I'm still reading

I'm slowly reading. When we started the family challenge, I was actually still doing a previous challenge of reading the Book of Mormon in 90 days which turned into the 6 month challenge which turned into the...Well you get the picture. I have find it interesting that places where I have marked in the scriptures, either underlining, highlighting or making a note either have a deeper meaning to me or I have no idea why I made that notation. I will admit though that I am a slow learner or let me say, it takes repeated lessons or reading for me to grasp the what is being said in the scriptures. I'll give an example: way back in 1st Nephi regarding the ark. I was talking to Frances one day and I asked her (and not to laugh) if I was correct that there was two arks - Noah's and Lehi's. She did kinda laugh and said "Yes Mom, there were two. Noah's saved the people from the flood and  Lehi's took the people to Bountiful". My response was "Yea! I got it! 

Seriously though, I am reading, I love it and one day I will perhaps, no guarantees, be able to quote a scripture.

I hope everyone else is still in the challenge.

Love,

Jennifer

Grandma and Grandpa

Okay, I finally got the instructions for Grandma and Grandpa all typed up. It would be awesome if someone could print them out and go over the instructions with Grandma and Grandpa so I don't have to do it blindly over the phone. So...any volunteers? I can email you the instructions to print out.

If anyone wants I can post them on the blog. They are kind of long (because I did really simple step by step) but I'll post them if you want. I can also email them to anyone who wants to take a look.

Also, no one sent me their google account address, so just let me know if you want me to add you as an author.

I'd love to hear any of your thoughts and I know my dad and Grandma and Grandpa would love to also!

Happy Reading/Studying!
Nicole

Posting trouble?

Hey everyone! I noticed some people have been having trouble posting on the blog. So if anyone with a google account wants to send me their email address I'll add you as contributors on this blog. You will get an email asking if you want to contribute to this blog and all you have to do is click on the link. Then the family blog will be on your dashboard along with your own blog. That should make it so much easier for each of us to post. My email address is colee605@yahoo.com. You can email me your google account address or just leave it in the comments.

Also, I'll try to type up some easy instruction for Grandma and Grandpa to follow. It would probably be easier if someone was there to help them go over it, or I could try over the phone. I really don't know what their computer level is, so I'm just going to make the posting instructions as simple as possible.

I hope this will be able to help everyone out. I really want to hear what all of you have to say! I was all caught up on my reading, but then I had a pretty crazy week and got behind a few days again. But I'll be all caught up soon! I'm really enjoying knowing that we are all reading together (even if we're not in the same place). Every time I get to the Isaiah chapters I tell myself that I'm really going to dive in a try to understand, but that usually only lasts a few chapters. Any suggestions?

Dave's Thoughts

Jolynn and I just finished our reading for tonight. Actually we are using Book of Mormon on CD and following along in the Book. My mind always seems to be clearer when we read scripture and I understand more. We just finished the Isaiah chapters. I really enjoy Isaiah although the verbage sometimes is difficult. Boyd K. Packer a few Conferences ago called them a barrier, seperating the causal reader from the serious one. This I think is true. There are some marvelous prophecies there. I would like to ask a couple of favors of everyone. First, how are you doing? Are you staying up or falling behind? If you have not started, thats OK, are you reading the blogs?  I hope as much as possible you are reading as a couple and looking at the footnotes. Jolynn and I are having some great discussions about the meaning of what we are reading. Men and Women often look at things differently and we all need to be aware of the differences and respect them. Secondly. I ask each of us to consider commenting with an E-Mail address for all to have. Ours is Daver39@live.com. Lastly, I would love to hear from all of you either in a Post or a Comment. I always learn more when different perspectives are presented. I know it may be difficult for some of you but let us all learn together and from each other.

Nephi's courage

I know I'm a few days behind everyone else, but I just finished reading 2 Nephi 4. This chapter has always been a favorite of mine. I love how it shows that Nephi was a real person, tempted by sin. He always seems so perfect that it is nice to know that he faced temptation just like the rest of us and that it wasn't always easy for him to keep the commandments.

But while this chapter shows Nephi's vulnerable side, it also shows how he is able to stop beating himself up for his weakness and say"O Lord, I will praise thee forever." Nephi's true strength is also shown as he declares his absolute faith in the Lord. Through all 1 and 2 Nephi he says over and over again that he can do anything the Lord asks because he knows the Lord will help him. I think that could even be Nephi's motto! I hope I can be like Nephi when I grow up!

Anyway, that is just a few of my thoughts. What do you all think?

September Home Teaching Lesson

We had our Home Teacher Brother Wilcock visit last night. He's the sweetest man with a witty sense of humor. We welcomed him in, sat down and he plainly said: "This month the message is the importance of the Book of Mormom". And he testified of his belief and faith in the Book of Mormon. We talked about our family reading/studying challenge.
A funny story from Brother Monahan, High Counselor: he was talking about obedience and he told this story: (paraphrased here): Mom had told son to clean up his room and put all the action figures away. Son obeyed but left one action figure in the corner. Mom asked why? Son replied: Laban was a bad boy and I put him in timeout.
Do you think Brother Monahan & daughter knew and understood the Book of Mormon and were teaching the truths? I do. (The grandson was 5ish).
 - Jennifer

Dave's Two Cents

I cannot read the first chapters of Nephi without being reminded that the Lord is in charge. You remember that Nephi is making an abridgement of his fathers record. I suppose he wondered why he should. Space to write was limited and the record of Lehi was already there. He tells us in Chapter 9 that he does not know why, he simply knows he was comanded of the Lord to do it. Being obedient and without knowing, he obeyed. I also suppose Mormon almost a thousand years later wondered why he should include the same information twice. Well ,the Lord knowing the beginning from the end, knew that in a future day Joseph would turn over the 116 pages to Martin Harris that contained the Book of Lehi and they would be lost even though he was told multiple times not to. I suppose in a future day when we have the Book of Lehi we will find out some interesting things such as from whom did he receive the Preisthood, did he have expereince caravaning thus making it easier to travel multiple years in the wilderness ect. I suppose the lesson here is to be obedient even not knowing how it will end up. 

Ensign article

I just read an article in the Ensign about improving our scripture study. I thought I'd put the link here for everyone (even though I'm sure many of you have already read it!). But here it is, I hope it helps!

10 Scripture Study Tools


Nicole Ricks

Challenge

I would love to see comments or even a posting from Grandma or Grandpa. Problem is that someone close by will need to show them how. Any one up for it? Let us know.

Dave

In (or At) the Beginning...

Well, I was halfway through Alma, and then September 1 came. So I went back to the very beginning of the Book of Mormom and read the introduction and testimonies. And this time, as I began reading 1st Nephi, it was familiar to me.
On a side  note: I was driving to Tucson (from Green Valley) with my dad and sister last weekend and he mentioned that on top of the mountain with all the radio/cell towers and next to "A" mountain, there are ruins of an ancient civilization that has been dated back 3000 years ago. WOW! That is 1000 years before Christ. Think about that as you read the Book of Mormon.

Dave's Two Cents

I hope no one minds my putting my Two Cents from time to time, there are several things as we get started I think should be said.
1. The Prophet said that the Book of Mormon was the most correct book on the Earth and a person would get closer to God by abiding it's precepts that any other book. On the other hand, Samuel Clemmens, (known in literature as Mark Twain) called it the cure for insomnia. I suppose it depends on your reason for reading. Of course Mr. Clemens also complained in a visit to Salt lake City that the women were not wearing the more modern and revealing fashions he was used to in San Fransisco. That is why Moroni's promise is so important. He talks about real intent and a desire to know before a witness can be received.
2. I have been asked about the 3 pages per day and what that means. Well nothing in particular, except to study is not the same as to read. I have been guilty in the past as most have of reading the Book to get through it and not necessaliary to learn the precepts. Reading only 3 pages allows enough time daily to study and not just read. Let me tell you what I mean. Everyone has read the first verse in 1 Nephi. Consider the word born and the small A. Then look down to 1A below. That refers to Birthright and looking Birthright up in the Index refers to Heirs. Nephi is talking here about being Born as an Heir or being Born in the Covenant and an Heir to all the father has. Considerably different that simply being born. Their are 5 different words with referances in the first verse alone. Study not read. Food for thought.

Family Challenge

Families can be together forever!

During Sunday School on July 4, 2010 Dave suggested a “Family Challenge” to read 3 pages of the Book of Mormon every day.


It is our hope that you will want to post on this blog and share your testimony, thoughts, and prayers about your reading of the Book of Mormom
We believe this is one way that we, as a family, can come closer to each other, love one another just a little bit more, and help those in need of spiritual strength. And what a wonderful missionary opportunity-we invite everyone to read this blog, so please share with all you care for.


Families are forever!
With love,
Dave & Jolyn
John & Jennifer