The BIBLE Challenge!

Welcome to the first official TLPB Challenge! Yesterday I read this article on LDS Living. It has a story from President Spencer W. Kimball, twelfth President of the Church. When he was fourteen years old, a speaker at his Stake Conference asked the audience who among them had read the Bible all the way through. President Kimball said,

"An accusing guilt complex spread over me. I had read many books by that time, the funny papers, and light books, but my accusing heart said to me, ‘You, Spencer Kimball, you have never read that holy book. Why?’ I looked around me at the people in front and on both sides of the hall to see if I was alone in my failure to read the sacred book. Of the thousand people, there were perhaps a half dozen who proudly raised their hands. I slumped down in my seat. I had no thought for the others who had also failed, but only a deep accusing thought for myself. I don’t know what other people were doing and thinking, but I heard no more of the sermon. It had accomplished its work. When the meeting closed, I sought the large double exit door and rushed to my home a block east of the chapel; and I was gritting my teeth and saying to myself, ‘I will. I will. I will.’"

Well, when I read that, I definitely felt guilt sweep over me as well, much the same as it had young Spencer Kimball. Last night, as I was reading my Book of Mormon, I decided that I, too, was going to read the Bible all the way through. I read the letter to King James and the first two chapters of Genesis before I fell asleep. 

I want to officially challenge each of you reading this post to read the Bible all the way through, for the first time or the tenth. Take it at your own pace, but make it a constant one, and read once a day, every day, until you're done. As for myself, I will be reading two chapters a day. 

As you read, keep these as your goals:

      to Believe more fully the words of the Lord
      to Inspire yourself through the voices of prophets 'speaking from the dust'
      to Bolster your spiritual progression
      to Liken the scriptures unto yourself
      to Enlarge your knowledge of the gospel

I can't wait to hear how you succeed in the BIBLE Challenge!!!

The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ

mormon.org

I finished my Value Project for the value of VIRTUE last night!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was beyond excited! I LOVE the Book of Mormon! I love to read overall, but this is definitely my all-time favorite book! It gives me the best feelings ever. The Spirit testifies to me that what I read is true and that if I follow its teachings I will be blessed! It contains the fulness of the gospel and, as Joseph Smith said, it is the most correct book on the face of the earth! (I'll get back to this in a sec--I've got some thoughts on it.) It is the keystone of our religion. (I'll talk more about this too.) It was written by prophets of God who taught His principles. It is God's word and a second witness to the Bible. The Book of Mormon does not replace the Bible and the Bible does not replace the Book of Mormon.

Now, as I said a minute ago, Joseph Smith said that the Book of Mormon is the most correct book on earth. But in Mormon 8, Moroni tells us that, even though it is from God, he used man to bring it forth and no man is perfect. Moroni says that there are faults in the text, but they are the faults of man, not God. There are people who would say, "Wait! Joseph Smith said that the book was the most correct on earth! But Moroni says that there are faults! Who is right? Who is wrong? Isn't God an unchangeable God? If so, wouldn't his prophets be consistent?" Well, the Book of Mormon is the most correct book spiritually speaking. Remember, the Book of Mormon often reminds us that there is a difference between spiritual and temporal. The same is true here.

I also said I would expound my thoughts on 'the keystone' concept. Many times the Book of Mormon has been compared to a keystone. The arch in this analogy is our religion--that of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Anyone who knows anything about arches knows that without the keystone, the arch will fall. But what about the other stones of the arch? Aren't they important, too? The other stones in an arch represent all of the other concepts of our beliefs. Families can be together forever, the Word of Wisdom, repentance, tithing, the list goes on. And without these stones, there literally would not be an arch. These principles make up our religion. So they are important--very! But the keystone is what holds the arch together. (If there are any engineers reading this right now, please tell me in the comments how that works!) If we didn't have the Book of Mormon, all of the other principles we listed would fail. They would crumble, and what would we have then? _____________ You couldn't fill in this blank with anything. We would have nothing, nowhere to turn. No iron rod to guide us!

The Book of Mormon is SO important! I urge you, as prophets have urged, to read and study the Book of Mormon if you haven't already, no matter what age, and no matter how long it takes you. Don't give up. And if you have read it, STUDY it over and over and over and over. You only get the important stuff  by STUDYING! Never stop! Don't let anything deter you from studying this Book day after day after day, for the rest of your life! It truly is the most correct book in principle on the whole face of the earth!

Happy reading studying!