The Book of Mormon and Personal Revelation (The B.O.M Series Email 2 of 7)

Stories of revelation are commonplace in our world; we hear stories often every Sunday at church, we hear many stories twice a year during General Conference, and from friends and family. 

Our church is one that encourages us to seek revelation for ourselves, and to safeguard it, remember it, write it down, share it (in the right circumstances,) so that we might grow in our testimonies. 

But how often do we consider that if it weren’t for one young boy of only 14 years deciding he was going to ask God which of all the churches on earth were true, that some of the everyday revelations we may take for granted in our lives, we would never know? 

Take this story for instance: 

“While serving as young missionaries in Chile, my companion and I met a family of seven in the branch. The mother attended every week with her children. We assumed that they were longtime members of the Church. After several weeks we learned that they had not been baptized.

We immediately contacted the family and asked if we could come to their home and teach them. The father was not interested in learning about the gospel but had no objection to our teaching his family.

Sister Ramirez advanced rapidly through the lessons. She was anxious to learn all the doctrine that we taught. One evening as we were discussing infant baptism, we taught that little children are innocent and have no need for baptism. We invited her to read in the book of Moroni:

“Behold I say unto you that this thing shall ye teach—repentance and baptism unto those who are accountable and capable of committing sin; yea, teach parents that they must repent and be baptized, and humble themselves as their little children, and they shall all be saved with their little children."

“And their little children need no repentance, neither baptism. Behold, baptism is unto repentance to the fulfilling the commandments unto the remission of sins."

“But little children are alive in Christ, even from the foundation of the world; if not so, God is a partial God, and also a changeable God, and a respecter to persons; for how many little children have died without baptism!”

After reading this scripture, Sister Ramirez began sobbing. My companion and I were confused. I asked, “Sister Ramirez, have we said or done something that has offended you?”

She said, “Oh, no, Elder, you haven’t done anything wrong. Six years ago I had a baby boy. He died before we could have him baptized. Our priest told us that because he had not been baptized, he would be in limbo for all eternity. For six years I have carried that pain and guilt. After reading this scripture, I know by the power of the Holy Ghost that it is true. I have felt a great weight taken off of me, and these are tears of joy.” - Elder Shayne M. Bowen of the Seventy. 2012, October. “Because I Live You Shall Live Also.” General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

And this isn’t the only story of its kind. Check out these equally powerful examples of receiving revelation from the Book of Mormon, but get some tissues ready because you’re going to need them! 

And again, because we love reading promises from the prophets and apostles, we have a couple of quotes for you:

As I read in the Book of Mormon, I will pray that the Holy Ghost will help me know what God would have me do. There is a promise of that plea being answered in the book itself: ‘Wherefore, I said unto you, feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do.’ 2 Nephi 32:3 - Henry B. Eyring 

The Book of Mormon, above all other books that I know of, is the greatest source we have for answers to real-life problems. - M. Russell Ballard