I figure we should start off the new year with this rock-star talk from General Conference. Do you remember back in the 80s when Elder Bruce R. McConkie gave that famous testimony of the living Savior just days before he died? Well, this talk by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles ranks right up there as an incredibly powerful testimony; you can’t watch it and not be moved. The talk is called “Safety for the Soul,” wherein he boldly declares the truth of the Book of Mormon as the word of God. The talk was given during the Sunday morning session of the October 2009 General Conference.
Just read it. Or even better, watch it or listen to it. I’ll let the conviction speak for itself.
(And just in case you randomly landed here by Googling something like “Is the Book of Mormon really true?,” the links in this post take you to a testimony by a living apostle answering the claims by some that the book is a fraud. I add my own witness to his that yes, the Book of Mormon really is true. I encourage you to listen to Elder Holland’s talk, and read the Book of Mormon for yourself. I’m confident that God himself will reveal its truth to you.)
“I want it absolutely clear when I stand before the judgment bar of God that I declared to the world . . . that the Book of Mormon is true.”
“I testify that one cannot come to full faith in this latter-day work—and thereby find the fullest measure of peace and comfort in these, our times—until he or she embraces the divinity of the Book of Mormon and the Lord Jesus Christ, of whom it testifies.”
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Thanks to those of you that have faithfully read and even commented as part of our Book Club. If some of you are just joining us as part of a New Year’s Resolution, welcome! (You’ll find details about GCBC here.) And a warm welcome back to other friends who are rejoining us.
Diapers and Divinity 
Am I the first? Cool!
This is a good choice. Reading it is like getting a very strong blast of wind in your face–it almost takes you aback in it’s intensity. Elder Holland leaves you absolutely certain that he has no doubts. For me–being at a point where I am struggling a lot with faith–it’s a reasurrance that I can have my own firm testimony too.
Thanks for this!
Oh gosh, excuse me: its intensity, not it’s. AGH!
This talk was amazing wasn’t it?!? It just made me want to go and pick up my Book of Mormon and read it in a way that really showed I appreciated it and was grateful for it. Powerful talk!
We listened to this on our drive home that Sunday. I have never felt ~ or can’t remember feeling ~ words be more powerful in a talk. I felt kind of sorry for the speakers who came after, because I was still digesting what Elder Holland had said and didn’t get much from their talks.
Certainly there is no question where Elder Holland stands. More than that is the witness of the spirit that testified of the truthfulness of his words ~ that the Book of Mormon is indeed true. How blessed we are to have such an incredible gift.
I was just thinking, yesterday, about how coming to Christ is truly the answer to all problems. The following quote from Elder Holland’s talk is great back up for that thought!
The power of Christ to counter all troubles in all times—including the end of times. That is the safe harbor God wants for us in personal or public days of despair. That is the message with which the Book of Mormon begins, and that is the message with which it ends
I’m so happy you had such a good and moving experience!
I’m so glad that you chose this talk to start off the year. This year we have challenged our young women to read the Book of Mormon as part of their “Return to Virtue.” After reading this talk I have new invigoration to read along with them. I want to have the kind of testimony that Elder Holland has, and the only way that I am going to get there is by continuing to daily study the Book Of Mormon, not just reading but actually studying. Thanks again!!
Perfect choice. I’ve been meaning to study this one powerfully. Thanks for the impetus.
“I want it absolutely clear when I stand before the judgment bar of God that I declared to the world, in the most straightforward language I could summon, that the Book of Mormon is true . . .”
Elder Holland is AWESOME and by following his example by making it clear and declaring to our children without hesitancy what we believe, so they will never doubt!
What a strong, strong testimony Elder Holland gives. His conviction is so…uplifting. I love it.
Besides his obvious conviction, I loved a few specific points in his talk about how we need to cling to the scriptures and embrace their divinity.
When talking about Lehi’s vision, he pointed out that the mists of darkness “descends on all the travelers,” and then that “successful travelers resist all distractions. It jumped out to me that the darkness=distractions, and those distractions don’t just divert our attention, they make us FAIL. Obviously clinging to the word of God and not finding ourselves reaching out for other stuff is what keeps us on course.
Umm… Just checking in with another lame comment. I read about half of this talk on Sunday, when I should have been in Sunday School. (I had to pass out handouts for Activity Day, and I hate walking in when there’s only 10 minutes left.) Anyway, thanks for giving me a spiritual goal to try to accomplish each week!
I’m working on getting caught up. I’d love to be where you are in the reading.
I couldn’t read this talk with out listening to Elder Holland’s voice. I love that I can listen to him as I read.
I’d like to add my name to his testimony. He says it with such power ~ and the Holy Ghost confirms it. I know that the Book of Mormon is true. I know that Joseph Smith told the truth. No doubt in my mind.