Echoes from Jerusalem was a project to believe in. From his own experience, Kirk Van Leuven found that reading or listening to The Book of Mormon, cover-to-cover, in a shorter timeframe, had more impact than just reading passages. So, his idea was to concentrate the reading experience in a condensed version of the original. By learning what happened to Lehi’s family over the entire arc of the 1000-year history, we see how little things add up, especially when people approach day-to-day life with faith and purpose. Kirk wanted to bring this powerful narrative of a lost tribe of Israel to a wider modern audience.

People talk about intentionality these days. Being purpose driven, gives stability and direction when life itself presents setbacks and uncertainty. Kirk found that reading about and societal failures, and genocide, and how some individuals and families in the Book of Mormon escaped these destructive forces, provides inspiration to do better, and shows us where to look for safety.

Like millions of others who have read it, Kirk found a source of personal power in the Book of Mormon during challenging times. The book is clear about identifying the source of that power. It shows us how ancient promises from God to his people will be kept, and how blind eyes will see, and deaf ears will hear, when the prophecies of the Isaiah in the Bible are fulfilled, when the Lord restores his covenants and his people. It’s a message worth sharing.