Final Thoughts: Finding Christ in the Book of Mormon Challenge

Our Young Women's group finished the challenge we started November 5 to read the Book of Mormon by Christmas Eve. We had an activity Wednesday night to talk about our thoughts and feelings and to share favorite scriptures and feelings about our Savior. 

I hate talking on the spot, especially about the feelings of my heart. I feel like my thoughts and feelings get all mixed up and jumbled...who knows if anything I said that night even made sense to anyone. I want to write down my feelings to remember this experience because it impacted me more than I thought it would.

Full Disclosure: I got really behind in my reading during the days leading up to Christmas. In fact, at one point, I was a full 5-days behind the reading schedule (so 50 pages!). There was no way I was going to finish by Christmas Eve. But I kept reading and was able to finish on New Year's Eve. 

Reading the Book of Mormon rekindled my love for the scriptures. When I was younger, I had an epiphany one day. It hit me that the scriptures were not some boring textbook to struggle through, but rather a journal written by an ancient people of their lives, struggles, and their testimonies of Jesus Christ. Looking at the scriptures with this new perspective helped me to see them in a different light and motivated me to read them. A fire had been lit inside me and for a long time I loved reading the scriptures. After a time, however, the fire that motivated me began to dwindle and dim. The act of reading my scriptures became a chore again. There have been many days in recent years where I have not made them a priority and have skipped my daily reading altogether.

I needed this challenge to light that fire inside me again. My love of the scriptures, reading God's word, and the immense love our Savior has for each of us has been so overwhelming (in a good way!) during this challenge. I couldn't even sing any of the Christmas hymns at church. Two words into the song, I would start to cry because my understanding of His life and purpose had been deepened. I truly "stand all amazed" at the love He has for us.  My goal is to not let the fire inside me go out just because the challenge is over. I want to always feel this way about our Savior and the scriptures.

The challenge also helped fulfill another aspect that was missing or had dwindled from my life. For years I have wanted to more than just know about Christ and His atonement. Knowing the stories only does so much. I wanted to feel my Savior's love for me in every fiber of my being. So many things about the Savior's atonement were cemented into my soul through reading. They are things that when written, sound like the basics, but again, it was more about feeling it than knowing it. 

The atonement is for every person and for every affliction. It took me many years to realize what the Savior suffered in Gethsemane was more than mistakes we'd made. It was every hurt feeling, heartache, physical or emotional setback, frustration, and roadblock I would ever experience. It's why Christ is known by so many names and attributes. He has suffered it ALL and He knows best how to heal us.

The atonement truly is a gift. And it's up to us to remember to use it. Don't let it become something put away and forgotten about. When we're in the middle of our trials--whatever they are--allow Christ to help and heal you. Allow yourself to be guided by His hand. Maybe not to solve our problems, but to give us the strength and hope to get through them. The spirit of the Lord withdrew itself from Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane, but that doesn't have to be us. Kneel. Pray. Ask.

There were many scriptures I underlined and loved, but this one really spoke to me. It's found in Ether 12:4.

"Wherefore whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world. Yea, even a place at the right hand of God. Which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God."

The world is a scary place. I need to hope for a better world. It's the only way I can calm my anxious heart about the state of things and my worry for what's in store for my children and grandchildren. Only through Christ's example and teachings will that happen--even just doing my part to teach my children gives me that hope. I need Christ as my anchor to keep me from getting lost in the commotion of the world and swept away. There are so many voices, so many different choices, but One must be louder and stronger to guide me. I can show my love for my Savior by doing good works...no matter how small they may be. If I find my light dimming, the surest way to lighten it is through doing good works. 

After the challenge, I reviewed President Thomas S. Monson's last General Conference address on the blessings of reading the Book of Mormon. He promised that if we read we will be able to:

• hear the voice of the spirit
• resist temptation
• overcome doubt and fear
• receive Heaven's help in our lives.

He also said that our testimonies need to be kept vital and alive. 

Another talk by Susan Ward Easton given in July 1978 said that there are over 100 names in the Book of Mormon that signify a different attribute of Christ. Total, the names of Christ are mentioned 3,925 times throughout the Book of Mormon. The first is in 1 Nephi 1:1 as "Lord". The last is in Moroni 10:34 as "Eternal Judge"

Lastly, it was a happy coincidence that after we completed this challenge, we found out that the 2018 Mutual theme is "Peace in Christ".  The song released to go along with the theme is beautiful and sums up perfectly how I feel about  my Savior.