Book of Mormon: Developing a Routine

Yesterday I attended the homecoming of one of the leaders in my mission. It was great to talk to some of my former missionary companions and other friends in the mission. As most return missionaries do, we discussed some of our recent converts and their activity in the church. One of the investigators that I worked with for a good amount of time was mentioned and I found that he has not been actively attending church. I obtained his phone number from one of the sisters and called him on my way home. Our conversation was sweet. It was great to be updated on his life and to let him know that I cared about him and his salvation. He didn't seem very optimistic about life, which is characteristic of him, and he wasn't making decisions that would bring him happiness. We discussed his current commitment to reading the Book of Mormon. He had placed it on a shelf and hadn't been supping of the words of eternal salvation. I know that a big part of the reason he hasn't been happy in life is because he hasn't been going to church, where he can feel the spirit of Christ in a place of learning and growth, or reading daily from the Book of Mormon, which book will bring one closer to Christ than any other book. I challenged him to start reading again just by opening and closing the book for two days, then for the rest of the week reading only one verse. He is going to call and let me know how it goes next Sunday. I am excited to hear of the progress he makes in developing a routine to read the Book of Mormon. I have a strong belief that when a person takes time to remember our Savior, to study His teachings, even if for just a few moments in the day, our lives are more manageable and we are able to develop the attributes we desire and ultimately become happier, more successful people. As this recent convert works to develop a routine of gospel study, I challenge myself and any others to do the same. Even if it is only one verse a day, that is better than nothing. I know that the Lord receives what we can give and gives us back more than we can imagine! I wish us all the ability to become more like Christ by setting aside time to read His words.