"It [The Book of Mormon] has been for me a rod of safety for my soul, 

a transcendent and penetrating light of revelation, an illumination 

of the path I must walk when mists of darkness come. The Book 

of Mormon is the conduit. The power is in Christ. We cling to this book, His book, to cling to Him."

(Matthew S. Holland, "The Path and Power for Your Promised Land," BYU Devotional)

I was strengthened by the testimony of the Book of Mormon that Elder Matthew Holland offered in this devotional. I will add my witness to his, that the reading of the Book of Mormon has led me closer to Christ, and has brought light and power into my life.

 

I received word this week that a dear friend passed away. How I love her! I now have another friend in heaven and I look forward to the day I see her again.

Here is what I learned from Sally:

Sally remained upbeat and cheerful, even humorous, though her health and mobility declined. She was attentive to others and interested in conversation. 

Her love of the Book of Mormon was evident. I often walked into her room and saw her with the Book of Mormon on her lap, reading from it. She told me it was her favorite book and that she loved it. 

Sally adored her family! She loved showing me pictures of them and telling me about each member of her family. She knew about their lives, their concerns, and their joys. She prayed with faith for them, and she looked forward to phone calls from family. Surely the best treat of all was when one of her children picked her up, and it was not for the purpose of driving her to another doctor's appointment, but it was to take her to one of their homes for a family dinner or event. She lived for those special occasions! 

She faced adversity with patience and perspective. She lovingly served her special-needs daughter until she could no longer physically do so. And, Sally loved music! She begged for me to play the piano for her, and her knowledge of classical composers impressed me. She would name the composer as soon as I began a classical piece. She loved classical music best of all, but she also loved church music and songs from musicals. 

I am truly grateful to have known her. Her life and example strengthened me.

 

A few lines from the pages of notes I took last week:

Elder Holland: Cling to the standards works. The mists of darkness settle on the faithful and the unfaithful. Help the missionaries cling to the rod.

Elder Cook: The Lord's hand is in the hastening. This is an unprecedented and blessed time to be a missionary!

Sister Wright: Rededicate your life to Jesus Christ. Begin with exaltation in mind.

Elder Renlund: Remember the converting power of the Book of Mormon.

Elder Christofferson: Treasure up the word and it will be in your heart and mind when needed.

President Eyring: Pray to know the missionary's hearts. See their goodness. God has called you and He will strengthen you when you are weak.

Elder Bednar: Become servants of the members. As you serve the members, you'll earn their trust.

Elder Andersen: The Lord will bless you with miracles if you believe in Him.

Elder Gong: Repentance looks like walking towards Christ with His arms outstretched.

Elder Rasband: Live in thanksgiving daily.

President Oaks: Connect your teaching to the doctrine of Christ. Ensure that the missionaries have a testimony of Joseph Smith. He has not called you because you will be the same as someone else. He has called you because you are you!

Elder Uchtdorf: There is a sacred flame of fire inside each missionary. Your purpose is to invite. this is under your control. Continue to trust the Lord even when miracles do not happen.

Elder Kearon: No effort is wasted. Turn to the Lord and He will uphold you. Be happy! Embody what you are teaching.

Sister Freeman: Your mission is a time to become more like Christ. You will be blessed with power suited to your circumstances.

Elder Stevenson: Have high expectations and have high love. 

Elder Soares: Study and pray and the fear will go away.

President Nelson: The Book of Mormon contains the answers to life's most vexing questions. Blessings will come as you study, teach from and testify of the Book of Mormon.

Yesterday I attended a church service of another denomination before attending mine. The first service I attended had a friendly congregation, an accomplished choir, and a place for children to go to so that they didn't have to sit through the entire service. The pastor provided a sermon based on scriptures from the New Testament.  I enjoyed the sermon and learned from it.

In Come Follow Me we have been studying about Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery and the translation of the Book of Mormon. I have been pondering the great blessing it is to have in my possession scripture in addition to the Bible. This past week I read from the Doctrine & Covenants and the Book of Mormon. I read Jacob's description of the Atonement of Jesus Christ and my understanding was enlarged. In the Doctrine & Covenants I read of several directives given by Christ to men in the latter-days, and how He is willing to answer if we ask. 

As it says in the Christmas hymn "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day," "God is not dead nor doth He sleep." I worship a living God. God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ are alive.  They spoke to prophets of old and they continue to speak to prophets who are on the earth today. They are concerned about us and they know what is happening on earth, in every country, and in every family. They have not turned away from us. They have not shut off communication. Revelation is ongoing. 

I value the Bible and I value the additional scripture that God has provided.  I listen to the living prophet as he has pertinent guidance for my day. I am blessed beyond measure to have many sources in which to learn about God and feel His Spirit.

 

Stan Thomasson wrote an insightful article titled "15 Reasons to Keep Reading the Book of Mormon Every day." Here are the reasons Stan provided: 

1. Receive a witness of Jesus Christ.

2. Employ the most effective resource to get closer to God and Jesus Christ.

3. Learn how to “liken all scriptures unto [myself].” 

4. Receive strength to overcome and endure difficulties.

5. Hear the Lord’s voice and learn how He may speak to us individually.

6. Strengthen my faith by regularly remembering God’s “goodness and grace.” 

7. See how ancient prophets saw our day and apply the cautions they provide.

8. Understand that Christ’s mercy comes through repentance and a softened heart.

9. Feel that ancient prophets are speaking directly to me about my challenges.

10. Focus my life on remembering the possibilities of Christ’s good news and the certainty of gospel promises.

11. Experience joy and glory that cannot be put into words.

12. Develop the ability to ask for and expect answers to prayers.

13. Discover the freedom of being “led by the Spirit."

14. Discover the desire and strength to eliminate harmful distractions from my life.

15. Understand that being a humble follower of Christ can keep us from being led astray.

16. (https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/liahona/2024/12/digital-only/15-reasons-to-keep-reading-the-book-of-mormon-every-day?lang=eng)

There is another reason I would add to Stan's list--Reading the Book of Mormon opens a portal of heavenly light, the Savior's light, into my life. I feel lighter and happier when I consistently read the Book of Mormon. My study of this great book will continue as long as I live.

 

This is an excellent book. Each chapter is written by a different gospel scholar.  The premise of the book is that the editor wanted to have deep discussions with her children about subjects that come up in the church that often create division or questions, so she asked these gospel scholars to opine and explain on each subject. I learned something from each chapter. Here is a sampling:

If the twenty-three-year-old Prophet had engaged in any kind of mind control with the witnesses—each of whom was a rational, sensible individual—any one of them could have recognized what took place; and when questioned about their experience, these men likely would have mentioned that Joseph Smith employed some type of manipulation, especially those who later became disillusioned with Mormonism (pg. 54). However, in spite of the personal objections they may have had toward Joseph Smith or the Church following their separation from religious charlatan or deceiver, nor did they recant or revoke their testimony regarding the Book of Mormon or declare the sacred record to be a sham (pg. 55).
(Chapter 5: The Testimony of the Book of Mormon Witnesses by Alexander L. Baugh)

The Church does not practice equality in the same way schools, workplaces, and government organizations do. In the Lord’s kingdom, scriptures and Apostles teach that all factors do not need to be the same in order for two things, or two people, to be considered of equal worth or value in the Lord’s eyes (pg. 195).
(Chapter 15: Latter-day Saint Women in the Twenty-first Century by Neylan McBaine)

So while the earth and the universe are indeed magnificent beyond description, let’s not think that we can prove God with technical reasoning. Faith is still necessary (pg. 235).
(Chapter 17: Science and Religion: Friends or Foes? By David Bailey)

We know that Nephi, Laman and Lemuel literally took a journey through the wilderness, an eight-year-marathon that took them from Jerusalem to the shores of the Arabian Sea--and then beyond.  This journey, however, was also a metaphor of everyone's life experience.  It applies to all of us.

Here in mortality, we are cast into the wilderness, taking a wilderness journey, where, like Nephi's family, we experience the tremendous heat of trial, the tedium of the way, the wandering through a sometimes trackless desert, the hardship, the thirst.

We are place on a wilderness journey because the Lord is doing his work on us, because always the purpose of such a journey is to transform the travellers, burn out their impurities, strip them of the world, clarify their thinking, and sharpen their devotion that they may be candidates to dwell in the promised land.  The wilderness journey is the Lord's kindness to us, to make us fit for His kingdom.

Nephi's journey, which is a type of our journey in life, was joyously transformed because he did know the dealings of that God who had created him.  This core understanding changed the nature of his journey through the desert and later across the whirling, boiling sea because it changed his core, the very essence of who he was.

He did not face anything alone or without purpose. God walked by his side, led him to the more fertile parts of the wilderness.  He knew who stood by him when he climbed into the crags of the mountain tops looking for just the right wood to make a bow.  He had protective arms around him when the way was hard.  Even when he became depressed later in the promised land, and Laman and Lemuel sought his life, he was lifted up again by remembering, "I know in whom I have trusted."

He had been given strength because he could say with confidence: "My God hath been my support...He hath filled me with his love...He hath confounded my enemies...He hath heard my cry by day, and he hath given me knowledge by visions in the nighttime" (2 Nephi 4:20-24).

(Maurine Proctor, "It Wasn't Because Laman and Lemuel Had a Bad Attitude," https://latterdaysaintmag.com/article-1-7193/

 

A few lines from Elder Neal Maxwell:

Maintaining Church membership on our own terms is not true discipleship. 

Real disciples absorb the fiery darts of the adversary by holding aloft the quenching shield of faith with one hand, while holding to the iron rod with the other. There should be no mistaking; it will take both hands!

("Overcome...Even As I Also Overcame," April 1987)

Isn't this a gorgeous picture? This piece is by Sabrina Squires and is titled, 

"The Love of God."

The tree is magnificent and big, with layers and layers of branches laden with plenty of fruit for all. The colors are bright and inviting, and the white stands out against them. There are people partaking, sharing, and gathering. I like to think of the people gathering the "love of God" and then going forth to share it with others. The fruit is sweet, delicious to the taste and very desirable. Thank you Sabrina for your representation of the tree of life.

(1 Nephi chapters 8, 11, and 15 from The Book of Mormon)

 

1 Nephi 8:10-12 "And it came to pass that I beheld a tree, whose fruit was desirable to make one happy.  And it came to pass that I did go forth and partake of the fruit thereof; and I beheld that it was most sweet, above all that I ever before tasted. Yea, and I beheld that the fruit thereof was white, to exceed all the whiteness that I had ever seen.  And as I partook of the fruit thereof it filled my soul with exceedingly great joy."

1 Nephi 8: 24 "And it came to pass that I beheld others pressing forward, and they came forth and caught hold of the end of the rod of iron; and they did press forward through the mist of darkness, clinging to the rod of iron, even until they did come forth and partake of the fruit of the tree."

I have been thinking about the tree and the fruit.  The reference above suggests that you partake of the fruit after you have "pressed forward through the mists of darkness, clinging to the rod of iron," denoting a long period of time. Yes, I agree that there are some blessings you have to wait for, after much "pressing forward," but there are a multiplicity of blessings that are available to enjoy along the way, right now! The gospel is rewarding as you live it, not just at the end of a long life, or journey. 

For example, here are some of the fruits I enjoy right now:

1. The fulness of the gospel has been restored with priesthood power on the earth, a living prophet, temples, ordinances and covenants.

2. The Holy Ghost. "Promptings from the Spirit help us face our daily needs and show us what to do and say." (Elder Stevenson)

3. Spiritual power. I feel power as I strive to be obedient, attend the temple, fast, pray, take the sacrament, and am diligent in my personal worship habits. "I receive the sanctifying, strengthening power of Jesus Christ which allows me to become a new person, to overcome the impossible." (Elder Costa)

4. Forgiveness and Repentance. "Anything broken can be mended from Jesus Christ." (Elder Godoy)

5. I can experience a bit of heaven with my family. I can feel joy and peace.

6. God's love (the fruit of the tree) can be felt all along the way. The grace and power of the Atonement are meant to affect and lift us all along our earthly journey. 

7. There are multiple gifts of the Spirit that God is happy and willing to bestow.  

Several weeks ago when Matthew was speaking at a stake conference, he posed the question to the adults of the stake as to whether or not they had shared their feelings about the Book of Mormon with their families. I am acting on his invitation and sharing my thoughts with you today.

I love the Book of Mormon! It is my favorite book and I do not tire of it. As soon as I finish it I begin reading it again, and no matter the stage of life or what is happening around me, the book provides fresh insight for me in my circumstances. The doctrine in the Book of Mormon is clear and easy for me to grasp. Numerous prophets testify of the plan of happiness that was laid out for us, and the marvelous sacrifice given freely by the Savior. I learn about the nature of God and Jesus Christ and the role of the Holy Ghost. My love for the members of the Godhead has increased and my focus has turned to the Savior. 

Besides the doctrine, there are lessons in the storyline about relationships, families, prophets, civilizations, politics, choices, obedience, humility, and more. Reading about the people of long ago and their challenges provides great learning and application for me. There are numerous heroes in the Book of Mormon that have notable attributes worthy of my emulation. I am instructed as to what I need to be doing in life, and how I should be changing, or becoming. I feel like my efforts to consistently read have strengthened my spiritual armor and protected me from devilish temptations. Most importantly, the reading has provided a portal in which the Spirit can touch my soul, heart and mind with personal instruction and guidance. I feel God's love as I read. I feel spiritual confirmations that the messages are true, and I feel peace.

I testify to the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon and express my appreciation for it. It has been a marvelous guide and rock in my life. I testify of the loving and watchful care of God the Father, of His interest in us and our potential, and of His generosity in providing all that we need to return to His presence.  I testify of the Savior, Jesus Christ, who lived a perfect life and willingly sacrificed for us. His mercy fills me with overwhelming gratitude. He is the shining light of hope in this darkening world.

I love you! You are a choice blessing to me!

Janine

Today I read these verses from the Book of Mormon and relished the message, because verse three is one of my favorites. Before Moroni gives his famous promise in chapter 10, verse 4, he offers a marvelous admonition in verse 3 to "remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men." This verse gets me every time. Of all the things that Moroni could include in his final words to us, he chose to admonish us to remember the Lord's mercies.  Why? Because stopping and remembering changes our perspective and fills us with gratitude.

One definition of merciful is to bring relief to someone who is experiencing something unpleasant.  The Lord has done that for me. He has saved me from many unpleasant things, meaning things or experiences have been removed, and when the "thing" has not been removed, He has helped me through the unpleasantness. A couple of synonyms of merciful are: forgiving and compassionate.  I have experienced the Lord's forgiveness and compassion repeatedly. He welcomes me into His arms even though I continue to grapple with imperfection, sins, and mistakes. In our family night lesson tonight, Matthew added the thought that "merciful" describes someone who gives more than is deserved.  This is such a great representation of the Lord's merciful nature.  We are given much more than we deserve. We are given far more than we could ever earn. We are blessed beyond measure. Everything I have which is good comes from the Lord (Omni 1:25).

I have a testimony of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. Reading the Book of Mormon has increased my love and devotion for the Savior, Jesus Christ, and Heavenly Father.

I will tell you about a funny thing that happened last week, but first I need to share some background. Before Covid hit, we had the older young men and young women over to our house for a game night. They played "Word on the Street" where you use up letters by forming words. My memory is that the young men and their leaders won the game by forming the two final words: "stumped," and "minestrone." When the game had finished, someone (in a joking way) challenged the young men to use those two last, winning words in a Sunday talk.

Fast forward to over a year later when a young man in our ward is asked to give a talk in our Sacrament meeting on finding joy in Christ.  The talk was excellent, and after the meeting I complimented the young man and he mentioned to me, and to two young women who were nearby, that he used the "two words" in the talk. It took us a minute to remember what he was talking about, then it all came back to us. We exclaimed in amazament to this young man who had remembered the challenge and the two words and cleverly woven them into his talk months later!

Could you find a place for "stumped" and "minestrone" in a talk?!

 

The most joyous thing that happened to me last week was receiving this text from a niece. She sent it to my siblings and their spouses:

Dear Family, I felt that I should share with you all what I have been feeling deeply in my heart the past month or so. I just finished reading the Book of Mormon..I started it at the beginning of the year after a period of time of resting the scriptures and not studying them as I should (not proud to report that). I wanted to share with you all that I have felt an incredible power enter my life as I have picked up the scriptures again and have began sincerely reading and studying each day. My testimony has been strengthened so much and my faith has increased. I have felt light enter my mind and heart and my life....I have felt a change of heart..to repent of being lazy in my study and to really make an effort to learn more about the gospel and to try and build my relationship with the Savior. I have felt the spirit strongly and I have felt the love of the Lord. I feel so grateful and humbled that the Lord is so patient with me and is always there with arms open to receive me. I am so grateful that as I have put in effort to learn and to connect with God, that I have felt him sending me love and the spirit and has blessed me with an increase of faith. He has done exactly what he said he would do....and I trust that he will continue to bless me and help me learn and grow if I continue to put in the effort. I wanted to share that with you all. Also want to say how grateful I am for my brother _____, who has always been a rock for me has helped answer some of my questions and been there for me to talk to and share my faith and testimony with. Anyways, Love you all and am so grateful for you!

There are a group of young men who are described in detail in the Book of Mormon, and I can learn much from their characteristics. 

They entered into a covenant to fight for the liberty of the Nephites, yea, to protect the land unto the laying down of their lives. There were two thousand of those young men (Alma 53:17).

They were all young men, and they were exceedingly valiant for courage, and also for strength and activity; but behold, this was not all--they were men who were true at all times in whatsoever thing they were entrusted (Alma 53:20).

They were men of truth and soberness, for they had been taught to keep the commandments of God and to walk uprightly before him (Alma 53:21).

Never had I seen so great courage, nay, not amongst all the Nephites (Alma 56:45).

They said, "Father, behold our God is with us, and he will not suffer that we should fall; then let us go forth" (Alma 56:46).

Now they never had fought, yet they did not fear death; and they did think more upon the liberty of their fathers than they did upon their lives; yea, they had been taught by their mothers, that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them (Alma 56:47).

And they rehearsed unto me the words of their mothers, saying: We do not doubt our mothers knew it (Alma 56:48).

They were firm and undaunted (Alma 56:20).

They did obey and observe to perform every word of command with exactness; yea, and even according to their faith it was done unto them (Alma 57:21).

They are young, and their minds are firm, and they do put their trust in God continually (Alma 57:27).

We did pour out our souls in prayer to God, that he would strengthen us and deliver us out of the hands of our enemies (Alma 58:10).

We did take courage with our small force, and were fixed with a determination to conquer our enemies. We did go forth with all our might (Alma 58:12, 13).

They are strict to remember the Lord their God from day to day; yea, they do observe to keep his statues, and his judgments, and his commandments continually; and their faith is strong in the prophecies concerning that which is to come (Alma 58:40).

I finished reading this book a couple of weeks ago and I would highly recommend it.  Brother Callister goes over (and answers) each of the major arguments against the Book of Mormon, lists the questions that are answered by the Book of Mormon, highlights the gospel truths taught in the Book of Mormon, and shares with readers the way to gain a solid testimony of it. It is an excellent book!  Here are a few highlights:

The Book of Mormon is an invincible opponent that knows no compromise.  It carries no white flag.  Rather, it is resolute and unapologetic in its claim that it is a divine work of God.

There will be a growing reservoir of external and internal evidences to support the Book of Mormon, yet there will always be some questions or obstacle that will cause concern for those who are trying to prove spiritual truths with intellectual evidence alone.  As knowledge evolves, what may be a seeming contradiction will one day become another confirmation.  

Why is it critical for each of us to gain a testimony of the Book of Mormon? Because as we do so, it will become our personal iron rod.  Mists of darkness may come, ridicule may confront us, unanswered questions may arise, but through it all we will have our iron rod to cling to--to keep us on the straight and narrow path that leads to eternal life.  The questions may continue, but they will be just that--questions, not doubts.

Yesterday I finished the Book of Mormon. I try to read from it daily and this simple pattern strengthens me. The pages contain: important lessons applicable to me and my life today, accounts of both civilizations and individuals and their developments and downfalls, stories of families and friendships, core doctrines of the atonement and guidance on self-development, and a pure conduit to the Spirit. I love this book.  I'm grateful for it.  I know it is true.

In 2009, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland gave a talk titled, "Safety for the Soul," which included these powerful lines:

"As one of a thousand elements of my own testimony of the divinity of the Book of Mormon, I submit this as yet one more evidence of the its truthfulness.  In this their greatest--and last--hour of need, I ask you: would those men blaspheme before God by continuing to fix their lives, their honor, and their own search for eternal salvation on a book (and by implication a church and a ministry) they had fictitiously created out of whole cloth?

Never mind that their wives are about to be widows and their children fatherless.  Never mind that their little band of followers will yet be houseless, friendless, and homeless and that their children will leave footprints of blood across frozen rivers and an untamed prairie floor.  Never mind that legions will die and other legions live declaring in the four quarters of this earth that they know the Book of Mormon and the church which espouses it to be true.  Disregard all of that, and tell me whether in this hour of death these two men would enter the presence of their Eternal Judge quoting form and finding solace in a book which, if not the very word of God, would brand them as imposters and charlatans until the end of time? They would not do that! They were willing to die rather than deny the divine origin and the eternal truthfulness of the Book of Mormon."

"It is definitely a bittersweet time for me. I love this place and these people! I am so grateful for the countless blessings from the Lord. I have a strong testimony that this is the truth. He has given me so many opportunities to learn and to grow. He has taught me to be self-sufficient, but entirely dependent on Him. I have always known the Book of Mormon was true, but i have developed a hunger to read it like I haven't experienced before. I have to stay drawn to it the rest of my life! I am grateful for modern-day revelation and prophets. I have learned that though I have had 23 months as a missionary, there is still much to improve on. Perfection is a process of a life. I remember that before the mission someone told me that we finally get to a point where we feel like we know what we're doing, and then the mission ends! I've learned that the mission teaches us to be ministers and disciples. That is the calling of a lifetime. Just like Peter, the Lord has asked me and all of us to feed his sheep. That is not a 2 year assignment. That is the the assignment of a lifetime and an eternity. I am excited to adapt to feeding the Lord's sheep in other places and other ways. Jesus is the Christ, our perfect example. I am grateful for His love and His patience."

Yesterday in Fast and Testimony Meeting we heard from several members of the ward who had taken the Bishop's challenge and read the Book of Mormon between January 1 and April 1. Those who shared their thoughts represented many more who also read. Here is one benefit that came to me from reading the Book of Mormon daily:

My vision has deteriorated over the years and I now need contact lenses or glasses to see clearly. When I put my glasses on or my contacts in, objects come into focus. Small things and little things have definition that they did not have before. When I read the Book of Mormon I see things more clearly in my life.  I am able to discern the difference between truth and error and I can better detect the philosophies of man. I am able to put things in perspective, meaning that I can know what things are important and what things do not really matter.  I am able to see the good in people and love them as God loves them.  I am able to see what I need to improve on and the weaknesses that are holding me back. I am not perfect when I am reading the Book of Mormon, but my vision is less obstructed.

In Screwtape Letters by C. S. Lewis,  he writes,

"It is funny how mortals always picture us putting things into their minds: in reality our best work is done by keeping things out."

I've thought about this lately.
Sometimes I have to look back on my life to recognize something. 
I realize that the last three months as I have been diligently reading the Book of Mormon daily, I have had less desire to sin, less bad thoughts, more charitable thoughts and inclinations, and an increased sensitivity to the Spirit. 
I have not been perfect and I have had to apologize and repent repeatedly for things I said or did, but I have noticed a difference.  
I don't dare stop reading daily because I don't want to slip backwards! 
I have a testimony that reading the Book of Mormon keeps good thoughts in your mind. 
There is a power that comes into our lives as we read that book, a spiritual power that has been promised us from the prophets.  
Some blessings are noticeable and some are imperceptible, but nonetheless they are real.