• In the introduction, we are reminded that this volume of scripture is comparable to the Bible. This is “the record of God’s dealings with the ancient inhabitants of the Americas”. This is another evidence to me that God loves all of His children. The Book of Mormon details how two great civilizations used the gifts that God gave to them. We get to read and learn from their triumphs and their mistakes. I wonder…what might be written of our civilization and how we are using the gifts that God has given to us? What is my part to ensure that I am using God's gifts well and doing my part to build so that my civilization will have more stories of triumph than of despair.
• The crowning event in the Book of Mormon is the coming of Christ among the Nephites soon after his resurrection. It has been prophesied that this will also be the crowning event of our own civilization. As I’ve read the Book of Mormon in the past, I’ve seen many parallels between these two civilizations and our own. It is not insignificant to me that we also share this major parallel with the Nephite nation. What a thought to ponder. I do this each time I come to the stories in 3rd Nephi...I wonder if I will be here on the earth when that time comes? Certainly I have a part to play in the preparatory days before that coming...that is enough for me.
• The introduction tells us that this Book “tells men what they must do to gain peace in this life and eternal salvation in the world to come”. What could be more important to individuals and all peoples of the world? What we must do for this book to have effect in our lives is explained in the paragraphs that follow…that we must come unto Jesus Christ and obey the laws and ordinances of his gospel.
• The prophet Joseph Smith said that the Book of Mormon is the “keystone” to our religion. This word has significance for me. I have written in the margin of my scriptures from some years ago… “Key = Entrance into Heavenly Father’s Kingdom - also things that are unlocked by the Holy Spirit, Stone = The Savior.” We know that one of the metaphors for the Savior is that He is our “rock” (or stone) and our salvation. It is only through him that we receive salvation, eternal life and exaltation. The word “keystone” by itself also has a metaphorical significance with which we are already aware…this thought adds to that meaning for me.
• Finally, the introduction ends with an invitation and a promise. It is the same invitation and promise that the book itself ends with, so this promise is rather like a set of book-ends at the beginning and end of the Book of Mormon.
“We invite all men everywhere to read the Book of Mormon, to ponder in their hearts the message it contains, and then to ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ if the book is true. Those who pursue this course and ask in faith will gain a testimony of its truth and divinity by the power of the Holy Ghost.
Those who gain this divine witness from the Holy Spirit will also come to know by the same power that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world, that Joseph Smith is his revelator and prophet in these last days, and that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the Lord’s kingdom once again established on the earth, preparatory to the second coming of the Messiah.”
As I look back over these final paragraphs looking for what I am to do with this book, I see some key action words… “read”, “ponder”, “ask God” and the qualifier “in faith”. We are invited to do these things to gain a testimony or personal knowledge that this book is true, but these are also things that the veteran reader of the Book of Mormon can and should do with each reading of this inspired book.
Questions
My questions to myself: Am I doing all that I can to receive the peace and the promises of this book? Do I daily seek to use the Holy Spirit as a key as I ponder the teachings and words of prophets in this book to unlock the mysteries of heaven? (Matthew 13…see the parable of the sower and specifically verses 9-12.) Do I read, ponder, and ask in faith? …or am I merely reading without much thought…an action that when finished is then put out of my mind for the rest of the day? I find that when I do all of these things (read, ponder, ask) that I am truly feasting on the words of Christ…they become words that I ponder on and think about throughout the day. And answers and insights from the scriptures that I can then use to guide my life then come at various times…not just during my reading time. This is a precious book to me. This book along with the Bible and other scriptures has become precious to me. I don’t know how it is possible, but it seems to become even more precious to me with each reading. What sweet anticipation comes over me each time as I open again to the beginning and read the words…”I Nephi, having been born of goodly parents…” and then settle in to take that familiar journey with the anticipation of meeting old friends and new insights at each step of the way!
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