My Testimony

I have been learning from the Book of Mormon most of my life.  I still remember the day my family finished reading the Book of Mormon together when I was young, maybe eight or nine years old.  We had worked at it for some time and it felt like quite an accomplishment.  Through that reading, I learned some of the more adventurous stories, and I became familiar with how to say the different names and places, but I didn't gain a testimony of it's truthfulness because, well, I didn't pray and ask if it was true.  I simply knew that when we read together it brought a good feeling into our home.

Moroni 10:4-5 says:

"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."

When I was fourteen, I read the Book of Mormon again.  I attended seminary five days a week and studied it.  I prayed and found that it is true.  This is the basis of my testimony of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  If I ever waiver in my beliefs, I can reach out my hand and find my testimony of the Book of Mormon there, solid and strong like the iron rod in Lehi's dream.  I can delve into it's pages and take a break from the rhetoric of the world.  I can rejuvenate myself with truth.

I know it is true and, therefore, I know Joseph Smith was a prophet of God.  I know Jesus and Heavenly Father are real.  I know that they love me.  I know that the Bible is a wonderful book given to us by our Heavenly Father, and I know that if I hold fast to the truths found in the scriptures, I can live with Him again when the wonders and trials of my mortal life come to a close.  I am immensely grateful for this knowledge and so I want to share it with you.

Most days, I open my scriptures and read and learn.  Then, I write a snippet about what I learned that day in a small notebook that I keep with my scriptures.  Right now, I'm reading the Book of Mormon, and I'm planning to share those snippets on this blog.  My hope is that you will learn along with me.  I would love to read any thoughts or insights that you have.  Maybe you are a silent blog reader and that's fine too.  I'm just excited to share some of the joy and comfort I have gained through the Book of Mormon.