The Book of Mormon Challenge

If you happen to be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, then you know that 2012 is a Book of Mormon year. If you’re not a member, and therefore unfamiliar with the way classes work within the LDS church, that just means that this year the focus of study in Sunday School will be on the teachings of the Book of Mormon.

We go on a four year rotation schedule, with each year being a different segment of what we call the Standard Works, spending one year each on the Old Testament, New Testament, Book of Mormon, and Doctrine & Covenants/Pearl of Great Price.

If you happen to live near a book store that carried LDS products, you will see an increase this year in books that support members’ study of The Book of Mormon. Of course, reading and studying the scriptures alone can provide a wonderfully spiritual experience, but like you might find as you study the book of Isaiah in the Old Testament, sometimes using outside resources can help you discover a deeper understanding than you might have had on your own.

I’ve taken the challenge to reread the Book of Mormon in 2012. By reading only one chapter each day, I will finish the book by the end of August. I’d like to invite you to do the same. If you don’t own a copy of The Book of Mormon, or if you prefer to have a digital copy, you can find links at http://lds.org/scriptures?lang=eng. This link also gives you access to all sorts of supplementary materials like videos, user-friendly tools like word/subject search, and cross-references to others of the standard works. There are also links where you can have a free copy of The Book of Mormon delivered to you by the missionaries.

I hope many of you will join me in my reading this year. Whether you are LDS or not, by reading this book you will find a strength of spirit that comes from learning more about Jesus Christ, Our Lord.

May this coming year bring you the blessings of the tender mercies of spoken of in 1 Nephi 1: 20, “But behold, I, Nephi, will show unto you that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance.”