The Power in the Book

Elder LeGrand R. Curtis Jr. of the Seventy gave a talk titled "There is Power in the Book," with "the Book" referring to the Book of Mormon. However, is he gave examples of people's experiences with the Book of Mormon, I gained an understanding of why others might be wary about the power in the book.

Most of those that Elder Curtis described felt compelled to read the book. Many of them couldn't put it down. The book was also very convincing, and it often filled its readers with powerful emotions.

Fortunately, the emotion the Book of Mormon most frequently fills people with is joy. Being convincing isn't a bad thing because the book is true (or at least, I believe it's true, perhaps because I've read it). And those who have felt compelled to read the Book of Mormon have had their lives change for the better as a result of that. The Book of Mormon is a good, but powerful, book.

Though, if one didn't think the Book of Mormon was good, I can see why they might be worried about it. Elder Curtis told the conversion story of Nicholas Ofosu-Hene, who spotted a Book of Mormon but tried to ignore it because "he had been told that it was evil." However, he found the book impossible to ignore. "He felt strangely attracted to it." Eventually, "he picked it up [and] felt impelled to start reading it." If I believed that a book could be cursed or possessed or evil, and I heard this account, I might suspect that this book was.

But as Jesus said, "ye shall know them by their fruits." While the power of the Book of Mormon can seem intimidating, it is a good power:

President Ezra Taft Benson taught: “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.”

Resisting temptation, avoiding deception, and staying on the strait and narrow path are all very good things. I could use that kind of power. Far from being afraid of this power, we should seek it and learn to draw upon it.

Elder Curtis said "The greatest power of the Book of Mormon is its impact in bringing us closer to Jesus Christ." Now, that impact might be a bit stronger than some people are entirely comfortable with, but it's not that strong on everyone, and for those whom the Book of Mormon does effect strongly, it proves to be a great blessing in their lives. The power of the Book of Mormon is a good thing, though I must admit that the book can seem frightfully powerful.