Diligent Study

I've been inspired and reminded lately of the importance of diligent gospel study.

While reading The Chosen I was impressed by the diligent, careful memorization, discussion, and quizzing of young Jewish students studying the Talmud.  There is a part in the book where Danny Saunders works for a long time on his own to figure out the meaning of something for himself.  Then he explains it to his teacher and classmates, answering their questions with confidence.  He paid the price to learn and understand.  It reminded me of some of the things Elder Bednar teaches in Increase in Learning.

Lately, Sunday school has been a feast and I have been reminded of the importance of preparation and individual gospel study.  There is a wonderful spirit and discussion while learning at church, but there is so much more for us as we humbly and diligently and carefully ask and seek and knock on our own.  We can't just coast along, we must learn and ask for ourselves.

A couple of weeks ago, we were studying in the Doctrine & Covenants about temples and how the truths of the temple were revealed to Joseph Smith over time, a little bit at a time.  Our teacher taught the lesson from an interesting point of view, referring to recent political scandals where the questions all became, "Who knew what, when?"  :)  So, we started talking about the truths revealed to Joseph Smith about temples, thinking about how he learned along the way.  It was neat to think this way and learn from Joseph's faithful and obedient example as he asked and learned and listened and was ready to help move the Lord's work forward.  It also made me think about how important it is for me and each of us to ask and seek and learn for ourselves.  There is so much to learn.  He's willing to teach us as we prepare and ask and seek.  He will teach us as we are ready.  I think there are many things that we can only learn that way.

All of these thoughts and feelings of inspiration were solidified this week when I was reading D&C 76 and a new verse stuck out to me that then happened to be emphasized in our Sunday school class a few days later, "But great and marvelous are the works of the Lord, and the mysteries of his kingdom which he showed unto us, which surpass all understanding in glory, and in might, and in dominion; Which he commanded us we should not write while we were yet in the Spirit, and are not lawful for man to utter; Neither is man capable to make them know, for they are only to be seen and understood by the power of the Holy Spirit, which God bestows on those who love him, and purify themselves before him; To whom he grants this privilege of seeing and knowing for themselves (D&C 76:114-117)."

We can learn more about our Heavenly Father and His plan and work if we diligently study and ask. Sometimes it's the only way we can learn.  There are things that no one else can teach or explain.  We must study and learn and ponder and pray for ourselves and purify ourselves in order to learn His teachings.

I want to be more focused and diligent in my study.  As I continue to study the Doctrine & Covenants I'm excited to join family in studying the Book of Mormon this summer - STOMP (Summer Trying Out Moroni's Promise) starts today.  If you read 3 chapters a day you'll be done on August 20.  I've already gained new and wonderful insights.  I think one of the early messages of the Book of Mormon is this same thing - "see, and hear, and know of these things, by the power of the Holy Ghost, which is the gift of God unto all those who diligently seek him (see 1 Nephi 10:17)."