Have you
considered the value of water? Do you
appreciate the clean and fresh water that is readily available in most places
in the United States? I have not always
appreciated the water that is available to me, but I have learned to value
it. My children and their friends often
mention how they miss the water in Alaska and how they long for a glass of it. After spending some hot weeks in San Antonio,
Texas, I came to understand what they mean.
About ten years ago our water
line sprang a leak where it connects to the main city line. I discovered the leak just a day or so before
I flew out to meet my husband in Utah to bring our new truck back to
Alaska. I finally connected with a
contractor, and he arranged to get the water turned off. Meanwhile our daughter was home without
water. She hauled water from the Church
in five gallon jugs and showered at the Church until our Bishop and neighbor
discovered what she was doing. He
invited to stay with his family until we returned home. We made the trip up the Alaska Highway as
quickly as we could do so safely.
As
soon as we arrived, we arranged with our backyard neighbors to connect our hose
from their outside spigot to our outside spigot and run water into our house
that way. This meant that every time we
flushed a toilet or took a shower, they heard water running in their house. I am sure it was not a pleasant experience for
them, but I am grateful for their sharing their water and being able to do so
without increasing their water bill.
The
contractor came to make the repair, but when he began to dig the hole – about
fifteen feet deep – he discovered that the soil was full of water. He stopped digging because the soil kept sloughing
off, making the hole wider and wider and threatening the integrity of our
driveway and the street. We waited a
week or two for the ground to dry enough to be workable; meanwhile, we were
getting our water through a hose. Eventually,
the repair was made, and our water was turned on again. Yes, I know the value of water.
Elder David A. Bednar spoke of the
value of water on February 4, 2007, at a Church Education Fireside (CES) for
young adults held at Brigham Young University (BYU). He began his talk by asking a question: “What is the most valuable substance or
commodity in the world? We might
initially think that gold, oil, or diamonds have the greatest worth. But of all the minerals, metals, gems, and
solvents found on and in the earth, the most valuable is water.
“Life springs from water. Life is sustained by water. Water is the medium required to perform the
various functions associated with all known forms of life. Our physical bodies are approximately
two-thirds water. Whereas a person can
survive for many days or even weeks without food, an individual will usually
die in only three or four days without water.
Most of the world’s great centers of population are situated near
sources of fresh water. Simply stated,
life could not exist without the availability of and access to adequate
supplies of clean water.”
Elder Bednar continued his talk
by discussing the Savior’s use of the term “living water.” The New Testament teaches about an experience
of Jesus Christ and His disciples as they passed through Samaria on their
travels from Judea to Galilee. They
stopped at Jacob’s well located in the city of Sychar. Jesus waited at the well while His disciples
went into the city to buy food. While
Jesus waited, a Samaritan woman came to the well to draw water, and He asked her
for a drink of water.
Since the Jews had no dealings
with the Samaritans, the woman was surprised at Jesus’s request and questioned
Him about it. “Jesus answered and said
unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee,
Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee
living water.
“The woman saith unto him, Sir,
thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water?
…
“Jesus answered and said unto
her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again:
“But whosoever drinketh of the
water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give
him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life” (John
4:7-11, 13-14).
Elder Bednar explained that the
“living water referred to in this episode is a representation of the Lord Jesus
Christ and His gospel. And as water is
necessary to sustain physical life, so the Savior and His doctrines,
principles, and ordinances are essential for eternal life. You and I need His living water daily and in
ample supply to sustain our ongoing spiritual growth and development.
“The scriptures contain the
words of Christ and are a reservoir of living water to which we have ready
access and from which we can drink deeply and long. You and I must look to and come unto Christ,
who is `the fountain of living water’ (Book
of Mormon – Another Testament of Jesus Christ, 1 Nephi 11:25….), by reading
…, studying …, searching …, and feasting … upon the words of Christ as
contained in the holy scriptures. By so
doing, we can receive both spiritual direction and protection during our mortal
journey….”
Elder Bednar explained that we
can access the “living water” in the scriptures, and he reviewed “three basic
ways or methods of obtaining living water from the scriptural reservoir: (1) reading
the scriptures from beginning to end, (2) studying the scriptures by topic, and (3)
searching the scriptures for
connections, patterns, and themes. Each
of these approaches can help satisfy our spiritual thirst if we invite the companionship
and assistance of the Holy Ghost as we read, study, and search.
After further explanation of how
to use the three methods, Elder Bednar said, “Each of these approaches –
reading from beginning to end, studying by topic, and searching for connections,
patterns, and themes – is edifying, is instructive, and provides an
intermittent portion of the Savior’s living water. I believe, however, that the regular use of
all three methods produces a more constant flow of living water and is in large
measure what it means to hold fast to the rod of iron.
“Through normal activity each
day, you and I lose a substantial amount of the water that constitutes so much
of our physical bodies. Thirst is a
demand by the cells of the body for water, and the water in our bodies must be
replenished daily. It frankly does not
make sense to occasionally `fill up’ with water, with long periods of
dehydration in between. The same thing
is true spiritually. Spiritual thirst is
a need for living water. A constant flow
of living water is far superior to sporadic sipping.
“Are you and I daily reading,
studying, and searching the scriptures in a way that enables us to hold fast to
the rod of iron – or are you and I merely clinging [to the iron rod]? Are you and I pressing forward toward the
fountain of living waters – relying upon the word of God? These are important questions for each of us
to ponder prayerfully?”
Nephi, an ancient American
prophet, encouraged his people to “feast upon the word of God” in order to learn
the things that they should do (Book of
Mormon – Another Testament of Jesus Christ, 2 Nephi 32:3). A “feast” is more than a peanut butter and
jelly sandwich. We usually consider our
Thanksgiving Day dinner to be a feast.
Banquets are usually considered to be feasts. A feast is a meal that usually contains a lot
of different rich and special foods. A
feast is usually a joyous time of celebration and delight. I think we should all frequently ask
ourselves: Do I study the scriptures with joy and delight? Do I “feast” on the scriptures or do I simply
“snack” or “nibble” on them?
A couple of years ago I had an
interesting experience with the scriptures in three different ways. I listened
to the Book of Mormon as I jogged
each morning. I read a chapter in a Book of
Mormon for one grandchild. I marked words and phrases and wrote principles in a Book of Mormon for another
grandchild. I learned that I did not
concentrate too well while listening, but I gained a little more by reading and
much more by concentrating on what I wanted my grandchild to gain from the
scriptures.
I am grateful for the
opportunity to have the scriptures in my home and for the ability to read
them. I am grateful for the knowledge
and testimony I gain from the scriptures.
I know that the scriptures are living water for our souls, and I
encourage you to drink from the living waters daily.
