It is often while pondering that the Spirit speaks to us. Joseph F. Smith was pondering over the scriptures when he was shown his vision of the spirit world (DC 138:1). Nephi was pondering as he walked home when he heard a voice telling him, Blessed art thou, Nephi, for those things which thou hast done (Hel 10:2-4). Moroni gives us a pattern for pondering. He suggests we 1) read the scriptures, 2) remember God's mercy and dealings with the children of men, and 3) ponder it in our hearts. Moroni 10:3 reads, Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in you hearts. If we do this, we will have the truth manifested to us by the power of the Holy Ghost. This promise is not limited to determining the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon; it applies to all things (Moroni 10:5).
"Who can assess the value of pondering, the impact of a righteous soul meditating upon the eternal word? Who can measure the worth of careful and deep reflection upon the things of God? 'The things of God are of deep import,' Joseph Smith wrote from the Liberty Jail, 'and time, and experience, and careful and ponderous and solemn thoughts can only find them out' (Teachings, p. 137). Some of the greatest revelations of all time have come as a direct result of pondering….
"Pondering and meditation are forms of sacred devotion, quiet and effective moments of prayer by which man draws near to the infinite and is made a partaker of the things of God. In regard to savoring the words of holy writ, Nephi exulted: 'My soul delighteth in the scriptures, and my heart pondereth them.... Behold, my soul delighteth in the things of the Lord; and my heart pondereth continually upon the things which I have seen and heard.'" (2 Nephi 4:15-16.) (McConkie and Millet, Doctrinal Commentary on the Book of Mormon, vol. 1, p. 75)
There is a reason why scriptures require more than a casual reading. They are filled with truths of eternal importance, often packed so closely together, that you can't get all the meaning on the first pass. This principle is beautifully taught in the following passage:
"We might ask why the scriptures have to be pondered to be understood and appreciated. After all, we don't need to ponder newspapers or magazines. We understand them at a first reading. What makes the scriptures different?
"An analogy might help. The scriptures are like a symphony. The problem with a symphony, if it can be called a problem, is that there is so much going on at the same time that an inexperienced listener feels bewildered, not knowing what to listen for, or how to make sense of everything. But the music lover knows what to do. He picks out a theme carried by the string section, compares it to a variation on that theme by the oboes, and hears the composer being playful or reflective or joyful. Unlike the novice, he hears and feels the effects of the details that give the symphony, in all its complexity, its power and impact." (Dennis and Sandra Packard, "Pondering the Word," Journal of Book of Mormon Studies, p. 51)