How Tight Is Our Knot?

Sorry for not posting much for the last two months.. just haven't really had anything to say haha.
A great start to 2016 for my blog huh? ha, well at least I gave my blog a new design, let me know what you think of it! :D.


This last week, when I was at work on Sunday, I was taking out the garbage bin to the dumpster outside. I had a thought I should tie the bags up, so I did so. not knowing that when I open the door leading outside, that it was a windy Sunday.

Right as I pushed the bin outside, a bag on top flew from  the pile landing a few feet away.

If I had not had the thought to tie up the bag, garbage would of went all over the place and I would of had to pick it all up.

Because I tied it up, the bag was ready for the wind, even though the bag did move, the content inside did not scattered in the wind. so then I started to think...

and I compared it to us, we being the bags, Satan being the wind, and tying the bags to us having a foundation in Christ. depending on how tight we tie the bags, the wind won't be able to open it. in other words, depending on how strong our foundation in Christ is, we will be able to withstand Satan's wind storms. Yes... we will move, being thrown in the mist of the wind, but we won't be lost and scattered in the world.

How tight is our knot?, how strong is our foundation in Christ?..
If I would of hurry and tied the bag fast, without actually giving it a good knot, then it could of burst open in the wind.

Studying the scriptures, praying, going to church, is what makes our foundation. There are times when my foundation is weak, when I tie the "bag" loosely, or don't tie it at all, that is when Satan can come in and tempt us. that is when he can have power over us. that is when his wind storms has taken us so far away from our  weak foundation, that we feel like we can never return, that we can never come back to Christ. to rebuild our foundation, to change.

Satan can send temptations, or he can even send his storms during trials we may face in this life, as I like to say. going through trials can either make us or break us, and Satan know this. when we're going through a tough time, Whether it be with sin, or trials. he'll try to tear us down, try to snatch us up in the storm and throw us away from Christ.

And when the storm finally ease up, we look back and the road is so far.. we may think "I have gone to far, I can never come back" it may seem that no one is in sight,  but know that Christ is there, he is always there. He drank from the bitter cup out of love for everyone. He did not sip from the cup and called it good. He did not give up on us, why would we give up on Him?

Know that Christ is there, but also know that people are here along the way to help. family, friends, church leaders. we are all on your side. We will help with your foundation, but it is your job to make the plans for them.

Christ calm the tempest, when he was on the boat with his disciples, surely, if we have faith turn to him, we can survive the storms.  



As I thought this, the scripture Helaman 5:12 came to mind

"And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall."

People can agree or disagree on this scripture. because it says "to drag you down" but the wind got hold of the bag and was able to move it, at least to a certain point.

Here is a Mormon Message video titled "After the Storm"

As I was thinking of this too, another scripture came to mind. Jacob 6:12 "O be wise, what can I say more?" ah, my favorite scripture. it's short, but full of meaning. once we understand the Gospel, have a foundation in Christ, then it's pretty much is.. be wise, what can I say more? :)

                     Endure to the end, stay strong in the Gospel and you won't regret it

Kindness Of A Tap On The Shoulders

I want to share this experience I went through, although I did not know of it until years after it took place.

When I was younger, my stuttering was worse then it is now, I mainly just stutter now when I'm nervous, before I would stutter  everytime. I went to my first scout camp when I was 12 years old, I remember being in a car driving up there with some of the priest in my ward (16-18 years old) they were talking about something like money for the trading post. I wanted to be "cool" among the priests, so I said I had 5 bucks instead of 5 dollars. hah... they laughed. I think I would done the same.

So, as I have said.. my stutter was a lot worse then it is now, so during the fishing class I took, we were all sitting in a group and the scout master or whoever was teaching the class was talking to us and if we had questions, he would answer it. I asked a question. I most likely stuttered a lot as I asked the question. I would hardly ask questions in classes, because I know it'd be hard to understand me, so instead of talking and having to repeat myself, I would usually stay silent..

But for some reason, I said something.

End of story... right?, no.

What I did not know until years later, when I myself was a teacher/priest (15-16) I was at some meeting, and the person who taught the class was there, he remembered me and talked of what happened, I had no clue of it until he told me

A couple of the other guys in the class were sitting behind me and were making fun of how I talked..
when a priest in my ward, tapped them on their shoulders and silently told them to knock it off.
The act was quick and quiet. after the class I went on my way to my next classes.

Not knowing.

It could of been easy, for the priest to join  the quiet laughter, or even  not do anything and let them have their "fun" but he did something, he knew what they were doing was wrong, and made them stop.

from this, he impacted the teacher, who remember what happened all those years later, and who know, by tapping the other guys on the shoulder, he could of made them realize what they were doing was wrong, and they would think twice before doing something like this again.

the song "I'm Trying to be like Jesus"


Lyrics
1. I'm trying to be like Jesus;
I'm following in his ways.
I'm trying to love as he did, in all that I do and say.
At times I am tempted to make a wrong choice,
But I try to listen as the still small voice whispers,

Chorus
"Love one another as Jesus loves you.
Try to show kindness in all that you do.
Be gentle and loving in deed and in thought,
For these are the things Jesus taught.

This priest, no one told him to do it, he just showed kindness. have we been one of the guys to make fun of others?, or let something we know isn't nice happen and don't do anything?, or have we been the one to stand up and make it stop?

He did a small act, which took a couple of seconds, which he may of thought nothing off since that day. that's the point though, showing kindness, love, charity. can be something small like this, or much bigger.

This is a poem I wrote, about charity, which is the pure love of Christ.

The Savior said, love one another
This is the gift of Charity
In a world where people would rather
judge each other and show no love,
Charity is becoming the unpopularity

Charity is everlasting love
It is, the pure love of Christ
When we love as he did, he smiles above
He has infinite love for us, that he paid the priced.

With Charity, we can endure
Charity is the greatest gift of all
It makes us pure
Hold onto Charity, for all else must surely fall

Look to do good
So we may be partakers of salvation
Because in this life being good, is something we should
We need a strong foundation

Christ said, as I have loved you, love one another
Work towards having this perfect love
Don't let people suffer
But show them love

Watch this video from President Thomas S Monson too.

We're Phones, We Need A Charger

Awhile ago I was skyping a friend of mine, the computer she was using at the time didn't had a microphone, so we were talking on the phone and skpying for the use of the webcams

During our conversation, her phone died and then we started to type, she typed her phone died but it's only temporary. I then typed "The same with this life" and we had a good short conversation on this analogy that we made up.

Today I want to expound on the analogy.

Phone= Us
Charger= Atonement
Charging= Repenting

If we're the phones, we need a way to recharge. The charger, being the Atonement
is able to make us recharge.

If we didn't had any chargers, how would we be able to charge our phones?

Alma 34:9 reads
 For it is expedient that an atonement should be made; for according to the great plan of the Eternal God
there must be an atonement made, or else all mankind must unavoidably perish; yea, all are hardened; yea, all are fallen and are lost,
and must perish except it be through the atonement which it is expedient should be made.

So basically, without the charger being made, our phones would perish.

Be reconciled with our charger

Jacob 4:11:
Wherefore, beloved brethren, be reconciled unto him through the atonement of Christ, his Only Begotten Son, and ye may obtain a resurrection,
according to the power of the resurrection which is in Christ, and be presented as the first-fruits of Christ unto God,
having faith, and obtained a good hope of glory in him before he manifesteth himself in the flesh.

Plugging our phones into the charger is repenting. How many of you had thought you plugged in
your phone for work the next day, just to find that your phone was dead. That has happened to me a couple of times, not a great feeling ha

Alma 34:33 And now, as I said unto you before, as ye have had so many witnesses, therefore, I beseech of you that ye do not procrastinate the day of your repentance until the end; for after this day of life,
which is given us to prepare for eternity, behold, if we do not improve our time while in this life,
then cometh the night of darkness wherein there can be no labor performed.

Alma 12:24 "And we see that death comes upon mankind, yea, the death which has been spoken of by Amulek, which is the temporal death; nevertheless there was a space granted unto man in which he might repent; therefore this life became a probationary state; a time to prepare to meet God; a time to prepare for that endless state which has been spoken of by us, which is after the resurrection of the dead."

Do not procrastinate the day of our repentance, this life is a probationary state to prepare to meet God. if you think waking up to find your phone was dead was a bad feeling, imagine if you procrastinate repenting and then end up for at the final judgement, what would you be feeling then?

Have any of you had a phone which you never had to charge at all?, we need an infinite power source to charge our phones, just as with the atonement.

2nd Nephi 9:7

"Wherefore, it must needs be an infinite atonement—save it should be an infinite atonement this corruption could not put on incorruption. Wherefore, the first judgment which came upon man
must needs have remained to an endless duration. And if so, this flesh must have laid down to rot and to crumble to its mother earth, to rise no more."


Charging our phones (Repenting)

"Oh no, I have 5% left on my phone"

Alma 42:29

And now, my son, I desire that ye should let these things trouble you no more, and only let your sins trouble you,
with that trouble which shall bring you down unto repentance.

I'm pretty sure, that most times when we see our phone is about to die, we get this urge to try and charge it, the percent could be our sins, and when it says "and only let your sins trouble you, with that trouble which shall bring you down unto repentance" our phones could be at 5%, and we hurry  go  charge our phones. so we do repenting.

Recharging our phones aka repenting is not a one time thing.

3rd Nephi 11:14 "Arise and come forth unto me,
that ye may thrust your hands into my side, and also that ye may feel the prints of the nails in my hands and in my feet,
that ye may know that I am the God of Israel, and the God of the whole earth, and have been slain for the sins of the world.

I hope that whenever you see your phone and charger, you'll think about the Atonement

Endure to the end, stay strong in the Gospel and you won't regret it

Replace the "If's" with "Him"

It is our faith in Jesus Christ that sustains us at the crossroads of life’s journey. It is the first principle of the gospel. Without it we will spin our wheels at the intersection, spending our precious time but getting nowhere. It is Christ who offers the invitation to follow Him, to give Him our burden, and to carry His yoke, “for His yoke is easy, and His burden is light” (Matthew 11:30). - Elder Quentin L. Cook


This past Sunday, while I was listening to the sacrament meeting talks. I had a thought come to mind

"Replace the "If" with "With Him"

This is what I got out of those words

When we're afraid of failure, we're swarmed with thoughts of "What ifs" What if I fail this test. what if my plans don't work out, I want to do this thing, but what if?..." What if I don't get accepted into this school.

This can involved fear of standing up for your beliefs. "What happens if I tell my friends I won't watch that movie?" "What happens if I say no to friends who want me to drink"

Sometimes it can be a scary thing to stand up for your beliefs.


We can't live by fear, we need to live by faith and not fear.
We need to trust in Him, when we trust in Him, our fear goes away, because we rely on Him to help us.

"Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness." - Isaiah 10:41

How many times have we gone through hardships, of having fear be there, but not Him?

In 2009 and 2010 I went through this experience of having fear, but replacing it and trusting in Him.

 I went to this Youth Conference in Walla Walla, Washington (The Triple W's haha)
I was 16 (It was in March, I turned 17 in May), you were paired up into random groups once you got there, I was worry/afraid of that because from past experiences I did not like meeting new people, I was not accepting of Aspergers then, I only had  very few friends from the ward.

On the way there, I'm pretty sure I said a prayer and asked if everything will be okay and I'll be in a group with someone I knew. Once we got there and were paired up into groups, I was in the red group with my friend Spencer. There were a lot of youth there, a couple of stakes and what were the odds of me being in the same group as Spencer?, he was the only one in my ward who was in my group. We pretty much just stayed together during the conference

This other experience of my first time going to EFY in 2009, I had just turned 16 not that long ago, I was worry and afraid of going there because I didn't knew anyone etc, so I said a prayer and turned out, my counselor was a guy I knew from my ward. so again.. what were the odds of that with having a lot of groups and 400+ youth there, that I was in his group?

I had fun in that group, there were some things that weren't so good in that group, but hey you can't win them all, can you?


A few years ago I wrote this poem about replacing fear with faith. In my option it is not one of my best poems, but it's still a good one I suppose.

I don't know what to do
Fear have taken a hold of me
I need a way to pull through
The fear need to flee

Replace the fear with faith
by this small and simple phrase
With faith I know I'll be safe
My Heavenly Father watching over me

I need to let go of fear
and live by faith
with fear, I am worried
with faith, I see the truth

Replace the fear with faith...
Replace it
Look to God and live
Do it
Live it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust" - Psalms 91:2

“I recognize that, on occasion, some of our most fervent prayers may seem to go unanswered. We wonder, ‘Why?’ I know that feeling! I know the fears and tears of such moments. But I also know that our prayers are never ignored. Our faith is never unappreciated. I know that an all-wise Heavenly Father’s perspective is much broader than is ours. While we know of our mortal problems and pain, He knows of our immortal progress and potential. If we pray to know His will and submit ourselves to it with patience and courage, heavenly healing can take place in His own way and time.”

—Russell M. Nelson, "Jesus Christ—the Master Healer,"

If during that Youth Conference I was not in the same group with Spencer, I'm sure Heavenly Father would of had another way to make me feel welcomed and loved, He would of noticed my prayer, he would of had me in a group with someone who be easy to talk to and get to know.

This is a great talk A Time For Faith Not Fear by Elder Larry W. Gibbons

And this is a great Mormon Message video.

                          Endure to the end, stay strong in the Gospel and you won't regret it

Alma, Amulek, Zeezrom Oh My

This last week, as I was reading in Alma, I discover one of my favorite person in the Book of Mormon.

His name was Zeezrom.

He was a lawyer among the people of Ammonihah.  Alma and Amulek were teaching the people in the city, and because the wickedness  and hardness of their hearts, they would not listen, they were angry with them, and had the lawyers and judges come to question them.

Alma 10:31 " And there was one among them whose name was Zeezrom. Now he was the foremost to accuse Amulek and Alma, he being one of the most expert among them, having much business to do among the people"

A few verses into chapter 11, we see that the lawyers would stir up the people to riotings, disturbances and wickedness, that people would hire them to take their cases and the judges/lawyers would gain money from working with them during the trials and crimes.

Thus making the lawyers and judges wicked, for they were using the people to get gain, not only were they getting money from this, the whole city has became wicked because of the desires of those people hearts.

So after Amulek taught them, the people were angry and wanted the judges and lawyers to cross their words against them

Alma 11:16 And it came to pass that they began to question Amulek, that thereby they might make him cross his words, or contradict the words which he should speak.-- Alma 10:13-16

Now Zeezrom began to ask Amulek questions and in verse 22 of chapter 11, we see Zeezrom trying to offer Amulek a lot of money, if he would deny the existence of a Supreme Being.

Amulek then goes off on him for a little bit in a way, I would say calling someone a "child of hell" would be going off on them... hah. and Zeezrom asked questions about God, the son of God, and would the Son of God save us while we were in our sins.

"Now Zeezrom said unto the people: See that ye remember these things; for he said there is but one God; yet he saith that the Son of God shall come, but he shall not save his people—as though he had authority to command God." Alma 11:35

As you can see, still trying to make Amulek slip up with his words. Amulek then preach again and

Now Zeerzom asked in verse 38 "Is the Son of God the very Eternal Father?"

At this point, when he asked that question, I believe that his heart has started to be soften.

Amulek answered his question, and  talked about salvation, how Christ will come to redeem his people, how we will be judged by Him.

"Now, when Amulek had finished these words the people began again to be astonished, and also Zeezrom began to tremble. And thus ended the words of Amulek, or this is all that I have written." Alma 11:46

Alma 12:1 "Now Alma, seeing that the words of Amulek had silenced Zeezrom, for he beheld that Amulek had caught him in his lying and deceiving to destroy him, and seeing that he began to tremble under a consciousness of his guilt, he opened his mouth and began to speak unto him, and to establish the words of Amulek, and to explain things beyond, or to unfold the scriptures beyond that which Amulek had done."

Couple more verse in, we see Zeezrom starting to want to learn more

verse 8: " And Zeezrom began to inquire of them diligently, that he might know more concerning the kingdom of God. And he said unto Alma: What does this mean which Amulek hath spoken concerning the resurrection of the dead, that all shall rise from the dead, both the just and the unjust, and are brought to stand before God to be judged according to their works?"

Alma went on with preaching and answering Zeezrom's questions.
Zeezrom begins to believe in what Alma and Amulek had to say, some of the people who were listening also believed, the non-believers stoned and cast them out of their city.

Zeerzrom and the other believers went over to the city of Sidom. Alma and Amulek were cast into prison, the walls later fell down and the wicked who were around the prison died, Alma and Amulek were told to go to Sidom.

In Sidom they found Zeezrom and the other believers, Zeezrom was sick.
Alma 15:3

"And also Zeezrom lay sick at Sidom, with a burning fever, which was caused by the great tribulations of his mind on account of his wickedness, for he supposed that Alma and Amulek were no more; and he supposed that they had been slain because of his iniquity. And this great sin, and his many other sins, did harrow up his mind until it did become exceedingly sore, having no deliverance; therefore he began to be scorched with a burning heat."

Alma was able to heal Zeezrom because of Zeezrom's faith in Christ, he was baptized and started to preach to the people throughout his days.

I like to compare Zeerzom, Alma the younger, and the sons of Mosiah to Laman and Lemuel.

They all had one big thing in common... they were all wicked, once Zeezrom, Alma, and the sons of Mosiah took the truth to their hearts, and had a broken heart and a contrite spirit, they were able to change.

Laman and Lemuel saw an angel, just like Alma the younger did, but they were never converted, they were quick to forget. Alma 45:8 "  Thus we see how quick the children of men do forget the Lord their God, yea, how quick to do iniquity, and to be led away by the evil one."

I would like to think, that Alma the younger saw a part of himself in Zeerzom, how he used to be, fighting against the word of God, and how much joy he must of felt, for Zeerzom when he started to believe the teachings, to know of his Heavenly Father, and of Jesus Christ, who would come to the earth to die for the sins of all mankind. To be baptized and start teaching the people

This wasn't included in the chapter, but I also believe that Alma would of shared his own conversion story to Zeerzom, we know that Alma shared his conversion story to his son Helaman. in Alma chapter 36.

I've heard people compared  Laman and Lemuel to his brother Nephi, which is all fine, but Nephi was already righteous and had faith in God

Alma the younger, the Sons of Mosiah, Zeerzom, King Lamoni and I'm sure of many others were once wicked and once they heard the truth and gain their own testimonies and became converted, they had the change of heart, they had a broken heart and a contrite spirit.

Zeerzom gave up his riches of the world, I would say he was pretty wealthy, if he was an "expert" in his line of business. He gave up his worldly things to become converted, he never went back to being a lawyer and he started to preach the people throughout the rest of his days. King Lamoni said in Alma 22:18 "I will give away all my sins to know thee" Are there somethings that you could give up and to have a broken heart and a contrite spirit?



Watch this Mormon Message video too.

Endure to the end, stay strong in the Gospel and you won't regret it

My "Cool Story Bro" Attitude Towards Reading Scriptures

"But few understood the meaning of those things, and this because of the hardness of their hearts. But there were many who were so hardened that they would not look, therefore they perished. Now the reason they would not look is because they did not believe that it would heal them"
-Alma 33:20

A couple of verses within this chapter, were talking about how the prophets of old were speaking of the Son of God, and how he will come down to the earth, to atone for our sins.

Alma 33:19 "Behold, he was spoken of by Moses; yea, and behold a type was raised up in the wilderness, that whosoever would look upon it might live. And now many did look and live"

The type was the brass serpent that was on the pole, and whoever would look upon it, would be heal from their wounds, but there were many who would not cast their eyes upon it, because they didn't believe by looking, they would be heal, that it was to simple... to easy to look and be heal, so they perish. It symbolize Christ being on the cross and atoning for our sins.


Alma 33:21  "O my brethren, if ye could be healed by merely casting about your eyes that ye might be healed, would ye not behold quickly, or would ye rather harden your hearts in unbelief, and be slothful, that ye would not cast about your eyes, that ye might perish?"

As I was reading this chapter and got to verses 20 and 21. I had the thought come to mind " Like wise to not reading"

I haven't been the best with reading the Book of Mormon, I have read it once all the way through, I thought it was great, and I gain a testimony of it that first time. this was back in 2011 and since then I've read it here and there, (Meaning, I never really got past 2nd Nephi again) haven't even finished it for a second time yet.

                                  Hardness Of My Heart 

I've been to many conferences, may it be stake conference. Priesthood night?... I forgot what that was called. the Conference which your stake would do, for all the Aaronic Priesthood holders and their fathers. Watch General Conferences. Heard stories of how you need to read the scriptures and all that.

How by reading you'll have more joy etc, whatever it may be, I heard it.

I never really took it to heart though. I was like "Cool story bro" I'll get to it later.

As with anyone on this earth, I have made some mistakes, and I couldn't see how reading and praying would help with any of that, the Book of Mormon is 531 pages, would it really do anything if I were to read it?.. the answer is yes, it will do something... it will be everything.

2nd Nephi 32:3 "Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, they speak the words of Christ. Wherefore, I said unto you, feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do." 

we're suppose to feast upon the words of Christ.. I was merely nibbling, would use my scriptures on Sundays at church, and I was "good"

I didn't understand how just by reading would help, as with the people who's hearts were so hardened that they would not look.

Read this, with how I read it, the 2nd time through 

"But few understood the meaning of those things, and this because of the hardness of their hearts. But there were many who were so hardened that they would not read, therefore they perished. Now the reason they would not read is because they did not believe that it would heal them"

Alma 33:21  "O my brethren, if ye could be healed by merely casting about your eyes that ye might be healed, would ye not behold quickly, or would ye rather harden your hearts in unbelief, and be slothful, that ye would not cast about your eyes, that ye might perish?"

replace the temporal death *perished* to a spiritual death.

Alma 12:24 "And we see that death comes upon mankind, yea, the death which has been spoken of by Amulek, which is the temporal death; nevertheless there was a space granted unto man in which he might repent; therefore this life became a probationary state; a time to prepare to meet God; a time to prepare for that endless state which has been spoken of by us, which is after the resurrection of the dead."

Just like how Nephi has said, for I did liken all scriptures

My question for you guys to ponder is.. is there anything which you've hardened your heart against, which you can fix?, to work on, to improve?

                                  

                                     The Change Of Heart

The change of heart came when I actually started to read.. and to put forth the effort to sit down and read. the beginning of this past week I was near the end of Mosiah, had a couple chapters until I got to Alma. read 2-3 chapters a day.. one day read 5 and the last couple of days I've been reading 10 chapters daily. I am now in Alma chapter 60.

I am feasting upon the words of Christ, when I finish the 10 chapters for the day, it feels like a cliffhanger and I want to read more. 

Elder Richard G. Scott has said

"Scriptures are like packets of light that illuminate our minds and give place to guidance and

inspiration from on high. They can become the key to open the channel to communion with our Father in Heaven and His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ." from his talk The Power Of Scriptures

D&C 88:63 "Draw near unto me and I will draw near unto you; seek me diligently and ye shall find me; ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you."

That there speaks truth.

It will take action on our part, to draw near unto Him and he'll draw near unto us.

Once I finish the Book of Mormon this time around, I'll start reading it again, and once I've finish it a 3rd time, I'll start over again and so on. through these pages you learn so much, you learn something new every time you read.

I remember from years ago, attending one of those Aaronic Priesthood Conferences, and a speaker shared this story of a young man, who went to his Bishop for help to break his addiction. He told his Bishop that he didn't want him to tell him that he needed to read his scriptures and to pray, because he wouldn't do it. Time went on and he did actually begin to read and to pray and he was able to break his addiction.

What I'm getting at is, I... you, can't be the exception, we can't have the mindset of this young man, who wanted to break his addiction, but didn't resort to drawing near unto Him for help.

I would like to challenge you all, to read the scriptures daily, and learn from them, study them. your hearts will be soften.

I've been through a good amount of spiritual experiences (As you can read throughout my blog) I wasn't reading my scriptures often, I had the thought as to "I've had these experiences, without daily scripture study, I'll be fine" But from this week alone, by reading I've came up with many ideas for teaching opportunities, as that what I want to become, a speaker to the youth within the church.
I can only imagine how many more ideas I would have, if I was studying the scriptures for the last couple of years. It is never to late to start though.

                     Endure to the end, stay strong in the Gospel and you won't regret it