Why Read the Book of Mormon?

So picture this.  You're at home, sitting down watching TV listening about the latest weather pattern that is about to come in.  You hear the doorbell ring and outside your front door are two young men dressed in white shirts and ties.  They proceed to tell you (as quickly as they can before you shut the door) about some new book of scripture.  It's called The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ.  They say it's a book about the people in the America's and that Jesus Christ came and visited them.  You're a little bit curious but also skeptical, and you want to see how much these guy's really know.  So you ask a simple question, "Why should I read The Book of Mormon?"

It's a good question, and one that deserves some thought.  I mean, people usually only due things either to gain a reward or avoid a punishment, it's simple psychology.  Fortunately we have the words of modern day prophets to help us out.  President Ezra Taft Benson, former president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, gave an amazing talk in the October 1986 General Conference titled The Book of Mormon - Keystone of Our Religion.  In it he outlined 3 reasons why members of the Church should strive to study the Book of Mormon throughout their life's.  I think that the same three reasons apply to everyone and I think they are worth some thought.  So here they are -

1. The Book of Mormon is the keystone of our religion:

The Prophet Joseph Smith said 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."  Simply stated a keystone holds an arch together, without it the structure crumbles.  If the Book of Mormon was false, then Joseph Smith wasn't a prophet.  If he wasn't a prophet than the things he said and did weren't true, and the whole Church falls and isn't true.  But with the Book of Mormon we are absolute and unshaken in our faith.  This is one reason why you should read the Book of Mormon, because by gaining a witness that the book is true, you come to know that "Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world, that Joseph Smith is his revelator and prophet in these last days, and that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is the Lord's kingdom once again established on the earth, preparatory to the second coming of the Messiah." (Introduction to the Book of Mormon)

2. The Book of Mormon was written for our day:


Many prophets in the Book of Mormon testified that the words they were writing were for us.  Many of these prophets even saw in vision and in prophesy our day and what we would need to steer us in the right direction towards God.  From the Book of Mormon we learn of the promises and covenants God has made with His children and those in the America's that are still in effect today.  We learn what happens when a civilization centers itself in God and what happens when they choose to disobey God.  We even learn where most of the ancestors of the American Indians came from for crying out loud!  I mean if each of us had a manual for our individual lives, wouldn't we at least glance at it?  The Book of Mormon is just that.  Specific direction and counsel for each and every one of us in this day and age.

3. The Book of Mormon helps us draw nearer to God:

This is something you have to experience more than anything else.  Almost half of the verses contained in the Book of Mormon include Christ in some way or another.  It contains the record of a people who were blessed with the opportunity to feel the prints in His hands and feet and the wound in His side.  It contains His gospel as given to His prophets.  It's overall purpose is to bring everyone closer to God and His Son Jesus Christ.  I can tell anybody enough about how powerful this book is.  You feel the Holy Ghost so strongly through the simple words on it's pages.  This Book is From God!!  The good feelings you get from reading the book are indescribable.  If you want to come closer to God and our Savior, this book will do just that more than anything else.

I want everyone to know that I know the Book of Mormon is true.  For me, my witness didn't come in one night at one particular moment of my life.  For me it came in bits and pieces, like a puzzle.  As I came to read and study its words truth was revealed to me at the rate that was perfect for me.  This continued for years until the thought came to my head "You know it's true, you have always known it is true."  I urge everyone from the bottom of my heart to simply read the book.  It's so simple, pick it up and read it.  Read it to come closer to God, read it for understanding, read it humbly so that the Holy Ghost can tell you if it is true.  I testify the truthfulness of Moroni's promise, God will answer you!!  Just give it a try, see what it can do in your life.

"And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would 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 the truth of all things." Moroni 10:3-5