What Does It Mean to Ponder?

I hope to get in a good study before we start the day here in Door County.

The trip has been good so far. I had a small U yesterday, as things were sort of off due to the fact that I had packed most of our stuff in the Edge car, the one I thought Mandy and Matt would be driving. Come to find out, they were driving a different car and the one I had packed was the one that Mom and Dad were driving with Grandma.

Because I had packed that car, and we had a lot of stuff, they didn’t have room to put anything else in the car, namely the food…

I guess Dad was pretty mad and I felt bad about the situation: first, that I should have done something different, and second, that it seemed the blame was put on me.

The good news was that, as I made the effort to make amends to Dad and apologize for what had happened, I felt the guilt and shame go away and it all worked out ok.

One of the spiritual goals I’d like to set this c0ming year is to read the lesson for Sunday School before we have that lesson. This coming year we’ll be studying the Book of Mormon, and I’d like to be able to contribute to the discussion.

As I looked over the first lesson, a question came to mind:

What does it mean to ponder and how do I do this?

I looked up ponder in the dictionary and found this:

to consider something deeply and thoroughly; meditate (often followed by over or upon).

to weigh carefully in the mind; consider thoughtfully

Synonyms to ponder include: reflect, cogitate, deliberate, ruminate.

Is ponder really understood in our gospel culture?

How often do I really ponder the scriptures?

What can I do to ponder more effectively?

How will pondering help me live in recovery?

As I look through the scriptures it suggests to ponder in the lesson, this one sticks out some:

I did ^cliken all scriptures unto us, that it might be for our ^dprofit and learning. (1 Nephi 19:23)

I don’t think I’ll have more time right now to study but I’m going to think about and ponder that idea today. How can I liken all scriptures unto me? How can the scriptures be for my profit and learning?

I look forward to a day in recovery.

Hasta luego!

Nate