Lessons from The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ

My purpose is not to try and convince you that the Book of Mormon is true. I can't. It is only through the convincing power of the Holy Ghost that "[you] may know the truth of all things" (Moroni 10:5) – if you ask in faith. President Joseph Field Smith said the following,

“The Spirit of God speaking to the spirit of man has power to impart truth with greater effect and understanding than the truth can be imparted by personal contact even with heavenly beings. Through the Holy Ghost the truth is woven into the very fibre and sinews of the body so that it cannot be forgotten.” (link to manual)

The Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ, and goes hand in hand with the Bible. Why do we need another book of scripture when we already have the Bible? Elder Mark E. Peterson explains it this way.

“Having been taught that the Bible contains all of the word of God, some ask us why we have these other scriptures. They do not realize that the Bible provides for more scripture and that it points to a pattern established anciently by the Lord in which He placed prophets on earth to provide that scripture….

“The chief reason we have the Book of Mormon is that in the mouth of two or three witnesses shall all things be established. We have the Bible; we also have the Book of Mormon. They constitute two voices—two volumes of scripture—from two widely separated ancient peoples, both bearing testimony to the divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ.” (link to talk)

In his talk he gives many, many more explanations about the Book of Mormon, and the prophecies and realization of it’s coming forth, but that is not what I want to cover. I want to share some of the lessons that I have learned from studying the Book of Mormon.

Lesson 1: Obedience to God’s commandments makes a difference.

The first great lesson that came to my mind when I started thinking about this book was the story of Nephi, in the First Book of Nephi. Nephi’s father, Lehi, is a prophet who is commanded to leave Jerusalem because people are seeking his life (like all ancient prophets, it seems). They leave, and then the Lord commands Lehi to send his four sons back to Jerusalem to get the scriptures, recorded on brass plates, from a very wealthy leader in the city – Laban. As Nephi recounts the story he shares his testimony with us.

“And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father: I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them.” (1 Nephi 3:7)

After two failed attempts at getting the brass plates, and his brothers wanting to give up and go back to the wilderness, Nephi knows the Lord will provide a way and decides to move forward on his own. He creeps into Jerusalem at night, not knowing what is going to happen. Here are Nephi’s words,

“And it was by night; and I caused that they [my brothers] should hide themselves without the walls. And after they had hid themselves, I, Nephi, crept into the city and went forth towards the house of Laban.

“And I was led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things which I should do.

“Nevertheless I went forth” (1 Nephi 4:5-7, emphasis added)

Nephi knew that the Lord could do anything. He could have provided the needed scriptures outside of their tent in the wilderness. But, in His great wisdom, He sent them on a journey for a greater purpose; to strengthen their faith – as well as giving all those who now read his words hope, and an example to follow. Nephi’s faith, moved him to action, and is what brought about the miracle that followed. He is able to obtain the brass plates so that his family can take them into the wilderness. More importantly, they are able to bring the record with them to the promised land. Without this written record they would not be able to have the scriptures in order to pass the teachings they contain down through generations. There is much power in the written word, especially the word of God through His prophets.

How was Nephi able to get to a point where he trusted the Lord enough that he was willing to walk into a major city at night and somehow find the one thing the Lord needed him to find? Nephi’s trust came through obedience to the commandments of the Lord. Time after time he pleads with is brothers to be obedient. Why? In 1 Nephi 17:35 we read, “Behold, the Lord esteemeth all flesh in one; he that is righteous is favored of God.”

A reoccurring theme we read in the Book of Mormon is that those who are obedient are blessed by the Lord. Their lives are not free from challenges (far from it) but amidst those challenges they are still able to find joy and peace, through their faith in Jesus Christ; faith which leads to action. It is through obedience that we can build enough faith in Jesus Christ to keep going when things get tough.

Lesson 2: Through the Lord we can Strengthen Our Weaknesses

Each of us is a literal spirit child of our Heavenly Father. If we can firmly grasp that concept it can help us in realizing that there really is a God in Heaven who wants to help us – he is our Father. As President Uchtdorf testified,

“Brothers and sisters, the most powerful Being in the universe is the Father of your spirit. He knows you. He loves you with a perfect love.

“God sees you not only as a mortal being on a small planet who lives for a brief season—He sees you as His child. He sees you as the being you are capable and designed to become. He wants you to know that you matter to Him.” (link to talk)

Because of His love for us, our Heavenly Father has provided us with his Plan of Salvation that, if we follow it, will lead us back to Him. We each have strengths and weaknesses, but we must remember our divine nature. We were each created in the image of God, our Father. Joseph Fielding Smith speaks of this divine nature.

“Man has within him the power, which the Father has bestowed upon him, so to develop in truth, faith, wisdom, and all the virtues, that eventually he shall become like the Father and the Son; this virtue, wisdom, and knowledge on the part of the faithful does not rob the Father and the Son, but adds to their glory and dominion. Thus it is destined that those who are worthy to become his sons and joint-heirs with our Redeemer, would be heirs of the Father’s kingdom, possessing the same attributes in their perfection, as the Father and the Son now possess.” (Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, 2:35.)

To become like God is not a trivial matter. It will not come in this life, nor will it come without considerable effort on our part – and even then we cannot do it on our own. We must be cleansed through the atoning blood of our Savior Jesus Christ. Elder Richard G. Scott said,

“Each of us has had times in our lives when we have made poor choices. We are all in desperate need of the redemptive power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Each of us must repent of any rebellion. ‘For I the Lord cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance.’ He cannot because He knows what it takes to become like Him.

“Many of us have allowed weakness to develop in our character. Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we…can build spiritual fortifications between ourselves and any past mistakes that Satan attempts to exploit. “ (link to talk)

We need to use the time we have on this earth to strive to become truly aligned with the will of God. “For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors” (Alma 34:32). We are reminded us of the daily struggle we will face, and the necessity for the wise use of our agency, through the words of Elder Neal A. Maxwell.

“It is up to us. God will facilitate, but He will not force.

“Righteous desires need to be relentless, therefore, because, said President Brigham Young, ‘the men and women, who desire to obtain seats in the celestial kingdom, will find that they must battle every day’ (in Journal of Discourses, 11:14). Therefore, true Christian soldiers are more than weekend warriors.” (link to talk)

Our ultimate desires will largely influence how we choose to act on the strengths and weaknesses that we have. Our desires will also be a determining factor in whom we will become in this life and in the life to come. Elder Maxwell continues, and speaks of our desires being integrally connected to the outcome of our time here in mortality.

“Whether in their conception or expression, our desires profoundly affect the use of our moral agency. Desires thus become real determinants,…

“Desire denotes a real longing or craving. Hence righteous desires are much more than passive preferences or fleeting feelings. Of course our genes, circumstances, and environments matter very much, and they shape us significantly. Yet there remains an inner zone in which we are sovereign, unless we abdicate. In this zone lies the essence of our individuality and our personal accountability.

“Therefore, what we insistently desire, over time, is what we will eventually become and what we will receive in eternity. ‘For I [said the Lord] will judge all men according to their works, according to the desire of their hearts’…

"God thus takes into merciful account not only our desires and our performance, but also the degrees of difficulty which our varied circumstances impose upon us.” (link to talk; emphasis added)

From the Book of Mormon we read,

“Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself.” (2 Nephi 2:27)

The Lord has given us the knowledge to choose between good and evil. He is always waiting to help us, but we need to remember to ask for His help. That is not true with the adversary; he is always on the move looking for ways to entice us to succumb. We need to remember that Satan desires that all men be miserable like he is. His sole purpose is to bind us in such a way that we feel that we cannot return to God, or even approach our loving Father for help. Satan has learned that through patience and enticing us to numerous small, seemingly insignificant, infractions of sin he can accomplish his purposes.

“...for he is the founder of all…works of darkness; yea, and he leadeth them by the neck with a flaxen cord, until he bindeth them with his strong cords forever.” (2 Nephi 26:22)

When I was thinking about what I can do to strengthen myself against the adversary, one of the stories from the Book of Mormon came to mind. It is found in the Book of Helaman. There is a war between the Lamanites and the Nephites (a recurring theme throughout the Book of Mormon) and this time, “the Lamanites had gathered together an innumerable army of men, and armed them…” (Helaman 1:14). The Nephites were unprepared because they had been distracted by so much contention in the government that they didn’t guard their capital city well “for they had supposed that the Lamanites durst not come into the heart of their lands to attack that great city Zarahemla” (Helaman 1:18) The Lamanites were prepared, attacked the weakened city, and took control of it.

Satan will attack us where we are weakest, and for a human soul, made of spirit and body, the body is a prime target. Elder Melvin J. Ballard states,

“…the assault that the evil one will make upon us to capture us will be made through the body. That is the line of contact. You have all heard the adage that a chain is no stronger than its weakest link. It will break at its weak point. Generally we will observe that our weak link is in the flesh. The devil knows the weak link, and when he undertakes to capture a soul he will strike at the weak point. There may be strength elsewhere, but he never attacks us where we are strong. He attacks where we are weak.” (link to article)

Before we came to earth we all lived as spirit children with our Father in Heaven. Satan was there, and we knew him. When we came to earth a veil was placed over our mind, but not his. He is very aware of our strengths, our weaknesses, and who the Lord knows we can become. As we trust in the Lord, however, we can find strength in Him, for “he is mightier than all the earth” (1 Nephi 4:1). In the Book of Mormon we find out how to make our weaknesses stronger,

“And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.” (Ether 12:27)

The Lord truly has, as Nephi testified, provided a way whereby we may accomplish all that He requires of us. By humbling ourselves and coming to Him we can overcome the tendencies of the natural man.

Lesson 3: Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ all mankind may be saved.

The Lord knows that “the natural man is an enemy to God” (Mosiah 3:19). We need to be continually reminded of the things of God or we have a tendency to revert back to our ‘natural man’ state. In the words of President Gordon B. Hinckley,

“We are all so busy with our mundane pursuits which pull us this way and that. We all need, the whole world needs, the opportunity to meditate and reflect on the things of God and to listen to words that inspire and help.” (link to talk)

The Law of Moses was established anciently, as a physical reminder of the forthcoming sacrifice of Jesus Christ, and as a reminder to remember the things of God. After the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Savior appeared to the Nephites on the American continent and announced a change from the Law of Moses. From the book of Mormon we read the words of Jesus Christ.

“Behold, I am Jesus Christ the Son of God. I created the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are. I was with the Father from the beginning. I am in the Father, and the Father in me; and in me hath the Father glorified his name….

“And as many as have received me, to them have I given to become the sons of God; and even so will I to as many as shall believe on my name, for behold, by me redemption cometh, and in me is the law of Moses fulfilled.

“I am the light and the life of the world. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end.

“And ye shall offer up unto me no more the shedding of blood; yea, your sacrifices and your burnt offerings shall be done away, for I will accept none of your sacrifices and your burnt offerings.

“And ye shall offer for a sacrifice unto me a broken heart and a contrite spirit….” (3 Nephi 9:15, 17-20; emphasis added)

To be contrite means “feeling or showing sorrow and remorse for a sin or shortcoming” (link). As we humble ourselves before the Lord, acknowledge our faults and shortcomings, and have faith in Him, we can gain access to the power of His atoning sacrifice. Partaking of the sacrament each week is one place we can think of this sacrifice – a sacrifice He made for us. 

The prophet Alma, in the Book of Mormon, also speaks of the Law of Moses being fulfilled through the atonement of Jesus Christ.

“And behold, this is the whole meaning of the law [of Moses], every whit pointing to that great and last sacrifice; and that great and last sacrifice will be the Son of God, yea, infinite and eternal.

“And thus he shall bring salvation to all those who shall believe on his name; this being the intent of this last sacrifice, to bring about the bowels of mercy, which overpowereth justice, and bringeth about means unto men that they may have faith unto repentance.

“And thus mercy can satisfy the demands of justice, and encircles them in the arms of safety…” (Alma 34:14-16)

Through the foresight and mercy of our Heavenly Father we have been blessed to have a Father in Heaven, and our Elder Brother, who love us more than we can fathom. "We believe that through the atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel" (Article of Faith 1:3). Through faith in the atonement of Jesus Christ we can have hope of repentance. The scriptures have been preserved for our day, and the Book of Mormon has been written specifically for us, as noted by Moroni, the last prophet from the Book of Mormon. 

“Behold, I speak unto you as if ye were present, and yet ye are not. But behold, Jesus Christ hath shown you unto me, and I know your doing” (Mormon 8:35).

The Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ, and contains the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ. But, you don’t have to take my word for it. Moroni, in his final chapter in the Book of Mormon, records the following promise. 

“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 your hearts.

“And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.

“And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.” (Moroni 10:3-5)

This is another one of the Lord’s promises; specifically about the Book of Mormon. Prove the Lord, and find out for yourself.

Agency

In Alma chapter 32 we find Alma teaching a group of people who have been humbled by their afflictions. He teaches them about faith and compares the words he speaks to a seed that must be planted and nourished if it is to take root. He then states, “ye shall reap the rewards of your faith, and your diligence, and patience, and long-suffering” (Alma 32:43). This got me thinking about agency. Agency in its simplest form is the ability to choose; the ability to decide the action that we will take.

Each and every day of our life we are given numerous opportunities to make choices. Some are insignificant, yet some can make all the difference to our eternal progress and exaltation. The choices we make might be based on our desires, past experiences, beliefs, expectations, necessity, or our circumstances. One thing we need to remember about agency and making choices is where they will ultimately lead us. President Thomas S. Monson explains it this way:

"Life’s journey is not traveled on a freeway devoid of obstacles, pitfalls, and snares. Rather, it is a pathway marked by forks and turnings. Decisions are constantly before us. To make them wisely, courage is needed: the courage to say no, the courage to say yes. Decisions do determine destiny" (Thomas S. Monson, "Courage Counts” Ensign, Nov 1986).

It is our thoughts and actions that will ultimately show our greatest desires.

Elder Neal A. Maxwell states:

“Actually, everything depends—initially and finally—on our desires. These shape our thought patterns. Our desires thus precede our deeds and lie at the very cores of our souls, tilting us toward or away from God. God can ‘educate our desires’. Others seek to manipulate our desires. But it is we who form the desires, the ‘thoughts and intents of [our] hearts’.

“The end rule is ‘according to [our] desires … shall it be done unto [us]’, ‘for I, the Lord, will judge all men according to their works, according to the desire of their hearts’. One’s individual will thus remains uniquely his. God will not override it nor overwhelm it" (Neal A. Maxwell, “'Swallowed Up in the Will of the Father'”, Ensign, Nov 1995).

Agency is not something new, and it is not limited to our short sojourn here on earth. Before we came to earth each of us had the ability to choose, and those of us who are here chose to be here. President Joseph Fielding Smith spoke of premortal spirits possessing agency when he said:

“God gave his children their free agency even in the spirit world, by which the individual spirits had the privilege, just as men have here, of choosing the good and rejecting the evil, or partaking of the evil to suffer the consequences of their sins.” (Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, 1:58-59)

Agency is such a critical piece of our Father in Heaven’s Plan of Salvation that He watched as some of His spirit children chose not to follow His plan, but instead chose to follow Lucifer – to their own eternal detriment.

The Lord allows us to make choices, and through trial and error we learn more about what we want and what we don’t want. In the end, we show through our choices what it is that we truly want.

Marion G. Romney explains:

“Over and over again the scriptures teach that men receive from the Lord according to their desires. Alma declared:

“… I know that [God] granteth unto men according to their desire, whether it be unto death or unto life; yea, I know that he allotteth unto men according to their wills, whether they be unto salvation or unto destruction” (Marion G. Romney, “Magnifying One’s Calling in the Priesthood”, Ensign, May 1973).

We are on this earth to be tried and tested. In Abraham the Lord explains, “And we will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them” (Abraham 3:25).

In a vision to Moses the Lord states His purpose for our existence. “For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man” (Moses 1:39). His goal is to help us attain eternal life with Him. Everything He asks of us is for our eternal benefit. We cannot see the end from the beginning, as He can, so we must learn to trust in and rely on His ultimate plan for us.

We have been blessed with a body, and also the ability to think for ourselves. Our minds are amazing. With them we can choose to do so much. Those choices are based on our ultimate desires, whether they be good, bad, or indifferent.

Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin speaks of the power of the mind when he said:

“All evils to which so many become addicted begin in the mind and in the way one thinks. Experience teaches that when the will and imagination are in conflict, the imagination usually wins. What we imagine may defeat our reason and make us slaves to what we taste, see, hear, smell, and feel in the mind’s eye. The body is indeed the servant of the mind.

“In his widely acclaimed essay As a Man Thinketh, James Allen reinforced what Jesus so beautifully proclaimed. Mr. Allen wrote:

“Man is made or unmade by himself; in the armoury of thought he forges the weapons by which he destroys himself; he also fashions the tools with which he builds for himself heavenly mansions of joy and strength and peace. By the right choice and true application of thought, man ascends to the Divine Perfection; by the abuse and wrong application of thought, he descends below the level of the beast. Between these two extremes are all the grades of character, and man is their maker and master. …

“All that a man achieves and all that he fails to achieve is the direct result of his own thoughts. (New York: Thomas Y. Crowell Co., n. d., pp. 8–9, 34.)" (Joseph B. Wirthlin, "Pondering Strengthens the Spiritual Life”, Ensign, May 1982).

With the ability to choose we need to be careful how we use our precious time on this earth, and whom we "list to obey" (Alma 3:26). As we choose to follow the Savior we may strive to not commit sin, but we will need to dig a little deeper within ourselves to also be committed to do those things we should be doing. This comes through consecrating our hearts to the Lord, as Elder Neal A. Maxwell explains:

“To the extent that we are not willing to be led by the Lord, we will be driven by our appetites, or we will be greatly preoccupied with the lesser things of the day….

“Once the telestial sins are left behind and henceforth avoided, the focus falls ever more on the sins of omission. These omissions signify a lack of qualifying fully for the celestial kingdom. Only greater consecration can correct these omissions, which have consequences just as real as do the sins of commission. Many of us thus have sufficient faith to avoid the major sins of commission, but not enough faith to sacrifice our distracting obsessions or to focus on our omissions” (Neal A. Maxwell, “'Swallowed Up in the Will of the Father'”, Ensign, Nov 1995).

Faith

This brings us to faith. One of the first principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ is to have “...faith in the Lord Jesus Christ” (Articles of Faith 1:4).

In Alma 33 the people Alma has been teaching ask him how to plant the seed of faith. His response is to, “begin to believe in the Son of God” (Alma 33:22).

Believe there really is a God. Believe that his Son died for you. Believe that you really can be forgiven. Believe that you really can change. And this 'good seed' of belief will work in you. As you believe and ask God for forgiveness you will feel a lightening in your soul – a great weight of sin being removed, a realization that there really is a God in heaven who knows you, loves you, and is waiting with outstretched arms to help you. You will then be able to recognize that this seed must be good; and seeds from the same tree produce the same fruit. So believe and continue to taste of all the wonderful fruit that this tree has to offer. 

Elder Richard G. Scott says this about faith:

“When faith is properly understood and used, it has dramatically far-reaching effects. Such faith can transform an individual’s life from maudlin, common everyday activities to a symphony of joy and happiness. The exercise of faith is vital to Father in Heaven’s plan of happiness. But true faith, faith unto salvation, is centered on the Lord Jesus Christ, faith in His doctrines and teachings, faith in the prophetic guidance of the Lord’s anointed, faith in the capacity to discover hidden characteristics and traits that can transform life. Truly, faith in the Savior is a principle of action and power” (Richard G. Scott, "The Transforming Power of Faith and Character”, Ensign, Nov 2010).

Just like planting a tree, nurturing it, and waiting for the fruit to grow, it takes time and nurturing before the seed of faith will grow. Some of the ways to increase our faith are through obedience, studying the scriptures, prayer, fasting, paying tithing, temple attendance, and service.

Prayer

Another important principle is that of prayer. In the Bible Dictionary we learn about the relationship between God, man, and prayer.

“As soon as we learn the true relationship in which we stand toward God (namely, God is our Father, and we are His children), then at once prayer becomes natural and instinctive on our part. Many of the so-called difficulties about prayer arise from forgetting this relationship. Prayer is the act by which the will of the Father and the will of the child are brought into correspondence with each other. The object of prayer is not to change the will of God but to secure for ourselves and for others blessings that God is already willing to grant but that are made conditional on our asking for them. Blessings require some work or effort on our part before we can obtain them. Prayer is a form of work and is an appointed means for obtaining the highest of all blessings” (Bible Dictionary, "Prayer").

As we humbly approach our Father in Heaven in prayer, we may not always receive the answers we desire. We must learn to have faith in the Lord and in His timing.  As Elder David A. Bednar states,

“The object of our prayers should not be to present a wish list or a series of requests but to secure for ourselves and for others blessings that God is eager to bestow, according to His will and timing. Every sincere prayer is heard and answered by our Heavenly Father, but the answers we receive may not be what we expect or come to us when we want or in the way we anticipate” (David A. Bednar, "Ask in Faith”, Ensign, May 2008)

Let me share an experience from my own life. A few years ago, the company that my husband worked for was forced to downsize, and my husband was told that he would be let go. Through a bit of effort on his part he had a job offer shortly after this announcement. The job was exactly what he wanted to do, with good pay, a good location, and the timing was perfect. We took our decision, to accept this job offer, to the Lord and felt a very definite “no.” We were surprised but decided to trust the feeling. We declined the offer, and they extended the offer again – something they did three times (an additional test of our faith). My husband then became unemployed, with no other offers in sight.

After three months he was able to find another job; but when compared to the earlier job offer this one did not look like his ideal job. Now, several years later, we reflect back on the employment opportunities that have come to us since that time, and the tremendous opportunities for growth and development my husband has had that would not have come had we accepted the original job offer.

Prayer is a very personal way that we can find out the will of the Lord for ourselves. It allows us to communicate with our loving Father in Heaven. I love this quote by Elder Richard G. Scott about the personal nature of prayer:

“Prayer is a supernal gift of our Father in Heaven to every soul. Think of it: the absolute Supreme Being, the most all-knowing, all-seeing, all-powerful personage, encourages you and me, as insignificant as we are, to converse with

Him as our Father….

“It matters not our circumstance, be we humble or arrogant, poor or rich, free or enslaved, learned or ignorant, loved or forsaken, we can address Him. We need no appointment. Our supplication can be brief or can occupy all the time needed. It can be an extended expression of love and gratitude or an urgent plea for help. He has created numberless cosmos and populated them with worlds, yet you and I can talk with Him personally, and He will ever answer” (Richard G. Scott, "Using the Supernal Gift of Prayer”, Ensign, May 2007).

The Lord knows all, and as we humble ourselves before Him we can be guided in our lives to find greater fulfillment and happiness than we could have found on our own.

Scriptures

Reading, studying, pondering and applying the scriptures in our lives is another way that we can choose to follow the Savior.

I want to speak in particular about the Book of Mormon, and the promises it contains. I have read the Book of Mormon many times throughout my life. A few years ago I realized that the stories had become so familiar that I didn’t really get much out of my scripture reading. I remembered a talk by President Ezra Taft Benson in which he talked about reasons for reading the Book of Mormon. He said,

“It is not just that the Book of Mormon teaches us truth, though it indeed does that. It is not just that the Book of Mormon bears testimony of Christ, though it indeed does that, too. But there is something more. There is a power in the book which will begin to flow into your lives the moment you begin a serious study of the book. You will find greater power to resist temptation. You will find the power to avoid deception. You will find the power to stay on the strait and narrow path” (Ezra Taft Benson, "The Book of Mormon—Keystone of Our Religion”, Ensign, Nov 1986).

Marion G. Romney also spoke of the power that comes from a regular study of the Book of Mormon when he said:

“I feel certain that if, in our homes, parents will read from the Book of Mormon prayerfully and regularly, both by themselves and with their children, the spirit of that great book will come to permeate our homes and all who dwell therein. The spirit of reverence will increase; mutual respect and consideration for each other will grow. The spirit of contention will depart. Parents will counsel their children in greater love and wisdom. Children will be more responsive and submissive to the counsel of their parents. Righteousness will increase. Faith, hope, and charity—the pure love of Christ—will abound in our homes and lives, bringing in their wake peace, joy, and happiness” (Marion G. Romney, "The Book of Mormon”, Ensign, May 1980).

I decided that I was going to test these promises and make a daily, purposeful study of the book of Mormon. When I first started, I was a little worried because I generally read right before bed. I didn't think I could get much out of it, and I was also worried that staying up late to read would not be as beneficial as sleeping. As a young mother I was often very tired, leading to my emotions running a bit high at times. I knelt down and explained my situation to the Lord – how I wanted to begin a serious study of the Book of Mormon, but was a little nervous about the effects that come from late nights and losing sleep.

I started to read every night, and prayed before I read. One thing I noticed was the amount of sleep I needed seemed to lessen. I was able to function well and my emotions stayed in check. About a month after starting this experiment I had a really rough day when I got angry and ended up in tears. When I talked to my husband about my troubles he said that he was surprised at my reaction. He said that for the past month there had been such a wonderful, peaceful feeling in our home.

My husband knew nothing of my experiment, and I feel that the spirit in our home was changed because of my consistent reading from the Book of Mormon. There truly is a power that comes from reading the scriptures. One lesson this experience has reinforced to me is that when I remember to turn to the Lord for help, He is always there.

Obedience

Obedience, to me, is an all-encompassing principle. Much of what we do, and who we become, in life depends on our obedience to the will of our Heavenly Father. True obedience cannot be forced. It comes from way down deep inside, and is reflected in the person we are becoming. Elder Neal A. Maxwell said this about obedience,

“Seventy years ago, Lord Moulton coined a perceptive phrase, ‘obedience to the unenforceable,’ describing ‘the obedience of a man to that which he cannot be forced to obey’. God’s blessings, including those associated with consecration, come by unforced obedience to the laws upon which they are predicated. Thus our deepest desires determine our degree of ‘obedience to the unenforceable.’ God seeks to have us become more consecrated by giving everything. Then, when we come home to Him, He will generously give us ‘all that [He] hath.’

“…the submission of one’s will is really the only uniquely personal thing we have to place on God’s altar. The many other things we ‘give,’ brothers and sisters, are actually the things He has already given or loaned to us” (Neal A. Maxwell, "'Swallowed Up in the Will of the Father’”, Ensign, Nov 1995).

As we strive to be obedient to God’s will, instead of our own, we can be guided and directed by the Holy Ghost. Attending the temple, as often as we can, will help renew our spirits and provides a greater understanding of the plan of salvation. As we pay our tithing the Lord has said, “prove me now herewith…if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it” (Malachi 3:20). This is a promise from the Lord. Plant the seed and test this promise.

As we continue on our journey leading to eternal life, we need to remember what we are aiming for. If it is eternal life with Heavenly Father, then obedience to His laws is what will get us there. It is also through the Atonement of Jesus Christ that we can become cleansed from our sins and imperfections, and try again when we fall short. Elder David B. Haight reminds us,

“Immortality comes to us all as a free gift by the grace of God alone, without works of righteousness. Eternal life, however, is the reward for obedience to the laws and ordinances of His gospel” (David B. Haight, "The Sacrament—and the Sacrifice”, Ensign, Nov 1989).

It doesn’t matter to the Lord what specific assignment we complete or if we are doing better than soone else. In the day of judgment we will not be compared to anyone, except ourselves. As we put the Lord first in our lives things will work out in the end. Elder Rex C. Reeve states:

“I suppose in the day of judgment the question won’t be so much what did you do or where did you serve, but rather, did you serve me with all your heart? Did you put me first in your life?...

"Yes, the answer and solution to all the challenges and needs we have, national or personal, is to turn our hearts to God, put Him first in our lives, keep His commandments—and all things will work for our good, even those tests which seem so big and require so much. They, too, will bless our lives” (Rex C. Reeve, "Look to God”, Ensign, Nov 1982)

What will truly make a difference in the next life is the direction we are facing when we leave, and the choices we made while here on earth. President Henry B. Eyring states, "If we choose the right, we will find happiness - in time. If we choose evil, there comes sorrow and regret - in time. Those effects are sure" (Henry B. Eyring, "A Priceless Heritage of Hope”, Ensign, May 2014). In the end, the rewards we receive from the choices we made will be ours, and ours alone.

Finding Peace in a Troubled World

One of the basic truths that I have been taught ever since I was a little girl is that I am a child of God. We are all spirit children of a Heavenly Father. He knows us intimately and loves us more than we can comprehend. He wants what is best for us not only in this life but also in the life to come. President Dieter F. Uchdorf said,

“God sees you not only as a mortal being on a small planet who lives for a brief season—He sees you as His child. He sees you as the being you are capable and designed to become.” (Dieter F. Uchtdorf, "You Matter to Him”, Ensign, Nov 2011)

Before we came to earth all of us lived with our Heavenly Father as His spirit children. We loved Him and associated with Him. We wanted to become like Him. He presented a plan to us in which we would be able to do just that. It would be difficult, but we “shouted for joy” (Job 38:7) when we heard it. We would be able to come down to earth, and obtain a body. We would have to learn to overcome the challenges we would face on earth, but knowing it would lead us to become like our Heavenly Father we were willing to face whatever hardships were required. Heavenly Father knew that we would sin so He prepared a Savior for us, even Jesus Christ our Elder Brother, to atone for us so that we could return to live with them after this life, if we would be true and faithful.

About our premortal life, Joseph Fielding Smith said,

“At one time we were in the presence of our Eternal Father. There is not a soul in this room, not one, that has not seen him. You do not remember it, I do not remember it, but nevertheless there was a time before we ever came into this world when we dwelt in his presence. We knew what kind of a being he is. One thing we saw was how glorious he is. Another thing, how great was his wisdom, his understanding, how wonderful was his power and his inspiration. And we wanted to be like him. And because we wanted to be like him, we are here. We could not be like him and stay in his presence, because we did not have glorious bodies of flesh and bones. We were just spirits, and the spirit does not have flesh and bones. But we saw him in his glory and it was made known to us that by keeping his commandments and observing every covenant that would be given to us on this earth, we could come back again into his presence, receiving our bodies in the resurrection from the dead—our spirits and bodies being united again, inseparably, never again to be divided.

“If we will just be true and faithful to every covenant, to every principle of truth that he has given us, then after the resurrection we would come back into his presence and we would be just like he is. We would have the same kind of bodies—bodies that would shine like the sun” (Joseph Fielding Smith, “Take Heed to Yourselves!” p 345).

In the premortal realm not everyone chose to follow our Heavenly Father’s plan. Lucifer, later to be known as Satan, wanted to take away man’s agency. He wanted to force all of God’s children to obey so that they would return back to our Heavenly Father - but his asking price was the honor (or power) of God. In the book of Moses we read,

“And I, the Lord God, spake unto Moses, saying: That Satan, whom thou hast commanded in the name of mine Only Begotten, is the same which was from the beginning, and he came before me, saying—Behold, here am I, send me, I will be thy son, and I will redeem all mankind, that one soul shall not be lost, and surely I will do it; wherefore give me thine honor.

"But, behold, my Beloved Son, which was my Beloved and Chosen from the beginning, said unto me—Father, thy will be done, and the glory be thine forever.

"Wherefore, because that Satan rebelled against me, and sought to destroy the agency of man, which I, the Lord God, had given him, and also, that I should give unto him mine own power; by the power of mine Only Begotten, I caused that he should be cast down;

"And he became Satan, yea, even the devil, the father of all lies, to deceive and to blind men, and to lead them captive at his will, even as many as would not hearken unto my voice.” (Moses 4:1-4)

Satan, and one-third part of the hosts of heaven who chose to follow him, were cast out of the presence of God down to this earth. They are here to tempt and to try us, but if we are true and faithful to the plan of our Father in Heaven, relying on the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we can return to live with our Father again.

Life, at times, may be difficult. It may be full of challenges, disappointment, heartache, and sorrow. At times it may also be difficult to understand the “why” of our challenges. And we may long for peace to our soul.

President Spencer W. Kimball explains a little about what we knew before we came here,

“We knew before we were born that we were coming to the earth for bodies and experience and that we would have joys and sorrows, ease and pain, comforts and hardships, health and sickness, successes and disappointments, and we knew also that after a period of life we would die. We accepted all these eventualities with a glad heart, eager to accept both the favorable and unfavorable. We eagerly accepted the chance to come earthward even though it might be for only a day or a year. Perhaps we were not so much concerned whether we should die of disease, of accident, or of senility. We were willing to take life as it came and as we might organize and control it, and this without murmur, complaint, or unreasonable demands” (Spencer W. Kimball, “Faith Precedes the Miracle”, p 106).

We are here on earth to be tried and tested, to see if we will do what the Lord asks of us. Some may be tried with wealth and others with poverty; some with health and some with physical challenges. We will each be tested in the ways that will help us, each of us individually, prepare to return to our Heavenly Father again.

I love the words of President Uctdorf, as he reassures us:

“…please understand that what you see and experience now is not what forever will be. You will not feel loneliness, sorrow, pain, or discouragement forever. We have the faithful promise of God that He will neither forget nor forsake those who incline their hearts to Him. Have hope and faith in that promise.” (Dieter F. Uchtdorf, "You Matter to Him”, Ensign, Nov 2011)

Understanding the plan of our Heavenly Father gives us greater insight into the suffering, hardship, trials, temptations and other challenges that we all face on this earth. Through understanding this Plan of Happiness we also know where we can turn to find peace.

I am reminded of the story of Jesus, when on the Sea of Galilee with his disciples. There was a huge storm, and Jesus was asleep. The disciples were afraid and turned to the Savior for help. I want to read from the account in the Gospel of Mark:

“And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.

"And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?

"And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.” (Mark 4:37-39)

When we feel like our lives are being beaten upon and tossed about we need to remember that He can bring the same peace to our souls, if we but turn to him. We are reminded of coming to Him through the words of one of our Hymns,

“Come unto Jesus, ye heavy laden,

Careworn and fainting, by sin oppressed. 

He'll safely guide you unto that haven

Where all who trust him may rest.

"Come unto Jesus; He'll ever heed you,

Though in the darkness you've gone astray.

His love will find you and gently lead you

From darkest night into day.

"Come unto Jesus; He'll surely hear you, 

If you in meekness plead for his love. 

Oh, know you not that angels are near you

From brightest mansions above?

"Come unto Jesus from ev'ry nation, 

From ev'ry land and isle of the sea.

Unto the high and lowly in station,

Ever he calls, ‘Come to me.’"
(Hymns, "Come Unto Jesus")

As we learn more about the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we can better understand how to find the peace that we so desperately need. In the March 2013 Ensign there is an article about the enabling power of the Atonement. A few of the quotes talk about turning to the Lord and allowing Him to carry our burdens, even day-to-day ones. "Although the trial may be hard and the relief may not be immediate, we need to learn to allow God to help carry our burdens. We can do this by turning to Him regularly to seek His enabling power" (Carolyn J. Rasmus, "The Enabling Power of the Atonement”, Ensign, Mar 2013).

I have actually tried this, and was amazed at the results. I was having a rough morning. It had been a long night, and my husband was still asleep, and I felt it was unfair that he got to sleep in while I was taking care of the kids. I felt really grouchy, and I remember realizing it. I didn't want to start the day off like that, nor make my kids have to deal with my grouchiness. So, I knelt down and asked the Lord if there was some way that through the atonement the negative feelings could be taken away, so that I could not be so grouchy, and for the sake of my kids. I remember a peace coming to my heart and mind, the feelings of unfairness and grouchiness were gone, and I remember being surprised at how immediate the response was!

Another part of the article talks about "relying" on the Atonement - not just for taking care of our sins, but actually giving us the power to do more than we are able to do. It tells about a lady who had to care for her husband with Alzheimer's. "There are times when the sadness is overwhelming. I get on my knees and plead, 'Please carry this for a while. I can't do this alone.' And I feel God's strength-strength enough to allow me to move forward one day at a time."

The Atonement is a gift available for all of us. Elder David A. Bednar said this about the power of the Atonement:

“Not only does the Atonement of Jesus Christ overcome the effects of the Fall of Adam and make possible the remission of our individual sins and transgressions, but His Atonement also enables us to do good and become better in ways that stretch far beyond our mortal capacities.

"…the Savior has suffered not just for our sins and iniquities—but also for our physical pains and anguish, our weaknesses and shortcomings, our fears and frustrations, our disappointments and discouragement, our regrets and remorse, our despair and desperation, the injustices and inequities we experience, and the emotional distresses that beset us.

"There is no physical pain, no spiritual wound, no anguish of soul or heartache, no infirmity or weakness you or I ever confront in mortality that the Savior did not experience first. In a moment of weakness we may cry out, “No one knows what it is like. No one understands.” But the Son of God perfectly knows and understands, for He has felt and borne our individual burdens. And because of His infinite and eternal sacrifice, He has perfect empathy and can extend to us His arm of mercy. He can reach out, touch, succor, heal, and strengthen us to be more than we could ever be and help us to do that which we could never do relying only upon our own power. Indeed, His yoke is easy and His burden is light.” (David A. Bednar, "Bear Up Their Burdens with Ease”, Ensign, May 2014).

Jesus Christ paid the price for all of our sins. He therefore has “bought” our ever-accruing debt. As we do our best to keep his commandments, we come to learn that through our faith (shown by our obedience) and through our works (shown by our efforts) his grace is activated in our lives. And through his grace, the peace of the Savior can enter into our hearts.

“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (John 14:27, emphasis added)

The Savior’s peace doesn’t mean that we will have an untroubled life. From the scriptures we know that the Savior did not. His peace means that we can have an inner peace, an inner assurance, despite the troubled world that surrounds us. His peace came from knowing who he was and why he was on this earth. He knew his purpose, and strived with everything he had to achieve it.

The Savior has said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” (John 14:15) Through our obedience we show our appreciation to the Savior for his atonement. As we “always remember Him”, shown through our obedience, we can “have His spirit to be with [us].” (Doctrine & Covenants 20:77) We can have clarity and peace of mind – despite the turbulent world that surrounds us; comfort within our soul that we are on the right path, and a deep abiding feeling in our heart that we are children of God and He knows the challenges we are facing, and will help us in his own time and in his own perfect way.

It is against the nature of God to force, and he will not force us to follow Him. He waits patiently for us to make the choice whether we will, or will not. The choice is ultimately up to us.

Because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we can be forgiven of our sins, and it is through the cleansing power of the Holy Ghost that we can receive the promised peace of the Savior. Peace comes through trusting in our Heavenly Father and the plan He has for each of us. It comes through trusting in Jesus Christ as our Savior and Redeemer who accomplished the grueling atonement to give us the chance to turn to Him and be healed. May we live in such a way that the peace of the Spirit can always abide in our hearts.