January 27-February 2 Read: 1 Nephi 14 -1 Nephi 18

This weeks reading is as follows:

Sunday: 1 Nephi 14
-What are stumbling blocks?
-Read Ether 12:27 Mark and memorize

Monday: 1 Nephi 15

Tuesday: 1 Nephi 16:1-20

Wednesday: 1 Nephi 16:20-39
-Do we ever murmur when things aren’t going right?
-We must remind ourselves not to murmur!

Thursday: 1 Nephi 17:1 – 29
-1 Nephi 17:3 cross reference to 1 Nephi 3:7 re-read them together

Friday: 1 Nephi 17:30 – 55
-1 Ne. 17:45 What does it mean to be past feeling?
-Have you ever felt like that?
-Laman and Lemuel heard the word of the Lord but did not feel the spirit.

-What can we do to feel the spirit more in our lives?

Saturday: 1 Nephi 18

Weekly Reading Ideas:

-Make paper boats when you read about building the boat. What would you take with you?

Something to Think About:

-The Liahona worked according to their faith. We can also receive revelation according to our faith.

Thank you for all of your comments last week. Lets see if we can encourage others to comment.

January 20-26: 1 Nephi 6 – 1 Nephi 13

This weeks reading is as follows:

Sunday: 1 Nephi 6 & 7

Monday: 1 Nephi 8

Tuesday: 1 Nephi 9

Wednesday: 1 Nephi 10

Thursday: 1 Nephi 11

Friday: 1 Nephi 12

Saturday: 1 Nephi 13

Weekly Reading Ideas:

• Remember to notice this dream represents your life on earth. As you read list those things Lehi saw.
• Sing Hold to the Rod Hymns # 274
  

Weekly Triva Questions:

• What war in American history might refer to this?
• How can you hold to the rod?

Thank you for all of your great comments last week.

January 13-19: Title Page - 1 Nephi 5

This weeks reading is as follows:

Sunday: Title Page, Testimony of Witnesses

• Underline the reasons the Book of Mormon was written and reserved for our day.
• How many witnesses saw the plates handled?
• Why are witnesses required? 2 Cor. 13:1

Monday: Explanation of Testimony of Joseph Smith

Tuesday: 1 Nephi 1

Wednesday: 1 Nephi 2

Thursday: 1 Nephi 3

• Mark 1 Ne. 3:7 and memorize

Friday: 1 Nephi 4

Saturday: 1 Nephi 5

Weekly Reading Ideas:

• Ideas to help with reading to small children: Pitch a tent to read about Lehi and his family wandering in the wilderness. Sing: We’ll Bring the World his Truth Children’s Songbook p. 172, Nephi’s Courage Children’s Songbook p.120

Weekly Triva Questions:

• Why were the brass plates so important?

Please share with the ward your thoughts and feelings about this weeks reading assignment. We would love to hear what you have learned and/or reflected upon.

Bishop Williams

Welcome to the Waterloo Ward Blog

Welcome to the Waterloo Ward Blog. This year the ward council has spent a considerable amount of time deciding the ward focus for 2008. We have prayerfully decided that the focus of our ward should be on every family within our ward reading the Book of Mormon together as a family. The goal being that each family complete the Book of Mormon by September 6, 2008. On September 6th we will have an unforgettable ward activity. Fifty years from now our children will remember this activity! Please put this date on your calendars.

With our focus on the Book of Mormon, our Ward Theme is “Experiment on the Word”. The scripture for which our theme is based is found in Alma 32:27 which reads:

But behold, if ye will awake and arouse your faculties, even to an experiment upon my words, and exercise a particle of faith, yea, even if ye can no more than adesire to believe, let this desire work in you, even until ye believe in a manner that ye can give place for a portion of my words.

We hope that as a ward we can read the Book of Mormon together as families and as a ward family. With that in mind each family will be given a reading schedule, and a reading chart, that will help each of us monitor our progress. If you have not received one please contact a member of the ward council as soon as possible.

That brings me to the purpose of this blog. The purpose of this blog is to allow us the opportunity to share with others our reflections of our weekly reading assignments. Sharing with one another how we are experimenting on the words of the Book of Mormon and applying them to our daily lives. It is our hope that we will be able to grow together and strengthen our testimonies together as a ward family. It is my hope that you will share with us your thoughts and feelings as you read the Book of Mormon this year.

In closing this first post let me share with you two wonderful quotes by President Marion G. Romney and President Gordon B. Hinckley

President Marion G. Romney:

“I feel certain that if, in our homes, parents will read from the Book of Mormon prayerfully and regularly, both by themselves and with their children, the spirit of that great book will come to permeate our homes and all who dwell therein. The spirit of reverence will increase; mutual respect and consideration for each other will grow. The spirit of contention will depart. Parents will counsel their children in greater love and wisdom. Children will be more responsive and submissive to the counsel of their parents. Righteousness will increase. Faith, hope, and charity—the pure love of Christ—will abound in our homes and lives, bringing in their wake peace, joy, and happiness” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1980, 90; or Ensign, May 1980, 67).

President Hinckley:

Without reservation I promise you that if each of you will observe this simple program, regardless of how many times you previously may have read the Book of Mormon, there will come into your lives and into your homes an added measure of the Spirit of the Lord, a strengthened resolution to walk in obedience to His commandments, and a stronger testimony of the living reality of the Son of God.

May we all be blessed this year Experimenting on the Word.

Bishop Williams