Elder Perrin - 14 January 2009

Well here's my take on the scriptures. It's not about the number of times you read them, and it's not about the amount of time put in them. It's very simple. Nephi says the scriptures are for our profit and learning, and our benefit. So, in my opinion it's not about reading the entire book, although that is just fine. And it's not about listening to it in the car on the way to work. It's about what you take from them. So at the end of whatever study session you do, if you can't answer the question, "What did I take from this?" In my opinion, you have just wasted your time. The whole reason it's better to read than to listen is so that you can write your thoughts that come into your mind on something, or mark a scripture you like and look deeper into the subject. Or sometimes it's just reading something and sitting there thinking about it for like 10 minutes. But if your doing a comparison to if it counts as reading the Book of Mormon, or is it the same? Well that depends. In most cases yes it is the same, because most of us sadly just read the Book of Mormon passively as if it were a story, so listening to it in the car is no different. I hate it when I hear that, "How many times have you read the Book of Mormon?" Who cares? That's not the point. That's all my opinion. Check with bishop on that one. See what he says I guess.

Well thanks for the letter. One question. What in the world is a Jewelry Party?? I have never heard of this. Is it where you all get together and just wear jewelry and see who looks the prettiest, and drink some tea and talk for ten hours. Or do you make jewelry or something at someones house, like get all the stuff together and make little bracelets and stuff. What in the world is a jewelry party??? So why is charlie sick all the time??? Is he eating healthy food and exercising??? It seems like he has been sick a lot lately, I don't know, I feel bad for him.

Well things are the same here. We're getting closer to a baptism, but not quite there yet, I'll let you know if anything happens. As far as weather goes, well it's about o degrees, and on the bike, I don't know how cold that it. If it's like this next year when I come home, Utah will be a vacation. A car, heating, in buildings all day, plus it never gets below like 20 degrees there. Vacation, I think golf would be fun.

Things are good. Love you all