Every Day

To my daughter, 

                When you were born, the prophet of the Church was President Thomas S. Monson, and I hope that you remember him. In the last general conference that he spoke at, he taught about the Book of Mormon. He said, “This morning I speak about the power of the Book of Mormon and the critical need we have as members of this Church to study, ponder, and apply its teachings in our lives. The importance of having a firm and sure testimony of the Book of Mormon cannot be overstated. We live in a time of great trouble and wickedness. What will protect us from the sin and evil so prevalent in the world today? I maintain that a strong testimony of our Savior, Jesus Christ, and of His gospel will help see us through to safety. If you are not reading the Book of Mormon each day, please do so. If you will read it prayerfully and with a sincere desire to know the truth, the Holy Ghost will manifest its truth to you. If it is true—and I solemnly testify that it is—then Joseph Smith was a prophet who saw God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ.” I want to invite you today to follow his invitation and place top priority in your life on reading from the Book of Mormon every day no matter what else you have going on. I know that you will be blessed in everything you do if you if take the time to read sincerely and prayerfully. The Book of Mormon itself gives us this promise: “Yea, we see that whosoever will may lay hold upon the word of God, which is quick and powerful, which shall divide asunder all the cunning and the snares and the wiles of the devil, and lead the man of Christ in a strait and narrow course across that everlasting gulf of misery which is prepared to engulf the wicked—And land their souls, yea, their immortal souls, at the right hand of God in the kingdom of heaven, to sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and with Jacob, and with all our holy fathers, to go no more out” (Helaman 3:29-30). It is the word of God that will lead us through the difficulties of this life, and we must lay hold on it with all our might!

                    In the fall when I was a senior at BYU, my stake president gave us an invitation to read the Book of Mormon by the end of the year and gave us a promise that if we did so, we would see promises from our patriarchal blessing come to pass. It was a very challenging semester for me, but I tried to follow his invitation and I remember finishing the Book of Mormon right at the end of the year. I was at the time on a trip with your mother, but we were not yet engaged. We were engaged shortly thereafter and married less than five months later. I remember reflecting back and realizing that my stake president’s promise had indeed come to pass—I had read the Book of Mormon and the most important promise of my patriarchal blessing was being fulfilled as we prepared to be sealed in the temple. I know that there is indeed power in the Book of Mormon to guide our lives. One of the scriptures that was critical for me at this time was this verse that brought me strength and guidance: “For he hath answered the ends of the law, and he claimeth all those who have faith in him; and they who have faith in him will cleave unto every good thing; wherefore he advocateth the cause of the children of men; and he dwelleth eternally in the heavens” (Moroni 7:28). I hope that you and I can always seek to cleave unto every good thing, and the Book of Mormon itself is among the most important of good things for us to cleave unto. Always remember this promise from President Nelson: “My dear brothers and sisters, I promise that as you prayerfully study the Book of Mormon every day, you will make better decisions—every day. I promise that as you ponder what you study, the windows of heaven will open, and you will receive answers to your own questions and direction for your own life. I promise that as you daily immerse yourself in the Book of Mormon, you can be immunized against the evils of the day.”  

Love,

Dad