especially inspirational, and I have a copy of it. I don't have one of Carly's talk
or I could include that.
The prison guard in Craig's story joined the church and asked Craig if
he would take an institute class with her and he did. He didn't include
this information in his talk and several people asked him about it after
his talk.
Today I have been asked
to speak to you on how the Book of Mormon has affected me and my family.
President Hinckley is quoted as saying The Book of Mormon’s,
“ appeal is as timeless as truth, as
universal as mankind. it is the only book that contains within its covers a
promise that by divine power the reader may know with certainty of its truth.
its origin is miraculous; when the story of that origin is first told to one
unfamiliar with it, it is almost unbelievable. But the book is here to be felt
and handled and read. No one can dispute its presence.”
(A Testimony Vibrant and
True, “ Liahona and Ensign, Aug 2005, 4-5)
This topic seems rather broad to me. it wasn’t
easy for me to select a narrow topic to focus on.
When I told my Mom about
my assignment to speak to you all today she thought I should talk about the
heroes that are in the Book of Mormon. There are many and my picking a favorite
is definitely not possible for me. But me and my Mom were able to discuss
Mormon’s son Moroni. Moroni was given the plates to finish and protect
when his father was unable to. My Mom always thinks about how Moroni had
to wander around the wilderness alone before he was able to bury them. My
Mom points out that if that had been her she would have named the book after
herself not her father. I believe that if Moroni had any influence on the
book’s name that he had thought of his father who was dead by the time he was
able to bury the plates as a hero and tried to honor his father’s work by
keeping the name of his father on the book.
Further research lead me
to a couple of talks about the blessings of the Book of Mormon. Ezra Taft
Benson stresses how important the book is in this quote.
(Ezra Taft Benson, The
Book of Mormon keystone of our religion, October 2011)
“My Beloved brothers and
sisters, today I would like to speak about one of the most significant gifts
given to the world in modern times. The gift I am thinking of is more important
than any of the inventions that have come out of the industrial and
technological revolutions. this is a gift of greater value to mankind than even
the many wonderful advances we have seen in modern medicine. it is of greater
worth to mankind than the development of flight or space travel I speak of the
gift of the book of mormon. given to mankind 156 year ago.”
The Book of Mormon was
written for us, it doesn’t matter in what year you were born, it stands as a
witness of Christ and can give you knowledge and guidance whenever you need
it.. Ezra Taft Benson said that
“God is the author… it s
a record of a fallen people, compiled by inspired men for our blessing today.
Those people never had the book--it was meant for us. Mormon, the ancient
prophet after whom the book is named, abridged centuries of records. God, who
know the end from the beginning, told him what to include in his abridgment
that we would need for our day.”
President Benson asked “Why
did these writers choose these particular stories or events to include in the
record? What value are they for us today?”
This Question reminds me
of a lesson I learned from a question I was asked several years ago while
assigned to the graveyard shift as a corrections officer (Otherwise known as
guard). I was told by the supervisor of the previous shift upon arrival, to
check out the required weapons and car and to go to the local hospital. I was
to escort an inmate to be admitted into the hospital in Tucson where the state
had a special floor set up for inmates. These trips usually were not enjoyable
and regularly resulted in overtime for a graveyard officer.
When I arrived at the
local hospital I discovered the swing shift officers were waiting for me so
they could go home. The inmate had already left with another officer I was to
pick up in Tucson because she had got to ride in the life flight helicopter
down with him. As was rather common on graveyard transportation runs. I had
never seen the officer I was going to spend several hours in a car with as she
was assigned to a different unit than me.
About three hours later
I found myself driving back home with an officer I had only met minutes before.
After some minutes of silence my co worker, practically a stranger to me at
this point, asked me if I had ever seen the guys that wear white shirts and
nametags. I responded with several questions clarifying that she was describing
the missionaries/elders in our area. The rest of our trip was spent with me
answering questions about our church.
Two days later I was unfortunate enough to be
told I had to go on another transportation run to Tucson. When I
complained about having to do another transport so soon I was told that Graham
unit called and said they had a volunteer willing to go if I was going to be
the other officer. The supervisors thought this was to good to pass up so I had
to go. I don’t think I need to point out that this was the same person I had
just made the last escort with. After the inmate was admitted into the hospital
and me and my co worker were on our way back home. she began asking more
questions. This time they were more focused and it was obvious she had read
quite a bit of the Book of Mormon. As we were almost back to the unit my
co worker asked me if I had been baptized. I told her of course I had. She then
asked me how long ago. I told her I was 8 years old. She then asked me “What
was it like growing up with this knowledge?”
I have not and probably
never will forget this part of the conversation. As she expressed to me a
testimony of how great that must have been for me. I don’t know that I had ever
considered what it was like to grow up without knowing how Joseph Smith
translated the Book of Mormon or the knowledge this great book brings. I
explained to the co worker that I was really not an expert. This co worker
assured me that what I thought was not a huge amount of knowledge was more than
I could imagine.
The Book of Mormon
offers knowledge in a lot of different areas. It teaches us the cause and
effect of war and under what conditions it is justified. It tells of evils and
dangers of secret combinations, which are built up to get power and gain over
the people. It tells of the reality of Satan and gives an indication of some of
the methods he uses. It advises us on the proper use of wealth. It tells
us of the plain and precious truths of the gospel and the reality and divinity
of Jesus Christ and His atoning sacrifice for all mankind. It informs us of the
gathering of the house of Israel in the last days. It tells us of the purpose
and principles of missionary work. It warns us against pride, indifference,
procrastination, the dangers of false traditions, hypocrisy and unchastity.
This was taught to me by someone who had only had this book for a total of four
days when they asked me the question.
I would conclude that
the knowledge both me and my family have received is the greatest effect the
Book of Mormon has made on us. This is what makes the Book of Mormon so
valuable. It is up to us to study the Book of Mormon and learn of its
principles and apply them in our lives.
“Without
reservation I promise you that if each of you will observe this simple program,
regardless of how many times you previously may have read the Book of Mormon,
there will come into your lives and into your homes an added measure of the
Spirit of the Lord, a strengthened resolution to walk in obedience to His
commandments, and a stronger testimony of the living reality of the Son of God”
(Liahona and Ensign, Aug. 2005, 6). These blessings are far more valuable than
material possessions.
I
leave with the promise given by Moroni towards the end of the book.
“Yea, come
unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness;
and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your
might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his
grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in
Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God” (Moro. 10:32).
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