Saturday, February 19, 2011

The Secret of a Happier Life (February 9, 2011)

To find the secret or a happier life, Relief Society sisters went on a quest through a series of rooms where they found passages of scriptures to give enlightment.  This is what they found:

Proverbs 3:13  Happy is the [woman] that findeth wisdom,
and the [woman] that getteth understanding.

Doctrine and Covenants 88:118  And as all have not faith, seek ye diligently and teach one another words of wisdom; yea, seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith.
Doctrine and Covenants 67:6  Now, seek ye out of the Book of Commandments, even the least that is among [you].
Doctrine and Covenants 89:19  And shall find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures.

Doctrine and Covenants 33:16  And the Book of Mormon and the holy scriptures are given of me for your instruction; and the power of my Spirit quickeneth all things.
Romans 15:4  For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

John 5:29  Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
John 17:3  And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
Doctrine and Covenants 11:7  Seek not for riches but for wisdom; and, behold, the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto you, and then shall you be made rich. Behold, he that hath eternal life is rich.

President Ezra Taft Benson:  There is a power in the Book of Mormon which will begin to flow into your lives the moment you begin a serious study of the book. You will find greater power to resist temptation. You will find the power to avoid deception. You will find the power to stay on the strait and narrow path. The scriptures are called “the words of life,” and nowhere is that more true than it is of the Book of Mormon. When you begin to hunger and thirst after those words, you will find life in greater and greater abundance.      – The Keystone of Our Religion, Ensign, Jan. 1992

1 Nephi 11: 25  And it came to pass that I beheld that the rod of iron, which my father had seen, was the word of God, which led to the fountain of living waters, or to the tree of life; which waters are a representation of the love of God; and I also beheld that the tree of life was a representation of the love of God.

Alma 32:37 And behold, as the tree beginneth to grow, ye will say: Let us nourish it with great care, that it may get root, that it may grow up, and bring forth fruit unto us. And now behold, if ye nourish it with much care it will get root, and grow up, and bring forth fruit.
41But if ye will nourish the word, yea, nourish the tree as it beginneth to grow, by your faith with great diligence, and with patience, looking forward to the fruit thereof, it shall take root; and behold it shall be a tree springing up unto everlasting life.
            42And because of your diligence and your faith and your patience with the word in nourishing it, that it may take root in you, behold, by and by ye shall pluck the fruit thereof, which is most precious, which is sweet above all that is sweet, and which is white above all that is white, yea, and pure above all that is pure; and ye shall feast upon this fruit even until ye are filled, that ye hunger not, neither shall ye thirst.



We determined that one secret to a happier life is to study the scriptures daily.  To help us remember to do this, Leslie Squire taught us the first verse of the primary song "Scripture Power" by Clive Romney.  Here are the words:

1st Verse
Because I want to be like the Savior and I can,
I'm reading His instructions, I'm following His plan.
Because I want the power His word will give to me,
I'm changing how I live, I'm changing what I'll be.

2nd Verse
I'll find the sword of truth in each scripture that I learn.
I'll take the shield of faith from these pages that I turn.
I'll wear eachvital part of the armor of the Lord
And fight my daily battles, and win a great reward.

Chorus
Scripture power keeps me safe from sin.
Scripture power is the power to win.
Scripture power! Every day I need
The power that I get each time I read.

After this, we had a pannel discussion on more effective ways to study the scriptures and apply them in our lives.  Pannel members were Wendy Twigs, Judy Goodsel, Lisa Hamel, and Marianne Jensen.  They did a great job teaching and sharing their thoughts with us.