In Alma 37, Alma teaches that the word of God is meant to be a liahona to anyone who reads and heeds them. That is really a wonderful idea, isn’t it? But is that your reality? Could it become your reality?
In the book Change Your Questions, Change Your Life, Wendy Watson Nelson, President Russell M. Nelson’s wife, suggests the following 30 Day Scripture Reading Challenge to help you discover the scriptures as a liahona. She describes 5 steps to take each day of the challenge.
- Decide on one question you would like the have answered each day.
- Hold your scriptures in your hands as you kneel and pray, thanking God for the scriptures.
- Pray for the Spirit to be with you as you read and pray for the Spirit to answer your one question.
- Ask Heavenly Father your question (and I add to ask Heavenly Father to bless me with the faith to receive the answer clearly).
- Open your scriptures and start reading … and pay attention. (I prefer to get up from kneeling and sit in a chair at a table – reclining in bed doesn’t work for me).
According to Sister Nelson, most people don’t have to read very long before the answer to is either addressed in the scriptures or the answer becomes clear in their minds regardless of how irrelevant the actually reading material is.
I’ve found this process to be very helpful, and I hope you do, too. Teaching this process and inviting your family to take Sister Nelson’s could make a wonderful FHE. If you do it, please let me know how it goes!
One of my favorite talks about scripture reading and revelation was written by Elder Dallin H. Oaks. It’s called “Scripture Reading and Revelation” (Ensign, January 1995). Here are two of my favorite quotes from that article:
Elder Bruce R. McConkie said, “I sometimes think that one of the best-kept secrets of the kingdom is that the scriptures open the door to the receipt of revelation” (Doctrines of the Restoration, ed. Mark L. McConkie, Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1989, p. 243). This happens because scripture reading puts us in tune with the Spirit of the Lord.
The idea that scripture reading can lead to inspiration and revelation opens the door to the truth that a scripture is not limited to what it meant when it was written but may also include what that scripture means to a reader today. Even more, scripture reading may also lead to current revelation on whatever else the Lord wishes to communicate to the reader at that time. We do not overstate the point when we say that the scriptures can be a Urim and Thummim to assist each of us to receive personal revelation.
I absolutely love this idea, but I realize with a healthy dose of humility that my ability to use the scriptures as my personal liahona very much depends on my faith and whether I follow the guidance I’m given. That’s where things get tricky for me.
So I just keep praying for faith and doing my best, grateful that the Lord knows my heart and loves me. I read the scriptures knowing whether I’m reading for pleasure and to review favorite stories or if I’m reading to connect with the Spirit and receive answers. I also write down my question, the answer reference, and my answers. Then I make sure the answers, if action items, get on my official to-do list.
It’s a worth-while experiment that I highly recommend. After all, what wouldn’t you give to have the Creator of the Earth, the Master Creator, the All-knowing God be your partner in life? What wouldn’t you give to “counsel with the Lord in all thy doings [so] He will direct thee for good”? (Alma 37:37)
When I was originally praying about how to practically establish the traditions of family home evening and family scripture study, I unknowingly used some of the above steps, and I’m so grateful for the answers I received then and the guidance I’ve received since.
I hope this post assists you in your personal life and maybe in answering your questions about how to have happier family scripture time and home evenings.
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