Feasting or Force-fed?

I am always pleasantly surprised when I enjoy reading the scriptures, although I know I shouldn't be. At church everyone always says how wonderful the scriptures are, and in Sunday School we try to make the scriptures interesting and pull out moral truths. And reading the scriptures is one of the "Primary answers" that are learned when five years old and answer any question.

"What should I do if I'm feeling lonely?"

"Read the scriptures, pray, Jesus."

"What do I do when something bad happens?"

"Read the scriptures, pray, Jesus."

Reading the scriptures is pounded so heavily they must be vital. But I am always surprised when I actually enjoy them, find answers and comfort, and feel like I get to know God better.

I think it's in the same way that I am always pleasantly surprised when I like one of the "classic" books that are crammed down our throats in school. I know that theoretically the classics are called so because they are good by any age's measures. But I am rather amazed when I find that I still like a book after plodding through worksheets, papers, symbolism discussions, and tests that all try to force feed the reader the wonders of the book.

Jane Eyre, for example. I was expecting a Gothic romance-tragedy stripped of all humanity--much like the black and white movie of Jane Eyre I watched for a bit on TV once long ago. I wasn't expecting that every now and then Charlotte Bronte would write something and . . . that's just what I was thinking! I would feel a connection between myself and an author long dead because of an immortal character.

In my Doctrine and Covenants class we are reading the personal words from the Lord to some of the early church members. I feel like the scriptures are more applicable to me when I read what the Lord said to so-and-so, another person just trying to do their best. As I read the words of the Lord I feel His Spirit testifying that these are not the words of an author long dead--these are the words of a living God.