President Gordon B. Hinckley on the Book of Mormon

"I take in my hand the Book of Mormon. I read its words. I have read Joseph Smith's explanation of how it came to be. To the unbelieving it is a story difficult to accept, and critics for generations have worn out their lives writing books intended to refute that story and to offer other explanations than the one given by Joseph the Prophet. But to the open-minded, this critical writing has only stimulated them to dig deeper; and the more deeply they dig, the greater the accumulation of evidence for the validity of Joseph Smith's story. Still, as has been demonstrated for a hundred and fifty years, the truth of the Book of Mormon will not be determined by literary analysis or by scientific research, although these continue to be reassuring. The truth about the origins of the Book of Mormon will be determined today and tomorrow, as it has been throughout the yesterdays, by reading the book in a spirit of reverence and respect and prayer."
(Praise to the Man, Ensign, Aug 1983, 4)

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Day 87: Helaman 2-3

We enter the stage of a more devious destructive power under the men of Gadianton. Up to this point in the Book of Mormon, we've read much concerning wars, kingmen, traditions, and priestcraft. Now we read more explicit some of the dealings and works of secret combinations under Satan's influence.

"And our nation will continue to degenerate unless we read and heed the words of the God of this land, Jesus Christ, and quit building up and upholding the secret combinations which the Book of Mormon tells us proved the downfall of both previous American civilizations." (President Ezra Taft Benson, A Witness and a Warning, p6)

But we look on the bright side as well: Helaman 3:27-29 "Thus we see the Lord is merciful unto all who will...call upon His holy name...the gate of heaven is open unto all...and the word of God [will] lead the man of Christ in that strait and narrow course..."

“For ‘the man of Christ,’ the words of scriptures are like parachute flares above the trenches of life, illuminating the landscape only briefly, but long enough for him to see the enemy clearly and to make his way along the path he must take-and to help others so to do.” (Elder Neal A. Maxwell, Deposition of a Disciple, p. 95)
Posted by Caleb at 11:56 PM

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)