Day One

Well hello!

A while ago I read a novel entitled "Growing Up Gracie" (yes, I know that title should be underlined or italicized, but my phone won't let me). It is a sort of coming-of-age book about a girl named Gracie. In it she reads the Book of Mormon over Christmas break. She ends up really praying about it to see I it is true and gains her own testimony. This story struck a chord with me.

I have a testimony of the Book of Mormon, but I want to always seek ways to strengthen it.

President Henry B Eyring said in the 2011 YW Broadcast, "I hope that you all have proved that promise for yourself or that you will do it soon. The answer may not come in a single and powerful spiritual experience. For me it came quietly at first. But it comes ever more forcefully each time I have read and prayed over the Book of Mormon.
“And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.”
“Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts.
“And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost."
I do not depend on what has happened in the past. To keep my living testimony of the Book of Mormon secure, I receive the promise of Moroni often. I don’t take that blessing of a testimony for granted as a perpetual entitlement.
Testimony requires the nurturing by the prayer of faith, the hungering for the word of God in the scriptures, and the obedience to the truth we have received. There is danger in neglecting prayer. There is danger to our testimony in only casual study and reading of the scriptures. They are necessary nutrients for our testimony.
He has also taught us that, in addition to choosing to be obedient, we must ask in prayer for testimony of truth."

So I have decided to read the BoM this Christmas break. I am starting from where I was reading, which was 2 Nephi 31.

So far I am on Jacob 7!!! Woooo!