(Click here for complete text of Elder Jensen's remarks.)
PROVO, UTAH
Those who face and survive life's storms will be those who build upon the rock of the Redeemer, and focusing on "the power of the word" in developing a firm testimony ensures that building on the rock, taught Elder Jay E. Jensen of the Presidency of the Seventy at the March 10 BYU devotional.
He recalled that in his youth — he was the sixth of 10 children growing up in Mapleton, Utah — his parents used family nights and gospel reading as tools in making Jesus Christ the rock in their home.
"We experienced together a central Book of Mormon theme that I call 'the power of the word,' " he said, adding that power is evidenced from the phrase "all the learning of my father" in the Book of Mormon's first verse and all throughout, to the references of the Savior's "word" in the concluding chapter of Moroni.
Elder Jensen emphasized the power of the word as found in Alma chapters 31-34, reminding that Alma precisely compared the word unto a seed — not just the "faith is a seed" comparison often used by Church members. He read several verses of Alma 32, using the word "word" in place of "seed."
"True words, true doctrines and true principles planted by faith, like seeds will sprout and grow," he said. "They lead to testimony."
Elder Jensen said his own knowledge and testimony of the restored gospel came sequentially in four ways — a testimony of faith as a child in observing the words, testimony and examples of parents, teachers and leaders; an intellectually based testimony during his missionary service as he immersed himself in the scriptures; a testimony of experience — such as answers to prayer, priesthood blessings, payment of tithes and offerings; and a testimony of absolute witnesses by the Holy Ghost, revelations coming directly to mind and heart.
"The testimony that took root in me those many years ago — like the seed that is watered, nurtured, and cared for — has grown into a tree and continues to grow today," he said.
Elder Jensen provided six suggestions regarding daily scripture study to make the experience more meaningful and to ensuring the building upon the rock of our Redeemer. They included prayer, paying the right price, looking for patterns and themes, creating outlines and writing scripture insights, marking and writing in one's own scriptures and teaching what one learns.
He underscored the importance of looking for patterns, adding that one pattern with singular parallels to us and our day is the Book of Mormon period that begins with the 25th chapter of Mosiah to the 11th chapter of Third Nephi.
Citing the approximate date of Mosiah 25 being 145 B.C. and the formation of a Church, Elder Jensen said the rest of the Book of Mormon through the first 10 chapters of Third Nephi depict parents, leaders, prophets and missionaries diligently laboring to prepare a people for the First Coming of the Savior. Likewise, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was formed in 1830, with parents, leaders, prophets and missionaries today laboring diligently to prepare a people for the Savior's Second Coming.
"I have heard some teach that the Book of Mormon is a handbook to that end," he said. "That preparation will not be free from opposition. You, my young brothers and sisters, and you who teach them, have an obligation to participate fully in this wonderful and sometimes tumultuous time of preparation. We simply cannot afford to be anchored to anything less consequential than the saving rock of our Redeemer."
Daily scripture study
Elder Jay E. Jensen of the Presidency of the Seventy listed six suggestions to make daily scripture study more meaningful:
1. Pray. "Make prayer a part of scripture study. Pause to ask God for His Spirit to teach you."
2. Pay the right price. "Whether you study and search the scriptures chronologically, by themes or topics, or a combination of the two, pay the right price: study, search, ponder, liken, feast upon, compare, analyze and synthesize."
3. Look for patterns, themes, connections. "The footnotes and other scripture study aids are to assist you."
4. Create outlines and write scripture insights. "Going through the scriptures regularly is good, but to have the scriptures go through you and having them change you comes with a price."
5. Mark, annotate and write in your scriptures. "Two purposes . . . are to (1) capture revelations you receive as you study, and (2) retrieve or recall what you have learned. In a way, well-marked scriptures are a portable revelatory filing system."
6. Teach what you learn. "By this you will demonstrate if you have truly mastered a topic. Until I am able to articulate what I am studying, I confess that I have not yet mastered it."
