truth

I am finally getting around to posting a few thoughts swirling around my head regarding the past general conference meeting of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, held the first weekend of October.  As you may know, I love general conference and eagerly look forward to hearing from our prophet, the apostles, and other general authorities of the church.  There is always at least one talk that deeply touches my soul, one talk that urges me to do a little better, one talk that reminds me of who I am and of my purpose, and one talk that speaks directly to my heart of the undeniable truth and validity of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ and all it encompasses.  My testimony is always strengthened as I listen to the testimonies of others as they bear personal witness of the Savior, the restoration, a living prophet, and the Book of Mormon.

Elder Callister's talk immediately peeked my attention because of its wisdom, intellect, and strength of testimony regarding the Book of Mormon.  It also followed two of the most beautiful messages of the conference, given by Henry B. Eyring and Robert D. Hales.


Indeed, I was taught and inspired by all the messages, but will never forget Elder Callister's powerful testimony of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon.  He is right when he notes that there is no middle ground concerning this book, it truly is the word of God . . .

 "That is the genius of the Book of Mormon—there is no middle ground. It is either the word of God as professed, or it is a total fraud. This book does not merely claim to be a moral treatise or theological commentary or collection of insightful writings. It claims to be the word of God—every sentence, every verse, every page. Joseph Smith declared that an angel of God directed him to gold plates, which contained the writings of prophets in ancient America, and that he translated those plates by divine powers. If that story is true, then the Book of Mormon is holy scripture, just as it professes to be; if not, it is a sophisticated but, nonetheless, diabolical hoax." 

- Tad Callister