I See… A New Methodology for Gospel Study

The Mormon Third Eye has always specialized in researching novel ways to enrich the spiritual lives of faithful saints.  In the midst of our extensive research, our crack staff stumbled upon a methodology of personal gospel study so new and exciting that we have even scooped the big church itself! A carefully constructed search of lds.org yielded virtually no information referencing this new methodology.  As technology and mankind advances, we move beyond mere books and paper and study the gospel in cyberspace.  Ironically, we have overlooked one of the earliest and most simplistic methods of gospel study; a path that has existed since the dawn of time and can be summarized in three powerful words-  “listening in church.”

There are three simple steps for effective gospel study via listening in church that bear a remarkable resemblance to more standard gospel study principles:

Step 1: Ask the Lord in true humility and fervent prayer before church starts for a desire and capacity to focus and listen with the spirit.
Step 2: Delete distractions: Just before speakers begin to deliver their messages, offer another short prayer in your heart, then put down the smart phone and close the lid to your kindle.
Step 3: Ponder in your heart what is being said and seek spiritual confirmation of its truthfulness.  Promises made to readers of the Book of Mormon, with a little editorial discretion, can also apply to listeners of the word in church meetings:

“Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall listen to these things in church, if it be wisdom in God that ye should listen to them in church, that ye would remember how merciful 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 ponder it in your hearts.

 And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost. (Moroni 10:3-4)”
 
What is really old has become new again; you ought to try it sometime. Church meetings can be an ideal location for discovering the spiritual essence of gospel principles or strengthening testimonies via personal gospel study if you come prepared to listen. I just completed a wealth of gospel study via a fast and testimony meeting last week, and memorable stake conference proceedings today.  What new discovery did you make at church today?