The Book of Mormon (not the musical)
First, I just wanted to share a moment as I was cleaning the chapel a couple of weeks ago. While vacuuming the choir seats I noticed, as I always do, the angel sparkles from the Chorale. They are nearly impossible to get out of the seats, and remain as silent witnesses to the beautiful messages the Chorale has brought over the years to our little chapel. As I was cleaning and thinking about that, I heard the refrain: (Loving Families Barbara Dykstra, arranged by Larry Beebe)
You'll hear us singing
Through faith we're blessed from above
Together bringing
The closeness families find
Through Love....
Messages that God sends, go figure.
So I wanted to write about the Book of Mormon. For those that don't know, it is considered scripture, along with the Holy Bible, Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price, of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. It is a record of a remnant of Israel that left Jerusalem shortly before it was destroyed by the Babylonians. They were led to the Promised land, the western hemisphere, by the hand of God. Most importantly as its subtitle states, it is "Another Witness of Jesus Christ", it witnesses the visit of the Resurrected Christ to the people of this land. It was brought to light through a young man, Joseph Smith, who translated it by the gift and power of God. That is a story for another time, as I wanted to focus a personal view of the Book of Mormon, and guidance we have received today.
As a child I remember singing in Jr. Sunday School (before Primary was on Sunday) the song Book of Mormon Stories. It is the only song that I can play on the piano. Verses have been added over the years, but the song remains essentially the same, and the first exposure that I had to the Book of Mormon.
Our seminary year of Book of Mormon was a blur, and I do remember reading it, but not gaining much, after all, I was a dumb high school kid. I must have gained something.
On my mission, I continued reading it, gaining insight (en español) and English. I remember specifically an instance when we had a Jehovah Witness actually read out of Ether (12:27) and explain it to someone else. Yes, you read that correctly. We had a zone conference where Elder A. Theodore Tuttle of the Seventy came and spoke, and he spoke on the Book of Mormon, and the sealed plates that were part of the record. He asked why those plates were still sealed, and with no answer, he stated that it was because the Saints were not using the knowledge that they had and so were not ready for additional revelation. Ouch!
President Ezra Taft Benson made the Book of Mormon a focal point of his tenure as President of the Church. He advanced to Book of Mormon wherever he could, and encouraged the members to use it, and to teach it. He promised that we would be blessed by reading it. The Book of Mormon itself makes a promise at the end of the book. The prophet Moroni wrote in Moroni 10:4
4 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.
Not only does he promise that we would know the truth of the Book of Mormon, but in the very next verse, he promises that by the power of the Holy Ghost we may know the truth of ALL things.
In 2017, President Monson gave a powerful address on the Book of Mormon, he pleaded with the Saints (and the world) to read the Book of Mormon, and promised that reading the Book of Mormon and prayerfully considering the words would give us an increased testimony of Jesus Christ. This is desperately needed in these times. https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2017/04/the-power-of-the-book-of-mormon?lang=eng
President Russel M Nelson, then President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles followed that up with another excellent discourse on following the Prophet's council. He did follow the council, and reported on the blessings received because of that.https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2017/10/the-book-of-mormon-what-would-your-life-be-like-without-it?lang=eng
We in the Paola Ward, and the Olathe Stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saint have been challenged by our Stake President to search the Book of Mormon, to gain our own testimony of it, so that we can receive peace in our lives. By searching and applying, we can truly gain our testimony. This I know, and while not having been completely obedient, am committing to do so now.
If you would like a copy of the Book of Mormon, you can request one at mormon.org If you don't want to have it hand delivered by young men in white shirts and ties, just comment, and I will personally get you one, and I won't pressure you. Just a book. And answers to questions that you may have, either before or after.
Want to read about Christ's visit to the Americas online? You can here: https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/3-ne/11?lang=eng chapters 11-26.
Finding it hard to believe a young farm boy with little formal education was chosen to be God's prophet and translate this record? If you are a Christian you believe that the "son" of a carpenter was able to take upon himself the sins of the world, and that he died and was resurrected on the third day. The story of Joseph Smith really isn't that big of a stretch Want to read his story? https://www.lds.org/scriptures/pgp/js-h/1?lang=eng
I know that if we can learn the lessons of the Book of Mormon that we will be blessed. Blessed with peace in our homes, peace with our neighbors and communities, and it will strengthen our belief in Christ and his Atoning Sacrifice for us.
You'll hear us singing
Through faith we're blessed from above
Together bringing
The closeness families find
Through Love....
Messages that God sends, go figure.
So I wanted to write about the Book of Mormon. For those that don't know, it is considered scripture, along with the Holy Bible, Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price, of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. It is a record of a remnant of Israel that left Jerusalem shortly before it was destroyed by the Babylonians. They were led to the Promised land, the western hemisphere, by the hand of God. Most importantly as its subtitle states, it is "Another Witness of Jesus Christ", it witnesses the visit of the Resurrected Christ to the people of this land. It was brought to light through a young man, Joseph Smith, who translated it by the gift and power of God. That is a story for another time, as I wanted to focus a personal view of the Book of Mormon, and guidance we have received today.
As a child I remember singing in Jr. Sunday School (before Primary was on Sunday) the song Book of Mormon Stories. It is the only song that I can play on the piano. Verses have been added over the years, but the song remains essentially the same, and the first exposure that I had to the Book of Mormon.
Our seminary year of Book of Mormon was a blur, and I do remember reading it, but not gaining much, after all, I was a dumb high school kid. I must have gained something.
On my mission, I continued reading it, gaining insight (en español) and English. I remember specifically an instance when we had a Jehovah Witness actually read out of Ether (12:27) and explain it to someone else. Yes, you read that correctly. We had a zone conference where Elder A. Theodore Tuttle of the Seventy came and spoke, and he spoke on the Book of Mormon, and the sealed plates that were part of the record. He asked why those plates were still sealed, and with no answer, he stated that it was because the Saints were not using the knowledge that they had and so were not ready for additional revelation. Ouch!
President Ezra Taft Benson made the Book of Mormon a focal point of his tenure as President of the Church. He advanced to Book of Mormon wherever he could, and encouraged the members to use it, and to teach it. He promised that we would be blessed by reading it. The Book of Mormon itself makes a promise at the end of the book. The prophet Moroni wrote in Moroni 10:4
4 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.
Not only does he promise that we would know the truth of the Book of Mormon, but in the very next verse, he promises that by the power of the Holy Ghost we may know the truth of ALL things.
In 2017, President Monson gave a powerful address on the Book of Mormon, he pleaded with the Saints (and the world) to read the Book of Mormon, and promised that reading the Book of Mormon and prayerfully considering the words would give us an increased testimony of Jesus Christ. This is desperately needed in these times. https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2017/04/the-power-of-the-book-of-mormon?lang=eng
President Russel M Nelson, then President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles followed that up with another excellent discourse on following the Prophet's council. He did follow the council, and reported on the blessings received because of that.https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2017/10/the-book-of-mormon-what-would-your-life-be-like-without-it?lang=eng
We in the Paola Ward, and the Olathe Stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saint have been challenged by our Stake President to search the Book of Mormon, to gain our own testimony of it, so that we can receive peace in our lives. By searching and applying, we can truly gain our testimony. This I know, and while not having been completely obedient, am committing to do so now.
If you would like a copy of the Book of Mormon, you can request one at mormon.org If you don't want to have it hand delivered by young men in white shirts and ties, just comment, and I will personally get you one, and I won't pressure you. Just a book. And answers to questions that you may have, either before or after.
Want to read about Christ's visit to the Americas online? You can here: https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/3-ne/11?lang=eng chapters 11-26.
Finding it hard to believe a young farm boy with little formal education was chosen to be God's prophet and translate this record? If you are a Christian you believe that the "son" of a carpenter was able to take upon himself the sins of the world, and that he died and was resurrected on the third day. The story of Joseph Smith really isn't that big of a stretch Want to read his story? https://www.lds.org/scriptures/pgp/js-h/1?lang=eng
I know that if we can learn the lessons of the Book of Mormon that we will be blessed. Blessed with peace in our homes, peace with our neighbors and communities, and it will strengthen our belief in Christ and his Atoning Sacrifice for us.
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