At age 19, I was given a Book of Mormon.  At that time my spirits couldn't possibly have been lower.  I was discouraged, depressed, and had just quit my second year of college because of my mental attitude.  I doubted that I could ever be happy again.

The book was a ray of light in my dark world.  I came home from work each day wanting only to read.  I've always described the experience by saying that I literally felt light pushing darkness out of my mind.  The Book of Mormon and my baptism dispelled the darkness, and I've never looked back.

I am currently reading the Book of Mormon for the 28th time.  With each reading, I discover new truths and new light that I hadn't noticed before.  I was dumbfounded last night when I read about Lamoni in Alma 19:6:

"… the dark veil of unbelief was being cast away from his mind, and the light…did light up his mind, which was the light of the glory of God, which was a marvelous light of his goodness—yea, this light had infused such joy into his soul, the cloud of darkness having been dispelled,…that the light of everlasting life was lit up in his soul…"

That describes my own conversion experience.  I've read that verse many times, yet I've never before focused on it, nor related it to myself.  Because of my own experience I perfectly understand what took place in Lamoni's mind.  I was so excited to find that verse, and to be able to identify with it.  How is it possible that I missed it all these years?

I intend to keep reading the Book of Mormon.  I still feel light flooding my mind as I read.  It keeps the darkness at bay.

 

James E. Kerns

13856 Willow Creek Lane

Haines, Oregon 97833

21 February 2007