I’ve ALWAYS wanted to be “that person” who knew the scriptures really well.
Growing up, I would hear people giving talks in church and casually throw in references to “Alma and Amulek” or “the city of Enoch”.
I was always so impressed!
Because I always forgot who these people were until I heard a lesson on them.
I read my scriptures virtually every day starting at age 12…
And I still felt like I didn’t understand them super well.
So I was determined to serve a mission, because that is where everyone seemed to learn their scriptures so well!
Perfect. Problem solved.
Well guess who didn’t serve a mission?
This girl.
I still kept reading every day, but I felt like my opportunity to really “know” them was gone.
Fast forward some more years and I’ve started to realize…
I’ve become someone who knows the scriptures pretty well!
I can remember stories, make connections, refer to names of people casually.
When did this happen?! How?!
There was no magical mission to force me to learn the scriptures!
Paul teaches it well here:
“And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.” (2 Timothy 3:15)
I have known the scriptures since I was a child.
I have been learning them my whole life.
And oh my goodness I still have a lot to learn.
This will be a lifelong process.
But I’ve FINALLY read them enough times that I’m starting to put everything together in my mind and truly make sense of the stories.
And even more important than remembering all the “stuff”?
Internalizing the lessons that they teach and accessing the Spirit’s promptings
CONSISTENCY.
That’s the real magic answer.
Of course we aren’t going to see major results from scripture study after one day. Or one week. Or honestly, one year.
It’s the repetition.
It’s the ability to grow and mature and then read them again so we can actually learn the lessons we need.
I’m grateful for the scriptures we have and for the blessing they are to me when I give my best CONSISTENT effort.
Happy Studying!
-Cali Black
