Ponderize!

During the Sunday Afternoon Session of General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints today, Devin G. Durrant issued a very specific challenge. Interestingly, the challenge is very similar to something I've found myself doing lately already. The challenge is to ponderize scripture. 

To ponderize is to take a verse (or selection of verses) of scripture and to ponder/memorize it for a week. 

I can testify to the benefit of doing this. I have always been a proponent of memorizing scripture. I can't possibly list every instance in which memorized scriptures coming to mind has guided and comforted me. But lately I've come to understand the blessing of really studying and pondering one verse in detail.

One day I came across a verse in my reading that struck me with great force. Mostly it's because I realized that I am not what this verse says I should be. But I knew, in reading it again and again, that I would be so much happier if I could change and I want to be the kind of person this verse describes. So for a period of time, I went to that verse again and again, day after day to read and reread, look words up in the dictionary for greater understanding, and cross reference... and to ponder. I have done a lot of pondering on this one verse and on who I am and who I want to be. Thus a verse that chastised me at first (though that's not how it's written) has become a favorite, trusted friend.

So it is with great enthusiasm that I am going to choose a new scripture tonight to print, post on my fridge, and ponderize this week.