As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I was introduced to the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ at an early age. I think I learned about this scripture at weekly church meetings. This book has influenced my family for generations.
In October, President Russell M. Nelson, prophet and president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints encouraged the Latter-day Saints to consider how our lives would be different if the knowledge we had received from the Book of Mormon were suddenly taken away. This gave me pause to consider.
The Book of Mormon was instrumental in bringing me to Jesus Christ. I instinctively went to this book when I wanted to get closer to God as a teenager. Along with speaking to God in prayer and repenting, the Book of Mormon was a significant part of a personal spiritual awakening for me. I don't remember any single part of the book or my reading experience as being life-altering. Its influence was slow, but powerful. I noticed the most when after developing a habit of reading the Book of Mormon daily and praying to God when I missed a day of reading. I missed it! I noticed that it felt like a piece was missing. I want this Book to be a major part of my life.
In all honesty, this book has changed the trajectory and has significantly influenced my extended family for generations. (For example, my ancestor,
Orson Spencer, left his profession and congregation as a Baptist minister and joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints based solely on his brother's testimony and on
his belief in the Book of Mormon! This change took him to a completely different geography (from Massachusetts to the American frontier in
Nauvoo, Illinois), and totally changed the rest of his life (he died 14 years later after having served in multiple positions in the Church).
How has the Book of Mormon changed your life?
