TRYING THE VIRTUE OF THE WORD OF GOD

As I contemplate the Savior, I couldn’t help but ponder on my testimony of Jesus Christ and where it took root – how have I been won over to his Gospel? I feel that I need to write and testify of the Book of Mormon because that was the instrument that brought my soul unto Christ. 

I love the Book of Mormon. The power and influence that this great book, and the remarkable men and women tucked inside its pages, has had upon my life and testimony of the Savior, is immeasurable – there truly are no adequate words, but I’m going to do my best to share! 

Elder Mark D. Eddy Of the Seventy said, “There is virtue in the words of ancient and modern prophets precisely because their words are the Lord’s words. Our love for Him, our desire to draw closer to Him and to abide in His love, will motivate us to try the virtue of the word in our lives—both the virtue that flows from Him as our Savior and Redeemer and the virtue that flows from Him through the words of “the chosen vessels of the Lord.”

Studying and most importantly applying the teachings of the inspired ancient prophets found in the Book of Mormon will align our hearts and our will with The Father, it creates an intense desire in ourselves to strive for those attributes the scriptural prophets possess that so closely mirror the attributes of the Savior. 

One of the most said prayers for the duration of my time as a mother has been a question, “How do I get my children’s hearts?” I knew that if I were truly able to turn my children’s hearts towards the Savior, then—like we read all throughout scripture— there would be less room for rebellion, no room for idleness, and things of the world would be far from their minds, therefore leaving the room necessary to help build up the Kingdom of God and strive for the Saviors attributes – together as a family. 

Little did I expect that the answer to this repeated prayer would lie with the Book of Mormon—a book I’ve had at my fingertips my entire life. 

About 5 years ago our little family decided to really take the Book of Mormon seriously. If this is the “most correct of any book” then we were going to make sure we weren’t just bolting the words of Christ to the beginning and to the end of our day to day lives, or sprinkling it throughout, we were going to flood, immerse, and strengthen everything we could with this Book. 

In one of my favorite scriptures,

Alma teaches: “And now, as the preaching of the word had a great tendency to lead the people to do that which was just—yea, it had had more powerful effect upon the minds of the people than the sword, or anything else, which had happened unto them—therefore Alma thought it was expedient that they should try the virtue of the word of God.”

More powerful effect than anything else. 

We took up the challenge to try the virtue of the word. We canceled our living scriptures subscription, we turned off any outside resources, and put away commentaries. We blasted it on audio, implemented daily devotionals, increased our children’s participation in nightly family Scripture reading, and even changed our entire homeschool curriculum – focusing strictly on the words of the Savior through his ancient prophets in the Book of Mormon.

The inward change that began to take place with the words of Jesus Christ permeating through our home is an eternal and everlasting conversion, like a fire was burning inside each one of us. Our walk and our talk was changed, our days were, and have been more productive, clear, and meaningful. The attributes of the Savior we’re taking root and being nurtured. Over these few years, I’ve gotten to see my children’s hearts change- mine has changed! The Book of Mormon filled in the gaps and it immediately centered our home around the witness “that Jesus Christ IS the Son of the living God and that all who will come unto Him and obey the laws and ordinances of His gospel may be saved.”

We are very blessed to live in a world where we are surrounded with programs, and commentaries, movies, and music, books, podcasts, and more — all to support, guide, and sometimes offer artistic context to the scriptures. I’m not writing to tell you to cancel your Living scriptures subscription, or throw out anything – dooooon’t worry. 

But sometimes we often turn too quickly to a program, or something entertaining to help boost the power of the scriptures forgetting that all the power needed to turn or convert our hearts to the Savior lies solely in this Book of Books! Ultimately, the virtue of the word of God is the Lord Jesus Christ. 

We must drink deeply and often directly from the source. 

President Nelson said- “Few things build faith more than does regular immersion in the Book of Mormon. No other book testifies of Jesus Christ with such power and clarity. Its prophets, as inspired by the Lord, saw our day and selected the doctrine and truths that would help us most. The Book of Mormon is our latter-day survival guide.”  He states: “It will be your most effective instrument in bringing souls unto Jesus the Christ.”

President Ezra Taft Benson shared two basic means on how the Book of Mormon brings men to Christ. “First, it tells in a plain manner of Christ and his gospel. It testifies of his divinity and of the necessity for a Redeemer and the need of our putting trust in him. Second, the Book of Mormon exposes the enemies of Christ. It confounds false doctrines and lays down contention. (See 2 Ne. 3:12.) It fortifies the humble followers of Christ against the evil designs, strategies, and doctrines of the devil in our day. The type of apostates in the Book of Mormon are similar to the type we have today. God, with his infinite foreknowledge, so molded the Book of Mormon that we might see the error and know how to combat false educational, political, religious, and philosophical concepts of our time.”

I want to testify that the power of the Book of Mormon is real. Joseph Smith is and was a prophet of God and translated the Book of Mormon through the power of God. There are answers to every single one of life’s problems or situations that can be found in it. 

I know that by abiding by its precepts a man WILL get nearer to God and I know that if you are looking for a better understanding of Jesus Christ, you will find it on every one of those pages., through everyone of those ancient prophets. And just as Alma testified, the word of God – The Book of Mormon -has more powerful effect than ANYTHING ELSE.