My Bishop’s Book of Mormon Challenge

By Travis Howell

Line upon line, precept upon precept, the Book of Mormon became part of who I was and what I believed.

Illustrations by David Miles

When I was 11 years old, my bishop invited me and a few other young men my age to meet with him to discuss our responsibilities once we received the priesthood. He also shared with us his testimony of the Book of Mormon and made a request. I had no idea how much of an influence his words would have on my life.

Our bishop invited us to read the entire Book of Mormon five times before we served our missions. We would have about eight years to complete the task. It seemed daunting, given that I didn’t really enjoy reading, especially not text as difficult as scripture. Yet, for reasons I cannot remember or fully explain, my 11-year-old mind decided to take this challenge seriously. I started that night by reading chapter 1 of 1 Nephi.

I didn’t understand much of the chapter, but I had a feeling that I was doing the right thing. The next day I read another chapter, and although I still didn’t understand all of Nephi’s words, I had that same feeling.

As time went on, I read a little bit of the Book of Mormon every day. Later that year, I closed the book after reading Moroni 10 and beamed with a sense of accomplishment. The next time I saw my bishop, I told him with excitement that I had finished reading the entire Book of Mormon. He smiled and commended my efforts but then said, “Don’t forget—you still need to read it four more times before you leave on your mission!”

Later that night, I picked up the Book of Mormon again and flipped through the pages. It had taken me a long time to read it. Would it take me as long the second time? Was it worth it? As I pondered, I turned to 1 Nephi chapter 1. I started reading the first few verses, and the Spirit again confirmed to me that this was the right thing to do. So, I read on. This was the turning point for me where scripture study became a habit rather than a one-time goal.

Over the next several months, the stories seemed more familiar and made more sense. I recognized several meaningful verses from the first time I read it, and I highlighted them. When someone taught from the Book of Mormon at church, I started to recognize some stories and teachings.

As I read, the book slowly changed me. Line upon line, precept upon precept, I started to understand and draw closer to the Savior. The teachings from the Book of Mormon became a part of who I was and what I believed. I continued reading the Book of Mormon over the next several years, and each time I finished reading Moroni 10, I put a tally mark on the inside cover of my book.

Eventually, the time came when I received my mission call. After celebrating with family and friends, I found some time alone and opened the inside cover of my Book of Mormon. I had accomplished my goal. More importantly, however, I had come to know my Savior.

Lessons Learned

Since returning from my mission, I’ve reflected on my bishop’s Book of Mormon challenge. It has taught me three important lessons.

First, I learned that sometimes it takes more than one reading to gain a witness that the Book of Mormon is true. I’ve heard many stories of people who read the Book of Mormon for the first time and had an overwhelming spiritual experience confirming that the book is true. For me, it was different. It took years of diligent reading. My testimony of the Savior didn’t come in one reading of the Book of Mormon; rather, it came line upon line, precept upon precept over time.

Second, I learned that we need to keep offering invitations to others, even if it seems like no one is listening. As a youth, I am sure I received hundreds of invitations from youth leaders, bishops, parents, seminary teachers, and others. The vast majority went in one ear and out the other. But for whatever reason, I decided to take this one invitation from my bishop seriously, and that one invitation was the key to my gaining a personal testimony. It is crucial that we (as leaders, parents, friends) continue to invite. The next invitation we give might be the one that will make all the difference for someone we teach.

Third, I am confident that no matter our children’s ages, they can feel the Holy Spirit as they read or hear the Book of Mormon, even if they don’t understand its words. One of my greatest desires for my children is for them to read the Book of Mormon and learn its teachings of the Savior. When I fear for my children’s future, I take courage knowing that the Book of Mormon is an iron rod that will guide them along the path to eternal life.

My experience with the Book of Mormon is consistent with Joseph Smith’s promise found in the book’s introduction. I grew “nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book.” The Spirit has testified to me that this promise is true.

The author lives in Arizona, USA.