The scriptures that come to mind

I just read Elder Scott's talk from Conference, which was about the blessing that the scriptures can be in our lives. He said that scriptures we learn can be like friends that aren't limited by geography or calendars. I was blessed with good parents who read the scriptures with me when I was small. They filled my head and heart with friends to comfort me and help and sustain me in times of need.

I loved these words Elder Scott said:

"Pondering a passage of scripture can be a key to unlock revelation and the guidance and inspiration of the Holy Ghost. Scriptures can calm an agitated soul, giving peace, hope, and a restoration of confidence in one’s ability to overcome the challenges of life. They have potent power to heal emotional challenges when there is faith in the Savior. They can accelerate physical healing."

I have felt like I need to record some of the friends that have helped me recently. These were all scriptures that came clearly to my mind within the last few months, which taught me and were specifically relevant to things I was thinking or doing.

1 Kings 19: 11-12

11 And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake:
12 And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.

Galatians 5:22

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

1 Nephi 3: 7, 15-16.

7 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father: I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them.

15 But behold I said unto them that: As the Lord liveth, and as we live, we will not go down unto our father in the wilderness until we have accomplished the thing which the Lord hath commanded us.
16 Wherefore, let us be faithful in keeping the commandments of the Lord

And of course, my favorite scripture, Helaman 5:12.

12 And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.

One of the very many blessings of serving in Primary is that this year we got to talk about the scriptures. We encouraged the children to make a commitment to read the scriptures faithfully. Even if it was just a little bit, we asked them to do it every day. It made my own personal scripture study take a front seat instead of a back seat in my day, and it has been such a great blessing to have that spirit with me as I have planned my days. And when I am consistent about it, I am happier and more confident. It has strengthened my faith to be able to declare with stronger conviction that I know the scriptures are true.

You've got to love the "Primary answers". You know, the things we hear all the time that are the answers to almost all the questions in Primary. Pray. Read your scriptures. Go to church. Pay your tithing. Honor your parents. If you let them sink into your soul, they can change your life. They change you.