Asking Big Questions
Though the scriptures testify of Jesus Christ, actually having Christ-centered scripture study can be hard. With so many responsibilities competing for our time, we might just read a few verses without getting much personal meaning out of them and feel satisfied that we’ve checked off “read the scriptures” for the day. We may also find ourselves getting distracted by interesting but inconsequential questions.
Wilford Woodruff Offers Insight
Wilford Woodruff wrote in his journal in 1883,
While studying the word of God we learn truths
which cannot be obtained from any other source.¹
His words are supported by another servant of the Lord, Apostle D. Todd Christofferson, who stated, “The central purpose of all scripture is to fill our souls with faith in God the Father and in His Son, Jesus Christ.”²
Here are some study strategies that will help us increase our faith in Jesus Christ and feel His love for us personally.
How to Find Christ in Your Study
- Pray for the Spirit’s guidance.
- Search for names, titles, and attributes of Jesus Christ.
- Ask Christ-focused questions.
First, Pray for the Spirit’s guidance.
The Spirit is a crucial part of a Christ-centered study. The Holy Ghost testifies of Jesus Christ3, confirms truth4, enlightens our minds5, “bring[s] all things to [our] remembrance” (John 14:26), and connects what we learn to our individual needs, desires, and lives6. We can pray before we study that the Spirit will teach us, and we can ask after we study that the Spirit will help us know how to act on what we’re learning.
Wilford Woodruff advised the following: “We should humble ourselves before the Lord and be in a position to be filled with . . . the Holy Ghost, and with the revelations of Jesus Christ, that we may know the mind and will of God concerning us, and be prepared to magnify our calling and bring to pass righteousness, and be valiant in the testimony of Jesus Christ.” 7
Search for names, titles, and attributes of Jesus Christ
Throughout the scriptures are hundreds of names or attributes of Jesus Christ. Some are clear and well known, such as “the good shepherd” (John 10:11). Others are less common, such as “the lifter up of mine head” (Psalm 3:3), or “the light which shineth in darkness” (Doctrine and Covenants 6:21). His titles will resonate with us differently according to the circumstances we face in different seasons of our lives. The Spirit will draw us to those names that will be most significant for us.
One way to have a more meaningful, Christ-centered study is to intentionally search for these descriptions of Christ. Looking for something specific can focus our studies and give them purpose. Elder Jonathan S. Schmitt of the Seventy shared, “Many of Jesus’s names are titles that help us understand His mission, purpose, character, and attributes. As we come to know Jesus’s many names, we will come to better understand His divine mission and His selfless character. Knowing His many names also inspires us to become more like Him—to develop Christlike attributes that bring joy and purpose to our lives.”8 Becoming more like our Savior is not a complex formula; His attributes and character develop within us as we simply choose to place our focus on Him. This, in part, occurs through spending time in the scriptures seeking to know Him better.
Ask Questions
Several times throughout scripture, Jesus Christ asked questions that encouraged people to reflect on and learn of Him. In one such instance, He addressed Peter with the question, “Whom say ye that I am?” (Matthew 16:15). By asking Christ-focused questions, we can discover the strength of our growing testimony and gain a new perspective to understand doctrines and principles in ways we haven’t before recognized. Some questions include, “Where do I see Jesus Christ’s example in this story?”, “What is the prophet teaching the people here?”, or “How does this apply to my life right now?”
Wilford Woodruff also loved to ask questions. Throughout his documents, we see examples of inspired questions such as “How can we keep oil in our lamps?” 9 At another time, as he pondered his innate desire to keep a record of his life, he wrote, “The question has often rested me, why are these things so? Why has this subject rested upon me more than other men?” 10 From Wilford’s example, we learn that questions are characteristic of prophets. Asking questions is normal, and asking sincere, Christ-focused questions strengthens our faith because it leads us to seek Him. The Lord wants to counsel us, and He will as we ask.
How can we keep oil in our lamps?
The question has often rested me, why are these things so?
Why has this subject rested upon me more than other men?
Centering on Christ: a Principle with a Promise
Asking Christ-focused questions and seeking Christ during our scripture study helps us to keep the covenant promise to always remember Him. Studying the scriptures does not have to be an overwhelming task or something to just check off our to-do list! It can be quality time in which we come unto and commune with Jesus Christ. No matter what point we are starting from, these principles of praying for the Spirit, looking for names and attributes of Jesus Christ, and asking Christ-focused questions are great places to start our personal studies. As we apply these principles, the scriptures will become joyful to us, and we will feel Jesus Christ’s presence more abundantly in our lives.
Aubrey Barzee is a Public Relations Intern for the Wilford Woodruff Papers Foundation. She is from Kansas City, Missouri, and currently studies at Brigham Young University. Aubrey is majoring in Exercise and Wellness and studying in the Seminary and Institute teaching program. She had the opportunity as a missionary to come to know Jesus Christ better and serve the people in the Oregon Portland Mission, which she recently returned from.
She has loved being a part of this project, where she can share her love of the Savior and His restored gospel. She loves learning about the history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and is inspired by the journals and life of the prophet Wilford Woodruff.
The Wilford Woodruff Papers Foundation’s mission is to digitally preserve and publish Wilford Woodruff’s eyewitness account of the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ and make his records universally accessible in order to inspire all people, especially the rising generation, to study and to increase their faith in Jesus Christ. For more information, please explore wilfordwoodruffpapers.org.
Endnotes
- [1] Wilford Woodruff’s autobiography notes, p. 21, The Wilford Woodruff Papers, wilfordwoodruffpapers.org/autobiography-notes. Spelling standardized.
- [2] D. Todd Christofferson, “The Blessing of Scripture,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2010, ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
- [3] See John 15:26.
- [4] See John 16:13, Jacob 4:13, and Moroni 10:5.
- [5] See Doctrine and Covenants 6:15.
- [6] See 1 Nephi 19:23.
- [7] Epistle to the Saints from Wilford Woodruff, October 26, 1886, p. 1, The Wilford Woodruff Papers, wilfordwoodruffpapers.org/letter/1886-10-26.
- [8] Jonathan S. Schmitt, “That They Might Know Thee,” Ensign, November 2022, ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
- [9] Discourse by Wilford Woodruff, January 9, 1881, p. 1, The Wilford Woodruff Papers, wilfordwoodruffpapers.org/discourse/1881-01-09.
- [10] Wilford Woodruff’s Journal, January 20, 1872, p. 327, The Wilford Woodruff Papers, wilfordwoodruffpapers.org/journal/1872-01-20. Spelling and punctuation standardized.
The Wilford Woodruff Papers Foundation’s mission is to digitally preserve and publish Wilford Woodruff’s eyewitness account of the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ from 1833 to 1898. It seeks to make Wilford Woodruff’s records universally accessible to inspire all people, especially the rising generation, to study and to increase their faith in Jesus Christ. For more information, visit wilfordwoodruffpapers.org.
