Why read the book of Mormon?

I would like you to do a little visualization with me. Everyone has their own set of talents and perks. You may be very athletic, artistic or musically inclined. Maybe you are a good speaker. Maybe you have dabbled in the realm of medical or natural healing, maybe you're good with plants, or people. Maybe you're incredibly skilled with directions (I am NOT...so I respect that skill). Maybe you read well...or are skilled in the area of engineering. Think about what skill you have. What talent? If you are having a hard time thinking of anything, consider a unique virtue or attribute you have. Once you have thought of your skill, virtue or other gift...maybe even a spiritual gift you have, I want you to imagine now that you are presented with a situation where you have been asked to use your skill to help a large group of people and, for whatever reason, you are the only one with this skill. Maybe others have the same skill, but not to the level of yours or there's is missing your unique perspective and attributes that couple with your skill or gift. You commit to helping this large group of people with your particular skill. You begin assisting them. Maybe you're on a stage presenting, or performing...maybe in a meeting room...maybe you're outside somewhere, on a farm....in the mountains...in a church building...in your home...wherever it is...imagine you are standing in front of this large group of people, Instructing or assisting in whatever way your skill or gift would benefit them best.

Right in the pinnacle of your instruction or assisting, something happens...Suddenly you feel an intense, sharp pain in your chest area... and before you know it...darkness. Now, remove yourself from your situation, still in your visualization. You have just collapsed. You can see your own body, on the floor or ground. What is your audience doing? What's going on? You can see that you are unconscious. Some in your audience seem to believe at first that this is a hoax, but others quickly realize you are in dire need. A firefighter from the group of people you were assisting or instructing runs over to where you are and begins performing CPR. Other's quickly call 911. Soon emergency care is there. You have just experienced a cardiac arrest.  Medics arrive. They realize you have no pulse, no heart beat, no blood pressure, no breath. You have experienced sudden death Caridac Arrest.

If this had really happened to you, ask yourself, was there anything that could have been done to prevent it? Maybe you could have eaten healthier or exercised more. Maybe you failed to attend to regular medical check-ups. Bottom line, though...regardless of what you did or didn't do...This was still an unexpected, unplanned, Cardiac arrest. You could not have prepared for this and had no signs previous to indicate this would happen.

Okay. visualization is over.
Today, I was in church, and our instructor shared that President Monson, in our last General Conference, defined that it was "Critical" for us to be reading the book of Mormon Every day! I asked myself, why is it so critical? Then it hit me. We are in a Medical emergency, EVERY day!! Our life around us is a Spiritual emergency. We are not waiting for one to come and hit us like a cardiac arrest, we are already in one! Prophets have been talking about our day for years, and our Prophets and leaders today share of the calamities that we are now experiencing.

Still, though, why is it important to read the Book of Mormon? How does reading a book save me in a spiritual emergency?

I want you to ask yourself? Could reading the book of Mormon really have that far of an impact? Could it really be the tool that saves me from death?

The scenario I had you visualize above was based on a true scenario. Actress Tracey Conway experienced a sudden death Cardiac arrest in 1995 While performing on stage! It is described that she was found dead, lifeless. It wasn't until several quick procedures and 6 electric shocks to the heart that she was finally brought back to life. Conway, in summarizing her experience, expressed:
"I lost my only brother to a heart attack and it might possibly be because he lived in another state where they couldn't give him the kind of emergency care he needed, when he needed it...Every time a Medic...unit passes me on the street I say 'God bless you.' If it hadn't been for them, I would be dead.

I testify that Christ lives! He is your advocate! Your friend! And he has provided the Book of Mormon as a gift to you, to keep you in spiritually safe grounds,...or to keep you spiritually resuscitated with each spiritual attack of every day. My challenge for you is to follow the words of our living prophet and begin reading today! It will provide for you the break in the wind, the stilling of the storm and the clarity you need for each day. This I know.

(conway's death experience):
http://www.empowher.com/heart-disease/content/audio-herstory-tracey-conway-shares-her-%E2%80%9Cdrop-dead-gorgeous%E2%80%9D-heart-disease-story?page=0,3

http://www.mediconefoundation.org/news-events/life-stories/#section8