1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:10,460 Welcome to Closer to Christ through Conference, where two friends share our own approach of 2 00:00:10,460 --> 00:00:11,460 studying general conference. 3 00:00:11,460 --> 00:00:12,460 Hey, Abby, how are you? 4 00:00:12,460 --> 00:00:13,460 Good. 5 00:00:13,460 --> 00:00:14,460 Hey, Amy, how are you doing? 6 00:00:14,460 --> 00:00:15,460 I'm so good. 7 00:00:15,460 --> 00:00:20,400 So today we're going to talk about, it is the second to last talk, and it is wisdom 8 00:00:20,400 --> 00:00:22,840 in the Lord that we should have the Book of Mormon. 9 00:00:22,840 --> 00:00:27,440 Now, this is by President Mark L. Pace, and he's the Sunday School general president. 10 00:00:27,440 --> 00:00:32,880 So I did think it was interesting that as Sunday School general president, Elder Pace 11 00:00:32,880 --> 00:00:36,420 plays a large role in our scripture reading for each year as we study Come, Follow Me 12 00:00:36,420 --> 00:00:39,040 in Sunday School. 13 00:00:39,040 --> 00:00:43,520 And pretty much a quick synopsis is he talks of the patterns that we see in the Book of 14 00:00:43,520 --> 00:00:48,360 Mormon, and he says in every dispensation we have seen a familiar pattern, which we 15 00:00:48,360 --> 00:00:50,720 can kind of attest to in reading. 16 00:00:50,720 --> 00:00:54,280 God restores or reveals the gospel of Jesus Christ through his prophets. 17 00:00:54,280 --> 00:00:57,080 The people follow the prophets and are greatly blessed. 18 00:00:57,080 --> 00:01:00,800 However, over time, some people stop heeding the words of the prophet and distance themselves 19 00:01:00,800 --> 00:01:02,720 from the Lord and his gospel. 20 00:01:02,720 --> 00:01:07,400 So essentially what we're going to be talking about is kind of like a blueprint for how 21 00:01:07,400 --> 00:01:09,600 we can study the scriptures. 22 00:01:09,600 --> 00:01:13,280 That's exactly the word I thought of when I thought it's a blueprint for how we can 23 00:01:13,280 --> 00:01:24,320 self-reflect and really rely on our own personal testimony or develop our own personal testimony 24 00:01:24,320 --> 00:01:26,160 of the things that the scriptures can do for us. 25 00:01:26,160 --> 00:01:27,280 I love it. 26 00:01:27,280 --> 00:01:31,640 So there was a quote that I wanted to share with you for you to consider. 27 00:01:31,640 --> 00:01:33,120 This is what he said. 28 00:01:33,120 --> 00:01:37,080 He said, your daily connection with God and his word have profound consequences. 29 00:01:37,080 --> 00:01:41,180 You're laying the foundation of a great work and out of small things proceedeth that which 30 00:01:41,180 --> 00:01:44,400 is great. 31 00:01:44,400 --> 00:01:47,320 What do you think he's saying there? 32 00:01:47,320 --> 00:01:51,160 Sometimes we don't, it's kind of like looking to the serpent. 33 00:01:51,160 --> 00:01:54,060 Sometimes it's so simple that we're like, that can't change my day. 34 00:01:54,060 --> 00:01:57,920 There's no way I'm going to really have a better attitude or be more gentle and kind 35 00:01:57,920 --> 00:02:01,360 in my approach with my kids or just whoever I'm dealing with that day. 36 00:02:01,360 --> 00:02:07,200 And the spirit, I mean, the truth is that it really is little incremental bits of the 37 00:02:07,200 --> 00:02:11,560 spirit that become part of you, it helps to change your day. 38 00:02:11,560 --> 00:02:13,760 We'll get into something he said. 39 00:02:13,760 --> 00:02:17,880 It was so profound because he's like, you might not be finding these great spiritual 40 00:02:17,880 --> 00:02:19,960 truths every time that you're in them. 41 00:02:19,960 --> 00:02:23,320 You might not be spending lots of time when you're in them. 42 00:02:23,320 --> 00:02:27,760 Just making that acknowledgement to the Lord that you're there for him if he has something 43 00:02:27,760 --> 00:02:28,760 to share with you. 44 00:02:28,760 --> 00:02:29,760 You're in the scriptures. 45 00:02:29,760 --> 00:02:30,760 The Spirit can touch you. 46 00:02:30,760 --> 00:02:31,760 I love it. 47 00:02:31,760 --> 00:02:36,160 So, and I thought that for me was the biggest thing, you're laying this foundation in 48 00:02:36,160 --> 00:02:38,560 a small and simple things. 49 00:02:38,560 --> 00:02:39,800 So I made those notes. 50 00:02:39,800 --> 00:02:40,960 I just said it invites the spirit. 51 00:02:40,960 --> 00:02:45,080 It's going to bring me closer to Jesus Christ and he's not asking for a huge thing. 52 00:02:45,080 --> 00:02:50,720 He's not asking me to do so much that it's not achievable in any given day. 53 00:02:50,720 --> 00:02:55,480 You have to be in his word and invite the spirit into that process to let me hear what 54 00:02:55,480 --> 00:02:57,200 I need to, what question am I seeking. 55 00:02:57,200 --> 00:03:02,480 If I come with a question, that's another opportunity to let those scriptures really 56 00:03:02,480 --> 00:03:03,800 magnify what they're doing. 57 00:03:03,800 --> 00:03:08,200 I like that you said that in the opening, how you talked about the pattern of dispensations. 58 00:03:08,200 --> 00:03:13,920 It's not a new thing that God's going to lay out the plan and dispel truths to his 59 00:03:13,920 --> 00:03:14,920 children. 60 00:03:14,920 --> 00:03:19,680 But what happens is he does that is that people hear them, they accept them, and the gospel 61 00:03:19,680 --> 00:03:22,080 of Jesus Christ is on the earth in that time. 62 00:03:22,080 --> 00:03:25,440 And that's shared through prophets and that's shared through whatever book of scripture 63 00:03:25,440 --> 00:03:27,600 they're able to keep track of, but not typically. 64 00:03:27,600 --> 00:03:30,240 It's not that those words are in those people's hands. 65 00:03:30,240 --> 00:03:31,240 Right? 66 00:03:31,240 --> 00:03:32,240 Right. 67 00:03:32,240 --> 00:03:33,240 I think we know that. 68 00:03:33,240 --> 00:03:35,800 There would have been lots more fragments of scripture. 69 00:03:35,800 --> 00:03:41,220 It's carved in walls and it's on metal plates, it's on the scrolls, but it's not like there's 70 00:03:41,220 --> 00:03:44,440 millions of copies for every person that ever lived. 71 00:03:44,440 --> 00:03:49,600 So it's not surprising that in these dispensations, Adam, Enoch Noah, Abraham, Moses, and others, 72 00:03:49,600 --> 00:03:54,440 that it's easier to distance ourselves from the words that the prophets are saying, and 73 00:03:54,440 --> 00:03:57,900 it leads to apostasy every time. 74 00:03:57,900 --> 00:04:03,480 So we see that pattern, but we've talked in other podcasts, other episodes of this, 75 00:04:03,480 --> 00:04:07,160 about living in the dispensation of the fullness of times. 76 00:04:07,160 --> 00:04:08,440 What's unique about this one? 77 00:04:08,440 --> 00:04:12,920 Why is this one the dispensation of the fullness of times? 78 00:04:12,920 --> 00:04:16,720 And it's because it's the only dispensation that won't end in apostasy. 79 00:04:16,720 --> 00:04:19,760 And it's going to be the one that ushers in the second coming of the Savior Jesus Christ 80 00:04:19,760 --> 00:04:20,760 in His millennial reign. 81 00:04:20,760 --> 00:04:21,760 Yeah. 82 00:04:21,760 --> 00:04:22,760 And that's the only one that has the Book of Mormon. 83 00:04:22,760 --> 00:04:23,760 I love that. 84 00:04:23,760 --> 00:04:24,760 Absolutely. 85 00:04:24,760 --> 00:04:26,800 That's the question he asked, what's different about this dispensation? 86 00:04:26,800 --> 00:04:29,480 I love that. 87 00:04:29,480 --> 00:04:31,200 And that's a big part of it. 88 00:04:31,200 --> 00:04:37,480 I also thought of this feeling that came over me when COVID had happened and we'd been isolated 89 00:04:37,480 --> 00:04:38,480 from each other. 90 00:04:38,480 --> 00:04:41,200 We knew conference couldn't look different. 91 00:04:41,200 --> 00:04:44,760 The prophet had promised the conference would look different than any other, than the pandemic 92 00:04:44,760 --> 00:04:48,600 has and it certainly did look different, but the news that came out at that time, I was 93 00:04:48,600 --> 00:04:50,120 looking at the church news article. 94 00:04:50,120 --> 00:04:53,840 I referenced it back because this came to my mind when I read this part of the talk. 95 00:04:53,840 --> 00:04:57,720 So 29th of January, 2021, the church news announced that conference would be broadcast 96 00:04:57,720 --> 00:05:03,780 in 70 countries, some for the first time and more than any other time before. 97 00:05:03,780 --> 00:05:05,000 This was from the article. 98 00:05:05,000 --> 00:05:09,520 Although COVID-19 continues to prevent large in-person gatherings, more people than ever 99 00:05:09,520 --> 00:05:13,360 are turning into general conference thanks to technology. 100 00:05:13,360 --> 00:05:18,840 The potential audience for the April 2021 conference, which was April 3rd to 4th, 2021, 101 00:05:18,840 --> 00:05:21,520 will be larger than any other previous church gathering. 102 00:05:21,520 --> 00:05:26,600 In addition to the reach of the church's online broadcast, at least one session of this weekend's 103 00:05:26,600 --> 00:05:30,960 proceeding will be broadcast on television and radio stations in more than 70 countries. 104 00:05:30,960 --> 00:05:34,360 So technology changes and the ability to share God's word faster across the world seems 105 00:05:34,360 --> 00:05:38,840 to be a big piece of what this last dispensation has to offer. 106 00:05:38,840 --> 00:05:43,160 The one that will usher in our savior, Jesus Christ, and not end in apostasy. 107 00:05:43,160 --> 00:05:45,960 Which I think is amazing because we would think otherwise. 108 00:05:45,960 --> 00:05:50,320 We'd think because we have such a fast ability to share things that everybody's leaving 109 00:05:50,320 --> 00:05:52,560 the church in droves. 110 00:05:52,560 --> 00:05:53,880 It goes both ways, right? 111 00:05:53,880 --> 00:05:54,880 That's what I thought. 112 00:05:54,880 --> 00:05:58,920 I thought the technology is such a, it's a double-edged sword, but it's much more of 113 00:05:58,920 --> 00:06:00,400 a blessing than it is a curse. 114 00:06:00,400 --> 00:06:01,400 Oh yeah. 115 00:06:01,400 --> 00:06:02,400 I totally see it as a blessing. 116 00:06:02,400 --> 00:06:07,200 You know, Abby, when you had the question of what are some of the patterns that we've 117 00:06:07,200 --> 00:06:11,680 seen in the dispensations, throughout the dispensations, it's so interesting because 118 00:06:11,680 --> 00:06:18,760 literally, pretty much since, since we've had scripture, people have been waiting for 119 00:06:18,760 --> 00:06:20,480 God to come and save them. 120 00:06:20,480 --> 00:06:24,480 Whether it was God or then whether it was Jesus Christ, literally like when he left 121 00:06:24,480 --> 00:06:28,440 the earth, they were waiting for him to come, like they kept waiting for him to come back. 122 00:06:28,440 --> 00:06:31,720 And it's like every dispensation since then has been waiting. 123 00:06:31,720 --> 00:06:34,760 And I was talking to my husband the other day and I was, I said, you know what, I think 124 00:06:34,760 --> 00:06:41,120 I finally understand the way that the, that the initial or the first 12 apostles felt 125 00:06:41,120 --> 00:06:43,000 when they were asleep in the boat. 126 00:06:43,000 --> 00:06:45,840 And they were, they truly were like, death is imminent. 127 00:06:45,840 --> 00:06:50,440 We're going to die and there's Jesus just sleeping on his cushion, you know? 128 00:06:50,440 --> 00:06:54,880 And I mean, that's kind of how Garrett or my husband and I have talked about this, that 129 00:06:54,880 --> 00:06:59,240 like we say to ourselves, how much worse can this get? 130 00:06:59,240 --> 00:07:01,000 Like when is Jesus going to come again? 131 00:07:01,000 --> 00:07:02,280 Do you know what I mean? 132 00:07:02,280 --> 00:07:06,760 And so I was just telling him that I feel that urgency in that they must've had in 133 00:07:06,760 --> 00:07:12,120 their hearts and I have a newfound appreciation for what they went through because that must 134 00:07:12,120 --> 00:07:18,040 have been very much like we're at the brink of death and we need you to come right now. 135 00:07:18,040 --> 00:07:20,480 And he was able to come and save them then. 136 00:07:20,480 --> 00:07:26,120 But anyways, it just, it just had got me feeling and thinking that every dispensation has been 137 00:07:26,120 --> 00:07:29,320 asking for God to come back and to save them. 138 00:07:29,320 --> 00:07:32,640 The chunk of people that were anticipating and hoping the prophecies were true, that 139 00:07:32,640 --> 00:07:36,120 he would come like right now and come follow me, we're studying about the prophecy, the 140 00:07:36,120 --> 00:07:39,560 Samuel, the lame night is going to share and it's like do or die point. 141 00:07:39,560 --> 00:07:40,560 Right. 142 00:07:40,560 --> 00:07:41,560 So that was the first time. 143 00:07:41,560 --> 00:07:44,760 Yeah, the anticipating it and then the people that lived during Christ's time that were 144 00:07:44,760 --> 00:07:48,960 able to be in this geographically locked down area. 145 00:07:48,960 --> 00:07:50,640 It's not just like world travels happening. 146 00:07:50,640 --> 00:07:53,760 You're on feet or carriage or caravan or whatever. 147 00:07:53,760 --> 00:07:58,720 The people that are able to personally see what he's doing and then have to trust, is 148 00:07:58,720 --> 00:07:59,800 that, is that a God? 149 00:07:59,800 --> 00:08:00,800 Is this a counterfeit? 150 00:08:00,800 --> 00:08:05,080 Is this an antichrist or, you know, is this the real deal? 151 00:08:05,080 --> 00:08:09,080 And a handful of people got that message and then the rest of us who have thought, who 152 00:08:09,080 --> 00:08:12,480 have the benefit of scripture to say, is this man that came? 153 00:08:12,480 --> 00:08:15,880 Is he the savior that had been promised to come? 154 00:08:15,880 --> 00:08:18,680 Or are we still waiting for that first appearance? 155 00:08:18,680 --> 00:08:19,680 But he did come. 156 00:08:19,680 --> 00:08:22,680 I'm letting you know that he did. 157 00:08:22,680 --> 00:08:28,160 So in the talk Elder Pace definitely suggests that the scriptures are a big key, particularly 158 00:08:28,160 --> 00:08:34,160 the Book of Mormon as, which is another testament of Jesus Christ as the reason why this dispensation 159 00:08:34,160 --> 00:08:36,320 will not end in apostasy. 160 00:08:36,320 --> 00:08:40,840 And I had never really thought about how key that is. 161 00:08:40,840 --> 00:08:42,040 It's a key piece to my testimony. 162 00:08:42,040 --> 00:08:46,260 It is the reason that I'm a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 163 00:08:46,260 --> 00:08:51,760 but too, for him to specify it as the reason why apostasy will never happen again. 164 00:08:51,760 --> 00:08:52,760 It was profound. 165 00:08:52,760 --> 00:08:55,040 It is profound and it is in the title page work. 166 00:08:55,040 --> 00:08:59,080 It's in stuff that I've studied with that and I was just like, yes, that reconciles, 167 00:08:59,080 --> 00:09:00,680 that totally feels right. 168 00:09:00,680 --> 00:09:01,680 It's the reason. 169 00:09:01,680 --> 00:09:02,680 Agreed. 170 00:09:02,680 --> 00:09:06,560 And I think it's because it's been printed in so many languages in so many ways. 171 00:09:06,560 --> 00:09:07,560 It's across the world. 172 00:09:07,560 --> 00:09:10,320 It's like it would be impossible. 173 00:09:10,320 --> 00:09:14,480 It's like when you, it'd be impossible to take all of that work and burn it and then 174 00:09:14,480 --> 00:09:17,440 and the evidence of Jesus Christ. 175 00:09:17,440 --> 00:09:18,880 He's in all the corners of the world. 176 00:09:18,880 --> 00:09:19,880 Love that. 177 00:09:19,880 --> 00:09:20,880 Like a bag of feathers. 178 00:09:20,880 --> 00:09:21,880 I know. 179 00:09:21,880 --> 00:09:22,880 Did you see my mind? 180 00:09:22,880 --> 00:09:27,440 I'm like, okay, stop point when you say a bad thing and it's a bag of feathers and you 181 00:09:27,440 --> 00:09:29,680 and then you want to pick them back up and the feathers are drifting. 182 00:09:29,680 --> 00:09:30,680 You can't pick them back up. 183 00:09:30,680 --> 00:09:34,760 I was like, okay, that's my ADD brain, but yes, you must have seen that in my eyes that 184 00:09:34,760 --> 00:09:37,760 I thought of that story. 185 00:09:37,760 --> 00:09:39,480 Exactly. 186 00:09:39,480 --> 00:09:40,480 But this one's about Jesus. 187 00:09:40,480 --> 00:09:41,480 Those feathers are not. 188 00:09:41,480 --> 00:09:45,840 It's Jesus moments that you can't take away from all the world. 189 00:09:45,840 --> 00:09:48,160 God promised there will never be another general apostasy. 190 00:09:48,160 --> 00:09:51,280 We need to be mindful and careful though to avoid personal apostasy. 191 00:09:51,280 --> 00:09:52,280 For sure. 192 00:09:52,280 --> 00:09:53,280 I love that. 193 00:09:53,280 --> 00:09:57,060 Remembering President Russell M. Nelson taught, we are each responsible for our individual 194 00:09:57,060 --> 00:10:00,400 spiritual growth and studying the Book of Mormon as we are doing this year always brings 195 00:10:00,400 --> 00:10:03,080 us closer to the Savior and helps us stay closer to him. 196 00:10:03,080 --> 00:10:05,320 Have you ever heard of the podcast? 197 00:10:05,320 --> 00:10:06,800 It's called Come Back Podcast. 198 00:10:06,800 --> 00:10:07,800 Yes. 199 00:10:07,800 --> 00:10:08,800 It's awesome. 200 00:10:08,800 --> 00:10:10,400 My mom references it often. 201 00:10:10,400 --> 00:10:11,400 It's a good one. 202 00:10:11,400 --> 00:10:16,440 Like if you're feeling like people are just leaving, they do leave, but sometimes they 203 00:10:16,440 --> 00:10:19,760 learn most amazing, incredible lessons in the process and when they come back, they 204 00:10:19,760 --> 00:10:21,200 are stronger than ever. 205 00:10:21,200 --> 00:10:25,200 And so because I've been involved in this podcast and I put it out there, my algorithm 206 00:10:25,200 --> 00:10:29,320 is like, oh, she likes Jesus Christ, so let me feed her some anti-literature. 207 00:10:29,320 --> 00:10:31,240 It knows to do that for me. 208 00:10:31,240 --> 00:10:35,280 So it's feeding me stuff, but at the same time, it's feeding me pieces of podcasts like 209 00:10:35,280 --> 00:10:37,600 that or this other guy. 210 00:10:37,600 --> 00:10:38,600 His name is Colton. 211 00:10:38,600 --> 00:10:43,840 I don't know his last name, but he'll take a snippet of anti-Mormon stuff and then he'll 212 00:10:43,840 --> 00:10:45,480 counter it just in a very peaceful way. 213 00:10:45,480 --> 00:10:46,480 It's his own channel. 214 00:10:46,480 --> 00:10:51,680 It's like not being really angry in his stuff. 215 00:10:51,680 --> 00:10:55,160 This is what you're saying and this is where I find truth in these scriptures to combat 216 00:10:55,160 --> 00:10:56,160 it. 217 00:10:56,160 --> 00:10:57,920 He is the most recent guest on the Come Back Podcast. 218 00:10:57,920 --> 00:11:00,760 It was put out like four days ago, so I would totally go to that. 219 00:11:00,760 --> 00:11:07,880 But what I loved was a snippet that he shared from that podcast, talked about how he came 220 00:11:07,880 --> 00:11:13,000 up with his mission and he was so confident in his testimony and he just knew that nothing 221 00:11:13,000 --> 00:11:16,040 like Satan, that couldn't get him in any way because he was so confident in it. 222 00:11:16,040 --> 00:11:20,040 And so he let the little things slip, particularly reading his scriptures. 223 00:11:20,040 --> 00:11:25,600 So then a friend said, hey, my dad suggested this content or whatever you should look at 224 00:11:25,600 --> 00:11:26,600 it. 225 00:11:26,600 --> 00:11:28,800 He's a little bit of a tie and he goes down this rabbit hole and he starts questioning 226 00:11:28,800 --> 00:11:31,400 things he never even thought to question before. 227 00:11:31,400 --> 00:11:35,640 But he had slipped away from just the little things like reading the scriptures and praying 228 00:11:35,640 --> 00:11:39,200 or whatever, thinking we can get by on this because we already know the church is true 229 00:11:39,200 --> 00:11:41,760 and our testimony is strong. 230 00:11:41,760 --> 00:11:46,940 But in that moment, he recognizes that that's where Satan was easily able to capture him. 231 00:11:46,940 --> 00:11:53,840 And so I just made the, pairing that together, so again, go back, listen to that podcast. 232 00:11:53,840 --> 00:12:00,280 There are going to be so many good things that you can get from that, but it's so easy 233 00:12:00,280 --> 00:12:05,280 to do the little things to draw us closer to Jesus Christ, but it's equally easy for 234 00:12:05,280 --> 00:12:09,840 those little, not doing those little things to tear us away from him. 235 00:12:09,840 --> 00:12:13,600 And you don't even think about it until it's maybe a little bit too late, but it's never 236 00:12:13,600 --> 00:12:14,820 not too, too late. 237 00:12:14,820 --> 00:12:17,280 You can always come back, but it's just a harder path, right? 238 00:12:17,280 --> 00:12:20,240 It's nice too, because I have plants outside that I haven't watered for a while. 239 00:12:20,240 --> 00:12:22,920 And you look at them, they could sure use some nourishment. 240 00:12:22,920 --> 00:12:26,440 Yeah, but seriously, like, there's no coming, like if I were to let them die, there is no 241 00:12:26,440 --> 00:12:27,440 coming back. 242 00:12:27,440 --> 00:12:28,440 Like that plant is dead. 243 00:12:28,440 --> 00:12:29,440 I didn't nourish it. 244 00:12:29,440 --> 00:12:33,480 It's just nice that the atonement and repentance work differently than that. 245 00:12:33,480 --> 00:12:34,480 It's so good. 246 00:12:34,480 --> 00:12:35,480 We all need that. 247 00:12:35,480 --> 00:12:38,840 Because I asked this question, have you ever tested the Lord and experienced blessings 248 00:12:38,840 --> 00:12:42,920 when raging his word? 249 00:12:42,920 --> 00:12:46,720 Have you ever put that to the test on what power the Book of Mormon, studying the Book 250 00:12:46,720 --> 00:12:49,360 of Mormon can do for you in your life? 251 00:12:49,360 --> 00:12:51,320 Oh yeah. 252 00:12:51,320 --> 00:12:55,920 So one of them is, it's interesting because I have a testimony of the Book of Mormon. 253 00:12:55,920 --> 00:12:59,000 It's come incrementally, like as I read it every time. 254 00:12:59,000 --> 00:13:03,280 And I remember when I first read it, I was in eighth grade and we did it as a young man 255 00:13:03,280 --> 00:13:04,280 and young woman. 256 00:13:04,280 --> 00:13:08,400 Anyways, it came to the end, that, you know, Moroni's Promise, where you pray and you 257 00:13:08,400 --> 00:13:11,240 ask if it is not the word of God. 258 00:13:11,240 --> 00:13:14,000 And anyways, I did it that first time. 259 00:13:14,000 --> 00:13:16,280 And I was kind of expecting more of like a... 260 00:13:16,280 --> 00:13:17,280 Pillar. 261 00:13:17,280 --> 00:13:18,280 Yes, a pillar. 262 00:13:18,280 --> 00:13:19,760 More profound. 263 00:13:19,760 --> 00:13:22,080 And it was just a sweet, peaceful feeling. 264 00:13:22,080 --> 00:13:25,520 And I went on and every single time, like I remember reading it other times and I'm 265 00:13:25,520 --> 00:13:27,600 like, man, I've read this so many times and I was on my mission. 266 00:13:27,600 --> 00:13:30,480 I'm like, I read this so many times just on my mission. 267 00:13:30,480 --> 00:13:35,360 And I remember having the thought, I don't even need to ask if it's not the word of 268 00:13:35,360 --> 00:13:37,120 God, because I know it is. 269 00:13:37,120 --> 00:13:42,940 But I continued to ask because every single time I ask, that allows the spirit to testify 270 00:13:42,940 --> 00:13:46,320 once again to my heart that it is the word of God. 271 00:13:46,320 --> 00:13:48,000 And so it's just like little by little. 272 00:13:48,000 --> 00:13:49,000 It's... 273 00:13:49,000 --> 00:13:50,520 Oh yeah, my dad says this. 274 00:13:50,520 --> 00:13:54,480 He talks about a testimony that is a bowling ball and a testimony that's a balloon. 275 00:13:54,480 --> 00:13:57,840 And a balloon, when a pin comes to pop it, it pops real quick. 276 00:13:57,840 --> 00:14:01,480 But with a bowling ball, it has layers and layers and layers and layers and layers and 277 00:14:01,480 --> 00:14:03,520 layers and layers and a pin can't pop it. 278 00:14:03,520 --> 00:14:07,600 So it's that type of a thing where I feel like every time I've read it and every time 279 00:14:07,600 --> 00:14:11,320 I've asked, just in this one case, there are a million other things that... 280 00:14:11,320 --> 00:14:16,120 But in this one particular way, every time I've asked, the spirit has fortified my testimony 281 00:14:16,120 --> 00:14:18,680 in that way of the whole entire book. 282 00:14:18,680 --> 00:14:21,520 There's no bad way to gain your testimony of the Book of Mormon, but you were raised 283 00:14:21,520 --> 00:14:25,720 in a very safe environment with parents that very intentionally taught you to love the 284 00:14:25,720 --> 00:14:26,720 scriptures. 285 00:14:26,720 --> 00:14:33,000 And so not like you're raised in a certain faith paradigm and then you're switching things 286 00:14:33,000 --> 00:14:34,000 up. 287 00:14:34,000 --> 00:14:36,440 They're looking for a religion outside of what your parents have raised you and then 288 00:14:36,440 --> 00:14:38,520 you have to know everything immediately. 289 00:14:38,520 --> 00:14:44,240 We talked about that in the Pillars and Rays discussion. 290 00:14:44,240 --> 00:14:48,880 It makes total sense that yours kind of came gradually like a light bulb turning on because 291 00:14:48,880 --> 00:14:53,120 you always knew it to be true and you weren't asking, hoping that it was going to be wrong. 292 00:14:53,120 --> 00:14:56,360 You just wanted confirmation that what you've been taught was right. 293 00:14:56,360 --> 00:14:57,960 I can say mine came that same way. 294 00:14:57,960 --> 00:15:02,440 And I felt like one of the best things that I heard at the age that I was supposed to 295 00:15:02,440 --> 00:15:06,280 hear it was somebody saying that they were asking and they just wanted this. 296 00:15:06,280 --> 00:15:07,760 They wanted... 297 00:15:07,760 --> 00:15:11,280 They got on their knees and they wanted this groundbreaking experience. 298 00:15:11,280 --> 00:15:16,560 And the words that came to their mind was, I can't tell you that something's true that 299 00:15:16,560 --> 00:15:18,480 you already know is true kind of a thing. 300 00:15:18,480 --> 00:15:19,480 And I was like, that's... 301 00:15:19,480 --> 00:15:21,800 Have I not spoken peace to your mind kind of a thing? 302 00:15:21,800 --> 00:15:23,240 That is what I went away with. 303 00:15:23,240 --> 00:15:29,440 And I was barely youngish in those teen years or whatever in the way that I felt totally 304 00:15:29,440 --> 00:15:32,640 comfortable just being happy with the peace that I felt about it. 305 00:15:32,640 --> 00:15:36,560 Because I have definitely lived long enough to have people tell me things and I'm like, 306 00:15:36,560 --> 00:15:37,560 my radar's going off. 307 00:15:37,560 --> 00:15:40,720 Like, that is such a lie. 308 00:15:40,720 --> 00:15:42,360 That's a good way to twist the truth. 309 00:15:42,360 --> 00:15:46,520 And I don't have that feeling about my feelings towards the Book of Mormon. 310 00:15:46,520 --> 00:15:47,520 So... 311 00:15:47,520 --> 00:15:48,520 That makes sense. 312 00:15:48,520 --> 00:15:49,520 Yeah. 313 00:15:49,520 --> 00:15:50,520 I feel good where I'm at with that. 314 00:15:50,520 --> 00:15:52,600 But again, I don't think that that's an end all be all. 315 00:15:52,600 --> 00:15:56,560 I think I should always challenge, do I believe this to be the truth? 316 00:15:56,560 --> 00:15:58,120 Because I'm reading this snippet. 317 00:15:58,120 --> 00:16:01,840 But if I ask even for little things and the Spirit testifies in me of a truth in a verse 318 00:16:01,840 --> 00:16:06,680 that I'm reading, that for me is as good as a witness that the whole book is true. 319 00:16:06,680 --> 00:16:10,400 If I can get confirmation about one sentence, one chapter... 320 00:16:10,400 --> 00:16:15,280 And I know that God sees me that day and knows where I am and what I needed, yeah, absolutely 321 00:16:15,280 --> 00:16:16,760 confirmation for the whole book. 322 00:16:16,760 --> 00:16:17,760 I love it. 323 00:16:17,760 --> 00:16:21,200 So I did put you on the spot asking if the Lord's experienced... 324 00:16:21,200 --> 00:16:25,840 If you've tested the Lord in your experience with reading the book, but I could even throw 325 00:16:25,840 --> 00:16:30,240 myself under the bus and say, I don't intentionally test the Lord and not reading the scriptures 326 00:16:30,240 --> 00:16:31,840 to see how it distances me. 327 00:16:31,840 --> 00:16:38,240 But I definitely let my list of things that I'm trying to accomplish in a day happen. 328 00:16:38,240 --> 00:16:40,640 And then it's like, oh, it's like the last minute of the night. 329 00:16:40,640 --> 00:16:42,080 I'm like, I didn't really get in the scriptures. 330 00:16:42,080 --> 00:16:46,760 I haven't been to my gospel library app and do a quick pass in there and go through that. 331 00:16:46,760 --> 00:16:51,240 Those days look very different than the ones that I wake up first thing in the morning, 332 00:16:51,240 --> 00:16:54,680 getting ready, listening to a conference talk, listening to a set of scriptures, getting 333 00:16:54,680 --> 00:16:56,600 into what the pages for Come, Follow Me are gonna be. 334 00:16:56,600 --> 00:17:02,040 I definitely dictate the way that my week's gonna go by my intention with it. 335 00:17:02,040 --> 00:17:03,040 If I say I want it to... 336 00:17:03,040 --> 00:17:04,040 If it's an afterthought or a... 337 00:17:04,040 --> 00:17:05,040 Or if it... 338 00:17:05,040 --> 00:17:07,580 Yes, so exactly my two options. 339 00:17:07,580 --> 00:17:12,020 So I'm not saying test them one way or the other, but I'm just saying reflect on the 340 00:17:12,020 --> 00:17:16,960 experience you've had when it's been more of a priority in your day, not a certain time 341 00:17:16,960 --> 00:17:18,760 length, but just to say, I'm gonna get in your word. 342 00:17:18,760 --> 00:17:22,800 I'm gonna see what you have for me versus days that it's like the last thought before 343 00:17:22,800 --> 00:17:25,440 you hit the pillow. 344 00:17:25,440 --> 00:17:28,680 When we study the scriptures, it's the Holy Ghost, the great teacher that deepens our 345 00:17:28,680 --> 00:17:32,080 conversion to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and help us become more like Him. 346 00:17:32,080 --> 00:17:36,240 I bolded that because I thought that's the takeaway. 347 00:17:36,240 --> 00:17:39,400 So this is why I thought He was so awesome as the Sunday School, General Sunday School 348 00:17:39,400 --> 00:17:40,400 President. 349 00:17:40,400 --> 00:17:42,320 He gives us some really good questions to consider. 350 00:17:42,320 --> 00:17:45,480 As you're reading the scriptures, He asked a couple of things. 351 00:17:45,480 --> 00:17:47,480 Do you remember what questions? 352 00:17:47,480 --> 00:17:50,960 One of them was, what has the Holy Ghost taught us this week during our study of the Book 353 00:17:50,960 --> 00:17:51,960 of Mormon? 354 00:17:51,960 --> 00:17:56,360 Another is, how does this bring us closer to the Savior? 355 00:17:56,360 --> 00:17:58,800 Such good questions, good questions bring good answers, right? 356 00:17:58,800 --> 00:17:59,800 Yes. 357 00:17:59,800 --> 00:18:03,400 He used that to talk about how important our study is when we're at home. 358 00:18:03,400 --> 00:18:06,520 And when we're asking good questions at home and in our personal studies, then we're able 359 00:18:06,520 --> 00:18:08,160 to come to the church setting. 360 00:18:08,160 --> 00:18:11,000 Somebody might spark something in us and we're gonna share that comment and it's gonna hit 361 00:18:11,000 --> 00:18:12,480 them a little bit differently. 362 00:18:12,480 --> 00:18:16,480 So then not only does it benefit us in our study, it's benefiting somebody you had no 363 00:18:16,480 --> 00:18:19,520 idea that you were doing your preparation, your study for. 364 00:18:19,520 --> 00:18:20,520 Totally. 365 00:18:20,520 --> 00:18:25,720 You know, and I do like that in our ward this in January, our Sunday School President said, 366 00:18:25,720 --> 00:18:29,320 I want to start every week by asking, how did you see the hand of God in your week this 367 00:18:29,320 --> 00:18:30,320 week? 368 00:18:30,320 --> 00:18:34,360 So read your scriptures or do come follow me as if you were going to come and share 369 00:18:34,360 --> 00:18:35,360 one thing. 370 00:18:35,360 --> 00:18:36,360 I love that. 371 00:18:36,360 --> 00:18:37,800 And I do come with those things. 372 00:18:37,800 --> 00:18:39,440 Sometimes I feel like I talk too much. 373 00:18:39,440 --> 00:18:42,600 And at the beginning, I always usually have something to say about how I've seen this 374 00:18:42,600 --> 00:18:46,000 the hand of God, but I don't want to be, I don't want to do it every single week and 375 00:18:46,000 --> 00:18:47,000 be the one. 376 00:18:47,000 --> 00:18:50,480 So sometimes I just zip it and I say it to Heavenly Father in that moment and say, you 377 00:18:50,480 --> 00:18:52,560 know, I saw you and this is what it was. 378 00:18:52,560 --> 00:18:56,200 But I allow time for other people to either be thinking of something that they would want 379 00:18:56,200 --> 00:18:57,920 to share or share themselves. 380 00:18:57,920 --> 00:18:58,920 You know what I mean? 381 00:18:58,920 --> 00:19:02,880 It works either direction because because you know, they're going to ask that question. 382 00:19:02,880 --> 00:19:05,800 It does help guide what your scripture studies can look like. 383 00:19:05,800 --> 00:19:09,960 And so you've won either way, whether you're feeling inclined to share or whether it's closer 384 00:19:09,960 --> 00:19:10,960 to your heart. 385 00:19:10,960 --> 00:19:12,480 Yes, I share every single week. 386 00:19:12,480 --> 00:19:14,960 I just don't want to be too much. 387 00:19:14,960 --> 00:19:18,800 Yeah, I share in the lesson each week. 388 00:19:18,800 --> 00:19:20,480 I know you definitely are good at sharing. 389 00:19:20,480 --> 00:19:21,760 I haven't been to Sunday School forever. 390 00:19:21,760 --> 00:19:22,760 So I don't know. 391 00:19:22,760 --> 00:19:27,000 But your primary, I'm primary. 392 00:19:27,000 --> 00:19:31,960 Here's the quote from the talk, in our Sunday classes, he that preaches and he that receiveth 393 00:19:31,960 --> 00:19:34,920 understand one another and both are edified and rejoice together. 394 00:19:34,920 --> 00:19:38,360 So I think they're blessed when you open your mouth and you share and don't hold your comments 395 00:19:38,360 --> 00:19:43,160 back because like personal studies so awesome, but that's why we're a home centered church 396 00:19:43,160 --> 00:19:44,160 supported. 397 00:19:44,160 --> 00:19:48,840 It's those comments that we're willing to make as the Spirit impresses us too that really 398 00:19:48,840 --> 00:19:52,240 bumps up what we're getting out of the scriptures. 399 00:19:52,240 --> 00:19:53,240 Here's a question. 400 00:19:53,240 --> 00:19:57,480 Do you reflect on the impressions you are getting as you take time to study? 401 00:19:57,480 --> 00:20:01,600 Followed up with how often do we consider the painstaking efforts that went into recording, 402 00:20:01,600 --> 00:20:05,480 abridging, preserving and translating the book that's in front of our face? 403 00:20:05,480 --> 00:20:06,480 Seriously. 404 00:20:06,480 --> 00:20:09,480 So oftentimes I listen to my scriptures. 405 00:20:09,480 --> 00:20:11,840 And then like, but I'll have a prayer in my heart. 406 00:20:11,840 --> 00:20:14,680 And I know the Heavenly Father knows like what I'm looking for and listening for. 407 00:20:14,680 --> 00:20:15,960 And then all of a sudden I'll hear something. 408 00:20:15,960 --> 00:20:17,000 I'll be, oh, that's it. 409 00:20:17,000 --> 00:20:19,960 So I stop it and I run and I like go to highlight it. 410 00:20:19,960 --> 00:20:20,960 And you know what I mean? 411 00:20:20,960 --> 00:20:22,040 And I take more time in that thing. 412 00:20:22,040 --> 00:20:27,000 So I kind of do it both ways, but that just helps me because I feel like the Spirit like 413 00:20:27,000 --> 00:20:29,240 taps me on the shoulder and is like, hey, this is for you. 414 00:20:29,240 --> 00:20:33,960 So when you ask for ears to hear exactly what the Spirit should impress on you that day. 415 00:20:33,960 --> 00:20:34,960 Yes. 416 00:20:34,960 --> 00:20:35,960 Like what I need that day. 417 00:20:35,960 --> 00:20:36,960 What am I in? 418 00:20:36,960 --> 00:20:37,960 What are my weeds? 419 00:20:37,960 --> 00:20:40,840 What are the hardships or what's the clarity that I'm looking for? 420 00:20:40,840 --> 00:20:41,840 Awesome. 421 00:20:41,840 --> 00:20:46,640 Nephi instructed Jacob to preserve these plates and hand them down from generation to generation. 422 00:20:46,640 --> 00:20:50,080 And if they were preaching, which was sacred or revelation or prophesying, Jacob should 423 00:20:50,080 --> 00:20:53,800 engrave in them upon these plates for the sake of their people. 424 00:20:53,800 --> 00:20:57,360 And Jacob later testified, we searched the scriptures and having all these witnesses, 425 00:20:57,360 --> 00:20:59,720 we obtain a hope and our faith become with unshaken. 426 00:20:59,720 --> 00:21:03,640 And I think that's awesome because they recognize those blessings in that time. 427 00:21:03,640 --> 00:21:07,840 Like if you were listening to the prophet and you had the holy words to look at, you 428 00:21:07,840 --> 00:21:11,360 were saved, faithful, you were God's covenant people. 429 00:21:11,360 --> 00:21:14,600 And we get those same blessings. 430 00:21:14,600 --> 00:21:18,880 We get the same blessings having their words preserved over time and translated in our 431 00:21:18,880 --> 00:21:21,240 day, in our language. 432 00:21:21,240 --> 00:21:24,880 He referenced how important the brass plates were. 433 00:21:24,880 --> 00:21:29,040 In 1st Nephi 5, 21-22, we had obtained the record and searched them and found that they 434 00:21:29,040 --> 00:21:32,440 were of great worth unto us in so much that we could preserve the commandments of the 435 00:21:32,440 --> 00:21:35,960 Lord unto our children at the risk of their own lives. 436 00:21:35,960 --> 00:21:39,240 Before they even embarked on their journey, it was like, you've got your family and you've 437 00:21:39,240 --> 00:21:43,340 gotten into safety, but you need my word in the form of the brass plates. 438 00:21:43,340 --> 00:21:46,880 And so that whole encounter with Laban could have been the end of the story, but it was 439 00:21:46,880 --> 00:21:53,000 just the beginning and it made a difference to have God's word with them. 440 00:21:53,000 --> 00:21:55,880 So if it was important for Lehi and his family, how important is it for us? 441 00:21:55,880 --> 00:21:58,440 I thought about that for a minute. 442 00:21:58,440 --> 00:22:02,520 I love the part where when they come back and get him, they thought, sorry, I thought 443 00:22:02,520 --> 00:22:06,560 her sons were dead and all is lost and here they come with him. 444 00:22:06,560 --> 00:22:10,280 And I love that the first thing that Lehi does is they kneel down and give thanks to 445 00:22:10,280 --> 00:22:11,840 the Lord when they come. 446 00:22:11,840 --> 00:22:16,280 That's just sort of a small way of them showing how important they were to them. 447 00:22:16,280 --> 00:22:19,800 And they hadn't even, I mean, he probably knew it was in them, but they hadn't even 448 00:22:19,800 --> 00:22:20,800 read them yet. 449 00:22:20,800 --> 00:22:21,800 Do you know what I'm saying? 450 00:22:21,800 --> 00:22:23,240 Yeah, I mean, they're kept behind like locking key in a treasury. 451 00:22:23,240 --> 00:22:25,720 So it's not like everybody's got their hands on the brass plates. 452 00:22:25,720 --> 00:22:26,720 Right. 453 00:22:26,720 --> 00:22:27,720 But yeah, I just love that. 454 00:22:27,720 --> 00:22:30,200 There's just the symbolism and the thought of that. 455 00:22:30,200 --> 00:22:34,520 I mean, early on in the book of Nephi, we've got the vision of the tree of life and we 456 00:22:34,520 --> 00:22:39,240 know that Lehi as a prophet and a father desires for his family to know about Jesus Christ. 457 00:22:39,240 --> 00:22:43,560 Isn't the tree the love of our savior? 458 00:22:43,560 --> 00:22:45,180 That's not inaccurate, right? 459 00:22:45,180 --> 00:22:48,920 And then the path to get there, the rod is the word of God. 460 00:22:48,920 --> 00:22:50,780 And so he knew he needed that. 461 00:22:50,780 --> 00:22:52,520 He absolutely needed that. 462 00:22:52,520 --> 00:22:58,480 And they jumped into that analogy about that. 463 00:22:58,480 --> 00:23:02,160 He said that Saraiah and Nephi and Sam were looking around, they didn't quite know where 464 00:23:02,160 --> 00:23:03,160 to go. 465 00:23:03,160 --> 00:23:07,280 And it was Lehi that was kind of loudly beckoning them and like pointing the way. 466 00:23:07,280 --> 00:23:12,200 So for me, that was pairing the rod, use the rod to get to the tree, but also the voice 467 00:23:12,200 --> 00:23:13,200 of the prophet. 468 00:23:13,200 --> 00:23:16,640 So you've got or and your father, right? 469 00:23:16,640 --> 00:23:19,640 Or the father. 470 00:23:19,640 --> 00:23:21,040 Yeah. 471 00:23:21,040 --> 00:23:22,640 They talked about this. 472 00:23:22,640 --> 00:23:25,720 He mentioned that Lehi isn't a great example of intentional parenting. 473 00:23:25,720 --> 00:23:30,040 Does that throw you under the bus if I ask you what you think intentional parenting means? 474 00:23:30,040 --> 00:23:31,600 It means not doing it on accident. 475 00:23:31,600 --> 00:23:38,320 I do have to say the beginning of my parenting, I was much less intentional. 476 00:23:38,320 --> 00:23:41,980 I was kind of just like flying by the seat of my pants trying to figure things out as 477 00:23:41,980 --> 00:23:48,580 I've aged and matured and gotten a better, I don't know what the word is, foundation 478 00:23:48,580 --> 00:23:49,580 under my feet. 479 00:23:49,580 --> 00:23:51,680 I'm able to be seasoned as a parent. 480 00:23:51,680 --> 00:23:52,680 Yes. 481 00:23:52,680 --> 00:23:53,680 It's just crazy. 482 00:23:53,680 --> 00:23:55,360 I look back and I'm like, oh guys, I'm so sorry. 483 00:23:55,360 --> 00:23:56,520 I messed up in this way. 484 00:23:56,520 --> 00:23:57,520 We forgive me. 485 00:23:57,520 --> 00:23:59,080 You know, do they even know? 486 00:23:59,080 --> 00:24:00,080 Probably. 487 00:24:00,080 --> 00:24:01,800 No, they didn't even know. 488 00:24:01,800 --> 00:24:05,520 I mean, they might not say, Mom, you weren't intentional, but they probably have other 489 00:24:05,520 --> 00:24:07,080 words to say about it, you know? 490 00:24:07,080 --> 00:24:12,960 But yeah, I do feel like coming together and my husband and I coming together and then 491 00:24:12,960 --> 00:24:21,360 also having the Lord be part of that with parenting, it's been just game changing in 492 00:24:21,360 --> 00:24:22,360 that way. 493 00:24:22,360 --> 00:24:26,520 Whereas at the beginning, we both have very different parenting styles and I was the one 494 00:24:26,520 --> 00:24:27,520 that was with them more. 495 00:24:27,520 --> 00:24:28,520 So do you know what I mean? 496 00:24:28,520 --> 00:24:29,880 Because he was more at work and things like that. 497 00:24:29,880 --> 00:24:34,800 So it's just come along a lot better and I do feel intentional. 498 00:24:34,800 --> 00:24:41,480 So intentional would be being prayerful about it, having a plan and yeah, I think those 499 00:24:41,480 --> 00:24:42,480 two things. 500 00:24:42,480 --> 00:24:43,680 I love it. 501 00:24:43,680 --> 00:24:47,920 And also to be, for me, when I was thinking of that line and in reference to this talk, 502 00:24:47,920 --> 00:24:53,120 it was like, we know that not all of Lehi and Sarai's children choose the Lord, hold 503 00:24:53,120 --> 00:24:57,040 to the Word of God, partake of what our Savior Jesus Christ has to offer. 504 00:24:57,040 --> 00:25:00,140 And you know, that's not the case that happens. 505 00:25:00,140 --> 00:25:04,720 So intentional parenting doesn't always lead to your children doing exactly what you want 506 00:25:04,720 --> 00:25:05,720 them to do. 507 00:25:05,720 --> 00:25:07,680 There's no way for that. 508 00:25:07,680 --> 00:25:12,720 So I just wanted to make the point that intentional parenting is having the desire that all of 509 00:25:12,720 --> 00:25:15,680 them should have Jesus Christ in their life. 510 00:25:15,680 --> 00:25:17,760 They should all have access to the scripture. 511 00:25:17,760 --> 00:25:25,040 We invite, we invite the outcome that we want will motivate the things that we do as parents, 512 00:25:25,040 --> 00:25:29,800 but the outcome of what actually happens is not in our control. 513 00:25:29,800 --> 00:25:30,800 No. 514 00:25:30,800 --> 00:25:31,800 No, it is Heavenly Father. 515 00:25:31,800 --> 00:25:33,440 Ask us, ask it to be. 516 00:25:33,440 --> 00:25:35,640 He's not in control of some of his children. 517 00:25:35,640 --> 00:25:36,640 He didn't ask. 518 00:25:36,640 --> 00:25:38,240 That is such a good point, Abby. 519 00:25:38,240 --> 00:25:42,240 That is what I feel like I've learned as becoming a seasoned parent is that in the beginning, 520 00:25:42,240 --> 00:25:46,680 I literally thought that like I was being judged on the outcome of my kids, meaning 521 00:25:46,680 --> 00:25:47,680 like what happened. 522 00:25:47,680 --> 00:25:52,840 And it was no, it's like the invitation you invite, you do all the things in love, and 523 00:25:52,840 --> 00:25:55,680 then they have agency and they will do what they do. 524 00:25:55,680 --> 00:25:58,520 And the Lord still has them in his hand. 525 00:25:58,520 --> 00:25:59,520 Always. 526 00:25:59,520 --> 00:26:01,560 Like, it's just never the end of somebody's story. 527 00:26:01,560 --> 00:26:03,240 It's not. 528 00:26:03,240 --> 00:26:09,720 So I loved how he then talked about how his mom intentionally parented him when he was 529 00:26:09,720 --> 00:26:11,200 about 11 or 12. 530 00:26:11,200 --> 00:26:16,080 She asked him, Mark, have you asked for yourself by the Holy Ghost if the gospel is true? 531 00:26:16,080 --> 00:26:17,880 And he says, I've always tried to be a good boy. 532 00:26:17,880 --> 00:26:19,400 And I thought that that was enough. 533 00:26:19,400 --> 00:26:21,440 But my mother knew that something more was needed. 534 00:26:21,440 --> 00:26:23,580 I needed to act and know for myself. 535 00:26:23,580 --> 00:26:26,360 And I replied, I hadn't had that experience yet. 536 00:26:26,360 --> 00:26:27,660 But you must put in the effort. 537 00:26:27,660 --> 00:26:31,040 You need to read the Book of Mormon and pray to know by the Holy Ghost. 538 00:26:31,040 --> 00:26:32,600 Heavenly Father will answer your prayers. 539 00:26:32,600 --> 00:26:34,920 Your question ignited in me a desire to know for myself. 540 00:26:34,920 --> 00:26:38,200 So each night in the bedroom I shared with two of my brothers, I turned the light above 541 00:26:38,200 --> 00:26:40,400 my head and read a chapter in the Book of Mormon. 542 00:26:40,400 --> 00:26:41,400 So sweet. 543 00:26:41,400 --> 00:26:44,080 Then turning off the light, I slipped out of my bed onto my knees and prayed. 544 00:26:44,080 --> 00:26:47,320 I prayed more sincerely and with greater desire than I had ever before. 545 00:26:47,320 --> 00:26:50,960 I asked Heavenly Father to please let me know of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. 546 00:26:50,960 --> 00:26:54,240 From the time I started reading the Book of Mormon, I felt Heavenly Father was aware of 547 00:26:54,240 --> 00:26:55,240 my efforts. 548 00:26:55,240 --> 00:26:56,860 And I felt that I mattered to him. 549 00:26:56,860 --> 00:27:00,600 As I read and prayed, comfortable, peaceful feelings rested upon me. 550 00:27:00,600 --> 00:27:03,720 Felt by chapter the light of faith was growing brighter inside of my soul. 551 00:27:03,720 --> 00:27:07,520 In time I realized that these feelings were confirmations of truth from the Holy Ghost. 552 00:27:07,520 --> 00:27:10,680 I came to know for myself that the Book of Mormon is true and that Jesus Christ is the 553 00:27:10,680 --> 00:27:12,080 Savior of the world. 554 00:27:12,080 --> 00:27:14,680 How grateful I am for my mother's inspired invitation. 555 00:27:14,680 --> 00:27:18,160 This experience reading the Book of Mormon as a boy started a pattern of scripture study 556 00:27:18,160 --> 00:27:19,840 that continues to bless me to this day. 557 00:27:19,840 --> 00:27:22,320 I still read the Book of Mormon and I kneel in prayer. 558 00:27:22,320 --> 00:27:25,880 And the Holy Ghost confirms its truth over and over again as it did that first time while 559 00:27:25,880 --> 00:27:28,520 reading the Book of Mormon as a boy. 560 00:27:28,520 --> 00:27:33,840 And I love that as kind of a synopsis of what he'd said over a little more time. 561 00:27:33,840 --> 00:27:38,200 But I thought it's important to point out that an experience like this is key. 562 00:27:38,200 --> 00:27:39,740 It's a big piece of his testimony. 563 00:27:39,740 --> 00:27:45,000 But it's not an experience that lasts a lifetime but can be remembered and applied time and 564 00:27:45,000 --> 00:27:49,120 time again as he continues to read in his adulthood. 565 00:27:49,120 --> 00:27:50,120 It's foundational. 566 00:27:50,120 --> 00:27:53,160 You have to read it the first time, right? 567 00:27:53,160 --> 00:27:54,160 And then after that, you still… 568 00:27:54,160 --> 00:27:56,720 Well, I like that you said you read it with a youth group when you can really say like 569 00:27:56,720 --> 00:27:58,680 from front to back cover. 570 00:27:58,680 --> 00:28:03,840 Like you read the book in your teens for yourself, wanted to know. 571 00:28:03,840 --> 00:28:05,600 I think that's such a good advice. 572 00:28:05,600 --> 00:28:09,600 As parents, that same question was on my heart. 573 00:28:09,600 --> 00:28:10,680 What can I do for my children? 574 00:28:10,680 --> 00:28:14,000 And I got time after time the temple and your attendance in the temple. 575 00:28:14,000 --> 00:28:20,720 Well, my attendance in the temple, if I go back, it's predicated on me understanding 576 00:28:20,720 --> 00:28:24,200 the commandments and keeping a temple recommend. 577 00:28:24,200 --> 00:28:29,860 And it does have a component of staying in the scriptures and grounding my testimony 578 00:28:29,860 --> 00:28:33,720 and knowing the promises that I need to make to him. 579 00:28:33,720 --> 00:28:35,220 But this is huge. 580 00:28:35,220 --> 00:28:40,040 If I want that for my kids, then I need to extend that same invitation. 581 00:28:40,040 --> 00:28:43,440 I love that you've listened to me and that you believe the things that I say, but I have 582 00:28:43,440 --> 00:28:47,440 children approaching that same age that it's definitely time and it's definitely appropriate. 583 00:28:47,440 --> 00:28:54,040 If this is something that I want for them, that it's time that I give them that responsibility. 584 00:28:54,040 --> 00:28:56,120 To know for themselves. 585 00:28:56,120 --> 00:28:57,880 And it doesn't have to be all the things. 586 00:28:57,880 --> 00:29:02,960 It can be, you know, do you think that it's possible for families to be together forever? 587 00:29:02,960 --> 00:29:08,200 And then we maybe do a temple trip and let them experience the Holy Ghost, the true teacher 588 00:29:08,200 --> 00:29:10,760 testifying to them whether those things are true or not. 589 00:29:10,760 --> 00:29:11,760 That's great. 590 00:29:11,760 --> 00:29:12,960 I love that, Abby. 591 00:29:12,960 --> 00:29:19,960 Do you remember, let's see, he said, studying the Book of Mormon and following the living 592 00:29:19,960 --> 00:29:24,120 prophets the best way to prevent personal apostasy in our lives. 593 00:29:24,120 --> 00:29:28,480 President Nelson had a really great invitation that this is what comes to mind. 594 00:29:28,480 --> 00:29:32,920 He says, I promise that as you prayerfully study the Book of Mormon every day, you'll 595 00:29:32,920 --> 00:29:35,160 make better decisions every day. 596 00:29:35,160 --> 00:29:40,440 I promise that as you ponder what you study, the windows of heaven will open and you'll 597 00:29:40,440 --> 00:29:44,520 receive answers to your own questions and direction for your own life. 598 00:29:44,520 --> 00:29:46,040 Let's make that our action item today. 599 00:29:46,040 --> 00:29:47,040 I love it. 600 00:29:47,040 --> 00:29:48,040 Right from the prophet's mouth. 601 00:29:48,040 --> 00:29:53,640 He promised you that as you follow that living prophet and you read it in the Book of Mormon, 602 00:29:53,640 --> 00:29:57,160 it will be the best way to prevent personal apostasy in your life. 603 00:29:57,160 --> 00:29:58,160 Agreed. 604 00:29:58,160 --> 00:29:59,160 Let's catch you next time. 605 00:29:59,160 --> 00:30:00,160 Catch you next time. 606 00:30:00,160 --> 00:30:01,160 For the final words from the prophet. 607 00:30:01,160 --> 00:30:02,160 So exciting. 608 00:30:02,160 --> 00:30:18,760 Give it a shine. 609 00:30:32,160 --> 00:30:34,220 you