The Book of Mormon is the reason that I'm a member of the Church.  Fifty six years ago it flooded my darkened mind with light.  I have worked since that time to share that light with others.

When he was seven I set a goal to read the Book of Mormon with my eldest child so that he could say that he had read the Book of Mormon before he was baptized.

We did it.  He loved it, and he began reading it a second time on his own.  Each night he would climb up into his upper bunk bed, and this eight-year-old boy would read the Book of Mormon aloud to his five-year-old brother in the bunk below.

Meanwhile in another room I was reading the Book of Mormon with my number-two child, a daughter, so that she could also say that she'd read the book before she was baptized.  The readings became a race.  Ultimately it was decided that we should all read the last three chapters together.

While on his mission the oldest boy realized that if he would read the Book of Mormon just a few more times, he would have read the book once for each year of his life.  He is now 52, and his goal is still on track.

The daughter, the number-two child, in her 30s and 40s decided to use the Book of Mormon to teach herself foreign languages.  With the English version laid out beside the Spanish version, she read the book in Spanish.  The aid of the English version was soon no longer necessary.  She read the book twice in Spanish, and then did the same in German.

A couple of decades ago it dawned upon me that each of my 10 children had mentioned that they were currently reading the Book of Mormon individually and with their families.  I mentioned that realization to my wife.  She clutched at her heart, sat down heavily, and said, “You don't know what this does to me!”

“Yes, I do,” I replied, “because the same thing just happened to me.”

I surveyed our children, and found that they'd read the Book of Mormon a collective total of 160 times.

At some point I decided that I wanted to be like my son, and be able to say that I'd read the Book of Mormon once for each year of my life.  At age 72, I caught up, and now I can't shake the reading habit.  I'm 76 years old.  Last night I completed my 96^th reading.

Saturday 9 September 2023 will be President Russell M. Nelson's 99^th birthday.  I've almost read the Book of Mormon once for every year of his life.

I have a new goal.  By reading 5 ¾ pages per day, I am going to complete my 100^th reading of the Book of Mormon on President Nelson's 100^th birthday next September 9^th.

I love the Book of Mormon for what it has done for me and my family.

(Sent to President Nelson with a birthday card 7 September 2023).