Enduring To The End: 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.