Sunday, June 21, 2015

The Book of Mormon

Today we set a family goal to read The Book of Mormon until/by Christmas. Depending on your family's ages, current progress, etc., determine your own personal or family goal. Some ideas are to
- Read The Book of Mormon every day until Christmas
- Read the whole Book of Mormon by Christmas (about 3 pages per day)
- Finish The Book of Mormon by Christmas
What are your personal or family goals?


Also, how does your family get their reading in? The Wilsons like to read to their kids while they're laying in bed at night. A couple years ago, the Weavers read the whole illustrated Book of Mormon series in a few months before Lexi got baptized. What works for you?

1 comment:

Elder Ballstaedt said...

The Book of Mormon has been part of my life since my childhood days. My parents loved the scriptures I often saw them reading the Book of Mormon.

I remember my father telling me of his experience reading the Book of Mormon as a young boy in Decatur, Illinois. I included his story in his book, as follows:

“Someone asked me not long ago what book was my favorite book? Well, I think I’ve read the Book of Mormon more times than any other book. In about 1916 or 1917, when I was 12 years old, I began a serious reading of the Book of Mormon. We had a large stove in the kitchen. It was behind the stove in the Perjonie house that I learned to enjoy reading the Book of Mormon.”

“I always knew I had a certain number of chores to do each day. I knew if I didn’t do them, Father would be on my heels. He could run about as fast as I could. I would take the Book of Mormon and hide behind the kitchen range on the north side by the window. I sat there so I wouldn’t be bothered. The window gave me enough light to read as long as I wanted to read. No one knew I was back there. I never responded when Mother called for me. I’d just keep reading. When I grew tired of reading, I’d go out and do my chores. I read the entire Book of Mormon lying on the floor on my belly behind that old stove. To this day, I miss that hiding place.”

I developed the habit of daily scripture study when I was in my 30s––after I was married and had children. I read the account of President Marion G. Romney, who was a member of the First Presidency of the Church, who had been an attorney by profession and made it a practice while he was practicing law to go to his law office half an hour early each morning and read the Book of Mormon for 30 minutes. For many years I follow his pattern and read the Book of Mormon for 30 minutes each morning.

Now, Mom and I read the scriptures together, for many years, mostly at the breakfast table. We spend most of our time reading the Book of Mormon, but we have also read the Doctrine and Covenants, the Pearl of Great Price, and parts of the New Testament together. We love reading together, we continued this practice in Russia, and read together now that we are home again. Today we read Mosiah 16.

Some days we only read one chapter, and when possible, we try to read for 30 minutes––usually about nine or ten pages. The important thing is that we try to read something everyday. Some days, we let other events crowd our day and we miss reading at our regular time. On these days, we try to read at least a chapter in the Book of Mormon at bedtime, in bed, before we read whatever other book we are reading.

Try it. You’ll like it!