Scriptures - Ancient and Modern

Day Five of Count Your Blessings

Finished another week of teaching Seminary yesterday and thought about the blessings of doing so.  The Old Testament is the subject this year and it is my favorite book of scripture after the Book of Mormon.  Actually, they go together so well that they truly are one in my hand (Ezekiel 37:15-17).  This is a rich scripture year for me; I'm studying the OT for Seminary, reading the New Testament as a family, as well as for Sunday School, and searching the Book of Mormon in personal study.  After hearing from Elder PW about him filling ten notebooks with his scripture study I decided to give it a go.  While reading (actually listening to the book on tape and following along) the Book of Mormon I stop and write impressions that come to me.  It's been said that if we want to talk to God we pray; if we want God to talk to us we read the scriptures.  It's true!  When I read I will get different impressions than you will get because the Lord's instructions are tailor made for each.

I'm so thankful for scriptures, both ancient and modern; both canonized and the words of modern prophets and apostles that come to me each month in the Ensign magazine (which I expect will at some point be canonized, after all, what was King Benjamin's address to his people but a "General Conference" talk; and Deuteronomy is a series of about five talks from Moses. There are many more examples, but you get the idea.).

Anyway, I am so blessed to have all this.  Back in 1984 a series in the Ensign described the events leading to us having the Bible, from the writings of the Apostles who were eyewitnesses of Jesus to the King James Bible.  It is a fascinating story and I re-read it several years ago.  Then this past week I watched the BYUTV production of Fires of Faith which was fantastic!  I got really emotional when the Halleluia Chorus was performed. We owe a great debt to those men and women who made it possible for us to have the Bible.