The Book of Mormon

The Relief Society in our ward set a goal to read the Book of Mormon for 2011 -- cover to cover.  Today, I finished reading the Book of Mormon!  This is not the first time I have completed reading this remarkable book, and I do not know how many times I have read it in my life.  I seem to have lost count.  However, when I was reading the last chapter today I did recall an experience that I had when I was about 10 years old (give or take a year).

When I was a kid, my two older siblings would come home from seminary and we would read the Book of Mormon as a family before we all went our separate ways.  I don't remember the exact day, but I do remember with perfect clarity my feelings that morning as our family finished reading the Book of Mormon.  We started reading chapter 10 of Moroni, and then we came to Moroni's promise a few verses later, which reads:

"And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye should 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.

And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know of the truth of all things."

Upon reading those two verses my heart started pounding.  I felt an overwhelming feeling in my chest and I knew immediately what I was experiencing.  I knew that the Holy Ghost was confirming to me the truthfulness of this book.  I knew that the Holy Ghost was telling me that the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and that I was closer to God because of it.  I gained a divine witness that morning.  I knew that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world, and that Joseph Smith was a true prophet in these latter days.  I knew at the moment that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the true church.

I no longer needed to rely on my parents testimony because I knew for myself 100% that it was true -- all of it!  I am so grateful for this wonderful book.  I am forever grateful to my parents.  They made it a point for our family to read the Book of Mormon every morning before school, and by doing so I gained my testimony, which is a treasure to me in my life.