My Testimony of the Book of Mormon

 

The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ. That title leaves so many people wondering what it could possibly be. Many people have heard about it and thought that it was just the Mormon Bible, while others have thought “What is it? What does it say? Where did it come from? What does it say about Jesus Christ?” The Book of Mormon is a book of scripture telling us of a group of God’s people, who were a branch of the House of Israel, that had traveled to the American Continents. There, in the western hemisphere, they grew spiritually, made a mighty civilization, and flourished under the blessings of the Gospel. There, they also grew wicked, dwindled in unbelief, fought wars, conspired one with another for the sake of getting gain, murdered, and eventually were destroyed. The most important thing, however, is that they testified of the coming of Jesus Christ as the promised Messiah, of his Atonement, and his teachings. The book tells us of Christ’s coming to America to visit the lost sheep of the House of Israel. Christ even told those at Jerusalem that he would visit them. He said, “And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd” (John 10:16). The Book of Mormon teaches us about Jesus Christ in a way that is unique among books. No other book tells us more about him. It tells us more about his attributes. It tells us more about his mission. It even mentions him more than any other book on Earth, with the count coming in at 3,925 times using all his 101 names and titles used in the book. If each verse only mentioned him once, then over half of the 6,607 verses in the book would mention him. The Book of Mormon surely teaches of his Pre-mortal, Mortal, and Post-Mortal mission. I could continue on spouting off facts about the book for pages, and then you would get bored, but this isn’t the point of this post. I wish to bear my testimony of this book. When I was just a ninth grade seminary student, we were studying the Book of Mormon. I had gone the majority of the school year, only having read a chapter here and there, never sitting down to read the book. I had taken it for granted. I was raised with the book around. My parents had always used the book to teach us. I heard about it each week in church. I had had various personal copies of my own to use, and part were marked here or there. Yet, I had never taken the time to read the book from cover to cover. Then, one day while attending seminary, my teacher decided that he was going to do a special lesson about Jesus Christ. He showed us the video The Lamb of God, and then continued to explain to us that the Book of Mormon taught more about him than any other book. I had never had this explained to me before. I knew it talked about him, but I didn’t think it talked that much about him. This being around Easter time, I felt that I needed to know more about Jesus Christ. I was also feeling guilty that I hadn’t yet really started to read it and the school year was almost over. I wanted to finish the Book of Mormon before summer came so I could say that I had read it while we studied it in seminary. So, every day after school, I would go down to my room, unbeknownst to my parents, and I would sit and read the Book of Mormon. At times, I would listen along to the audio cd’s my dad had of it, other times I would read it on my own. I thought it was amazing, but I, like so many others, faltered when I reached the Isaiah chapters. I forgot about my goal for about two weeks. Then, one day I remembered that summer was coming, and I had made my goal to finish the book. As I continued reading, and I finally made it through the Isaiah chapters, I began to love the book more and more. I spent hours alone in my room reading it. I had finally reached the Book of Alma, with about two weeks of school left, and I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to keep my goal. Then, somehow, I was blessed with a miracle. As I was reading one Friday night, I was unable to put the book down. I became enthralled in the stories being unfolded before my face. I was amazed that these things could have even happened, and most importantly, I was beginning to understand what my teacher had said about it teaching more about Christ than any other book. That night, as I sat there reading, I expected to receive some sort of sudden testimony of the book, yet it did not come in one massive wave. I continued to read, and my love for the book grew with each passing moment. I managed to read the remaining portions of the book in one night, from Alma to Moroni. I did not receive a testimony of the book per se, but rather, I received a greater testimony in Jesus Christ. I knew that he loved me. I knew that he had atoned for my sins, and that he had come to visit all his people, in Jerusalem, in America, and everywhere there were people that he had called his. I didn’t know it, but my testimony in the book grew just as much as my testimony in Christ had. I loved both very dearly. The next day, I finally told my parents that I had been reading it, and they were happy to hear it. They were amazed that I had read so much in one night, and though I was unable that day to tell them I had a testimony that it was true, I know that they knew that I had received one. I have since read the book various times, now in two languages, English and Spanish, and I now clearly say, I know that the Book of Mormon is a true book of Scripture. It will help a person come closer to God and Jesus Christ than any other book, and that it does contain the fullness of the Everlasting Gospel of Jesus Christ. Through my testimony in that book, I know that Joseph Smith was called of God to be a prophet, and that he restored by the power of God the very Church of Jesus Christ, known today in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Book of Mormon has helped me through many of the troubles I have gone through in my life, and will continue to do so, hopefully for my whole life. I know it is true, and I say this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Susan Easton Black, Finding Christ through the Book of Mormon (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1987); Susan Ward Easton [Black], "Names of Christ in the Book of Mormon," Ensign, July 1978, 60-61.

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The Testimony of Stewart M. Davenport

I am very grateful for my life. I have had many blessings given to me, and I am grateful for the Gospel in my life. I was born to loving parents, who were sealed in the Salt Lake Temple, and was raised in a home in which I was taught to read the scriptures and to love the Lord. I was taught to love my neighbors, and to give service to others always. I cannot say that I have always had a testimony in the Church, or in its many teachings. However, I relied upon my parents testimony until the desire to know for myself naturally came to me, about the age of twelve or thirteen. I began to pay more attention to what was being taught to me, and I tried to understand it all. Of course, one cannot understand every aspect of the Gospel at that age, but I strove to gain an understanding that I was capable of. I trusted my parents and church leaders, believing that they were caring and loving people, and that they would not lead me astray. I began to study the scriptures on my own, reading mainly in the Bible and the Book of Mormon. I found a harmony in what was taught in the two books. I did not receive a strong manifestation of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon, nor of the Church, right away. Rather, I began to receive it a little at a time, and I found myself hungering after it more and more as time went along. When I began to attend Seminary when I was in the ninth grade, we were studying the Book of Mormon. It felt natural to begin my Seminary studies with it, and I was eager to learn about it. It wasn't until that year in Seminary that I read the entire Book of Mormon. I began to read it, and was pleased with my understanding, (which was, what I thought at the time, very good). I enjoyed reading it. I was reading late one Friday night, in about the middle of the Book of Alma. I found it difficult to put the book down, and continued reading to the very early hours of the morning, while my younger brother slept on the top bunk. I found it so hard to put the book down that I finished the book that night. Afterwards, I pondered on what Moroni had said, inviting me to ask for a knowledge of it myself. I did as he had said, and knelt down in prayer. I asked Heavenly Father to know if the Book of Mormon were true, if the Church was true, and if Joseph Smith was a true Prophet. Up to that moment in my life, I had always had the misconception, as do many others, that I would have a grand moment of understanding and that I would have a great vision manifesting the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon unto me. Boy, was I wrong. I did not receive any great vision with angels or of any other like revelation. Rather, I began to feel, starting ever so small within my heart, a love for the book, and for the Church, and for Joseph Smith. But greater than all of these was my love for the Savior. I then knew, like the book had promised, that Jesus Christ really was my Savior, and that he had lived, died, and was resurrected for me, and for all mankind. I did not understand everything about the Atonement, nor did I gain a moderate understanding of how it worked until later years, but I knew then, even with my limited youthful knowledge, that it was true. Over time, my testimony began to get stronger, and began to influence my choices. I knew what the Lord desired of me, and I eventually chose to serve a mission. I was very excited the day that my call came to serve in the Spain, Malaga Mission. I very much loved the opportunity that I had to be there, and I look back on it often, and I will always be grateful for my experiences there. My understanding seemed to explode while I served. I began to better comprehend things that I never understood before. I also came to see how great the Atonement of Jesus Christ really was, how marvelous it was that one man could suffer for all the sins of, not only this world, but all the worlds that our Heavenly Father has created, does now create, and will create. I marvel that it is possible. I don't understand how it is, but I do know that it is, and I will be ever grateful for that. While on my mission, both my grandmother and my father died. My father died just five weeks before it was time for me to return home. I was given the opportunity to return home for his funeral. I was told that if I chose to return home, I would not return to the mission field, due to how close it was to my release date. It became the hardest decision that I have been faced with to this day. I wanted to go home, but I also knew the desires of my father, that I remain in the mission to finish, him having had the forethought to tell me that he wanted me to stay, in the event of such a situation. I struggled for many hours late into the night, prayerfully trying to decide if I should return home early to attend his funeral. I eventually chose to stay, honoring what I knew he wanted. It has since come to be a blessing in my life. I was blessed with the strength that I needed to finish my mission. I was even happy that I chose to stay, and I know that I pleased both my earthly father, and my Father in Heaven. When I returned home five weeks later, I met my mother and two younger brothers at the airport. It was a bittersweet reunion. I expected to have a hard time adjusting to life without my father at home, but I have found that knowing I will see him again, and that I am eternally sealed to him has helped me to continue to be strong. I am grateful for the Atonement of Jesus Christ, and what he did to make it possible for me to see my father again. I am also grateful for the knowledge of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I know that Joseph Smith saw God and His son, Jesus Christ, and that he was called to restore Christ's Gospel. I know that he was, and still is a Prophet of God. I know that Thomas S. Monson is a Prophet of God, and that he does receive revelation from God to guide us in these days. I again say, that I know that Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer, and that it is through him that we are saved. I say this in his holy name, even Jesus Christ. Amen.