The Book of Mormon Is True

By McKenzie Morash

     I was born into, and grew up in, the Church.  I always believed that the Book of Mormon was the Word of God, but I didn't have my own testimony that it was true (I "lived off of" the testimonies of my parents and church family).  When I was about ten years old, I still hadn't read the whole book.  The same year, Mark and Paula Churchill came to North Platte as visiting ministry, and they brought with them the newly-finished pocket Books of Mormon.  I thought they were cool and thought about getting one.  Before they headed back home to Missouri, Mark gave me and each of my sisters a copy.  He said, "I'll give these to you for free, but you have to promise me that you'll read it."  I thought for a few seconds before accepting, because I knew what making a promise meant.  I had tried reading through the Bible several times before, but I never made it through Leviticus (later, I discovered the huge difference between studying the Scriptures and just reading them).  But, I had made a promise, so I determined to read the whole book by reading at least one chapter every night.
     I started reading, expecting ot have a similar experience to the experiences I had with Leviticus.  I was very wrong!  Ten-year-old me had never had a book become so real, so sweet, and plain before!  It wasn't hard for me to read faithfully one chapter every night, and before long I was reading more than one chapter, and whenever I had spare time during the day.  My testimony of the truth of the Book of Mormon came one of those days when I had some spare time to read.  When I sat down and picked up my Book of Mormon, I felt the Spirit with me stronger than usual.  I was reading the beginning of Alma 12, when Alma the Younger was traveling toward the land of Gideon and met his friends, the sons of Mosiah, on the road (also recorded in Alma 15:16-19), after not seeing them for just over fourteen years.  When I read, "Alma did rejoice exceedingly, to see his brethren; And what added more to his joy, they were still his brethren in the Lord;", I was allowed to feel that indescribable joy that Alma had.  I believe that this joy is similar to the joy the people of Zion will feel when they are united in the city of Enoch, and I pray that my life will be such that I can experience that and be a part of Zion.  I will never forget this experience.  I know that the Book of Mormon is true.