A month later we happened to have the missionaries over. As we talked about the gospel, they asked us if we were ponderizing. I tried to explain that I have done something like what Elder Durrant suggested for years. For example, when a missionary I would write important scriptures in calligraphy and post them on the walls of my apartment in Italy. My study of scripture has never been simple reading of the word followed by forgetfulness.
But my family members challenged me. I was not, they maintained, doing what the missionaries meant. They got a bit vicious, in fact. By the end of the week they understood how much their criticism had hurt me.
Coming from my own micro experience being an authority figure who had been reviled, I thought on Elder Durrant. Perhaps I could give his variant of pondering the scriptures a try.
Turns out there is an app for that.
The app is free, so it isn’t as though anyone is earning money on my use of the app (though in-app purchases are offered should you want to use other graphics or verses in scripture beyond the ones included in the limited library).
There, on the glowing “wall” that I spend so much time looking at is a simple heart graphic. If I tap on it, I see the verse I have selected for the week. Even if I don’t tap on it, I get notifications as often as I have set, daily, and even multiple times a day. If I forget to select another scripture at the end of the week (or other periodicity I specify), the app gently reminds me select another verse.
The “free” scripture passages are the 100 Seminary Scripture Mastery verses (25 for each of the four courses of study), the 13 Articles of Faith, and verses associated with a short list of gospel topics:
- Come Unto Jesus
- Faith
- Love
- Plan of Salvation
- Prayer
- Restoration
- Sabbath Day Observance
- Temple Work
- Testify of Christ
- Words of Christ
In the sea of notifications I get on a daily basis, the daily ponderize notifications are serene and welcome.
Another feature/bug is that the free backgrounds change. So the picture that you loved will likely cycle out of the available set. This is irritating if you really liked the background you had chosen, but gives you a chance to select a new serene background. For those who get fatigued looking at the “same” thing, this may actually be a good thing.
The LDS Gospel Library app lets you set a reminder, but it will just pop the text of the selected item on your screen at the designated time. It doesn’t even have an option for you to return to the app itself, say if you wanted a constant reminder to continue reading.
What am I pondering now? D&C 6:36 – “Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not.” The image shows an individual looking up into the starry night sky.
Despite the disdain with which I first greeted the idea of ponderizing, I am grateful for this little app that will remind me of beloved scriptures in a gentle and easy manner on a daily basis.