Day 40

Scripture Study: Moroni 1-10    Scripture Mark & Ponder:        Moroni 10:4

Scripture thought for the day: “…for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.”            (Matthew 17:20)                                  Thought for the day: “Ideals are like stars; you will not succeed in touching them with your hands, but like the seafaring man on the desert of waters, you choose them as your guide, and following them, you reach your destiny.” (Carl Schurz)

Day 39

Scripture Study: Ether 11-15    Scripture Mark & Ponder:        Moroni 8:12

Scripture thought for the day: “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” (James 5:16)                       Thought for the day: “The high-minded man must care more for the truth than for what people think.” (Aristotle)

Day 38

Scripture Study: Ether 4-10                           Scripture Mark & Ponder:        Moroni 7:16-17                            

Scripture thought for the day: “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering...” (James 1:5-6) Thought for the day: “Success is not never falling down, but rising every time you fall”

Day 37

Scripture Study: Mormon 9,        Ether 1-3                                 Scripture Mark & Ponder:           Ether 12:41

Scripture thought for the day: “…I would show unto the world that faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith.” (Ether 12:6)                              Thought for the day: “Are you full of FAITH? You can tell whether I am or not by looking at me. You can tell whether the brethren who have been speaking to you are full of FAITH in the gospel by the look of their countenances. You can see this if there is not a word spoken.”  (Brigham Young)

Day 36

Scripture Study: 4 Nephi,       Mormon 1-8                            Scripture Mark & Ponder:           Ether 12:27

Scripture thought for the day: “He that is ordained of God and sent forth, the same is appointed to be the greatest, notwithstanding he is the least and the servant of all. Wherefore, he is possessor of all things; for all things are subject unto him, both in heaven and on the earth, the life and the light, the Spirit and the power, sent forth by the will of the Father through Jesus Christ, his Son. But no man is possessor of all things except he be purified and cleansed from all sin.”                  (D&C 50:26-28)                        Thought for the day: “The faithful will exercise faith and pray always for all who are within the reach of the Lord. The good desire good to all.” (Brigham Young)

Day 35

Scripture Study: 3 Nephi 22-30    Scripture Mark & Ponder: Ether 12:6

Scripture thought for the day: “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6)                   Thought for the day: “The test of the Church is the kind of men it produces.” (David O. McKay)

Day 34

Scripture Study: 3 Nephi 17-21    Scripture Mark & Ponder:                  3 Nephi 27:8

Scripture thought for the day: “…it is my will that you should go forth and not tarry, neither be idle but labor with your might… And thus, if ye are faithful ye shall be laden with many sheaves, and crowned with honor, and glory, and immortality, and eternal life.” (D&C 75:3,5)                       Thought for the day: “Successful people always do more than they are expected”

Day 33

Scripture Study: 3 Nephi 11-16    Scripture Mark & Ponder:                  3 Nephi 12:48

Scripture thought for the day: “Ask the Father in my name, in faith believing that you shall receive, and you shall have the Holy Ghost, which manifesteth all things which are expedient unto the children of men. And if you have not faith, hope, and charity, you can do nothing.”               (D&C 18:18-19)                        Thought for the day: “Faith is a kind of winged intellect. The great workmen of history have believed like giants.” (Charles H. Parkhurst)

Have you experienced this “Mighty Change” in your heart, and in the hearts of your family, since you have been Lengthening Your Stride? (Alma 5:14)

Day 32

Scripture Study: 3 Nephi 5-10    Scripture Mark & Ponder:                  3 Nephi 11:29

Scripture thought for the day: “…and I myself will go with them and be in their midst, and I am their advocate with the Father, and nothing shall prevail against them.” (D&C 32:3)

Thought for the day: “How prudently most men sink into nameless graves, while now and then a few forget themselves into immortality.”                     (William Jennings Bryan)

Day 31

Scripture Study: Helaman 15-16,       3 Nephi 1-4                             Scripture Mark & Ponder:                  3 Nephi 11:14-15

Scripture thought for the day: “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.”  (Corinthians 2:14-15)              Thought for the day: “Deep and enduring testimonies grow and strengthen as they are daily nurtured. They increase as they are shared.” (Marvin J. Aston)

Day 30

Scripture Study: Helaman 10-14    Scripture Mark & Ponder:     Helaman 5:12

Scripture thought for the day: “…faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye received no witness until after the trial of your faith.” (Ether 12:6)                                    Thought for the day: “Faith in God cannot of course be other than personal. It must be yours; it must be mine; and to be effective, must spring from the mind and heart. Every man will do well to pray with Emerson: O’ God make me willing to do thy will.”            (Pres. David O. McKay)

Deliver cookies and visit; widows, the sick, Home teaching families and/or Visiting teaching sisters. (Alma 34:28)

Day 29

Scripture Study: Helaman 1-9    Scripture Mark & Ponder:     Helaman 10:4-5

Scripture thought for the day: “And that thou mayest more fully keep thyself unspotted from the world, thou shalt go to the house of prayer and offer up thy sacraments upon my holy day; For verily this is a day appointed unto you to rest from your labors, and to pay thy devotions unto the Most High; Nevertheless thy vows shall be offered up on righteousness on all days and at all times.”       (D&C 59:9-11)                          Thought for the day: “Seek not for greatness, but for truth, and you will find both.”

Day 28

Scripture Study: Alma 59-63    Scripture Mark & Ponder:           Alma 41:10

Scripture thought for the day: “Quench not the spirit.”                     (1 Thessalonians 5:19)             Thought for the day: “Success in life depends upon staying power. The reason for failure in most cases is lack of perseverance. Men get tired and give up.”

Day 27

Scripture Study: Alma 55-58    Scripture Mark & Ponder:           Alma 37:35

Scripture thought for the day: “…yea, they had been taught by their mothers…” (Alma 56:47)           Thought for the day: “Faith is to the soul as sunshine is to the earth.” (David O. McKay)

Day 26

Scripture Study: Alma 51-54    Scripture Mark & Ponder:           Alma 37:6-7

Scripture thought for the day: “Be faithful until I come, for I come quickly; and my reward is with me to recompense every man according as his work shall be...” (D&C 112:34)                     Thought for the day: “The degree of faith possessed by any man depends not upon the extent of his knowledge but upon the certainty of his knowledge, which leads its possessor to works corresponding to his knowledge. Thus a man of great knowledge may have weak faith, while one of limited information may have strong faith.”                   (Prophet Joseph Smith)


Optional: Study from the topical guide and other reference material all you find on the subject of LOVE, share your LOVE with someone this Sabbath day.

Day 25

Scripture Study: Alma 45-50    Scripture Mark & Ponder:           Alma 46:12

Scripture thought for the day: “But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: Against such there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23)            Thought for the day: “I wish the people to understand that they have no interest apart from the Lord our God. The moment you have a divided interest, that moment you sever yourselves from eternal principles.”                 (Pres. Brigham Young)

Day 24

Scripture Study: Alma 42-44    Scripture Mark & Ponder:           Alma 34:32-34

Scripture thought for the day: “And now, behold, I say unto you, that the thing which will be the most worth unto you will be to declare repentance unto this people, that you may bring souls unto me, that you may rest with them in the kingdom of my Father.” (D&C 15:6)                               Thought for the day: “The proper example is all important. Let us be what we profess to be. There is no satisfactory substitute”                (Pres. Ezra Taft Benson)    

Bear your testimony to others. Share special experiences that have occurred during the ’40 Days Closer to Jesus Christ’ Sunset Hills Book of Mormon Study

Day 23

Scripture Study: Alma 37-41    Scripture Mark & Ponder:           Alma 36:18-19

Scripture thought for the day: “Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all thy fiery darts of the wicked.” (Ephesians 6:16)                      Thought for the day: “Implied FAITH and confidence in God is for you and me to do everything we can to sustain and preserve ourselves; and the community that works together, heart and hand, to accomplish this, their efforts will be like the efforts of one man.” (Pres. Brigham Young)

Day 22

Scripture Study: Alma 30-36 Scripture Mark & Ponder:           Alma 32:21

Scripture thought for the day: “And again, I say unto you, I give unto you a commandment, that every man, both elder, priest, teacher, and also member, go with his might, with the labor of his hands, to prepare and accomplish the things which I have commanded. And let your preaching be the warning voice, every man to his neighbor, in mildness and in the meekness.”  (D&C 38:40-41)                                  Thought for the day: “When you have done the best you can, be satisfied and don’t look back. Rather than berate yourself for what you didn’t do, congratulate yourself for what you did.” (M. Russell Ballard)

Day 21

Scripture Study: Alma 25-29 Scripture Mark & Ponder:           Alma 30:60

Scripture thought for the day: “Ask it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For everyone that asketh, receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.” (Matthew 7:7-8)                            Thought for the day: “In our antemortal state we walked by sight. Then we knew God. We lived with him. He was our Father, and our teacher. This earth life was intended as a place where we might learn to walk just a little way by faith.” (Sterling W. Still)

Optional: Study from the topical guide and other reference material all you can find on the subject of PRAYER.

Day 20

Scripture Study: Alma 20-24 Scripture Mark & Ponder:           Alma 11:43

Scripture thought for the day: “Wherefore, brethren, seek not to counsel the Lord, but to take counsel from his hand. For behold, ye yourselves know that he counseleth in wisdom, and in justice, and in great mercy, over all his works.” (Jacob 4:10)                              Thought for the day: “Faith is more potent in human endeavor even than judgment or experience.”                                  (Pres. David O McKay)

Day 19

Scripture Study: Alma 15-19 Scripture Mark & Ponder:           Alma 11:40

Scripture thought for the day: “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.”    (1 John 5:3)                              Thought for the day: “We live in deeds, not years; in thoughts, not breaths; in feelings, not in figures on a dial. We should count time by heart throbs. He most lives who thinks most – feels the noblest – acts the best!”

Day 18

Scripture Study: Alma 11-14 Scripture Mark & Ponder:           Alma 5:14

Scripture thought for the day: “Let thy bowels also be full of charity towards all men, and to the household of faith, and let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God; and the doctrine of the priesthood shall distill upon thy soul as the dews from heaven. The Holy Ghost shall be thy constant companion, and thy scepter an unchanging scepter of righteousness and truth; and thy dominion shall be an everlasting dominion, and without compulsory means it shall flow unto thee forever and ever.”  (D&C 121:45-46)                Thought for the day: “Faith is the force of life.” (Leo Tolstoy)

Day 17

Scripture Study: Alma 6-10   Scripture Mark & Ponder: Alma 4:10

Scripture thought for the day: “And as all have not faith, seek ye diligently and teach one another words of wisdom; yea, seek ye out of the best books of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith.” (D&C 88:118)                Thought for the day: “FAITH comes by hearing the word of God, through the testimony of the servants of God; that testimony is always attended by the spirit of prophecy and revelation.”   (Joseph Smith)

Day 16

Scripture Study: Alma 1-5     Scripture Mark & Ponder:        Mosiah 4:30

Scripture thought for the day: “And no one can assist in this work except he shall be humble and full of love, having faith, hope, and charity, being temperate in all things, whatsoever shall be entrusted to his care.”    (D&C 12:8)                               Thought for the day: “All great ages have been ages of belief. I mean, when there was any extraordinary power of performance, when great national movements began, when arts appeared, when heroes existed, when poems were made, the human soul was in earnest.”                          (Ralph Waldo Emerson)

Day 15

Scripture Study: Mosiah 23-29 Scripture Mark & Ponder:        Mosiah 4:27

Scripture thought for the day: “And ye may know that he is, by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore I would exhort you that ye deny not the power of God; for he worketh by power, according to the faith of the children of men, the same today and tomorrow, and forever.” (Moroni 10:7)                            Thought for the day: “A world without a Sabbath would be like a man without a smile, like a summer without flowers and like a homestead without a garden. It is the most joyous day of the whole week.”

PLAN IN ADVANCE FOR STUDY INTERFERENCES. Play catch up. Refer to day 8 Thomas Edison quote.

Day 14

Scripture Study: Mosiah 16-22 Scripture Mark & Ponder:        Mosiah 2:17

Scripture thought for the day: “…for it is by faith that miracles are wrought; and it is by faith that angels appear and minister unto men; wherefore, if these things have ceased to be unto the children of men, for it is because of unbelief, and all is vain.”  (Moroni 10:7)                            Thought for the day: “The time will come when no man or women will be able to stand on borrowed light. We must have a firm understanding and testimony of our own.”

Day 13

Scripture Study: Mosiah 10-15 Scripture Mark & Ponder:        Mosiah 3:19

Scripture thought for the day: “Be thou humble; and the Lord thy God shall lead thee by the hand, and give thee answer to thy prayers.”       (D&C 112:10)                               Thought for the day: “A great deal also has been said about giving your life for the work, not in death but in living day by day. It is so easy sometimes to die, it is hard sometimes to live the principles for which we stand…I believe it is far more important to live for our faith than to die for our faith.”            (Mark E. Petersen)

Day 12

Scripture Study: Mosiah 4-9 Scripture Mark & Ponder:           Jacob 2:18-19

Scripture thought for the day: “And if there were miracles wrought then, why has God ceased to be a God of miracles and yet be an unchangeable Being? And behold, I say unto you he changeth not; if so he would cease to be God; and he ceaseth not to be God, and is a God of miracles.”       (Mormon 9:19)                                          Thought for the day: “The happiness of man in this life does not consist in the absence, but in the mastery of his passions.” (Alfred Lord Tennyson)

Optional: Study from the topical guide and other reference materials all you can find on the subject of CHARITY

Day 11

Scripture Study: Words of Mormon, Mosiah 1-3                              Scripture Mark & Ponder:                  2 Nephi 33:8-9

Scripture thought for the day: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth...” (Romans 1:16)                          Thought for the day: “Who can resist the power possessed by the Latter-day Saints in their faith? And the stronger our faith, the more mighty are the bonds of our strength.” (Brigham Young)

Day 10

Scripture Study: Jacob 6-7, Enos, Jarom, Omni                          Scripture Mark & Ponder:                  2 Nephi 31:20

Scripture thought for the day: “…and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14)                  Thought for the day: “In our preexistent state, in the day of the great council, we made a certain agreement with the Almighty. The Lord proposed a plan, conceived by Him. We accepted it. Since the plan is intended for all men, we became parties to the salvation of every person under that plan. We agreed, right then and there, to be not only saviors for ourselves but measurably, saviors for the whole human family. We went into a partnership with the Lord. The working out of the plan became then not merely the Father’s work and the Savior’s work, but also our work. The least of us, the humblest, is in partnership with the Almighty in achieving the purpose of the eternal plan of salvation.”                     (Elder John A. Widtsoe)

Day 9

Scripture Study: Jacob 1-5    Scripture Mark & Ponder:                  2 Nephi 31:13

Scripture thought for the day: “…If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:31-32)         Thought for the day: “Latter-day Saints are not obedient because they are compelled to be obedient. They are obedient because they know certain spiritual truths and have decided, as an expression of their own individual agency, to obey the commandments of God.”             (Elder Boyd K. Packer)

Day 8

Scripture Study: 2 Nephi 22-33 Scripture Mark & Ponder:                   2 Nephi 28:8

Scripture thought for the day: “Therefore come unto me and be ye saved…” (3 Nephi 12:20)         Thought for the day: “I never did anything worth doing by accident, nor did any of my inventions come by accident; they came by work.” (Thomas Edison)

Day 7

Scripture Study: 2 Nephi 13-21  Scripture Mark & Ponder:                  2 Nephi 9:28-29

Scripture thought for the day: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1)                         Thought for the day: “FAITH is a divine gift to all men to receive, if only their attitude and life will permit its reception.”

ARE YOU STILL ON TARGET? Go back to the definition of CHARACTER on Day 2 and recommit yourself if necessary.

Day 6

Scripture Study: 2 Nephi 8-12 Scripture Mark & Ponder:                  2 Nephi 2:27

Scripture thought for the day: “I, the Lord, am bound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise” (D&C 82:10) Thought for the day: “The best way to get rested is to speed up. When we get ahead of our work we love it and it becomes easy. When it gets ahead of us, we hate it and it becomes difficult. A winner at the end of a race is never tired; he’s ready to go again. The tired business man is the man whose business is not successful.”

Day 5

Scripture Study: 2 Nephi 3-7 Scripture Mark & Ponder:                  2 Nephi 2:25

Scripture thought for the day: “For the brother of Jared said unto the mountain Zerin, remove - and it was removed. And if he had not had faith it would not have been moved; wherefore thou workest after men have faith.” (Ether 12:30)                                        Thought for the day: “Where one door shuts another opens. We come to an end and find a beginning. Often we worry about arriving at an end with too little faith in what follows.”    (Don Quixote)

Optional: Study from the topical guide and other reference material all you can find on the subject of FAITH.

Day 4

Scripture Study: 1 Nephi 20-22             2 Nephi 1-2                             Scripture Mark & Ponder:                  2 Nephi 2:11

Scripture thought for the day: “Jesus said unto them: Verily I say unto you, if ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.” (Matthew 21:21)                    Thought for the day: “The world will turn aside for the young man who knows where he is going.”

Day 3

Scripture Study: 1 Nephi 16-19 Scripture Mark & Ponder:                  1 Nephi 19:23

Scripture thought for the day: “…If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.” (John 14:23)                                     Thought for the day: “Families who prayerfully prepare and consistently hold their weekly Home evenings, and who work together during the week to apply the lessons in their lives, will be blessed. There will be better feelings between husband and wife, between parents and children, and among children. In such homes, the Spirit of the Lord will be made manifest.”  (Pres. David O. McKay)

Day 2

Scripture Study: 1 Nephi 11-15 Scripture Mark & Ponder:                    1 Nephi 15:34

Scripture thought for the day: “And now, verily, verily, I say unto thee, put your trust in that spirit which leadeth to do good – yea to do justly, to walk humbly, to judge righteously; and this is my Spirit. Verily, verily, I say unto you, I will impart unto you of my Spirit, which shall enlighten your mind, which shall fill your soul with joy; And then shall ye know, or by this shall you know, all things whatsoever you desire to me, which are pertaining unto things of righteousness, in faith believing in me that you shall receive.”          (D&C 11:12-14)                         Thought of the day: “CHARACTER is the ability to carry out a decision after the emotion of making the decision is past.”

Day 1

Scripture Study: 1 Nephi 1-10 Scripture Mark & Ponder:                    1 Nephi 3:7

Scripture thought for the day: “Yea, behold, I will tell you in your mind and in your hearts, by the Holy Ghost, which shall come upon you and which shall dwell in your heart.”(D&C 8:2)                      Thought for the Day:  “It is the right and privilege of every man, every woman, and every child who has reached the years of accountability, to enjoy the spirit of revelation, and to be possessed of the spirit of inspiration in the discharge of their duties as members of the church.”             (Joseph F. Smith)