Use Of Hymns

An effective way to enhance your scriptural study is to place hymns as a part of your learning. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland used this most recently in his April 2017 conference message, for example:

We then take courage from His ability to hear our silence and take hope from His melodious messianic intercession in our behalf. Truly it is “when the Lord is near” that “the dove of peace sings in my heart [and] the flow’rs of grace appear.” (Sunshine In My Soul, 227- LDS Hymnal)
Doctrine and Covenants 38:4

My take:

As we travel through our life's path, we are not alone- he will..."lead thou me on" forward to "the distant scene, one step for me" with his and his "angel faces smile(ing)" on me. (Lead Kindly Light, 97- LDS Hymnal)
Psalm 43:3

Topic Study

Scripture Man loved it when one of the LDS General Conference speakers suggested studying the life of Jesus Christ by reviewing all topics related to him in the Topical Guide of the scriptures.

'Earlier this year, I asked the young adults of the Church to consecrate a portion of their time each week to study everything Jesus said and did as recorded in the standard works.9 I invited them to let the scriptural citations about Jesus Christ in the Topical Guide become their personal core curriculum.10

I gave that challenge because I had already accepted it myself. I read and underlined every verse cited about Jesus Christ, as listed under the main heading and the 57 subtitles in the Topical Guide.11 When I finished that exciting exercise, my wife asked me what impact it had on me. I told her, “I am a different man!” Russell M. Nelson

I started one today with my son, Jesus Christ, Advocate.

Scripture Man used this method when he reviewed the Topical Guide study of, Vessel.  This entry of November 6th describes the topic study pattern:

Thursday, November 6, 2014

Dive

"Scriptures are like packets of light", Elder Richard Scott said.  A topical guide dive is such a "packets of light" experience:

From my dive, the topic Vessel. I really liked these scriptures:

be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the Lord: Isa. 52:11 ; ( 3 Ne. 20:41 ; D&C 38:42 ; D&C 133:5 ; ) (Topical Guide, Vessel)

6 O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the Lord. Behold, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel. (Old Testament, Jeremiah, Jeremiah 18)

48 Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. (New Testament, Matthew, Matthew 13)

4 That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour; (New Testament, 1 Thessalonians, 1 Thessalonians 4)

23 Do ye suppose that God will look upon you as guiltless while ye sit still and behold these things? Behold I say unto you, Nay. Now I would that ye should remember that God has said that the inward vessel shall be cleansed first, and then shall the outer vessel be cleansed also. (Book of Mormon, Alma, Alma 60)

THFS TIONS

Now another LDS General Conference is upon us, make sure to record your favorite thoughts and memorize them. I call these passages memorized as "thought fillers" (thfs) or "script-ions".  Put these thoughts, in your mind as you close your eyes right before going to sleep. Picture them in your mind. Roll them from the front of your head to the back, like a film rolling credits.

Deut 11:18 Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes.

 

Two Turrets

If you observe the two turrets on the Manti and Logan Temples you can observe two themes from them, well maybe more; 1) the love of God, and the word of God, 2) we with God, as one, fighting satan and his force, and, 3) they are positioned to fight off any evil- giving us an advantage or ability use of spiritual weapons, if needed, to thwart or defend any evil influence, to become:

Alma 13:11-12

11 ...and their garments were washed white through the blood of the Lamb.

12 Now they, after being sanctified by the Holy Ghost, having their garments made white, being pure and spotless before God, could not look upon sin save it were with abhorrence; and there were many, exceedingly great many, who were made pure and entered into the rest of the Lord their God.

How The Temple

Your attending the temple can be a powerful source of improving your scripture study.  The Holy Temple is the Lord's University. By going to the temple you acquire spiritual study habits that you don't realize.  I will share a few of the vital habits that you can acquire. Think...How does temple visits improve scriptural learning, application, comprehension, and understanding? 

ScriptureMan lists a few:

• You become a covenant keeper. You become sensitive to this type of empowerment. The scriptures amplify this relationship. Like Nephi who went "high unto a mountain", or the woman who sought the "hem of the Savior's garment".

• You develop the ability to relate the scriptures to you.

• Repetitive patterns and symbols come to your mind. This causes you to remember verses and scriptures through memorization. Scripture stories come alive.

• You learn to be humble, careful, thoughtful, observant, reverent, prayerful-reflective in your study. You learn to be teachable through the spirit.  

• You learn to be consistent in your study times, and its purpose.

• A strengthening, personal "ascension" type power is created through the word of the Lord.

• You seek to teach others what you learn. And you have a increased desire to read words or works from the apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ.

• And finally,  you see the beauty in life, the world, the universe from the scriptures witnessing to you "let there be light"!

Where's That?

"A knot that binds heaven and earth".

Faithful To Oneself

Being faithful to oneself is a power that we don't think about much. Such a quality in individual directives, like any objective or personal goal, can capture any belief or any meaningful accomplishment in life- it can change the world. Imagine such change with the aid of an higher power. I think of Emma Hale Smith, founder of the Relief Society, and her taking to heart her call...creating the hymnal for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  Each and every week saints are influenced by this compilation of sacred hymns. An "elect lady".