The story of how Joseph Smith came to pray in the Sacred Grove is commonly known among those of the LDS faith. For those who aren’t familiar with the story, I’ll summarize.
It was a time of great religious upheaval in America. Many new churches had sprung up and families had to choose what to believe and where to worship. In some families, half chose one church and half another, causing rifts in homes. Joseph Smith, a young boy of fourteen, wanted to choose a religion, but he didn’t know which church to join.
One night he was reading in the Bible, in the Book of James, 1:5. It reads: “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not, and it shall be given him.” This verse struck Joseph to the heart, and he went out into the woods to pray and ask God which church he should join.
Imagine for a minute if Joseph had not been able to read. It is very true that he had a limited education, but he had enough to be able to read the Bible on his own. Without that precious skill, he would not have had the ability to read the verse in the Bible and lay the foundation for what is now a worldwide church with millions upon millions of members.
How would your life be different if you were not able to read the scriptures? Regardless of your religious affiliations, you have scriptures and books that you hold sacred and dear. Does it bring you comfort to be able to sit down at the end of a trying day and read those holy words?
The ability to read the scriptures and to study the works of prophets and apostles is, in my opinion, the most important skill we can possess. It’s wonderful to read fiction and nonfiction, to immerse ourselves in words, knowledge and entertainment, but there is nothing like being able to sit down and read holy words. Whether they come from the Torah, Koran, Bible, or Book of Mormon, these words touch our souls, connect us with a Higher Power, feed our inner selves and give us the strength to go on another day. I encourage you to make sure that everyone in your household has the ability to study the scriptures on their own. Their lives, and yours, will be greatly blessed for it.
Related Blogs:
Studying the Scriptures Makes My Day Better
A Different Type of Family Devotion
Anger in the Muslim Marriage (specifically talks about reading the Koran together for healing and enlightenment)