The Bible

One of the most amazing hymns I've heard sung is the hymn, "I Believe in Christ." You can listen to the song by going to the musical representation of the hymn. Simply click on "I Believe in Christ."

You will be taken to a musical player. On the left side of the screen, you will see at the top a "play" button (sideways triangle), next to a "stop" button (a square) and a "pause" button (looks like two quotation marks).

Underneath these tools on the left you can get interactive with the music. You may select to hear "Music with Parts", to hear it with "Words and Music", and/or to hear it with "Music Only."

Try sampling each choice. A little lower on the left there are some other great options. If you want only to hear the melody (the Soprano part), click in the little squares to the left of Alto, Tenor, and Bass (in the "Music Parts/Volume" section on the left). Clicking in these boxes will deselect those parts, thus silencing them.

You can have great fun with this particular option. For example, while trying to learn the Alto part of "I Believe in Christ," you could deselect all parts but the Alto one. Once you feel you can sing that part relatively well, you could click on the Tenor square to re-engage that portion. Now you have a duet going between the Alto and the Tenor lines!

This is entertaining. But the best part is really all about learning the amazing words to this hymn. Elder Bruce R. McConkie, one of the apostles for the Mormon church (officially called The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints), wrote the words to this hymn and read them during General Conference, just prior to his death from cancer.

Here is just the first verse (the rest are available for reading when clicking on "I Believe in Christ"). Just feel the power of praise these words bring:

I believe in Christ; he is my King!
With all my heart to him I'll sing;
I'll raise my voice in praise and joy,
In grand amens my tongue employ.
I believe in Christ; he is God's Son.
On earth to dwell his soul did come.
He healed the sick; the dead he raised.
Good works were his; his name be praised.
(Text: Bruce R. McConkie, 1915-1985)

I'm not quite sure how some people claim that Mormons are not Christian. If you've not heard that claim before, I'm sure you will at some time. But sing the words to this song, knowing that they were written by one of the Apostles for the Mormon church. Feel the Spirit of the Lord descend while you sing them, and you will know that indeed not only do Mormons believe in Christ, but we rejoice in praising His name!

With the conditions in the world being what they are, the scriptures become more and more a beacon of peace. I can't tell you enough how much solace they bring - it doesn't matter whether I'm feeling tired or discouraged or sad, the scriptures will restore my soul.

I'm so grateful for the peace they bring! And beyond the peace they offer, the scriptures also bring insight and wisdom for those who spend enough time within them. And here is one technique that helps me greatly during scripture study: Look for Connecting Words.

I learned of this technique when I read one of the study guides for studying scriptures published by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the Mormons). The study guide in particular I refer to is published for high school kids who are taking seminary classes during their high school years.

These seminary classes are without charge - and any fourteen to eighteen year old may attend. Sometimes the classes are offered as a released-time class during the high school day; other seminary classes (depending on the area) are offered in the early hours of the morning before high school starts for the day.

These seminary manuals are actually available for anyone to study online! Isn't that great? Not only does each manual explore a book of scripture in depth (New Testament, Old Testament, etc.), but the manuals also contain additional resources to help you in scripture study.

One of those great resources is a long series of suggestions on how to get more out of your personal scripture study. This is where I learned about the great study skill: Look for Connecting Words.

Here is what the seminary manual for the Doctrine and Covenants, for example, says on page 4:

"Connecting words include AND, BUT, BECAUSE, THEREFORE, AND NEVERTHELESS. As you read these words, notice what they help you understand about two or more ideas. Sometimes they show how two or more things are similar or different."

The manual then suggests reading two verses from the Doctrine and Covenants 84:54-55, noting an important fact simply by noticing the word "because" and how it is used. Go ahead and try it!

Here is another example that the manual suggests exploring to learn more of how this technique can help you. Read Doctrine and Covenants 45:30-32 and look for the word "but". Noting this word and the contrast it speaks to can help bring peace to a troubled soul during these final moments before the second coming of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Yes, absolutely, I love to study the scriptures. With the conditions in the world being what they are, the scriptures have very much become a beacon of peace for me. And with simple study techniques like looking for connecting words, the study comes alive and strengthens me tremendously.

If you would like to read more scriptures, visit the online scriptures and enjoy the experience!

For someone new to the Mormon church (officially known as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints), there might be an amazing amount of really cool stuff to learn.

That might seem a bold statement, but it is true. I came from another denomination as a kid and it is astonishing to learn what I have from the prophets, the scriptures, and through the Spirit.

First, one needs to know that the Lord still calls prophets today. What an astonishing thought, but how comforting it is. Has there ever been a time in the world more crazy than the time we currently live in? If the Lord truly loved His children, wouldn't He care enough to lead us now as back then?

And with so many confusing voices and so many "trendy" approaches to life surrounding us, wouldn't it be great to know what the Lord's perspective is on it all? Well, the awesome thing is that He does share! He does so through His prophets. Just as He called prophets in ancient days, like Moses who led the Israelites away from the dangers of Pharaoh's court to the beauty of their promised land, today's prophets do the same (see Amos 3:7).

And the prophets today clarify confusion not just existent in the world, but also in the scriptures. For example, have you ever noticed the apparent conflict in Exodus 33?

Here is verse 11:

"And the Lord spake face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend" (Exodus 33:11).

Yet here is verse 20, just nine verses later:

"And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live" (Exodus 33:20).

So why the conflict ... because it obviously can't be both, because Moses just had seen the Lord's face and lived (in vs. 11).

Well, have you ever played the "Telephone" game? It's the one where a long line of people sit side by side during a party. One person whispers a phrase into the next person's ear. Each person does the best to relay the message, yet try as hard as the group can, the message has always changed by the time it reaches the other end of the line.

Now think about the scriptures. How many times has the Bible been translated? Many, many times. And with each translation, the potential for misinterpretations or mistranslations are present. Many times this is why there are Biblical conflicts - such as the ones in Exodus 33.

So what a beautiful thing to have prophets in our day and age. Not only can they give us guidance regarding new concerns to face mankind, but they can also clarify the revelations given so long ago by the Lord to His ancient prophets. (To read the answer to the dilemma in Exodus 33, visit Joseph Smith's translation.)

Yes, as a new member of the Mormon church, there was so much for me to revel in. For the first time in my life, things were finally beginning to make sense! If you'd like to explore the prophets' words spoken in the last thirty years, feel free to visit the Church's website to read the prophets' words.

I am a Mormon. I didn't use to be. I belonged, as a child, to a different denomination. My parents were introduced to the church through a man my mother worked for.

She wanted to know what was different about him. She'd noticed a happiness about him and his family that intrigued her. After asking, the man shared that his joy came from the gospel of Jesus Christ and that he belonged to the Mormon church (also known officially as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints).

My parents met with the missionaries, wanting to know more about the Mormon church and the teachings of it. Eventually the rest of the family joined my parents in meeting with the missionaries.

Later we were baptized. This began my introduction to the Mormon church. And I have to tell you. I'm so very happy. Through the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints I have learned of such things that have increased my personal happiness in infinite ways.

One of those ways has been an ever-increasing appreciation for the word of God. Our current prophet and President of the church, Gordon B. Hinckley, stated what I very much feel:

"I hope that for you studying the scriptures will become something far more enjoyable than a duty; that, rather, it will become a love affair with the word of God. I promise you that as you read, your minds will be enlightened and your spirits will be lifted" ("The Light within You," Ensign, May 1995, 99).

This quote is contained in the teacher's manual for the Old Testament. Instruction continues in the manual for the teacher and helps the teacher aid his or her students in developing a love for the word of God - and in this case, for the Old Testament.

I want you to know that I've felt this. I've felt a love for the word of God that is difficult for me to describe. Whether contained in the Bible, the Doctrine and Covenants, the Book of Mormon, or the Pearl of Great Price, the word of God lifts me on my down days and brings peace to my soul on days when I am troubled. In fact, every day I study the scriptures is made better by those very scriptures.

Oh, scripture study is so awesome! I invite you to explore the scriptures every day. I promise you that if you study daily and seek the Lord in prayer, He will lead you and guide you in your own daily life. The blessings that will come will be tremendous! If you do not own your own copy, feel free to explore the online scriptures; I've included their links up above for your convenience.

And if you too would like to meet with the Mormon missionaries to learn more about Jesus Christ and the Mormon church, feel free to visit Mormon.org.

The Lord loves us. He desires to bless us. And one of the best ways we can find those blessings is by studying His word as contained in the scriptures.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (casually known as the Mormons) has many resources to help you. I've referenced these before, but I'd like to take a deeper look at one particular resource: the Seminary Student Manuals.

You can find these online for free here or you can actually order one if you felt you wanted a hard bound copy. Either way, they are terrific compendiums of knowledge that will help you in your search and knowledge of the word of God and His ways.

• To peruse the student manual for the Doctrine and Covenants and history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, click here.
• To peruse the student manual for the Old Testament and Pearl of Great Price, click here.
• To peruse the student manual for the New Testament, click here.
• To peruse the student manual for the Book of Mormon, click here.

The manuals are very similar to each other, yet each contain unique information regarding the scripture book in focus. They are prepared by the Church Educational System and then published by the Church of Jesus Christ of latter-day Saints, based in Salt Lake City, Utah (for more information about the Church, simply click here).

What I love about these manuals is how rich the resources are within them. Each one first includes a general "How to Use This Manual" section. Within this part comes a handy diagram explaining how the manual is set up, and it also introduces the Seminary program - whether through a Home-Study set-up or through classroom learning.

One of the parts that excites me the most in these manuals is that which comes next. It is an extensive guide called Studying the Scriptures. Within this section it explains how to get the most out of your scriptures, especially the sets published by the Church with all the extra cross-references, Topical Guide, generous Bible Dictionary, Bible Maps etc.

The Seminary manuals also explore more than twenty different techniques or approaches to scripture study! These enliven the experience and bring the teachings home to you as you read the word of God.

A handy reading chart is included within the manual to help you keep track of your progress, placed just before the targeted content (for example, the manual in use this year in the seminary program is the Old Testament). Simply visit the links included above to print out the reading charts (found towards the beginning of each manual).

I invite you to explore these terrific aids to scripture study. They contain many wonderful helps to enliven and enrich your personal scripture study. Click here to select the one you are most interested in looking at!

President Henry B. Eyring stated:

“There should never be a conscious choice to let the spiritual become secondary as a pattern in our lives. Never. That will lead to tragedy. The tragedy may not be obvious at first, nor may it ever be clear in mortal life. But remember, you are interested in education not for life, but for eternal life” (Education for Real Life [CES fireside for young adults, May 6, 2001], 3).

What an important statement. As Mormons, we believe strongly in education; we believe strongly in scripture study. Both are pathways towards pleasing our Father in Heaven and His son Jesus Christ. These activities help us to emulate them.

One excellent scripture study resource (free and at the same time very dynamic) is the LDSCES.org website. This site houses many links to study guides, manuals, church firesides, and higher education information.

As stated at the site:

"The objective of religious education in the Church Educational System is to assist the individual, the family, and priesthood leaders in accomplishing the mission of the Church by—

1. Teaching students the gospel of Jesus Christ as found in the standard works and the words of the prophets.
2. Teaching students by precept and example so they will be encouraged, assisted, and protected as they strive to live the gospel of Jesus Christ.
3. Providing a spiritual and social climate where students can associate together.
4. Preparing young people for effective Church service (Teaching the Gospel: A Handbook for CES Teachers and Leaders [1994], 3)."

One of the ways the Church follows these objectives is by creating sites like the LDSCES.org website. I invite you to explore it. When you visit the site, you'll see several options present themselves before you.

At the top of the screen, in a column on the left, will be several choices:

Seminary
Institute
Teachers/Administrators
LDS.org

Under the Seminary option, you'll find may helpful scripture study resources, such as study guides, reaching charts, scripture mastery aids, bookmarks, and free downloads. Even though the actual seminary classes taught throughout the world are for high school students (whether at the local high school or in early morning locations), their learning materials are for everyone. I invite you to explore those resources here.

Under the Institute option, you'll also find additional scripture study materials that are quite helpful for when you want to understand the scriptures on a deeper level. You can study at your own pace by clicking and exploring this link.

And under the LDS.org option on the first screen, you'll go straight to the heart of the Church's website, with many rich resources to benefit your growth and knowledge in Christ.

Finally, make sure to explore the "Fireside" links where you'll find more links to firesides where speakers have shared enlightening and inspired messages about the Savior and how to live His teachings and thereby receive the joy He desires to give you.

Yes, indeed, as Mormons, we believe strongly in education; we believe strongly in scripture study. Both are pathways towards pleasing our Father in Heaven and His son Jesus Christ and in emulating them. And the LDSCES.org website is an amazing tool to help do just that!

I find some of the best study aids and resources for studying the scriptures can be found in the lives of others. How have others applied the truths contained within the living word of God? How have they stood faithful to the truths they understand?

Just yesterday I read a story that greatly moved me. Imagine with me, if you will, that you were born about 150 years after the death of Christ. This would place your birthdate at approximately 183 A.D. You were born to a pagan family living during the time of the Roman Empire.

Your family is wealthy. You have all that you need for a comfortable living. Your slaves attend to your needs and you are free to study and enjoy life.

Then one day you hear of a Man who had died about 150 years before you were born. He wasn't just any man. Those who have taught you tell you that He was the Son of God. He came to save you from your sins. He is your Redeemer.

You become so convinced that this Jesus of Nazareth was who He said He was, that you desire baptism to follow in His path. Your parents plead with you. They know well of what awaits you in the Roman Empire during this time. You will become one of the dreaded Christians. As such, you will be fed to the wild beasts in a coliseum.

You listen to their pleadings. But your heart knows the truth. It knows that this Man of whom so many belittle really was who He claimed. There is no other way. It is true.

So you make your decision. You and a small group of friends are baptized. And just as promised, you are taken to prison. This forces a separation from you and your newborn. You begin to pine in prison, knowing that by the moment, your baby grows weaker from not nursing.

The guard has compassion on you. He allows your friends to bring your baby to you for sustenance. But the day arises, the day that you will be brought with your friends to the coliseum to face the wild beasts in front of hundreds, if not thousands, of jeering Romans.

You grip those close to you and make your journey to that place. Finally, you are offered one last time to turn your back on your new found Christianity. You refuse. In fact, you stand side by side your slave, who is weak from having given birth two days before the pending martyrdom. Your regal presence hushes the crowd, an unusual occurrence, this quiet in a coliseum.

Your last thoughts as the hungry lion and bear are released are . . . ?

This story is summarized from the actual journal, amazingly preserved, of a young Christian follower named Perpetua. She was an aristocrat whose life could have been one of relative ease. But she died for her new found faith in Jesus Christ.

Learning of this woman has deepened my faith tremendously. I cannot imagine the thoughts coursing through her mind as she held her babe one last time. Or her thoughts as she watched her slave girl birth her own baby two days before death by beasts. This small band of Christians refused to renounce their love of the Lord and thus underwent a painful death.

What of me? What am I doing today to live in such a way that I refuse to bow down to society's gods? For that is what young Perpetua had refused to do. She sacrificed greatly for her faith. Am I willing to do the same? Am I willing to at least pick up my scriptures daily to sup from His word, the same word so many in history have died for?

I'm sorry to say that some days I do better than others. But after having read of Perpetua yesterday, I am determined that no day will pass through till the end of my life without my having worshiped the Lord at least through scripture study. If Perpetua could die for the Lord, I can begin certainly to live for Him!

Indeed, some of the best study aids and resources for understanding the scriptures and applying them are by learning from the valiant around us.

For those who are new to scripture study, the scriptures themselves can seem intimidating. There's a whole lot of tiny print in the scripture sets! But never fear, there are some terrific tools that will bring great enjoyment as you "feast" upon the word of the Lord.

First of all, know that there are many different versions of the scriptures that you can purchase. The Bible, for example, has been translated over and over again. As a result, if you walked into a Christian bookstore, you'd find many different options to choose among.

For Latter-day Saints, we use the King James version of the Bible. And not just any King James version, put out by any publisher, but the King James version published by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Why? Because there are some really cool study tools that comes with the church's published version of the Bible.

If you open to the beginning of the Bible (the church's King James version), you will notice some great features. First of all, there is the dedicatory page to the actual individual King James - the individual who requested the translation. These two pages demonstrate the enthusiasm of the translation team for their project. This portion reminds me just how precious the scriptures are. Just think about it - there are those in the world who have not yet heard of the Christ, nor have His words. What a privilege we have the scriptures. No wonder it is so important to share the good news of the gospel! This dedicatory page reminds me of this.

Following the Dedicatory page, comes "The Names and Order of All the Books of the Old and New Testament." This is a handy page to find the page numbers for each book in the Old and the New Testament. It also lists the additional goodies found in the Appendix: the Topical Guide, Bible Dictionary, Joseph Smith Translation (JST), the Gazetteer, and the Maps.

Flip over the page and you'll find a page entitled, "Explanation Concerning Abbreviations." This will help you become more and more familiar with the various cross-references and tools to help your study.

After the Abbreviations page, you get into the actual scriptures. As you begin reading, make sure you notice the footnote comments at the bottom of each page. They link to other verses you'll want to check out. Some of these will suggest you look up other scriptural verses found in other locations in the scriptures. But some footnote markings will contain a reference to a fuller verse in the back of the Bible, found in the Appendix section titled "Joseph Smith Translation." (Remember that handy-dandy page called, "The Names and Order of the All the Books of the Old and New Testament"? Under the Appendix listed at the bottom of that page, you'll find the page number for the Joseph Smith Translation.)

I suggest each time there is a reference to a JST verse that you look it up. The changes were inspired and greatly clarify the original intent of the verse (i.e. note the footnote for Genesis 19:31).

Finally, I would suggest that you become familiar with all the tools in the Bible's Appendix. The Topical Guide is a great help if you want to study gospel topics, such as "Faith" or "Joy." Simply flip to the Topical Guide and look up the terms alphabetically. The Bible Dictionary gives a terrific history and information about hundreds of Bible terms and names. And the Gazetteer is an easy way to find a Biblical city on the map. Simply look up the city or locale's name and it will tell you the map number and quadrant to look in.

Indeed, for those who are new to scripture study, the scriptures themselves might seem intimidating. But for those familiar with the terrific tools found, for example, in the church's King James version of the Bible, the word of the Lord becomes a "feast" indeed. To purchase your own copy, go here to buy it at wholesale price.