Kristi's Thoughts

I have given serious thought to your “epistle”. I want you to know that I truly appreciate your challenge to read this book. I have thoroughly benefitted from reading it to this point. I have found it to be extremely thought provoking and that is exactly the kind of book I enjoy.

I don’t know what kinds of responses you would like from us but I did have one thought as I read your first reflection. We often think of the word love as meaning “to feel desire or strong affection for somebody or something”. I wonder if it is sometimes helpful, when thinking of having a love for the scriptures for example, to expand the meaning of the word a little bit. I believe another definition of the word is “to need or require or to benefit greatly from”. Perhaps it’s all the same but using this definition of the word love, if I want to develop a love of the scriptures I must search for the benefit in my life so that I will be able to feel the need every single day. I guess my point is that if we look for the places in our lives where the “holy” things are necessary and required and beneficial for our growth and happiness (“… men are that they might have joy”) then we will not be able to contain the affection we feel for such holy things.

To most of us it is no secret that the things that are holy are required in our lives and will be beneficial. The question is, do we actively seek to find a place for them in our lives? They ARE required for our progression, they ARE necessary for our happiness and they WILL benefit us in more ways than our mortal minds can imagine. But, I ask again do we search to find a place for them? The answer is the difference between having a testimony and being converted. The change of heart that comes when we are ready to be wholly committed.

Maybe I’m way off base. But that’s how I feel. That’s my response to your epistle.

That sounds like I think I’m perfect at all of it. I’m not perfect at any of it. I have just been thinking about it this week.

I love you too,