Finding the Quiet Corner: Making Time for the Word When Life Demands Everything

Brothers and sisters, if you’ve been in the field, or if you’re preparing to go, you know the feeling. You’re buzzing with purpose. You’re ready to share the gospel, you’ve studied the scriptures, and you feel that deep, burning desire to help someone connect with the Savior. But then the day hits. The calls pile up, the needs are immediate, and suddenly, the quiet time you planned evaporates like morning dew under the sun.

It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that if we are serving others—if we are pouring out our energy for the Lord’s work—that our personal spiritual nourishment can wait. We think we can draw from an endless well. But if you’ve been on the mission, or if you’ve been in the MTC, you’ve learned that the Spirit doesn't run on fumes. You cannot pour out of a vacuum.

Recently, I was thinking about this while watching some insights on Bible study habits. It was a gentle, but necessary, reminder that even the most dedicated discipleship effort can falter if we neglect the source. We are taught to be Internet missionaries, to be disciples anywhere, all the time. But *anywhere* requires a little bit of intentional design.

Setting the Time: Making It Sacred

One of the most powerful takeaways for me was the emphasis on scheduling. We treat our appointments with the District Leader, or our study time in HolyPlaces, with reverence. We write them down. We build our schedules around them. Why do we treat our time with the scriptures with less respect?

The counsel here is clear: Find the time. If you can’t find a time, *any* time will be better than none. And if the morning feels impossible, don't let the guilt paralyze you. Just commit to a small window. The goal isn't perfection; the goal is consistency and heart-setting.

Finding the Place: Creating Sacred Space

It’s not just about *when*; it’s about *where*. We need to create a physical container for sacred learning. Whether it’s the quietest corner of your home, or even the car in the driveway before the chaos of the day begins—find that spot. It doesn't have to be perfect, but it has to be *yours* for that time.

I remember when I first started trying to build a habit after returning from my mission. I was so focused on the next assignment, the next talk, the next lesson. I was forgetting the foundational work: feeding my own spirit first. I learned that the most life-giving things we offer others come from an overflow, not from a desperate, empty well.

"We are meant to serve people out of an overflow, not out of a vacuum."

This isn't just advice for those who are actively in the field. This is for us, the lifelong disciples, the ones who are building our lives around our families, our callings, and our service. We need to model this for our children, and we need to model it for our fellow Saints.

If you are struggling to carve out this time, I want to remind you: you are not alone. If you feel overwhelmed by the demands of the day, please know that the Lord knows what you are going through. Trust Him to help you carve out that space.

This is a perfect topic for us to discuss further. If you’re looking for practical ways to deepen your study, I highly recommend checking out the resources available in LivingBook, especially the social scripture study layer. If you’d rather discuss this in person, please join our next HolyPlaces Book Club—we’re diving into foundational texts!

For those who are ready to tackle the deep questions, remember that Davee is always here. If you have a tough doctrine question or feel like you need to role-play answering a difficult investigator question, ask him! He’s trained to walk you through those tough moments.

Keep prioritizing this. Keep setting your heart to learn more about God. That is the most important work we can do.