Owing our happiness to the way we read the scriptures

Alma 44:5
“And now, Zerahemnah, I command you, in the name of that all-powerful God, who has strengthened our arms that we have gained power over you, by our faith, by our religion, and by our rites of worship, and by our church, and by the sacred support which we owe to our wives and our children, by that liberty which binds us to our lands and our country; yea, and also by the maintenance of the sacred word of God, to which we owe all our happiness; and by all that is most dear unto us--”

We owe our happiness to the maintenance of the word of God!  I see that (catch that really; for the first time in my life--after having read it dozens and hundreds of times!) and need to ask myself: How well am I maintaining the word of God in my life?  How well am I infusing the doctrine of Christ into my soul?  How else can I learn to become like God better than I am now (because really that's what the scriptures are: a guidebook to becoming like Jesus Christ)?  

Think of President Nelson and all of his self-assessed projects (and we only have the ones he's mentioned in a general conference talk...).  Do I read the scriptures like he does?  No?  Good thing he is telling is some ways that he is doing it.  I suppose I should not feel bad about piggy-back-riding on the prophet to become better...

I suppose I should pray about that until I receive an answer...

JPS