As I read the scripture, or as our family reads, from time to time a verse will come up that I have questions about. I like the printed books, but there are scriptures published on the web or as apps (for Android or Apple iOS). I read the Bible and the Book of Mormon together, since they're God's word as revealed to several geographically-separated tribes. The "Study Helps" published by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has several different kinds of helps, all focused around the scriptures:

• the Guide to the Scriptures has short articles explaining many different topics, all with references to the scriptures to back them up;
• the Topical Guide, where each entry is a term or concept and a list of scriptures that use that term;
• the Bible Dictionary, where each entry is a person, place, or thing, and a brief explanation of what that means. There seems to be a lot of overlap between the Guide to the Scriptures and the Bible Dictionary. I think the Bible Dictionary aims to be more scholarly and the Guide is newer and tries to be simpler.

However you pick the verse (or verses), read them through, then read the verses leading up to it. Read out loud if you can. The King James version of the Bible was specifically written to be read aloud. Reading the scriptures a couple of times will give you some idea of what is going on and why someone might have said or written what you just read. This can be done beforehand, so you don't have to spend awkward moments scrambling through a book or thumbing through a phone. You can even jot down the scripture and its context for later use.

In one or two sentences, tell who is speaking and why. This gives a background and framework for the verses, which are shared next.

If you skip the background and just start reciting verses, your listeners may or may not come up to speed. The more easily-distractable among them may well be already thinking of something completely different. If you give them some of the back-story, it will likely answer some questions ahead of time, give them a story to think about, and help them imagine themselves in the situation.

Read aloud (or if you're really practiced, recite) the word of God. There is power in the words from the scriptures. Everyone present will have the chance to hear and think about verses read aloud, and that opens the way for the Spirit of God to touch their hearts.

In just a few sentences, tell why you picked this scripture, how it makes you feel, what you learned. Not much, because often fewer words are more effective and more words will dilute the effect of reading the verses.

The more you share a scripture, the better you'll get at it. It will become more natural to think of a scripture to share, relate it to your current discussion, share the word of God, and say your own feelings. These are guidelines: there are as many ways to share the Lord's word as there are situations and people. But when in doubt, I've found these steps to be a great help.

There is one God: he is the Heavenly Father of all the people on earth, and loves and nurtures us as his children. His desire and glory is to bless us, watch us progress, and lead us to grow into joy here on earth and after we die to live in heaven with Him. God's Son, Jesus Christ, lived a perfect life, taught us the way we should live, and took on Himself our sins and mistakes. Then He rose from death, ascended back to His Father, and led the way to hope.

As a loving parent, God gives us directions— commandments— in our actions and our motivations. When we follow His directions— obey His commandments— we grow spiritually, because it is not easy! It is like exercise to a muscle. The more we grow, under His direction, the more like Him we become: the more fit for His presence, and the more clearly we hear Him. The stronger we become in heeding and following God, the better we do it and the more joyful it becomes.

Some hear God more clearly than others. God calls prophets, who relay God's word and lead His work here on earth. In fact, there is a prophet now, named Russell M. Nelson. He leads The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, relaying God's word to the Church and to the world.

I know these things because I've felt them.

Layer on layer, the things I have done and felt throughout my life leave me sure and convinced of God and His Christ. Unlike Paul, I saw no light and I heard no great voice. But time and again, in deepest sorrow or joy, or other time when I don't expect it, I have felt the touch on my heart reassuring me that God knows me. He knows what I do, say, intend, or think, and He loves me and wants me to succeed. In my best times and in my worst times, Jesus Christ is my Savior and by Him I come back.

The scientific method is based on doubt and repeated inquiry: keep picking and poking, and watching what it does, and underlying patterns will emerge to your eye (or other instrument). My knowledge here isn't based on science. If I want to build a rapport or understanding with someone, I'll treat that person with respect and work by his or her rules, not just mine. Heavenly Father invites each of us to approach Him and come to know Him, to live by His ways. The more I do this, the more my respect and reverence grows and the better I know and trust Him.

I do my best to follow the commandments of God. As Jesus taught, the first and greatest is to "love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy might and with all thy strength;" to me this also involves doing what God says to do. The second commandment, to "love thy neighbor as thyself," sometimes gets difficult, but the more I work to honor it the better I feel.

I participate in church and try to be a good person according to what I know. And to my astonishment, it gets more enjoyable as I keep working. Things that used to be really hard are now doable; new challenges become apparent as my spiritual vision clears. So since I know, I just keep doing my best, having faith that this will be enough.