Hope Through the Book of Mormon

Anyone that has ever attended LDSARP for any length of time is probably familiar with the quote from President Packer that is found in Step 1;

“The study of the doctrines of the gospel will

improve behavior quicker than a study of behavior

will improve behavior. ... That is why we stress so

forcefully the study of the doctrines of the gospel”

I've read it probably dozens of times.  That's not an exaggeration.  And I have always believed it.  Yet I would constantly find myself trying to out-think or out-plan my addiction.  I never really submersed myself in the gospel.  I did some.  I have always enjoyed listening to General Conference talks.  But I would rarely dive into the Scriptures.  Especially the Book of Mormon.  Until recently, I honestly can't recall the last time I read it cover to cover.  But after things went down over the holidays I found myself constantly seeking peace.  I was desperate for it.  I prayed for it, I begged for it.  But it was hard to come by.  So in early December I met with my Stake President.  One of the things he counseled me to do was to not only study the scriptures and the words of the Prophets but to apply them in my life.  That obedience to their teachings would bring blessings and strength.  So I pondered that and it hit me.  There is probably no counsel that has given more by modern and ancient prophets  than this one;  STUDY THE BOOK OF MORMON!  It was written for this day and age.  It was written for us.  It was written for me.  

I remember a Stake President promising a few years back that if we read the Book of Mormon every single day our lives would change.  I even tried it for awhile, but it didn't last and it certainly wasn't every day.  I was never willing to do it every day.  I wasn't even willing to try.  That isn't to say I wasn't doing dailies.  Most days I was.  But for whatever reason, The Book of Mormon just wasn't a big part of it.  

So after meeting with my Stake President I made a commitment to read or listen to the Book of Mormon every single day.  And so it began.  In the early days I was amazed at the peace that would come.  I would sit on the couch or lay in bed, or even sit in my office at work.  Sometimes tears rolling down my face from the emotions I was struggling with, and I would read the Book of Mormon.  There were days that I would read 5, 10 even 20 chapters in a single day because it was the ONLY thing that brought me peace.  Eventually I just got into a nice little routine where I was listening to chapters on my phone at times and then reading more when I had spare time.  

I have always been a fairly quick reader and so 1 Nephi quickly became Mosiah and 4 Nephi.  I re-discovered all my heroes.   I was inspired by King Benjamin's humility and Ammon's courage.  I found hope in the change of heart of Alma the Younger and admired the leadership of Captain Moroni.  I wept with Mormon and struggled to comprehend the pain that Moroni must have experienced wandering the world alone after watching his people wiped from the face of the earth. 

I immersed myself in the Book of Mormon.  And I found hope.  The entire book is filled with knowledge and experience and life and trials.  But mostly it is filled with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  And when I embrace the Gospel of Jesus Christ there is always hope.  Because He embodies hope.  His grace is the reason I have hope.  He is the reason I have hope.  

I finished the entire Book of Mormon a few days ago and I was so inspired after finishing, I shared my testimony publicly on Facebook and then you know what I did next?  I flipped back to 1 Nephi and I started all over again. 

The future is uncertain.  I have no idea what my life will look like in 3 months or a year.  But I do know this.  When I am obedient to generations worth of prophets, when I follow their counsel to study the scriptures and immerse myself in the Book of Mormon, my life will always be better.  Maybe not perfect, maybe not how I hope and dream it will be, but always better.