of Mormon, How can reading the Book of Mormon affect my life, and How can I know for myself that the Book of Mormon is true?

From this page you can read testimonies of modern prophets about the Book of Mormon, you can request a free copy of the Book of Mormon and much more.

I personally have a testimony of the Book of Mormon. I know that it is the Word of God. I know that Joseph Smith did see God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ. I know that he translated the plates and brought forth the Book of Mormon in our day. I know that the Book of Mormon is Another Testament of Jesus Christ and that if we read it we can become more Christ-like and draw nearer to our Heavenly Father.

I know that I have received answers to prayers while reading the Book of Mormon. I know that I have found peace in the words of the Book of Mormon. I know that I am happier when I make my studies of the Book of Mormon a greater priority in my life. The Book of Mormon is true. Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. Jesus Christ is our Savior and Examplar.

If you'd like to learn more about the Book of Mormon please visit this great site.

Scripture Share: Any Thoughts?

Well, I was going to do a little research and more thinking of my own before I posted this but it looks like it may not happen soon and so I thought I would gain some insights from all of you. Do you have any thoughts, ideas, or quotes that would help me to understand the bolded phrase in the verse below? It really stuck out to me when reading this time through but I have yet to come to any conclusions concerning what it means. I'd love to hear what you have to say about this verse. Thanks!

Mosiah 14: 5
5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

Scripture Share: Word of Honor

Every Monday night as part of Family Home Evening we have a moment for a "Scripture Share" from our personal studies. For the last long time it seems that no one (my husband and I) has had anything to share and this is not because we aren't reading but by the time Monday rolls around the thoughts I had during the week have already slipped or I simply didn't focus during the week like I should. I hope to periodically share some scripture insights or thoughts or questions here on my blog to help me to remember the thoughts that I have and to share them with my family when FHE rolls around each week. I'd love to hear what you have to share from your weeks scripture studies as well.

This weeks scripture share actually comes from many weeks back in my studies but it has still been on my mind so I thought I'd start here.

As I was reading in Alma 44 I was incredibly impressed by a leader in the Book of Mormon who was not righteous but who had a very admirable characteristic - His word was his word. In our world these days this characteristic is slipping and often non-existent. Do you always keep your word? To your spouse? To your children? When you say you will or will not do something is your word as good as done?

In Alma 44:6-7 it reads, "6 Yea, and this is not all; I command you by all the desires which ye have for life, that ye deliver up your weapons of war unto us, and we will seek not your blood, but we will spare your lives, if ye will go your way and come not again to war against us.

7 And now, if ye do not this, behold, ye are in our hands, and I will command my men that they shall fall upon you, and inflict the wounds of death in your bodies, that ye may become extinct; and then we will see who shall have power over this people; yea, we will see who shall be brought into bondage.

So Moroni clearly states here that if they do not deliver up their weapons and promise to never come against them in war they plan to make them extinct. That is a scary thought. Now in our day most people would probably deliver up their weapons and say that they would not come again to war but all the while be planning their attack in that very moment. But listen to Zerahemnah's response in verse 8:

8 And now it came to pass that when Zerahemnah had heard these sayings he came forth and delivered up his sword and his cimeter, and his bow into the hands of Moroni, and said unto him: Behold, here are our weapons of war; we will deliver them up unto you, but we will not suffer ourselves to take an oath unto you, which we know that we shall break, and also our children; but take our weapons of war, and suffer that we may depart into the wilderness; otherwise we will retain our swords, and we will perish or conquer."

Even this wicked leader held his word in high regard. What an admirable characteristic. I think we all could learn from this scriptural account a little about keeping our word. It is such a necessary characteristic to have today. We all make covenants with our Heavenly Father. We all make promises to our children or our spouse. We all accept upon us responsibilities in church callings or within our communities. We all set personal goals and declarations that may only be known to us. In all of these situations the keeping of our word is so important.

As I thought about Zerahemnah I was reminded of the words of Karl G. Maeser:

"I have been asked what I mean by my word of honor. I will tell you. Place me behind prison walls-- ever so high, ever so thick, reaching ever so far into the ground - there is a possibility that in some way or another I will escape; but stand me on a floor and draw a chalk line around me and have me give my word of honor never to cross it. Can I get out of the Circle? No. Never! I would die first."

Let us all be more accountable for our word. Let us all hold our word in higher regard. We will become a more honest and covenant keeping people to God, ourselves, and our family and friends if we will always keep a promise, always tell the truth, always keep the covenants that we make, and always remain accountable for an agreemant we make. Let us learn from a not so righteous leader that our word is important.

Mormon Myths Made Simple

This is a wonderful video that simply explains and clarifies the many myths that are out there about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. To watch more videos like this visit MormonsMadeSimple.com .

The Miracle of the Holy Bible

8th Article of Faith:
"We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God."

Enjoy this wonderful video of "The Miracle of the Bible"


To receive a FREE copy of the Book of Mormon or the Bible among many other DVDs and booklets vist Mormon.org.

Mormons Made Simple

I just received an email from a couple (Doug and Laurel) informing me of their wonderful new site called Mormons Made Simple. It is in the beginning stages but has a few wonderful videos (with more to come) that explain basics about Mormons in a very simple way.

In this first video you will find out what it is like "Attending a Mormon Church Service". In the video you will find "A simple explanation of what to expect when attending a Mormon worship service. You'll learn: how to find a chapel, what to wear, and what to do when you arrive."



The second video is about "The Book of Mormon". "This video provides a brief introduction to the Book of Mormon. You'll learn where it came from, what it contains, and how to receive your own free copy."



You can find out more by visiting their website at the link provided at the top of the post. These videos are great tools. Doug and Laurel are encouraging others to add a video to your website, blog, facebook page, or simply email this to a friend. Both members and those who are not members can be benefited from this great resource.

Thanks for sharing, Doug and Laurel!

One of the Most Significant Gifts Given to the World in Modern Times

"The gift I am thinking of is more important than any of the inventions and technological revolutions. This is a gift of greater value to mankind than even the many wonderful advances we have seen in modern medicine. It is of greater worth to mankind than the development of flight or space travel. I speak of the gift of the Book of Mormon."
-President Ezra Taft Benson


I had heard of this talk by President Benson but I don't think I had ever read it prior to a few nights ago. The Keystone of Our Religion is a powerful testimony of the Book of Mormon. It shares the words of the Lord about the Book of Mormon. It shares the significants of the timing of the coming forth of the Book of Mormon. But most importantly it shares with all of us the importance of the Book of Mormon to each of us and why we should make the studying of it a bigger priority in our lives.

This is a longer post than normal but I urge you to read on. As I read this talk my testimony of the Book of Mormon was strengthened and I felt a greater desire to make it a keystone of my life. Below I took a portion of President Benson's talk to share with you but if you would like to read the whole talk you can click on the link in the previous paragraph.

"There are three great reasons why Latter-day Saints should make the study of the Book of Mormon a lifetime pursuit.

The first is that the Book of Mormon is the keystone of our religion

There are three ways in which the Book of Mormon is the keystone of our religion. It is the keystone in our witness of Christ. It is the keystone of our doctrine. It is the keystone of testimony.

The Book of Mormon is the keystone in our witness of Jesus Christ, who is Himself the cornerstone of everything we do. It bears witness of His reality with power and clarity.

The Book of Mormon is also the keystone of the doctrine of the resurrection. As mentioned before, the Lord Himself has stated that the Book of Mormon contains the “fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ.” (D&C 20:9.) That does not mean it contains every teaching, every doctrine ever revealed. Rather, it means that in the Book of Mormon we will find the fulness of those doctrines required for our salvation.

Finally, the Book of Mormon is the keystone of testimony. Just as the arch crumbles if the keystone is removed, so does all the Church stand or fall with the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. The enemies of the Church understand this clearly. This is why they go to such great lengths to try to disprove the Book of Mormon, for if it can be discredited, the Prophet Joseph Smith goes with it. So does our claim to priesthood keys, and revelation, and the restored Church. But in like manner, if the Book of Mormon be true—and millions have now testified that they have the witness of the Spirit that it is indeed true—then one must accept the claims of the Restoration and all that accompanies it.

The second great reason why we must make the Book of Mormon a center focus of study is that it was written for our day.

Each of the major writers of the Book of Mormon testified that he wrote for future generations... they saw our day, and chose those things which would be of greatest worth to us, is not that how we should study the Book of Mormon? We should constantly ask ourselves, “Why did the Lord inspire Mormon (or Moroni or Alma) to include that in his record? What lesson can I learn from that to help me live in this day and age?”

The third reason that the Book of Mormon is of such value to Latter-day Saints is given in the same statement by the Prophet Joseph Smith cited previously. He said, “I told the brethren that the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book.” (Introduction to the Book of Mormon.) That is the third reason for studying the book. It helps us draw nearer to God. Is there not something deep in our hearts that longs to draw nearer to God, to be more like Him in our daily walk, to feel His presence with us constantly? If so, then the Book of Mormon will help us do so more than any other book.

The Power and Blessings of the Book of Mormon

"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."

I love his thoughts and testimony of the Book of Mormon. I love his desire to distill in us the significants and value of that great book. I love his testimony of the power that the Book of Mormon contains.

If you have not yet read the Book of Mormon or if your testimony is wavering I urge you to take Moroni's Challenge (Moroni 10:3-5):

3 Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things (the Book of Mormon), if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts.

4 And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.

5 And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.

My Testimony of the Book of Mormon:

I have a testimony of the Book of Mormon. I know that it is the Word of God. I know that Joseph Smith did see God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ. I know that he translated the plates and brought forth the Book of Mormon in our day. I know that the Book of Mormon is Another Testament of Jesus Christ and that if we read it we can become more Christ-like and draw nearer to our Heavenly Father.

I know that I have received answers to prayers while reading the Book of Mormon. I know that I have found peace in the words of the Book of Mormon. I know that I am happier when I make my studies of the Book of Mormon a greater priority in my life. The Book of Mormon is true. Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. Jesus Christ is our Savior and Examplar.

I testify of these things and like President Benson my hope is "that the Book of Mormon may become the keystone of our lives."

To read the Book of Mormon online click HERE.

To receive a free copy of the Book of Mormon click HERE.

Topical Family Scripture Study

Well, I've decided to try something different for family scripture study. Originally we started out going through the Book of Mormon from the beginning and selecting small (2-4 verses) passages to read each day. It was nice that it was not a lengthy read (especially because we are trying to engage our toddler) but I felt like by the time we finished a story it had kind of fallen apart. The story wasn't cohesive and we lost the whole point and the application that could've been grasped. So now we are into our second week of topical family scripture study. We'll see how long this lasts. We are trying to find something that works for all of us and so far (although we haven't gone far yet) I am liking this new way and I think my husband and little boy are as well.

The first topic we did was PRAYER. I just used the Topical Guide and found scriptures that I thought would fit and this is what our scripture study looked like (some of links don't display the printable properly. I am still trying to figure out how to post things that I create myself. Any tips would be much appreciated.):

PRAY ALWAYS - 2 Nephi 32:8-9

We colored, cut, and taped our prayer puppet together. We talked about what he was doing: folding his arms, closing his eyes, and bowing his head.

GIVE THANKS - Alma 45:1

I printed off a thought bubble and we brainstormed things that we can thank our Heavenly Father for and then we taped it on the wall as if the prayer puppet was praying about these things.

PRAY FOR GUIDANCE AND COUNSEL - Alma 37:37

I printed off a question mark to represent us asking our Heavenly Father for things along with many things that we might ask for, e.g. peace, an answer, the Spirit, guidance, etc. and we taped them on the wall (I am sure you are noticing a trend with taping things on the wall but my little boy loves doing this).

PRAY FOR OTHERS - Alma 34:27

We got on the computer and looked at pictures of people we might pray for. We looked at anyone from grandparents, to President Monson, to President Obama.

PRAY WITH REAL INTENT, SINCERELY - Moroni 7:6,9

Here we didn't really have a fun activity but my husband and I had more of a discussion. This is something that I struggle with. I may post a more in depth post some other time in hopes to get some ideas and helps from all of you.

NO VAIN REPITITIONS - 3 Nephi 13:7-8

We gave our little boy a pat on the back this night. We talked about how he does a good job saying thank you for so many different things and different people. I think a lot of children are so much better at this and we adults could take a lesson or two from them.

FAMILY PRAYER - 3 Nephi 18:21

After we read this we had our family prayer.

PERSONAL PRAYERS - 3 Nephi 13:5-6

We used a picture from the Gospel Art Kit and talked about how we say our own personal prayers in private. Then we put together puzzles of all different types of prayers and talked about them.

SCRIPTURE STORY/MIGHT PRAYER - Enos 1:4

We read the one verse and then summarized the story while looking at a picture of Enos from the Gospel Art Kit.

There you have it...our first attempt at Topical Family Scripture Study. It was not flawless. It was not perfect. We are still figuring everything out. Some nights our toddler couldn't care less but I think that he grasps more about prayer now and so do I. I think that he actually gets what we were talking about at scripture time instead of us rambling off verses that had no connection to him yet. Prayer is something that he can relate to because it is concrete. It is something we do every day. So there is our start.

Here is our scripture poster and what it looked like throughout our prayer scripture block. To read my earlier posts on family scripture study click on this link - Family Scripture Study:

Do any of you have ideas for reading the scriptures topically or any scripture study ideas period? I'm sure we all can use some help in making our family scripture time more effective and enjoyable. Thanks!

The Olive Tree Allegory: Jacob 5

I have never really understand The Olive Tree Allegory in Jacob 5. It has always been hard to follow and understand. I was just looking for something else and came across this chart in a seminary manual online. I just had to post it because I think this will be super helpful to me and I am sure I am not the only one who gets lost in Jacob 5...or maybe I am. Here is the link if you are interested:

The Olive Tree Allegory

Trials: Be of Good Comfort

This last week was quite a tough one for our little family. We hit bumps and pot holes continuously throughout the week. We had one particular trial that seemed to take all of my energy and emotions - it seemed to take over all of me. It was an overwhelmingly emotional week. It was draining and frustrating and sad, and very dissapointing. One day I may write more personally about the whole situation but it is still too fresh and I think to wait some time may be good for me.

But as I have been dealing with this trial along with the many other bumps and holes we hit throughout the week I have been gratefully blessed with a peaceful assurance that my Heavenly Father and my Savior Jesus Christ are there - that They know me, that They care about me, and that They will never leave me. I have felt the peace of knowing that my Father in Heaven does listen to my heart-felt prayers. That my Savior does understand - that He does know what I am going through.

At moments I am still overwhelmed and I am still brought to tears but the other night I was blessed to be guided to these wonderful verses:

Mosiah 24:13-16
"And it came to pass that the voice of the Lord came to them in their afflictions, saying: Lift up your heads and be of good comfort...

And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions.

And now it came to pass that the burdens...were made light; yea, the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord.

And it came to pass that so great was their faith and their patience that the voice of the Lord came unto them again, saying: Be of good comfort, for on the morrow I will deliver you out of bondage."

I know that I was visited by the Lord during these trials. I know that I have been stregthened and taught.

The last line in these verses says, "Be of good comfort, for on the morrow I will deliver you out of bondage." The following day after I read these verses my trial did not dissappear but I felt a greater peace, a greater amount of comfort, and I felt like I could lift my head a little and smile.

I know that we are all watched over and cared for. I know that we are not left to fight our trials on our own. I know that we are loved by our Heavenly Father and by Jesus Christ and that they will never leave us but will visit us in our times of need and will give us comfot if we will have greater faith and patience.

Family Scripture Study with Young Children

"May I suggest that in our family night gatherings we make it a project to memorize one scripture citation a week pertinent to this work. At the conclusion of a year our children will have on their lips a fund of scripture which will remain with them throughout their lives."(Conference Report, April 1959; Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley, p. 344; Gene R. Cook, Searching the Scriptures: Bringing Power to Your Personal and Family Study, p. 115).

What a CHALLENGE!!!

During the last few days I have been thinking about how it is about time to really start getting into Family Scripture Study. We read our scriptures every day as a couple, which used to be our whole family, but now we have a little boy (who is a few months shy of 2 years old) and we sometimes read with him but it has not become a consistent habit. He is definitely at an age where he can grasp a lot and I feel bad that this wasn't made a consistent habit earlier...but at least we are going to start now, right!?!

So with all of that said I have set out on journey to figure out just how we want to go about this and have come across things that I like and I have also created some things to help a long the way.

I really like this schedule (link below) because it allows you to adjust your reading to work for your family. There are chapters selected for younger families to read each month or you can read the entire Book of Mormon.

ALL OF THE BELOW LINKS DO NOT WORK IF YOU WOULD LIKE ME TO SEND THESE DOCUMENTS TO TOU PLEASE EMAIL ME AT becominglds@gmail.com AND I WILL SEND THEM TO YOU!!! Thanks!

I Will Read the Book of Mormon and Cutouts - A Yearly Book of Mormon Reading Schedule for Young Families

Next, I really want scripture time to be fun so I've create three lists to coordinate with songs from the Children's Songbook, pictures from the Gospel Art Kit, and the Book of Mormon Stories (you can download the video or text version of this online now). I hope that they will be helpful.

They should help in knowing when there are songs, pictures, or scripture stories to aid in your family scripture study. For example, when you hit 1 Nephi 3 you might look at the song list and know that you can use this song from the songbook - 1 Nephi 3:1-7 - Nephi's Courage - #120. The same thing goes for the two other lists. One day I may combine them into one document or grid to make planning easier until then the links to the current documents are below.

Children's Songbook Scripture Songs

Gospel Art Kit Scriptures

Book of Mormon Stories Scriptures by Chapter

ALL OF THE ABOVE LINKS DO NOT WORK IF YOU WOULD LIKE ME TO SEND THESE DOCUMENTS TO TOU PLEASE EMAIL ME AT becominglds@gmail.com AND I WILL SEND THEM TO YOU!!!  Thanks!

I haven't figured this all out yet but I plan to have certain days of the week be dedicated to certain things. For example, I may have a certain day of the week when we simply read, another day when we use a gospel art kit picture or if there isn't one we might draw a picture or color a picture printed off the the computer for that day, another day we might use the Book of Mormon Stories book or tell the story in more simple terms, ect. This way we really get to know the stories and have fun with it. I never want to use these activities to substitute for the actual words in the scriptures so each activity above will be used in conjunction with reading something from the scriptures for that day. If anyone already has a schedule that they have created or any fun ideas I would love to hear them.

I also found this link to a simple version of the Book of Mormon. It would be a great read for a young teen or anyone trying to understand the Book of Mormon better. http://www.plainbookofmormon.com/

Again, if anyone has any ideas on how to make Family Scripture Study with Young Children fun and understandable I would love to hear them. I hope the little bit that I have done might help some of you.

Book of Mormon: Laying Down Our Weapons of Rebellion

Last night I was reading from Alma and came across these verses that stuck out to me...

Alma 23:7 For they became a righteous people; they did lay down the weapons of their rebellion, that they did not fight against God any more...

Alma 24:16 ...behold, we will hide away our swords, yea, even we will bury them deep in the earth, that they may be kept bright, as a testimony that we have never used them...

The Anti-Nephi-Lehis' weapons could commit physical death but more importantly they were creating in them their own spiritual death. Our weapons of rebellion may not be bringing about the physical death of others but just as the Anti-Nephi-Lehis our personal weapons of rebellion can slowly but indefinitely lead us to our own spiritual death and leave bad examples for others to follow to their spiritual decline.

Are our choices holding us down and causing us to use our weapons to fight against God? That statement really stuck out to me, "they did not fight against God any more." It made me realize that when I sin or when I make bad choices I am literally fighting against Him. Luke 11:23 says, "He that is not with me is against me...".

Let us all bury our weapons of rebellion deep in the earth. Let us keep our weapons that were once dirty with sin bright as a testimony that we never used them again. Let us find weapons of righteousness within ourselves. Let us beat the enemy we all find within ourselves and submit to will of our Heavenly Father.

President James E. Faust said it perfectly, "Each of us needs to train ourselves to be bold, disciplined, and loyal men [and women] who are prepared with the proper weapons to fight against evil and to win.

My Words...Never Cease

This is Elder Holland's tesimony of continuing revelation. It is a wonderful video. I too, know that God's words never cease. I know that we can individually receive revelation for ourselves and I also know that The Book of Mormon is a true book and is a testimony that revelation continues today. Enjoy the video of Elder Holland's words.

"My Words...Never Cease"

(click on title to read full text)

Elder Holland

To read from the different books of our
standard works click on the links below:

The Old Testament
The New Testament
The Book of Mormon
The Doctrine and Covenants
The Pearl of Great Price

To receive a free copy of the Book of Mormon click on the link below
then scroll to the bottom of the page and click on Request a Copy:

Free Book of Mormon

If you have any questions you'd like to have answered
by LDS missionaries click on this link:

Live Online Chat with Missionaries