Isaiah foretold the coming forth of “a marvellous work and a wonder” in the latter days that would cause Israel to sanctify the “Holy One of Jacob” and increase the people’s understanding of the doctrines of salvation (Isaiah 29:14, 23). That grand event was the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ in our day, including the publication of the Book of Mormon. In that sense, the Book of Mormon is itself a sign of God’s everlasting charity toward His children, for it is the most tangible manifestation of how His word would be gathered together in the last days as a blessing to all mankind (see 2 Nephi 29:14).
Just as Samuel the Lamanite proclaimed to the doubting Nephites the wondrous signs that would soon be given to herald the birth and mission of the Redeemer, so has the Lord given us a wondrous sign of the unfolding Restoration in the form of the Book of Mormon, another testament of Jesus Christ. My wife, Carol Lynn, had an interesting confirmation of the power of this scriptural “sign” in a presentation she attended several years ago where a young Pakistani couple described their conversion to the restored gospel. She recounts this uplifting event in her journal as follows:
Light shone in the darkness of the projection room as the young husband and wife bore fervent testimony of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. The young man had been invited to a job interview at a Christian school in his native land. The three-hour train journey provided the occasion for him to read the Book of Mormon that a member had given him a year earlier. By the time he arrived at his destination, he knew that the book was indeed another witness of Jesus Christ. At the Christian school he was told that his interviewer would be one hour late. This gave him the opportunity—along with continuing to read the words of truth—to look up and call the listed number of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in that city. His intention was to make an appointment to stop by as soon as his interview was completed. As it turned out, he was offered and accepted the teaching position, which would begin in three months. For now, however, his heart was focused with earnest desire on pursuing his investigation of this marvelous and compelling new book of scripture, so he rushed to keep his appointment with Church representatives.
He had many questions answered by the missionaries that day. Then they asked him a life-changing question. Would he like to be baptized? Since he was convinced through the Spirit that the Book of Mormon and the Church were true, he became baptized immediately. After completing the three-hour train ride back home, he announced to his wife that he had just been through an overwhelmingly positive experience. She was expecting to hear that he had been offered a teaching position, but learned, first of all, that he had joined a new church and that the Book of Mormon was true. He confirmed that he had, indeed, accepted the new position, and now wanted her to read the true words from the Book of Mormon as soon as possible. She read the book as well, gained a testimony thereby, and was also baptized.
Just three months after his baptism, he was called to be the branch president of the local congregation. Because he accepted that calling, he had to relinquish his new teaching job and find another one closer to home. However, within a year he and his wife had both lost their teaching jobs at Christian schools because of their membership in the Church. They had sacrificed a professional career but had gained a treasure of far greater worth. Members of their family circle who knew English also joined the Church through reading the Book of Mormon. Other family members who did not know English were also very interested, and are now anxiously awaiting the time when they can read the Book of Mormon in their native tongue.
This young convert father, his lovely wife, and their eighteen-month-old daughter came to Utah to help translate the Book of Mormon and other scriptures and words of the prophets for their family and the Church members in their country. A kind and generous family had sponsored their visit to this country to complete the project. The father is also pursuing a degree that will give him the skills and knowledge to help teach the people of his country the truths of the Book of Mormon. Rich blessings will be available to many who wait because of the untiring efforts of “angels on earth” who took the time to read the pages of the Book of Mormon with a true desire to know that the words therein are true.
By this we can clearly see—as in so many similar examples throughout the world today—that the Book of Mormon is truly a sign of the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ in the latter days, a divine blessing that can soften hearts and change lives for the better. (Richard J. Allen)