What is your testimony of the Book of Mormon? This is the year to find out. Isn’t it interesting that the General Conference Odyssey is just now reading through those powerful talks given by President Ezra Taft Benson who focused so much on this great book of scripture? I’m talking about two talks given in the October 1986 General Conference: The Book of Mormon and The Gift of Modern Revelation.

Jesus Christ, Himself, Testifies of the Truthfulness of His Book

Do we believe Jesus’ words when He says: “…and as your Lord and your God liveth it is true” (D&C 17:6)? And do we believe the condemnation he adds? “But those who harden their hearts in unbelief, and reject it, it shall turn to their own condemnation” (D&C 20:15). This is the only book, on the earth, that will teach us who Jesus Christ is, that He loves us, that He suffered for our sins and died for us, and that He offers the only way to return to our Heavenly Father. “And whoso receiveth not my voice (the Book of Mormon) is not acquainted with my voice, and is not of me” (D&C 84:52).

What is the Sacred Nature of the Book of Mormon?

Pres. Benson points out three reasons the Book of Mormon is so important to us:

• It is the keystone of our religion. It is the keystone of our witness of Christ, of our doctrine, and of our testimony.
• This book was written for our day. The Book of Mormon gives us the pattern to prepare for Christ’s coming, how to live in times of war, how to identify secret combinations, how to deal with persecution and apostasy, how to do missionary work, how to recognize and avoid the dangers of materialism and setting our hearts on the world.
• We draw nearer to God by reading it. Pres. Benson testified that there is a power that comes from the words of this book that will bless our homes with peace, patience, and love.

We will be held under condemnation if we don’t read the Book of Mormon. It is a sacred book and we can’t treat it lightly, ignore it, or trifle with its truths. We are to remember the new covenant that this book offers us. Pres. Benson says, “There is a difference between a person who holds onto the iron rod, and one who does not.”

 Another Witness of Christ

In his second talk, Pres. Benson talks about witnesses. Ether 5 talks about the law of witnesses; that there are always (at least) three witnesses of Jesus Christ. Two nations (Jew and Gentile) have received scriptural witness and are asked to live by faith. The third witness will come from the Ten Tribes when the world will finally know Jesus Christ. Today we have three witnesses of scripture in addition to the first two (Bible): The Book of Mormon, The Doctrine and Covenants, and The Pearl of Great Price. These three witnesses boldly confirm who Jesus Christ is. Our day is full of witnesses and we need to have eyes to see.

The Book of Mormon Literally Leads Us to Salvation

Why do those who choose to leave the church believe those who fight against the church before believing the scriptures? Clearly, they’ve stopped reading their scriptures, or they would see the witness, right? No wonder we’re urged to cling to the iron rod, which is the word of God. The way to stay on the path, in spite of mists, darkness, false paths, and naysayers, is to read and re-read the scriptures as though our lives depend upon it. Because it does!

Pres. Romney, quoted in the second talk, said that reading the Book of Mormon “inspires [us with] courage to choose the right” and “school[s]” us to “know what is right.” So, if we are reading our scriptures daily, we not only make the choice to live faithfully, we recognize anything that might take us off course.

In Enoch’s vision of the latter days, he sees the great wickedness of our day, but then the Lord promises to him that “righteousness will I send down out of heaven; and truth will I send forth out of the earth” (Moses 7:62). We know that “righteousness” is another name for Jesus Christ. And “truth” from “out of the earth” is clearly the Book of Mormon. Knowledge and faith in this promise is literally the only possible preparation there is for the coming of the Lord.

Start Reading Today

As we know, Pres. Benson’s presidency focused on teaching and inspiring us to read the Book of Mormon. He reminds us of what he said back in 1961:

“No member of this Church can stand approved in the presence of God who has not seriously and carefully read the Book of Mormon.”

It isn’t a new invitation to read this book of scripture. Sometimes, we get bored reading the same stories over and over again. How many of us can recite the first verse verbatim? And how many of us still joke that we either stop reading or skip 2 Nephi because it’s too hard to understand Isaiah?

This is the year to plow through those difficult passages, to read the stories with new eyes, and take the time to learn something new, that we have never realized before. Let the book permeate your soul. Let the book permeate your homes. Use this book this year to prepare for the coming of the Lord.