Cindy: 0:05

Hey, friends, welcome back to Primarily Scripture. I'm your host, Cindy Young, and today I have got Emma with me. How are you today, Emma?

Emma: 0:13

I'm great. How are you?

Cindy: 0:14

I'm so good. Thank you for being here.

Emma: 0:16

Of course.

Cindy: 0:17

Emma is 15 years old, and something really cool about Emma, she plays bass clarinet. She's been playing for about four years, and you're in the high school band, right, Emma?

Emma: 0:26

Yeah.

Cindy: 0:26

Tell me what's band like.

Emma: 0:28

It's very fun, there's a lot of great people there. That's where a lot of my friends came from.

Cindy: 0:33

I had friends in band and it seemed like they were always just laughing and joking around, like they would be serious and learn the music and it sounded great. But then the rest of the time it was just fun, fun, fun. And they all loved it.

Emma: 0:43

Yeah, that's, that's exactly how it goes.

Cindy: 0:46

Awesome. Okay, so here on Primarily Scripture we follow Come Follow Me, but the whole point is to show you that scripture study is easier than you think it is. A lot of people are intimidated by studying the scriptures, and it doesn't have to be anything complicated. Some people are very intense in their scripture study, but for most of us, it doesn't have to be that intense. So we're going to do some super simple things as we study today, and Emma actually hasn't even looked at the worksheets yet. I'm going to show you how easy it is to just jump in and do it without any prep work. I do create free worksheets every single week. They are free, no strings attached on the website, primarily scripture. com. So Emma just this minute got access to these worksheets, and now we're going to jump into them together. I gave her a choice. Do you want to do page one or page two? And she picked two. We are in Doctrine and Covenants section 11. Emma, this page looks kind of like what your scriptures look like. But then in the margins, I have put some little prompts, some little questions that help you think about the scriptures a little deeper. Look right above where it says section 11, Right in the middle at the top. And what do you see?

Emma: 1:55

a turtle that says,"Take time to ponder" and a snail that says "Snailed it!"

Cindy: 2:00

I really wanted to emphasize that we need to slow down as you read and take a little time to ponder. Okay, so let's jump in. Emma, can you read the description of section 11 from the worksheet?

Emma: 2:13

Okay Joseph's brother Hyrum Smith wanted to know what the Lord had to say to him personally We don't know the exact questions he had, but this is the first message to him from the Lord. Verse 27 says, Behold, I speak unto all. So as you study, pay attention to which parts of this message are for you.

Cindy: 2:30

That is one of the biggest things, like, the most important thing that I want you to take away from this, other than learn about Jesus Christ when you study your scriptures, is apply it to yourself. Like, that's the whole point of scripture studies. If you don't apply it to yourself and learn how to change yourself, change your heart, then reading the scriptures isn't going to do anything for you, no matter how slowly you go! Okay, so on the worksheet there is a little line over to the side and a spot for notes. What does that note say

Emma: 2:58

says, how often do I ask the Lord what he wants me to work on?

Cindy: 3:03

Oh, let's ponder. Are we following Hyrum's example and asking the Lord what He wants us to do? When was the last time you asked the Lord what He wanted you to do?

Emma: 3:14

To be honest, it's been a really long time.

Cindy: 3:16

Right? There are times when I say the same thing, where I'm like, oh man, I haven't prayed for that. So, if it's been a while, then how can we fix that?

Emma: 3:23

Later tonight, pray and ask him what he wants you to work on. And then, try and remember to do it as much as you can.

Cindy: 3:31

Right. it's just that simple. Even though it's easier said than done.

Emma: 3:35

Yeah.

Cindy: 3:36

But every little bit of effort helps you to be better at it in the long run. Okay.

Emma: 3:40

The Lord loves effort.

Cindy: 3:42

Yes! Who said that? Do you remember?

Emma: 3:44

Was that Russell M. Nelson?

Cindy: 3:46

It was! Yes, it was our prophet. The Lord loves effort! Okay, so let's start on verse 20 and let's find some things that the Lord wants us to do."Behold, this is your work. To keep my commandments, yea, with all your might, mind, and strength." There you go, we just read it. How do we study it? What do we do now?

Emma: 4:08

Uh, evaluate it. Try and put it into, like, more modern English to see what it actually means.

Cindy: 4:15

Oh, I love that. Awesome. Will you do that for me? So how would you translate this?

Emma: 4:19

Um, this is your job that you need to do. Make sure to keep the commandments and do it with, all your heart and try and remember and keep working at it.

Cindy: 4:31

I love that. Awesome. Just taking that extra time to be sure you understand it. Because if you don't understand it, are you going to be able to do anything with it?

Emma: 4:39

No,

Cindy: 4:41

not at all.

Emma: 4:42

It's just going to be there and you're going to forget about it the next day.

Cindy: 4:45

Exactly, exactly. In one ear, out the other. Okay, so now that we've made sure we understand it, now we can look at it again. Have you heard my parable of the snowball?

Emma: 4:53

No.

Cindy: 4:54

How would you make a big snowball?

Emma: 4:55

Uh, make a small snowball and roll it in the ground until it gets big.

Cindy: 5:00

Exactly. So you can start with a small snowball, you scoop it up, and there it is in your hand. Ta da! You have a snowball. That can represent your gospel knowledge. If you're gonna read the scriptures, that's like scooping it up and having it in your hand. There you go. You read the scriptures! And now what? You're just gonna put it down and walk away? If you really want more gospel knowledge, if you want to build your testimony, then we want that snowball to grow, right? So,

Emma: 5:25

yeah

Cindy: 5:25

we're gonna roll it around. So that's like going back and looking at the same verse over and over and over again and see what else can I find? And you'll be so amazed at how much there is in one single verse. So let's see what we can find. What stands out to you in this one?

Emma: 5:41

That saying like, this is uh, your job to keep the commandments.

Cindy: 5:45

If you look up in the top corner of this worksheet, it says find and mark, and it has four different things with four different colors. Things to do is green. So I am going to grab my green scripture marker, and I'm going to mark that."This is your work... keep my commandments." That's like... If you just do that perfectly, then you're fine because everything falls under a commandment of some kind, right?

Emma: 6:10

Yeah.

Cindy: 6:11

So, when I am pondering this, I might pause and think, what commandment specifically is the Lord wanting me to do right now? And taking time to think about that is really helpful. What else do you see in this verse? Anything else or should we move on?

Emma: 6:27

I think we should move on.

Cindy: 6:28

Okay, why don't you read 21 then? All right.

Emma: 6:32

"Seek not to declare my word, but first seek to obtain my word, and then shall your tongue be loosed. Then, if you desire, you shall have my spirit and my word. Yea, the power of God unto the convincing of men."

Cindy: 6:44

All right, what does that mean?

Emma: 6:47

You need to like, take it piece by piece, figure out what it means.

Cindy: 6:52

Yeah, the goal should first be to understand it, right? Obtain it, have it in your heart. How is anybody going to believe what you say if you don't have a testimony?

Emma: 7:02

Yeah.

Cindy: 7:02

Next to that verse, it says, "this teaches me..." What could we write right there? It could be a whole sentence or it could be three words.

Emma: 7:10

It's still important to share it with the world, but it's very important to understand it and learn from it.

Cindy: 7:18

Yeah, first things first, right?

Emma: 7:20

Yeah,

Cindy: 7:21

Okay, so understand before you teach. Have you had a chance to teach in Young Women's?

Emma: 7:27

Uh, twice.

Cindy: 7:28

Nice! And do you think that you'd be able to teach very well if you hadn't first understood what you were teaching?

Emma: 7:35

Uh, no. I would not.

Cindy: 7:36

No! It's so much better when you do the homework yourself, understand it, gain a testimony of the principle. Now we can share it with other people. Okay. I love verse 22. And on the worksheet, it's kind of, um, pulled apart into different parts. Okay. So at first it says, but now hold your peace. Remember this is the Lord counseling Hyrum. Hyrum was specifically being told, you'll be able to go on a mission, but learn the gospel first. For now, hold your peace. Don't worry about teaching it. But here are some more instructions from the Lord. So I'm going to grab my green again."Study my word which hath gone forth among the children of men, and also study my word which shall come forth among the children of men, or that which is now translating. Yea, until you have obtained all which I shall grant unto the children of men in this generation, and then shall all things be added thereto." Well, that was long! That was a super long verse. What does it mean? Let's break it down. The first part. Study my word which hath gone forth. What did he mean? What were the scriptures that were already in the world at this time??

Emma: 8:45

The Bible.

Cindy: 8:46

Yeah, they had the Bible. So we can write that in the side right here so that the next time you read it, you're like, oh yeah, he's telling him, study the Bible. And then he says, "also study my word which shall come forth... that which is now translating." And what were they translating?

Emma: 9:00

The Book of Mormon.

Cindy: 9:01

So we can highlight that and write it down. The phrase doesn't say Bible and Book of Mormon, right? It's old fashioned words. It can be confusing."Study that which hath gone forth among the children of men."

Leah: 9:12

Yeah.

Cindy: 9:13

Means study the Bible and study the Book of Mormon. Okay, we're understanding this better. What else can we study?"Yea, until you have obtained all." And I want to circle the word all right here in my scriptures. So to us, that's going to include the Pearl of Great Price, Doctrine and Covenants, General Conference, the manuals that the church gives us, like, come follow me. Study it. Study all of it. That's a pretty big to do, kind of like keep the commandments, right? Keep all the commandments and read all the things. Like, everything. Okay, and then, what does it say?"then shall all things be added" What in the world does that mean?

Emma: 9:54

Then you will know what you need to do.

Cindy: 9:57

Yeah, he's promising anything you need, whatever knowledge you lack, you can get it by studying and by keeping commandments. Whatever you're struggling with, if you're having a hard time in school, if you're having a hard time with a friend, if you're having a hard time keeping one certain commandment and you're like, Oh, I need to be better at this. Well, try to keep the commandments- do your best, right? Put forth that effort that the Lord loves- and study, study, study. So no matter what is going on in your life, your life will be blessed by studying the scriptures. Have you had any times when your life has been blessed by scripture study?

Emma: 10:34

Um, not yet, but that's probably because I'm young, but I know it will happen eventually.

Cindy: 10:40

Sometimes you think what's reading the scriptures gonna do for your biology test, or for math, right? Like,

Emma: 10:47

Yeah.

Cindy: 10:48

Reading the scriptures isn't gonna clean your bedroom for you.

Emma: 10:51

No, no, it's not.

Cindy: 10:52

It's not. So, how could reading the scriptures bless your life?

Emma: 10:56

Spiritually, it can help you, listen for the Holy Ghost. It can help you know what is right.

Cindy: 11:03

Yeah, it can, but... you want to know a secret?

Emma: 11:06

What?

Cindy: 11:07

If you want your bedroom to be clean, reading the scriptures can help it happen.

Emma: 11:11

By helping you get in the better mindset.

Cindy: 11:14

Yes! And if you say, this is one of my goals, I really want this to happen, and then you read the scriptures, now you're more in tune and you're going to hear the Holy Ghost reminding you, hey, you have a goal. Maybe you should pick up your laundry. Oh, maybe you should pick up your toys. Maybe don't leave those books right there.

Emma: 11:29

Yeah!

Cindy: 11:30

Right? Or when you're like, Oh, I have no motivation to do my homework. And the Holy ghost can be like, you can do this. And, I had times when I was really stressed out about schoolwork. And if I read my scriptures first, it's like my study time for schoolwork was twice as effective. I understood what I was reading, I remembered it for the test, I was calm for the test. Schoolwork was better because I read my scriptures. It's not that Nephi taught me algebra. It's that... right!? It's that I was in a better spot and having the Holy Ghost with you because you studied the scriptures... this is a huge promise right there!"Then shall all things," all things!"be added thereto," meaning to you, the things that you need. That's huge. I'm gonna highlight that. I love finding promises like that right there at the end of verse 21. All things shall be added. I have such a testimony of scripture study. It has blessed my life so much. So much! There's so much that you can study, and there's so many different ways, right? Just slow down whatever you're doing and take this much extra time when you take that extra time, the Holy Ghost will change your life. Will change your life! And it's because you opened that door and said, come on in and spend some time with me. And it's my favorite thing! Obviously here I am doing a podcast about scripture study, right?

Emma: 12:52

Yeah.

Cindy: 12:52

It is my favorite thing! Please go read your scriptures and slow down as you study and invite the spirit to help you. And you will be so surprised at how much there is for you and your whole life will be blessed. All right, you guys. Thank you for being here with me on Primarily Scripture. Emma, this has been so fun. Come back and do it again sometime, okay?

Emma: 13:11

Yeah.

Cindy: 13:11

Awesome. Thank you. All right, you guys. Go read your scriptures. See you next week. Bye. Thanks for tuning in to Primarily Scripture with Cindy Young. Don't forget you can subscribe to the newsletter and download free worksheets on the website PrimarilyScripture. com. And if you like the channel, be sure to subscribe, like, share, and leave a review. See you next time! Oh, the dogs are barking. Can you hear them?

Emma: 13:37

Yeah, my dogs are playing right now.

Cindy: 13:39

Oh no! I can't hear yours.

Emma: 13:42

That's because they're all the way in the front room.

Cindy: 13:44

Ah, yours are far away.

Emma: 13:45

I can hear them.

Cindy: 13:46

I hear mine right above me. study, study. Oh, the dogs are barking again. Hush! Dave's home. I hear the Jeep.

Emma: 13:58

My camera angle might be a little bit different than it was before because the tablet fell off.

Cindy: 14:03

Yeah, that's fine. think about what it is you're hearing and reading, because, oh dog,