Elder Arnulfo Valenzuela
Question
Elder Valenzuela focuses his remarks on President Nelson’s invitation in the last General Conference to “immerse ourselves in the scriptures to understand better Christ’s mission and ministry.”
What does it mean to you to “delight in the scriptures?” How have the scriptures been a “gift” in your life?
Quote
Delighting in the scriptures is more than hungering and thirsting for knowledge. Nephi experienced great joy during his life. However, he also faced difficulties and sadness. “Nevertheless,” he said, “I know in whom I have trusted.” As we study the scriptures, we will better understand God’s plan of salvation and exaltation, and we will trust in the promises that He has made to us in the scriptures, as well as in the promises and blessings of modern prophets.
One afternoon, my wife and I were invited to a home of a friend. Their seven-year-old son, David, had never heard the Bible story of David and Goliath, and he wanted to hear it. As I began to tell the story, he was touched by the way David, with his faith and in the name of the God of Israel, wounded and killed the Philistine with a sling and a stone, having no sword in his hand.
Looking at me with his enormous dark eyes, he asked me firmly, “Who is God?” I explained to him that God is our Heavenly Father and that we learn about Him in the scriptures.
Then he asked me, “What are the scriptures?” I told him that the scriptures are the word of God and that in them he would find beautiful stories that would help him to better know God. I asked his mother to use the Bible that she had in her home and that she not let David go to sleep without reading the whole story to him. He was delighted as he listened to it. The scriptures and our knowledge of God are gifts—gifts that we too often take for granted. Let us cherish these blessings.
Elder Arnulfo Valenzuela
Scripture
16 Behold, my soul delighteth in the things of the Lord; and my heart pondereth continually upon the things which I have seen and heard.
2 Nephi 4:16
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