Scripture Power

“Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place?

“He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.

“He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation” (Psalm 24:3–5).

Elder Richard G. Scott quoted this psalm in his General Conference address just this past October. In doing so he illustrated to me personally the power of the scriptures by transporting me to my childhood. I must have been seven or eight at the time. My family was invited to participate in a ward talent show. My mother insisted that the invitation was extended to all eleven of us, not just the older girls. She, being a wise mother in Zion and feeling the need to teach within her own family, chose the song we were to sing. It wasn’t a show tune, as was so popular in the late 1960’s but a Psalm “He that Hath Clean Hands.” Forty some years later I still recall those words and the melody teaching me a lesson I still fall back on.

I’m not saying that talent shows should be handled the way my mother did. Awards were given out that evening for the individual performances. I remember fretting that we hadn’t won anything when it seemed everyone else had and brought it to my mother’s attention. She responded with, “I don’t think we sang the kind of song that the committee had in mind for the awards.” Much to her surprise—and my delight, we did win an award, “The Cleanest Award”—a bar of Ivory soap!

But connecting this story to Elder Scott’s address—

I thought I was doing pretty good with completely reading the Book of Mormon every year, but the other standard works? Not so good. Okay, we’ve finished the Book of Mormon early this year, time to start on the Doctrine and Covenants but that leaves the Bible completely untouched, not to mention the Pearl of Great Price or the Conference Report.

Is it even possible to employ Elder Scott’s counsel to memorize a scripture and forge a new friendship such as my mother helped me do at such a tender age? I begin today with posting this Psalm on my bathroom mirror to memorize in those twenty to thirty seconds when thoroughly washing my hands. If I can successfully memorize a scripture every month, I’ll have twelve new friends to lean on when the going gets tough.

Who can’t do with a few more good friends?