Season One : Episode 3 "No better Book"

I have always been one to enjoy a good read. Since I was very young I have especially enjoyed fantasy . I read everything from "The Magic Tree House"& "Harry Potter" to "Eragon" and "Gregor the Overlander" Each of these novels would paint a scene within my mind that was amazing and incredible. To image myself being that individual that character, to wonder what I might do? Would I have the strength to fight Lord Voldemort if faced with the challenge? How would I handle being swooped away from my home and family in a foreign land needing to solve a mystery? If any of you have read "A series of Unfortunate Events" you know that could raise all sorts of perilous questions to a child's mind as there is a tragic displacement of family, bad relatives, and a multitude of occurrences of death. Each of these series hold a special place in my heart as to me they seem almost as "experiences" which I have had.

On the other hand it is amazing how many times I went to read the Book of Mormon and simply lost interest. I would pick it up read a few verses and my mind was already elsewhere and distracted. I swear I had tried re-reading it enough times to memorize 1 Nephi, Chapter 1! It seemed no matter what I did it just didn't have the same interest of the other novel's I read. It was the scriptures... no one was supposed to understand them, right? I can recall being in Sunday school and seeing all the other kids know exactly what scripture a teacher may be referring to and I was lost and couldn't follow the timeline.

Granted we read as a family at different points in time and that helped me. But I think I used it as a crutch. When I would think about reading I could say, "well we read as a family.. I am good" and simply jump in bed, haha!

Eventually though, I reached a point where I sincerely wanted to know for myself if the scriptures were true. I believe it had been the winter of my Junior year when walking through Desert Book I saw a copy of the Book of Mormon. Now this book was different than the rest. It was a light brown hardback... I thought all the books had to be blue! It looked older and I realized it was a rendition of the kind the Church originally released. As I held it in my hands I was intrigued. That year I informed my parents that it was a priority on my wish list. When Christmas time came I do not know how much I remembered asking for it but i do recall the excitement and Joy I had when I opened it. I was sure it was my favorite of all the gifts.

It was with this book that my reading would change. Though the Book of Mormon was not different I felt like reading it in this book would somehow be different. There was an appeal to its authentic style. As I look back now I would certainly say the spirit had a great roll in impressing me. As I began to read from this book not only was I reading with a new book but with a new perspective. I began to be committed to finishing the Book of Mormon all the way. I began to truly desire to know its authenticity. I can remember my firm commitment to be sure to read every night as it lay under my futon in the side where my pillow. Although I did not always read extensively I did read nearly every night.

This time of life I see myself as very spiritual. I remember over the days and the weeks time and again I would be surprised and enthused as I recognized many things which I never knew. Reading the scriptures had become my next adventure. Rather than seeing it as a complicated book I could not understand I began to place myself in each of the Prophets shoes. To be as Nephi and wonder what I would do if my brothers would not support me in the Lord's will. How would I react to spiritual impressions I did not understand completely at that time? Would I follow through? I was amazed to see the topics the scriptures covered with such directness and truth, topics of atheism, transgression and repentance, faith, virtue. It was through those blessed pages I came to know the Lord. It was then that my prayers became ever more sincere. It was then that I gained an impenetrable testimony of the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

I had not yet finished the Book of Mormon but as I recall was in the book of Alma a little over half-way through when I could not wait any longer, I was determined to know. I had read a passage of scripture that touched my heart greater than any scripture before. I knelt down in prayer, sitting upright, so I did not become tired leaning on my bed. I pleaded with the Lord that I might understand, to know for myself that it was true so that I could serve him fully, so that I could know I would make the right decision to serve a mission and could prepare then to serve him. My mind was opened and my heart impressed in the same instant I recognized the many verses that testified of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, I thought of how every time I applied the counsel found therein my life was bettered and it only helped me. I knew then that if any book could cause me to feel this way there was no way it could not be true. I felt shorlty thereafter and feel now that I had always known but the Lord had confirmed it to me in his mercy that I could know with a sure knowledge which I could never deny.

As I have read the entire Book of Mormon I have been inspired to be a better man. I have come to know the Lord and that he is a God of Love. I have realized that through the Atonement any man or woman can return to our Heavenly Father. I realized that the spirit is sooo real. I found such a connection to the Lord that I could never forsake him. He is a part of my life that I love and will never give up. I hope that all may come to know the Love of God and testify that there is no better book which can provide this besides "The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ."

'Concerning this record the Prophet Joseph Smith said: “I told the brethren that the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book.” '   ~Introduction, "The Book of Mormon : Another Testament of Jesus Christ"

~Trent D. Nielson

Keep the Faith & Never Give Up, Never Surrender