Elder Matthew S. Holland, a general authority seventy for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, began his devotional address by iterating his deep ties to BYU and expressing his gratitude for his and his family’s time there.
Elder Holland then recounted his experience during his mission when President Ezra Taft Benson shared a powerful testimony of the Book of Mormon, how the book is a gift and that it was written specifically for our day.
In the same testimony, President Benson prescribed the practice of taking each passage and asking, “What lesson can I learn from that to help me live in this day and age?”
Elder Holland encouraged students to continue thinking this way about the imagery of the wilderness throughout the Book of Mormon. After summarizing a few passages, he suggested that many will walk through metaphorical wildernesses during their lives, similar to many people in the Book of Mormon.
“The Book of Mormon will provide you with a path, which, in a wilderness, is the most needful yet hardest thing to find. It won’t spell out every step,” Elder Holland said, “but it will direct you to the wisest, most foundational and illuminating path there is.”
He reminded listeners that following the path requires an active belief, repenting and changing along the way with the help of the Holy Ghost, and the ordinances of the temple.
Elder Holland recounted President Dallin H. Oaks’ first interview as prophet. He was asked about a phrase, scripture or image that he would have members of the Church remember. President Oaks very quickly responded with: “Jesus Christ is the Way!”
The Book of Mormon is crucial in teaching that principle. Elder Holland powerfully testified, “The Book of Mormon was the conduit, but the power was in Christ. We cling to His book to cling to Him!”
“Of all books on earth, [the Book of Mormon] provides the clearest and most convincing portrait of the path to eternal life, which is the happiest destiny that anyone can seek—the Promised Land of all Promised Lands.”
He stated that his mother and father, Patricia and Jeffrey R. Holland, both had amazing testimonies of the Book of Mormon, evident in over 30 copies read and marked that were found after they had both passed. He lovingly shared that his mother physically held the Book of Mormon for comfort during a time of a near-fatal health challenge.
Elder Holland expressed feelings of grief after his father’s recent passing, but the Book of Mormon gave him comfort as the words seemed to have been written for him and he could feel the power of Christ through it.
“Cherish it in good times and bad, and you will remain unshakeable in difficulty and conquer in your aim to achieve your fullest potential and divine destiny,” promised Elder Holland.
