Liken the scriptures!

               Members of the church of Jesus Christ and those who are learning about the church hear repeatedly, that reading the scriptures is important. I heard this all throughout my life growing up and I often wondered why reading the scriptures is so important since I continually found myself either falling asleep or just day dreaming and reading words. I never got a whole lot out of my scripture study in my younger days and to be honest it didn't usually last too long before I would get bored and lose all the motivation I had twenty minutes prior. Now as a missionary, years later I am constantly reading the scriptures. I spend two hours every morning studying them and use them throughout the day as I teach others. So, you may assume that I have finally discovered something that has been able to make my scripture study beneficial to me.

               There is a scripture in the book of First Nephi in the Book of Mormon that says something along the lines of how we need to "liken" or apply the scriptures to our own lives (1 Nephi 19:23). We are to use the examples of people in the past who faced trials and questions and try to follow that example. The scriptures can give us hope. They show us that somebody has faced trials similar to ours, except generally much harder than ours, and they have been able to prevail over their problems.  They can help us develop our Faith in Jesus Christ and his Atonement. The scriptures can help understand who we are and what our purpose here in this life is. We can be enlightened by their words and also be taught by the holy ghost as we ponder on thosee things we read. We are taught in the scriptures how to find out if God is really there.  In the Bible Jesus teaches "  ¶^aAsk, and it shall be ^bgiven you; ^cseek, and ye shall find; ^dknock, and it shall be opened unto you:  For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that ^aseeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask ^abread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, ^abeing evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?" It is so simple but also so true. God does answer prayers and will help us know what to do. The scriptures can bless your life as much as they have blessed mine as you apply them and search them daily.