The Power of the Book of Mormon

At Zone Conference this last week, our focus was on “Increasing in Power”. Preach My Gospel teaches, “In addition to authority, you need spiritual power to fulfill your calling.”

We focused on many different ways to increase in power, including acting in faith, repentance, seeking the word, focusing on our missionary purpose, and increasing in willingness.

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The highlight of the zone conference was Sister Barlow teaching about “The Power of the Book of Mormon”. She focused on the words of our living prophet, President Russell M. Nelson.

Sister Barlow began by teaching us the definition of “Power”:

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Power comes from the things we choose to do, or the way we choose to act. As we receive more power, our ability to act in powerful ways increases.

Conversely, there are ways that we can choose to act that can cause us to lose power. She warned us to eliminate the “BCDs” from our life…or BLAME, COMPLAIN, or DEFLECT. Reacting in these ways will always cause a loss of power.

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One of Sister Barlow’s greatest strengths is her desire to follow the living prophet. I’ve had a front row seat to witness this, and it hasn’t only blessed her life. It has greatly blessed my life as well. She told the missionaries that this is what she wants on her tombstone one day:

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With that in mind, Sister Barlow focused us on President Russell M. Nelson’s teaching about the power of the Book of Mormon. The Book of Mormon is where we will find the full power of the gospel of Jesus Christ, or the doctrine of Christ, which is central to our missionary purpose.

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President Nelson taught what the Book of Mormon does:

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He also has made great promises of how the power of the Book of Mormon can bless our life:

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Very importantly, especially for us as missionaries, President Nelson taught that the Book of Mormon is the means that people everywhere can come to know that Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer, that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God, and that the Church of Jesus Christ has been restored.

She then has us watch a 60-second video that very simply explains the Book of Mormon. She invited us to consider how we can explain the Book of Mormon in 60 seconds.

“Whenever I hear anyone, including myself, say, “I know the Book of Mormon is true,” I want to exclaim, “That’s nice, but it is not enough!” We need to feel, deep in “the inmost part” of our hearts, that the Book of Mormon is unequivocally the word of God. We must feel it so deeply that we would never want to live even one day without it. I might paraphrase President Brigham Young in saying, “I wish I had the voice of seven thunders to wake up the people” to the truth and power of the Book of Mormon”

President Russell M. Nelson, “The Book of Mormon: What Would Your Life Be Like without It?”, October 2017 General Conference

Sister Barlow explained that with Oliver Cowdery as principal scribe, Joseph Smith began translating on Tuesday, April 7, 1829. The task was completed about 85 days later. Not all of that time was spent working on the translation. Time was taken to receive the Aaronic and Melchizedek Priesthoods, receive and record 12 revelations that are now sections of the Doctrine and Covenants, move from one state to another, apply for a copyright, and begin making arrangements for the publication of the Book of Mormon.

Conservatively estimated, Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon in 65 days.

65 days…

With that in mind, she invited us as a mission to read the Book of Mormon in 65 days! We are starting today and will finish June 18th.

Sister Barlow created a gift bag for each missionary that included the following:

We would love to have you join us. Join us in reading the Book of Mormon in 65 days! Click here to download the reading schedule.