In the town where I live there is a homeless shelter, run by a local minister, that helps to feed about 80 people a day. The soup kitchen, as it is called, doesn’t always feed just soup. They take donations from who ever helps, and prepares the meals with the help from volunteers. Two meals a day are prepared and served to anyone needs nourishment. Prior to eating, the evening meal, the minister requires all those who desire a free meal, to sit down in the chapel and listen to a short devotional. Most of the folks are there to eat and leave. They pay very little attention to the words that are spoken. There is also a bible placed on every chair, free for the taking, but very few people take it after they eat. They are there because they are hungry now. After the dinner meal there is no clean up, the needy can either stay there for the night or move on. If they stay, the only requirement is that they make their own bed. Sadly to say, most just eat and run.

Many that come to the shelter haven’t eaten in days because alcohol has suppressed their appetite, they find a good meal hard to digest, and essentially suffer from malnutrition. The interesting thing is, most find themselves back there the next day in need of nourishment, but not always needing shelter.

There is one success story. One man has been there at the shelter for 15 years or more. He came in just like the others. Hungry, malnourished, and in need of shelter. He lives there still, doing odd jobs around the shelter, preparing and serving food, receiving no salary or wage. Yet something touched him enough to make him stay and receive nourishment.

In Joshua 1:8 the verse ends by saying "then thou shalt have good success." How? The Lord commands Joshua to not let the book of the law "depart out of thy mouth." Joshua is commanded to meditate on it day and night, so that he may be careful to do everything written in it. Then only then will he be prosperous and successful. Meditate here is a Hebrew word that suggests a cow chewing its cud . . . or in other words, chewing over what the words are saying until we’ve gotten out of it what we need do in order to not just have the words depart from our mouths. Key word here is DO. So many of us settle for meditating to KNOW what's written in the scriptures. . .or to ANALYZE what's written . . . or even to just UNDERSTAND what's being said. None of those are bad - but they're not enough - anymore than just eating your dinner is enough - you have to digest it.

Consider the words of the prophet Moroni, when he gave his great challenge, that when we read the words of God, that we should "ponder it in our hearts," and "ask God...if these things are not true." (Moroni 10:3-5, italics added. Note: the Spanish translation of the word "to ponder" is "meditar", meaning to meditate) It's obvious to say that obtaining a knowledge of God’s word to us is more than just a mental exercise where we quickly ingest our daily dose of food-for-thought and move on hoping that it digests well, assuming all the time that spiritual digestion will occur.

The purpose of spiritual digestion isn't just to get the words from your mouth to our brain - it's to get it into our life! It’s more than just eat and run, and certainly should never be considered "fast food", which for most of us causes indigestion.

A lot of us are suffering from spiritual indigestion - either a discomfort about our relationship with the Savior or a slothful attitude toward the commandments of God. And it may be because we eat and run, instead of eating and putting it to work!

The ability to study the words of the Lord and then immediately convert that into action is probably the single most important key to having a personnel relationship with Jesus Christ and understanding His teachings. It is what Nephi taught when he said, "I did liken all scriptures unto us...for our profit and learning." (1 Nephi 19:23) If we become tired of spiritual blahs, spiritual mediocrity, spiritual boredom, spiritual failure, and start to put on non-spiritual pounds, consider Nephi's one word prescription for scriptural indigestion - or non-digestion, "I did liken."

Spiritual digestion takes place something like this - first, study, not just read , a few verses over two or three times - chewing on them until they can be put into words of our own. Then answer the first question, "What is the scripture, principle or doctrine saying here?" A lot of us stop there, but there is more. So we ask the next question, "What should I DO differently today because of what the scripture says?" If reading a verse about trials, take out the word trials and put YOUR trial in there - if it's about loving people, put in the name of someone who may be difficult for us to love -if it’s a situation where the Lord is giving a commandment to someone, put your name there and the commandment will be given to you. Then, apply the steps in Mormoni 10:3-5, ponder and pray, and ask the Lord, with faith and a sincere heart, to help you carry this word from Him in your heart, applying it to the specific life-change that word calls for.

When we properly digest the word of the Lord, and apply it to spiritual nutrition, it becomes more than just reading, it is feasting upon the words of Christ. (see 2 Nephi 31:20) As we feast, and digest His word, we will find it easier to do as James 1:22 challenges, "be doers of the word, and not hearers only." It is clearly evident from this simple passage that it takes more than just sitting in church and hearing what is said. We must do something! We must exercise on the words of Christ after we have feasted upon them.

By applying these simple concepts we can turn mere scripture reading (eating) into spiritual digestion (feasting), we can liken the scriptures to ourselves, and exercise (be doers), we will get stronger every day, and grow closer to our Heavenly Father and establish a more personal relationship with His Son, Jesus Christ.

We aren't meant to eat - and then just lie down. That causes spiritual indigestion . . . and ultimately spiritual malnutrition!