Brief Explanation

The Book of Mormon is a sacred record (A Brief Explanation about the Book of Mormon)

I really like the section entitled "A Brief Explanation About the Book of Mormon". I know it's not part of the inspired text, but I like the concise and clear explanation about how it all fits together.

The quote I picked from this is simply the very first statement.  I just really thought about that when I reading and it was confirmed to me through the Holy Ghost that the Book of Mormon is indeed a sacred record.  There is so much to learn from within this book, and I'm glad I have the opportunity and blessing to have it in my life.  I haven't always been as diligent in my studies as I should have been, but I do know that it is true.  I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet, called by God, to restore His church. I know we have a prophet today to lead and guide us, and I believe in ongoing revelation and prophecy.  It makes sense to me that in an ever-changing world, we would get continued guidance and help from our loving Father in Heaven.  Most of all, I'm very grateful for a Savior. I am so far from perfect, the gap is so wide between me and the person that I wish I was, and it is only through the Atonement that I can ever hope to narrow that gap.

Joseph Smith's Experience

“I obeyed; I returned to my father in the field, and rehearsed the whole matter to him. He replied to me that it was of God, and told me to go and do as commanded by the messenger." (The Testimony of the Prophet Joseph Smith)

I re-read Jospeh Smith's testimony regarding the experience he had getting the gold plates, looking for ways to look at this experience differently.  I read about how Joseph Smith had been visited by Angel Moroni 3 times in the night, and  then once more in the morning, and then how Moroni instructed Joseph to tell his father.

I think the fact that his father was able to confirm to Joseph that the vision was from God accomplished a couple of things.  As the patriarch of the home, Joseph's father was able to confirm for Joseph that he was doing the right thing.  Even though he was the one who had experienced the First Vision, and visited with the angel through the night, Joseph was taught that his father would be there for him and give him guidance and help. Joseph learned (or had it confirmed to him) that his father was able to discern spiritual truth, and recognize the source of good.

It made me think about my role as a father, and how crucial it is for me to be close enough to the spirit so that I can play that vital role for my family.  Not to say that my children will have visions, but they will go through times when they need strength and wisdom, and I need to be ready for that when it comes.  I also need to be living my life so that they feel like it is productive to come to me for this help, and not some source outside the home, where they will get advice and help from potentially the wrong sources.  I hope that when that moment comes, I will be able to both bear witness to my kids (as Joseph's father did), and then encourage action (as Joseph's father did).

I love my family, and I hope that I can be a better husband and father, a better priesthood holder, and a better son of God.  There is always much to improve, and I hope to keep working at it so I can one day be the kind of son that Heavenly Father needs me to be.

8 Witnesses

And we lie not, God bearing witness of it. (The Testimony of Eight Witnesses)

The testimony of eight witnesses is interesting to me.  After reading of the divine manifestation that the three witnesses had, that is, that an angel appeared to them and showed them the plates, it is interesting to me that there was a need for 8 other men to have a different experience and bear witness of it to the world.  I think that in the world today, where there is so much false information out there, it is nice to have multiple sources of information.  We find independent reviews to try to make the wisest purchases possible. We look for second opinions for medical advice.

I was thinking about why we needed an additional witness, and it occurred to me that each testimony is a witness.  Not each person who signed their name, but each experience. Joseph's experience, the three, and now the eight.  "In the mouth of two or three witnesses" is a phrase we hear more than once in the scriptures.  In this case, there are three separate experiences now, with the testimony of the eight, that establish the truth and reality of the Book of Morrmon.

The quote I picked stood out to me because I think it's important that while their experience was very "earthly" (no angels or divine manifestations), it was very, and it had a spiritual component to it. They mention that God bears witness to the fact that they aren't lying when they tell of their experience.

That phrase also made me wonder about my own life,  I know they were speaking of this particular experience, but could I join them at all times in my life and say "I lie not, God bearing witness of it"?  Something to think about anyway.

I know the Book of Mormon is true.  I've had that confirmed to me through the reading it, praying about it, and finding answers through the Spirit.  It contains the Gospel, and I'm glad to have it in my life.

It Is Marvelous

"And it is marvelous in our eyes" (Testimony of Three Witnesses)

This is something that I love that the three witnesses added in.  It doesn't change the description of events or what they are testifying about at all.  What they say happened, really happened.  This is one simple sentence that expresses how they felt about it.

I looked up marvelous in the dictionary, and the best definition for this is this: "such as to cause wonder, admiration, or astonishment; surprising; extraordinary".  So the events that these three men experienced caused them wonder and astonishment.

This small phrase pretty much sums up how I feel about the Gospel and God's plan for me.  It is marvelous in my eyes.  The fact that the same being that created the world (worlds without number, actually), has time and cares for each single individual, that He cares for me, causes me wonder, admiration, and astonishment.  It is something to be really grateful for.  That I can talk to Him in prayer and He has the capacity, and even the desire, to listen to me and be there for me, and direct me in the way that I should go is a beautiful, amazing thing to me.

I love the words to the hymn "I Stand All Amazed".  It pretty much sums up how I feel.


I stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers me, 
Confused at the grace that so fully he proffers me. 
I tremble to know that for me he was crucified, 
That for me, a sinner, he suffered, he bled and died.

I marvel that he would descend from his throne divine 
To rescue a soul so rebellious and proud as mine, 
That he should extend his great love unto such as I, 
Sufficient to own, to redeem, and to justify. 


I think of his hands pierced and bleeding to pay the debt! 
Such mercy, such love and devotion can I forget? 
No, no, I will praise and adore at the mercy seat, 
Until at the glorified throne I kneel at his feet.


(Chorus) 
Oh, it is wonderful that he should care for me 
Enough to die for me! 
Oh, it is wonderful, wonderful to me!

It really is amazing, wonderful and marvelous.

Testimony of 3 Witnesses

"...the grace of God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ" (Testimony of Three Witnesses)

This phrase is repeated twice in the relatively short testimony expressed by these three men, so it stood out to me.  I think to me, this phrase means that Heavenly Father and Jesus have given us so much, even though we didn't really earn it.  Through no merit of our own, we can overcome sin and death.  Not because we have done anything special, but because of God's plan, and because of Christ's willingness to go through a perfect life and make an atonement for us.

Whenever I hear the word 'grace' in a gospel context, it reminds me of a scripture that I used often in my mission.  A lot of Christian religions out there believe that somehow, grace absolves us of worldly problems, and once we are "saved", the grace of Christ just clears the path for us to make it to heaven.  The scripture that we would share is 2 Nephi 25:23:

"For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do."

While it's true that I can't save myself by my works, meaning no matter how hard people try, they will always make at least one mistake in their lives, which means they cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven.  At the same time, grace doesn't save us unless we do all that we can.  That's why Christ came, to make up the difference between what we can do and what the laws of God require of us.

What the quotation from the testimony of 3 witnesses points out, though, is that grace is so much more than just filling the gap between us and God.  It manifests itself in smaller things as well.  Any time God blesses us, especially when we haven't done anything special to earn those blessings, that's grace.

It's humbling to me that even though I will never measure up to the standard that I need to meet to earn my way into heaven, God has a plan and has prepared a way for me to be able to make it anyway.  Even though I mess up on a regular basis, I still receive so many blessings, big and small, from God.

Good Reminder

"The crowning event recorded in the Book of Mormon is the personal ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ among the Nephites soon after His resurrection." (Introduction)

Nothing too deep.  I just had the thought as I read this phrase, that out of all the neat things that happened in Book of Mormon times, Christ's visit is the crowning event. This is not surprising, but I got to thinking. If someone asked me what the crowning event of my life was, would I respond with my experiencing the Lord's hand in my life? Would I look back at the events and experiences I cherish the most, and see the Lord, or will I look back and see worldly experiences?

That makes me think, though, if you take enough time to answer the question, 'what is the crowning prevent or experience in your life', you might have a few quick answers, but if you really think long enough about it, the realization comes that everything comes as a blessing from God.

I'll have to try to be more conscious of these kinds of things so I know what my crowning event will be when I look back at my life.

Even on the title page

"Which is to show unto the remnant of the house of Israel what great things the Lord hath done for their fathers;" (Title Page of the Book of Mormon)

This is about the Book of Mormon as a whole.  I think that this is one thing that really stands out to me when I'm doing these SOTD's: how many things the Lord has blessed His children with.  Even if the scriptures didn't teach me anything else, it would be hard to miss that lesson.

It makes me think of a theme that gets repeated over and over throughout the scriptures--that the Lord is sitting there waiting to bless us and protect us, if only we would choose to be blessed and protected.

Often, things that don't really seem like blessings end up to be exactly that when we have the benefit of a little hindsight.  We look back on our lives and realize how many great and wonderful things the Lord has done for us--what He has done for me--in life.

When we take a look at history, we see all the blessings the Lord has bestowed upon his children, and we can't help but be grateful.  Gratitude is a funny thing, because it helps us gain some perspective which often leads to obedience.  For example, with the law of tithing.  Sometimes it's hard to give up a full tenth of our increase.  However, when we realize and come to gain a testimony that it is only through the Lord's blessings that we have an increase anyway, letting him have ten percent of the stuff He just gave us seems natural and less burdensome.

I recognize how blessed I have been throughout my life, and though I am not always as grateful as I should be, I know that God has given me everything that I have.  All because He wants me to be happy and He loves me. 

And I love Him. I really do.

What this blog is about

So quite a while ago, in the earlier part of my marriage, I used to do what I called "SOTD" (Scripture of the Day). I would make a point to think about a scripture that I read that day. If something in particular didn't really stand out to me, I would find something and expand on it. I would write some thoughts (usually just a paragraph or two, sometimes longer) and then I would email them to Rhoda.  I look back, and I think other than my mission, that was a time that I was getting the most out of my scripture study.  

I have been trying to think of a good way to improve my study lately, and so my mind went back to the SOTD.  I decided to start a new blog that is dedicated to these.  The timing is good, as I'm just beginning the Book of Mormon again.  For now, I'm starting at the beginning of the Book of Mormon and I'll work my way through.  In time, I suspect I'll move on to other things.  Perhaps I'll work on some other study topics rather than just going straight through a book of scripture.

With that being said, I'd like to say that I have a strong testimony of the scriptures.  I know that God lives and He wants His children to be happy.  To make that happen, He gives us directions and help from ancient prophets (thus the standard works of scripture that are there for us) all the way to current prophets (and so we continue to gain insight and instruction at general conference and other times.  I know I am a son of God, and that He cares about me.  Me!  Not just a general statement that He cares about all of us, but that He actually has enough time to care about me and take care of me and help me. That thought alone is enough to make me want really want to do better at all the things I know I should be doing.