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missiondtc2 (Elder Christoffersen ** )

Elder and Sister D. Todd Christoffersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Tuesday devotional,  October 10, 2017


Sister Kathy Christofferson
  • Why are you here tonight?  Each came by a different path and for different reasons.
  • Things that will help us and others on the path: 1) look to the prophets, especially their final words  2) nourish the seed of faith  3) have hope, attain unto faith, hope in the atonement
  • Moroni 7 – light of Christ, good things (teachers, leaders, scriptures), you will be angels to those you teach
  • Four missionaries were assigned to open a new area in Argentina.  They did all they could, working hard, etc, but they did not have success until they began to love and serve the people one by one.
Elder D. Todd Christofferson
  • When he was in the Language Training Mission many years ago, Elder Gordon B. Hinckley came and spoke to the missionaries.  He looked at the missionaries and said, “You are not much to look at, but you’re all the Lord has!”
  • Elder Christoffersen said that all General Authorities covet the assignment to come to the Missionary Training Center to speak.  He said they arm wrestle each other to see who comes. That is why you will see the younger general authorities more frequently than the older ones.
  • You’ve heard much about the Book of Mormon.  I hope you hear much more.
  • The publication of the book was a miracle.  Joseph Smith sought a publisher and approached Egbert Grandin.  He was in Palmyra. He had concerns: 1) he doubted the book would sell and he would lose money  2) he was worried about how long it would take and how much of his time it would occupy 3) he was pressured by locals not to do the job.
  • Martin Harris mortgaged his farm to pay for it.  The cost was $3000 for 5000 copies. Egbert Grandin had to order new and more fonts and types.  
  • Joseph had Oliver make a new copy of the original and it was that copy that was taken page by page to Grandin.  It was also this copy that the church just purchased from the Community of Christ for several millions of dollars.
  • Joseph had a guard watch over the pages night and day.
  • It become available for sale in March of 1830.  One copy of the book cost $1.75 but it didn’t sell, so it was lowered to $1.25.  Martin had to sell 150 acres of his farm to pay for the books.
  • Joseph changed a few things to improve the 2nd edition, mainly making the grammar and English better.
  • There were less than 3000 books in the 2nd printing, so they are even more rare than the 1st edition copies.
  • Parley P. Pratt and Brigham Young urged Joseph to let them print a new edition in England when they were on their missions there.  A copy was presented to Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.
  • Elder Christoffersen had Lucy Smith’s own copy with him at the Missionary Training Center.  He said the church history museum would only let him bring it if security personnel came with it.  He said they were more concerned about the book than about him.
  • It has been translated into 90 languages, with Nepalese being the most recent.
  • 180,000,000 copies have been printed, with 4.5 million printed each year now.
  • He said he has 8 copies in English, 4 copies in Spanish, and 2 in Portuguese.
  • He urged us to read and reread Preach My Gospel chapter 5.  He read, “An essential part of any conversion is to receive a witness that the Book of Mormon is true.
  • It is tangible, physical evidence that Joseph Smith was a prophet and the gospel is true.
  • If he was in a courtroom and was asked to present evidence that the church is true, he would hold up the Book of Mormon and say, Exhibit A
  • He said President Monson’s last address about the Book of Mormon is a fitting capstone to his over 50 years of apostolic ministry.
  • As he concluded, he said, “I hope you will always remember what I am about to say.  I know that I will always remember saying it to you. I want you to remember that you heard me say with my mouth and my lips that Jesus lives and that He directs this church PERSONALLY!

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