It's true and I'm thankful

Today I finished the Book of Mormon. Again.

I don't know how many times I've read it. It has been many times....

but this time was a little different. Our new Bishop challenged us to read

the Book of Mormon at Christmas time and to be finished by Easter.

I decided to stop where I was already reading

in the Book of Mormon, and start over.

I always underline, make notes on the side of verses,

and by saying that, you have to know that my scriptures

are the kind the General Authorities talk about when they say,

"I can't read these!" Meaning, there is too much extra info in the way.

But I forget things, and want to remember them. It's the only way for me.

And so, I'll keeping making notes. But, this time I didn't do that.

I just read. I savored the moment of each chapter.

I only briefly wrote short phrases on a small bookmark.

This is what I wrote:

The Book of Mormon teaches us:

- How to prosper

- How to be happy

- How to be faithful and trust God even when it's hard

-How to keep hoping over our loved ones who are lost ("Are we not ALL beggars?")

-A Political science lesson on what works to preserve freedom and agency and what doesn't work.

- That Satan is real

- That Satan does not support his followers!

- That Prophets are real

- There is safety in following the Prophet and when we stop listening to him, we're headed for trouble

- The cycle of our own personal apostasy can be avoided if we INTENTIONALLY keep our covenants and promises

- The Lord's promises are sure.

- Personal righteousness is imperative

- We need to do our part. We can't just sit around and wait.

- Miracles have not ceased, for with God nothing is impossible. (I've prayed many times, "God, help my unbelief!")

- Jesus Christ is real. He is God's son. And He loves me.

The stories in the Book of Mormon save my life every single day.

They save me from myself and my own doubts and fears,

they save me from buying into the worlds ideas and God-less ways.

They strengthen me every day I open up it's pages and read, and feel it's power. Nothing that makes me feel that joyful can be untrue.

Thank you to all the prophets who wrote with painstaking effort to restore this history, these stories, this guide for being happy. This Book that saves my life.

I again took Moroni's challenge, to know if the Book of Mormon is true.

But, Before I could even ask, that familiar warm feeling started in my heart

and went through-out my whole body and soul.

It is true.

And I am thankful.