This post is part of the General Conference Odyssey. This week covers the Saturday Afternoon Session of the April 2010 Conference.
Lots of good advice for parents in this session (something I'm always thirsty for…). This, from Elder L. Tom Perry, reminded me of Elder Bednar's "brushstrokes" analogy from the previous conference:
Parents must bring light and truth into their homes by one family prayer, one scripture study session, one family home evening, one book read aloud, one song, and one family meal at a time.
Speaking of scripture study sessions, I liked Elder Christoffersen's talk about the scriptures too. It made me think about Quebec again and how much faith can be lost in a generation. Elder Christoffersen says:
In Tyndale’s day, scriptural ignorance abounded because people lacked access to the Bible, especially in a language they could understand. Today the Bible and other scripture are readily at hand, yet there is a growing scriptural illiteracy because people will not open the books. Consequently they have forgotten things their grandparents knew.…In the end, the central purpose of all scripture is to fill our souls with faith in God the Father and in His Son, Jesus Christ—faith that They exist; faith in the Father’s plan for our immortality and eternal life; faith in the Atonement and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, which animates this plan of happiness; faith to make the gospel of Jesus Christ our way of life; and faith to come to know “the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom [He has] sent.”
I feel so lucky to have had that knowledge from a young age. I think about how many things I have just "always known" because I've always known the scriptures. I can't even remember a time my parents weren't reading them with me or to me. And I thought this was an interesting point:
I suppose that never in history has a people been blessed with such a quantity of holy writ. And not only that, but every man, woman, and child may possess and study his or her own personal copy of these sacred texts, most in his or her own language. How incredible such a thing would have seemed to the people of William Tyndale’s day and to the Saints of earlier dispensations! Surely with this blessing the Lord is telling us that our need for constant recourse to the scriptures is greater than in any previous time. May we feast continuously on the words of Christ that will tell us all things we should do.
It's just kind of interesting to think that this could be the whole reason we have such easy access to God’s word! The ability to read through decades of talks, access firesides and devotionals given all over the world, looked at historical records like the Joseph Smith Paper—I’ve always thought it was just a huge blessing, and I’ve felt vaguely guilty for maybe not appreciating it as I should, when the pioneers would have been so overjoyed to have a tenth of the access I enjoy. But it’s interesting to think maybe this has been also given to us because we NEED it more—that these modern times are so hard and confusing that we have a greater need than ever for the strength and guidance God’s word can bring. I certainly feel that, and it's good to remember that the scriptures are a source of so many answers when I'm desperately seeking knowledge—not only from their words themselves, but just as a conduit for further revelation from the Spirit. Elder Christofferson says:
Scriptures are revelation, and they will bring added revelation.
It's true! I can't even number the times an answer to my prayers has come through a verse of scripture I'm reading or words of scripture I have in my mind. I hope I can give some part of that gift to my children as my parents gave it to me!
