Close-knit companions

Hey everyone!

So, my P-Day is still on Friday, so you can still expect E-mails from me then. Also, I am still serving in the Contact Center, so there is no change there either. I also did not have to move apartments - that usually only happens when one has to switch zones. So, not much has changed last Tuesday at transfer conference, except for one minor detail - I am no longer companions with Elder Stacey. The zone has been a bit hard on him, so he was moved to a zone in the Family History Library where it was less stressful - that's my understanding of it anyway. He was a good companion, though, and I look forward to seeing him around. In the meantime, I do have a new companion named Elder McGrew, who is joining the Contact Center again - this is his third time being assigned to this zone. However, he still has to go through the training, just like everyone else, sadly. So, yeah, the only change for me last Tuesday was my companion. I look forward to this companionship though, I think me and Elder McGrew will get along quite well!

Now, back to my week. You may be wondering why I have sent out this E-mail so late if I still have my P-Day on Friday. Well, there were a couple unforeseen circumstances which have come up, which constitute some good news, and some bad news. The good news is, there was a senior sister who was moving apartments, and me and Elder McGrew, along with some other companionships, were assigned to help her with that. So, I was able to serve her in that extent. The bad news, however, is that our apartment is suspected of being subject to a bedbug infestation. So, at the time of my writing this E-mail, there are currently too many chemicals in that apartment for us to spend any time there (I will be able to return once I am done with my E-mails though). Aside from that, everyone in the apartment has had to wash all of their clothing, bedspreads, and every other piece of fabric we may own on the hottest temperature possible. I hope that my clothes have turned out alright - I haven't even had a chance to wear some of the sweaters I brought fro home yet... But, you gotta do what you gotta do...

Work has been interesting to say the least. There have been many changes at our zone - We have two less Elders than we did before, and most of the people were either completely new or returning - only a couple of us were there from before. As a result, Josh (our supervisor, a paid staff who works in a different sphere than our mission leadership) has turned off some types of calls for us so that they are handled by a different department so that the people coming in can get trained or retrained for the job. For me, however, this has made work a bit more boring - in the sense of calls taken anyway. However, our zone is beginning to serve in another degree, that actually has nothing to do with taking calls, or even computers at all! Our zone leader's wife, Sister Crowl, has made an arrangement with the Hunstman Cancer Institute here in Salt Lake City - now, when we have some time to spare, we can spend it knitting hats for some of the patients undergoing chemotherapy there. To me, this is a great idea - if we can make sure to not get carried away with it, it is a nice creative outlet which we can use to de-stress a bit, and it still serves other people. So, I look forward to serving in this capacity as well as my current work of helping patrons over the phone!

So, last Tuesday has kicked off my fourth consecutive month in the contact center. Now, I have been serving here longer than I have served on International. Also, I have currently served longer under President Fenn than I have under President Tate. Both seem a bit odd - the months are truly going by faster than they have been at the beginning of my mission! Heck, tomorrow will be the first day of my second General Conference here on the mission! It doesn't seem so long since my last conference, and it certainly doesn't seem like a full six months has passed! But, passed they have, and now here I am, no longer the new guy, already having trained one new Young Elder. Now, I don't want to pull off the impression that I am prideful of how well I have done, because even if I have done a magnificent job which was beyond my normal capacities, it is only because the Lord has been there to help me all along the way. So, in reminiscing, I think I have had a pretty good start to my service in the mission, and I look forward to the next 18 months!

Finally, as you may have noticed, I have gotten a new digital camera, as well as the stuff required to connect it to the computer. This means that, from here on out, my E-mails will now have pictures attached! I had not sent pictures for a while, as my previous camera has been lost, and I have not been able to find it. This means that I will likely be giving this camera to Mom when I get back home. So, if there is anything specific you would like to see a picture of, let me know, and I will see if I can include it in a future E-mail!

Well, that's my week for you. Thanks for all the support you guys give me, and will see you next week. Have a good one, and enjoy General Conference these next two days!

From,

Elder Bryce Petersen

Challenge: I may have talked about a similar subject in a recent challenge, but I do feel like, now that Conference is finally here, I feel I should talk about how to prepare for this conference, both temporally and spiritually. First off, make these next couple of days a little bit extra special - invite family over so you can all watch conference together, things like this are more special when they are around! Next, pray to have the Spirit with you as you watch Conference - the Spirit will testify of the truth in the messages shared, and it will bring forth understanding on the talks given. You can have snacks ready if you are not experiencing it in person, but more importantly, have a notebook just as readily available as well - before Transfer Conference last Tuesday, I bought myself and Elder Stacey special notebooks for General Conference. However, you do not need specially formatted notebooks like this (they're a bit more expensive than a traditional pad and paper anyway). However, the following basic format is suggested: write down the speaker of each talk, the subject they speak on, and some notes written as they speak. If you were feeling a bit extra ambitious, you could even write a table of contents at the beginning of these notes. For those of you with younger, more easily distracted children, you can come up with activities and/or games to help them pay attention to the messages shared. When the event itself comes, turn off outside distractions if possible so you can fully feel the Spirit and focus on the talks. Remember - General Conference is not about the Lil Smokies which are served as snacks (even though they are very delicious, and nice to have) - work on focusing on the messages shared. Take an effort to learn something new when you listen to these talks. And finally, when Conference is all over, talk amongst your families about what has been shared in these talks - the lessons learned, how you can apply them to your lives, etc. Study the talks afterwards when you get the chance - they are truly worth looking over a couple more times. Suggestions like this will help to make Conference more meaningful and valuable to you and your families, and the messages, if paid attention to, will help to strengthen your testimonies and become closer than ever to Christ.

I almost forgot, I had promised everyone some pictures! Allow me to attach those!

The first pic I am attaching is of the Assembly Hall where we had our Book of Mormon conference a couple weeks back. Truly a beautiful building, if you ask me.

The next couple pics are of the people who were in our apartment before the most recent Transfer Conference - Elder Duran is the one with the phone, because he is our District Leader, and Elders in leadership get cell phones (he is still living with me in the apartment, BTW). Next is Elder Duran's companion at this time, Elder McDonald, who joined the mission only two months ago (he has since been transferred to another zone). Finally, we have my previous companion, Elder Stacey.

The next and final pic is me with my current companion, Elder McGrew. Keep in mind that I just used a timer on the camera, and placed it on one of the washing machines for this pic. Didn't get quite the perfect pic I was hoping for, but oh well.

I will send more pics next week, and hopefully include them in the actual General E-mail, instead of having to create another one...

Cooling down, picking up

Hey everyone!

First and foremost, I must apologize for sending this letter out so late in the day... I would loved to begin writing my E-mails at the normal time, that being 1:00 P.M., but there were too many things going on today. I will write more about that later in this E-mail. Either way, I am so sorry for my tardiness. But, either way, I am here now!

So, the choir kept busy last Monday. Of course, we had to wake up in the dead hours of the morning for Monday Morning Devotional. However, later that same day, we also had another big performance to go along with a special event - a Book of Mormon conference presented by President Fenn, about the coming forth of the Book of Mormon. So, the choir got to practice in the Assembly Hall on Temple Square, where the conference was being held, a couple hours before the conference itself. After that, we all enjoyed a special Mission Dinner held in the lobby of the Conference Center - yes, the same Conference Center which will be hosting the women's session of General Conference tomorrow, as well as the other sessions next week. It was a pretty good dinner too - pulled pork burritos are always delicious for a guy like me! After that, we had the conference itself, with the choir's musical number, and our President's message. It was kinda cool to attend something like that in the historic Assembly Hall on Temple Square. It brings my mind to a lot of the "older" things which the church owns - things that could pretty much be called artifacts, not just for their age, but for their historic value. The more interesting part, however, is that they do not simply rot away, nor are they kept simply to attract tourists. Rather, they are still very much functional, and in use. The most exceptional example of this I can think of is the Salt Lake Temple - a place whose story and history attract people from all over the world, yet it still serves its original purpose today. I guess this church is a very practical one in that sense.

Things have been cooling down quite noticeably here lately - there is a crispness to this air, and I actually quite like it. It is a welcome change from the hot temperatures we have been dealing with this past summer. However, with this change, it has also been raining a lot more lately. The funny thing is, I have no problem with this! My companion does not like the rain at all - more specifically, he can't stand the cold it brings with it - but I find the rain quite exciting! Sure, it gets a bit cold after a while, but that is no problem to me! The valley could user more moisture anyway. Things will be a lot cooler when winter comes around though, but I don't have much of a problem with this. I anticipate it as uncomfortable as summer was. I guess the only difference, aside from the obvious, is that summer doesn't bring snow, or whatever it's warmer equivalent would be. But, I can survive that.

Now to explain why I was so darn late today! Well, the Young Elders had their weekly temple trip today. I think it was originally planned to be tomorrow, on Saturday, but due to the women's session of General Conference tomorrow, and the fact that the temple system closes down in anticipation of this, we did the trip on Friday instead. A lot of the time, we just go to the Salt Lake Temple, but, as I may have mentioned earlier, we like to go to other temples, which are further away. Today, we visited the Provo temple, which was an hour away. After the two-hour session, we decided to make a couple side trips. The first was to a local art museum there. My companion wasn't too interested, he's not a huge fan of art, but I found it interesting. They had an exhibit on creations from LDS artists, which I quite liked, there was some good stuff there. Anyway, after that, we stopped at the BYU Creamery for some ice creams. Let me tell you, they make some good ice cream! I probably would not have ordered the double scoop if I had anticipated it being quite that big! And so, after all that, we finally went home, and I came to the library right afterward to let you all know that I have not forgotten you!

So, there is my week for you. Again, sorry for sending the E-mail so late in the day, especially when I had asked some of you to expect it some time after 1:00 P.M. That is the time I usually start my E-mails, so again, sorry for the trouble. Speaking of when I send out my E-mails, that could change soon - we got a new bunch of Young Elders last week, and you probably know what that means by now - Transfers are coming next Tuesday. Personally, I don't think a lot of big changes are going to come - I am likely to keep training Elder Stacey, as missionaries usually stay with their trainers for two or more months, and our zone does not often transfer Elders out after only one month of service there. Either way, my P-Day could still change, so be ready for that. Either way, keep checking your E-mails at about 1:30 P.M., as that is the time I will usually send out my General E-mail. Either way, thanks again for the support. I look forward to hearing from you guys again next week. Have a good one!



From,

Elder Bryce Petersen



Challenge: One thing which separates our church from those of other churches is our belief of performing saving ordinances, such as baptism, for those who have passed on. For most of you who receive my E-mail, you are blessed to be within an hour or two's journey of a temple where you can do such a great work, a work which some others sacrifice many years in savings for an opportunity to take part in. If you do not currently hold a temple recommend, I would advise you to do whatever needs to be done to obtain one. If you do hold one, yet do not use it regularly, I would advise you to remember a story, shared by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf. To provide a basic summary of the story, it is about a man who had saved up for many years to go on a cruise. Wishing to spend as little money as possible, he spend the entire cruise in his cabin, living on canned beans and powdered lemonade. It was not until the end of his cruise that he learned that all the extras of the cruise had been included in the price of his ticket. Let us not let our cruises be wasted in our cabins, and let us not only attend the temple as often as our wards plan group trips. If any youth are reading this, please do not assume this is just for Mom and Dad - you are just as free to go in to do baptisms as Mom and Dad are free to attend sessions. So, my challenge to you is to make temple attendance a higher priority - it will bless your dead relatives who have passed on, and it will bless your own lives as well.

End of the beginning

Hey guys!

Well, this E-mail is a big milestone for me. This is because last Wednesday was the thirteenth of September. The reason this is so significant is because, exactly six months ago from that day, I had said goodbye to my family for the last time for two years. So, this means I have officially passed my six-month mark! Of course, there is still a ways to go, but I am excited to see what these next three quarters brings me! For now, however, I plan on going out to eat with the rest of my district tomorrow at Lion House Pantry, so I look forward to that!

However, that milestone was not the only significant happening of that day - we have also had our monthly Young Elders Mission Conference. This one was a bit different though - aside from the typical message from the assistants to the president, and of course the message shared by President Fenn himself, we have also had a message shared by Elder and Sister Healey, the senior couple in charge of inspecting the Young Elders' apartments (specifically the cleanliness thereof) periodically. As I may have mentioned before, they are quite thorough with their inspections - if we have not dusted the apartment, they will notice it. Anyway, their message was about keeping the apartments clean even after these inspections. That is something which, admittedly, I could work on improving. I am not the cleanest of people - my mom can approve of that. I have gotten better on the mission at that, but I still have room for improvement. So, therefore, I have resolved to a goal of keeping the apartment clean, and working on it a bit whenever I have spare time.

Anyway, after their message, President Fenn shared his message with us. His was on the cycle of gaining conversion and power. What this essentially is, is that if we are obedient, study the scriptures, and pray always, then we will gain greater conversion and power. There is a lot more to this part of the lesson, though it was not all shared today - he will share the last part at a later fireside. I actually quite enjoy President Fenn's talks, to the point where I actually look forward to them. His type of delivery is not the type which puts one to sleep. I have already described his speaking style in previous E-mails, but it is enough to say that this talk was no different, in delivery anyway. His messages are also quite deep - it is worth taking a notebook to anything he speaks at. 

This reminds me, he will host a Book of Mormon conference for the mission in the Assembly Hall on Temple Square this Sunday. I believe this is a part of the Book of Mormon classes he had begun last Sunday. These classes are mostly for the Young Elders, as we have been specifically asked to come to these, but the senior missionaries on the mission are also invited. We have had one last week, which covered the entirety of the first book of Nephi. It was a lot to take in in just two hours, but it was still great. I look forward to the conference this Sunday, as it seems to be a much bigger thing!

The choir will actually be singing at that conference as well. The choir has had a lot on it's plate as of recently - we have of course had the Monday Morning Devotional, as well as both sessions of mission conference. Add in the conference, and we are officially having a lot of fun! Sadly, I was not able to make the devotional this week or the first session of Mission Conference - I had an interview with President Fenn which conflicted with choir practice that week, so I felt a bit out of practice for those two performances. However, I was able to catch the second session of mission conference, and I do not plan on mission the Book of Mormon conference or the Monday Morning Devotional this week. Also, I have wanted my companion to consider singing with the choir. He was interested at first, but he then learned about the choir's rigorous schedule - practice every Wednesday, then wake up at 5:000 A.M. every Monday to practice for the devotional. He is still adjusting to missionary life, so we have both decided that it would be better if he took more time to settle in and learn how to better deal with the stress before considering an obligation such as the choir. I do hope he eventually joins, but I understand the situation.

As I have said, the choir did sing at mission conference this month. However, this time, it was not President Fenn and his wife who shared a message, as had happened with every conference President Fenn had been here for. Of course, he was there, presiding over it, but it was the first counselor in the mission presidency, President Hansen, who shared a message along with his wife. They both had shared a bit about their pre-mission lives, and President Hansen had shared a message as well. It was good to be able to attend this conference, despite it not being specifically for the Young Elders - in fact, the only Elders who could attend this meeting were the ones who perform in the choir. I enjoyed the meeting though, and I look forward to the conference next month!

Well, that's my week summarized - a lot of good spiritual experiences. I am doing well, and so is Elder Stacey. He is definitely improving a lot in this mission, which is good. I want him to know that, if he learns nothing else from me, I at least want him to learn how to keep learning, and keep improving. I am not perfect, but I have tried to set as good an example as I can for him, and I am told that I am doing well, so that's good, I guess. Aside from that, there's not a lot on my mind that worries me. I will let you know how Book of Mormon conference goes, as well as my six-month milestone celebration. Catch you all next week!

From,

Elder Bryce Petersen

Challenge: One of the biggest things President Fenn emphasized at the Young Elder Mission Conference earlier this week was the principle of obedience. He shared D&C 130:21, which says that "When we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to the law upon which it is predicated." I do agree with him on that - we can pray to wake up the next morning feeling awake and refreshed all we want, but if we stay awake for hours past curfew, then it will have no effect (see James 2:17). It may seem, at times, that the commandments are a bit strict - I have known missionaries who see the mission rules as such. However, laws of the gospel are not in place to restrict us - they are there to protect us. For example, we are commanded to limit the type of movies we go out to see. It may seem harmless at the time to see movies which promote inappropriate behavior - after all, so long as we do not perform the actions portrayed, then it does not seem that there is any harm, right? Remember the words of Elder Jeffery R. Holland: "The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, so, watch your step." A small violation of the commandment can turn into two, and then more. Eventually, you will find yourself in a place you did not ever want to find yourself. Exact obedience to the commandments is necessary to obtain all the blessings of the restored gospel, and I can testify that if you work harder to obey the commandments of the Lord, you will be able to see his hand more in your life, and he will bless your life for doing such.

A Labor of Love

Hey everyone!

I wonder if I have previously mentioned how quick the weeks seem to be coming past. Looking back, it doesn't seem so long ago since I have sent out my last general E-mail to all of you. Either way, I am enjoying serving out here in the mission field. Elder Stacey is learning a lot out here, and being his trainer, I am learning quite a bit too. I do not wish to be transferred from him any time soon, but if it must happen, then I am alright with that.

I'm sure you are wondering what I had done on Labor Day, as it is considered a holiday. Well, the day was kicked off with a nice breakfast for the Young Elders - scones and bacon. I do enjoy scones, but I have never thought of enjoying them for breakfast until now. Who knows, perhaps I may try it sometime myself, it was delicious! Only problem is the amount of vegetable oil required for such a task... Anyway, after all this, the Young Elders gathered for a movie, the name of which escapes me. After that, we went back to the apartments for lunch. It was there that the district which I am in was asked to help set up dinner at the home of President and Sister Fenn. We were, of course, more than happy to help out! So, we went to the sports activity for about a half an hour, then we left early to help set up dinner. The dinner itself was delicious - nothing quite like slow-cooked barbecue brisket. After this, President Fenn shared a short spiritual thought, and we went back home for bedtime. I quite like breaks like this, it's good to unwind for a day and have a little good, wholesome fun together. However, after that, it was, of course, back to work.

This last Wednesday, I had an opportunity to have my monthly interview with President Fenn. At this interview, we discussed me, and my training Elder Stacey. I was doing well, though there were things which needed improvement. It was good to have a reminder of how important this duty was - he takes training very seriously, and I do not want to let him (or anyone else for that matter) down. We also talked about the new exercise program. I have sometimes felt like there was more I could do for the exercise program, though I was told that I was doing well. So, I have taken this interview to heart, and I hope to use it to become a more effective missionary.

Yesterday was a bit of a Missionary Celebration Day, or something like that. We were invited to come in a little earlier than usual so we could enjoy a free breakfast. It seemed that the entire Data Security zone was there enjoying the food! After that, we returned to find our cubicles decorated with Hawaiian-style decor (this Hawaiian stuff does seem to be a recurring thing, I have noticed). There was even an activity for missionaries to go looking around their floors for Hawaiian words, and deciphering their English counterparts. A little later, there was a light lunch provided for us as well. I don't even think this was exactly a mission thing - I noticed that, instead of missionaries, it was our paid staff leaders helping out with getting everything ready. So, all in all, it is good to be appreciated, and I am grateful for their kindness.

However, the work was more intense that very day - Our district leader, Elder Duran, was sick, so he and his companion had to stay home. And so, the calls started coming, and they did not stop coming. There is usually some room in between calls to work E-mail cases and do other things like that, but there was not so much breathing room this time. In all honesty, it was kind of fun to work like that - tiring, but fun. Anyway, while I was at work, I learned that it was actually Elder Duran's birthday that day. And so, me, my companion, and the other companionship in the district collaborated to have a birthday celebration of some sorts, including a birthday cake and a present we all bought at Deseret Book, a book titled "Precept Upon Precept".

Anyway, that's my week. Thanks again for supporting me in my mission (I hope that doesn't sound a bit redundant by now). Do ask if you have any questions or comments. Have a good week everyone, I look forward to talking to you again next week!



From,

Elder Bryce Petersen



Challenge: In modern revelation, we have been asked to be "anxiously engaged in a good cause" (D&C 58:27). So, what does that mean? At first glance, this passage of scripture seems to suggest that we must always be doing something to further the work of the gospel, which is correct. We are expected to live our lives in a manner which is in harmony with our being members of the restored gospel. However, this scripture does not say that this only applies to gospel-related endeavors. To me, this scripture brings to mind the question, "How are you spending your free time?" We all have free time to some extent or another - if we did not, then we would all burn out pretty quick. Even for the die-hard workaholic, time to cool down is important, so that, if nothing else, he or she may become a more effective worker. However, it is how we spend that free time which is important. We could spend it relaxing, or browsing the web, or watching television. Of course, these things are not necessarily bad, but if that is how we spend all of our free time, then there may be a problem. There are many good and wholesome hobbies out there to take up, such as cooking, writing, exercising, or even volunteering, to name a few. So, my challenge for you is this: ask yourself how you are spending your spare time. If you don't think you will be proud of how you are doing so in ten years, then it may be time to pick up a wholesome hobby of some sort. You may choose which one it is, though there are three criteria: it must be, of course, in harmony with the teachings of the gospel, it must be wholesome and productive, and it must be enjoyable. Then, try and make it part of your routine. If it does not turn out to be as interesting as you had first thought, then choose a different one which meets these criteria. If you can find something wholesome to become anxiously engaged, then you will find that your life becomes that much more rewarding and enjoyable!

New month, new hopes

Hello everyone!

Well, summer has ended officially, it seems. Visitors to Temple Square have been less than they have been in previous weeks, and they are now setting up lights for Christmas there (they have actually been doing this for about a month now, I don't know why I didn't talk about it sooner). The temperature has not yet gotten any cooler - it's still uncomfortable to wear a suit jacket outside... It seems that, for everyone else, vacation is nearing it's end, and it's time to get back to work.

Of course, for the missionaries, we are working just as hard as we always do. I have been trying to set a good example for Elder Stacey, showing him around the mission and getting him used to serving as an ordained servant of the Lord. I have been told I am doing well at that, though I feel some days are better than others - I am still somewhat new to the mission too. He is learning well, though, so I do not worry much about him.

The exercise program is progressing well too. Me and Elder Garfield have had a meeting with some people we have helping us earlier this week in the Ambassador Suite in the JSMB, a truly nice place on the top floor. I feel like everyone sees Elder Garfield as head coordinator of this whole thing though. But, that's alright. I can do without the extra praise. I do wish I knew how to better benefit the program. Morning Exercise has been going well, though. We are keeping things fresh with new activities and sports coming after each of the exercises. We are still having problems getting everyone excited about the whole thing, but I am not sure if we will ever be able to accomplish this in full - after all, it is exercise. We will work hard to accomplish this goal, however, as that is part of the job.

I also did have another opportunity this week to present the Sacrament at an assisted living home. This is the same routine I have done some Sundays in the mission already, though this time was different. This was Elder Stacey's first time doing this, though he had done similar service before, back in his home ward. He was truly touched by this experience, and it kind of reminded me and my first time doing this myself. As I have said, I am still pretty new to the mission. Of course, this was a good experience for me too. I enjoy serving the seniors like that, and I hope to come back again and again.

This whole training thing sort of brings to my mind the whole concept of leadership within the mission. This is mostly because of my own mission trainer, the former Elder McElwain. He had previously served as a District Leader, and then even a Zone Leader for a while (though this mission no longer has any Young Elder Zone Leaders - for now at least). However, it was not until near the end of his mission until he was assigned to train one of the new Young Elders - that was me. I guess that one is not necessarily better than the other, nor is one held in higher esteem than the other. I guess that they just have different responsibilities, and that the Lord knows which assignment is best for which missionary. My only hope on the matter is that I will be able to train Elder Stacey into an effective missionary who can follow the rules, and serve to the best of his abilities.

The mission has announced a couple changes in the rules. Board and card games are no longer allowed - at least on the Sabbath anyways. All Young Elders are now allowed to use language learning software in their free time on P-Day - both me and my companion are quite excited about this, he is doing it right this moment as I write this! There are a couple other minor changes to procedure, of course. This mission has, for a while, been a mission of change. This mission was much different at the beginning of the year, but things are becoming more and more like a regular mission. Elder Garfield has even told me that he thinks we will begin doing some proselyting work. If this does happen, I do hope that I am ready. Either way, I do look forward to what this mission does in the future.

So, that is my week all summed up for you. Let me know if you have any questions about anything, alright? I love you all. Have a good week!



From,

Elder Bryce Petersen



Challenge: I have realized recently that General Conference is coming up soon. I am excited to hear a prophet's voice again, especially since I will be doing so live! It is great that we have prophets today to direct and to guide us. I would advise us all to give more heed to their counsel, for it will help us out in this day and age. So, my challenge is to read and study the messages shared by modern prophets. Catch up on recent conference talks, and study them together as a family. Learn how they can help you in your life, and make a point of applying their teachings. Of course, this can never fully replace scripture study, and the scriptures should also be studied in depth. But, the words of our living prophets are just as important to know. I testify that if you pay more heed to the words of today's prophets, then your lives will be blessed that much more, and you will be able to more fully enjoy the benefits of being a member of the restored church!