The Gift to Ponder
Moroni 10:3
3 Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts.
Elder Marvin J. Ashton said:
“As I study the scriptures, I am challenged and moved by the word ponder used so frequently in the Book of Mormon. Dictionaries say that ponder means to weigh mentally, think deeply about, deliberate, meditate.
“When Jesus Christ came to teach the Nephites, He said, ‘Therefore, go ye unto your homes, and ponder upon the things which I have said, and ask of the Father, in my name, that ye may understand, and prepare your minds for the morrow, and I come unto you again’ (3 Nephi 17:3).
“Moroni used this term as he closed his record. ‘Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, . . . ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, . . . and ponder it in your hearts’ (Moroni 10:3).
“By pondering, we give the Spirit an opportunity to impress and direct. Pondering is a powerful link between the heart and the mind. As we read the scriptures, our hearts and minds are touched. If we use the gift to ponder, we can take these eternal truths and realize how we can incorporate them into our daily actions.
“Today, millions, at President Benson’s encouragement, are reading the Book of Mormon, some for the first time, others as a regular habit. We must remind all that the fruits of this great book are the most beneficial when we ponder as we read.
“Pondering is a progressive mental pursuit. It is a great gift to those who have learned to use it. We find understanding, insight, and practical application if we will use the gift of pondering.”
(“There Are Many Gifts,” Ensign, Nov. 1987, 20.)
