3. Are Our Testimonies Growing Thinner?

A pastoral message written in Provo, Utah, on Thursday, October 9, 1975, and published in Heaven-11, the BYU 11th Branch newsletter on Monday, October 13. I was serving at the time as first counselor in the branch presidency. Gene Dalton was serving as branch president.

President Harold B. Lee a few years ago asked these questions in a Regional Representatives' seminar: "Are you brethren continually increasing your testimony by diligent study of the scriptures? Do you have a daily habit of reading the scriptures? If we're not reading the scriptures daily, our testimonies are growing thinner, our spirituality isn't increasing in depth" (Dec. 12, 1970).

If such counsel is necessary for seasoned and experienced servants of the Lord, men who are mature in the gospel, how necessary it must be for us then—those of us who are just beginning along the path—to read and study and ponder the scriptures every day.

It may be useful to remember that scripture study is to the spirit what food is to the body. And some of us seem to be on spiritual diets. We can go days and even weeks at a time never feeding our spirits, and consequently our testimonies grow thinner and thinner until we find ourselves spiritually malnourished.

Fortunately, the adult curriculum of the Church is designed to help us study the scriptures. This year we are studying the second half of the New Testament—Acts through Revelation. For priesthood bearers, the Melchizedek Priesthood study guide this year takes a doctrinal approach to these particular scriptures. For the sisters, the Relief Society spiritual living lessons are based in these same scriptures. And then for all of us, the Sunday School gospel doctrine lessons provide historical and other background to enrich our overall study of the New Testament. In addition, the Church magazines offer invaluable resource material.

With all this help, if we can't study the scriptures this year and understand them, when will be able to?

President Marion G. Romney, of the First Presidency, has said, "The older I grow in the service, the more I turn to the scriptures and try to understand the meaning of what the Lord has said. . . . It is worth our time to study the scriptures and see the depth, as far as we can, of the Lord's teachings" (General welfare services meeting, Oct. 5, 1974, 12).

As a branch presidency, we would like to challenge each of you to study the scriptures for at least fifteen minutes a day. And we can make this promise: If you will consistently and prayerfully search the scriptures, your testimonies will increase, your faith will grow, and you will understand more fully the meaning of what the Lord has said.