BYU (Brigham Young University) is operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, often mistakenly called the “Mormon Church.” As part of their undergraduate coursework, BYU students take multiple semesters of spiritually uplifting, stimulating religion classes.
In this series (see below), students enrolled in scripture study classes have shared their thoughts, insights, and reflections on the Book of Mormon in the form of letters to someone they know. We invite you to take a look at their epiphanies and discoveries as they delve into the scriptures.
In publishing these, we fulfill their desire to speak to all of us of the relevance, power and beauty of the Book of Mormon, a second witness of Jesus Christ and complement to the Bible. The Book of Mormon includes the religious history of a group of Israelites who settled in ancient America. (The names they use are those of prophets who taught the Book of Mormon peoples to look forward to the coming of Christ—Nephi, Lehi, Alma, Helaman, and other unfamiliar names. We hope those names will become more familiar to you as you read their inspiring words and feel the relevance and divinity of their messages through these letters.)
Let us know if you’d like to receive your own copy of the Book of Mormon, and/or if these messages encourage and assist you spiritually as well.
Mormon Thoughts
Letter to Author’s Grandmother
Grandma,
It has been a bit since Joy and I last saw you. We just made a scrapbook for the year 2011 and another for 2012, and we included pictures of us going to the Las Vegas temple with you and Sherida. Joy and I have set goals to attend the temple as it is so very close to us. Next time we come down, it would be nice to go again with you guys.
With my studies I have been studying the scriptures with Joy, and something made me think of you and your life. You have a few years on me, and I still have much to learn, but I admire those who give themselves to a cause and to a belief. In 3 Nephi chapter 9 verses 19 and 20, we read how Jesus introduces the higher law that coincides with His sacrifice. He teaches that we should not offer blood or burnt sacrifices anymore. Instead, He explains what He requires of each of us: “And ye shall offer for a sacrifice unto me a broken heart and a contrite spirit.”
I believe that sacrifice in ancient times is not so different from what it means today. While we do not offer up a physical animal to sacrifice, we offer up the animal in each of us. The carnal and natural man must be offered up as sacrifice. In ancient days, “sacrifice” meant to make something or someone holy. This can be very difficult, and it is supposed to be.
I think we all have daily opportunities to sacrifice for the God that suffered and died for us. Going to the temple, studying the scriptures, and magnifying my callings are the ones I am working on. It seems like the only thing I lack in my abundance is time. Days and weeks fly by and that means tests and papers. But each time I lay myself on the altar and give up snowboarding or movies or video games to do His work, I really feel closer to Him.
I sure do admire that you have been faithful for so many years and I know it has affected a lot of people outside our family to have a grandma who taught her kids about the church.
Stay healthy and write when you can.
Brandon
Additional Resources: