The Book of Mormon: A Personal Hope Chest

Have you ever considered the Book of Mormon to be a personal hope chest, full of special things to be rediscovered again and again? This post was written by an 18-year-old girl. It is shared here with her permission:

“Books, papers, notebooks, more papers,” I say to myself.

It is about 10:00 at night and I am doing what I usually do at 10:00 at night. Stalling.

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Rediscovering

Anyone who knows me knows that I hate sleeping.

Why sleep when you can be doing a million other things?

Anyway, I am stalling at 10:00 at night, trying to clear off the top of a large hope chest so I can have a peek inside.

For those of you who don’t know, a hope chest is something that is given to a young woman who is about to take the next big step in her life–getting married.

My grandma gave this hope chest to my mom, who, someday, will give it to me.

I finally clear off enough for me to lift the lid a few inches.

“Wow, mom, look!” I say, excitedly. “Here is my baptism dress!”

I also find a ball my siblings and I used to play with as kids, and a miniature doll that used to sit in our bedroom.

I find the book my dad would read to me when I was little that taught me to count, a pair of toddler pajamas, and even my mom’s graduation robe.

It is really cool to see all the things my mom has saved over the years. It shows what is important to her.

Rediscovering all those things brings back memories. It feels good.

I’ve always loved that hope chest, but now I love it even more because I know what’s inside of it.

My Own Personal Hope Chest

On my baptism day, my parents gave me my first set of scriptures. They had my name embossed on the front in silver; I was pretty proud of those scriptures. I still have them today.

I always knew the Book of Mormon was important; I tried to read every day and understand what they talked about. But now that I am older, I see how my life has been changed by the Book of Mormon.

There will be days when I am so happy and don’t have a care in the world. On these days, I open the Book of Mormon and read,

“Break forth into joy; sing together ye waste places of Jerusalem; for the Lord hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem.” (Mosiah 15:30)

Verses like that make me want to shout and share the gospel with everyone I meet!

Then, on other days when I don’t feel very good, I will open the Book of Mormon and read,

“Therefore, I would that ye should be steadfast and immovable, always abounding in good works, that Christ, the Lord God Omnipotent, may seal you his, that you may be brought to heaven, that ye may have everlasting salvation and eternal life, through the wisdom, and power, and justice, and mercy of him who created all things, in heaven and in earth, who is God above all.” (Mosiah 5:15)

It gives me hope for the future, that things will get better, even if it doesn’t seem like it at the moment.

Rediscovering Again and Again

The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has said:

“Sometimes it seems we take the scriptures too much for granted because we do not fully appreciate how rare a thing it is to possess them, and how blessed we are because we do have them…Brothers and sisters, each of us, at some time in our lives, must discover the Book of Mormon for ourselves—and not just discover it once, but rediscover it again and again.”

An Invitation

My mom was given a hope chest.

I was given a Book of Mormon.

I have come to consider the Book of Mormon my own personal hope chest. It’s the book I can open when I need a boost, when I am happy, or any day at all.

It feels amazing to rediscover old memories when I open my mom’s hope chest.

The First Presidency is asking us to open the scriptures, and rediscover those stories again, again, and again. The feeling we get when we do will be absolutely amazing; I know because I have felt it.

I challenge you to open up the Book of Mormon and rediscover the words of the prophets. I know that if you do, you will be blessed.

Learn more about The Book of Mormon.