I Finally Finished It!

We were challenged by our Stake President last October to each read The Miracle of Forgiveness by Spencer W Kimball by this year's October Stake Conference. I didn't start for quite a while and then decided I was going to do it right with notes, highlighting, etc. President Kimball has a marvelous vocabulary that really stretched me as a reader. I sort of knew the meanings of most words, but I wanted to REALLY know...so every time I came across a word I didn't know for certain I looked it up and wrote the definition in the margins of the book. Let's just say that there are a lot of margin notes!

I thought I would share some of the thoughts that were most important to me and share some of the many definitions. (All quotes are from Spencer W Kimball unless noted otherwise. I have bolded items particularly important to me.)

The first quote I starred was: "...I know that the words of truth are hard against all uncleanness; but the righteous fear them not, for they love the truth and are not shaken." (2 Nephi 9:40).

Now, I know I have read the Book of Mormon upwards of 20 times and I do not remember reading that scripture. It just goes to show you that you really do need to keep reading it over and over again. There are new insights in it EVERY time!

omniscient: having infinite awareness, understanding and insight.
omnipotent: having virtually unlimited authority or influence.

Man will suffer or enjoy his future according to his life's works in mortality. Consequently, ...man should take great care that his present insures him joy and development and happiness for his eternal future.

One definite purpose of our spirits coming to this earth ... was to face the challenge to overcome self. Consider your origin, you were not formed to live like brutes, but to follow virtue and knowledge.

The Lord will not translate one's good hopes and desires and intentions into works. Each of us must do that for himself.

Man chooses for himself, but he cannot control the penalties.

Speaking of the Holy Ghost: If heeded, this member of the Godhead will guide, inspire, and warn, and will neutralize the promptings of the evil one.

We cannot afford to take the changes of dying an enemy of God.

Repentance is always in order, even in the eleventh hour, for even that delayed action is better than none at all.

Oliver Wendell Holmes said: "Many people die with their music still in them. Why is this so? Too often it is because they are always getting ready to live. Before they know it, time runs out." Let us not die with our music still in us. Let us rather use this precious mortal probation to move confidently and gloriously upward toward the eternal life which God our Father gives to those who keep his commandments.

Okay...that was just Chapter 1. Have I inspired you to read it for yourself? I hope so. It is a MARVELOUS book. I am just sorry I have had it on a shelf for 30 years and never read it before.

More next Monday....