Feelings Through Scripture

Earlier this morning I was studying in The Book of Mormon in the Book of Mosiah and I had a sudden realization of the power of scripture. What our own reactions, thoughts, and feelings can be when reading these stories. Here are a set of verses sharing an account of King Mosiah reading the story of Zeniff and his people as well as Alma and his people.

Mosiah chapter 25:
 1 And now king Mosiah caused that all the people should be gathered together.

 4 And now all the people of Nephi were assembled together, and also all the people of Zarahemla, and they were gathered together in two bodies.

 5 And it came to pass that Mosiah did read, and caused to be read, the records of Zeniff to his people; yea, he read the records of the people of Zeniff, from the time they ^aleft the land of Zarahemla until they ^breturned again.

 6 And he also read the account of Alma and his brethren, and all their afflictions, from the time they left the land of Zarahemla until the time they returned again.

 7 And now, when Mosiah had made an end of reading the records, his people who tarried in the land were struck with wonder and amazement.

 8 For they knew not what to think; for when they beheld those that had been delivered ^aout of bondage they were filled with exceedingly great joy.

 9 And again, when they thought of their brethren who had been ^aslain by the Lamanites they were filled with sorrow, and even shed many tears of sorrow.

10 And again, when they thought of the immediate goodness of God, and his power in delivering Alma and his brethren out of the hands of the Lamanites and of ^abondage, they did raise their voices and give thanks to God.

After reading these scriptures I realized just how we should feel from learning about these people. I realized that just moments before I was reading those same stories and I didn't have that sense of feeling. I couldn't help but wonder what made me lose that. It wasn't because I didn't appreciate the scriptures or what I was reading, but it was because I didn't make what I was reading connect with my own life. I seemed to have forgotten that these people really did live, that these things really did happen, and the whole reason I knew this was because of the witness of the Holy Spirit.

It wasn't until after I let the Holy Ghost remind me of truth and make these people my own spiritual brothers and sisters that I began to feel the joy, the sorrow, and the gratitude God wanted me to feel from reading the scriptures.

I invite any that read this to search, study, ponder, and pray over the scriptures (The Bible, The Book of Mormon, etc.). It is not only a source of knowledge, but something that can change our souls to what God, our Heavenly Father, wants us to be.