While I was thinking on what goals I should set for this year, I was impressed by these quotes from Elder Quentin L. Cook's last conference talk. He said that:
"Immersion in the scriptures is essential for spiritual nourishment. The word of God inspires commitment and acts as a healing balm for hurt feelings, anger, or disillusionment."
He also included this quote from the poet William Wordsworth:
“Feed [your mind] with lofty thoughts, that neither evil tongues, rash judgements, nor the sneers of selfish men … shall e’er prevail … or disturb [your] cheerful faith” (William Wordsworth “Lines Composed a Few Miles above Tintern Abbey,”).
Inspired by both of these statements, I decided it would be good to spend more time reading good books this year. I love cheap detective stories as much as the next person. But it's probably not good to read only those. So I went out a few weeks later, and bought "A Treasury of Poems", and "The Complete Plays of Shakespeare". I also went out to iTunes and purchased a couple of classical albums - "100 Must-Have Classical Songs" and "The Best of the King's Singers" (who I've been a fan of for a long time). So I've been spending time reading poetry and listening to uplifting music.
At the same time, I checked out and read David McCullough's biography of "Truman" (which since it is nearly a thousand pages long I consider a major accomplishment). I also finished reading the Doctrine and Covenants, "Daughters in My Kingdom", and am in the process of working through the "Discourses of the Prophet Joseph Smith".
Even with all this uplifting literature, it doesn't necessarily mean I've given up my love for cheap detective stories - I've read a few of those too. And this week I finished another book called "The Book Thief". I guess I've got to mix it up at least a little bit. I wouldn't want to get too lofty.
"Immersion in the scriptures is essential for spiritual nourishment. The word of God inspires commitment and acts as a healing balm for hurt feelings, anger, or disillusionment."
He also included this quote from the poet William Wordsworth:
“Feed [your mind] with lofty thoughts, that neither evil tongues, rash judgements, nor the sneers of selfish men … shall e’er prevail … or disturb [your] cheerful faith” (William Wordsworth “Lines Composed a Few Miles above Tintern Abbey,”).
Inspired by both of these statements, I decided it would be good to spend more time reading good books this year. I love cheap detective stories as much as the next person. But it's probably not good to read only those. So I went out a few weeks later, and bought "A Treasury of Poems", and "The Complete Plays of Shakespeare". I also went out to iTunes and purchased a couple of classical albums - "100 Must-Have Classical Songs" and "The Best of the King's Singers" (who I've been a fan of for a long time). So I've been spending time reading poetry and listening to uplifting music.
At the same time, I checked out and read David McCullough's biography of "Truman" (which since it is nearly a thousand pages long I consider a major accomplishment). I also finished reading the Doctrine and Covenants, "Daughters in My Kingdom", and am in the process of working through the "Discourses of the Prophet Joseph Smith".
Even with all this uplifting literature, it doesn't necessarily mean I've given up my love for cheap detective stories - I've read a few of those too. And this week I finished another book called "The Book Thief". I guess I've got to mix it up at least a little bit. I wouldn't want to get too lofty.
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