Book of Mormon before Breakfast

by Betty Jan Murphy

One evening after dinner, some members of our family lingered and discussed ways to help one of our teenagers (who was not there) with his testimony. Our returned-missionary son said, “I think we should read the Book of Mormon as a family.” At the moment, I doubted that studying the Book of Mormon would really solve this particular challenge. Besides, our two younger children were studying the scriptures in seminary, and I was taking an institute class with our older son. Didn't that cover our scriptural needs? But my husband thought it was a good idea and said to our son, “If you’ll take the responsibility of waking everyone in the morning, we’ll give it a try.”

The first morning, each of the children dragged themselves into our bedroom sleepy eyed. The child we were worried about came wrapped in a blanket from his bed, hair tousled, with a look of “Let’s get this over with” on his face. He promptly lay down on the floor; whether he was awake or asleep, we could not determine. But read we did, every morning thereafter.

I don’t know when I first became aware of the change, because it happened so imperceptibly. I just remember that at another dinner table conversation with everyone present, the problem we had been so worried about no longer existed.

Coincidence? Maybe, but I choose to believe that the promise given by President Marion G. Romney in general conference in April 1980 and emphasized by President Ezra Taft Benson in October 1986 had been fulfilled: “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 great 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 the counsel of their parents. 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.”