Flooding the Earth with the Book of Mormon

By President Ezra Taft Benson

(Adapted from an October 1988 general conference address. See Ensign, November 1988, pages 4–6.)

And they shall remain under this condemnation until they repent and remember the new covenant, even the Book of Mormon … , not only to say, but to do according to that which I have written (D&C 84:57).

This has been a landmark year in the history of the Church in the use of the keystone of our religion—the Book of Mormon. We commend that vast number of faithful Saints who individually and as families are changing their lives through the daily reading of the Book of Mormon. We all need to read daily from its pages.

Now, my good Saints, we have a great work to perform in a very short time. We must flood the earth with the Book of Mormon—and get out from under God’s condemnation for having treated it lightly. (See D&C 84:54–58.)

I challenge the members of the Church to participate in the family-to-family Book of Mormon program—to send copies of the Book of Mormon on a mission for you. Sister Benson and I have been doing this for some time now, and we intend to do more.

I challenge owners of cassette players to play Book of Mormon cassettes from time to time and to listen to them at home and while walking, jogging, or driving.

I challenge the homes of Israel to display on their walls great quotations and pictures of scenes from the Book of Mormon.

I challenge all of us to prayerfully consider steps that we can personally take to bring this new witness for Christ more fully into our own lives and into a world that so desperately needs it.

My beloved Saints, I am now entering my ninetieth year. I do not know fully why God has preserved my life to this age, but I do know this: That for the present hour He has revealed to me the absolute need for us to move the Book of Mormon forward now in a marvelous manner. You must help with this burden and with this blessing which He has placed on the whole Church, even all the children of Zion.

Photo by Philip Shurtleff