Monday, September 20, 2010

Motivational Monday - "Why the Book of Mormon" Brady's Talk

Brady was asked to give a youth talk for sacrament meeting yesterday. Here is his talk:

I was asked to give a talk about President Henry B. Eyring's talk called "Why the Book of Mormon?" It was a really good talk, and I found some highlights that I would like to share with you.
As a young man, President Eyring knew that Joseph Smith restored the gospel upon the face of the earth, that he spoke with Jesus Christ and God the Father, and that he received the Aaronic and Melchizedek Priesthood. However, he wanted to know what the Book of Mormon's purpose was in God's plan here on earth. It is actually a good question because it took many years before Joseph Smith was able to receive it, then he was persecuted for it up until he died. So what is its great purpose?

First, the Book of Mormon brings the spirit into our lives by its very nature. The title page says that the purpose of the book is to show what great things the Lord has done for His people, to help them know that the covenants the Lord has made with His people are still in force, and to convince all people that Jesus is the Christ.
There are thousands of references to the Savior in the Book of Mormon. The testimony of Jesus is there in every page, so whoever reads its words are reading words that testify of the Savior.
The Book of Mormon is full of invitation to come to the Savior. Joseph Smith said, "I told the brethren that the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book." So if we live by its words and teachings, we will be nearer to, and more like our Savior.

In 2 Nephi 32:3 it reads, "Feast upon the words of Christ for behold the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do."
The Book of Mormon also promotes missionary work. President Eyring said in his talk, that while he was on his mission, his companion told him the story of his conversion. The missionaries had challenged him to set a date to get baptized, but he could not decide. Finally, he knew that he had to make a choice, so he knelt down and asked if the Book of Mormon was true. Then the Spirit testified to him that Book of Mormon was true, that Joseph Smith was a true prophet, and that the Church was true, so he was baptized.

Again, the Book of Mormon invites the Spirit, and when we ask of the Spirit if it is true, He will reveal it unto us, like it says in Moroni 10:5, "And by the Holy Ghost, ye may know the truth of all things"

President Benson said, "We must not forget that the Lord Himself provided the Book of Mormon as His chief witness. It is a powerful missionary tool, and we must use it."

Lastly, the Book of Mormon will bring the power to resist temptation, and produce love within our homes. I read an article about putting on the whole armor of God. It started out asking if we were reading the scriptures to strengthen our knowledge and testimony of the gospel, then went on to other things like keeping the Commandments and being grateful we are a part of the true church. Another one was by a woman who said that she woke up early to read her scriptures and partake of its knowledge and guidance. This renewed her spirit each morning, and brought her peace.

D&C 76:25-29
25 And this we saw also, and bear record, that an angel of God who was in authority in the presence of God, who rebelled against the Only Begotten Son whom the Father loved and who was in the bosom of the Father, was thrust down from the presence of God and the Son,
26 And was called Perdition, for the heavens wept over him—he was Lucifer, a son of the morning.
27 And we beheld, and lo, he is fallen! is fallen, even a son of the morning!
28 And while we were yet in the Spirit, the Lord commanded us that we should write the vision; for we beheld Satan, that old serpent, even the devil, who rebelled against God, and sought to take the kingdom of our God and his Christ—
29 Wherefore, he maketh war with the saints of God, and encompasseth them round about.

Lucifer took about 1/3 of the hosts of heaven with him, and if you read on, it tells about them, the sons of perdition, who join Lucifer in his quest to make war against the righteous, and bring them down to the depths of hell.
However, when we read the Book of Mormon, we are actually putting on the Armor of God. When we do, we find greater power to resist temptation, we find the power to avoid deception, and we find the power to stay on the strait and narrow path.

I would like to close by bearing my testimony, that I know of the power the Book of Mormon brings. I know that it is the truest of all the books on the earth. I know that if we use its knowledge, we will become closer to our God, and I know that it is another testament of Jesus Christ.

In the name of Jesus Christ Amen.

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