For the first time in my life I really read the Book of Mormon like I read a book. I read multiple chapters each day and really dived into the story of the Book of Mormon. It is amazing the difference you find in the story when reading more than a chapter a day. I really enjoyed my reading this time. More so than other times. It was such a wonderful experience. As I finished the Book of Mormon on Dec 15, I read in Moroni Chapter 10 and wanted to have that reassurance that Moroni promises in verses 3-5.
"3Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how amerciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and bponder it in your chearts.
4And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would aask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not btrue; and if ye shall ask with a csincere heart, with dreal intent, having efaith in Christ, he will fmanifest the gtruth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.
I have never doubted the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. But I have never truly put my heart into having that assurance from the Holy Ghost. So that night, I put my whole heart into. My answers didn't come immediately. It took a little while. Actually, it was while sitting at the Relief Soceity meeting the next day when it all hit me. We were sitting around the fire singing the opening song for our meeting and that is when I KNEW. All of a sudden, all at once, I had that assurance that Moroni promised. I knew the Truth of the Book of Mormon. I knew all over again the truthfulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Like I said, I have never doubted the truthfulness of the Gospel or the Book of Mormon, but I wanted to have that reassurance. It is wonderful the answers to prayers you can get when you truly seek them with your whole heart and mind.
So with that in mind, this year, I decided that i wanted to put a little more effort into studying the gospel and the Book of Mormon. It has been many years since I went through the Book of Mormon Religion classes at BYU. I was online and came across the Institute site that the church has. More specifically, to the texts for the institute classes. They have released a new edition of the Book of Mormon manual that I used back at BYU. So I decided that i was going to put myself through the institute course for the Book of Mormon. I started that this last week and so far it is going great! It is great to read the commentary and explanations of some of the things going on in the Book of Mormon. And to read them along with the chapters themselves. 
Along with that, I wanted to study more in depth some of the various doctrines of the Gospel. That is when I came across this book. It is the institute manual for the Doctrines of the Gospel course. So each day, I ead a chapter in the Doctrines of the Gospel manual and I cover a chapter in the Book of Mormon manual, including the chapters that go along with that chapter. It has been SO enlightening so far. I have learned more each day. And I am really enjoying the things that I am studying. I think it will be a great scripture study plan for the next couple of months.
I downloaded the PDF files for each of the institute manuals and put them onto my phone and read them at some point during the day. But I have set a rule for myself. I am not allowing myself to read any other books, until I have completed the reading for that day. so hopefully, It will keep my priorities in order this year.
Anyone else have any tips on Scripture study? What has helped you be successful?
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