President's Weekly - Come to Know The Savior through the Book of Mormon

Come to Know The Savior through the Book of Mormon

Dear Elders and Sisters:

Last night Sister Clark and I were in a Fireside setting where the question was posed: "I know if I keep going to church I will learn all I need to but how do I know Jesus Christ is real?"

As I heard this question I had an immediate impression come into my mind - we come to know the Savior as we repent! "And this is life eternal that they might know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent." (John 17:3)  I know a lifetime of repenting or a repentant life will yield the blessing of coming to know the Savior as we embrace His Atonement.  But as I drove away I realized the person asking the question was so good, so innocent that walking the repentant path will be a slow process of coming to know the Savior for her.  As I pondered on this thought I was impressed with a different thought - we can come to know the Savior as we study the effect of His life and Atonement on the lives of others.  This is the central purpose of the Book of Mormon.

As I pondered on this I realized that I had really learned (or am learning) how to live a repentant life by studying the Book of Mormon.  I have also been impressed lately that for as much as I have read the Book of Mormon, I may have failed to study it.  The Spirit has been very instructive to me in this regard teaching me that each time I open its pages to read, I should never close the Book without having studied it.  My mind then caught hold on several favorite quotes that I share with you below illustrating the powerful tool for conversion - coming to know Jesus Christ - that it is.   

Please come to Zone Conference next week prepared to discuss the power of the Book of Mormon unto the "convincing of the Jew and the Gentile that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God, manifesting himself unto all nations." (Book of Mormon title page).

I bear my witness it is true and that as the Prophet Joseph Smith said: "A man [will] get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than any other book." (Book of Mormon Introduction)

Sister Clark and I send our love.  We have thoroughly enjoyed being with Merced, Fresno East, Fresno North, and Hanford Zones in interview and instruction this week and look forward to being with Visalia, Porterville, Fresno West and Fresno Zones this week!

President Clark

"It is not just that the Book of Mormon teaches us truth, though it indeed does that. It is not just that the Book of Mormon bears testimony of Christ, though it indeed does that. But there is something more. 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.” (A Witness and a Warning, Benson)

"The Book of Mormon is the greatest single tool God has given us for the conversion of the world." (Ibid)

“The Book of Mormon is the instrument that God designed to sweep the earth as with a flood, to gather out His elect. This sacred volume of scripture needs to become more central in our preaching, our teaching, and our missionary work. My beloved brothers and sisters, we hardly fathom the power of the Book of Mormon, nor the divine role it must play...” (Benson, Ensign, Nov 1988)

Bruce R. McKonkie said this; “Few men on earth either in or out of the Church, have caught the vision of what the Book of Mormon is all about. Few are they among men who know the part it has played and will yet play in preparing the way for the coming of Him of whom it is a new witness…The Book of Mormon shall so affect men that the whole earth and all its peoples will have been influenced and governed by it…There is no greater issue ever to confront mankind in modern times than this: Is the Book of Mormon the mind and will and voice of God to all men?” (Millenial Messiah, Bruce R. McConkie pp 159 170 179)

“Now, in the authority of the sacred priesthood in me vested, I invoke my blessing upon the Latter-day Saints and upon good people everywhere. I bless you with increased discernment to judge between Christ and anti-Christ. I bless you with increased power to do good and to resist evil..” (Benson, Ensign, May 1986)

“I bless you with increased understanding of the Book of Mormon. I promise you that from this moment forward, if we will daily sup from its pages and abide by its precepts, God will pour out upon each child of Zion and the Church a blessing hitherto unknown – and we will plead to the Lord that He will begin to lift the condemnation – the scourge and judgment. Of this I bear solemn witness.” (Ibid)

“Without reservation I promise you that if each of you will observe this simple program, regardless of how many times you previously may have read the Book of Mormon, there will come into your lives and into your homes an added measure of the spirit of the Lord, a strengthened resolution to walk in obedience to His commandments, and a stronger testimony of the living reality of the Son of God.” (Hinckley, Ensign, August 2005, p 6)

And from your modern day prophet, President Thomas S Monson:

"This morning I speak about the power of the Book of Mormon and the critical need we have as members of this Church to study, ponder, and apply its teachings in our lives. The importance of having a firm and sure testimony of the Book of Mormon cannot be overstated.

"My dear associates in the work of the Lord, I implore each of us to prayerfully study and ponder the Book of Mormon each day. As we do so, we will be in a position to hear the voice of the Spirit, to resist temptation, to overcome doubt and fear, and to receive heaven’s help in our lives." (The Power of the Book of Mormon, Monson, Ensign, May, 2017)