It was my opportunity to speak in sacrament yesterday. I was given the topic of the Book of Mormon which is a very broad topic when it comes to talks. My mind seemed scattered all week as I read talks, books, and quotes. I don’t believe there is such a thing as being over prepared when giving a talk because I feel like there is always more to learn when it comes to the gospel. If we make the effort to learn all we can the spirit has more to work with. So I studied a LOT! It all finally came together at 2:00 the morning of while my apartment was silent and I had time to think clearly and listen to the spirit. Yes…I was crying while writing my talk. Yes…it was a talk that I needed so I could learn and renew my excitement for the Book of Mormon. Yes…giving a talk on the Book of Mormon made me realize how much I LOVE the Book.
Let me tell you something about my life when it comes to giving talks. It seems once I am assigned a talk that everything starts to fall apart. Little things start happening that distract me the whole week. Stress doubles because I know that the week before I give a talk is always a hard week. I don’t know why but I feel “extra attacked” in many ways. Events happen that dampen my confidence and make me wonder if anyone would even care about what I have to say. I know that sounds silly but many little things fell apart this last week. I feel like that night before I give a talk, I just need to lock myself in my room. The night before the last time I gave a talk my roommates boyfriend (ex-boyfriend for that week) yelled at me because I was trying to protect my roommates emotional health. Don’t worry that talk was on the responsibilities of men…ironic? This time nothing so drastic happened but still something that dampened my spirits and confidence a little bit. Maybe the Lord is just trying to keep me humble? When I got home I remembered I have a tradition of reading Doctrine and Covenants 31 before any talk that I give. It’s everything I need to hear before I give a talk. It reminded me in verse 12 to “pray always”. I then said a prayer that helped me to forget those things which had gone wrong and helped me to focus on the task at hand. This is what came of it: (it’s not the same written out as it is when spoken)
Book of Mormon
Keystone in our Witness of Christ
*Brothers and Sisters I would like to invite you to take a challenge. Listen closely and then think about if you would or could take this challenge. Your challenge is to write a book. Easy enough, right? But there is a catch. The book must contain the following details:
You are a 23 year old with only 3 years of formal schooling and you have 60 days to complete this record
When you finish in 60 days, you must make no changes to the text of the first edition…it must stand FOREVER…there must be no flaw in the entire book
It must be 520 pages long with an average of 150 words per page
You must never use anything absurd or impossible in content
You must state that your smooth narrative is not fiction but a true and sacred history
The book must contain a history of a people from 2200 B.C. to 300 A.D
Include a history of two distinct and separate nations along with histories of different contemporary nations as well
Describe their religious, economic, social, and political cultures and institutions
Weave into the history Jesus Christ and the pattern of Christian living
The record MUST center in Jesus Christ and give over 100 titles for Him, and bear testimony of him in every 1.7 verses.
You must make a promise to your readers that if they ask the Lord with a sincere heart He will make the truth manifest to them
You must then invite the ablest scholars and experts to examine the text and see that those competent try to expose every flaw in it
It is to fulfill Bible prophecies in the exact manner in which it shall come forth
Your descriptions of civilizations is not known when you bring forth this record, but it agrees with all archeological and scientific evidence found in the next 177 years
The facts, ideas, and statements which are given as true must be directly opposite of the prevailing beliefs in the world
Internal and external prophecies must be confirmed and fulfilled in the next 168 years
You must not only have your witness that the book is true, but also the witness of 11 other men who bear testimony alongside you that what has been written is true. They must do this out of personal sacrifice and under severe persecution even unto death. Thousands more must manifest that they know it is true by the power of the Holy Ghost.
You must publish it to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, declaring it to be the word of God
After suffering persecution for the next 20 years, you must be willing to give your own life for your testimony of this book.
Now, does this sound like a challenge you would like to take? Does it sound like one you could take all on your own? Does this sound like a challenge one man could take on his own in the early 1800’s had He not been commanded by God to do so?
*Remember the word from Elder Jeffrey R. Holland’s great-grandfather…in speaking of the Book of Mormon he said: “No wicked man could write such a book as this; and no good man would write it unless it were true and he were commanded of God to do so.”
*Joseph Smith was the man commanded of Got to translate this Book for us. He translated it and brought it forth under the command and power of God. We must remember that Christ is the author of the book because it was through him that the prophets of old were able to write. Christ is not only the author of this great Book, He is the main reason for the book for every page testifies of Christ.
*If you hold a Book of Mormon in your hand or read the cover page you will realize that The Book of Mormon is not the full name of the book. It has a longer name. The Book of Mormon Another Testament of Jesus Christ. That right there shows us what the purpose of the book is….to TESTIFY OF JESUS CHRIST.
*If you will remember one of the earlier facts I gave. The Book of Mormon testifies of Christ in every 1.7 verses. This is because out of the 6,607 verses 3,925 verses refer to Jesus Christ.
*Ezra Taft Benson stated: “The Book of Mormon is the keystone in our witness of Jesus Christ, who is Himself the cornerstone of everything we do. It bears witness of His reality with power and clarity. Unlike the Bible, which passed through generations of copyists, translators, and corrupt religionists who tampered with the text, the Book of Mormon came from writer to reader in just one inspired step of translation. Therefore, its testimony of the Master is clear, undiluted, and full of power. But it does even more….The Book of Mormon…provides the most complete explanation of the doctrine of the Atonement. Truly, this divinely inspired book is a keystone in bearing witness to the world that Jesus is the Christ.”
*One of the greatest witnesses of Jesus Christ for me is one that happens at the climax of the book. It is the event of Christ appearing to the people of Nephi in 3 Nephi 11. Listen to the following words and tell me if you could ever deny the existence of our Savior after hearing such a powerful message.
8. And it came to pass, as they understood they cast their eyes up again towards heaven; and behold, they asaw a Man bdescending out of heaven; and he was clothed in a white robe; and he came down and stood in the midst of them; and the eyes of the whole multitude were turned upon him, and they durst not open their mouths, even one to another, and wist not what it meant, for they thought it was an angel that had appeared unto them.
9. And it came to pass that he stretched forth his hand and spake unto the people, saying:
10. Behold, I am Jesus Christ, whom the prophets testified shall come into the world.
11. And behold, I am the alight and the life of the world; and I have drunk out of that bitter bcup which the Father hath given me, and have glorified the Father in ctaking upon me the sins of the world, in the which I have suffered the dwill of the Father in all things from the beginning.
12. And it came to pass that when Jesus had spoken these words the whole multitude afell to the earth; for they remembered that it had been bprophesied among them that Christ should cshow himself unto them after his ascension into heaven.
13. And it came to pass that the aLord spake unto them saying:
14. Arise and come forth unto me, that ye may athrust your hands into my side, and also that ye may bfeel the prints of the nails in my hands and in my feet, that ye may know that I am the cGod of Israel, and the God of the whole dearth, and have been slain for the sins of the world.
15. And it came to pass that the multitude went forth, and thrust their hands into his side, and did feel the prints of the nails in his hands and in his feet; and this they did do, going forth one by one until they had all gone forth, and did see with their eyes and did feel with their hands, and did know of a surety and did bear record, that it was he, of whom it was written by the prophets, that should come.
If that isn’t a powerful testimony of Jesus Christ then I don’t know what is. It solidifies the purpose of Christ’s life. It teaches and testifies of him. No man could write such a thing had he not been commanded of God to do so.
*In closing I would like to leave you with one last thought. An institute teacher of mine would always say: “The Book of Mormon hasn’t changed my life, it has BECOME my life.”
Brothers and sisters, The Book of Mormon has not just changed my life, it has become a part of my life and a part of who I am. It is a book that has led me closer to my Savior. It’s writings are powerful. The Saviors love is ever present in every line and every verse. I have not served a mission but I don’t need to be on a full time mission to understand the reality of the transforming power of the Book of Mormon and of Jesus Christ. It not only changes lives but becomes a part of each of us. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
0 comments:
Post a Comment