That Amazing Book, The Book of Mormon

There are certain things about my belief as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that I wish I could package and share with others. Of course, I know that that would defeat the purpose of life for others -- after all, we each have to learn from our own experiences, to find our own way, to come to know God and truth and light on our own. But wow. If I could package how I feel about The Book of Mormon.... There really aren't words to describe it all. But I will say this.

It's not just a bunch of words on a page.
It's not just a history, although I believe it is that.
It's not something that will be discovered through the intellect alone. The Holy Ghost is key to really loving it and understanding it and knowing it's true.
It is, like the Bible, a book of scripture, with the purpose of teaching about the Savior, Jesus Christ, and about His Father, our Father in Heaven.

For me, The Book of Mormon is, simply put, a source of life and light and truth and power and help and guidance and clarity.

It is amazing. It is true. It is of God.

I sometimes am speechless at its depth. We sometimes joke about reading something and thinking, "Was that there before?" but that really happens. A lot. The more I turn to that book for guidance about my life, my specific challenges, my relationships, my struggles, the more I find how amazing the book is. 2 Nephi 32:3, 5 tell us that

3 ^aAngels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, they speak the words of Christ. Wherefore, I said unto you, ^bfeast upon the ^cwords of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will ^dtell you all things what ye should do.

• • •

5 For behold, again I say unto you that if ye will enter in by the way, and receive the Holy Ghost, it will ^ashow unto you all things what ye should do.

Reading the words of Christ opens up my mind and heart, lights my path, and brings the Spirit into my life. Whatever the words on the page may not say, the Spirit can fill in -- personalized messages and guidance from God for me and my life. The combination of the two, the words of Christ in the scriptures and the guidance of the Spirit, mean more to me than words can say. I cannot imagine facing the challenges of life without these two blessings.

The book is true. It is from God. It is a key way that He can speak to me and to you. If you have not discovered this amazing book for yourself, I invite you to do so. Seek for God's guidance as you read. Seek for His Spirit. You may not have a lightning-bolt experience. Some do, but for me, it's all been a drop-by-drop kind of thing. It took me years -- lots and lots of 'drops' -- to really come to the point when I could say, "I know it's true!" We each have to learn how God communicates with us and testifies to us of truth. (And it sometimes takes time to learn to trust that process.)

But you can come to know, as I know, that it is true. The book was written for us by ancient prophets, inspired of God. They were commanded by Him to write and protect the record so that it could come to us in these, the latter days of the earth before the Lord Jesus Christ comes again. The book is His book. It testifies of Him and helps us come to know Him better, and can help us come to Him as we follow its teachings.

Oh, how I love The Book of Mormon!