Dear Friends and Neighbors:
Wanna
read a good book? Try the Book of Mormon—it’s the best of all current
books! It may not be on
the top 10 best seller list but it is on the top of the top reader’s
list. You’ll like it! You can be one of the top readers too! Read
Sister Taylor’s recent experience with sharing the Book!
George & Debbie Taylor
The First Time I Have Seen
And Touched This Book!
During
the Open House of the new Missionary Training Center we had the wonderful
opportunity of escorting the Catholic Bishop of a very large diocese here in
Manila. He lingered with us for two
hours or more. The Bishop’s personal responsibility
is to serve over one and one half million members! What a challenge for him! Just think how it would be for our bishop to
try to help so many! We have now escorted two Catholic bishops through the
MTC—both men gracious and appreciative!
This
dear man asked why he was honored to receive an invitation to the Open House.
He was sincerely interested in learning about the Church; he asked many questions.
The President and I explained that Jesus
Christ is our Lord and our Savior; He invites all to “Come unto Him.”
“Who
is Joseph Smith?” He asked.
“He
is a prophet of the Latter-Days like was Moses of earlier days of old. Joseph saw and spoke with God the Father and
Jesus Christ. He was told the location of the ancient record of the Savior’s visit
to the America’s after His resurrection. Because of Joseph Smith we have
“Another Testament of Christ,” The Book of Mormon.
As
we walked down the hall we came to the table where was laid a copy of the Book
of Mormon translated into Tagalog. The Bishop stood before the book gently
touching the cover and said, “This is the first time I have ever seen or
touched this book!” He stood reverently for what seemed a long time. I was
moved by his sincerity and the value he showed for “The Book of Mormon.”
I
wondered if I appreciated the book as he appeared to appreciate it. Do I take it for granted because I have known
about it for so many years? We have many
copies sitting on our shelves in our MTC storage room. We provide a copy to each missionary to give
to other interested persons.
As
I was thinking, I remembered Joseph Smith’s history; I tried to imagine his
excitement as he was told about the sacred plates and then actually seeing them
after he had pried away the stone. It
was difficult for him to refrain from touching and holding them. Even now, I can feel his disappointment as he
was forbidden to touch them until four years would pass away. What a test of
obedience and patience!
This
experience made me think of the similarity between the Bishop and Joseph Smith.
I
asked the Bishop if he wanted to have a copy. His face lit up and responded,
“Oh yes, May I? I want to read it and put it in our library!” I asked him which
language he would prefer, “English or Tagalog?” He said that most of the
Bishops read Tagalog. “Would you like an English book also?” I asked. “That would be wonderful, because the English
copy can be for me and the Tagalog copy can be for the library. I’m sure the
other Bishops will be interested in reading it.”
As
he was leaving the Open House I asked if he would read my favorite passages
about the Savior’s visit to the people after His resurrection. “I love that
part in the Book; I always feel the Savior’s nearness to me. I know that you will too!” I testified of its
truth.
I
am thankful for this moment we had to remember the great worth of “The Book of
Mormon” and the privilege of seeing, holding, and reading it’s inspiring words.
(1 Nephi 19:7; 2 Nephi 33:2).
Debra S. Taylor
March
5, 2012
