Talk thoughts

Sunday morning as I prayed about my talk, I received the impression that the most important thing I could do was share my testimony and experiences with the Book of Mormon. As I finished typing up my talk, I remembered an experience I had while we were teaching seminary and started to add it in, but took it out. I couldn't shake that memory though and felt that it needed to be shared as well. I was afraid by the time I got to the testimony portion of my talk I'd forget or run out of time. So, I began with the end.

I began my talk basically stating what I just did and then shared the following (roughly):

When Matthew and I taught seminary, I was preparing a lesson on 2 Nephi 2 where Lehi is teaching his children about Jesus Christ and the Atonement. I came to verse 7 and wanted to understand what was meant by 'the ends of the law'

7 Behold, he offereth himself a sacrifice for sin, to answer the ends of the law, unto all those who have a broken heart and a contrite spirit; and unto none else can the ends of the law be answered.

As I kept reading, I discovered verse 10 had the answer:

10 And because of the intercession for all, all men come unto God; wherefore, they stand in the presence of him, to be judged of him according to the truth and holiness which is in him. Wherefore, the ends of the law which the Holy One hath given, unto the inflicting of the punishment which is affixed, which punishment that is affixed is in opposition to that of the happiness which is affixed, to answer the ends of the atonement—

The Spirit offered me clarity and the realization that the ends of the law are punishment and happiness. In order to answer the ends, Jesus had to experience it during the Atonement. As I realized the depths he experienced, I felt so humbled and understood why He was worthy for us to kneel at His feel and WANTED to kneel to. I am grateful for that moment with the Spirit. I am so grateful for my Savior and the love he feels that he would be willing to do that for each of us.

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A lot of people seemed to fall asleep during my talk, and I felt like I was mostly reading and that it was really boring. Several people told me afterwards that they really liked and it was good. I hope that it really was helpful for someone along the way. It was good for me to reflect on my experiences with the Book of Mormon. It has strengthened my testimony to remember.

The Book of Mormon is the Keystone of our Religion

In the 1986 October General Conference, Pres Ezra Taft Benson gave a talk called The Book of Mormon: Keystone of Our Religion and is the most widely sourced talk on the topic. I also draw my words mostly from his. 

The Prophet Joseph Smith testified that “the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion” (Introduction to the Book of Mormon). A keystone is the central stone in an arch. It holds all the other stones in place, and if removed, the arch crumbles.

There are three ways in which the Book of Mormon is the keystone of our religion. It is the keystone in our witness of Christ. It is the keystone of our doctrine. It is the keystone of testimony.

Keystone in our Witness of Christ

President Benson continues:

The Book of Mormon is the keystone in our witness of Jesus Christ, who is Himself the cornerstone of everything we do. It bears witness of His reality with power and clarity. Unlike the Bible, which passed through generations of copyists, translators, and corrupt religionists who tampered with the text, the Book of Mormon came from writer to reader in just one inspired step of translation. Therefore, its testimony of the Master is clear, undiluted, and full of power. But it does even more. Much of the Christian world today rejects the divinity of the Savior. They question His miraculous birth, His perfect life, and the reality of His glorious resurrection. The Book of Mormon teaches in plain and unmistakable terms about the truth of all of those. It also provides the most complete explanation of the Atonement. Truly, this divinely inspired book is a keystone in bearing witness to the world that Jesus is the Christ. (See title page of the Book of Mormon.)

In the title page of the Book of Mormon, it states that one of the purposes of the record is "to the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God, manifesting himself unto all nations." In fact, Nephi, the first author we hear from in the Book of Mormon tells us in 1 Nephi 6:4 "the fulness of mine intent is that I may persuade men to come unto the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, and be saved." Towards the end of Nephi's life as we read in 2 Nephi 25:23-30, Nephi mentions the name of Christ 16 times!!

 In the middle of the Book of Mormon we have the record of the teachings of Alma and Amulek. Beginning in chapter 32 while attempting to teach the people of Ammonihah, only the poor are willing to hear them. He teaches them how to have faith and nourish it. In chapter 33 the people are taught how to pray, and in 34 the people are taught the word is in Jesus Christ and why an Atonement is necessary. Beginning in verse 5, Amulek says:

5 And we have beheld that the great question which is in your minds is whether the word be in the Son of God, or whether there shall be no Christ.
6 And ye also beheld that my brother has proved unto you, in many instances, that the word is in Christ unto salvation.
7 My brother has called upon the words of Zenos, that redemption cometh through the Son of God, and also upon the words of Zenock; and also he has appealed unto Moses, to prove that these things are true.
8 And now, behold, I will testify unto you of myself that these things are true. Behold, I say unto you, that I do know that Christ shall come among the children of men, to take upon him the transgressions of his people, and that he shall atone for the sins of the world; for the Lord God hath spoken it.

Towards the end of the Book of Mormon we have accounts of the signs of his birth and death, as well as a visit from the resurrected Jesus. In 3 Nephi 11, the people have just spent three days in total darkness following a major upheaval and destruction resulting from earthquakes, tempests, and fires that were the signs given of Christ's death. Those who survived and were gathered in the land of Bountiful  

2 And they were also conversing about this Jesus Christ, of whom the sign had been given concerning his death.
3 And it came to pass that while they were thus conversing one with another, they heard a voice as if it came out of heaven; and they cast their eyes round about, for they understood not the voice which they heard;
4 And it came to pass that again they heard the voice, and they understood it not.
5 And again the third time they did hear the voice, and did open their ears to hear it; and their eyes were towards the sound thereof; and they did look steadfastly towards heaven, from whence the sound came.
6 And behold, the third time they did understand the voice which they heard; and it said unto them:
7 Behold my Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, in whom I have glorified my name—hear ye him.
8 And it came to pass, as they understood they cast their eyes up again towards heaven; and behold, they saw a Man descending out of heaven; and he was clothed in a white robe; and he came down and stood in the midst of them; and the eyes of the whole multitude were turned upon him, and they durst not open their mouths, even one to another, and wist not what it meant, for they thought it was an angel that had appeared unto them.
9 And it came to pass that he stretched forth his hand and spake unto the people, saying:
10 Behold, I am Jesus Christ, whom the prophets testified shall come into the world.
11 And behold, I am the light and the life of the world; and I have drunk out of that bitter cup which the Father hath given me, and have glorified the Father in taking upon me the sins of the world, in the which I have suffered the will of the Father in all things from the beginning.
12 And it came to pass that when Jesus had spoken these words the whole multitude fell to the earth; for they remembered that it had been prophesied among them that Christ should show himself unto them after his ascension into heaven.

Keystone of Our Doctrine

Again from Pres Benson:

The Book of Mormon is also the keystone of the doctrine of the resurrection. As mentioned before, the Lord Himself has stated that the Book of Mormon contains the “fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ.” (D&C 20:9.) That does not mean it contains every teaching, every doctrine ever revealed. Rather, it means that in the Book of Mormon we will find the fulness of those doctrines required for our salvation. And they are taught plainly and simply so that even children can learn the ways of salvation and exaltation. The Book of Mormon offers so much that broadens our understandings of the doctrines of salvation. Without it, much of what is taught in other scriptures would not be nearly so plain and precious.

One year for an Institute class, as we read the Book of Mormon we found teachings, insights, or information that was unique to the Book of Mormon. It was amazing. Recently the Church Education System has created a new course called The Teaching of the Book of Mormon. I think the class outline gives a really great indication of the doctrines and lessons of the Book of Mormon:
 (see page)

Keystone of Testimony

From Pres Benson:

Finally, the Book of Mormon is the keystone of testimony. Just as the arch crumbles if the keystone is removed, so does all the Church stand or fall with the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. 

Pres James E Faust expounded on this concept in his talk The Keystone of Our Religon:

The Book of Mormon is a keystone because it establishes and ties together eternal principles and precepts, rounding out basic doctrines of salvation. It is the crowning gem in the diadem of our holy scriptures.

It is a keystone for other reasons also. In the promise of Moroni … —namely, that God will manifest the truth of the Book of Mormon to every sincere inquirer having faith in Christ—we have a key link in a self-locking chain.

A confirming testimony of the Book of Mormon convinces ‘that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God’ and also spiritually verifies the divine calling of Joseph Smith and that he did see the Father and the Son. With that firmly in place, it logically follows that one can also receive a verification that the Doctrine and Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price are true companion scriptures to the Bible and the Book of Mormon.

All of this confirms the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the divine mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, led by a living prophet enjoying continuous revelation. From these basic verities, an understanding can flow of other saving principles of the fulness of the gospel.

In addition, the Book of Mormon is a necessary keystone of our own individual faith. An understanding of the Book of Mormon can really help lock into place an individual’s faith in Jesus Christ.

Over and over in the Book of Mormon we see the pattern for receiving revelation or a testimony of God's word, beginning with Nephi who wanted to see what his father saw to the end with Moroni's promise that 

4 ... when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.
5 And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.

President Boyd K. Packer, President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, shared his personal experience and counsel for those seeking a testimony:
“When I first read the Book of Mormon from cover to cover, I read the promise that if I ‘would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if [the things I had read were] true; and if [I would] ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he [would] manifest the truth of it unto [me], by the power of the Holy Ghost’ (Moroni 10:4). I tried to follow those instructions as I understood them.

If I expected a glorious manifestation to come at once as an overpowering experience, it did not happen. Nevertheless, it felt good, and I began to believe. …

My experience has been that a testimony does not burst upon us suddenly. Rather, it grows, as Alma said, from a seed of faith. ‘It will strengthen your faith: for ye will say I know that this is a good seed; for behold it sprouteth and beginneth to grow’ (Alma 32:30). If you nourish it, it will grow; and if you do not nourish it, it will wither (see Alma 32:37–41).

Do not be disappointed if you have read and reread and yet have not received a powerful witness. You may be somewhat like the disciples spoken of in the Book of Mormon who were filled with the power of God in great glory ‘and they knew it not’ (3 Nephi 9:20).
Do the best you can. Think of this verse: ‘See that all these things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength. And again, it is expedient that he should be diligent, that thereby he might win the prize; therefore, all things must be done in order’ (Mosiah 4:27)” (in Conference Report, Apr. 2005, 6–7; or Ensign, May 2005, 6, 8).

When I was a youth, we had a home teacher that challenged our family - specifically us children - to read the Book of Mormon. I took his challenge seriously and did it. My memories are foggy enough at this point that I don't remember if this was the first time I'd read it all the way through, but I was hungry for understanding, knowledge about gospel topics, and a testimony. I looked up every footnote and cross reference for each verse. It took me a long time to finish my study, but by the end my desires were met. And in the reading, I found answers to questions and situations I was facing as a youth. President Benson said

There is a power in the book which will begin to flow into your lives the moment you begin a serious study of the book. You will find greater power to resist temptation. You will find the power to avoid deception. You will find the power to stay on the strait and narrow path. The scriptures are called “the words of life” (D&C 84:85), and nowhere is that more true than it is of the Book of Mormon. When you begin to hunger and thirst after those words, you will find life in greater and greater abundance.

I found his words to be true. It certainly gave me the strength to resist temptation as a youth, and continues to give me the strength to meet the challenges I face as an adult. I love the writers of the Book of Mormon. I am so grateful for their strength and courage to do what is right even when it was hard.

Our beloved brother, President Marion G. Romney, testified of the blessings that can come into the lives of those who will read and study the Book of Mormon. He said:

“I feel certain that if, in our homes, parents will read from the Book of Mormon prayerfully and regularly, both by themselves and with their children, the spirit of that great book will come to permeate our homes and all who dwell therein. The spirit of reverence will increase; mutual respect and consideration for each other will grow. The spirit of contention will depart. Parents will counsel their children in greater love and wisdom. Children will be more responsive and submissive to the counsel of their parents. Righteousness will increase. Faith, hope, and charity—the pure love of Christ—will abound in our homes and lives, bringing in their wake peace, joy, and happiness” (Ensign, May 1980, p. 67).

These promises—increased love and harmony in the home, greater respect between parent and child, increased spirituality and righteousness—are not idle promises, but exactly what the Prophet Joseph Smith meant when he said the Book of Mormon will help us draw nearer to God.

It is my hope and prayer that we see that promise come to fruition in our home and family. I leave my testimony of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon with you in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.