#LightTheWorld - A Testimony of the Book of Mormon

While serving as a missionary of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Fukuoka Japan during 1985-86, I was assigned to a suburb of Fukuoka, in an area known as Ijiri.  I was serving as a zone leader when they asked me to speak and bear testimony at a fireside for new or investigating members.  

Pondering what I might say, I knelt down and prayed, asking the Lord for help.  I was timid about it, that while conversant, my Japanese was certainly not the best.  I had spent 9 months previously working in the mission home as Financial Secretary, and speaking opportunities were not quite as abundant.  As I knelt to pray, I saw a picture in my mind of the Japanese Book of Mormon.

Japanese Book of Mormon

 I had a very distinct feeling that I should testify of it, and when I finished my prayer, got up to write down a few thoughts, so that I could remember what I needed to say.  As I began to write, a very distinct impression came to me and a voice which said, "A testimony comes from the heart, not a piece of paper" to which I replied, "but you're not giving it in Japanese".  However I knew if I trusted in the Lord that when the time came, I could speak.

A few days came and the meeting started, and my turn came to speak, I held the book in my hand and began to testify of its truthfulness. (It of course fit in one hand, mine are pretty large!) I felt the words flow from my mouth in a manner that I never had before and spirit guided me in the words that I should say. My companion later remarked to me that he had never heard me speak like that before and a few weeks later, during a testimony meeting, a member commented how she had been in that meeting, heard the testimony and had chosen to read the book again.

More important, I was reminded how the book is true.  How I love it's teaching as it is another testimony of the Savior, Jesus Christ and that by reading it, we become closer to him and our Heavenly Father.  As we do so, the Holy Ghost will testify to you of its truthfulness, to which I testify, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.