Day 1 - Part 2

So...I have been pondering what I should do next. I realized that I need to write in my journal about the first assignment which was to read 2 articles. These articles were:

A Reservoir of Living Water by Elder David A. Bednar

http://www.lds.org/library/display/0,4945,538-1-4040-1,00.html

and

To Learn and to Teach More Effectively by Elder Richard G. Scott

http://speeches.byu.edu/reader/reader.php?id=11954

I have attached the links because they are AMAZING articles! I want everyone to read them!! The article that hit me the most was the one by Elder Bednar. In the article he discusses ways to fully obtain the living water who is Jesus Christ. He gives three ways to do this: 1) reading, 2) studying, and 3) searching.

The part that hit me the most was when he gave the example of Lehi's Dream. He uses the three tips he gave earlier and put the dream into a perspective that I had never thought of before. When he asked the question of whether I cling to the iron rod or whether I hold fast to the iron rod, I looked at my life more closely. Clinging to the iron rod is occasional studying of the scriptures and the Words of God. Holding fast to the iron rod is reading, pondering, and searching the scriptures and His words everyday yearning to learn more.

I asked myself the question that Elder Bednar asked; do I cling or hold fast??

At this point in my life...I am disappointed in myself at the fact that I have to say that I merely cling to the iron rod. I know that I can do better and so I am!!

Elder Bednar provides a great example to ponder towards the beginning of his talk. He describes the importance of water to our physical body and how we can only last 3 or 4 days without water. He then compares the thirst our physical body has for water to the thirst our spiritual body has for the Living Water. It is the most amazing thing to think about!! If we can't live without water physically, why is it that we try to live without the Living Water? How can we make it back to our Heavenly Father's presence if we deny our spirit the very thing that keeps it alive?? I had never thought about the damage I was inflicting upon my spirit and eternal salvation by not studying my scriptures daily. From this point on I will not be denying myself the Living Water that I am so desperately craving.

WOW! What an eye opener for the day! This is why I love going to school here at BYU! Oh man well that is it for right now...I will possibly write more later after I've been to class and hear what everyone else had to say!