Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Yesterday I read 1 Neph 1. As I was reading the main thing that stood out to me is the pillar of fire on a rock that came to Lehi. Visions are something that I would like to study. There seems to be visions that have to do with an actual being coming to the onlooker, and others that are like looking through a window and watching future events, there are also others that come in dreams. The ones in dreams.

Today,
I am reading in the manual and I came across a really neat quote that demonstrates the converting power of the Book of Mormmon. This is from the manual:

President James E Faust related an experience
shared by Elder F. Burton Howard of the Seventy
that demonstrates the converting power of the Book
of Mormon:
“Sister Celia Cruz Ayala of the Puerto Rico San Juan
Mission decided to give the Book of Mormon to a
friend. She wrapped it in attractive paper and set out
to deliver her present.
“On the way she was attacked by a bandit who stole
her purse and with it the wrapped copy of the Book
of Mormon. A few days later she received this letter:
“‘Mrs. Cruz:
“‘Forgive me, forgive me. You will never know how
sorry I am for attacking you. But because of it, my life
has changed and will continue to change. That book
[the Book of Mormon] has helped me in my life. The
dream of that man of God has shaken me. . . . I am
returning your five pesos for I can’t spend them. I want
you to know that you seemed to have a radiance about
you. That light seemed to stop me [from harming you,
so] I ran away instead.
“‘I want you to know that you will see me again, but
when you do, you won’t recognize me, for I will be
your brother. . . . Here, where I live, I have to find the
Lord and go to the church you belong to.
“‘The message you wrote in that book brought tears
to my eyes. Since Wednesday night I have not been
able to stop reading it. I have prayed and asked God to
forgive me, [and] I ask you to forgive me. . . . I thought
your wrapped gift was something I could sell. [Instead,]
it has made me want to make my life over. Forgive me,
forgive me, I beg you.
“‘Your absent friend.’
“Such is the conversion power of the Book of Mormon”
(in Conference Report, Apr. 1996, 58; or Ensign, May
1996, 42).

I also read 3 Nephi 26:12-13 and Mormon 8:34-35 and the book makes the point that when Mormon made editorial decisions, these two factors were his governing concerns: to write what he had been commanded (or sometimes he was commanded not to write things) and Mormon saw our day and our doings. The book of Mormon then contains scriptural instructions specific for our day. If ever we are confused or down on the happenings in our lives in the current world in which we find ourselves we can appeal to this book and find strength and answers.