Study word of God

      - Gain eternal life

      - Realize earthly blessings

      "The Lord has promised us specific blessings for reading and studying the scriptures," said Elder Jay E. Jensen of the Seventy.

      "I love the scriptures," he said Sunday afternoon. "I have found repeated in different places in the scriptures two major promises for reading and studying the scriptures that pertain to the next life; one, is exaltation and the other is eternal life.

      "The surprising discovery was that most promises that come to us for reading and studying the scriptures pertain to mortality."

      Elder Jensen spoke of three categories of promises from reading the scriptures: promises of power, promises of increase, and "other" promises.

      He pointed out five promises of power:

      - Power to overcome evil. "Whoso would hearken to the word of God, and would hold fast to it, . . . the fiery darts of the adversary [could notT overpower them unto blindness." (1 Ne. 15:24.)

      - Power to live righteously. "And thus [AlmaT did . . . preach the word of God unto them, to stir them up in remembrance of their duty." (Alma 4:19.)

      - Power to teach convincingly. "Alma and the sons of Mosiah "had searched the scriptures diligently . . . and when they taught, they taught with power and authority of God." (Alma 17:2-3.)

      - Power to call down the powers of heaven. "We search the prophets . . . and our faith becometh unshaken, insomuch that we truly can command in the name of Jesus and the very trees obey us or the mountains . . . ." (Jacob 4:6.)

      - Power to change the heart and disposition. "The Lamanites were `led to believe the holy scriptures . . . . which leadeth them to faith . . . .' " (Hel. 15:7.)

      Elder Jensen then spoke of promises of increase:

      - Increase in hope and joy. ". . . We through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope." (Rom. 15:4.)

      - Increase in spirituality. "The preaching of the word had a great tendency to lead the people to do that which was just." (Alma 31:5.)

      - Increase in knowledge and understanding. "The words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do." (2 Ne. 32:3.)

      - Increase in the powers of discernment. "The word of God . . . is quick and powerful, which shall divide asunder all the cunning and the snares and the wiles of the devil." (Hel. 3:29.)

      - Increase in testimony. "You can testify that you have heard my voice, and know my words." (D&C 18:36.)

      Speaking of other promises, Elder Jensen quoted President Howard W. Hunter of the Council of the Twelve: " `When we . . . read and study the scriptures, benefits and blessings of many kinds come to us. This is the most profitable of all study in which we could engage.' "