Scripture Study

Today I was reading in 3 Nephi, and I reached 3 Nephi 10:14-19. They stood out to me in a very powerful way, because verse 14 starts with, "And now, whoso readeth..." Those six versus are all addressed to ME, to YOU. Isn't that AMAZING?!? A prophet, years ago, is speaking to you today. This is addressed TO YOU. That's like coming across an ancient document with your full name, saying, "And now, (insert your full name here)" Wouldn't you pay attention to the words this prophet has to say to you??

He goes on to say "... let him understand; ..." Ok. I'm paying attention now. Someone from 1977 years ago is now talking to ME, and telling me that I need to understand something important. Yeah, I'm paying attention! We are being told to understand something by a prophet, a mouth piece of our Lord, Redeemer, and Savior.

"... he that hath the scriptures, let him search them ..." I have scriptures, right in front of me. And I am being told that I must search them. Not just search them, but he goes on to tell me what I should be searching for. He's saying this to ME.

"And now, whoso readeth, let him understand; he that hath the scriptures, let him search them ..." He goes on to tell us to search the scriptures to see if the signs that were just given weren't prophesied by prophets before him. He even tells us who taught of them, and where to find this information.

Then he makes a prophesy, and says "... I will show unto you ..." Isn't this so amazing? That we have this true and living church, where prophets speak as the mouth piece of the Lord, and are able to speak to us - YOU AND ME - directly, and they're telling us to find out for ourselves if it's true or not. We don't even have to rely on others. WE can study it out for OURSELVES.

What a wonderful day and time we live in, that we are able to have the Restored Gospel on this Earth today, with true and living Prophets, who speak through the power of the Lord, as His mouthpiece. We are not only given the information, but we can apply it to ourselves and search, ponder, and study it for ourselves, to seek to gain our own individual testimonies of its truthfulness. We don't have to rely on the words of others to know with a surety that this gospel is true. I'm so grateful to be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and be able to have received this witness for myself. I would like to share these things with you, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.