Scritpure Cheerleading!! Rah rah rah!

Here is some scriptural cheerleading from my one and only big sister, Maryjane Wilson!

I have been listening to a radio series recently on the Mormon Channel called "Enduring it Well".  One particular episode is an interview of a middle-aged woman who knows she is quickly approaching death because of cancer.  She is full of faith, and tells of the things she is doing to prepare for passing on.  She talked about how she was writing letters to her children to not only express her love for them and testimony of the gospel, but to tell them her thoughts on a variety of topics they were likely to encounter later in life.  For example, she included letters to help them when they picked someone to marry, when they when through difficulties in their marriage, and when they struggled to raise their children.  "What a great idea!" I thought.  Then I pondered how that's what Heavenly Father did for us in the scriptures.  He has inspired prophets, modern and ancient, to write his words in order to help us with the problems He knows we are likely to encounter during this life.  

Maybe you can think of the scriptures this week as letters that Heavenly Father has had written for YOU!  One way I love to read the scriptures is FAST.  My mission president had us read the Book of Mormon all the way through every 2 months on my mission.  Then once he told us he wanted us to read it twice that fast, and finish in one month.  He also asked us to memorize what was in each chapter of the Book of Mormon.  I thought I could never do it, but I made up flashcards as I read, and was able to reach my goal.  It was surprising to me how all of the stories and names and people began clicking and made more sense when I read it that way...like a great novel.  Of course there is also great value in reading it slowly:) Variety IS the spice of life.  SO, consider speeding up your reading if you typically read slowly, or slow down your reading if you already read the scriptures at a rapid pace.  

The scriptures are our tools for this life.  We just choose whether or not to pick them up and use them.  

Enjoy your letters from Father this week!

Maryjane Wilson

Thanks so much Maryjane!! Great insight! (I taught her everything she knows! HAHA!)