Editor’s note: To support personal and family gospel learning, the Church News is publishing articles on messages from October 2025 general conference. It is recommended to listen to or read the full address in addition to reviewing these resources.
About this talk
- “The Book of Mormon — an Immeasurable Treasure on Our Journey”
- Elder Ozani Farias | General Authority Seventy
- Sunday afternoon session of October 2025 general conference.
- Theme: Studying the Book of Mormon daily, feasting upon the words of Christ and bearing testimony of the book deepen conversion to Jesus Christ.
Read the full message here.
Read a summary of Elder Farias’ message here.
Outline
- While in high school, Elder Farias was given a copy of the Book of Mormon by a classmate. The classmate invited him to meet with the missionaries, who taught him the doctrine of Christ and invited him to follow Moroni’s invitation.
- Elder Farias received a testimony and was baptized. Despite opposition, the Book of Mormon became an immeasurable treasure in his mortal journey.
- Today, some 80,000 missionaries in more than 150 countries bear witness that this book is another testament of Jesus Christ. Elder Farias gives three suggestions to deepen conversion to Jesus Christ through study of the Book of Mormon.
1. Be diligent and consistent in your daily study
- As mission leaders in the Georgia Atlanta Mission, Elder Farias and his wife encouraged missionaries to study the Book of Mormon 30 minutes a day, which increased faith and helped them to seek and expect miracles.
- Prayerful study of the Book of Mormon daily brings greater spiritual strength and confidence in the Lord and His promises.
2. Make your study more meaningful by feasting upon the words of Christ
- Feasting upon the words of Christ (see 2 Nephi 32:3) means savoring, pondering and applying.
- To make scripture study more meaningful, use study aids in the Gospel Library app, identify eternal truths, highlight significant phrases, and record impressions. Feasting upon the words of Christ will open the door to revelation and show readers what to do in various circumstances of life.
3. Bear your testimony of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon
- When people today gain a testimony of the Book of Mormon, they develop a desire to share the joy that comes from knowing the gospel of Jesus Christ.
- After one of Elder Farias’ missionaries sent her brother a marked copy of the Book of Mormon to read each night, he gained a testimony and served a mission.
- Feasting on the words of Christ will help readers understand eternal truths and share their testimonies. Those who ask God in faith will gain a testimony of the truth and divinity of the book by the power of the Holy Ghost.
Reflection questions
Why is asking with a sincere heart, with real intent and having faith in Christ key to helping us gain a personal witness of the truth of the Book of Mormon through the power of the Holy Ghost?
What does it mean to feast upon the words of Christ in the Book of Mormon, as opposed to just reading?
How does the Book of Mormon teach the doctrine of Christ and explain more about the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ than any other book?
In what ways has your study of the Book of Mormon given you answers to the questions of your soul?
What are ways you can share your joy from knowing the gospel of Jesus Christ?
Speaker quotes
- “The Book of Mormon has been my companion and has become an immeasurable treasure in my mortal journey.”
- “Today, approximately 80,000 full-time missionaries in more than 150 countries are serving as volunteers, dedicating their lives to bearing witness that the Book of Mormon is true and that it testifies of Jesus Christ.”
- “Just as Lehi desired to share the fruit of the tree of life with his family (see 1 Nephi 8:12), when we gain a testimony of the Book of Mormon, we develop a desire to share the joy that comes from knowing the gospel of Jesus Christ.”
Reference scriptures
- “And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.”
- “The Book of Mormon … puts forth the doctrines of the gospel, outlines the plan of salvation, and tells men what they must do to gain peace in this life and eternal salvation in the life to come.”
- “Feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do.”
Invitations and promises
- “I promise that if you sincerely prioritize studying the Book of Mormon prayerfully each day, you will find greater spiritual strength and confidence in the Lord and His promises.”
- “As we feast upon the words of Christ, they will open the door to revelation and show us what we need to do in the various circumstances of our life to draw closer to Him.”
- “I encourage each of you to deepen your study of the Book of Mormon. I know as we feast upon the words of Christ found in the Book of Mormon, the Spirit will help us understand eternal truths and share our testimonies with conviction with those whom the Lord has prepared to hear His message.”
Stories
- Forty years ago, a young Elder Farias noticed that a classmate had a light different from others. One day, that classmate told him he was a member of the Church and offered him a copy of the Book of Mormon. The young man met with the missionaries, learned the doctrine of Christ and followed the counsel in Moroni 10:4. He gained a testimony and was baptized. Soon, others told him he had made the wrong decision, but he received renewed confirmation through study and prayer and remained true to his covenants.
- The Prophet Joseph Smith was only 23 years old when he completed the translation of the Book of Mormon in 1829. The entire book was translated in less than 75 days, while the printing process took seven months.
- While serving as president of the Georgia Atlanta Mission, Elder Farias counseled a sister missionary to read and mark a copy of the Book of Mormon and send it to her younger brother, who was unsure he would serve a mission. She did so and invited her brother to read from it each night. Over time, the young man found increasing joy in his life and accepted a call to serve in the Mexico Tuxtla Gutiérrez Mission.
Additional resources
- Related image: “Missionaries: Elders”
- Related video: “A Book of Mormon Story”
- Related hymn: No. 1036, “Read the Book of Mormon and Pray”
Recent conference talks on the Book of Mormon
- Elder Takashi Wada: “The Words of Christ and the Holy Ghost Will Lead Us to the Truth” (October 2024)
- Elder Quentin L. Cook: “Sacred Scriptures — the Foundations of Faith” (October 2024)
- President Dallin H. Oaks: “The Teachings of Jesus Christ” (April 2023)
Who is Elder Farias?
- Elder Ozani Farias was sustained as a General Authority Seventy in the April 2025 general conference. From Recife, Brazil, Elder Farias has worked for the Church for most of his career in positions including financial manager, human resources manager and most recently the director of temporal affairs for the Brazil Area.
