40 days closer to christ

40 DAYS CLOSER TO CHRIST * WWW.LDS-YW.COM

Forty Days Closer to Jesus ChristBook of Mormon Reading Program

HAVE YOU READ THE BOOK OF MORMON TODAY?“By doing so (reading the Book of Mormon) we will fill and refresh our minds with the

constant flow of the ‘water’ which Jesus said would be in us– “a well of water

springing up into everlasting life.” (John 4:14). We must obtain a continuing supply of

this water if we are to resist evil and retain the blessings of being born again...

“And so, I counsel you, my beloved brothers and sisters and friends everywhere, to

make reading in the Book of Mormon a few minutes each day a lifelong practice... I

feel certain that if, in our homes, parents will read from the Book of Mormon

prayerfully and regularly, both by themselves and with their children, the spirit of

that book will come to permeate our homes and all who dwell therein. The spirit of

reverence will increase; mutual respect and consideration for each other will grow.

The spirit of contention will depart. Parents will counsel their children in greater

love and wisdom. Children will be more responsive and submissive to that counsel.

Righteousness will increase. Faith, hope, and charity– the pure love of Christ– will

abound in our homes and lives, bringing in their wake peace, joy, and happiness.”

(Marion G. Romney, Conference Report, April 1960, pp110-113)


My Book of Mormon Daily Reading Program Will Begin:

� Day 1:____________________ Date: ____________________

Read: 1 Nephi 1-10 Mark & Ponder: 1 Nephi 3:7

Scripture of the day:

“..Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes

of Israel his fellows, and will put them with him, even with the stick of Judah, and make

them one stick, and they shall be one in mine hand.” (Ezekiel 37:19)

Thought for the day:

“There is a book we need to study daily, both as individuals and as family, namely the

Book of Mormon. I love that book. It is the book that will get a person nearer to God by

abiding by its precepts than any other book. Let us continually reread the Book of

Mormon so that we might more fully come to Christ, be committed to Him, centered in

Him, and consumed in Him.” (Pres. Ezra Taft Benson)

� Day 2: ____________________ Date: ____________________



“..I say unto you that if ye will enter in by the way, and receive the Holy Ghost, it will

show unto you all things what ye should do.” (2 Nephi 32:5)


“God is weaving his tapestry according to his own grand design. All flesh is in his hands.

It is not our prerogative to counsel him. It is our responsibility and our opportunity to

be at peace in our minds and in our hearts, and to know that he is God, that this is his

work, and that he will not permit it to fail.” (Gordon B. Hinkley)


� Day 3: ___________________ Date: ____________________



“Behold I stand at the door and knock; if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I

will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.” (Revelations 3:20)


“The promise is made to everyone. There is no discrimination, no favored few, but the

Lord has not promised to crash the door. He stands and knocks. If we do not listen, he

will not sup with us nor give answer to our prayers. We must learn how to listen, grasp,

interpret, understand. The Lord stands knocking. He never retreats. But he will never

force himself upon us. If our distance from him increases, it is we who have moved and

not the Lord.” (Pres. Spencer W. Kimball)

� Day 4: ___________________ Date: ____________________

Read: 1 Nephi 20-22 and 2 Nephi 1-2 Mark & Ponder: 2 Nephi 2:11


“Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world, yea,

even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor

to souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good

works, being led to glorify God.” (Ester 12:4)


Hope is the thing

with feathers–

That perches in the soul–

And sings the tune

without the words--

And never stops–at all–

(Emily Dickinson, Final Harvest)


� Day 5: ___________________ Date: ___________________



“Come unto me all ye that labor and are heaven laden, and I will give you rest. Take my

yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest

unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)


“..faith too has different seasons. It has its warm, sun filled days of spring and summer,

and its long, dark bitter winters...God will not remove the winters, for through winter

comes spring.” (Lisa Johnson Boswell)

� Day 6: ___________________ Date: ___________________



“And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that

when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.”

(Mosiah 2:17)


“Few will have greatness to bend history itself, but each of us can work to change a

small portion of events, and in the total of all those acts will be written the history of

this generation.” (Robert Kennedy)

ARE YOU STILLON TARGET? Go

back and re-read thequote by Pres.

Benson on Day 1. Recommit if needed.


� Day 7: ___________________ Date: ___________________

Read: 2 Nephi 13-21 Mark & Ponder: 2 Nephi 9:28-29


“...they had waxed strong in the knowledge of the truth; for they were men of a sound

understanding and they searched the scriptures diligently, that they might know the

word of God. But this is not all; they had given themselves to much prayer, and fasting;

therefore they had the spirit of prophesy, and the spirit of revelation, and when they

taught, they taught with power and authority of God.” (Alma 17:2-3)


“The time is coming when no man or woman will be able to endure on borrowed light.

Each will have to be guided by light within himself. If you do not have it, you will not

stand.” (Pres Herold B. Lee)

� Day 8: ___________________ Date: ___________________



“And it shall come to pass, that if ye are faithful you shall receive the fullness of the

record of John. I give unto you these sayings that you may understand and know how to

worship, and know what you worship, that you may come unto the Father in my name,

and in due time receive of his fulness.” (D&C 98:18-19)


“I couldn’t eat, I couldn’t sleep, I just wanted to read the book.”

(Parley P. Pratt’s first reading of the Book of Mormon)


� Day 9: ___________________ Date: ___________________

Read: Jacob 1-5 Mark & Ponder: 2 Nephi 31:13


“...Wherefore, I said unto you, feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of

Christ will tell you all things what ye should do.” (2 Nephi 32:3)


“The Book of Mormon must be reenthroned in the minds and hearts of our people. We

must honor it by taking its precepts into our lives and transforming them into lives

required of true followers of Christ.” (Pres. Ezra Taft Benson)

� Day 10: ___________________ Date: ___________________

Read: Jacob 6-7, Enos, Jarom, Omni Mark & Ponder: 2 Nephi 31:20


“Thou shalt not idle; for he that is idle shall not eat the bread nor wear the garments of

the laborer.” (D&C 42:42)


“I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work the more I love. I

rejoice in life for its own sake. Life is no brief candle to me; it is a sort of splendid torch

which I’ve got to hold up for the moment and I want to make it burn as brightly as

possible before handing it on to future generations.” (George Bernard Shaw)


� Day 11: ___________________ Date: ___________________

Read: Words of Mormon, Mosiah 1-3 Mark & Ponder: 2 Nephi 33:8-9


“Why do ye adorn yourselves with that which hath no life, and yet suffer the hungry, and

the needy, and the naked, and sick and the afflicted to pass by you, and notice them

not?” (Mormon 8:39)


“But as a people we should endeavor in the midst of our troubles, difficulties, trials and

temptations, to remember that we are God’s people; that we are called to be His, and

we should put our firm faith and trust in Him and leave Him to work out the results.”

(George Q. Cannon)

� Day 12: ___________________ Date: ___________________

Read: Mosiah 4-9 Mark & Ponder: Jacob 2:18-19


“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or

persecution, or famine. or nakedness, or peril, or sword” (Romans 8:35)


“A true Mormon home is one in which if Christ should chance to enter, he would b

pleased to linger and rest.” (Pres. David O. McKay)

As you follow the

40 Days Closer To Jesus Christ

Book of Mormon Study

Program, share your testimony

and any special experiences.


� Day 13: ___________________ Date: ___________________

Read: Mosiah 10-15 Mark & Ponder: Mosiah 3:19

Scripture of the Day:

”And as all have not faith, seek ye diligently and teach one another words of wisdom;

yea seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also

by faith. “Orgaghnize yourself; prepare every needful thing; and establish a house, even

a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of

glory, a house or order, a house of God.” ( D&C 88:118-119)


“We cannot be made perfect without our progenitors, neither can they be perfected

without us, and they are as much dependent upon us as we are dependent upon them.

We can build temples, they cannot; it is not their province to administer in them at

present, but it is ours, and we are called upon to do so. They are interested in our

welfare, they are our fathers, we are their children; they are laboring there, we here,

for our mutual salvation and exaltation in the kingdom of God.” (Pres. John Taylor)

� Day 14: ___________________ Date: ___________________



“And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and

with all thy might.” (Deut. 6:5)


He ate and drank the precious Words–

His Spirit grew robust–He knew no more–

that he was poor, Nor that his frame

was Dust– He danced along the dingy Days

And this Bequest of Wings Was but a Book–

What liberty A loosen spirit brings–

(Emily Dickinson)


� Day 15: ___________________ Date: ___________________



“Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the

saints, and of the household of God; and are built upon the foundation of the apostles

and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone; “ In whom ye also are

builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.” (Ephesians 3:19-10, 22)


“Search the scriptures, search the revelations which ye publish and ask your Heavenly

Father, in the name of his Son Jesus Christ, to manifest the truth unto you, and if you

do it with an eye single to his glory, nothing doubting, he will answer you by the power

of his Holy Spirit. You will then know for yourself and not for another. You will not then

be dependent on man for the knowledge of God; nor will there be any room for

speculation... For when men receive their instruction from Him that made them, they

know how He will save them... Again we say: Search the scriptures, search the Prophets

and learn what portion of them belongs to you.” (Prophet Joseph Smith)

� Day 16: ___________________ Date: ___________________

Read: Alma 1-5 Mark & Ponder: Mosiah 4:30


“I am the way the truth and the life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

(John 13:6)


“If we desire to learn the ideal life to lead among our fellow men, we can find a perfect

example in the life of Jesus. Whatsoever our noble desire, our lofty aspirations, our

ideals in any phase of life, we can look to Christ and find perfection. So, in seeking a

standard for moral manhood, we need only to go to the Man of Nazareth and in him find

embodied all virtues that go to make the perfect man.” (Pres David O. McKay)


� Day 17: ___________________ Date: ___________________

Read: Alma 6-10 Mark & Ponder: Alma 4:10


“...I say unto you, be one; and if ye are not one ye are not mine.” (D&C 38:27)


“Nothing is so much calculated to lead people to forsake sin and to take them by the

hand, and watch over them with tenderness. When persons manifest the least kindness

and love to me, O what power it has over my mind, while the opposite course has a

tendency to harrow up all the harsh feelings and depress the human mind.”

(Prophet Joseph Smith)

� Day 18: ___________________ Date: ___________________

Read: Alma 11-14 Mark & Ponder: Alma 5: 14


“...That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day

of judgement. For by thy words shalt thou be justified, and by thy words shalt thou be

condemned.” (Matthew 12:36-37)


“ What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies

within us.” (Oliver Wendell Holmes)

It matters not where you

are on the path; what

matters is that you are

facing the Savior.


� Day 19: ___________________ Date: ___________________



“My God hath been my support; He hath filled me with his love; even unto the consuming

of my flesh. He hath confounded mine enemies, unto the causing of them to quake

before me. Behold, he hath given me knowledge by visions in the nighttime.”

(2 Nephi 4:20-23)


“The Lord works from the inside out. The world works from the outside in. The world

would take people out of the slums. Christ takes the slums out of people, and then they

take themselves out of the slums. The world would mold men by changing their

environment. Christ changes men, who then change their environment. The world

would shape human behavior, but Christ can change human nature.”

(Pres. Ezra Taft Benson)

� Day 20: ___________________ Date: ___________________



“Behold, verily, thus saith the Lord unto you: In consequence of evils and designs which

do and will exist in the hearts of men in the last days, I have warned you, and

forewarned you, by giving unto you this word of wisdom by revelation”

(D&D 89:4)


“The great thing in this world is not so much where we stand, as in what direction we

are moving.” (Oliver Wendell Holmes)


� Day 21: ___________________ Date: ___________________



“Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who shall stand in his holy place? He that

hath clean hands and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn

deceitfully He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God

of his salvation. This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face , O

Jacob. Selah.” (Psalms 24: 3-6)


“Peace is more than a spot of ink on a piece of paper or a sound upon lips. It is the

application of the teachings of the Prince of Peace in our daily lives.”

� Day 22: ___________________ Date: ___________________



“Wherefore, fear not even unto death; for in this world your joy is not full. Therefore,

care not for the body, neither the life of the body; but care for the soul, and for the life

of the soul. And seek the face of the Lord always, that in patience ye may possess your

souls, and ye shall have eternal life.” (D&C 101:36-38)


“The gospel of Jesus Christ is not insurance against pain. It is a resource in event of

pain, and when the pain comes...rejoice that you have resource to deal with your pain.”

(Carlfred Broderick)


� Day 23: ___________________ Date: ___________________

Read: Alma 37-41 Mark & Ponder: Alma 36:18-19


“...I established the Constitution of this land, by the hands of wise men whom I raised

up unto this very purpose, and redeemed the land by the shedding of blood.”

(D&C 101:80)


“Nothing pleases God more than to have his children seek greater light and knowledge.”

(Hugh Nibley)

� Day 24: ___________________ Date: ___________________



“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall

be added unto you.” (Matthew 6:33)


“THOUGH CHRIST

A THOUSAND TIMES

IN BETHLEHEM BE BORN,

IF HE IS NOT BORN IN THEE,

THY SOUL IS STILL FORLORN.”


� Day 25: ___________________ Date: ___________________



“Yea, verily, verily I say unto you, if all men had been, and were, and ever would be,

like unto Moroni, behold, the very powers of hell would have been shaken forever; yea,

the devil would never have power over the hearts of the children of men.”

(Alma 48:17)


“The central conflict in the premortal council was: Shall man have agency, or shall he

be coerced to be obedient? Christ stood for the former, Satan for the latter. The

conflict continues in mortality. One of Lucifer’s primary strategies has been to restrict

our agency through the power of earthly governments...we live in one of history’s most

exceptional moments– in a nation and a time of unprecedented freedom. Freedom as

we know it has been experienced by perhaps less than 1 percent of the human family.”

(Pres Ezra Taft Benson)

� Day 26: ___________________ Date: ___________________



“And the Lord called his people ZION, because they were of one heart and one mind, and

dwelt in righteousness; and there was no poor among them.” (Moses 7:18)


“There is no real happiness in having or getting, but only in giving.” (N. Eldon Tanner)

DID YOU THINK TO PRAY?


� Day 27: ___________________ Date: ___________________



“yea, they had been taught by their mothers.” (Alma 56:47)


“The family is the basic unit of the kingdom of God on earth. The Church can be no

healthier than its families. No government can long endure without strong families.”

(Pres. Spencer W. Kimball)

� Day 28: ___________________ Date: ___________________



“For I was hungered, and ye gave me meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink; I was a

stranger, and ye took me in; naked, and ye clothed me; I was sick, and ye visited me;

I was in prison. and ye came unto me. “Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye have done

it unto the least of these my brethren ye have done it unto me.” (Matthew 25:35-40)


“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”

(Aristotle)


� Day 29: ___________________ Date: ___________________

Read: Helaman 1-9 Mark & Ponder: Helaman 10:4-5


“And blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. “And blessed are they who

do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled with the Holy Ghost.

“And blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. “And blessed are all the pure

in heart, for they shall see God.” (3 Nephi 12:5-8)


“Be patient in little things.” (William S. Plumer)

� Day 30: ___________________ Date: ___________________

Read: Helaman 10-14 Mark & Ponder: Helamam 5:12


“I, the Lord, will forgive whom I will forgive, but of you it is required to forgive all men.

And ye ought to say in your heart– let God judge between me and thee, and reward thee

according to thy deeds.” (D&C 64:10-11)


“We are required to forgive all men, for our own sakes, since hatred retards spiritual

growth.” (Orson F. Whitney)


� Day 31: ___________________ Date: ___________________

Read: Helaman 15-16 & 3 Nephi:1-4 Mark & Ponder: 3 Nephi 11:14-15


The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness

unto him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” “But he

that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.”

(Corinthians 2:14-15)


“The high-minded man must care more for the truth than for what people think.”

(Aristotle)

� Day 32: ___________________ Date: ___________________



“And I give unto you a commandment, that ye shall forsake all evil and cleave unto all

good, that ye shall live by every word which proceedeth forth out of the mouth of God.

“For he will give unto the faithful line upon line, and precept upon precept...”

(D&C 98:11-12)


“Goal setting should cause us to stretch as we make our way... Realize that God will

judge you by the way you make use of all your possibilities. It is wise and proper to want

to make the most of every opportunity, but don’t quit or weep because of failure or

disappointments. Break down big commitments into smaller ones that you can handle.”

(Marvin J. Ashton)


� Day 33: ___________________ Date: ___________________



“And, if you keep my commandments and endure to the end you shall have eternal life;

which gift is the greatest of all the gifts of God.” (D&C 14:7)


“It is a happy day when we come to know that with God nothing is impossible for us.”

(Marvin J. Aston)

� Day 34: ___________________ Date: ___________________



“Behold, he changed their hearts; yea, he awakened them out of a deep sleep, and they

awoke unto God. Behold they were in the midst of darkness; nevertheless, their souls

were illuminated by the light of the everlasting word; yea, they were encircled about

by the bands of death, and the chains of hell and an everlasting destruction did await

them.” (Alma 5:7)


“Why do the children of men set their hearts upon earthly things? ...(the) moment that

men seek to build up themselves, in preference to the kingdom of God, and seek to

hoard up riches, while the widow and fatherless, the sick and afflicted, around them,

are in poverty and want, it proves that their hearts are weaned from their God; and their

riches will perish in their fingers, and they with them.” (Pres Brigham Young)

Plan in advance for study

interferences. If necessary

play catch up.


� Day 35: ___________________ Date: ___________________

Read: 3 Nephi 22-30 Mark & Ponder: Ester 12:6


“For behold, this is my work and my glory– to bring to pass the immortality and eternal

life of man.” (Moses 1:39)


“The test of the church is the kind fo men it produces.” (Pres. David O. McKay)

� Day 36: ___________________ Date: ___________________

Read: 4 Nephi & Mormon 1-8 Mark & Ponder: Ether 12:27


“He that is ordained of God and sent forth, the same is appointed to be the greatest,

notwithstanding he is the least and the servant of all.” “Wherefore, he is possessor of

all things; for all things are subject unto him, both in heaven and on the earth, the life

and the light, the Spirit and the power, sent forth by the will of the Father through Jesus

Christ, his son.” “But no men is possessor of all things except he be purified and cleansed

from all sin.” (D&C 50:26-28)


“We can press forward with hope in Christ, like green shoots growing upward toward the

sun, only if we have within us the peace and stillness that are the rich seedbed of such

growth and progress.” (Eloise Bell)


� Day 37: ___________________ Date: ___________________

Read: Mormon 9 & Ester 1-3 Mark & Ponder: Ester 12:41


“Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the

devil...“Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to

withstand the evil day, and having done all, to stand. “Stand therefore having your loins

girt about with truth, and having the breastplate of righteousness; “And your feet shod

with the preparation of the gospel of peace; “Above all, taking the shield of faith

wherewith ye shall be able to quench th fiery darts of the wicked. “And take the helmet

of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

(Ephesians 6:11, 13-17)


“Next to acquiring good friend, the best acquisition is that of a good book.”

(Charles Caleb Cotton)

� Day 38: ___________________ Date: ___________________

Read: Ether 4-10 Mark & Ponder: Moroni 7:16-17


“An now, My beloved brethren, I would that ye should come unto Christ, who is the Holy

One of Israel, and partake of his salvation, and the power of his redemption. Yea, come

unto him, and offer your whole souls as an offering unto him and continue in fasting and

prayer, and endure to the end; and as the Lord liveth ye will be saved.”

(Omni 1:26)


“Success is not never falling down, but rising every time you fall.”


� Day 39: ___________________ Date: ___________________

Read: Ether 11-15 Mark & Ponder: Moroni 8:12


“And it came to pass that I, Nephi, being exceedingly young nevertheless being large in

stature, and also having a desire to know of the mysteries of God, wherefore I did cry

unto the Lord; and behold he did visit me, and did soften my heat that I did believe all

the words which had been spoken by my father; wherefore, I did not rebel against him

like unto my brothers.” (1Nephi 2:16)


“We must cherish one another, watch over one another, and gain instruction, that we

may all sit down in heaven together.” (Lucy Mack Smith)

� Day 40: ___________________ Date: ___________________

Read: Moroni 1-10 Mark & Ponder: Moroni 10:4


“As he thinketh in his heart, so is he.” (Proverbs 23:7)


“The great overall struggle in the world today is, as it has always been, for souls of men.

Every soul is personally engaged in the struggle, and he makes his fight with what is in

his mind. In the final analysis the battleground is, for each individual, within himself.

Inevitably he gravitates toward the subjects of his thoughts.” (Marion G. Romney)


MY TESTIMONY OF JESUS CHRIST:

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