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This Day
By Elder Ronald A. Rasband

Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Our living prophet is doing his part to flood the earth with the Book of Mormon. We must follow his lead.

My dear brothers and sisters, in the Book of Mormon the phrase “this day”1 is used repeatedly to call attention to counsel, promises, and teachings. King Benjamin, in his final address, admonished the people, “Hear my words which I shall speak unto you this day; … open your ears that ye may hear, and your hearts that ye may understand, and your minds that the mysteries of God may be unfolded to your view.”2 General conference is a similar setting. We come to hear counsel for “this day,” that we may be “true at all times”3 to the Lord and His gospel. Pressing upon me “this day” is the importance of renewing our commitment to the Book of Mormon, which Joseph Smith called “the most correct of any book on earth.”4

Ronald A. Rasband's Book of Mormon
I hold in my hand a copy of the Book of Mormon. This is my 1970 vintage edition, and it is precious to me. By its appearance it is tired and worn, but no other book is as important to my life and my testimony as this one. Reading it, I gained a witness by the Spirit that Jesus Christ is the Son of God,5 that He is my Savior,6 that these scriptures are the word of God,7 and that the gospel is restored.8 Those truths rest deep within me. As the prophet Nephi said, “My soul delighteth in the things of the Lord.”9

Elder Rasband with Mission President and Elder Hanks
Left to right: Elder Ronald A. Rasband, young missionary; President Harold Wilkinson, president of the Eastern States Mission; and Elder Marion D. Hanks, General Authority Seventy.

Here is the back story. As a young missionary, I took the counsel of Elder Marion D. Hanks, who visited us in the Eastern States Mission. He was the former president of the British Mission, and two of his missionaries are on the stand this day: my dear Brethren Elder Jeffrey R. Holland and Elder Quentin L. Cook.10 Just as with his missionaries in England, he challenged us to read an unmarked copy of the Book of Mormon at least two times. I took up the task. The first reading I was to mark or underline everything that pointed to or testified of Jesus Christ. I used a red pencil, and I underlined many passages. The second time, Elder Hanks said to highlight principles and doctrine of the gospel, and this time I used blue to mark the scriptures. I read the Book of Mormon twice, as suggested, and then two more times, using yellow and black to mark passages that stood out to me.11 As you can see, I made many notations.

Ronald A. Rasband's Book of Mormon
There was much more to my reading than just marking scriptures. With each reading of the Book of Mormon, front to back, I was filled with a profound love for the Lord. I felt a deeply rooted witness of the truth of His teachings and how they apply to “this day.” This book fits its title, “Another Testament of Jesus Christ.”12 With that study and the spiritual witness that was received, I became a Book of Mormon missionary and a disciple of Jesus Christ.13

“This day,” one of the greatest missionaries of the Book of Mormon is President Russell M. Nelson. When he was a newly called Apostle, he gave a lecture in Accra, Ghana.14 In attendance were dignitaries, including an African tribal king, with whom he spoke through an interpreter. The king was a serious student of the Bible and loved the Lord. Following President Nelson’s remarks, he was approached by that king, who asked in perfect English, “Just who are you?” President Nelson explained that he was an ordained Apostle of Jesus Christ.15 The king’s next question was “What can you teach me about Jesus Christ?”16

The Book of Mormon - Another Testament of Jesus Christ
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Modern Day Temples - https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/library/videos/

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This video was created by Kelly Egan.

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