Mormon Direction

I have read the Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price. I learned the importance of their content and what it means for my spiritual life with God. How I came to realize this was over time, through many experiences with the scriptures and in life.

I experienced positive changes when I properly studied the word of God. I have found that the key to gaining spiritual awareness, a heightened state of heart and mind, depends on whether I am sincere and humble when reading and studying the word of God. When I leave these books and stop reading them, the heightened change slowly diminishes and I begin to feel “less spiritual”. This showed me that a spiritual state, a “heightened state” (and peaceful) state of mind depends on my focus and involvement with the word of God. It showed me that things in this world are temporary and to maintain something, requires continued attention and diligence. It is just like staying fit, exercise must continue else the “fit state” diminishes.  

When reading and contemplating the word of God within these books, I would, at times, experience insights and thoughts that provided a “light” that furthered my understanding of what I read or what I have been previously contemplating. In regards to previous contemplations, this says that reading the scriptures places me into the right state of mind and heart so I can receive God’s help. I can truly say that reading the word of God, and this includes the Book of Mormon, Doctrine of Covenants and Pearl of Great Price, spiritual understanding is gained.

At times, I would experience the Holy Spirit, providing personal revelation that would confirm or sustained the words I am reading in the scriptures. The experience of the Spirit and insights always contained the feeling of peace, understanding, breadth of vision, inner stability, inner strength, feelings of sureness or surety. With these experiences, I knew that my heart and mind was touched by God.

It is like a light turns on for me to see clearly and with that light comes understanding of concepts and doctrines within the gospels.

A practice of reading the scriptures has, over time, provided me with better days than when I would not read the word of God. After days of not reading the word of God life would begin to feel a bit sluggish and heavier. When getting back into the practice of reading and studying the scriptures, my days would feel smoother and lighter, generally speaking. Yet, challenging days still come none the less but maintaining a practice of reading the scriptures definitely helps me cope with those days. In short, my overall thoughts and focus in my life are better with the scriptures than without. It seemed that my ability to cope and overcome new challenges increased with the scriptures as compared to without.  

I can testify that the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants and Pearl of Great Price contain the word of God, because I have experienced in my life the results of reading these books.

Reading these books brought me greater and deeper understanding of the Bible. Something that would have not occurred if I read the Bible alone. Each time that I read the gospels, I would see more than before, understand more and gain more knowledge. How true the words of Isaiah who said that God teaches line by line and percept by percept. I have experienced it. 

The moment I leave these books and place them aside for concerns of the world, the spiritual connection and access to this spiritual knowledge begins to dissipate. Fortunately, regaining it occurs I returned to these books. The seed parable applies here because spiritual knowledge must root itself within in order for it to remain and continued nurturing of that seed requires the food given by the word of God.
The “spiritual knowledge” and “spiritual sight” gained by regular practice of reading and studying the gospels is only temporary and dependent upon an active focus of study. This says that our mortal ability to retain the higher spiritual state and understanding requires proper “spiritual mainteance”. Failing to maintain it causes the loss. That is just a short coming of being mortal.

How true when James said that faith is dead without works? Do you see how understanding the Bible has increased because of faithful study of all the true gospels of God? Faith, in the form of spiritual knowledge and sight, diminishes without continued “works”, which in this case is continued study and reading of the gospels.

Oh, how difficult it must have been for the prophets and men of God in the scriptures to maintain their spiritual state and how diligence and continued faith and works was so crucial, that this diligence is what James called “works” and that faith would be dead without it.

How important it was to maintain “goodness” within my daily life to help sustain the spiritual state and sight. I know this can be difficult at times, being mortal, when the things of the world interfere. What helped me in those cases was to seek solitude when I can and return to reading the word of God. After all, life here is not without its struggles and afflictions, but as God promised, if we endure and remain faithful, blessings would come after tribulation.

I testify that the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, Pearl of Great Price are true and are the word of God, as is the Bible, and to gain a deeper understanding of the Bible, in these days of false doctrines, interpretations and claims, requires proper study of all the gospels of Jesus Christ.

I say this in the name of Jesus Christ
Amen