Power in the Scriptures

When I was young my dad told us that we were going to start memorizing scriptures as a family. I was not thrilled by this prospect and for the next several years, I became extremely grumpy every time the family got together to read the scriptures and memorize specific verses that my dad had picked out. Over time, I got used to it and resigned myself to the fact that I had to memorize these scriptures in order to get dessert on Friday nights. 
A couple of years ago, my dad told us that he would let us pick out scriptures that we wanted to memorize every week. So, I began finding scriptures for myself to memorize. Every week I memorized a scripture (usually very last minute) and passed it off with one of my family members.

Coming out on my mission I have used the scriptures every single day. As I began reading through and studying The Book of Mormon again, I found that many of the scriptures were familiar and that after reading them one or two times, I could repeat them with no problem. I had found the scriptures that my dad asked my family to memorize years ago. 
Just this last week I decided that I was going to skim through the entire Book of Mormon and find all of the scriptures that I had memorized all those years ago. I decided that I would write down all the references and then I would write down the scriptures themselves so that I could remember all of them and begin to memorize more scriptures.

This morning I was not in the best mood and was not feeling particularly hopeful. Before personal study I had a thought flit through my mind: You should start going through those scriptures, Sister Herring. I put that thought aside and concentrated on reading the Book of Mormon. Again the thought passed through my mind and again I put it to the side.
Yet, while I read very good scriptures and I learned some wonderful things, I was not feeling much better. Once again, I had the thought to begin finding and studying those memorized scriptures. I began doing so and immediately found scriptures that the Lord had been trying to direct my mind to.
For example, Jacob 3:1,2 says, "But behold, I, Jacob, would speak unto you that are pure in heart. Look unto God with firmness of mind, and pray unto him with exceeding faith, and he will console you in your afflictions, and he will plead your cause, and send down justice upon those who seek your destruction. O all ye that are pure in heart, lift up your heads and receive the pleasing word of God, and feast upon his love; for ye may, if your minds are firm, forever." I found great peace and felt my Heavenly Father's love for me as I remembered the simple verses that I had forgotten from so many years ago.
Elder Richard G. Scott said, "Great power can come from memorizing scriptures. To memorize a scripture is to forge a new friendship. It is like discovering a new individual who can help in time of need, give inspiration and comfort, and be a source of motivation for needed change." ("The Power of Scripture," Ensign November 2013)

The scriptures, especially the Book of Mormon, were written for us. They are to teach us, help and guide us, enlighten our minds, bring us peace, and bring us closer to God and Jesus Christ. A memorized scripture is a friend that will never change, that will always be there, and that will always help us to feel the Spirit. As we seek greater understanding of the scriptures, memorizing specific verses that are personal to us will help us to more fully see and feel the power that is in the scriptures.