“Yea, thou art merciful unto thy children when they cry unto thee, to be heard of thee and not of men, and thou wilt hear them.”[1]
 
Latter-day Saints are expected to be diligent in prayer, both in private and with our families. The purpose of prayer is to allow us to communicate with our Father in heaven and have a medium open between us and God through which we can solicit blessings from heaven. Genuine prayer is articulated in the sincere feelings and supplications emerging from a broken and humble heart. It stems from an inward appeal to seek in faith the blessings of a loving father.

When we do not practice the process of prayer, we deny ourselves the light and inspiration of His Spirit. We forego the feelings of gratitude that should fill our hearts and we disavow the desire to praise God for His goodness and mercy toward us.

Not only are we expected to pray but we are entitled to pray and ask of our Father for all things, whether temporal or spiritual, that we rightfully need. Modern-day revelation states: “Ye are commanded in all things to ask of God.” [2] The Lord’s Prayer teaches us that we should ask for “our daily bread.” [3] James urges us to seek wisdom. [4] Amulek advises us to pray over crops and herds, over fields and flocks, as well as for mercy and salvation.[5] Nephi admonishes us that we “must not perform any thing unto the Lord save in the first place ye shall pray unto the Father in the name of Christ, that he will consecrate thy performance unto thee, that thy performance may be for the welfare of thy soul.” [6]

Clearly, we are expected to pray for all that we righteously and prudently need or desire. The Lord has promised the faithful: “If thou shalt ask, thou shalt receive….” [7] This does not, of course, give us the right to unwise and unlimited petition. All our requests must be based on righteous desires, and not on selfish greed or lust. As the Apostle James explains: “Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts”. [8]

We should seek for the gifts of the Spirit. We should plead for a more powerful testimony. We should ask for personal revelation. Most importantly, we should solicit the companionship of the Holy Ghost. When the Nephite apostles prayed, they “desired that the Holy Ghost be given unto them.” [9] The greatest gift we can receive in this life is the gift of the Holy Ghost. [10]
 
There may be times when it seems that the heavens are closed to us and that the Lord does not answer our prayers despite the promise that “whatsoever thing ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.” [11]  A careful examination may reveal the reasons for this seeming contradiction.

Prayers we thought were unheard and unanswered may have been answered through spiritual promptings and feelings that went unrecognized because we were insensitive to them.

Answers may be delayed because God wants us to study, search and ponder more before He does respond.

It could be that God is simply waiting for us to decide first before confirming that decision through the Spirit.

God will always respect our free agency as well as our spiritual knowledge and understanding. Sometimes He allows us to decide and act for ourselves.

On the other hand, God may postpone a response if we are too spiritually immature to acknowledge or accept His answer.

Some prayers go unanswered because they are simply contrary to the will of God.

We should always be patient and remember that we may not receive an answer to our prayers until our faith and perseverance have been tried and tested. Instead of questioning or losing faith in God over seemingly unanswered prayers, we should evaluate our own intentions and purposes when praying and strive to develop a deeper spiritual sensitivity to the voice of the Spirit.

In his book, Receiving Answers to Our Prayers, Gene R. Cook assures us that:

“1. God listens to our prayers and answers them. (See D&C 98:2-3; 88:2.) I believe there has not been one sincere prayer offered by any man since the ‘beginning’ that has gone unanswered.

“2. God lives and loves us and will give correct answers to all sincere prayers, no matter what the question is. (See Moroni 10:4-5.)

“3. We are children of God and servants of the Lord. We can pray as Samuel did: "Speak; for thy servant heareth." (1 Samuel 3:10.)

“4. It doesn't matter how old we are, or what our Church position is, or how long we’ve been members of the Church. The Lord desires to answer our sincere requests regardless of these things.” [12]

Sincere prayer, practiced on a regular, consistent basis, is the most prevailing and influential force for putting us on the path of spiritual development and for keeping us on the narrow road to righteousness.  The rewards of honest and purposeful prayer will be an inexpressible sustenance to our souls.


[1] Alma 33:8
[2] D&C 46:7.
[3] Matthew 6:11.
[4] James 1:5.
[5] See Alma 34:17-29.
[6] 2 Nephi 32:9.
[7] D&C 42:61.
[8] James 4:3.
[9] 3 Nephi 19:9.
[10] See D&C 14:7.
[11] Matthew 21:7.
[12] Cook, Gene R., Receiving Answers to Our Prayers, Deseret Book Company, Salt Lake City, UT. 1996.
 
Bill Wylson

“Therefore, whosoever repenteth, and hardeneth not his heart, he shall have claim on mercy through mine Only Begotten Son, unto a remission of his sins; and these shall enter into my rest.” [1]
 
Our earthly experiences have been described as a “life amid broken harmonies.” [2]  These broken harmonies, with the rich lessons and essential experiences they provide, are possible only as a result of disobedience to law through the fall of Adam. Adam’s transgression initiated our life on earth and provided us with the circumstances necessary for our instruction, which include the “broken harmonies” of good versus evil; faith versus doubt; hope versus despair; joy versus sorrow; pleasure versus pain; life versus death. With Adam’s transgression, the circumstances and conditions required for our earthly education and subsequent eternal progression were formed. Furthermore, each of us sins of our own accord and incurs the consequence of wrongdoing. In either case, we are incapable of reinstating what has been lost or creating a justification for forgiveness in our fallen state.

This creates a condition remedied in only one of two ways: Justice must be obtained and punishment exacted on the actual sinner or God must fulfill the claim against us, appeasing justice through a vicarious Atonement on our behalf. The first possibility would prevent the purposes of God from unfolding and would violate our promise for eternal life. The second option is the only valid alternative. God must appease the demands of justice, allowing mercy to establish its claims and redeem a fallen humanity.

The Apostle Paul instructs us that “By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God.

“The law entered that sin might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did more abound; that as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness, unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.” [3]

Underlying this gift of grace is God’s boundless love for us manifest in His tender mercy, mercy which is simply love in action. God’s love for us prompts Him to satisfy justice by enduring the penalty due to Adam’s sin. God’s love for us prompts Him to suffer for the individual sins of humanity; to exact the price of each person’s sin. This love prescribes the sinner’s claim on mercy.

That is the gospel, the great plan of happiness. That is the “good tidings of great joy, which shall be unto all people.” [4]
​
Jesus Christ is the personification of mercy and mercy is the essence of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Our savior’s sacrifice on the cross was an unparalleled act of mercy on our behalf. His earthly ministry encompassed compassion toward the needy and neglected, the ill and the infirm and the disheartened and downtrodden. The extent of compassion that we extend to others is the expression of our distinct discipleship to our Redeemer.

“Our salvation,” wrote Harold B. Lee, “rests upon the mercy we show to others. Unkind and cruel words, or wanton acts of cruelty toward man or beast, even though in seeming retaliation, disqualify the perpetrator in his claims for mercy when he has need of mercy in the day of judgment before earthly or heavenly tribunals.... Blessed are all you who are merciful, for you shall obtain mercy!”  [5]

King Benjamin suggested that we are all beggars, dependent upon God for all the “substance which we have, for both food and raiment, and for gold, and for silver, and for all the riches which we have of every kind.

“And now,” he declares, “if God, who has created you, on whom you are dependent for your lives and for all that ye have and are, doth grant unto you whatsoever ye ask that is right… O then, how ye ought to impart of the substance that ye have one to another.” [6]

Mercy is not the disposition of the arrogant, the conceited or the self-centered. If we expect a claim on mercy, our nature must be one of compassion, gentleness, kindness, patience and respect toward others.

Bruce R. McConkie recognized that mercy is a reward reserved for the merciful. “In that great day of restoration and judgment,” he wrote, “when every man is rewarded according to the deeds done in the flesh, those who have manifest mercy to their fellowmen here will be treated mercifully by the Merciful One. Those who have acquired the godly attribute of mercy here shall have mercy restored unto them again in that bright day.” [7]

As we learn to become more merciful, compassionate, gentler and kinder, we will earn a greater claim on mercy from God who will be generous in His mercy toward us.
 
Bill Wy​lson

 
[1] Alma 12:34.
[2] Roberts, B.H., Seventy’s Course in Theology, Vol. 4, Deseret Book Company, 1911.
[3] Romans 5:20,21.
[4] Luke 2:10.
[5] Lee, Harold B., Stand Ye in Holy Places, p. 346, Deseret Book Company, 1974.
[6] See Mosiah 4:19,21.
[7] McConkie, Bruce R., The Mortal Messiah, Vol. 2, pp. 122, 123. Deseret Book Company.

“Yea, he that truly humbleth himself, and repenteth of his sins, and endureth to the end, the same shall be blessed--yea, much more blessed than they who are compelled to be humble because of their exceeding poverty.” [1]
 
Jesus began the Sermon on the Mount by specifying eight stipulations for human happiness, the third being “Blessed are the meek.” [2] The term meek has customarily implied being humble, free of pride and arrogance. David O. McKay referred to humility as “the solid foundation of all the virtues.” [3]

Humanity disdains the quality and characteristic of the humble and meek, but Jesus describes humility as the distinctive trait of His disciples. It is one of the greatest Christian virtues. Submissiveness to God is not a weakness but an eternal quality of the faithful. King Benjamin portrayed the humble and submissive as yielding “to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father.” [4]

The world does not place humility high on its list of desirable attributes. The humble are most often viewed as compliant and cowardly, timid and retiring, weak-willed and wary, submissive and subservient; attempting nothing, accomplishing nothing, and adding nothing to society. These false worldly views should not dissuade us from developing this attribute that the Savior himself personified.

Humility is an attribute of those with a healthy sense of self-worth. Being sensitive to shortcomings and aware of our weaknesses is essential to our personal growth and progress. Self-esteem and self-conceit are counterparts, not equivalences.

The humble submit themselves to the will of God and find increased strength and greater power. We should develop humility simply because God commands us to be humble but the blessings of being humble clarify also our constant need for this Christian virtue. Some of the benefits of being humble are specifically outlined in the scriptures.
The Lord “shall lead thee by the hand, and give thee answer to thy prayers.” [5]  

The Lord’s grace is sufficient for the humble and He will “make weak things become strong unto them.” [6]

The humble will be made strong and “receive knowledge from time to time.” [7]

The spirit will be sent to enlighten those who are humble. [8]

The “ignorant” will “learn wisdom by humbling himself.” [9]

The “veil shall be rent” and the humble will see and know the Lord. [10]

No one can assist in the work of the Lord “except he shall be humble.” [11]

The pragmatic appeal of personal humility is in its ability to notice a failing and accept the instruction and consequent correction that come from that failing. Humility is the indispensable element in improvement and personal growth, despite mistakes and disappointments. Progress, whether in business, education, religion, or elsewhere is accelerated when we quickly and humbly learn from our mistakes and failures.

The humble are teachable and open-minded. They are taught by their contemporaries as well as by God because they are not concerned with their own self-image and self-importance and can truly listen and learn. As humble followers of Christ, they recognize that there is a standard of perfection to be pursued.

Pride, on the other hand, disconnects us from God and disengages us from others. Pride deadens our sense of relationship with our Father in heaven. It dictates that “my will,” not “thine,” be done.

Pride wears many guises. It ascends in the arrogance of the academic and parades in the pompousness of the prosperous. It hides in the hypocrisy of the self-righteousness and struts in the sanctimoniousness of the socialite.

The proud isolate themselves from others. Grateful that they are “not as other men are,” [12] they shun sympathy, compassion and kindness toward others. The humble, on the other hand, abandon arrogance and accept that in God’s guidelines there can be no constraint on love.  

The love Jesus exemplified is boundless. He despised the self-importance and presumptuousness of the Pharisees. They perform “all their deeds to be seen by people, for they make their phylacteries wide and their tassels long. They love the place of honor at banquets and the best seats in the synagogues and elaborate greetings in the market place.” [13] Conceivably the most treacherous characteristic of their conceit was that they saw themselves as not needing repentance. [14] But of us, Christ invites a profound, personal, and positive humility that will collapse our conceit and dissolve the defenses between us and God and between us and all of humanity.

Elder Bruce R. McConkie wrote, “As things are now constituted, the meek do not inherit the earth; even He who said of himself, ‘I am meek and lowly of heart’ (Matt. 11:29) had in fact no place of his own to lay his head. This world's goods were of little moment to him, and he had neither gold nor silver nor houses nor lands nor kingdoms. Peter was even directed to catch a fish in whose mouth a coin was lodged, that a levied tax might be paid for the two of them. The meek—those who are the God-fearing and the righteous—seldom hold title to much of that which appertains to this present world. But there will be a day when the Lord shall come to make up his jewels; there will be a day when Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and the faithful of ancient Israel shall dwell again in old Canaan; and there will be also an eventual celestial day when ‘the poor and the meek of the earth shall inherit it.’ (D&C 88:17.)” [15]

The day will soon come when eternal principles will prevail on earth. What humanity despises today will eventually be acknowledged and appreciated as an essential attribute of a righteous and Christ-like character.
 
Bill Wylson 
 
 [1] Alma 32:15
[2] Matthew 5:5.
[3] McKay, David O., Ancient Apostles, p. 118.
[4] Mosiah 3:19.
[5] D&C 112:10.
[6] See Ether 12:26,27.
[7] See D&C 1:28.
[8] See D&C 136:33.
[9] D&C 136:32.
[10] See D&C 67:10.
[11] See D&C 12:8.
[12] Luke 18:11.
[13] Matthew 23:5-7 (NET).
[14] See Luke 15:1-7.
[15] McConkie, Bruce R., The Mortal Messiah, Vol. 2, p. 122. Deseret Book Company.

“And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father: I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them.” [1]
 
Nephi’s example and teaching from the preceding verse are essential for any member of the church seeking reassurance of the basic rudiments of gospel living with its encumbrance of daily taking up the cross of Christ and following Him.[2]

In writing about heroes from the Book of Mormon, Russel M. Nelson tells us that “Nephi was a multifaceted genius. Endowed with great physical stature, he was a prophet, teacher, ruler, colonizer, builder, craftsman, scholar, writer, poet, military leader, and father of nations. Nephi had a sincere desire to know the mysteries of God. He became a special witness and trusted prophet of the Lord… Appropriately, his final testimony closed with the words that could be known as his signature: “I must obey.” [3]

Very few prophets of the past have spoken with such genuine intensity to the denizens of our day. Nephi's life, calling and dedication to the Lord were destined to be a blessing not only to his own people but to generations and generations of God’s children.

Like Nephi, the Apostle Paul also reassures us: “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” [4]

Our Heavenly Father loves all his children. He wants to guide and direct us along paths of peace and safety. He also understands that we cannot be guided in arrogance or directed in pride.  When we are enduring the tests and trials of our lifetimes, when things just aren’t going well, we can and should understand that our loving Father is leading us through life experiences that will both bless and better us. With the prayer of faith and a determination to obey, we can recognize what the Lord requires of us and be assured that the way has already been prepared for us.

Henry B. Eyring has challenged us that when we are experiencing a severe trial, we should ask ourselves the following question: “‘Am I trying to do what the Lord would have me do?’ If you're not, then adjust your course. But if you are, remember the boy outside the walls of Jerusalem who…said, ‘I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them.’” [5]

No obstacle in life is insurmountable when God commands and we obey. President Eyring continues…. “The Lord will always prepare a way for you to escape from the trials you will be given if you understand two things. One is that you need to be on the Lord's errand. The second thing you need to understand is that the escape will almost never be out of the trial; it will usually be through it. If you pray to have the experience removed altogether, you may not find the way prepared for you. Instead, you need to pray to find the way of deliverance through it.” [6]

Joseph F. Smith assures us that if “the Latter-day Saints are content to obey the commandments of God…our heavenly Father is bound by his oath and covenant to protect them from every opposing foe, and to help them to overcome every obstacle that can possible be arrayed against them, or thrown in their pathway.” [7]

Whoever we are and no matter how difficult our situation, the Book of Mormon offers us the reassurance that whatever our Father commands us to do to qualify for the blessings of eternal life, it will not be beyond our capacity to obey.
 
 Bill Wylson
 

[1] 1 Nephi 3:7
[2] See Luke 9:23.
[3] Nelson, Russel M., Heroes from the Book of Mormon, Deseret Book Company, 1995.
[4] 1 Corinthians 10:13.
[5] Eyring, Henry B., To Draw Closer to God, Deseret Book Company, 1997.
[6] Ibid.
[7] Smith, Joseph F., Gen. Conf., April 1883. JD 24:176.

“Now, we will compare the word unto a seed. Now, if ye give place, that a seed may be planted in your heart, behold, if it be a true seed, or a good seed, if ye do not cast it out by your unbelief, that ye will resist the Spirit of the Lord, behold, it will begin to swell within your breasts; and when you feel these swelling motions, ye will begin to say within yourselves--It must needs be that this is a good seed, or that the word is good, for it beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth to enlighten my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me.”  [1]
 

Much like music and art, the Book of Mormon reveals a whole new world to us. We become associated with God’s law and live in harmony with correct gospel teachings. Our religious belief moves beyond mere duty to something akin to passion. It creates in us a hungering and thirsting after righteousness that must be filled.

The quest for truth is essentially an experiment upon the words of Christ. The experimenter is encouraged to "prove all things; hold fast that which is good." [2]

Comparing this religious fervor to a fruit tree, Alma promises us that “ye shall pluck the fruit thereof, which is most precious, which is sweet above all that is sweet, and which is white above all that is white, yea, and pure above all that is pure; and ye shall feast upon this fruit even until ye are filled, that ye hunger not, neither shall ye thirst.” [3]

Lehi envisioned the fruit of the tree of life as filling his soul “with exceedingly great joy” and that “it was desirable above all other fruit." [4]  

From a similar vision, Joseph Smith, Sr. described the fruit of the tree as "delicious beyond description."
"The more we ate," he explains, "the more we seemed to desire, until we even got down upon our knees and scooped it up, eating it by double handfuls." [5]

In his book, Living by the Power of Faith, Gene R. Cook asks:
“How do you correctly recognize that feeling and know that the seed (the word) is from God? Alma gives three definite evidences that tell you if the seed comes from the Lord:
“1. It begins to enlarge your soul.
“2. It begins to enlighten your understanding.
“3. It begins to be delicious to you.” [6]

This is the beginning of true faith. It is an introduction to the fruits of the Spirit. In his epistle to the Galatians, Paul enumerates the fruits of religion: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance; against such there is no law.” [7]

The Apostle Peter also wrote: “Giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance, and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” [8]

It is evident from these inspired writings that the fruits of the spirit are to be realized and savored in our present earth life as well as in our eternal life. These spiritual gifts are offered to us today, as well as tomorrow.

The Book of Mormon will live in our hearts and in our lives when we begin to delight in the word of God. Then we will become true disciples of Christ, realizing the destiny described so articulately by President Ezra Taft Benson: "I have a vision of homes alerted, classes alive, pulpits aflame, with the spirit of the Book of Mormon message. I have a vision of the whole church getting nearer to God by abiding the precepts of the Book of Mormon." [9]

Our religious convictions will not shelter us from all sorrow and suffering, nor do they promise us a life of prosperity, but they do assure us the precious fruits of the spirit—peace, joy, love, and a purposeful life.


Bill Wylson


[1] Alma 32:28.

[2] 1 Thessalonians 5:21.

[3] Alma 32:42.

[4] 1 Nephi 8:12.

[5] Smith, Lucy Mack, History of Joseph Smith by His Mother. Deseret Book Company, 1979. Pp. 49, 50.

[6] Cook, Gene R., Living by the Power of faith. Deseret Book Company, 1985.

[7] Galatians 5:22,23.

[8] 2 Peter 1:5-8.

[9] Benson, Ezra Taft, General Conference, Oct. 1988.

“Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts.

“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.” [1]

I have noticed a special power associated with the Book of Mormon. A quiet, yet convincing, witness of its truth is conveyed to those who delve into its pages with faith and a sincere intent.

Parley P. Pratt stated: “The Spirit of the Lord came upon me, while I read, and enlightened my mind, convinced my judgment, and riveted the truth upon my understanding, so that I knew that the book was true, just as well as a man knows the daylight from the dark night.” [2]

Paul teaches that, “the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.” [3] The truthfulness of the Book of Mormon is manifest to every sincere seeker by the power of the Holy Ghost. God will not allow our faith to go unrewarded. His promise to us is that “signs shall follow them that believe.” [4] These signs will serve as evidences of truth which confirm that our faith is not in vain.

Brigham Young experienced this marvelous blessing as he read the Book of Mormon: “I knew it was true, as well as I knew that I could see with my eyes, or feel by the touch of my fingers, or be sensible of the demonstration of any sense.” [5]

Moroni’s promise provides us an explicit procedure for gaining a testimony, not only of the Book of Mormon, but of all spiritual truth. The formula applies to those seeking a witness of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon and is also the process for hearing the voice of the Lord every time we read from its inspired pages.

We should ponder and pray with faith and real intent not only the first time we read the Book of Mormon and not only when we are seeking a spiritual witness of its truthfulness. We should ponder and pray every time we read it. Doing so will enable us to receive a greater testimony and a “more sure witness” from the Lord.

To ascertain truth in the spiritual realm we must ask God. “Ask, and it shall be given you,” [6] but “ask in faith, nothing wavering.” [7] If we will be humble and pray sincerely, with real intent, with faith in Christ, doubting nothing, He will manifest to us the truth we are seeking by the power of the Holy Ghost. He will tell us what we want to know. The Lord assures us a firm witness of the truth by the power of the Holy Ghost.

“It is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.” [8]

Bill Wylson
 


[1] Moroni 10:3,4

[2] Journal of Discourses 5:194.

[3] 1 Corinthians 2:11.

[4] Mark 16:17.

[5] Journal of Discourses 3:91.

[6] Matthew 7:7.

[7] James 1:6.

[8] 1 John 5:6.

“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.” [1]
 
When asked his opinion of the Mormons, Charles Dickens scoffed, “Imagine seeing angels in the age of locomotives!”[2] From locomotives to automobiles to airplanes to deep space exploration, we have progressively moved into an age of extensive and illustrious enlightenment. Humanity is making unprecedented progress in countless fields, spheres and disciplines. Inventions that were, at one time, nothing more than the wild imaginings of science-fiction writers have become commonplace today. 

In his book, The Progress of Man, Joseph Fielding Smith writes:

“Great progress has been made in mechanics, chemistry, physics, surgery, and other things. Men have built great telescopes that have brought the hidden galaxies to view. They have, by the aid of the microscope, discovered vast worlds of microorganisms, some of which are as deadly as are men towards their fellow men. They have discovered means to control disease; they have, by the aid of anesthesia, made men insensible to pain, thus permitting major and delicate operations which could not otherwise be performed. They have invented machines more sensitive than the human touch, more far- seeing than the human eye. They have controlled elements and made machinery that can move mountains, and many other things have they done too numerous to mention. Yes, this is a wonderful age. However, all of these discoveries and inventions have not drawn men nearer to God!” [3]

With all our discoveries and advancements in technology, science and education, faith has not increased in the world. Obedience to God has become arbitrary instead of obligatory. Righteousness does not rule our beliefs or our behaviors. Perhaps more now than in any other age of society, humanity needs to draw nearer to God.

In the Memorial Chapel at Stanford University we find these words:

“There is no narrowing so deadly as the narrowing of man's horizon of spiritual things. No worse evil could befall him in his course on earth than to lose sight of heaven; and it is not civilization that can prevent this; it is not civilization that can compensate for it. No widening of science, no possession of abstract truth, can indemnify for an enfeebled hold on the highest and eternal truth of humanity.”

What an enormous blessing and benefit it would be for the world to acquire a deeper abiding faith in our Redeemer and a greater love in our hearts toward each other!  If we would enlighten our spirits with the same intensity that we have enlightened our minds and turn to the Lord, we could have the confidence that He will be near, that He will help us fight our battles and fill our lives with the principles of truth and righteousness.

In speaking about the Book of Mormon, Ezra Taft Benson has challenged all of us to “prayerfully consider steps that we can personally take to bring this new witness for Christ more fully into our own lives and into a world that so desperately needs it…. I have a vision of the whole Church getting nearer to God by abiding by the precepts of the Book of Mormon. Indeed, I have a vision of flooding the earth with the Book of Mormon.” [4]

What the world most needs today is to draw nearer to God. Anyone who has viewed and studied the Book of Mormon with more than just a casual pursuing knows the truthfulness of the Prophet Joseph Smith’s assertion. The Book of Mormon will draw us nearer to God. It is a meaningful and inspired declaration of Him and an additional witness and testament of our Savior Jesus Christ.
 
Bill Wylson

[1] Smith, Joseph, History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, vol. 4, p.461.

[2] Charles Dickens later changed his opinion of the Mormons after meeting with a group of emigrants sailing out of England for the Great Salt Lake Valley. Concerning these people, Dickens wrote: “I went on board their ship to bear testimony against them if they deserved it, as I fully believed they would; to my great astonishment they did not deserve it.” After observing and mingling with the converts, Dickens was impressed with them and described these English converts as being “the pick and flower of England.” (See Charles Dickens, “The Uncommercial Traveler,” All the Year Round, July 4, 1863, 449; see also David M. W. Pickup, The Pick and Flower of England (2001).

[3] Smith, Joseph Fielding, The Progress of Man, Deseret Book Company, 1936.

[4] Benson, Ezra Taft, Flooding the Earth with the Book of Mormon, The Ensign, November 1988, p. 4.

The Prophet Joseph Smith affirmed that "the Book of Mormon [is] …the keystone of our religion."[1]  It is that crucial, all-important stone in the arch that upholds and supports all the other stones in their respective positions. And if removed, the entire arch would then collapse.

President Marion G. Romney has stated: “Whatever else it implies, this statement is amply justified by the fact that acceptance of the Book of Mormon is almost tantamount to acceptance of the restored gospel. The authenticity of the book and the restoration of the gospel rest upon the same two fundamentals—the fact of modern revelation and the fact that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. These two verities are inseparably connected in their relationship to the Book of Mormon and the restored gospel. To accept one is to accept the other.” [2]

So, what it is about the Book of Mormon that makes it the fundamental keystone in our religion? In his book, A Witness and a Warning, Ezra Taft Benson highlights a few of the ways the Book of Mormon serves as the keystone of our religion.  Along with President Benson’s insights, I have included below some of the thoughts and perceptions of other authoritative writers on this subject.

Above all, the Book of Mormon is the keystone of our witness to the world that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Eternal Father.

• The Keystone in Our Witness of Christ.

The principal purpose of the Book of Mormon stated on the title page is “to the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God.” [3] It is undeniably Jesus Christ who is the core and cornerstone of everything that we believe in and all that we do. The Book of Mormon plainly and powerfully testifies of the reality of Jesus Christ.

Much of the world rejects Jesus as their Savior and Redeemer. Many deny His divinity while others doubt His doctrine. But the Book of Mormon, in its clear and distinctive dialect, declares the truth of the divine mission and perfect life of our Lord and Savior.

“There is a God,” declares Nephi, “and he is Christ.” [4]

The Book of Mormon elucidates Christ’s sacred teachings and holy doctrines; it testifies of His atoning sacrifice. There can be no doubt that the Book of Mormon is an essential and necessary keystone in affirming to the world that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God.

• The Keystone of Our Personal Faith

Besides being the keystone of our religion, the Book of Mormon should also be an essential keystone of our personal faith. A greater understanding of the Book of Mormon will help to secure our faith in Jesus Christ. President Ezra Taft Benson acknowledged, "I have noted within the Church the difference in discernment, in insight, conviction, and spirit between those who know and love the Book of Mormon and those who do not. That book is a great sifter." [5]

President Ezra Taft Benson [6] further outlined the testimony of the Savior himself declaring that;

• The Book of Mormon is true, [7]
• It contains the word of God, [8]
• It was translated by power from on high, [9]
• It contains the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ, [10]
• It was given by inspiration and confirmed by the ministering of angels, [11]
• It gives evidence that the holy scriptures are true, [12] and
• Those who receive it in faith shall receive eternal life. [13]

Another essential element of the Book of Mormon is that it stands as the keystone of our doctrine.

• The Keystone of Our Doctrine

The Prophet Joseph Smith acknowledged; "Take away the Book of Mormon and the revelations and where is our religion? We have none." [14] For this reason alone, the Book of Mormon is a crucial keystone to our doctrine.

In ordinary language and easy to understand terminology, the Book of Mormon clarifies and illuminates all the essential doctrine necessary for our salvation. The Savior Himself has proclaimed that the Book of Mormon contains the "fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ." [15]  The Book of Mormon increases our understanding and knowledge of vital principles and doctrines which are essential to our redemption. 

The Book of Mormon is also a critical keystone in our personal testimonies of the work of the restoration.

• The Keystone of Our Testimony
  

It is an inarguable fact that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints stands or falls with the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. If the Book of Mormon is suspect, then so is the Prophet Joseph Smith, the deposition of modern-day revelation and the restoration of priesthood keys and authority.

The Book of Mormon was written to convince us "that Jesus is the Christ." [16] If your soul is searching for a more profound witness of the divinity of our Savior, if you harbor any doubts or question any aspect of your testimony of the restored gospel, read the Book of Mormon. Ponder its message. Pray about its precepts.

 The Book of Mormon is a powerful testifier of truth. It is a profound conversion tool. Above all else, you will "get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book." [17]

As you are brought to a realization of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon, you will also come to know that Joseph Smith is the prophet of the Restoration and that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is directed today by a living prophet.

In 1941, President Heber J. Grant affirmed that "experimental knowledge is the very best knowledge in the world; and any man who will believe what he is told to believe, in one of the closing paragraphs of the Book of Mormon, and who, after reading it, will ask God for a knowledge of its divinity, and live worthily of that knowledge will receive it.”  [18]

The incredible conversion power of the Book of Mormon makes it a major keystone in our missionary efforts.

• The Keystone of Our Missionary Labor
  

Throughout the world, the Book of Mormon offers honest seekers after truth a definite verification of the restored gospel. It serves as a resounding witness of the sacred calling of the Prophet Joseph Smith.

As Heber J. Grant further explains; “I rejoice in the wonderful spirit of the Book of Mormon. I believe that it is one of the greatest missionaries in the hands of an elder that it is possible for him to have. I believe that no man can open that book and read it with a prayerful heart, and ask God, in the name of Jesus Christ, for a testimony regarding its divinity, but what the Lord will manifest unto him by His Spirit the truth of the book itself. And God has performed it; He has done it in thousands of cases. There is a mark of divinity on this book; and I maintain that no man can read [it]…without receiving an impression of this kind." [19]

Everyone who prayerfully studies the Book of Mormon can ask God if it is true and gain a testimony of its divinity. When, in answer to sincere prayer, the Holy Spirit testifies of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon, then hearts are changed. People increase in faith and desire to unite themselves with the Kingdom of God.

• The Keystone of Our Lives

The Book of Mormon was written for us. Ezra Taft Benson explained that the “Nephites never had the book; neither did the Lamanites of ancient times. It was meant for us. Mormon wrote near the end of the Nephite civilization. Under the inspiration of God, who sees all things from the beginning, he abridged centuries of records, choosing the stories, speeches, and events that would be most helpful to us….

‘Behold, I speak unto you as if ye were present, and yet ye are not. But behold, Jesus Christ hath shown you unto me, and I know your doing.’ [20]

“If they saw our day and chose those things which would be of greatest worth to us, is not that how we should study the Book of Mormon? We should constantly ask ourselves, ‘Why did the Lord inspire Mormon (or Moroni or Alma) to include that in his record? What lesson can I learn from that to help me live in this day and age?’” [21]

The Book of Mormon is the keystone of our religion because it bears witness of our Savior Jesus Christ.

“Behold, I am Jesus Christ. I am the Father and the Son. In me shall all mankind have life, and that eternally.” [22]
It is the keystone of our religion because it teaches pure truth. Through modern-day revelation the Lord declares that the Book of Mormon contains “the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ” [23] and that "As your Lord and your God liveth it is true." [24] But there is something more to it that just these vital facts.

The Book of Mormon corroborates the truthfulness of the Bible. [25] It serves as verification "to the world that the holy scriptures are true.” [26]

Its earnest objective is to provide us with the necessary principles and teachings for our eternal journey. One of the ultimate messages of the Book of Mormon, and of the Bible, is that mankind cannot reach perfection on its own.
The Apostle Paul instructs us that, "The law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ." [27]  Abinadi taught that the records maintained by the Book of Mormon prophets (including the Brass Plates of Laban) served "to keep them in remembrance of God and their duty towards him." [28] 

The Book of Mormon is our schoolmaster in this dispensation of time to bring us to Christ. [29] The book itself testifies that it is the holy word of God.

All scriptures are one in that they testify of Jesus. The prophet Jacob, brother of Nephi, declares that "none of the prophets have written, nor prophesied, save they have spoken concerning this Christ." [30]

Likewise, Nephi affirmed; "We talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophecy of Christ." [31]

There is a very real and very tangible power associated with a sincere study of the Book of Mormon. As Ezra Taft Benson explains in A Witness and A Warning, its influence will begin to flow into our lives the moment we undertake a serious and sincere study of the truths and doctrines it contains. Our personal power to resist temptation will intensify. Our ability to elude deceptiveness will become more acute. We will become more adept at keeping our footing securely on the strait and narrow path.[32]

President Marion G. Romney knew of the great power present in the Book of Mormon. He attested to the blessings available for those who will read and study the Book of Mormon:

“I feel certain that if, in our homes, parents will read from the Book of Mormon prayerfully and regularly, both by themselves and with their children, the spirit of that great book will come to permeate our homes and all who dwell therein. The spirit of reverence will increase; mutual respect and consideration for each other will grow. The spirit of contention will depart. Parents will counsel their children in greater love and wisdom. Children will be more responsive and submissive to the counsel of their parents. Righteousness will increase. Faith, hope, and charity-the pure love of Christ-will abound in our homes and lives, bringing in their wake peace, joy, and happiness" [33]

The promise of increased reverence and respect in our homes, the added blessing of greater love between parents and their children, as well as increased peace, joy and happiness are not imaginary inferences. They are, instead, precisely what Joseph Smith meant when he declared that the Book of Mormon will draw us nearer to God.

As President Benson explains, “The scriptures are called ‘the words of life,’ [34] 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.” [35]

Bill Wylson
 


[1] Smith, Joseph, History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, vol. 4, p.461.
[2] Romney, Marion G. Look to God and Live, GC Oct 1970.
[3] Title page, The Book of Mormon.
[4] 2 Nephi 11:7.
[5] Benson, Ezra Taft, New Era, May 1975, p. 19.
[6] Benson, Ezra Taft, A Witness and a Warning, Deseret Book, Salt Lake City, Utah, 1988, p. 15.
[7] D&C 17:6.
[8] D&C 19:26.
[9] D&C 20:8.
[10] D&C 20:9, 42:12.
[11] D&C 20:10.
[12] D&C 20:11.
[13] D&C 20:14.
[14] Smith, Joseph, History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, vol. 2, p.52.
[15] D&C 20:9.
[16] Title Page, Book of Mormon.
[17]Smith, Joseph, History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, vol. 4, p.461.
[18] Grant, Heber J., Gospel Standards (1941) p. 29.
[19] Grant, Heber J., Gospel Standards (1941) p. 30.
[20] Mormon 8:34, 35.
[21] Benson, Ezra Taft, A Witness and a Warning, Deseret Book, Salt Lake City, Utah, 1988, pp. 19, 20.
[22] Ether 3:14.
[23] D&C 20:9.
[24] D&C 17:6.
[25] 1 Nephi 13:40.
[26] D&C 20:11.
[27] Galatians 3:24.
[28] Mosiah 13:30.
[29] Mosiah 13:27 – 32.
[30] Jacob 7:11.
[31] 2 Nephi 25:26.
[32] Benson, Ezra Taft, A Witness and A Warning, Deseret Book, Salt Lake City, Utah, 1988, pp. 21, 22.
[33] Romney, Marion G., Ensign, May 1980, p. 67.
[34] D&C 84:85
[35] Benson, Ezra Taft, A Witness and A Warning, Deseret Book, Salt Lake City, Utah, 1988, p. 22.
 

In the bookcase in the hallway outside of my office rests a copy of the Book of Mormon that belonged to my father before he succumbed to cancer in 2008. It was given to him as a Christmas present in 1942, the year before he went on his first full-time mission. The leather cover is torn and frayed at the edges. The spine had broken off, been re-attached, and then broke off again. The pages are flavescent with age, worn and dog-eared. Countless verses have been underlined in red pencil and hundreds of notes inscribed in the narrow margins. During his lifetime, my father had read the Book of Mormon, studied it, prayed and pondered for endless hours over it, and had taught incessantly from it.

            My wife, in a sad and gentle voice, told me, “I tried to get him a new set of scriptures once.”

            “He wouldn’t let you, would he?” I replied.

            “No,” she whispered. “He said when he saw his Savior face-to-face he wanted to be holding a well-worn set of scriptures.

            “He always reminded me of the old saying, ‘A Bible that is coming apart at the seams usually indicates that its owner isn’t.’”

            On the inside cover of this precious book my father had penned in his barely legible handwriting the statement from Joseph Smith, Jr. that reads, “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.” [1]

Funk and Wagnall’s dictionary defines a keystone as "the uppermost and last set stone of an arch which completes it and locks its members together." [2] Another meaning is "the fundamental element, as of science or doctrine." [3]

The Book of Mormon, this most correct book, unites and authenticates everlasting principles and eternal edicts encompassing the fundamental doctrines of salvation, making it the keystone of our religion and the gemstone of all our holy scriptures. Moroni’s promise that God will manifest the truth of the Book of Mormon to every faithful and sincere inquirer guarantees every individual’s right to receive a testimony of the divinity of the Book of Mormon. [4]   

“As the keystone of our religion, it is the thing upon which we stand or fall,” declared Bruce R. McConkie. “If it is true, this whole system of religion is true because God's hand is in it; if it is not true, then our system of religion is false. But thanks be to God, this book is true! And thanks be to him also, he is willing, desirous, by the power of his Spirit, to bear record of that fact to all honest truth seekers….

“…I quote the words that God himself said in bearing record of the divinity of the Book of Mormon, and make them my testimony also. He said of Joseph Smith, ‘he has translated the book, even that part which I have commanded him, and as your Lord and your God liveth it is true.’” [5] [6]

Jeffery R. Holland refers to this critical keystone topic as a “sudden death” proposition. In his book, Christ and the New Covenant: The Messianic Message of the Book of Mormon, Elder Holland writes the following:

“The Prophet Joseph's expression that the Book of Mormon is ‘the keystone of our religion’ is a profound and crucial observation. A keystone is positioned at the uppermost center of an arch in such a way as to hold all the other stones in place. That key piece, if removed, will bring all of the other blocks crashing down with it. The truthfulness of the Book of Mormon—its origins, its doctrines, and the circumstances of its coming forth—is central to the truthfulness of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

“To consider that everything of saving significance in the Church stands or falls on the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon and, by implication, the Prophet Joseph Smith's account of how it came forth is as sobering as it is true. It is a ‘sudden death’ proposition. Either the Book of Mormon is what the Prophet Joseph said it is, or this church and its founder are false, a deception from the first instance onward.

“Not everything in life is so black and white, but the authenticity of the Book of Mormon and its keystone role in our religion seem to be exactly that.”[7]

I received my first leather-bound copy of the Book of Mormon from my father on my seventeenth birthday. I began carrying the book in my jacket pocket everywhere I went. I studied it intently, marking every verse that impressed me as significant to my life and my personal eternal progress. But my profound testimony of the Book of Mormon did not come to me as an unearned legacy.

I believe that a true understanding and testimony of this critical work comes only with singleness of mind and a strong purpose of heart. When Moroni counseled us to “ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true,” he also made it clear that we must ask:

"with real intent,
having faith in Christ.”
Then will God “manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost." [8]

Two years after I was given my own copy of the Book of Mormon, while serving as a full-time missionary, I still had not received that burning manifestation promised by Moroni. I believed with all my heart in the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon yet I was still concerned that my belief would not be a strong enough witness in the face of possible opposition. I went off alone one evening to pray. I always felt I prayed with a sincere heart but that night I prayed with faith and all the real intent I could muster.

I spent three full hours on my knees in prayer and the attendant effort was well worth the results. Moroni’s promise was verified as the power of the Holy Ghost filled my heart and witnessed to me that the Book of Mormon is the word of God.
With that confirming testimony of the Book of Mormon came a genuine assurance that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God, as well as the spiritual verification of the divine calling of Joseph Smith. From these basic truths flowed an awareness and comprehension of the other saving principles of the fullness of the gospel and a confirmation of the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ, including the divine mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
As the most correct book on Earth, the Book of Mormon was “written by way of commandment, and also by the spirit of prophecy and of revelation…to the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God, manifesting himself unto all nations.“ [9] It is a substantiating verification of the birth, life, crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. It is yet another witness of his work as the Messiah and the Redeemer.

Nephi challenges all the ends of the earth to “harken unto these words and believe in Christ; and if ye believe not in these words believe in Christ. And if ye shall believe in Christ ye will believe in these words, for they are the words of Christ." [10]
A testimony of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon is founded on spiritual power. The primary assertion of the Book of Mormon, that Jesus is the Christ, the divine Son of God, is spiritual in nature. Things of the Spirit are known only through the power of the Spirit. You cannot gain a witness of a spiritual truth through physical evidence alone. The test for understanding this most correct and sacred book is preeminently spiritual.  Seeking a testimony with secular skills rather than with spiritual perception will reveal little of its meaning and message.

Heavenly Father may provide us with additional witnesses and proof that the statements of the Book of Mormon are true, but such proof comes only after the exercise of faith.  As Moroni stated; "I…would show unto the world that faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith." [11]

The pronounced importance of the Book of Mormon was affirmed by the Savior himself. He declared, "This is my doctrine, and it is the doctrine which the Father hath given unto me." [12]

Jesus is the Christ and the Book of Mormon and Old Testament prophecies concerning His coming have been fulfilled. I testify with the indisputable certainty from the witness of the Holy Spirit that the Book of Mormon is the most correct of any book on Earth and that it is possible for everyone to recognize its truthfulness with absolute confidence and conviction. We can obtain a more complete and certain knowledge than intellectual learning alone can ever provide. God himself has revealed, "As your Lord and your God liveth it is true." [13]

Ralph Waldo Emerson is purported to have said, “I can no more remember the books that I have read than the meals that I have eaten, but they have made me."

Today, alongside the old, tattered leather-bound copy of my father’s first Book of Mormon, sits my own leather-bound copy of the Book of Mormon. And while these days most of my scripture study in done on electronic devices, I can see how my father treasured his worn-out Book of Mormon. The keystone of our religion and the most correct of any book on Earth is firmly in place, shouldering the credence of truth to all the world.

The Book of Mormon is true and it is of the Lord. Its proclamation to the world is that God lives and Jesus is the Christ. Nothing will serve better at building our faith and testimonies and touching the hearts of honest seekers after truth than this valuable and influential book.

“In saying that the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth,” writes Robert Millet and Joseph Fielding McConkie, “the Prophet had reference to the doctrines and principles which it taught. The greatest miracle associated with the Book of Mormon is the purity of its doctrines. The true test of its authenticity is found in living those doctrines. The Prophet’s promise was that those doing so will get nearer to God than they could by following the precepts of any other book. So it is that the Book of Mormon invites investigation -- it extends to all who are honest in heart the invitation to ask God if it is true, with the promise that an answer will be forthcoming.” [14]

One of the most powerful reasons for reading, studying and pondering the principles and doctrines of the Book of Mormon is that it will draw us nearer to God. Anyone harboring a deep longing in their hearts to feel closer to God, to become progressively more like Him in their daily lives, to feel His presence continually will find greater help through the Book of Mormon than through any other book.

Everyone who prayerfully studies the Book of Mormon can gain a testimony of its divinity. Read the Book of Mormon. It will bring you closer to the Lord and His loving power. Christ has promised that those who live by the precepts of this book "shall receive a crown of eternal life.” [15]

Bill Wylson

[1] Smith, Joseph, History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, vol. 4, p.461.
[2] Funk and Wagnalls New Practical Standard Dictionary, Britannica World Language Edition, 2 vols., 1956, 1:735.
[3] Ibid.
[4] Moroni 10:4.
[5] D&C 17:6.
[6] McConkie, Bruce R., Conference Report, April 1965.
[7] Holland, Jeffery R., Christ and the New Covenant: The Messianic Message of the Book of Mormon, Deseret Book Company, 1997.
[8] Moroni 10:4.
[9] Title Page, The Book of Mormon.
[10] 2 Nephi 33:10.
[11] Ether 12:6.
[12] 3 Nephi 11:32.
[13] D&C 17:6.
[14] Millet, Robert L. & McConkie, Joseph Fielding, Joseph Smith: The Choice Seer, Deseret Book Company, 1996
[15] D&C 20:14