This week was so crazy different. Sunday night I crashed about 9:30 (the whole mission, at president's suggestion) because on Monday, at 8:15, as a mission we started a fast and then all day Monday, all Monday night (yes, after 10:30) and all day on Tuesday, all the missionaries in the Nevada Las Vegas Mission read the Book of Mormon cover to cover. How neat and wonderful this experience was.
I want to share one special insight from reading the Book of Mormon. One thing we often teach about is that God is our Loving Heavenly Father. My testimony, after reading the Book of Mormon this time, is that if God really loves us, he wouldn't give us just one book to help us return and live with him again. Think about it, if this is so important, wouldn't God give us more than one witness? I also thought about the Great Apostasy, where so many of the plain and precious truths of the gospel were lost and now there are so many debated doctrines. Another reason we have the book of Mormon is because "that which shall be written by the fruit of thy loins (the Book of Mormon) and that which shall be written by the fruit of the loins of Judah (Bible) shall grow together unto the confounding of false doctrines and laying down of contentions." How I have come to love the Book of Mormon over the past year, and the past week!!!!
I am so thankful for all these things, and I am so thankful for the chance to hear from my prophet and the Lord's chosen leaders this weekend at conference. I look forward to being taught from on high as we hear these inspired words.
To those who might read these letters, I have a request. I know some of you are members of the Church, some of you are not very active, and some of you are non members. at the conclusion of reading the Book of Mormon, we were asked to reapply the promise at the end of the book of Mormon. The promise that if we ask God, in faith, with real intent, and with a sincere heart that the Holy Ghost will tell us the book is true. If the book is true, Joseph Smith is a true prophet. If he was a true prophet, then the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the only true and living Church on the earth. This claim is either true or it is not. If it's true, then this is the most important message in the world. I testify, this is true, and it is the most important message in the world. Find out for yourself. Even if you already know it's true, reapply the promise, it will only strengthen your testimony of Jesus Christ.
Elder Hitchcock
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