[On January 31 2012, I started e-mailing myself thoughts from my day’s scripture study.  I did not do it every day, but 10 to 20 times a month.  At the time I embarked on my detailed study of the Articles of Faith, and the contents of the e-mails until the end of May 2013 were on the first and second article of faith.  The results of that study are published on my blog in the produced Article of Faith slides.

The email below is the first of studying the Doctrine and Covenants for a few months.  I will insert them into blog entries, typically multiple days in one entry covering some subject which I studied over multiple days.  I am going to do limited reformatting of the material; I am posting the forwarded e-mails, which can be read from the bottom up in chronological order.

I have categorized them Journal Entires, but titled them as “Scripture Study” rather than “Topic Study” used in Topical Guide Compendium Entries, although they are related in their purpose.]

05/31/2013 05:58 AM MDT

Scripture Thoughts: D&C 8 and Spiritual Gifts

Is the gift of Aaron something external to Aaron, or is the Lord describing
a gift that Aaron had that others might also possess?  What difference
would it make either way?

Well, perhaps it makes an interesting point that instead of some spiritual
gifts being impersonal, that the Lord knows us, personally; that our unquie
capabilities form something wonderful, yet definable.

And what sort of kinship might Aarron and Oliver feel towards each other in
eternity?  What might their meeting in the next life been like?  Both had
flaws, Aaron the golden calf, and Oliver’s pride. Yet both were remarkable
men.

An interesting set of thoughts

Subject: Scripture Thoughts: D&C 8 and revelation

Sent: May 28, 2013 8:26 AM

D&C 8:2 Yea, behold, I will tell you in your mind and in your heart, by the
Holy Ghost, which shall come upon you and which shall dwell in your heart.

The second phrase here is interesting; It mirrors the mind and heart of the
first. New thing come upon our minds, but the feelings of the Spirit
“dwell” more permanently in our hearts.

“A  person may profit by noticing the first intimation of the spirit of
revelation; for instance, when you feel pure intelligence flowing into you,
it may give you sudden strokes of ideas, so that by noticing it, you may
find it fulfilled the same day or soon; (i.e.) those things that were
presented unto your minds by the Spirit of God, will come to pass; and thus
by learning the Spirit of God and understanding it, you may grow into the
principle of revelation, until you become perfect in Christ Jesus.”

“Flowing into you” is something that happens within our minds.

The next qoute in Teachings of the Presidents of the church illustrates the
heart point.

“I have an old edition of the New Testament in the Latin, Hebrew, German
and Greek languages. … I thank God that I have got this old book; but I
thank him more for the gift of the Holy Ghost. I have got the oldest book
in the world; but I have got the oldest book in my heart, even the gift of
the Holy Ghost. … The Holy Ghost … is within me, and comprehends more than
all the world; and I will associate myself with him.”

It is a permanent thing.

“No man can receive the Holy Ghost without receiving revelations. The Holy
Ghost is a revelator.”