Drawing on the Power of the Book of Mormon in our Daily Lives

As a forester working on Mount Makiling during the 1990s and early 2000s, I learned the indispensable value of using both a map and a compass to plan and carry out expeditions. These tools helped me discover and protect the forest from harm. In much the same way, I have relied on the Book of Mormon to guide me through my spiritual journey and the challenges of life.

That journey began when the Book of Mormon became the instrument that led to my parents’ conversion to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Pagadian City, Mindanao, on June 7, 1970. I was just four years old. When I turned eight, my father baptized me, marking the beginning of my own covenant path. Throughout my childhood, my journey was intertwined with my parents’ as they raised us in the gospel. They taught us—by word and example—the importance of the Sabbath, the sacrament, tithing, priesthood blessings, and regular scripture study.

As a young seminary student, I learned a valuable lesson: just as one cannot fully understand the taste of salt without tasting it, one cannot fully grasp the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon without reading, pondering, and praying about it. When I completed the Book of Mormon for the first time, I was struck by the cycle of righteousness and wickedness among the people and the eventual destruction of the Nephites. I resolved then to strive for righteousness and to practice repentance in my youth.

My testimony of God and love for the Book of Mormon deepened when I received my patriarchal blessing at age 15. Although I had only met the patriarch that day, I felt as if he knew me intimately. His inspired counsel gave me a clear path to follow and confirmed that God knew me personally. That path included letting the word of God dwell in me richly by loving the scriptures.

This counsel became a spiritual anchor when, at 16, I left home to attend college in Los Baños, Laguna. Living far from family and surrounded by few Church members, I found strength in my daily habit of reading the Book of Mormon. It fortified my testimony, helped me excel in my studies, and strengthened my desire to serve a full-time mission after graduation.

Early in my mission, I realized that everything we teach and believe as Latter-day Saints is rooted in the Book of Mormon. From that moment, I resolved to champion it at every opportunity.

One such opportunity came unexpectedly. My companion and I were once “trapped” in a room surrounded by ministers from another church who were trying to discredit our teachings. We refused to contend with them and silently prayed for a way to escape. Then, a seminary lesson came to mind. I asked them, “How would you describe the taste of salt to someone who has never tasted it?” Some tried but could not do so, until one finally said, “It’s simple—just taste it!” I then held up my copy of the Book of Mormon and asked, “Has any of you read this book?” No one raised their hand or responded in the affirmative. Only silence ensued. That gave us the opportunity to bear our testimonies and invite them to read it for themselves. The encounter ended peacefully, and word of it spread in the community, opening doors that had previously been closed to us.

I love the Book of Mormon. It is the foundation and keystone of my testimony of Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, and the truthfulness of His gospel. It is my personal witness that the Prophet Joseph Smith was truly called of God and that the Church of Jesus Christ has been restored in these latter days. For over 40 years now, I have strived and continue to strive to read the Book of Mormon daily. Living its teachings has drawn me closer to God and strengthened me in my roles as a husband, father, Church leader, and disciple of Christ.

I invite everyone to draw on the power of the Book of Mormon to make the greatest difference in our daily lives. Let us love reading and studying it each day. I echo President Russell M. Nelson’s promise:

“As [we] prayerfully study the Book of Mormon every day, [we] will make better decisions—every day. ... As [we] ponder what [we] study, the windows of heaven will open, and [we] will receive answers to [our] own questions and direction for [our] own life.”

Let us, through the Book of Mormon, “feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell [us] all things what [we] should do” (2 Nephi 32:3). And “if [we] shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, saith the Father: [We] shall have eternal life” (2 Nephi 31:20).