I would be the first to admit that I'm not as avid of a reader of the scriptures as I would like to be, but every time I do read from it, I'm strengthened. It does mean that I do need to read it more and be more consistent. We have four basic scriptures in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Bible - Old and New Testament, the Book of Mormon - Another Testament of Jesus Christ, the Doctrine & Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price. Each are separate accounts of how God has loves everyone of his people, giving them guidance through a prophet of God and encouragement through life's trials as well as admonishment or warnings of things to come. If one is learning about the Church, I would definitely start with the Book of Mormon, which is the keystone of our religion and testifies of Jesus Christ. There is a promise in it that if you do read it, pray, you can receive for yourself a testimony to it's truth. I have done that and many others have done it as well. While written many years ago, it really testifies of today.
One such scripture in the Book of Mormon is from chapter 34 in Alma, it reads:
32 For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors.
33 And now, as I said unto you before, as ye have had so many witnesses, therefore, I beseech of you that ye do not procrastinate the day of your repentance until the end; for after this day of life, which is given us to prepare for eternity, behold, if we do not improve our time while in this life, then cometh the night of darkness wherein there can be no labor performed.
34 Ye cannot say, when ye are brought to that awful crisis, that I will repent, that I will return to my God. Nay, ye cannot say this; for that same spirit which doth possess your bodies at the time that ye go out of this life, that same spirit will have power to possess your body in that eternal world.
35 For behold, if ye have procrastinated the day of your repentance even until death, behold, ye have become subjected to the spirit of the devil, and he doth seal you his; therefore, the Spirit of the Lord hath withdrawn from you, and hath no place in you, and the devil hath all power over you; and this is the final state of the wicked.
36 And this I know, because the Lord hath said he dwelleth not in unholy temples, but in the hearts of the righteous doth he dwell; yea, and he has also said that the righteous shall sit down in his kingdom, to go no more out; but their garments should be made white through the blood of the Lamb.
37 And now, my beloved brethren, I desire that ye should remember these things, and that ye should work out your salvation with fear before God, and that ye should no more deny the coming of Christ;
At first blush it may seem like you have no choice and you are doomed, but just the opposite. If you do your best in this life, access the atonement of Jesus Christ in your life and prepare to meet God, then the actions you take, only benefit you in the life to come. It doesn't help you much if your thought is doing something at the last minute and hope you get buy. Really God knows your heart and while we might pretend we are something we are not to change the impression of others, we simply can't hide it from God and it will be evident. Why put it off. Why not enjoy the full blessings of this life, in living our best to be with God. He doesn't expect us to be perfect and I am certainly not. I love the peace that comes through God's word.
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