My brother and his wife just had a baby very prematurely. This occurred within days of the one year anniversary of losing their other daughter to a birth defect. As my brother prepared to go in for the emergent c-section, he was beside himself with fear. He sent out a desperate plea to our family for prayers. Immediately afterward, he opened his scripture app on his phone and began to read The Book of Mormon. He read 2 Ne. 2 and 2 Ne. 9. He described an incredible peace and confidence that enveloped him. He was given strength to be courageous for his wife and this new tiny baby. And that sweet baby is fighting hard for her life. I was so touched by his testimony that the scriptures truly do bring peace and perspective in dark and frightening times.
I love what Gordon B. Hinckley said in the talk today, "Brothers and sisters, without reservation I promise you that if you will prayerfully read the Book of Mormon, regardless of how many times you previously have read it, there will come into your hearts an added measure of the Spirit of the Lord. There will come a strengthened resolution to walk in obedience to his commandments, and there will come a stronger testimony of the living reality of the Son of God." I can testify that what he says is true. There truly is a power that comes into your life as you study the scriptures daily.
My Dad joined the church when I was 13 years old. So I was able to watch firsthand many lives touched by the Book of Mormon. I remember watching my Dad read the Book of Mormon and seeing the wrestle in his heart of knowing what he was reading was inspired and true, but also being worried to disappoint his parents. I remember the day he told us that he had chosen to be baptized and how he had read the scripture that basically states "you know these things are true then what have you against being baptized?" and he knew what he should do. So of course our family has been blessed in a million different ways by his choice to read the Book of Mormon and to follow its teachings. I know that almost every time I read with real intent I find a verse or passage that resonates with me and I am led to answers or feelings of peace. I love the Book of Mormon!
Your Dad is such a good man. What a neat experience for your family with him joining the church. I loved how you talked about studying with reat intent. It really does work.
The promises of reading the Book of Mormon are what motivate me to read and study every day! They are so powerful and real. Today's reading reminded me of the purpose of the Book of Mormon..."bring them to the knowledge of the covenants which I have made with thy fathers." Simply put our Heavenly Father's purpose is to bring about our immortality and eternal life..he does that through covenants. As a side note: I bet Joseph Smith felt comforted and encouraged to continue in faithfulness knowing he and his mission were prophesied about by prophets of old.
When I was 6 years old my parents went through a divorce and my dad got custody of me and my siblings. My dad was now a single man raising 4 kids on his own and feeling really overwhelmed and lost. My dad was raised in an abusive home with alcoholic parents and at the time was practicing the Baptist faith. He knew there was something missing in his life and had heard about the "Mormons" through his brother so he called the bishop in his area who then put him in touch with the missionaries. He asked them to come over to his house and there was a great silence that came over them, they had never experienced something like this but they agreed to come. When they came, he asked if they could start with prayer. Again, they were quiet so my dad offered the prayer. After the prayer they asked my dad if he was already a member of the church and was pretending to be an investigator as a joke. They couldn't understand why he wasn't questioning anything they said and were surprised that he cheerfully read everything they had asked him to read. What they didn't know was that my dad had had a dream and in his dream a heavenly messenger came to him and answered his question, "is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints true?" He told my dad Joseph Smith was a prophet and that the Book of Mormon was true and that by reading it, he would become closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. He knew as soon as he started reading the Book of Mormon that it was true and a month later he was baptized! I am so grateful for the Book of Mormon and the many tender mercies the Lord has blessed our family with and especially for my dad and his sincere desire to know the truth and because of his faith and testimony, I now have the gospel in my life! I too love what President Hinckley said, "Brothers and sisters, without reservation I promise you that if you will prayerfully read the Book of Mormon, regardless of how many times you previously have read it, there will come into your hearts an added measure of the Spirit of the Lord. There will come a strengthened resolution to walk in obedience to his commandments, and there will come a stronger testimony of the living reality of the Son of God." And I want to add my testimony that there is no doubt in my mind that the Book of Mormon is true and that such is the power of this precious book in the lives of those who read and study it prayerfully.
I have a family member who had struggled his whole life because of bad choices he has made. They have led him down a dark path. About a year ago he was at rock bottom and began turning to the scriptures. He found a peace and a light in them that he had been missing for so many years. He has now been clean for almost a whole year and daily immersed himself in the Book of Mormon and in the words of the prophets and church leaders. His whole countenance has changed and he is truly a different person. I'm so thankful for the Book of Mormon in my life and I am so thankful for the change it can make in the lives of my loved ones.
My brother and his wife just had a baby very prematurely. This occurred within days of the one year anniversary of losing their other daughter to a birth defect. As my brother prepared to go in for the emergent c-section, he was beside himself with fear. He sent out a desperate plea to our family for prayers. Immediately afterward, he opened his scripture app on his phone and began to read The Book of Mormon. He read 2 Ne. 2 and 2 Ne. 9. He described an incredible peace and confidence that enveloped him. He was given strength to be courageous for his wife and this new tiny baby. And that sweet baby is fighting hard for her life. I was so touched by his testimony that the scriptures truly do bring peace and perspective in dark and frightening times.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing! There really is such a power in the scriptures. I hope the best for their baby girl.
DeleteI love what Gordon B. Hinckley said in the talk today, "Brothers and sisters, without reservation I promise you that if you will prayerfully read the Book of Mormon, regardless of how many times you previously have read it, there will come into your hearts an added measure of the Spirit of the Lord. There will come a strengthened resolution to walk in obedience to his commandments, and there will come a stronger testimony of the living reality of the Son of God." I can testify that what he says is true. There truly is a power that comes into your life as you study the scriptures daily.
ReplyDeleteThat is one of my all-time favorite quotes! It's so true!
DeleteMy Dad joined the church when I was 13 years old. So I was able to watch firsthand many lives touched by the Book of Mormon. I remember watching my Dad read the Book of Mormon and seeing the wrestle in his heart of knowing what he was reading was inspired and true, but also being worried to disappoint his parents. I remember the day he told us that he had chosen to be baptized and how he had read the scripture that basically states "you know these things are true then what have you against being baptized?" and he knew what he should do. So of course our family has been blessed in a million different ways by his choice to read the Book of Mormon and to follow its teachings. I know that almost every time I read with real intent I find a verse or passage that resonates with me and I am led to answers or feelings of peace. I love the Book of Mormon!
ReplyDeleteYour Dad is such a good man. What a neat experience for your family with him joining the church. I loved how you talked about studying with reat intent. It really does work.
DeleteThe promises of reading the Book of Mormon are what motivate me to read and study every day! They are so powerful and real. Today's reading reminded me of the purpose of the Book of Mormon..."bring them to the knowledge of the covenants which I have made with thy fathers." Simply put our Heavenly Father's purpose is to bring about our immortality and eternal life..he does that through covenants. As a side note: I bet Joseph Smith felt comforted and encouraged to continue in faithfulness knowing he and his mission were prophesied about by prophets of old.
ReplyDeleteI liked that you brought up the part about Joseph Smith. I had neverf thought about how he would feel about that. Thanks for your comment.
DeleteWhen I was 6 years old my parents went through a divorce and my dad got custody of me and my siblings. My dad was now a single man raising 4 kids on his own and feeling really overwhelmed and lost. My dad was raised in an abusive home with alcoholic parents and at the time was practicing the Baptist faith. He knew there was something missing in his life and had heard about the "Mormons" through his brother so he called the bishop in his area who then put him in touch with the missionaries. He asked them to come over to his house and there was a great silence that came over them, they had never experienced something like this but they agreed to come. When they came, he asked if they could start with prayer. Again, they were quiet so my dad offered the prayer. After the prayer they asked my dad if he was already a member of the church and was pretending to be an investigator as a joke. They couldn't understand why he wasn't questioning anything they said and were surprised that he cheerfully read everything they had asked him to read. What they didn't know was that my dad had had a dream and in his dream a heavenly messenger came to him and answered his question, "is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints true?" He told my dad Joseph Smith was a prophet and that the Book of Mormon was true and that by reading it, he would become closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. He knew as soon as he started reading the Book of Mormon that it was true and a month later he was baptized! I am so grateful for the Book of Mormon and the many tender mercies the Lord has blessed our family with and especially for my dad and his sincere desire to know the truth and because of his faith and testimony, I now have the gospel in my life! I too love what President Hinckley said, "Brothers and sisters, without reservation I promise you that if you will prayerfully read the Book of Mormon, regardless of how many times you previously have read it, there will come into your hearts an added measure of the Spirit of the Lord. There will come a strengthened resolution to walk in obedience to his commandments, and there will come a stronger testimony of the living reality of the Son of God." And I want to add my testimony that there is no doubt in my mind that the Book of Mormon is true and that such is the power of this precious book in the lives of those who read and study it prayerfully.
ReplyDelete✔️
ReplyDeleteI have a family member who had struggled his whole life because of bad choices he has made. They have led him down a dark path. About a year ago he was at rock bottom and began turning to the scriptures. He found a peace and a light in them that he had been missing for so many years. He has now been clean for almost a whole year and daily immersed himself in the Book of Mormon and in the words of the prophets and church leaders. His whole countenance has changed and he is truly a different person. I'm so thankful for the Book of Mormon in my life and I am so thankful for the change it can make in the lives of my loved ones.
ReplyDelete