My family, perhaps like many of yours, has tried for many years to make regular scripture study an important daily practice in our home.
As a mom, when I think of what I want family scripture study to look like, this is basically what comes to mind: Everyone fully awake, smiling, with scriptures in hand, and fully engaged in the conversation.
Unfortunately, in our family, scripture study usually looks a lot more like this: Everyone in pajamas, at least a couple of people asleep, while others are rolling around on the floor with no scriptures in sight.
But even though you can’t visually see it in this picture, something magical has taken place through the regular practice of dragging ourselves out of bed early in the morning and opening our scriptures. And through much patient effort, and a good number of impatient mom-lectures, we have created a pattern in our family that, while not perfect, has brought significant blessings into our lives.
For me, one of those blessings has been to recognize patterns within the scriptures. As we have read, I have found the same principles taught over and over, from Adam right down to the present day. And these patterns have helped me to recognize the beautiful simplicity of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
So, if you’ll indulge me for a few minutes, I’d like to invite you to come along with me on a brief BYU-Idaho family scripture study session as we identify and discuss one of these scriptural patterns. Please try to stay awake, and pretty please, no rolling around on the floor!
First, let’s find the pattern in the scriptures.
Starting at the beginning, we read in the book of Moses about God teaching Adam the gospel: “And he called upon our father Adam by his own voice, saying: … If thou wilt turn unto me, and hearken unto my voice, and believe, and repent of all thy transgressions, and be baptized, even in water, in the name of mine Only Begotten Son, who is full of grace and truth, which is Jesus Christ, the only name which shall be given under heaven, whereby salvation shall come unto the children of men, ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, asking all things in his name, and whatsoever ye shall ask, it shall be given you. … Therefore I give unto you a commandment, to teach these things freely unto your children.” [1]
What are the principles that we recognize in this scripture? Adam was taught the importance of “Faith in Christ,” “Repentance,” “Baptism,” and “the gift of the Holy Ghost.” Does this list sound familiar? Many of us probably memorized this list as children as we learned the 4th Article of Faith, [2] which refers to these four things as the first principles and ordinances of the gospel.
Adam was also taught that Jesus Christ is the only way to receive salvation. And he was commanded to teach these things to his children. And that commandment is still in force. We must learn these principles, and we must teach them to our children!
All through the Old Testament, our favorite stories about the prophets illustrate these principles over and over:
- Through faith, Moses led the children of Israel out of Egypt [3] and Daniel was protected from the lions. [4]
- The Israelites learned the importance of repentance, or turning to the Lord, after being bitten by the fiery serpents. [5]
- The lives of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob teach the incredible power of making and keeping covenants with the Lord. [6]
- And Elijah learned that the Holy Ghost is usually experienced not as a great wind, an earthquake, or a fire, but as a still, small voice that brings peace into our hearts. [7]
In the New Testament, we find John the Baptist preparing the people to receive Jesus Christ by teaching these same principles: “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire.” [8]
And then Christ came, and He taught these truths clearly and with power to all who had eyes to see and ears to hear:
- He taught his disciples about faith as he calmed the sea, [9] invited Peter to walk to Him on the water, [10] and identified the many who came to Him with the faith to be healed. [11]
- He taught repentance as he shared the parables of the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the prodigal son. [12]
- He demonstrated the importance of ordinances by being baptized even though He was without sin, [13] and He taught the pharisees through word and deed that to truly be part of God’s covenant people, we must put Him first in our lives. [14]
- Finally, he promised His disciples that when he was gone, they would not be left alone. Instead, he would send the Comforter, the Holy Ghost, who would guide and support them in their ongoing work. [15]
We find these same truths taught powerfully in the Book of Mormon by each prophet. Today we’ll look at one of my favorite examples:
As Nephi was wrapping up his record to pass on to his children, he shared his testimony, a simple summation of all the truths he had come to know in his life, or in other words, his testimony of the doctrine of Christ. This is in 2 Nephi 31. It’s so powerful, you really need to read the whole chapter, but for our brief study session together today, I’ll just share a few verses:
“Wherefore, do the things which I have told you I have seen that your Lord and your Redeemer should do; for, for this cause have they been shown unto me, that ye might know the gate by which ye should enter. For the gate by which ye should enter is repentance and baptism by water; and then cometh a remission of your sins by fire and by the Holy Ghost. …
“And now, my beloved brethren, after ye have gotten into this straight path, I would ask if all is done? Behold I say unto you, Nay; for ye have not come thus far save it were by the word of Christ with unshaken faith in him, relying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to save. …
“Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.
“And now my beloved brethren, this is the way; and there is none other way nor name given under heaven whereby man can be saved in the kingdom of God. And now, this is the doctrine of Christ.” [16]
What a powerful testimony! This is the way! Unshaken faith in Christ, repentance, baptism, and the Holy Ghost are the path back to Him. And if we stay on that path by enduring to the end, we will receive the promised blessing: eternal life in the kingdom of God.
Christ taught the same truths over and over to the Prophet Joseph Smith in the Doctrine and Covenants. There are too many instances to choose from here, and each has helped me to gain new insights into these principles, but I will just share one today, from Doctrine and Covenants 19:31–32: “And of tenets thou shalt not talk, but thou shalt declare repentance and faith on the Savior, and remission of sins by baptism, and by fire, yea, even the Holy Ghost. Behold this is the great and the last commandment which I shall give unto you concerning this matter; for this shall suffice for thy daily walk, even unto the end of thy life.” [17]
The footnote for the word “tenets” in this verse brings us to a verse in 2 Timothy that describes them as foolish and unlearned questions. [18] I feel like these verses are warning us not to look beyond the mark. The gospel is simple, and there’s no need to complicate it.
And this brings us full circle, back to what God taught Adam. If we’re not learning about, practicing, and teaching our children about faith in Jesus Christ, repentance, making and keeping covenants, and leaning on the power of the Holy Ghost, we’re missing the point. These principles should guide our daily walk through this life.
So, we’ve opened the scriptures together. We’ve identified the pattern and the principles. Now it’s time for the most important part of our study session: the personal application.
What can we learn from this pattern we’ve found? And how do we apply these principles in our lives? These questions are personal. And I hope that the Holy Ghost is teaching you what you need to hear right now. I will share two important lessons that I have learned through this scriptural pattern.
Lesson #1: I have learned that all prophets, all of God’s chosen messengers, teach the same thing. God taught it to Adam, Adam taught it to his children, and all prophets since have continued to teach it. What do they teach? The gospel—these basic principles we’ve been learning about. And their lives and actions demonstrate how to live them. If we are listening to any voices, teachers, or influencers whose messages are not aligned with the principles of faith, repentance, covenants, and the Holy Ghost, we’re listening to the wrong voices.
I want to pause here, because it is of such great importance. It is absolutely critical that you seek truth in your life and that you learn where to find it. And I promise, with my mother heart, as if each one of you were my precious child, that you will never go wrong when you listen to a prophet of God and align your life with the principles he teaches.
Lesson #2: I have learned that it’s more instructive to think of these principles as a cycle rather than a list. Let me demonstrate. In the past, I might have asked myself, “Do I have faith?” Check. “Have I repented?” Check! “Was I baptized?” Yep, I remember that day. “Did I receive the gift of the Holy Ghost?” Yes! “Am I enduring to the end?” Um … I guess?
This representation is limited in that it implies that each of these items is a one-time thing—something to do once, then check off the list. This doesn’t feel quite right.
I propose, then, a new approach. One that demonstrates the principles of the gospel as a cycle instead.
In this view, we see that as we develop faith in Jesus Christ, it naturally leads us to the desire to repent, which in turn prepares us to receive ordinances (like baptism) and to make covenants with our Father in Heaven. And as we strive to keep these covenants, we naturally turn to the Holy Ghost for guidance, strength, and comfort. And experiencing the influence of the Holy Ghost in our lives always helps to increase our faith.
We can see that Jesus Christ fits naturally at the center of this cycle, as He belongs at the center of our lives. We have faith in Him. We repent by turning to Him. We make covenants with Him, and the Holy Ghost brings us messages from Him.
And what of enduring to the end? Well, this is a circle; it has no beginning and no end. I believe that stepping onto the covenant path, and staying on it, is what enduring to the end is all about. If we keep doing faith, repentance, covenants, and the influence of the Spirit each day of our lives, aren’t we “enduring” in the best possible way?
With this new view in mind, let’s spend our last few moments together talking just a bit more about each part of this cycle.
Faith
First, faith. Elder David A. Bednar taught an important principle about faith during April’s general conference. Discussing Joseph Smith’s First Vision, he said: “Please note that Joseph did not pray merely to know what was right. Rather, he prayed to know what was right so he could do what was right. Joseph asked in faith and was determined to act in accordance with the answers he received.” [19]
As we learn that faith requires action, it makes sense that faith is often listed as the first step in the gospel pattern. Faith leads us to ask for direction, and faith gives us the courage to follow the counsel we receive. It is a prerequisite to repentance because it is faith in Jesus Christ’s atonement that empowers our efforts to change.
Repentance
Of repentance, Sister Kristin M. Yee taught, “To truly repent and change, we must first be ‘convinced of our sins.’ A person does not see the need to take medicine unless they understand that they are ill. There may be times we may not be willing to look inside ourselves and see that which really needs healing and repair.
“In C. S. Lewis’s writings, Aslan poses these words to a man who has entangled himself in his own devices: ‘Oh [humankind], how cleverly you defend yourselves [from] all that might do you good!’
“Where might you and I be defending ourselves from those things that might do us good?” [20]
This question from Sister Yee reminded me of a lesson learned from my daughter. When she was small, Paige used to hate Band-Aids. Some kids run to their moms for a Band-Aid for every little owie, but Paige never wanted one. To her, needing a Band-Aid meant that she was really hurt. As long as I didn’t offer her one, she would bravely handle all the scrapes and cuts that came her way. But the minute I insisted that she needed a Band-Aid, she would get upset and, I believe, actually feel more physical pain.
Are we like this when we have need of the spiritual Band-Aid of daily repentance? Do we avoid repentance as much as possible, thinking that surely this little thing in our lives is not big enough to require repentance? Instead, let us become like the little child who quickly runs to our Father every time we have a tiny bump or bruise. Let us come to Him each night and morning and ask for His healing balm to bind up our wounds. Making repentance a daily practice will prepare us to receive ordinances and to make and keep covenants with our Savior.
Baptism and Covenants
In my current calling, I have the privilege every month of watching a group of children make baptismal covenants. For those of you who have been baptized, take a moment to remember your own baptism day. Do you remember how you felt? Now, think about today. Are you still striving to keep the covenants you made on that special day? As Alma asked, “Can ye feel so now?” [21]
As important as your baptism day was, it’s the ways in which you attempt to honor and live your baptismal covenants each day that really matter.
So it is with all covenants. This summer is an eventful one for my family—we have a son, a daughter, and a lovely niece all getting married. As these beautiful young women have made temple covenants for themselves, and as they prepare to be sealed to these good young men, I have thought a lot about covenants. Again, it’s less about the single day that these covenants are made, and so much more about the way they are kept, the way they are honored and lived each day. Are our temple covenants changing who we are? Are they keeping us firmly rooted on God’s path? Are they helping us to progress toward our divine potential?
The most important insight I could share about covenants is that they are a way of life, not singular events to be checked off a list. We can make each day as special and important as the day we received our ordinances as we draw upon faith to act in love toward God and His children. And we have the privilege each Sabbath day to partake of the sacrament in renewal of all the covenants we’ve made. Each time we do so, we witness that we are still willing, that we are still trying, and that we still remember our Savior and the promises we have made to Him.
The Gift of the Holy Ghost
Finally, the Holy Ghost is our personal guide throughout this whole process. Sometimes I come away from Church meetings uplifted and inspired, but uncertain exactly how to apply the principles I’ve learned in my own daily walk. This is where the influence of the Holy Ghost can change everything. First, He testifies of the truthfulness of what we learned. And then, He helps us to know how to apply it. Each day, He will whisper to us who we can help, what we can do to keep our covenants, where we should be spending our time, how we can change, and most importantly, why it all matters. But remember, He whispers. If we let other voices drown His out, we may not hear these critical messages.
As we listen to Him, and as we continue our efforts, one day at a time, one choice at a time, with Christ always at the center, we endure—in the best possible way—to the end.
Thank you for spending a few minutes with me today in the scriptures. I wish this had been a discussion where I could have heard each of you share your thoughts, insights, and questions. Since that wasn’t possible, I invite you to share what the Spirit has taught you today with someone else. Let’s spread the word about the simplicity and the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
I also invite you to make regular gospel study a pattern in your own life. I testify that in the scriptures and the words of living prophets, you will find truth that will help you on your daily walk back to Him. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Notes
[1] Moses 6:51–52, 58; emphasis added.
[2] Articles of Faith 1:4.
[3] Exodus 7–14.
[4] Daniel 6.
[5] Numbers 21:6–9.
[6] Genesis 11–35.
[7] 1 Kings 19:11–12.
[8] Matthew 3:11; emphasis added.
[9] See Mark 4:39-40.
[10] See Matthew 14:28–31.
[11] See Matthew 8:5–10; Matthew 9:2, 20–22, 27–29.
[12] See Luke 15.
[13] See Matthew 3:13–15.
[14] See Luke 3:8-11; John 8:39–42; Luke 16:19–31.
[15] See John 16:7, 13–14.
[16] 2 Nephi 31:17, 19–21; emphasis added.
[17] Doctrine and Covenants 19:31–32; emphasis added.
[18] 2 Timothy 2:23.
[19] David A. Bednar, “The Times of Restitution of All Things,” Ensign, May 2025.
[20] Kristin M. Yee, “The Joy of Our Redemption,” Ensign, October 2024.
[21] Alma 5:26.
About Alicia Willis
Alicia received her Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from BYU-Idaho in 2004 and her Master of Accountancy from Idaho State University in 2016. She began working at BYU-Idaho in November 2012. She has worked in various roles in Accounting Services and Financial Services. She currently serves as the Workday Governance Officer.
Alicia married her sweetheart, Steven Willis, in 2000. They have five children—four sons and one daughter. Alicia believes in lifelong learning. She loves to read, and her favorite way to start a conversation with her kids is by talking about interesting books and articles that she has recently read. She loves to celebrate holidays and gather friends and family in her home for just about any occasion.
Alicia has served in many Primary, Young Women, and Relief Society callings and currently serves as a counselor in her Stake Primary Presidency.