Getting Through

This morning my little family finished a five year journey.

Every weekday morning for the past five years we have spent fifteen minutes (give or take) reading sacred scripture. It begins by gathering sleepy children, singing a hymn or primary song and then each of us takes a turn reading one verse. That's it. We only read one verse each. At this rate, I didn't know if we would ever get through the Book of Mormon. After each of us read a verse, or sometimes in the midst of the verses, we would discuss the principles being taught, the story line, the people mentioned, the counsel we were being given.

Our study of the Book of Mormon has evolved over the years. We started when oldest daughter was not even a toddler. We would read from the illustrated Book of Mormon, a book that takes the stories from the Book of Mormon and abridges them with pictures and captions. As our family grew, we continued our daily study from this illustrated book.

Finally, when oldest daughter started Kindergarten, we decided it was time to open the genuine book. We began a study from The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ. When we began, there were only two members of the family who could read on their own- the husband and me. So, as it was one of the children's turn, one of us would read their verse and the children would repeat what was read. As we finished today, each of us was able to read our verse all on our very own.

Our scripture time is not perfect, sometimes we are finishing a bowl of cereal or spreading peanut butter on bread for school lunches as we are reading our verses. And sometimes, like in the summer, we missed a few days here and there. The point is, though, that we sent our children and ourselves into the world each day with a special set of armor to shield, protect and strengthen us.

At the start of this week, we found ourselves in the last chapter of the last book in the Book of Mormon. So, we read a few extra verses each day to ensure that we would finish the book this week.

There are 6,604 verses in that book. Reading one verse a day, Monday through Friday, will take 5.08 years to complete the book. Upon completing the book and closing it, the husband asked the children their favorite parts. Oldest daughter loved the part where "the one man got his head cut off and he did a dead push up."

"What was that man's name?" I asked.

Without even a second thought, middle daughter burst out, "Shiz. His name was Shiz."

Last week we read about charity. After we discussed the meaning of charity, the husband counseled the family to pray to have charity. I have loved listening to the children pray over the last week that we would learn charity.

On Monday, our reading included Moroni's promise where he tells us that if we desire to know the truth of the book, we should pray to our Heavenly Father to know the truth of it and Heavenly Father will reveal the truth of it to us. Similarly, the children have included this promise in their prayers. I have eavesdropped as little voices have asked their Heavenly Father in their personal prayers to help them know if the book is true.

I have been strengthened in the realization the children have taken the teachings seriously. They have listened as we have studied. When we began a study of this book, I didn't know if we would ever get through the Book of Mormon. But, I do know one thing for sure: the Book of Mormon definitely got through us.