"A Salt Lake City Sermon May 20th 2018 at the 17th Ward"
given by Robert Charles Luerssen Sr. of the High Council.
I am honored to speak in this chapel today. I bring the love and blessings of our Stake Presidency whom I met with this morning in our Stake High Council meeting.
My subject and testimony today is on how reading the Book of Mormon yearly and studying it daily will bring us closer to Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father by the power of the Holy Ghost as He teaches, inspires and sanctifies us to become more like them.
President Russel M. Nelson asked the following questions in general conference about a year ago:
"My brothers and sisters, how precious is the Book of Mormon to you? If you were offered diamonds or rubies or the Book of Mormon, which would you choose? Honestly, which is of greater worth to you?
Remember in the Sunday morning session of the April 2017 general conference, President Thomas S. Monson pleaded with 'each of us to prayerfully study and ponder the Book of Mormon each day'.”
I know many in this church have responded to that plead and are greatly blessed for it. Our Stake Presidency has reinforced that plead by making it a goal for all members in this area to do the same.
In the introduction of the Book of Mormon it says the following:
"We invite all men everywhere to read the Book of Mormon, to ponder in their hearts the message it contains, and then to ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ if the book is true. Those who pursue this course and ask in faith will gain a testimony of its truth and divinity by the power of the Holy Ghost. (See Moroni 10:3–5.)
Those who gain this divine witness from the Holy Spirit will also come to know by the same power that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world, that Joseph Smith is His revelator and prophet in these last days, and that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the Lord’s kingdom once again established on the earth, preparatory to the Second Coming of the Messiah.
Concerning this record the Prophet Joseph Smith said: 'I told the brethren that the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book'.”
I was 1st introduced to the Book of Mormon in May of 1970 by Bobby Worthington. The back story is as follows:
I was raised a Lutheran by a Catholic father and Lutheran mother who rarely attended any church. They however, made sure my brother, sister and I were sent to church. I'm forever grateful for parents who cared enough to see that I got some religious training in my youth. I'm grateful to the Lutheran church for introducing me to Jesus Christ the Son of God. By the prayer of faith and the witness of the Holy Ghost I learned as a child that Jesus is the true Son of God who lives today as a resurrected being in heaven with God the Father. I know that he atoned for the sins of all mankind on the cross and opened the way for the resurrection and salvation of all men. In my early teens I questioned my parents, church and leaders on their authority and knowledge. I rebelled against society and became a hippie looking for love in all the wrong places and doing all the wrong things. However, God in his great mercy chose to chasen and awaken me to the error of my ways. This happened at Woodstock 1969 during a near death experience while I was abusing my body with those bad things of the day. I found myself in hell tormented by all my sins and than refected upon my childhood belief in Jesus Christ and called upon his name to be saved. He heard my voice and delivered me back to life. I was born again and made a promise that day to change my life and go and do what the Lord wanted me to do. He led me by the Bible and the Holy Spirit over the next nine months to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints where I was baptized in the Atlantic Ocean at Smith Point, Fire Island, NY on June 27th 1970 at about 6 am in the morning. I know by personal revelation and the Holy Ghost that Jesus is the Savior of all mankind and he has led me to the prophet Joseph Smith, the Book of Mormon and the LDS church which I know to be true by the power of the Holy Ghost. Seek, read, ponder and pray concerning these things and you too can know they are true by the power of the Holy Ghost I pray in name of Jesus Christ. For I too am a witness of the Living Christ and know Him as He knows me.
However, the way I met Bobby Worthington was a miracle in itself. It was April 1970 and I had prayed for God to guide me to people I could help or to people who could help me. When I got up from that prayer I knew instantly what to do. Go to the barber down town Stony Brook and get a hair cut and then get a job. After getting a short hair cut as I stepped outside the barber shop a man approached me and asked if I needed a job. I said yes and he told me to go to his office and fillout some paper work so that I could start work on Monday at the Setauket Mill Pond where I would be on the Stony Brook landscaping crew. I than promised myself to work hard and not talk any about any of my spiritual experiences. However, that promise was short lived due to Bobby Worthington. The second day on the job I over heard Bobby talking to this old black worker Burr about religion. I finally couldn't take it any longer and I interrupted saying I believed in God. Bobby stopped talking to Burr and turned to me saying "what church do you belong to?" None of them and I then said I don't believe in organized religion or churches. He said that's a bunch of crap what religion were you raised in. I said Lutheran. He then began to ask me a bunch of doctrinal questions which I answered. He then said you believe nothing like a Lutheran, but believe just like me a Mormon. Yes the Forman was a Mormon. I at first dismissed him and said I'm studying all religions. In fact I was reading the Koran the Arabic Bible at the time. He told me I should throw that book away and read the Book of Mormon. I told him I would read it after I finished the Koran. So when I finished reading the Koran a few weeks later I ask Bobby for a copy of the Book of Mormon to read. He went to the trunk of his car and picked one up handing it to me saying that will be a $1.50. Well I can tell you that is the best $1.50 I've ever spent. The Book of Mormon spoke to me as I read it confirming all my spiritual experiences and bearing pure witness to me that Jesus Christ is the true Son of God the Savior of all mankind. You know the rest of the story and this is why I'm here today. Bobby was a young man like me and had joined the LDS faith a few years earlier. Unknown to me at the time he had just been called to be a local(Stake) missionary and I was the 1st person he taught and baptized into the church. A true story that only God could have arranged in such a timely fashion. What we call today a modern miracle. Like Paul and Alma of old Jesus has had his personal hand in me finding my way into his church in these last days. With a strong hand God delivered me from the mud pits of Woodstock and led me by the Holy Ghost to the Mountain tops of Zion.
The Book of Mormon is full of history, wisdom, spiritual riches and great testimonies of Jesus Christ. Today I'll share from its pages many scriptures which defined the days of ancient American peoples who struggled to keep God's commandments and share His gospel with one another and us today. They kept these records as a promise and warning to us to live better than them. Within these pages you will find how our history is paralleling theirs. May we listen and learn so as not to make the same mistakes they did and become no more.
In Helaman 7: 4-5 it tells how their world was which is very much like the way our world is today...
"4 And seeing the people in a state of such awful wickedness, and those Gadianton robbers filling the judgment-seats—having usurped the power and authority of the land; laying aside the commandments of God, and not in the least aright before him; doing no justice unto the children of men;
5 Condemning the righteous because of their righteousness; letting the guilty and the wicked go unpunished because of their money; and moreover to be held in office at the head of government, to rule and do according to their wills, that they might get gain and glory of the world, and, moreover, that they might the more easily commit adultery, and steal, and kill, and do according to their own wills—"
I see the cure to this wicked world's condition in these verses...
Jacob 2:17-19
"17 Think of your brethren like unto yourselves, and be familiar with all and free with your substance, that they may be rich like unto you.
18 But before ye seek for riches, seek ye for the kingdom of God.
19 And after ye have obtained a hope in Christ ye shall obtain riches, if ye seek them; and ye will seek them for the intent to do good—to clothe the naked, and to feed the hungry, and to liberate the captive, and administer relief to the sick and the afflicted."
If we as a people would become more kind, hopeful, helpful and loving to our fellow human beings the promises of God's blessings would bring us peace, love, prosperity and true freedom.
The following happened anciently as the people repented and put God and their fellowman before themselves...
Helaman 3: 25-30
"25 And so great was the prosperity of the church, and so many the blessings which were poured out upon the people, that even the high priests and the teachers were themselves astonished beyond measure.
26 And it came to pass that the work of the Lord did prosper unto the baptizing and uniting to the church of God, many souls, yea, even tens of thousands.
27 Thus we may see that the Lord is merciful unto all who will, in the sincerity of their hearts, call upon his holy name.
28 Yea, thus we see that the gate of heaven is open unto all, even to those who will believe on the name of Jesus Christ, who is the Son of God.
29 Yea, we see that whosoever will may lay hold upon the word of God, which is quick and powerful, which shall divide asunder all the cunning and the snares and the wiles of the devil, and lead the man of Christ in a strait and narrow course across that everlasting gulf of misery which is prepared to engulf the wicked.30 And land their souls, yea, their immortal souls, at the right hand of God in the kingdom of heaven, to sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and with Jacob, and with all our holy fathers, to go no more out."
Can we not do the same today and endure or enjoy well to the end when Jesus shall return with all His holy angels to save us from the devil's fire?
Here is the answer...
Moroni 7: 27-32
"27 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, have miracles ceased because Christ hath ascended into heaven, and hath sat down on the right hand of God, to claim of the Father his rights of mercy which he hath upon the children of men?
28 For he hath answered the ends of the law, and he claimeth all those who have faith in him; and they who have faith in him will cleave unto every good thing; wherefore he advocateth the cause of the children of men; and he dwelleth eternally in the heavens.
29 And because he hath done this, my beloved brethren, have miracles ceased? Behold I say unto you, Nay; neither have angels ceased to minister unto the children of men.
30 For behold, they are subject unto him, to minister according to the word of his command, showing themselves unto them of strong faith and a firm mind in every form of godliness.
31 And the office of their ministry is to call men unto repentance, and to fulfil and to do the work of the covenants of the Father, which he hath made unto the children of men, to prepare the way among the children of men, by declaring the word of Christ unto the chosen vessels of the Lord, that they may bear testimony of him.
32 And by so doing, the Lord God prepareth the way that the residue of men may have faith in Christ, that the Holy Ghost may have place in their hearts, according to the power thereof; and after this manner bringeth to pass the Father, the covenants which he hath made unto the children of men."
Yes we are the generation promised to help bring this to pass. Awake and fulfill your destiny.
Mosiah 5: 9
"9 And now, because of the covenant which ye have made ye shall be called the children of Christ, his sons, and his daughters; for behold, this day he hath spiritually begotten you; for ye say that your hearts are changed through faith on his name; therefore, ye are born of him and have become his sons and his daughters."
Alma 28: 12
"14 And thus we see the great call of diligence of men to labor in the vineyards of the Lord; and thus we see the great reason of sorrow, and also of rejoicing—sorrow because of death and destruction among men, and joy because of the light of Christ unto life."
I pray that we might catch the vision of our glorious future if we but, have faith in Jesus Christ and repent of all our sins by forgiving one another and doing good to all men as written in Ether 12: 4 "Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God." is my hope and prayer for you this day in the name of Jesus Christ Our Lord and Redeemer, amen.
