Our Book of Mormon Journey

For the sake of our family history, I need to document a goal we are working on.

Mid-April we decided during family council to read the Book of Mormon one more time as a family before Brandon leaves to college the end of August. This would require reading about two chapters per day. We decided that we would read around dinner time, either during or right after. Dan made a chart which shows where we should be reading each day and included some "free" days, on which we could catch up or take a break if we needed it. We each take turns reading a column. We recognized that Joseph is not going to understand all of what we are reading, so we ask him to be in the room and we stop to explain stories when we can. Later we try to show him the same stories in his little scripture readers. As we read, occasionally Joseph tries to pick out words he knows from the text. More often he crawls around on the floor, colors, or performs Superhero maneuvers.
For better or worse, as a family we do best when we have a time-specific scripture goal. A number of times in the past we have responded to a challenge to read the Book of Mormon by a certain date. Sometimes the challenges have come from the prophet or our bishop and sometimes we have set our own goal. Sometimes we have made big charts to mark off our progress. Sometimes we have had a cool family prize at the end of the goal. At times the little kids have acted out the stories as we read, sometimes we have used study guides to help us understand difficult passages better. It has been a sweet experience to complete the goals and better understand the greatness of the Book of Mormon. The underlying theme running through the times we have been a successful scripture reading family is a very specific, timed goal which we are tracking.

What is much harder for us is remembering to read on a daily basis when we aren't responding to a specific challenge. Maybe it's unrealistic, but it seems to be that we SHOULD be able to do this. It isn't that we don't like to read (most of us) or that we don't value scripture reading. There is just ALWAYS a reason not to read on any particular day. Someone is sick, someone is ornery and refusing to participate, someone is gone, we're tired, it's getting late, American Idol is on TV, someone has homework to do, we just want to talk, someone didn't finish their chores, etc. We have tried different techniques for reading other than setting a time-specific challenge, such as reading scriptures topically (choosing a topic we want to explore and then reading a little bit every night) or reading favorite scripture stories and discussing them. This is always great, but we can't seem to maintain our steam when we read this way. We read faithfully UNTIL there is a reason not to . . .

What I need to record, so that I remember it next time, is that the efforts to read together as a family rarely result in immediate warm and fuzzy feelings. At least that is true for us. I have to have faith that the blessings will come, because this is what a typical scripture reading session sounds like at our house:

Mom or Dad: "Time for scriptures!"

Children (all or some): "Groan, whine, But I have homework!'"

At least 75% of the time one child refuses to read for some reason, often because he or she is in a bad mood. At least 50% of the time someone falls asleep. Many times children argue in between reading their columns of scripture. So far, we have missed reading about two days a week, despite our best efforts. Right now, according to our schedule, we are supposed to be starting Alma. Instead, we just finished off King Noah in Mosiah.

I have always liked this quote by Marion G. Romney:

“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”

I don't know why we don't see the fulfillment of these blessings immediately in our home most of the time. I do believe that this promise is fulfilled over the long-term, but it is sometimes hard to see this minute by minute. There is still contention in our home, children are not always submissive, and Dan and I aren't always counseling with love and wisdom. Lately, peacefulness in our home seems to be a great challenge.

I really love the scriptures, especially the Book of Mormon. Every time I read this inspired book I love it more. Day to day, I don't always see the immediate benefits of the herculean efforts to read together as a family. When I step back and gain more perspective, I can see that there have been and (hopefully) will continue to be seeds planted, testimonies strengthened, lessons learned, relationships strengthened. I try really hard to show my kids how much I love the scriptures, and I know that our family has been blessed by our efforts to read.

It is not just that the Book of Mormon teaches us truth, though it indeed does that. It is not just that the Book of Mormon bears testimony of Christ, though it indeed does that, too. But there is something more. There is a power in the book 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 strait and narrow path. The scriptures are called “the words of life” (D&C 84:85), and nowhere is that more true than it is of the Book of Mormon. When you begin to hunger and thirst after those words, you will find life in greater and greater abundance.
President Ezra Taft Benson