Latest / STRONG / FSY Nov. Week 2: What If I Don’t Feel the Spirit When Reading Scriptures? (feat. TJ Faamausili)

Transcript

FSY Nov. Week 2: What If I Don’t Feel the Spirit When Reading Scriptures? (feat. TJ Faamausili) · STRONG

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_02: Welcome to Strong, where we follow the For the Strength of Youth curriculum to help you get a little closer to Jesus Christ and a little more ready for what's ahead.
• 0:09
  SPEAKER_02: The temple, a mission, and the life that you're building.
• 0:13
  SPEAKER_02: I'm Kirby Hayborn.
• 0:19
  SPEAKER_02: This month, the For the Strength of Youth curriculum is truth will make you free.
• 0:23
  SPEAKER_02: This week we're learning more about studying the scriptures.
• 0:27
  SPEAKER_02: We'll look at how a question you care about can help you discover more about Jesus Christ and find something you can carry into your day.
• 0:40
  SPEAKER_02: My wife Trish makes this amazing German apple cake called Apfelkuchen for an annual Oktoberfest party.
• 0:49
  SPEAKER_02: It's been going on for years now, and people look forward every year to Trish's Apfelkuchen.
• 0:56
  SPEAKER_02: And this past year, guess what?
• 0:58
  SPEAKER_02: She asked yours truly to help.
• 1:00
  SPEAKER_02: So I did.
• 1:01
  SPEAKER_02: She sliced the apples and I made the batter.
• 1:03
  SPEAKER_02: I do a lot of the cooking at our house.
• 1:05
  SPEAKER_02: I love to bake.
• 1:06
  SPEAKER_02: I love to cook and make new recipes.
• 1:08
  SPEAKER_02: So I know my way around the kitchen and I know my way around a recipe.
• 1:13
  SPEAKER_02: So I confidently looked at the recipe, got it pretty standard.
• 1:17
  SPEAKER_02: Flour, sugar, all that good stuff, butter.
• 1:19
  SPEAKER_02: Okay, easy.
• 1:20
  SPEAKER_02: I got it.
• 1:20
  SPEAKER_02: I make the batter.
• 1:22
  SPEAKER_02: Trish, she puts the beautifully sliced apples on top of three of the pans because we only have three and we needed to make four, but we had three, threw them all in the oven.
• 1:32
  SPEAKER_02: Then I started making the fourth batch.
• 1:35
  SPEAKER_02: Easy.
• 1:36
  SPEAKER_02: I was such a good little helper.
• 1:38
  SPEAKER_02: Then the cakes came out.
• 1:40
  SPEAKER_02: They were discolored.
• 1:42
  SPEAKER_02: They were disfigured.
• 1:43
  SPEAKER_02: And they were disgusting.
• 1:46
  SPEAKER_02: I looked at these cakes and I said to Trish, I think the apples or maybe the sugar is bad.
• 1:52
  SPEAKER_02: Something's wrong.
• 1:54
  SPEAKER_02: And she said, Well, let's look at the recipe.
• 1:56
  SPEAKER_02: Salt, did you put in salt?
• 1:58
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, check, for sure.
• 1:59
  SPEAKER_02: And then she said, flour?
• 2:00
  SPEAKER_02: Yes.
• 2:00
  SPEAKER_02: And the flour smells great.
• 2:02
  SPEAKER_02: I didn't taste it.
• 2:03
  SPEAKER_02: Don't taste raw flour.
• 2:04
  SPEAKER_02: That's not good.
• 2:05
  SPEAKER_02: Sugar, I tasted that.
• 2:07
  SPEAKER_02: Tasted fine.
• 2:08
  SPEAKER_02: Check.
• 2:08
  SPEAKER_02: She says, baking powder.
• 2:10
  SPEAKER_02: And I go, absolutely.
• 2:11
  SPEAKER_02: I pick up the baking powder and it says baking soda on the container.
• 2:18
  SPEAKER_02: Um, I had put baking soda instead of baking powder in it.
• 2:23
  SPEAKER_02: The problem is we were out of ingredients, no sugar, the flour was gone, and we were almost out of time.
• 2:29
  SPEAKER_02: She was making them early enough so that they could cool.
• 2:32
  SPEAKER_02: Now we're up against the clock.
• 2:34
  SPEAKER_02: Trish, she rushed to the store.
• 2:36
  SPEAKER_02: We made four new batches with baking powder, and they were a hit, as always.
• 2:43
  SPEAKER_02: I was so sure that I knew what I was doing and what I was reading that I missed what was actually on the page.
• 2:53
  SPEAKER_02: So here's the thing.
• 2:55
  SPEAKER_02: Sometimes slowing down and looking a little closer changes what we understand.
• 3:02
  SPEAKER_02: Have you ever finished reading a page of scripture and you realized that your eyes did all the work, that your mind was somewhere else.
• 3:10
  SPEAKER_02: Mine usually goes to what am I going to have for lunch?
• 3:12
  SPEAKER_02: Well, that that happens to all of us.
• 3:15
  SPEAKER_02: The beautiful thing is the scriptures contain God's word given through his prophets.
• 3:21
  SPEAKER_02: They show how he has blessed, warned, and guided his children.
• 3:26
  SPEAKER_02: In 1 Nephi chapter 6, Nephi says that his purpose is to persuade people to come to God and be saved.
• 3:35
  SPEAKER_02: That's what we learn from Scripture.
• 3:37
  SPEAKER_02: Understanding the beautiful gospel comes through studying the scriptures.
• 3:43
  SPEAKER_02: Do you know what else can come from studying the scriptures?
• 3:46
  SPEAKER_02: Joy.
• 3:48
  SPEAKER_02: Topics and questions teaches us that scripture testifies of Jesus Christ and it helps us know Him and Heavenly Father and how to return to them.
• 3:58
  SPEAKER_02: Daily, meaningful study invites the Holy Ghost's guidance and it strengthens us against temptation.
• 4:06
  SPEAKER_02: One way that I study that keeps scriptures alive and interesting to me is I use my patriarchal blessing as a starting point.
• 4:13
  SPEAKER_02: I choose from my patriarchal blessing a gospel word or a topic and use that and study that so that I can understand it.
• 4:24
  SPEAKER_02: For example, my patriarchal blessing says that I have a gift of faith.
• 4:27
  SPEAKER_02: So for a month, I studied faith.
• 4:30
  SPEAKER_02: I looked up in the Bible dictionary and in conference talks and in the scriptures and topics and questions, faith.
• 4:39
  SPEAKER_02: And then I looked at those scriptures, I underlined them, and now those scriptures have more meaning to me.
• 4:46
  SPEAKER_02: They feel as though they were written for me.
• 4:48
  SPEAKER_02: So now when someone shares one of those beautiful scriptures that I studied from a patriarchal blessing about faith, I know God is speaking to me.
• 4:57
  SPEAKER_02: And it's like he wrote that just for me.
• 5:00
  SPEAKER_02: You can start with a word or a question that matters to you, whether or not you've received a patriarchal blessing.
• 5:06
  SPEAKER_02: Preach my gospel encourages studying by topic and looking for answers.
• 5:11
  SPEAKER_02: Read the verses around the passage too.
• 5:14
  SPEAKER_02: That's that's so important.
• 5:15
  SPEAKER_02: Think who is speaking and what is going on, because that really paints how you should interpret and how you should understand that scripture.
• 5:24
  SPEAKER_02: Scripture can bring peace, hope, joy, and renewed confidence as we turn to God.
• 5:33
  SPEAKER_02: Jesus Christ is your strength.
• 5:35
  SPEAKER_02: His words help you know him and follow him in your actual daily life.
• 5:45
  SPEAKER_02: Joining me today is TJ Falmausili.
• 5:48
  SPEAKER_02: He's a seminary teacher and he's a co-host of This Is Kingdom, and he's one of my dear friends and someone I look up to.
• 5:54
  SPEAKER_02: TJ, welcome to Strong Buddy.
• 5:57
  SPEAKER_02: Thanks, man.
• 5:57
  SPEAKER_02: I'm so glad you're here.
• 5:58
  SPEAKER_02: Oh man, I'm pumped that you're here.
• 6:00
  SPEAKER_02: Um, you're a seminary teacher, and that's not the easiest thing to do.
• 6:05
  SPEAKER_02: Hosting a podcast is not the easiest thing to do.
• 6:08
  SPEAKER_02: Tell me about your first day on either one of those.
• 6:11
  SPEAKER_02: What were you trying to figure out?
• 6:12
  SPEAKER_02: What didn't you know?
• 6:14
  SPEAKER_02: Um, how did you get through it?
• 6:16
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, I think it's just uh just jumping in, man.
• 6:20
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 6:20
  SPEAKER_03: Just jumping in.
• 6:21
  SPEAKER_03: It's kind of like you don't know how it's gonna go until you just get in there, get in the get in the classroom, get in front of the camera when it came to the podcast.
• 6:29
  SPEAKER_03: So it was scary for sure, but being with good people, being with uh being with a good group, uh things just work out.
• 6:36
  SPEAKER_03: So just jump in, man.
• 6:37
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, you know.
• 6:38
  SPEAKER_02: What about I don't know why, but I would be nervous in front of a bunch of teenagers.
• 6:43
  SPEAKER_02: How do you overcome?
• 6:45
  SPEAKER_02: Are you just cool with it?
• 6:47
  SPEAKER_02: How do you how that first day on in seminary?
• 6:49
  SPEAKER_02: How did you overcome the am I doing something right?
• 6:53
  SPEAKER_02: Am I gonna connect with them?
• 6:55
  SPEAKER_02: What went through your head?
• 6:56
  SPEAKER_03: I just think, like after I grew out of being a teenager, I think just mentally, I just kind of like stayed there, you know?
• 7:04
  SPEAKER_03: So I'm just like, hey, it's more.
• 7:05
  SPEAKER_03: More people, man.
• 7:06
  SPEAKER_02: That's why you're one of the favorites because you're still there mentally.
• 7:10
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, no, it's but yeah, they're good, man.
• 7:13
  SPEAKER_02: Good kiddos.
• 7:14
  SPEAKER_02: I love it.
• 7:15
  SPEAKER_02: They're lucky to have you.
• 7:16
  SPEAKER_02: Well, I want to put our figuring skills to work if you're okay with that.
• 7:20
  SPEAKER_02: I've got a challenge that that I've set up.
• 7:22
  SPEAKER_02: You good with that?
• 7:23
  SPEAKER_02: Let's do it, bro.
• 7:24
  SPEAKER_02: Okay, let's do it.
• 7:27
  SPEAKER_02: Okay, TJ, we have here in front of us bags that each one of these has something identical in it.
• 7:34
  SPEAKER_02: So, number one, whatever is in bag number one is the same for you, and it's the same for me.
• 7:39
  SPEAKER_02: My wife put these in here, so I don't know what they are, you don't know what they are.
• 7:42
  SPEAKER_02: We need to put our hands in.
• 7:44
  SPEAKER_02: We've got just a few seconds.
• 7:45
  SPEAKER_02: Feel around.
• 7:46
  SPEAKER_02: Don't look.
• 7:47
  SPEAKER_02: Feel around, figure out what it is, describe what you're feeling, and then once you feel like you got it locked in, we've only got five seconds to lock it in.
• 7:54
  SPEAKER_02: You guess what it is, and then we'll pull it out together.
• 7:57
  SPEAKER_02: Okay, just that's the jump one reach out, Sister Hayborn.
• 8:01
  SPEAKER_02: Yes, thank you.
• 8:02
  SPEAKER_02: Okay, here we go.
• 8:04
  SPEAKER_02: Three, two, one.
• 8:10
  SPEAKER_02: Oh, you're making the point.
• 8:11
  SPEAKER_02: Okay, it's a little bit feels like uh, ready.
• 8:44
  SPEAKER_02: Okay, let's get that's good.
• 8:45
  SPEAKER_02: Hold on, let's do what we got.
• 8:52
  SPEAKER_02: My wife rocks.
• 8:53
  SPEAKER_02: These are mine from when I was a kid.
• 8:55
  SPEAKER_02: All right, let's go talk about this.
• 9:00
  SPEAKER_02: All right, having something to figure out gave us a reason to pay closer attention.
• 9:05
  SPEAKER_02: We can bring that same curiosity to scripture too.
• 9:08
  SPEAKER_02: The FSY guide says, study his life and teachings.
• 9:12
  SPEAKER_02: So let's bring a question about Jesus Christ.
• 9:15
  SPEAKER_02: How does Jesus respond when people need him?
• 9:19
  SPEAKER_02: I want to take a look really quick in 3 Nephi chapter 17, because this is the Savior talking, visiting with everyone around the temple.
• 9:28
  SPEAKER_02: And it says in verse 6 that uh and he said unto them, Behold, my bowels are filled with compassion toward you.
• 9:36
  SPEAKER_02: Um, Jesus, he's been teaching the people, and then uh they want him to stay.
• 9:40
  SPEAKER_02: And so he says that beautiful thing, my bowels are filled with compassion towards you.
• 9:46
  SPEAKER_02: And then in verse seven, he invites them to bring all of their sick, their lame, their blind, everyone that needs to be healed, he invites them to come unto him.
• 9:54
  SPEAKER_02: And I love this, he says, uh, I have compassion upon you.
• 9:58
  SPEAKER_02: My bowels are filled with mercy.
• 10:02
  SPEAKER_02: He feels compassion.
• 10:04
  SPEAKER_02: Jesus feels compassion, and he responds to their need.
• 10:07
  SPEAKER_02: Um, when you study a passage like that, and you're bringing it to life for youth or to yourself, what do you do to make it be more meaningful?
• 10:17
  SPEAKER_03: It's so cool you shared that verse.
• 10:19
  SPEAKER_03: I've been reading Alma chapter 7, yeah, verse 11 and 12, which uses the same language, my bowels are filled with mercy.
• 10:26
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 10:27
  SPEAKER_03: And uh I think with scripture and the scripture like this, it's good to pay attention to the words.
• 10:33
  SPEAKER_03: Because if you read my bowels, it's like, okay, like his stomach, like did he have a stomachache?
• 10:38
  SPEAKER_03: Right.
• 10:38
  SPEAKER_03: But when you think about it, it's like, what's he saying, man?
• 10:40
  SPEAKER_03: He's saying, My in my stomach, in my core, all of me is filled with compassion.
• 10:45
  SPEAKER_03: And so I think just paying attention to those words, thinking of the savior, yeah, looking at the people, looking at us, filled with that compassion, that mercy.
• 10:53
  SPEAKER_03: That that brings it to life for me.
• 10:55
  SPEAKER_03: I'm like, oh man, I want to be with him.
• 10:57
  SPEAKER_02: Tell me about a time that a scripture came alive for you personally.
• 11:02
  SPEAKER_02: Do you have something?
• 11:03
  SPEAKER_03: Yes, there was there was a time Jesus helped me feel his compassion and mercy towards me through a through a scripture story.
• 11:12
  SPEAKER_03: There was a time after my mission, feeling super down, super stressed.
• 11:17
  SPEAKER_03: I didn't really know nothing was really going good, you know, the dating, the career, figuring out how to use my time.
• 11:23
  SPEAKER_03: And I remember I was turning to anything but God and just and just prideful.
• 11:29
  SPEAKER_03: But one day I was sitting at the table, kitchen table.
• 11:32
  SPEAKER_03: There's a Bible there.
• 11:33
  SPEAKER_03: I'm like, all right, shoot, let me just go to God.
• 11:34
  SPEAKER_03: I learned that.
• 11:35
  SPEAKER_03: I learned on my mission, I learned in seminary, let me do that.
• 11:37
  SPEAKER_03: So I opened up and I opened right up to that story of Jesus being on the boat with the disciples, calming the waves, calming the storms.
• 11:47
  SPEAKER_03: And it hit me, but then I just went about my day.
• 11:50
  SPEAKER_03: A couple days later, I'm with my friend.
• 11:52
  SPEAKER_03: He's trying to do a promotion, an ad for a fitness brand he's trying to do for social media.
• 11:58
  SPEAKER_03: We're with a group of friends shooting up in the mountains.
• 12:00
  SPEAKER_03: There's this girl, she had a tattoo of a boat on her shoulder.
• 12:03
  SPEAKER_03: And so I'm like, hey, what like what's your tattoo about?
• 12:07
  SPEAKER_03: What does that mean to you?
• 12:08
  SPEAKER_03: I thought she was gonna be like, oh, I like boats, I like boating.
• 12:10
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, and she's like, it's from that story in the Bible of Jesus calming the sea, calming the storm.
• 12:15
  SPEAKER_03: I'm like, no, no way, and it hit me, bro.
• 12:17
  SPEAKER_03: And then I just went about my life.
• 12:19
  SPEAKER_03: You know, I'm like, okay, cool.
• 12:20
  SPEAKER_03: A couple days later, I get home after an especially tough day, and my door is heart attacked, bro.
• 12:27
  SPEAKER_03: It's like heart attack, like all the notes and everything.
• 12:30
  SPEAKER_03: Have you seen the heart attack?
• 12:31
  SPEAKER_03: Yes, yes, usually like a relief sighty thing.
• 12:33
  SPEAKER_03: Right.
• 12:33
  SPEAKER_03: Someone, someone heart attacked my door, bro.
• 12:35
  SPEAKER_03: It's a lot, tons of nice notes.
• 12:37
  SPEAKER_03: I I looked, the only note I saw was right in the middle.
• 12:40
  SPEAKER_03: It was a picture of Jesus with the ocean behind him.
• 12:42
  SPEAKER_03: My friend, who had no idea what I was going through, wrote this note to me.
• 12:49
  SPEAKER_03: The winds and waves within you and around you, Jesus Christ can calm those storms.
• 12:56
  SPEAKER_03: And I just I dropped to my knees, I prayed to God, bawling.
• 13:00
  SPEAKER_03: And from that scripture story and these experiences, I was reminded of how Jesus is filled with compassion towards me and mercy and that things are gonna be okay.
• 13:09
  SPEAKER_03: I didn't need to worry.
• 13:10
  SPEAKER_03: And and that's important when you're in your early 20s.
• 13:12
  SPEAKER_03: And so that that just sustained me for those that next phase that was coming up.
• 13:16
  SPEAKER_02: TJ, thank you so much for sharing that.
• 13:18
  SPEAKER_02: That scripture means even more to me now.
• 13:21
  SPEAKER_02: I loved it before, but now knowing that it changed you is powerful.
• 13:27
  SPEAKER_02: Now I'm sure when you hear that story, doesn't it feel like God's talking to TJ specifically?
• 13:32
  SPEAKER_02: 100% Hey, do you remember that?
• 13:34
  SPEAKER_02: Remember what I I put on your heart?
• 13:37
  SPEAKER_02: That's amazing.
• 13:38
  SPEAKER_02: That's what scriptures do.
• 13:39
  SPEAKER_02: They they get put on our heart like that.
• 13:42
  SPEAKER_02: Now, before you study anything, ask Heavenly Father to help you understand through the Holy Ghost, to be willing to follow what you learn.
• 13:50
  SPEAKER_02: Nephi teaches the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do.
• 13:56
  SPEAKER_02: And I love this line from Preach My Gospel.
• 13:59
  SPEAKER_02: It says, Acting on what you learn will bring added and enduring understanding.
• 14:06
  SPEAKER_02: What does that mean?
• 14:08
  SPEAKER_02: You're a lot smarter than me.
• 14:09
  SPEAKER_02: What does it mean to act on what we're learning, putting into practice?
• 14:14
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, I think when I read the Book of Mormon for the first time, I thought that I was gonna get some big, crazy experience, feel some big hug or have an angel come to me when I was sleeping or something.
• 14:27
  SPEAKER_03: But what I found was it's kind of like I think it says it in the introduction, in the introduction of the Book of Mormon where Joseph Smith says a man will get nearer to God by abiding by the precepts, not just reading, right?
• 14:38
  SPEAKER_02: By abiding by the precepts.
• 14:40
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 14:40
  SPEAKER_03: And so I remember it wasn't until I was on my mission, because I was kind of uh being a knucklehead before then, but I was on my mission, I was reading the Book of Mormon, applying it, and then when I would see the fruits of that, like I would see cool things happen, I'll see certain things happen throughout the day.
• 14:54
  SPEAKER_03: And it strengthened my my testimony and my understanding of God working through scripture and teaching us through scripture.
• 15:01
  SPEAKER_03: Kind of that line upon line, yeah, I think of.
• 15:04
  SPEAKER_02: So you can live a principle while you're still working through a question, just keep asking for the Spirit's help as you learn.
• 15:11
  SPEAKER_02: In Lehi's dream, the iron rod represents God's word.
• 15:15
  SPEAKER_02: In first Nephi chapter 8, verse 30.
• 15:17
  SPEAKER_02: The people who reach the tree, they keep moving forward.
• 15:21
  SPEAKER_02: So we can keep returning to scripture too.
• 15:23
  SPEAKER_02: In the topics and questions, it teaches us that studying brings light and guidance through the Holy Ghost.
• 15:30
  SPEAKER_02: A passage that you remember can help you when you need it.
• 15:35
  SPEAKER_02: Have you ever had that happen?
• 15:37
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, I was thinking today about that.
• 15:41
  SPEAKER_03: When I was dating my now wife, it was crazy because me and all my roommates, we're all, we all lived together and we all kind of found our person within like the same year.
• 15:53
  SPEAKER_03: It was crazy.
• 15:54
  SPEAKER_03: So everyone was having like their different experiences.
• 15:56
  SPEAKER_03: I remember my but my best friend, he found his his girl and he was like, I will marry her today, bro.
• 16:02
  SPEAKER_03: Like, I'm all in, let's do it.
• 16:05
  SPEAKER_03: And I had found the girl of my dreams, and she was out of my league and beautiful and amazing and perfect.
• 16:10
  SPEAKER_03: And and still I knew that I needed to take it to God first.
• 16:14
  SPEAKER_03: And I wasn't having the same experience as my friend because I was like, I gotta take it to God.
• 16:18
  SPEAKER_03: And I remember reflecting on that verse, and I don't even remember what it is, but just that verse that talks about line upon line, precept upon precept.
• 16:27
  SPEAKER_03: And that gave me comfort in knowing that, oh shoot, just like my testimony of the Book of Mormon grew, just like my relationship with the Savior, as I keep going on dates with this amazing, powerful woman, I'm I'm gonna get to know and feel and understand like if she's the right one.
• 16:44
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 16:44
  SPEAKER_03: And if and if I'm the right one for her.
• 16:46
  SPEAKER_03: And so that I was grateful for that.
• 16:49
  SPEAKER_03: That just helped me keep moving forward and dating and not worrying about it, not stressing about it.
• 16:53
  SPEAKER_03: And now I got the girl of my dreams.
• 16:55
  SPEAKER_03: So let's go, bro.
• 16:57
  SPEAKER_02: That's so perfect.
• 16:58
  SPEAKER_02: What a perfect example.
• 16:59
  SPEAKER_02: Sometimes I think when we read something from the scriptures, we think, oh, it has to just deal with the spiritual or learning more about God, which line upon line, precept upon precept, absolutely does.
• 17:10
  SPEAKER_02: And finding your eternal companion absolutely has to do with your spiritual well-being.
• 17:15
  SPEAKER_02: But to connect the two, that in order to figure out if this is the lady that I want to be with for eternity, I got to take it line upon line, precept upon precept.
• 17:25
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 17:25
  SPEAKER_03: And if I could say, like the only reason that scripture was able to come to my mind was because I read it another day and didn't feel anything, bro.
• 17:34
  SPEAKER_03: You know what I'm saying?
• 17:35
  SPEAKER_03: That's amazing.
• 17:36
  SPEAKER_03: So I mean, there's there's times where you'll be reading and you don't feel anything because in two years, God is gonna answer your prayer through that verse.
• 17:43
  SPEAKER_03: And so I feel like that's important to remember when we're studying and not feeling much.
• 17:46
  SPEAKER_02: I would love to talk about that too, dive deeper into that.
• 17:49
  SPEAKER_02: That's that's amazing, fascinating, and so true.
• 17:52
  SPEAKER_02: You feel like, what am I doing wrong?
• 17:54
  SPEAKER_02: But you just gotta trust.
• 17:57
  SPEAKER_02: Thank you.
• 17:58
  SPEAKER_02: So I'd love to ask you guys, what's something that you've tried that made scripture study more interesting to you?
• 18:05
  SPEAKER_02: Tell us what you did and how it helped.
• 18:07
  SPEAKER_01: So a lot of times I'll go to the Bible dictionary to like get a really simple explanation of just a question I have about the gospel.
• 18:16
  SPEAKER_01: And I think it's actually a really underrated tool because it gives like a really clear explanation of things and it gives like cross-references to scriptures, and that's really made scriptures like more interesting to me is when I can understand them more and I have a better knowledge of them.
• 18:32
  SPEAKER_00: Hi, um, my name's Charlotte.
• 18:34
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, something that helps me during scripture study is journaling, like writing down my thoughts or questions, and even like some quotes I really like.
• 18:44
  SPEAKER_00: This helps me because like it's like in a more organized way.
• 18:48
  SPEAKER_00: I can also like look back on my things if I like having a hard day or something.
• 18:52
  SPEAKER_00: I can look back and like it helps me.
• 18:56
  SPEAKER_02: Alright, TJ, this is a question that maybe somebody out there has wanted to ask in class, but they haven't had the courage to.
• 19:04
  SPEAKER_02: They say, uh, I hear people talk about feeling the spirit when they read the scriptures.
• 19:09
  SPEAKER_02: What if I don't feel anything?
• 19:11
  SPEAKER_02: Am I doing something wrong?
• 19:12
  SPEAKER_02: And you kind of touched on that already.
• 19:14
  SPEAKER_02: Well, what would you say to a kid that says that?
• 19:17
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, something you gotta understand is it's just like Elder Bednar says, we're sometimes we overcomplicate it.
• 19:26
  SPEAKER_03: And we gotta remember we're living in revelation when we're trying to be good and do good.
• 19:30
  SPEAKER_03: And so when you're in the temple, when you're in the scriptures, you're spending time with God.
• 19:35
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, and that's gonna look like and feel like uh a lot of different things, but you gotta trust that God is working in those moments.
• 19:43
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, and you can be aware.
• 19:44
  SPEAKER_03: Sometimes you have a thought come to you, sometimes you have a feeling, but you but I've learned not to expect it though.
• 19:50
  SPEAKER_02: Oh, I love that.
• 19:51
  SPEAKER_02: Don't expect it.
• 19:52
  SPEAKER_03: Don't expect it.
• 19:52
  SPEAKER_03: It's like when you're with a friend.
• 19:54
  SPEAKER_03: There's there's times when you're with a good friend, and sometimes you have a crazy good, deep conversation.
• 20:00
  SPEAKER_03: And sometimes when you're you're with your friend and you're just laughing and chilling and just hanging out, either way, you are strengthening that bond, that connection.
• 20:07
  SPEAKER_03: You got to think about that with the scriptures and Jesus as well.
• 20:11
  SPEAKER_02: And it goes back to the story that you told.
• 20:14
  SPEAKER_02: It's something that you read two years prior and didn't feel anything, just trust that that's gonna come.
• 20:20
  SPEAKER_02: The FSY guide says this learning to be aware of the spirit, it takes time, practice, and patience.
• 20:28
  SPEAKER_02: He speaks to different people in different ways.
• 20:32
  SPEAKER_02: So, in the curriculum this week, um, it mentions a quote from Elder Scott, and you were talking about that.
• 20:38
  SPEAKER_02: Tell me why that sits with you and what that quote is.
• 20:41
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, there's a powerful idea that a like a memorized scripture can become like a friend in a time of need.
• 20:47
  SPEAKER_03: And I think a lot of our struggles with the scriptures are very similar to our struggles that we have socially and with friends.
• 20:54
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 20:54
  SPEAKER_03: And when you think about friends, one of the biggest struggles is sometimes you don't, you it's hard to build a relationship with someone when you're not making the time.
• 21:02
  SPEAKER_03: You might say you're finding the time, but you gotta make the time.
• 21:04
  SPEAKER_03: Same with the scriptures.
• 21:05
  SPEAKER_03: Sometimes you just gotta make the time uh for the scriptures, just like you make a time, make time for a friend.
• 21:11
  SPEAKER_03: Another struggle we have with scripture and with friends is sometimes we don't understand them.
• 21:15
  SPEAKER_03: Right.
• 21:16
  SPEAKER_03: And if we don't understand a friend, to me, it just means I gotta ask better questions.
• 21:21
  SPEAKER_03: I gotta see where my friend is coming from.
• 21:23
  SPEAKER_03: And so I think that really applies to scriptures as well.
• 21:26
  SPEAKER_03: Asking better questions and doing a little digging.
• 21:28
  SPEAKER_03: It's kind of like President Nelson, the Lord loves effort.
• 21:31
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 21:31
  SPEAKER_03: And so I think asking some questions and even using some different resources like the topics and questions or the or the guide to the scriptures, Bible dictionary, or even honestly putting it, taking a verse and putting it into AI or Googling it or just praying on extra, any of that effort will build your relationship with Jesus through scripture, just like more effort would help build a relationship with a friend.
• 21:56
  SPEAKER_03: I'm learning so much.
• 21:57
  SPEAKER_02: Thank you.
• 21:58
  SPEAKER_02: I love everything that you've just said.
• 22:00
  SPEAKER_02: Um I think it's important for people to know that if you finish reading and you haven't noticed a feeling, that doesn't mean that you've done something wrong, right?
• 22:08
  SPEAKER_02: You're putting in the time and you're putting in that effort.
• 22:11
  SPEAKER_02: Um preaching my gospel says prayerfully studying the scriptures will open a window of revelation for the spirit to speak to your mind and heart.
• 22:20
  SPEAKER_02: I love that.
• 22:20
  SPEAKER_02: It's mind and heart.
• 22:22
  SPEAKER_02: Over time, like TJ said, it could be two years.
• 22:26
  SPEAKER_02: Notice what you're learning about Jesus Christ and any good that you feel prompted to do.
• 22:31
  SPEAKER_02: I think it goes back to Elder Bednar.
• 22:33
  SPEAKER_02: He says, Be a good boy, be a good girl, and just know that you're following the Spirit.
• 22:37
  SPEAKER_02: And that's exactly how it is with the scriptures.
• 22:40
  SPEAKER_02: Bring your experiences and your uncertainty to Heavenly Father.
• 22:44
  SPEAKER_02: The FSY guide says in the chapter, the chapter is called God Wants to Communicate With You.
• 22:49
  SPEAKER_02: There's a whole chapter.
• 22:50
  SPEAKER_02: I love that.
• 22:50
  SPEAKER_02: I think it's like the second chapter.
• 22:53
  SPEAKER_02: Um he says, you might be feeling the spirit and not recognizing it yet.
• 22:58
  SPEAKER_02: Keep praying, keep studying the word of God.
• 23:02
  SPEAKER_02: With time and practice, you will learn to recognize the spirit in a variety of ways.
• 23:08
  SPEAKER_02: TJ, I've learned so much from you.
• 23:10
  SPEAKER_02: Thank you so much for sharing your insight and for teaching me and for teaching everybody who's watching this.
• 23:16
  SPEAKER_02: Um I would love to teach.
• 23:19
  SPEAKER_02: I think the best way to teach is through song.
• 23:22
  SPEAKER_02: Can you have a beautiful song that has touched me and touched so many people across the world?
• 23:29
  SPEAKER_02: I I would love it if uh we could set up and maybe sing it together.
• 23:33
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, let's do it, man.
• 23:34
  SPEAKER_03: Okay, let's do it.
• 23:43
  SPEAKER_04: Sometimes life it knocks you down, but don't you dare stay on the ground, fall on your back, look to the sky, remember he can lift you high, fall on your back, look to the sky, remember he can lift you high, and when the weight is hard to bear, give it to him, he's always there, no matter how far you think you've gone, he wants you back, no matter what you've done, fall on your back, look to the sky, remember he can let you high, fall on your back, look to the sky, remember he can let you hide.
• 25:20
  SPEAKER_04: Oh please, my friend, they're on the ground, you've come so far, don't give up now.
• 25:31
  SPEAKER_04: I know you, sir, for some time, just take my hand, it'll be alright.
• 25:41
  SPEAKER_04: Fall on your back, look to the sky, remember you, can lift you high, fall on your back, look to the sky, remember you, can lift you high, fall on your back, up to the sky, to the sky, remember you can lift you high too high, fall on your back, look to the sky, remember you can lift you high, fall on your back, look to the sky, remember you, can lift you high.
• 26:35
  SPEAKER_02: TJ I'm lifted.
• 26:40
  SPEAKER_02: Here's your move this week.
• 26:42
  SPEAKER_02: Choose one gospel word or question that matters to you.
• 26:47
  SPEAKER_02: Ask Heavenly Father to help you understand it, then find a scripture passage about it.
• 26:53
  SPEAKER_02: Read the verses around it too.
• 26:54
  SPEAKER_02: That's important.
• 26:56
  SPEAKER_02: And as always, write down one thing you learn about knowing or following Jesus Christ.
• 27:03
  SPEAKER_02: Keep that passage somewhere you can return to during the week.
• 27:07
  SPEAKER_02: That's strong for this week.
• 27:09
  SPEAKER_02: Remember, you're a beloved son or daughter of God, and he has a work for you to do.
• 27:16
  SPEAKER_02: Go do it.
• 27:18
  SPEAKER_02: I'd like to thank our sponsors, Jared and Holly Swain, for making strong possible.
• 27:22
  SPEAKER_02: Thank you.
• 27:23
  SPEAKER_02: Visit strong youthfoundation.com for episodes and more.
• 27:28
  SPEAKER_02: I'll see you next week.
• 27:30
  SPEAKER_02: Praise his name, he is my strength.