Angels do not come on trivial errands, to deliver books for occasional light reading to people whom they do not really concern. The matter in the Book of Mormon was selected, as we are often reminded, with scrupulous care and with particular readers in mind. For some reason there has been chosen for our attention a story of how and why two previous civilizations on this continent were utterly destroyed. — Hugh Nibley
The Church has long been encouraging Latter-day Saints to read the Book of Mormon on a regular basis. This admonition was strengthened by then President Thomas S. Monson in the General Conference of April 2017 when he asked the members of the Church to read the Book of Mormon each day. He promised that such reading will lead to a testimony of the Book, of Joseph Smith, and of the restored Church.
This advice is important and, I believe, inspired. The problem is that “reading” the Book of Mormon is not enough. One must actually pay attention to, and act upon, what the Book says.
There are two stages to reading. The first is called “decoding.” This is the act of interpreting the symbols on a page into spoken words. The more difficult, and more important, skill is “comprehension.” This is the ability to understand the meaning of a text. This skill requires attention, vocabulary, reasoning, and background knowledge.
It is entirely possible, in fact it is all too common, for a person to fluently read a text, even out loud, while comprehending little of what they just read.
It is not enough to read the Book of Mormon each day. We must work to understand what it is telling us. I told a group in my Elder’s quorum the other day that I find the Book of Mormon to be scary. They seemed surprised at my statement. Then I pointed out that the stories in the Book of Mormon and the headlines in our newspapers were remarkably similar. After they started thinking a bit, they began to nod their heads.
Behold, I speak unto you as if ye were present, and yet ye are not. But behold, Jesus Christ hath shown you unto me, and I know your doing. (Mormon 8:35)
The Book of Mormon was specifically directed to our day. And its warnings and admonishments were addressed to the Church members, not the Gentiles. The Book of Mormon describes how church members are often lead astray. These warnings are supposed to wake us up, make us uncomfortable, and cause us to repent. If we read the book at a distance, thinking “those poor bad guys are going to end up in trouble,” and never liken the words unto ourselves (1 Nephi 19:23), we miss the point of the warning, and fail to repent. Thus, we will share the fate of the wicked.
The more you read, and comprehend, the Book of Mormon, the harder it will become to excuse or rationalize current, Trump-supporting, Republican political behavior. It will start to become clear that our modern “king-men” are the rich, corrupt, power-hungry, money-focused, Republicans, and that our modern “secret combinations” are called corporations. The Book of Mormon is true, and many Latter-day Saints have fallen into the very traps it warns us about. The only way out is repentance. And the first step in repentance is to admit that one has made a mistake. . .
Sources: “The Power of the Book of Mormon,” President Thomas S. Monson, General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, April 2017.
“Freemen and King-men in the Book of Mormon,” Hugh Nibley, Chapter 17, The Prophetic Book of Mormon, 1992.