I have something very embarrassing to admit. It’s only exacerbated by the fact that I graduate from seminary, took both halves of the Book of Mormon at BYU (as per GE requirement) and to top it all off I served a full-time mission….. I’ve never read the Book of Mormon from cover to cover. Until this last year.
I can’t begin to tell you how ashamed I am to admit it, but there. I said it. I had read parts of it and definitely more than one. But I had never actually strapped down and said, “I’m going to read from the titled page to the end.”Shoot me, but not even when President Hinckley issued his challenge in 2004. I’ve tried several times but usually got stuck in Alma and never really found my way out. But alas, sometime last year I made the commitment to study a chapter a day and I actually stuck with it, finishing, coincidentally, on Christmas day! Talk about a great Christmas present to myself.
I’d usually read in the morning before work and for me, it’s not enough to just read. I have my study journal out and I take notes about what comes to mind, what sticks out to me and little “a-ha” moments that clarify what I’m reading. While I knew it before, I again want to say that I know the Book of Mormon is true. Every morning was a quiet moment for me to spend reading the book I knew and I enjoyed it very much.
On the mission Elder David A. Bednar came for a conference in one of the stakes in the Netherlands. During that weekend he held a special meeting for all of the missionaries in the mission and since that was technically in the mission boundaries missionaries from as far away as Lille and Amiens France were able to come. It was a wonderful meeting and one of the many things I remember him saying was in regards to studying and learning the scriptures. He said that first we need to know them chronologically, then study them by topic and then look for connections, patterns and themes. I also remember him saying we need to pay attention to where it says "and thus we see..." because it is a basic gospel principle being discussed so I highlighted it whenever I saw it.
I feel like my eyes have been more opened and I am sad that I wasted so many opportunities and missed out on so much by not making it the entire way through earlier in my life. While technically our family has read it all the way through I know I needed to do it for myself and I am grateful I have finally done it. My favorite book in the Book of Mormon has always been Mosiah, but I've also gained a greater appreciation for 3 Nephi as well as Ether.
Jokingly I blame King Benjamin's speech for my political leanings, but I really do appreciate the discussion concerning our need to support and help our brothers and sisters out there struggling in some way or another.
On the mission I was able to teach and witness the baptism of a woman from Mauritius named Sangeeta whose favorite scripture was 3 Nephi 27:19 and I thought it was great that during our second meeting with her that she cried and said no other scripture had touched her as much as that one. It took me until now to maybe get a better idea of why: the Lord isn't commanding to make us fear not being baptized, but He is truly offering the sanctification that comes from His Atonement and pointing out the blessings that come from it.
In Ether I LOVE the descriptive nature in 4:15 when Moroni says we need to rend the veil of unbelief that causes us to remain in wickedness, have a hard heart, and a blind mind. I just kept imagining a thick opaque veil covering my eyes and those who have removed it already encouraging me not to just pull it off, but to destroy it and not go back to having it cover my eyes so that I could have an expanded view.
I am grateful for the Book of Mormon and the things I learn from it daily. Although I am now reading the New Testament so that I can follow along with Sunday School I am still trying to read in the Book of Mormon a little bit each day because I want it to be up there with the other books I am able to quote and, more importantly, make it a standard of my life.
3 comments:
Thanks for sharing! Really...
It's always good to be reminded of the importance of the scriptures, especially the Book of Mormon.
While I'm resolute on not making resolutions for the new year, your post has prompted me to evaluate my scripture study and make some adjustments.
Love you!
Megan, good to hear from you. I always think of yall during the holiday season...we'd usually stop at yalls house on our way homd from thibodaux on chrsitmas night. and also i ALWAYS think of your brothers and the ortiz boys on NYE- cuz lets face it- they are all pyromaniacs! hahaha. hope you had wonderful and eventful holidays.
and thanks for sharing your experience with the BoM. I too, have never read cover to cover... :( and this is my goal this year. so thanks for your encouragement! i do feel like i'm missing out big time. i'm just so lazy and hate to read. but no more excuses for me! i'm doing it! and you can hold me to it.
i read the book of mormon cover to cover in 2010, too! and even though i have read it all the way through before, this time was really special for me, too. i feel like i noticed all kinds of things that i hadn't before and for the first time i was struck with the REALITY of the book of mormon -- that each of these people and prophets really lived and all these things really happened. i finished on new year's eve and it was a really neat way to finish out the year.
i've never read the bible all the way through, so like you, i'm committing myself to reading the new testament this year with the sunday school schedule!
hope y'all are doing well! :)
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