What Would Your Life Be Like without It?

I was listening to a talk from October 2017 General Conference Sunday morning as I was getting ready for the day. The talk was by (then) Elder Russell M. Nelson titled “ The Book of Mormon: What Would Your Life Be Like without It?”  This talk got me thinking (obviously) about the impact the Book of Mormon has had on my life.
I grew up as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. We (almost) always went to church. We watched General Conference. We participated in church activities. As a youth I may have read the whole Book of Mormon once... May have.  But it wasn’t until I was in college, doing things on my own, because I wanted too, that I really grew my testimony of things. It wasn’t until almost the end of my freshman year of college before I started to read the Book of Mormon daily. It was after a particularly hard month (or two) and being stranded for a few hours in the middle of nowhere during a snow storm in a car that would not start, that I made the commitment to read the Book of Mormon daily. And I did... I read (almost) every day for years. And I know that I felt strengthened and blessed when I read it.
I’d love to say that I continued to read every day from that time on. But sadly life happened, and I made excuses, and I let things be more important than reading my Book of Mormon daily. There have been many days over the last 20 plus years that I have read my Book of Mormon, but there has also been many days I have not read. I know that I (always) notice the difference between the days that I read and the days that I don’t. Things just go smoother. Don’t get me wrong. There are still bad days that happen even when I have read the Book of Mormon that morning. But I feel like I am more prepared for those days. I feel like those days don’t win.
Reading the Book of Mormon doesn’t solve all, it doesn’t fix the bad. But it has given me the strength to overcome really tough days. I’m grateful for the many blessing that have come to my life through reading the Book of Mormon.

Excerpts from President Nelson’s talk:

“When I think of the Book of Mormon, I think of the word power. The truths of the Book of Mormon have the power to heal, comfort, restore, succor, strengthen, console, and cheer our souls.”

“My dear brothers and sisters, I promise that as you prayerfully study the Book of Mormon every day, you will make better decisions—every day. I promise that as you ponder what you study, the windows of heaven will open, and you will receive answers to your own questions and direction for your own life. I promise that as you daily immerse yourself in the Book of Mormon, you can be immunized against the evils of the day, even the gripping plague of pornography and other mind-numbing addictions.”

President Nelson’s Book of Mormon Lists

The Book of Mormon is:
 - Another testament of Jesus Christ. Its major writers—Nephi, Jacob, Mormon, Moroni—and its translator, Joseph Smith, were all eyewitnesses of the Lord.
- A record of His ministry to people who lived in ancient America.
- True, as attested by the Lord Himself.

The Book of Mormon affirms:
- The individual identity of Heavenly Father and His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ.
- The necessity of the Fall of Adam and the wisdom of Eve, that men might have joy.

The Book of Mormon refutes notions that:
- Revelation ended with the Bible.
- Infants need to be baptized.
- Happiness can be found in wickedness.
- Individual goodness is adequate for exaltation (ordinances and covenants are needed).
- The Fall of Adam tainted mankind with “original sin.”

The Book of Mormon fulfills biblical prophecies that:
- “Other sheep” shall hear His voice.
- God will do “a marvelous work and a wonder,” speaking “out of the dust.”
- The “stick of Judah” and the “stick of Joseph” will become one.
- Scattered Israel will be gathered “in the latter days” and how that will be done.
- The land of inheritance for the lineage of Joseph is the Western Hemisphere.

The Book of Mormon clarifies understanding about:
- Our premortal existence.
- Death. It is a necessary component of God’s great plan of happiness.
- Postmortal existence, which begins in paradise.
- How the resurrection of the body, reunited with its spirit, becomes an immortal soul.
- How our judgment by the Lord will be according to our deeds and the desires of our hearts.
- How ordinances are properly performed: for example, baptism, sacrament, conferring the Holy Ghost.
- The Atonement of Jesus Christ.
- The Resurrection.
- The important role of angels.
- The eternal nature of priesthood.
- How human behavior is influenced more by the power of the word than the power of the sword.

The Book of Mormon reveals information previously unknown:
- Baptisms were performed before Jesus Christ was born.
- Temples were built and used by people in ancient America.
- Joseph, 11th son of Israel, foresaw the prophetic role of Joseph Smith.
- Nephi (in 600–592 BC) foresaw the discovery and colonizing of America.
- Plain and precious parts of the Bible have been lost.
- The Light of Christ is given to each person.
- The importance of individual agency and the need for opposition in all things.
- Warnings about “secret combinations.”

Here’s a link if you’d like to read the whole talk
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2017/10/the-book-of-mormon-what-would-your-life-be-like-without-it