
THE MOST CORRECT BOOK
I was raised Roman Catholic. Attending church, seminary and holy days of obligation, were all expected. My mother sang in the choir and my dad was a member of the Knights of Columbus, an organization of lay members that assisted the congregation or parish. I served as an altar boy when young and learned the mass liturgy in Latin. I was schooled by nuns and directed in spiritual things by priests. For many years, I toyed with the idea of becoming a priest myself and attending Catholic theological school. I do not begrudge those early years of spiritual training but I had nagging, soulful questions that could never be answered to my satisfaction.
Where did we come from? Why were we here on this earth? Where are we going when this life is over? What is God really like? Is there only heaven or hell? What about the myriads of people that merit rewards somewhere in between? If we are God's children and we have a Heavenly Father, how can we have such a Father, without a Heavenly Mother? Why are infants baptized, even though it is not mentioned in the Bible? Can infants sin? What about all the billions and billions of people who have lived and died and never heard of God? Are they consigned to Hell just because they did not know Christ? Is that fair? And on and on.
I was given answers to some of these questions, but most of the answers made no sense and seemed like confusing double talk. Other questions were not answered at all but instead I was instructed that I must accept some things on faith and that if the answer was given me, I would not understand it because it required that I attend theological school first. I wondered about surface things too, like, why did I hardly ever see a happy nun? They all seemed like grumps, bothered that kids had to be watched. Why did the priests, play cards and get drunk some Friday nights with the the Knights of Columbus?
The more I questioned, the more I was side stepped. After awhile, I just kept the questions to myself. Fine, I thought. If this is all there is to religion, I want no part of it. I came late to meetings and left early. As soon as I was old enough to be on my own, I left home and religion, far behind me.
Fast forward to 1973. I've been in the military seven years, returned from Vietnam and married a Mormon girl. We have a two year old daughter. My wife is off shopping with her. I'm alone, watching a football game at our home and two Mormon missionaries knock on our door. I answer and invite them in. After all, by then, I've been around the Latter-day-Saints for three years. I've been to their Church a few times, to keep peace at home, I've gone to ward socials and my in-laws are LDS and great people. We have home teachers who are our friends. The Church doctrine has been mentioned superficially, but no one has really pressed the issue. I'm now 27 years old. The Elders are not really elder, but actually a little younger than I am.
Later, I discover that my wife, Jean, has sent them over to visit with me and that this visit is not accidental at all. But, at first, we talk about football. They are kind and well mannered, easy to like. Soon the topic shifts to the Church. I ask questions, they answer and show me scriptural passages that back up what they say. After about a hour they tell me they must leave. They ask if I would read from their pamphlets and a few passages from the Book of Mormon. Seems reasonable and I agree. Could we have a word of prayer before they depart? Surely, I say. They pray for me and my family and the prayer is direct and sincere. I am fascinated by their demeanor and knowledge. They leave. I try to get interested in the football game again but can't. I start to read what they told me and finish it, even the Book of Mormon passages.
I was so enthralled by the Book of Mormon that I began from the front of book and was almost done with the first chapter, when my wife and daughter came home. I told my wife that the Elders had been over and that I was very surprised at the feeling that had come over me while they were there and after they left. She was very happy at my reaction and confessed that she had asked them to come. I began asking her questions about the Church. Some she could answer, others she deferred to other people, her father, our home teachers or even the local leaders. I further discovered that Jean had quite a library of Church books but that a deep understanding of the Book of Mormon was essential in conjunction with fasting and prayer.
Before we went to sleep that night, instead of watching TV together, as we usually did, we read from the Book of Mormon. She would read a chapter and I would read a chapter. After I had read for the third time, I looked over at her and she was asleep. I had to be up early in the morning but it didn't matter, I kept reading. I was about a third of the way through the Book before I finally went to bed.
That day, something happened to me and I have never been the same since. I had really known next to nothing about the Mormons as a boy. I heard something about Brigham Young, that he was a pioneer and had many wives. More than that, I didn't know and that actually was to my benefit, for if I had preconceived notions about the Book of Mormon, they would have colored my thoughts and slowed my spiritual progress.
Every day, after that, I read a little more, studied a little harder and asked myself, "Could a man have written this book?" Absolutely not. After many days of prayer and study I was eventually baptized by my home teacher in October of 1973. I served several stake missions after that and had the opportunity to teach many others about that Book of books. Even today, I read a chapter every morning from it's pages and I am reminded of it's great worth. Joseph Smith said that it was the "most correct book and a keystone of our religion and a man could get nearer to God by abiding by it's precepts than by any other book." I know it is true.
1 Comments:
Wow Daddy! You sure do have a way with words. I am sharing this with Alex and sending it to Chris this week too. I love your stories. I will be reading more of them soon!
Love, Suzy
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