Book Of Mormon Challenge: Achieved!

At the beginning of August, with only a few weeks of summer left until the kids went back to school, I was feeling pretty secure in the knowledge that I had given my children a summer jam packed with fun.  But I felt like there was something lacking.  That is when I decided to challenge my family to read/listen to the Book of Mormon in 30 days.  

Well, 30 days came and went.  And we did it!  We all finished!  I can truly say that it was one of the greatest things we have ever ever done as a family.  It just might become an annual Back to School Family Tradition.  At any given time throughout the entire month of August, the Book of Mormon was being listened to by someone in our home.  Constantly.  It was on every time we were in the car.  I listened while I walked in the morning.  Steve listened while he was working all day.  It played while I was cooking dinner.  When the kids were cleaning their rooms.  The kids all fell asleep every night to the words of the Book of Mormon.  It was awesome.  The Spirit that was felt in our home was undeniable. 

To celebrate our accomplishment we all went out to dinner and then went to see the movie "Ephraim's Rescue".  It is a movie about the infamous ill fated Martin/Willie Handcart Companies.  It was so good.  When we got home, we talked about our Pioneer Ancestors.  Steve and I both have ancestors who were a part of those companies.  We told the kids that all the struggles that we had just witness played out on the big screen actually happened to their ancestors.  They left comfortable lives and comfortable homes behind in their native lands because they read the Book of Mormon and knew without any doubt that it was a true book.  That the Gospel of Jesus Christ was restored upon the earth.  Their testimonies of those things meant so much to them they were willing to literally give up all and endure unspeakable hardships because of that testimony that burned within them.  We challenged our children to never forget that legacy that was given to them by these ancestors.  We also challenged them to develop their own firm and unwavering testimony of this book as well.

Steve's 3rd Great Grandmother, my children's 4th Great Grandmother, Ann Jewell Rowley, was featured in the movie 17 miracles.  She was in the Willie Handcart Company.  Here is her miraculous story, in her own words, that was featured in that movie:

There came a time, when there seemed to be no food at all. Some of the men left to hunt buffalo. Night was coming and there was no food for the evening meal. I asked God's help as I always did. I got on my knees, remembering two hard sea biscuits that were still in my trunk. They had been left over from the sea voyage, they were not large, and were so hard, they couldn't be broken. Surely, that was not enough to feed 8 people, but 5 loaves and 2 fishes were not enough to feed 5000 people either, but through a miracle, Jesus had done it. So, with God's help, nothing is impossible. I found the biscuits and put them in a dutch oven and covered them with water and asked for God's blessing, then I put the lid on the pan and set it on the coals. When I took off the lid a little later, I found the pan filled with food. I kneeled with my family and thanked God for his goodness. That night my family had sufficient food.

You can read more of her trail journal by clicking here.

Here is an excerpt from her journal that tells of how she was introduced to the gospel and her desire to make the journey to Zion:

[We] had a beautiful home ... in the Parish of Buckley, Worcestershire, England. ... [In 1840] we were privileged to hear a man named Wilford Woodruff proclaim a new gospel message...We had only to hear him once and William and I knew with all our hearts that he was offering us a priceless treasure. We accepted his offer and were baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints... We dreamed of going to Zion, where we could be with the main body of the Saints, but money was the problem here, too.  William was never to see Zion ... he died [on February 14, 1848] when Jane was six months old. I was left a widow with seven children under 12 years of age and the step-children of William's first marriage.  I was very grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ and the comfort it gave me.  I knew that our parting was only temporary and that viewed from the eternities, this was but a fleeting moment.  I also knew that no matter how fleeting a moment it was, I had to make the best of it.  I had a very real job to do.  The children had to be fed and clothed, but the big task and the one I must accomplish, is to get us all to Zion.I must be among the people of my faith and I must get the temple work done for us.

I am forever grateful for those who came before me and my husband and my children.  I am thankful for their acceptance of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and for their fortitude and strength and unwavering testimony of the gospel and the Book of Mormon.  I have read the book several times and to the testimonies of my ancestors I add my own testimony.  That I know the Book of Mormon is the word of God.  I  know it was written and preserved so that we could have it in our day.  So that we could learn from the ancient inhabitants of this land what happens when you obey the Lord and live righteously.  Also so we can learn what happens when his laws are ignored and unrighteousness abounds.  I LOVE the Book of Mormon.  If you haven't read it, I challenge you to read it and then pray to ask God if it is true.  Click here for a free copy.  Click here to read or listen to it online.

"I feel certain that if, in our homes, parents will read from the Book of Mormon prayerfully and regularly, both by themselves and with their children, the spirit of that great book will come to permeate our homes and all who dwell therein. The spirit of reverence will increase; mutual respect and consideration for each other will grow. The spirit of contention will depart. Parents will counsel their children in greater love and wisdom. Children will be more responsive and submissive to the counsel of their parents. Righteousness will increase. Faith, hope, and charity—the pure love of Christ—will abound in our homes and lives, bringing in their wake peace, joy, and happiness."  - President Marion G. Romney

Book of Mormon 30 Day Challenge Update: Christ Visits the American Continent

So on August 1st, I challenged my family to read the Book of Mormon in 30 days.  You can read about that here.  Almost 10 days into it, I was pleasantly surprised with how well we were all doing- you can read about that here.  Well, here we are with only 3 days left!  And I think we might all just make it!  One of us will finish today.  One of us a bit behind but is trying really hard to catch up.  And the rest of us are a little behind but catching up more and more every day.  By the end of the day today we should be through Ether Ch. 7.  I'm just happy I'm only one chapter away from starting the Book of Ether right now.  That should be some good listening right there, as those are some pretty messed up people.

In the last week, I have read/listened to some of my favorite parts of the Book of Mormon- mainly the last half of Alma through 3rd Nephi.  I love it!  The parallels of their society and our society excite and scare me both at the same time.

Yesterday as I was on my morning walk, I listened to the part in 3rd Nephi when Christ visits America.  It is just after He is crucified and there is great destruction in all the land followed by 3 days of darkness, which the prophets had prophesied would be the sign of the death of Jesus Christ.  During the three days of darkness, the people hear the voice of Christ speaking to them  (3 Nephi Ch. 8-10).  And then finally, in Chapter 11, after the darkness is over, the people gather at the Temple and Christ appears to the people of Nephi on the American Continent and teaches them.  They are able to feel the prints in his hands and feet and also feel the wound in his side.

3 Nephi 11:15 And it came to pass that the multitude went forth, and thrust their hands into his side, and did feel the prints of the nails in his hands and in his feet; and this they did do, going forth one by one until they had all gone forth, and did see with their eyes and did feel with their hands, and did know of a surety and did bear record, that it was he, of whom it was written by the prophets, that should come.

 He sets up his church, teaches them how to baptize, administer the sacrament and many other great things.  He also calls and ordains 12 disciples in that land to minister to the people (3 Nephi Ch.11-26 tells of his visit with them).  After his visits (it says he visited with them oft) the people lived in peace for 200 years.  And then all heck breaks loose and they are totally destroyed- it all starts with pride as the people are greatly blessed and prospered by the Lord in the land...

Doesn't it make sense that Christ would not just visit the people in one little part of the world?  If he loves everyone, and wants everyone to have his gospel, wouldn't he visit others too?  And teach them?  John 10:16  says

And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.

And as he is teaching the people in America he says in 3 Nephi 15:21-24

 21 And verily I say unto you, that ye are they of whom I said: Other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.
 22 And they understood me not, for they supposed it had been the Gentiles; for they understood not that the Gentiles should be converted through their preaching.
 23 And they understood me not that I said they shall hear my voice; and they understood me not that the Gentiles should not at any time hear my voice—that I should not manifest myself unto them save it were by the Holy Ghost.
 24 But behold, ye have both heard my voice, and seen me; and ye are my sheep, and ye are numbered among those whom the Father hath given me.

 Last October (2012) Steve and I were able to take my mom and sister and Aubrey and Addy to the Latino Cultural Celebration in the Conference Center.  They only had one set of headphones left to translate it into English, so my  mom listened to it while we watched.  It was wonderful to see.  She told us that for each culture represented they talked about their cultures legends of the "White God" who visited and taught them.  The show ended with the appearance of Christ to the Nephites in America.  Here is a short video clip of the event.

It's almost like I waited a whole year to do this post just so I could use these pictures for it....

If you would like to learn more about Christ's visit to the people on the American continent you can request a free copy of the Book of Mormon by clicking here, or you can ask me and I will send you one.  Or you can read or listen to it online here.  You can also listen to other scriptures such as the New and Old Testament at that same link.  Or you can download the app here.

Please Read This Post To Find Out How Imperfectly Perfect Our 30 Day Challenge Is Going

We are 9 days into our 30 day challenge of reading the Book of Mormon.  I bet some of you are wondering how that's goin' for us.  Well, the answer to that would be....GREAT!  Like really honestly, knock on wood, GREAT!

If you want to read about this challenge and why we are doing it, click here.  Otherwise, read on!

I LOVE the Book of Mormon.  It is by far my most favorite book ever.  I LOVE, love it.  There is just something about it.  It is perfect in every way.  It is entertaining.  It is easy to read.  It is full of so much gospel.  Every page speaks of Christ and strengthens my testimony in Him.  It is full of teaching moments for my children as we follow the story line.  It is so easy to apply the teachings to every day life.  It is the story of this land that I love, the American continent and its earliest civilizations.  It is full of promises to those of us who live in this land.  It is full of examples of how blessed we can be if we keep the commandments.  I LOVE it!

Our family is always reading the Book of Mormon.  We read it every day during our family scripture and prayer time.  When we finish it, we start over the next day.  So it is usually always a part of our lives.  This year though, we decided to read the Doctrine and Covenants since that is what we are learning in Sunday School.  I have enjoyed reading it, but I must admit, I have missed the Book of Mormon terribly.  

So when we started reading it on August first, it felt so good.  We read together the first three days because we were on a trip that occupied almost every minute of our day.  It was really hard not to stop every few verses to discuss what we were reading with my kids.  When you are trying to read an average of 20 pages a day, there isn't a lot of time for discussion.  

We arrived home from our trip and on Aug 4th, 4 days into our challenge, I turned the reading over to individuals.  It was up to everyone on their own now on to keep caught up.  I can't even believe it, but for the most part, we are all on track for finishing it in 30 days.

This is the thing though.  It hasn't been perfect.  It by far has not been perfect.  

First of all, there really isn't a lot of actual reading going on.  Listening.  There is a lot of listening going on. On phones, ipods and computers, anything that will read the text to us.

The first day we were home from our trip, Emily asked if she could listen to the Book on the computer while she was on Pintrest.  My first reaction was to say, "Uh, NO!  What are you going to get out of it by listening to it while you are looking at stuff on Pintrest?"  But thankfully I ran that through my head before I uttered it out loud.  A little voice inside my head said, "Really?  Are you really about to tell your daughter no.  She can't listen to the scriptures?  Because if you do, what will she listen to while she is on Pintrest instead?"

So this is how it is.  We are keeping caught up, everyone on his or her own time.  But like I said, it isn't perfect.  We still get a lot of Pintrest listening done.  Addy and Aubrey listen to it together while they color or play.  There is a lot of multi-tasking going on while we are staying caught up.  Sometimes, in the mornings, when we are all at the same spot starting out the day, I will play it in the kitchen while we are eating breakfast.  Sometimes people leave the room to go get something.  Sometimes we have conversations right over the top of the reading.  Sometimes people are a few chapters behind when we start in the morning and listen together.  Sometimes people fall asleep while listening.  But this is what I have learned from it....

So what?  

Would we get more out of it if we sat and actually read the text on the page?  Yes.  Would we get more out of it if we were not listening to it while browsing the internet for awesome cool ideas of how to decorate our bedrooms?  Yes.  Would me get more out of it if we didn't have people holding conversations right over the top of the dialogue?  Yes.  Of course we would.  Would we be able to finish the book in 30 days if we did it perfectly?  Absolutely not.  

This is what I have come to realize in the last 9 days. 

IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE PERFECT!  

This is what is going on at my house right now.  For 30 days, the Book of Mormon is the background noise of EVERYTHING we do.  It is being listened to at almost every hour of the day in some part of my house by someone.  I have yet to brush my teeth in the last 9 days without listening to it.  I haven't driven my van anywhere in the last 9 days without listening to it.  My children have not surfed the internet (do people even still use that expression?) in the last 9 days without listening to it.  They have not drawn or colored a picture or eaten lunch or played with dolls or gone to sleep in the last 9 days without listening to it.

Last night, at 11:30 PM as I was making my usual rounds to make sure everything was all tucked away in my house before I went to bed, I could see a light on under Zac's bedroom door and I could hear talking.  I was so mad because I had ordered my children to bed an hour earlier.  I opened the door ready to yell at people and tell them to go to sleep.  What did I find when I opened the door?  Zac sitting at his desk working on his latest wood carving project.  Emily was sitting in his chair with the computer on her lap.  And the talking I heard?  That was the Book of Mormon playing on the computer.  And instead of yelling, I said a little pray of gratitude in my heart.

So if you were to ask me how our 30 challenge is going, I would have to say it is going Imperfectly PERFECT!

To read or listen to the Book of Mormon online click here.

To download the free app, click here.

The request a free copy click here.  Or you can ask me and I will send you one.

To find out more about the book click here.

Please Read This Post And Find Out Why My Summer Has Been Incomplete

So, this is how it is.  We have been livin' it up big time this summer.  BIG TIME!  We have had a blast.  We have been running from one awesome fun thing to the next.  All.  Summer.  Long.  We have grown closer together as a family.  We have made some pretty epic memories.  I'm feelin' pretty good in regards to the fact that I have given my children an "Awesomely Epic Summer of Fun to Remember and Cherish Their Whole Lives Through".

But it feels incomplete.

I read this the other day:

"You are here on earth for a divine purpose.  It is not to be endlessly entertained or to be constantly in full pursuit of pleasure.  You are here to be tried, to prove yourself so that you can receive the additional blessings God has for you."  -Richard G. Scott   (click here to read it in it's entirety)

And it made me think.  About our Epic Summer of fun.

Then I stopped by a friends house last night and ended up having a little chat with her.  She was telling me how much unfun it is to have her younger children in school right now, while her older ones are still enjoying their summer vacation.  You see, our Elementary School just switched to year round and the first track started last week.  My two youngest should have started school last week.  But they didn't.  At the end of the school year last spring, I was ready to either pull my kids out of school and home school them or pray that they got into this really awesome Charter School we were trying to get into.  Well, Heavenly Father must have known I couldn't handle home school very well, because all 3 of my girls got in!  (it doesn't include High School so poor Zac has to go to regular old school)  Anyhoo, it made me feel so grateful that I still have my kids home for 3 more weeks.  Because, like I said, our summer was incomplete.

Ever since I read that quote from Elder Scott, I have been trying to formulate a plan to add a little depth to our "Awesomely Epic Summer of Fun to Remember and Cherish Our Whole Lives Through".  Then today I found myself in the middle of an amusement/water park that we have season tickets to this year.  And a little part of me wanted to take my children and run right out of there, never to return.  Now!  I had to formulate something NOW!

So, I did.

My children do not know this yet, because half of them have not been here today.  But by tomorrow, they will be all informed.  I am challenging my family to read the Book of Mormon in 30 days, starting August 1st!  I'm a little nervous, I have to say.   But I'm more excited than nervous.  This is not an impossible task.  Have you looked at a Book of Mormon lately?  It's not that long.  531 pages, in which half of the page is footnotes.  I've read books with more pages than that in less than 30 days.

Just listen to this:

"There is a power in the Book of Mormon which will begin to flow into your lives the moment you begin a serious study of the book.  You will find greater power to resist temptation.  You will find the power to avoid deception.  You will find the power to stay on the straight and narrow path."  -Ezra Taft Benson 

"Without reservation I promise you that if each of you will observe this simple program, regardless of how many times you previously may have read the Book of Mormon, there will come into your lives and into your homes an added measure of the Spirit of the Lord, a strengthened resolution to walk in obedience to His commandments, and a stronger testimony of the living reality of the Son of God."  -Gordon B. Hinckley

Ummm...I can't think of a better way to end our summer and prepare my kids to go back to school than this.

I have read the Book of Mormon many times.  I know, without any doubt, that it is a true book.  And I know that the promises made above are also true.  I have felt it's power working in my life many times as I have read it.  I have felt it bless my family as we have read it together.  If you are reading this and you don't know what the Book of Mormon is, give it a try!  Read it and then draw your own conclusions.  The end of the book has this promise:

"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.  And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things."  Moroni 10:4-5.

At the end of this post I'm including a 30 day reading schedule I found online.  Just in case any of you would like to join me.  If you have a smart phone and have the free LDS Gospel Library app downloaded, it will actually read the book to you.  Wherever you are.  How handy is that?  It will also do that if you read it online by clicking here.  If you don't own a copy of the book you can request a free copy by clicking here.  Or, you can just ask me and I will send you one, no strings attached.  To find out more about just exactly what the Book of Mormon is, click here.

"I opened it with eagerness, and read its title page.  I then read the testimony of several witnesses in relation to the manner of its being found and translated.  After this I commenced its contents by course.  I read all day; eating was a burden, I had no desire for food; sleep was a burden when the night came, for I preferred reading to sleep.  As I read, the spirit of the Lord was upon me, and I knew and comprehended that the book was true." -Parley P. Pratt