Deep Drinking

When I taught the Book of Mormon in seminary, I considered it imperative to help the youth want to read it. I wanted them to feel the way I did one summer on the ranch - it was literally an insatiable desire to read and soak up as much of the Book of Mormon as I could. I carried it with me everywhere and I read it while riding horse (ostensibly checking cattle and fence lines) and in the tractor (though my winrows of hay didn't turn out very straight), in the hay truck (my brother would get so mad because I was distracted and would miss his signals) and late at night (no wonder I had such a hard time getting up in the morning). But I honestly couldn't put it down.

I had each of my students tape this quote in the front cover of their scriptures and we would refer to it often:

"I counsel you, my beloved brothers and sisters and friends everywhere, to make reading the Book of Mormon a few minutes each day a lifelong practice... Don't be content with what someone else tells you about what is in it. Drink deeply from the divine fountain itself."*

Doesn't that fit so appropriately into our theme? I love that Elder Romney joins the idea of "a few minutes each day" with "drinking deeply". I think that we can drink deeply in only a few minutes each day - especially since sometimes that's all we have. I think if we'll savor and remember and stretch the benefit of just those few minutes, we can make them into a day-long nourishing experience.

For example, a few weeks ago during a lesson about God's love for each of us, I was deeply touched by one woman's comment. I don't think it was so much what she said exactly (since I can't now remember what it was) as how I felt - at that precise moment, I really did feel that God loved me. I remembered that experience and that feeling several times a day for the next week or so and every time I did, I felt re-invigorated. Each time was a re-affirmation just as strong as the first; that feeling returned to re-confirm my testimony that yes, God does love me.

But then, one deep drink won't sustain us long; we have to constantly for more nourishment. "Drink deeply from the divine fountain itself."

* Marion G. Romney, Conference Report. Apr 1980, 91.