This blog has gone unwritten for a while, surprising!
I finished the Book of Mormon last year and struggled a little to find what to study next or how to study the Book of Mormon again. I've since started the D&C, but am not reading/studying like I want to be.
This year I want to tackle the Bible, but since we've just started D&C at church I think I'll continue and finish with my study there, then get into the Bible. I want to study for an hour each day and see how that gets me through. I'm not in a hurry, just committed to good study time.
I'm like 25 sections in, but now am going back. Back in October someone left piles, boxes of books on a table at church for anyone who wanted them. I took 3 boxes home! Many of them are church books. I don't spend time reading literature, but I will read this! I will see what these two books add to my study, they are 'The Message of the Doctrine and Covenants' by John A Widtsoe and 'Prophesies and Prophetic Promises, from the D&C' by Roy W Doxey.
The book points out there are different ways to study D&C, but as you go through, realize that each section is a topic, D&C isn't in 'story' form, if you will.
So far, the piece of information that has impacted me the most is this thought... this is a book of both doctrine and covenants. 'Doctrine means information, information regarding any subject pertaining to the church... Covenant on the other hand, implies that the doctrine has a definite purpose. It is not merely information... it has a definite purpose implying cause and effect. A covenant means a promise of man to the Lord. So, doctrine and covenants are really two aspects of the same thing. We cannot have one w/o the other... They may be compared to knowledge and intelligence. Intelligence is the use of knowledge. In some such way doctrine and covenant may be compared... They are studied together and not separately. Every covenant implies a doctrine and every doctrine implies a covenant.'
This thought was with me today as we studied in Gospel Doctrine. The doctrine of things and the covenant associated with them, and the blessings that are associated with each covenant or promise.
Section 19 (16-19) we hear the Savior speaking of his own Atonement, the only scripture where He speaks first hand of his experience. I was impressed not only to read again of the atonement, this doctrine, but the covenants associated with it. The Savior made a covenant with His father to do this, and he was obedient... 'I partook and finished my preparations unto the children of men.' It was hard for him, we can clearly see that, but he chose to be obedient. Not only does He receive reward for his atonement/sacrifice/obedience... but the rest of us do too... unique.
When we are baptized we promise or covenant to use the atonement. As we keep our covenants we are blessed. I don't just mean blessed, I mean rewarded. As we keep the covenant to use the atonement, we are cleansed, healed, sanctified and changed. The result of that is being able to enter into Gods' presence. That is the reward for being obedient to the covenant.
As we do, there is a reward. V 23... learn, listen and walk. These are things for us to do. The reward is peace.
6:20 ... I will encircle the in the arms of my love... this is the blessing after we are faithful, diligent and keep the commandments of God.
Last, in 19:1-3 We read about our Savior. I love his statement about who He is. I think of his statement in the context of the restoration. People have forgotten, so here is a clear reminder. Here is a restitution of Jesus Christ. Our God is not gone, our Savior is not forgotten. We see in these latter days a complacency, a turning away, a neutral zone. Does it really matter if there is a god or not? This book of scripture is unique, the Savior revealed to Joseph Smith, in our day, that He is still there and now is the final preparation for His second coming.
What a treasure we have. Only now can I see that. I'm sorry it's taken me so long! I'm so excited to study D & C.
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