My Friend Ted

I'd like to tell you a story about my friend Ted. My friend Ted and his family are some of my favorite people. Every time we go to their house, my friend Ted teaches me something new. He's taught me about different coins used throughout United States history. He's taught me all about hunting, and the difference between a mule deer's antlers and a white tail deer's antlers, and how to tell how many points they are. Most importantly, my friend Ted has taught me the power of the Book of Mormon. This is his story.

About 30 years ago, two young men in dark suits and conservative ties knocked on my friend's door. He let them in; he held a copy of the Bible, they held a copy of the Book of Mormon. They had many discussions. If I know my friend Ted, I'm going to assume that they were thorough discussions. After about 6 months, and a couple of sets of missionaries, my friend Ted decided to act on their invitation, and he was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

He attended church, and his testimony and knowledge of the gospel grew. As time progressed, things happened, words were spoken, and my friend Ted found himself too upset at what had happened to go back to church. 20 years went by. One day, there were two young missionaries that knocked on my friend Ted's door. They started to read the Book of Mormon with him. Not too long after this, Ted had two other friends come and read with him. We'll call them Joe and Elizabeth.

My friends read from the Book of Mormon together, and as they did, something began to change inside of my friend Ted.

Last time I was at his house, he shared this story with me. He pulled out his copy of the Book of Mormon. "This is the only thing I have marked in my entire book," he said. "That's when I decided to go back to church." I looked closer at the verse.

"For he that diligently seeketh shall find; and the mysteries of God shall be unfolded to them, by the power of the Holy Ghost, as well in these times as in times of old as in times to come; wherefore, the course of the Lord is one eternal round." (1 Nephi 10:19)

I looked at the page number. 19. He had made it 19 pages into the Book of Mormon before he went back to church. After 20 years, my friend Ted was back. "You can't deny to me the power of that book." My friend Ted's testimony touched me deeply.

I echo that testimony. I know the Book of Mormon has the power to change our lives. Read it. It may only take you to page 19. Maybe it will hit you on page 271. Maybe you won't recognize it until page 529, when you read the the words of a prophet, exhorting you to ask God in the name of Christ if these things are not true, with the promise that by the power of the Holy Ghost you too can know the truth of all things.