Elder A. informed me that of course I would reach a negative conclusion if I doubted or wondered if the book might be false. He said the honest investigator must pray with an open mind, with no preconceptions regarding the validity of the Book of Mormon.
“But Elder,” I said, “what you suggest is impossible. In order to use the Moroni 10:4 test, an investigator must begin with confidence that the Book of Mormon is true and Moroni 10:4 is an actual promise from God. Therefore, he cannot pray as prescribed in Moroni 10:4 with a completely open mind while bearing no preconceptions about the validity of the Book of Mormon. He is unable to do that because he must already believe the book is true enough to impart true promises from God.”
Elder A. disagreed. He did not want to discuss the matter further, so we let it drop.
If you are a defense attorney, the evidence in your client's trial will point ot their innocence. But if you are a prosecutor, it points to his guilt. Likewise, if one has to pray about whether or not the Book of Mormon is true, then they have more than likely already made up their minds about the matter.
