Reading Through the Book of Mormon -- Post #1

"The Book of Mormon [is] the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man [will] get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book.” - Joseph Smith

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I'm a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 

It's a wonderful religion and the best part of who I am.

We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost. 

We also believe that the Bible is the word of God as far as it is translated correctly. We also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God. 

Aha. 

There's an interesting phrase-- the Book of Mormon. 

Chances are pretty good that you've heard this title before. 

It's been a nickname for just about two hundred years. 

It's the title of the book those well-dressed young men and women keep trying to give you. 

It's the name of a Broadway Play. 

So... what is the Book of Mormon? 

Simply put, the Book of Mormon is a historical record of a family who were warned by God to flee Jerusalem around 600 BC. 

This book is the record of this family and then of their descendants. The Book of Mormon focuses on faith, on Jesus Christ, and on the real-life consequences of rebelling against God. 

So why does my religion hold this book up as a cornerstone of our faith?

Why do educated men and women read and believe in this book?

It all comes down to this promise: 

"And when ye shall receive these things [the teachings in the Book of Mormon], 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." (Moroni 10:4 - brackets and bold added)

The reason why the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is growing-- the reason why I am a part of this church-- is because of this promise. 

Because I asked God and He answered. 

It was clear and it was powerful. 

The feeling that came from God was undeniable and unmistakable. 

And God will 'manifest the truth of it unto you', as well as He did for me. 

It will be done in His own way and in His own time, but God always keeps his promises. 

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Someone out there is aching to come closer to God but isn't sure how. 

If that's you-- if you're burdened with heartache, loneliness, grief, or pain of any kind, then I invite you to join me on a journey to come closer to God. 

I invite you to try God at His word-- to read this holy text and then to see if God really does keep His promise to manifest the truth of this book by the power of the Holy Ghost. 

This journey will take some commitment on your part. God responds to sincerity and to faith. 

I'm going to begin rereading through the Book of Mormon, a little at a time, over the next year. I invite you to read it with me. 

After reading through a chapter or two, I'll write new blog posts to help you understand the storyline, the people, and the language. 

We'll start simply. First, you need a copy of the book. 

You can get one for free, hand-delivered by two missionaries. If that's what you want, follow this link and enter your information. 

You can also download an app to use on your phone or tablet.  

You can order it from Amazon. 

You can read it online.

Once you get your copy, go to the beginning and read the first chapter. 

You'll need to flip through about fifteen pages to get to Chapter 1, past the introductions and illustrations. 

It looks like this:

The first chapter is about two pages long-- you can easily read that today.

This is going to be an unforgettable journey. Please, take this step forward with me. We'll come closer to God, together. 

-Jenna