Young Men and Young Women leaders in the Thayne Wyoming Stake feel it is important that their young people follow President Ezra Taft Benson's admonition to read the Book of Mormon.

Our goal, said Val Dee Pendleton, stake Young Men president, is to have the young people in the stake read the Book of Mormon at least three times before they are 18 years old."If they will do that, we feel we will have missionaries, temple marriages and strong families that will read and study the scriptures together," he explained.

To help encourage its young people to read the Book of Mormon, the stake designed a patch with symbols drawing a correlation between ancient America and modern times, Pendleton said.

"This patch was made in the shape of a shield to protect our youth against the forces of Satan through their studying the Book of Mormon," he said. "A hand grasping the iron rod was put into each corner of the patch, emphasizing our need to hold on to the teachings of the Book of Mormon."

Clark Kelly Price, a prominent local artist who designed the patch, and a ward Young Men president in the stake, told of a Scout trip on which he and a young man had a stimulating discussion about the atonement of Christ as it is taught in 2 Ne. 2. The young man said he now understand the Atonement and other gospel principles better than ever before.

"I thought, where else could you find a boy and a man sitting around a campfire after riding on horseback three hours into the wilderness, reading a book of scripture and discussing our Savior's atonement?" Price reflected.

"What a wonderful feeling I had to know that I had actually read the whole Book of Mormon," exclaimed Kris Hokanson. "I didn't know how good I would feel after I had read it, and the feeling of great accomplishment and joy I experienced."

Brian Suter and his wife, Sherry Kay, reported that they found their household unusually quiet one night. They crept downstairs and peeked around the corner. To their amazement they found their three teenagers reading the Book of Mormon together. "I couldn't believe it," Suter said, "but I can't think of anything I would rather see them doing."

A mother knew that her sons did not like to read, so she read the entire book to them. Once she began reading, they became so intrigued with it that they did not want her to stop.

A fireside, with the theme "Sons of Helaman and Daughters of Zion," was held Nov. 6 to further inspire young people to read the book during the coming year. At the fireside, a drama was presented in which a young man and young woman, played by Nolan Fluckiger and Kenna Roberts, were visited by Book of Mormon prophets, who taught them that the book was written for their day and the teaching contained in the book would help solve the problems of today.

A tape recording of President Benson's admonition for all young men and young women to read the Book of Mormon was played, as his picture was displayed on a large screen.

"Youths leading the way in their homes today will lead out in their own homes tomorrow," said Stake Young Women Pres. Annette Luthi.