The Holy Scriptures are of the utmost importance to Mormons or members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We believe that the Scriptures contain the teachings of our Heavenly Father for all of his children. As Mormons, we are taught from a young age to read and study the Scriptures on a daily basis. We are taught to study the Scriptures throughout our lives, to read them often, to ponder and pray about them. As a result, many of us develop a strong love for the Scriptures and for the many wonderful lessons that we can take from it for our own lives. This quote by President Gordon B. Hinckley (Prophet and current President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints), speaks to the kind of personal relationship that many Mormons feel about the Scriptures.
I love our scriptures. I love these wonderful volumes, which set forth the word of the Lord—given personally or through prophets—for the guidance of our Father’s sons and daughters. I love to read the scriptures, and I try to do so consistently and repeatedly. I love to quote from them, for they give the voice of authority to that which I say. I do not claim distinction as a scholar of the scriptures. For me, the reading of the scriptures is not the pursuit of scholarship. Rather, it is a love affair with the word of the Lord and that of his prophets.
In the Book of Mormon, we read the words of another faithful servant of the Lord, Nephi, who testified of his love for the Scriptures:
And upon these I write the things of my soul, and many of the scriptures which are engraven upon the plates of brass. For my soul delighteth in the scriptures, and my heart pondereth them, and writeth them for the learning and the profit of my children.
Behold, my soul delighteth in the things of the Lord; and my heart pondereth continually upon the things which I have seen and heard. (2 Nephi 4:15-16)
As a Mormon, I am deeply grateful for the Holy Scriptures. I’ve drawn strength from the Scriptures at many different points in my life. As a parent, I’ve found that the lessons from the Scriptures are quite relevant to what I’m faced with today. Take for example the lessons on forgiveness that we can all learn from the parable of the Prodigal Son. Picture with me the sight of a loving father rushing out to embrace his wayward son upon his return. A father who forgave all without any grudges or words of rebuke. There was no “I told you so” in this father’s heart or tongue.
Yes, We look to the Scriptures (Holy Bible, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price) for the Lord’s will and we try to live our lives accordingly. If you are interested in reading and studying the Scriptures, I invite you to try the following online resources.
The Scriptures (Internet Edition) – This is the official online scripture resources of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It offers a searchable index of the Holy Bible, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price. Additional features include a Bible dictionary, Scriptural Photographs and Maps plus many more.
The Scriptures (Internet Audio Edition) – The same resource as listed above available as audio. A great resource for those on the road or on the move.
LDS General Conference Scriptural Index – Have you ever wondered which General Authority quoted your favorite scripture in General Conference? Well, this excellent tool out of Brigham Young University will tell you. Scriptures cited by speakers in General Conference from 1942 to today are indexed in this resource. You can search by scripture, by speaker, or by date of citation. This site is getting a face lift very soon with exciting new features that will add to the usefulness of this wonderful site. The beta version of this new site is available now for you to preview.
Daily Scripture – LDS Seminary Scripture Mastery – This site is helpful for seminary students who are trying to master one scripture each day. You also have the option of having the scripture emailed to you.
Especially for Seminary Students – Another site geared specifically for Seminary students. Scriptures may also be downloaded to an MP3 player. Tips to help with scripture mastery are included.
Read the Scriptures – This free resource allows you to choose a self-paced scripture study plan that fits your schedule or you can create your own. Some of the wonderful features of this program include the option of creating your own reading teams, and the ability to receive your daily scripture reading by email every day. An audio option is also available.
