Study Journal
Study Journal!
Monday, July 21st, 2008Usually in church I read the scriptures. And usually when I read the scriptures, I write down my thoughts in my Study Journal. The problem recently is that every time I open the scriptures, everything seems to be talking about Sharon. So here is what I wrote yesterday:
I have been contemplating ways to make a good impression with Sharon’s parents. I really want them to approve of me. I read a couple stories just now in the Book of Mormon which I can now see in a new light. The first is the story of Ammon and king Lamoni. When Ammon first came to that land, he was captured and brought before the king. Ammon needed to gain the favor of the king or he would be killed. The king “inquired of Ammon if it were his desire to dwell in the land among the Lamanites”. Ammon answered “Yea, I desire to dwell among this people for a time; yea, and perhaps until the day I die.” “And it came to pass that king Lamoni was much pleased with Ammon, and caused that his bands should be loosed; and he would that Ammon should take one of his daughters to wife.”
Wow. This is exactly what I am looking for. I want to gain the favor of Sharon’s dad, and I want him to desire that I should marry his daughter. The only difference is that unlike Ammon, I would definitely say YES! Haha. I need to really be on my best behavior and know how to act and what I need to do. I think that one of the main reasons that king Lamoni liked Ammon is because he saw how much Ammon loved his people and his culture. I also need to show that I really love Sharon and that I really love the Chinese culture. It’s true, I really do love them, I just need to make sure that I show it. Hehe.
SO that’s my master plan. Now I just have to hope that they don’t read this and get smart to me hehe…
Study Journal Again
Wednesday, June 11th, 2008Romans 8:28, Alma 36:3, D&C 90:24
I have always loved D&C 90:24. I used to share it with members on my mission. Today while studying, I found Romans 8:28. I love this verse and the others because of the promise contained in them that “all things shall work together for your good“. I love that promise and how it is worded. It would be wonderful to have all things work together for my good.
What must we do to earn this promise? Paul says simply that we must “love God“, and be “called according to his purpose.” God has said in John “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” He also has said, “If ye have desires to serve God, ye are called to the work…” (D&C 4)
God again mentions this promise in D&C 90:24. This time he says that we need to “Search diligently, pray always, and be believing” and also “walk uprightly, and remember the covenant wherewith ye have covenanted one with another.” The promise is again that “all things shall work together for your good”. I like to think of searching diligently as studying the scriptures, and when he speaks about the covenant, I think of the baptismal covenant which all members have made.
Both of these verses are basically saying that we must be righteous and follow the commandments, and all things will work together for our good. This is truly a great promise, and a great incentive. Does it mean we won’t have trials? Absolutely not. Look at all the righteous people in the Book of Mormon and the Bible and the early Saints. They had many trials. But these trials worked for their good in the end. So you can see the promise is fulfilled. It is the same with us. Even our trials will be for our good if we are righteous.
Alma also adds another requirement. We need to trust in God. This is one of the most important ones, because often when we are faced with trials, the first one we remember is God, but many times we don’t trust him like we should. Remember the examples of the Saints and Prophets of God. They always trusted in God throughout their trials, and they were blessed because of it.
Study Journal
Tuesday, June 10th, 2008When I was on my mission in Sri Lanka, I started a study journal there to record my thoughts and feelings about certain scriptures I read. I updated it throughout my mission. When I returned home, my study journal got left in the dust. Now, almost a year later, I am starting it again. I have renewed my goal to have meaningful scripture study each and every day, and record something from it in my study journal. But since I am a ‘blogger’ now, I figured, why waste such intellectual property by just putting it in a book? So I am going to write a few of my Study Journal entries from time to time here on my blog as well. Here it goes:
Proverbs 13:12 - Hope and Waiting
While I was talking with my fiancee, Sharon, on the computer I felt impressed to find a scripture about hope and share it with her. I looked on http://www.lds.org and searched for a scripture about hope. The first one I found was Proverbs 13:12, which I really liked. I liked it because in my mind it also talks about waiting for something that is important to you. It says “Hope deferred maketh the heart sick;”. I have experienced this myself. Waiting for something, hoping it will come, then when it doesn’t come when you hoped, it makes your heart sick. I know how this feels because I have been waiting a long time for Sharon, and then when i found out I would have to wait even longer, it made me feel sick. But the rest of the verse has a promise that says, “when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life.” Wow. That is really cool terminology. A tree of life. I know that when I finally get to be with Sharon, it will be a tree of life to me, and I will be so happy with her.
The next day in Sacrament Meeting, I felt impressed to share that scripture with my mom. She loved it too and marked it in her scriptures. Later, she told me that she remembered it throughout her week and it really enriched her.
Well, that is the direct excerpt from my study journal. I will be making an entry like that every day, not necessarily on the blog, but at least in the journal. I have found that this is an effective way to increase the quality and also the quantity of your scripture studies, because it helps motivate you to have meaningful scripture studies and also motivates you to do it every day. Also, putting your thoughts on paper preserves them for future reference by you and your posterity so that all can be blessed thereby. Anyways, that is my first Study Journal Online entry. Hope you enjoyed it.