2024 January 6, Saturday, Journal Entry

I enjoyed going to the temple yesterday and participating in Initiatories and an Endowment session. It snowed pretty heavily yesterday. It's no fun being out in the snow but not a big problem. We need the moisture and we can handle it. Makes me look forward to spring though.

Come Follow Me 

Introduction to The Book of Mormon, paragraph 9

"Those who gain this divine witness from the Holy Spirit will also come to know by the same power that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world, that Joseph Smith is His revelator and prophet in these last days, and that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the Lord’s kingdom once again established on the earth, preparatory to the Second Coming of the Messiah."

Today is Saturday, the end of the first week of 2024's study of the Book of Mormon. I'm struggling to stay on schedule by not moving forward yet into 1 Nephi. That will come on Monday. 

In the meantime, I have to admit that I had no idea how much effort has apparently gone into trying to discredit the Book of Mormon. And the lessons so far this week have mostly been about discrediting the discreditings. So for me, a little boring. I still don't understand how anyone could objectively read this book and have any problem with it. The only thing I can come up with is that if the Book of Mormon is true, it means that Joseph Smith was actually, in reality, a prophet of God and that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is, in fact, God's Kingdom again on the earth. 

I guess I can see how that could be upsetting to some. It's a little like when Jesus Christ, the Son of God, our Heavenly Father and also the Savior of the world, came to earth in the meridian of time and was not only rejected but persecuted and crucified. And from what I've seen of His recorded teachings there was no reason for Him to be rejected at all. And from what I've read in the Book of Mormon there is no reason for it to be attacked, but....it has been and continues to be.