BYU-Idaho devotional address about the importance of The Book of Mormon

The Book of Mormon can strengthen faith and improve your life, and Lane Williams shared that message in his BYU-Idaho devotional address.

"You know, when you are asked to speak in devotional, they ask you to think of something that matters and might matter to students,” Williams said in an interview with BYU-Idaho Radio. “And there are a lot of the reasons that The Book of Mormon, which is my topic, matters to me."

In his devotional address, Williams talked about his father's life and how he taught Williams the importance of The Book of Mormon. He said they would often go to the mountains and even Yellowstone to relieve stress and sometimes read from the scriptures.

“Under the gentle lights, we’d read the Book of Mormon. I don’t remember much of what we read, but I remember what I felt -- a quiet assurance of the truth of this book,” Williams said.

In the interview, Williams also mentioned how he has noticed a difference between students who read The Book of Mormon every day and those who do not.

"There is something amazing about people who read The Book of Mormon every day,” Williams said. “There is a confidence, lightness and brightness, dare I say it, there is an attractiveness about them. They are their best selves and seem happier."

Williams reflected upon President Russel M. Nelson of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' invitation to think of how The Book of Mormon has changed your life, and how different life would be without it.

"I actually kind of shudder to think where I would be without The Book of Mormon, those are the reasons why I picked my topic." Williams said.

In the devotional address, Williams gives a few ways to kickstart better reading and studying experiences with The Book of Mormon by picking a theme and taking notes on it. He shared the steps he took to better understand prayer.

First, he realized every Book of Mormon chapter has details about prayer, on average, he said, about 2 ½ times. Then he noticed that prayers are frequently described as “cries unto the Lord,” which denotes a real intent and deep emotion. After that, Williams saw that prayers to resist temptation were common, and finally described how he marveled at the realization that Jesus’ ministry in the Americas was framed by prayer more than any other action.

“I marveled because Jesus is the son of God. He can do basically anything to help these people, but he chose to pray for them – that’s how important and effectual prayer can be,” he said.