My Priceless Companion

By Kyoko Karita Take

I carried copies of the Book of Mormon in a shoulder bag. Its weight reminded me that I was a Latter-day Saint with something important to share.

Since my early school days, I have had a strong interest in religion. I attended a variety of church services and listened to many different sermons. When I was in junior high school, I began searching for a true church and praying earnestly that I might be led to one.

One afternoon, a friend came into my classroom carrying a copy of the Book of Mormon in his hand. I was curious about the picture on the front cover showing someone blowing a horn, and I asked my friend, “Who is that in the picture?” That was how I began to learn about the Church. I was baptized soon afterwards.

The Book of Mormon became priceless to me, just as it is to many others throughout the world. To me, it was not just an ordinary book; I found it gave me great strength.

I always carried it with me so I could read it whenever I wanted to. After a while, I realized that many people around me needed the Lord’s words, just as I did.

Sometimes the Spirit prompted me to talk to a particular person. When that happened, I prayed to know what to say, and then I said it. Since this happened quite frequently, I decided to carry an extra copy of the Book of Mormon with me to give away. Soon I realized that one copy was not always enough, so I started to carry two copies.

Frustrating my mother’s wish to see me grow up as a charming young lady carrying a small purse on my arm, I began to carry copies of the Book of Mormon in a shoulder bag instead. The weight of the bag reminded me that I was a Latter-day Saint with something important to share. When I was tired, I tried to do my missionary work more quickly to lighten my load.

When I told others how important the Book of Mormon was to me and what a great joy it was for me to share it, they usually accepted a copy. They may not have read it right away, but I hoped that they would eventually stop to ask themselves about the purpose of life and that they would remember my testimony and read the book.

Whenever I give someone a copy of the Book of Mormon, I always try to imagine the recipient’s expression when he or she discovers that the book is a second witness of Jesus Christ and contains his teachings, including the plan of salvation and our Heavenly Father’s love for us.

Once in a while I go to the local Church distribution center and buy ten copies of the Book of Mormon. As I travel home, there is always someone on the train who says to me, “Your package seems heavy. I’ll hold it on my lap for you.” Whenever that happens, I always present a copy of the Book of Mormon to him as a token of my appreciation. At the same time, I bear my testimony that the book comes from God and I tell him how important it is to me. On one occasion, another passenger sitting next to the person holding my package watched what went on. He also offered to help, and I gave him a Book of Mormon, too.

The Book of Mormon is truly my priceless companion.

• Kyoko Karita Take, who served as a full-time missionary in the Tokyo North Mission, has been serving as a Sunday School teacher in the Taipei Fifth Ward, Taipei Taiwan West Stake.

Illustrated by Howard Lyon