Pondering

The following is written by Susan Hill.

(New Era, May 1976, "Pondering Isn't Preposterous", https://www.lds.org/new-era/1976/05/pondering-isnt-preposterous?lang=eng)

The steady buzz of the alarm clanged into my sweet repose.

“Night over again? Oh no!”

Finally its piercing lullaby ceased, and I reluctantly stirred.

“It’s Saturday. Who needs to get up today?”

Then I saw her, sleepily gathering her robe and slippers in the dim light of the morning bedroom, stretching and slowly slipping to the door.

“Maybe she’s sick; I’ll follow.” No, she passed the bathroom. “Maybe it’s a Saturday exam, and she didn’t study during the week.” No again. “What is she getting? A notebook, pencil, and the scriptures? Can this be? Is she ill? Is this any way to act on Saturday?”

I watched her kneel before the couch in prayer, then arise and curl up on the couch, draping a blanket over her. She began to read, then stopped, seemingly to think. (“Aha, getting sleepy! I knew it wouldn’t last.”) But she was writing in her notebook, pausing, reading, writing—she seemed very intent.

Who could this strange girl be? What had motivated this unusual behavior? Then I recognized her. Why, it was me! The new me. The one who is learning what it means to hunger for the gospel.

What can I gain from scriptures and notebooks and thinking before Saturday breakfast? Much, even eternal life. How great it is to hunger for the words of God, to be filled not with bread but with truth. Perhaps I can give you some background as to how I grew into this insight.

As I read the scriptures in these early mornings, I learned some of the basics of pondering and searching.

1.   Pray always before you begin to read the scriptures.

Slow your mind down and be free from this world. Also, pray all the while you read—as certain concepts of the gospel illuminate your soul or as you have questions. Don’t hesitate to call upon your Father.

2.   Keep a paper and pencil handy while you read.

This is a stimulating activity, and often goals, exciting ideas, or original thoughts will creep into a stale mind.

3.   Go slowly!

This study is not a race. No longer do you have to finish a prescribed number of chapters before you go to bed. Spend several days with a single chapter or verse. Memorize scripture and it will bloom with hidden meanings you hadn’t been cognizant of, meanings pertinent to your life today.

4.   Ask questions as you read the scriptures.

As I read the sacrament prayers (“O God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ, to bless and sanctify this bread to the souls of all those who partake of it; that they may eat in remembrance of the body of thy Son, and witness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they are willing to take upon them the name of thy Son, and always remember him, and keep his commandments which he hath given them, that they may always have his Spirit to be with them.” [Moro. 4:3; italics added]), I would ask myself these questions and try to answer them:

(a) What does it mean to be sanctified?

(b) Have I shown my Father that I want to take upon myself the name of his Son? How do I show him?

(c) How can I witness that I always remember him?

(d) Do I always remember him? How can I?

Through working out these questions and answering them, I found a deeper self than I had known. Question and then call upon the Lord. As I questioned, the doors of my heart unfolded and left room for the Holy Ghost to dwell in me.

5.   Stop many times during the day and ponder the single thought that you have searched out in depth.

For instance, consider the truth “love your neighbor as yourself.” Repeat the scripture, question your every action, and keep the thought with you on a small card.

All of this is a matter of making yourself take the time; it’s a daily renewal. You’ll be gratified as it refreshes your viewpoint. There will be a new direction in your life and even daily revelation.

(End of article quotation.)

I came across this article on my mission, and absolutely loved it! In a desire and effort to improve my relationship with my Heavenly Father, I knew that spending time with Him through ponderation was the way to go.

The following is taught by Elder Joseph B Wirthlin

(Ensign, April 1982, "Pondering Strengthens the Spiritual Life", https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1982/04/pondering-strengthens-the-spiritual-life?lang=eng)

There is a story about a young builder who had just gone into business for himself. A wealthy friend of his father came to him and said: “To get you started right, I am going to have you build a ranch house for me. Here are the plans. Don’t skimp on anything. I want the very finest materials used, and I want flawless workmanship. Forget the cost. Just send me the bills.”

The young builder became obsessed with the desire to enrich himself through this generous and unrestricted offer. Instead of employing top-grade labor and buying the finest materials, he shortchanged his benefactor in every way possible. Finally, the last secondhand nail was driven into the last flimsy wall, and the builder handed over the keys and bills, totaling over a hundred thousand dollars, to his father’s old friend. That gentleman wrote a check in full for the structure and then handed the keys back to the builder. “The home you have just built, my boy,” he said with a pleasant smile, “is my present to you. May you live in it in great happiness!”

(End of quotation.)

I believe that God has given us the same opportunity - instead of a house, it is our lives He is giving us to build. We give it to Him, so He can give it back to us.

However, instead of leaving us and telling us to send us the bill, He is building our lives/house/families/career/etc with us. We can listen to Him for the best way to build, as He is the creator - the ultimate Builder. We listen to Him through ponderation as we pray and read the scriptures.

Finally, I love the way the church has chosen to address study in our gospel study topics section in lds.org so I shall quote them here.

Learning by Study

The gospel of Jesus Christ is rich enough to challenge and inspire the brightest mind, yet simple enough to be understood by a child. While gospel study does not require formal academic training, it does involve reason and mental exertion. The Lord expects us to “seek … diligently.” In our search for truth, we read, ponder, and analyze information and weigh its reliability. We examine the assumptions behind various theories, as well as our own thoughts, and seek to place facts in their proper context. We are discerning and careful, always remembering that our knowledge is incomplete but growing. We continually seek the Spirit and hold to our faith.

Learning by Faith

Because our perspective and knowledge are limited, we find spiritual truths only if faith is part of the formula. “Faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true” (Alma 32:21). Faith, which starts as a belief or even just the desire to believe, requires mental and spiritual exertion. We express our faith by the words we speak and by acting on the truth we have already received. As we do, our faith grows, and we are given greater knowledge by the Spirit and by our experience. It does not come all at once, but line upon line. In the meantime, the hope produced by our faith serves as an anchor to our souls, making us sure and steadfast as we seek to learn and gain knowledge (see Ether 12:4).

Faith and reason are like the wings of an airplane—both are necessary to keep the plane in flight. If from our limited perspective reason appears to contradict faith, we continue our study while steadfastly holding to our faith. We would not discard faith any more than we would detach a wing from an airplane in flight!

(End of quotation.)