"...Ye have been nourished by the good word of God all the day long..." Jacob 6:7

I love good food. It doesn't have to be expensive, but I do like good food. One of my favorites is butternut squash soup with a little bit of Gorgonzola cheese in it. Or pumpkin curry soup, hot bread out of the oven, I grind the wheat and everything. I love fresh mozzarella with tomatoes and fresh basil and balsamic vinegar and olive oil drizzled over it. My mouth is watering just picturing all this yummy soul food. Home made macaroni and cheese with bacon or sausage in it, so cheesy and good. It is nourishing to me and comforts and lifts my spirits.

Nourishing to the soul. Food can be that way, filling and nourishing. I love it when it is cooked just right, and boy can it be a bummer when it isn't. This week I got a thawed out chicken breast sandwich, which was way too expensive and a  hair in it to boot. I was bummed. The waiter/owner didn't even apologize. Guess that's the breaks when I don't make my own food or go somewhere I know is a really good place.

There is a guaranteed place to get "good nourishment" every time you enter. It is the scriptures, you will be "nourished by the good word of God all the day long" (Jacob 6:7) if you choose to partake. Sometimes, we have a feast before us, and then we don't chew or swallow, but spit it right back out as if there is a hair in it. We don't really partake. The scriptures really do have that kind of power- to nourish you all day long. How? Because when we "feast upon the words of Christ" (see 2 Nephi 31:20) something happens to us. We are changed. We are fed in a way that man cannot feed us. The words of Christ are able to actually heal and strengthen us, both physically and spiritually.

In the most recent General Conference (you can view all addresses here) Elder Richard G. Scott, an apostle of the Lord, (just think of that alone, an apostle of the Lord,) testified of the power in pondering scriptures:

"Pondering  a passage of scripture can be a key to unlock revelation and the guidance and inspiration of the Holy Ghost. Scriptures can calm an agitated soul, giving peace, hope, and a restoration of confidence in one's ability to overcome the challenges of life. They have potent power to heal emotional challenges when there is faith in the Savior. They can accelerate physical healing." 

The Power of Scripture

We get to choose whether or not we want to allow this power that is there for us to partake, lift, and heal us both physically and spiritually or just rot on the shelf. We decide what we think about. In The Guide to the Scriptures we are taught that "the power to think is a gift from God, and we are free to choose how we use our power to think. The way we think greatly affects attitudes and behavior, as well as our standing after this life. Righteous thoughts lead to salvation; wicked thoughts lead to damnation."

Remember: "To be carnally-minded is death (that is spiritual death), and to be Spiritually-Minded Is Life Eternal" (that's S.M.I.L.E.) (2 Nephi 9:39). Choose to be spiritually minded every day~ smile! Have eternal life (A Christ like life) every day by being spiritually minded. It is our choice! And one of the easiest ways to help us direct our thoughts and "feed our minds" is to read the scriptures daily. "Let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly, then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God" (D&C 121:45).

In my own life I have felt and experienced this nourishing and healing power as I have studied the scriptures. There is a calming influence that has come into my life as I have chosen to "receive the pleasing word of God, and [I] feast upon His love; for ye may if your minds are firm forever" (Jacob 3:2). Not only can we feast upon His word, but we can feast upon His love. Come and be changed...be nourished by the good word of God and feel His love! This I testify will never fail you, but will heal you and strengthen you and is food and nourishment for the soul. And it tastes better than anything I've ever eaten!