THE POWER OF SCRIPTURE -Ricard G. Scott

The Power of Scripture

Richard G. Scott
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

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Scriptures are like packets of light that illuminate our minds and give place to guidance and inspiration from on high.

Those of us who come to this pulpit during conference feel the power of your prayers. We need them, and we thank you for them.

Our Father in Heaven understood that for us to make desired progress during our mortal probation, we would need to face difficult challenges. Some of these would be almost overpowering. He provided tools to help us be successful in our mortal probation. One set of those tools is the scriptures.

Throughout the ages, Father in Heaven has inspired select men and women to find, through the guidance of the Holy Ghost, solutions to life’s most perplexing problems. He has inspired those authorized servants to record those solutions as a type of handbook for those of His children who have faith in His plan of happiness and in His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ. We have ready access to this guidance through the treasure we call the standard works—that is, the Old and New Testaments, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price.

Because scriptures are generated from inspired communication through the Holy Ghost, they are pure truth. We need not be concerned about the validity of concepts contained in the standard works since the Holy Ghost has been the instrument which has motivated and inspired those individuals who have recorded the scriptures.

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.

The scriptures provide the strength of authority to our declarations when they are cited correctly. They can become stalwart friends that are not limited by geography or calendar. They are always available when needed. Their use provides a foundation of truth that can be awakened by the Holy Ghost. Learning, pondering, searching, and memorizing scriptures is like filling a filing cabinet with friends, values, and truths that can be called upon anytime, anywhere in the world.

Great power can come from memorizing scriptures. To memorize a scripture is to forge a new friendship. It is like discovering a new individual who can help in time of need, give inspiration and comfort, and be a source of motivation for needed change. For example, committing to memory this psalm has been for me a source of power and understanding:

“The earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.

“For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods.

“Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place?

“He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.

“He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation” (Psalm 24:1–5).

Pondering a scripture like that gives great direction to life. The scriptures can form a foundation of support. They can provide an incredibly large resource of willing friends who can help us. A memorized scripture becomes an enduring friend that is not weakened with the passage of time.

Pondering a passage of scripture can be a key to unlock revelation and the guidance and inspiration of the Holy Ghost. Scriptures can calm an agitated soul, giving peace, hope, and a restoration of confidence in one’s ability to overcome the challenges of life. They have potent power to heal emotional challenges when there is faith in the Savior. They can accelerate physical healing.

Scriptures can communicate different meanings at different times in our life, according to our needs. A scripture that we may have read many times can take on nuances of meaning that are refreshing and insightful when we face a new challenge in life.

How do you personally use the scriptures? Do you mark your copy? Do you put notes in the margin to remember a moment of spiritual guidance or an experience that has taught you a profound lesson? Do you use all of the standard works, including the Old Testament? I have found precious truths in the pages of the Old Testament that are key ingredients to the platform of truth that guides my life and acts as a resource when I try to share a gospel message with others. For that reason, I love the Old Testament. I find precious jewels of truth spread throughout its pages. For example:

“And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams” (1 Samuel 15:22).

“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

“In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

“Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil. …

“My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of his correction:

“For whom the Lord loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.

“Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding” (Proverbs 3:5–7, 11–13).

The New Testament is also a source of diamond truth:

“Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

“This is the first and great commandment.

“And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

“On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets” (Matthew 22:37–40).

“And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:

“But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.

“And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death.

“And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me. …

“But a certain maid beheld him as he sat by the fire, and earnestly looked upon him, and said, This man was also with him.

“And he denied him, saying, Woman, I know him not.

“And after a little while another saw him, and said, Thou art also of them. And Peter said, Man, I am not.

“And about the space of one hour after another confidently affirmed, saying, Of a truth this fellow also was with him: for he is a Galilaean.

“And Peter said, Man, I know not what thou sayest. And immediately, while he yet spake, the cock crew.

“And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.

“And Peter went out, and wept bitterly” (Luke 22:31–34, 56–62).

How my heart aches for what happened to Peter on that occasion.

This scripture from the Doctrine and Covenants has blessed my life richly: “Seek not to declare my word, but first seek to obtain my word, and then shall your tongue be loosed; then, if you desire, you shall have my Spirit and my word, yea, the power of God unto the convincing of men” (D&C 11:21).

In my judgment, the Book of Mormon teaches truth with unique clarity and power. For example:

“And now I would that ye should be humble, and be submissive and gentle; easy to be entreated; full of patience and long-suffering; being temperate in all things; being diligent in keeping the commandments of God at all times; asking for whatsoever things ye stand in need, both spiritual and temporal; always returning thanks unto God for whatsoever things ye do receive.

“And see that ye have faith, hope, and charity, and then ye will always abound in good works” (Alma 7:23–24).

And another:

“And charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

“Wherefore, my beloved brethren, if ye have not charity, ye are nothing, for charity never faileth. Wherefore, cleave unto charity, which is the greatest of all, for all things must fail—

“But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him.

“Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure” (Moroni 7:45–48).

My precious wife, Jeanene, loved the Book of Mormon. In her youth, as a teenager, it became the foundation of her life. It was a source of testimony and teaching during her full-time missionary service in the northwest United States. When we served in the mission field in Córdoba, Argentina, she strongly encouraged the use of the Book of Mormon in our proselytizing efforts. Jeanene confirmed early in her life that those who consistently read the Book of Mormon are blessed with an added measure of the Spirit of the Lord, a greater resolve to obey His commandments, and a stronger testimony of the divinity of the Son of God.¹ For I don’t know how many years, as the end of the year approached, I would see her sitting quietly, carefully finishing the entire Book of Mormon yet another time before year’s end.

In 1991 I wanted to give a special Christmas gift to my family. In recording the fulfillment of that desire, my personal journal states: “It is 12:38 p.m., Wednesday, December 18, 1991. I’ve just concluded an audio recording of the Book of Mormon for my family. This has been an experience that has increased my testimony of this divine work and strengthened in me a desire to be more familiar with its pages to distill from these scriptures truths to be used in my service to the Lord. I love this book. I testify with my soul that it is true, that it was prepared for the blessing of the House of Israel, and all of its component parts spread throughout the world. All who will study its message in humility, in faith believing in Jesus Christ, will know of its truthfulness and will find a treasure to lead them to greater happiness, peace, and attainment in this life. I testify by all that is sacred, this book is true.”

May each of us avail ourselves of the wealth of blessings that result from scripture study, I pray, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

INFO - AOTHER GREAT SOURCE FOR BOOK OF MORMON SCRIPTURE STUDY

Another great source for Book of Mormon scripture study

January 2, 2012 — Geoff B

 n addition to Rameumpton’s great work on Book of Mormon scripture study, I am enjoying Prof. William Hamblin’s new blog Mormon Scripture Explorations. We newly called Gospel Doctrine teachers can never get too much information on the subject.
Prof. Hamblin puts his notes on-line as well as offering youtube videos and podcasts. Take a look.

 Nothing Wavering
 Feast Upon the Word blog.

PSALMS 56:8 - PUT THOU MY TEARS INTO THY BOTTLE

 

Put Thou My Tears Into Thy Bottle - Psalms 56:8

Written by Dr. John L. Lund

2011-06-15

It is true that the Roman emperors collected their tears in these beautiful Roman glass vases. Seal them with wax and delivered them to the grieving loved ones. Collecting tears in a cup was a practice common to the entire Mediterranean area and certainly not limited to the Caesars. However to have the tears of Caesar was a special honor.  Roman glass provided a beautiful and delegate vessel for fragrant oils and perfumes and for the collecting of tears.
Long before the founding of Rome in 753 BC there were tear cups, sometimes they were referred to as tear bottles or vases but they shared a common tradition, they were used to collect the tears of the mourners at the death of the loved ones. The tear shaped cups had a flaring rim which was placed under the eye to catch the tears as they were shed.  The cup was then corked or waxed and stored as a reminder of the life of the one who passed away.  The shedding of tears was a significant part of showing grief.  Professional mourners were hired at funerals. Jeremiah 9:17-22, Amos 5:16, in the Mishnah, Rabbi Judah ruled that “even the poorest in Israel should hire not less than two flutes and not one waiting woman".
King David was inspired to prophesy about the coming Messiah and many of the Psalms.  One of the most touching references to the Saviors supernal atonement and his suffering for the sins of the world was recorded in these words put though my tears into thy bottle Psalms 56:8. The moving and tender request that Heavenly Father not forget the tears of the Savior is consistent with Jesus acting as the great advocate for mankind in the Garden of Gethsemane.
“Listen to him who is the advocate with the Father, who is pleading your cause before him—Saying: Father, behold the sufferings and death of him who did no sin, in whom thou wast well pleased; behold the blood of thy Son which was shed, the blood of him whom thou gavest that thyself might be glorified; Wherefore, Father, spare these my brethren." D&C 45:3-5.
Later in the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus made reference to removing this cup, Luke 22:42.  The Greek word used here was vessel or figuratively “my lot” or “mission” Isaiah calls it “a cup of trembling” Isaiah 51:17&22 or “a bitter cup” D&C 19:18.  Because of the pain and the sorrow and the tears of water and blood that will be shed.  The Shepherd of Israel, even Jesus had warned his sheep that they would have “tears to drink in great measure" as a consequence for their sins Psalms 80:5. Jesus would also drink from that cup, not because he sinned but to conquer sin and provide a way for the return of the children of God.  The cup that Jesus would drink may be identified in different ways “And they shall hang upon him all the glory of his father’s house, the offspring and the issue, all vessels of small quantity, from the vessels of cups, even to all the vessels of flagons." Isaiah 22:24.
Flagons were large goat skins filled with water or wine, the cup could represent a flagon of tears so great that no mortal stomach could accommodate it.  Or it could represent a tear cup full of tears a symbol of sorrow so great that only one who is possessed with divine power could drink it.  The meaning may have been the amount of grief and sorrow you're asking me to carry is a tear cup larger than I can bear.  There was no other way for God's will; the cup could not pass from him. He drank from the cup of trembling in tears even the dregs of the sinful tears of all humanity and fulfilled his divine mission. In a very literal way Jesus both drank the cup of trembling’s and filled the cup with his tears for the sins of all of God's creations, truly a bittersweet cup.  Put though my tears into thy bottle. Psalms 56:8.

ARTICLE - PHANTOM SCRIPTURES DEBUNKED

Phantom scriptures debunked

Katie Barlow

We’ve all been in that church meeting where we hear someone say, “In the scriptures, it teaches that with great power comes great responsibility.” We pause for a moment and think, “Wait, that’s a quote from a Spiderman movie, not from the scriptures.” Or the seminary student who stands in front of the class saying, “One of my favorite scriptures is when Christ says, ‘I never said it would be easy; I only said it would be worth it.’” If you look, you won’t find that doctrine anywhere because it doesn’t exist.

Often in LDS culture we hear people summarize or quote scriptures not found in the delicate pages between the covers. It also happens when we attribute a saying to a general authority who never spoke the actual quote.

The Spiderman hybrid scripture in the first paragraph was a fake quote intended to portray the idea in D&C 82:3 where it starts out saying, “For of him whom much is given much is required. . .  .” Although similar in theory, it fails to portray the true meaning in the scriptures. There are two very different ideas being suggested, and one is straight out of the scriptures. The other is in a Hollywood production.

Another instance of someone struggling to find a passage that simply doesn’t exist occurred when a woman approached another at church and asked, “Where in the scriptures is the story of the footprints in the sand and how when we are at our lowest points, it is then that God carried us? I can’t seem to find it.” Although it is a beautiful poem that instills hope in others, it is just a poem—not scripture.


Robert Line, an instructor at the Institute of Religion adjacent to the University of Utah, has taught seminary and institute. He has also been an adjunct faculty in the religion department at BYU. With 20 years of experience in Church Education, Line said there is an axiom in the Church Educational System (CES) that says: If you can’t document it, don’t tell it.

Line said one of the more famous examples of a quote supposedly given by a general authority is the “generals in the war in heaven” quote. It starts out with “The youth of the Church today were generals in the war in heaven,” and ends with the statement that when they return to heaven “all in attendance will bow in your presence.”

In a letter to mission presidents and CES instructors, Elder Packer said, “I did not make that statement. I do not believe that statement. The statement, on occasion, has been attributed to others of the First Presidency and the Twelve. None of the Brethren made that statement." (To read the news story on this, go here.)

Although there are many ways misquotes like this happen, Line gave two main reasons for why he thinks these spurious, or fake, quotes originate and spread. The first is that a quote is said and repeated but not documented. Two or three people later, someone attributes it to one of the Brethren in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. As it moves further along, someone attributes it to someone like President Hinckley or another apostle.

“They get passed along like oral traditions, but no one documents the original source,” Line said. “That comes back to the whole premise of if you can’t document it, don’t tell it. I think things get transmitted orally and no one ever stops to check.”

When undocumented doctrine is brought up in class, Line tries to encourage his students to focus on doctrines that are true.

“Rather than inventing a doctrine that may or may not be true, maybe go with doctrines that are true,” Line says to his students. “But let’s not concoct doctrines that try to make us feel better when there is no sound basis for them.”

The second main reason Line suggests often starts at a regional or stake conference or other gathering where a general authority will speak.  Someone will take notes and put it on the internet, and it will go viral. In their notes, they say “Elder Perry said this at regional conference,” when in reality he might not have said it. That’s just what the person heard and what they’re writing in their notes. Maybe they missed a word or heard it differently than what was said. Maybe they took it out of context and didn’t pick up on the subtle tone or sarcasm.

Line gives three points of caution and warning to his students as well as other teachers.

 “If you can’t document it, don’t tell it. Use only correlated quotes [from official Church sources]. Ask yourself if your attempt as a teacher is to edify students or if you are trying to sensationalize the doctrine or are trying to create a following,” Line said.
 
A few other non-scriptural phrases include:

• Spare the rod and spoil the child.
• Happiness is the object and design of our existence.
• The road to Hell is paved with good intentions.
• Faith precedes the miracle.
• God helps those who help themselves.

LDS/ MORMON "I-DEVICE" APP - SCRIPTURE MASTERY

LDS Memory: Scripture Mastery (SM) v1.1 Is Here!

Finally, a FREE Scripture Mastery app created specifically for Seminary students! This app employs familiar memorization techniques used in Seminary (such as showing the first letter of each word or randomly removing words) to help you memorize all 100 scripture masteries and keep track of your progress as you go.

This FREE app includes:

• 25 Old Testament Scripture Masteries
• 25 New Testament Scripture Masteries
• 25 Book of Mormon Scripture Masteries
• 25 Doctrine & Covenants/Church History Scripture Masteries
• Keep track of your progress
• Show only the first letter of each word
• Randomly remove words from the scripture to enhance memorization (you choose how many words to remove)
• NO ADS
• *NEW* Optional Hints to help you remember what each Scripture Mastery is about (V1.1)
• *NEW* Swipe to the left or right to easily navigate between Scripture Masteries (V1.1)

Because I have been given much, I’ve created this free app to give back to you! I hope that you’ll use the app to better learn and memorize the scriptures and to draw closer to the Savior. Future updates and more LDS Memory apps coming soon!

NEWS - THE FIRST ARCHEOLOGICAL SUPPORT FOR THE BOOK OF MORMON

Wednesday, January 05 2011

The First Archaeological Support for the Book of Mormon 

 

By Warren Aston

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When I served my mission in Australia in the early 70‘s, one of the standard jokes among the missionaries was that “one day” someone would find an inscription, “I, Nephi, was here” or something like that, left by Nephi himself. We relished the thought that something like this would be discovered, something that would virtually force the Gentile world to take the Book of Mormon seriously. Then we would have some serious baptizing to do as hordes of people joined the church.
Of course, even back then we knew that even if the gold plates themselves turned up, that would not constitute “proof;” for proof of the Book of Mormon comes only in one way - a spiritual witness from God. What we yearned for was to be taken seriously and for our message to be given a chance.
Some 40 years later, I’m sure that all our expectations have matured and become more realistic as we have learned how God works. The Lord could easily reveal himself in great majesty before the whole world, or cause angels to appear to people testifying that the Gospel has been restored or do any number of things that would leave people without excuse. But he doesn’t.
The Role of Evidence
Mortality is a school for us to experience faith and to grow it’s tender shoots. As we attune ourselves to Celestial law and begin to partake of Godhood, those shoots strengthen, branch out and mature. But is it all just a matter of faith alone? No, the prophet Joseph Smith made it clear that “evidence,” and what he called the “stubborn facts” would circumstantially prove him a true prophet, 1 most definitely have a significant role in that process. The Lord gives us evidences to strengthen and confirm our testimonies, but also to make the claims of the Restoration credible and worthy of further attention by non-members. 2
The Discovery
Which brings me back to Nephi’s inscription. In the Fall of 2000 I was one of three people leading a group of nearly 40 Latter-day Saints along the Lehi trail. We began in Jerusalem, then descended into the Arabah wilderness, traveling south until we reached the Red Sea. We next flew south to Yemen to pick up the trail. After visiting the Nahom tribal area we drove in convoy to the ancient ruins of Marib, the legendary city of the Queen of Sheba thousands of years ago. And there, in the midst of the desert, an unexpected and most extraordinary event took place.

Some time earlier, a series of museums in Europe began exhibiting a collection of treasures from Yemen’s past. One of the items in the catalog reported an inscription on an altar that had been excavated at the Barán temple in Marib. I had been to the site years earlier. There was little to be seen then other than five and a half very tall pillars standing above the sand on which local boys would pose for pictures. It was a desolate place. A German team had unearthed the entire temple complex including the altar, dated to around 600-700 BC. What was significant was that the altar inscription named a donor who was the grandson of a man from the Nihm tribe.
We already knew that the Semitic consonants NHM referred to a tribal area that seemed likely to be the place called Nahom, where Nephi’s father-in-law, Ishmael, was buried (1 Nephi 16:34). I had spent years documenting the name on old maps and writings back to within a few hundred years of Nephi’s day. Always the name was in the same location.
A small notice about the altar find had gone out to the LDS scholarly community. 3 I’d read it with great interest but some frustration. The catalog photograph of the altar did not show the actual part of the text that mentioned Nihm and the exhibit would be touring Europe for several years. It seemed that learning more would be a long way off.
September 12, 2000.
Not long after arriving in Marib our group began visiting the spectacular remains of the past, beginning with the famous Great Dam. From there we went to the nearby temple of Barán where the altar had been recovered. For me, it was hard to reconcile the carefully excavated and restored complex with what I remembered. It was only a few minutes later that we realized that a stone altar stood a short distance away, one that looked the same as the altar in the catalog. Excitedly, several of us began to examine it. Around 26 inches high, a 3 inch high band of South Arabian script encircled it. To see an almost identical altar was something that exceeded our expectations, but the best was still to come.

We had hours of desert driving ahead of us to our overnight stop, so time was short. We hurriedly took some photographs and as we sent for a tape measure I asked our Yemeni guide if he could search the inscription for any mention of NiHM. Unbelievably, he quickly picked out the characters for the name, which I copied down. Stunned, we had our photographs taken with the altar and then it was time to leave. On board the bus we announced to the entire group what had happened and told them that they had probably just been a part of a significant event.
Such it proved to be. I returned to Yemen a few weeks later and secured permission to fully document the altar and the other structures. I found that around 20 altars had been recovered at the site and amazingly, amidst a

cluster of damaged altars hidden behind a wall, sat a third identical altar. The donor of 3 altars with the same text was surely wealthy. Over following months one of the world’s leading authorities on early Arabia, Professor Kenneth Kitchen in England, provided us a more accurate translation of the inscription. 4 Other scholars helped refine the dating and understand the context. The Implications
For the first time, a unique Book of Mormon location had been plausibly located in the right location and period. As the profound implications of this discovery began to be appreciated, the Ensign and Liahona magazines reported the find with a photograph of the altar 5 and it was mentioned in the April General Conference of that year. The following year saw the release by Oxford University Press of historian Terryl L. Givens seminal work, By the Hand of Mormon: The American Scripture that Launched a New World Religion, in which the altar find was described as:
Found in the very area where Nephi’s record locates Nahom, these altars may
thus be said to constitute the first actual archaeological evidence for the historicity
of the Book of Mormon.

No, the altar inscriptions were not carved by Nephi, but they vindicate his account in several spectacular ways. They confirm what Nephi said - there WAS in fact a place already called NHM dating to before the Lehites traveled to Bountiful.
The name itself, extremely rare in Arabia by the way, carries associations with the account of Ishmael’s death and burial and the place lies adjacent to the largest known ancient burial site in all of Arabia. The location perfectly fits the account. Furthermore, the only fertile coastline in Arabia lies almost directly eastward of Nahom, just as Nephi noted (1 Nephi 17:1). None of this information was known in 1830.
A decade has now passed since that unexpected day in the desert at Marib. The ripples from that day continue spreading outwards. If an inscription claiming to be written by Nephi had turned up somewhere, I could not have been any more thrilled than I have been to witness this marvelous development. As predicted, Truth is coming forth out

of the earth