Those of us who can see generally take this ability for granted. We hear this a lot: that we, as people, expect some mundanely normal experience to be a given. But it's all too true. You don't know what you have until you no longer have it. The visually impaired know all too well that sight is a blessing of the greatest kind. This was no less true than in the time of Jesus Christ.
Sometime before Jesus rode triumphantly into Jerusalem, the Savior was traveling through the city of Jericho. As He came into the city, the people of Jericho were understandably stirred up by His presence. A stone's throw away, a blind man sat by himself, wondering what all the clamor was about.
This man, unable to see, was probably unable to work. Though being blind is still no picnic, obviously it wan't like today, when the blind are blessed with many advanced tools allowing them to function in the everyday world. Nor did the blind (or those with any handicaps for that matter) have laws in place to protect them from unemployment and poverty. In many circumstances, a handicap could be a social death-sentence. The blind, dumb, deaf, and lame could only sit on the periphery, dependent on the kindness of others.
When this particular man asked a passerby, He learned, to his delight, that the crowd was stirred up because Jesus of Nazareth was passing through. This was his chance. The man yelled out to his Savior, pleading, "Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me!" 
The people, shocked by how loud and audacious this man was being, scolded him. They told him to hold his peace. It was not dignified to be so bold. But he did not care. It didn't matter what these people thought. Jesus had come to bless him, to lift him out of his humble circumstances. He yelled again, "Thou son of David, have mercy on me!"
The Lord commanded that this man be brought to Him. With the man before Him, He asked, "What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee?"
The man knew what he required. Trusting in his God, he said, "Lord, that I might receive my sight."
Pleased with this humble man, Jesus said, "Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved thee."
In an instant, his vision was restored. Before him stood his Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Oh, the sweetness of that first of many wondrous sights this man would see. He got up, and followed his Savior, and the multitude glorified God.
Even if our physical eyes are in perfect health, we all may lose our sight. Being blinded by our carnal desires and worldly temptations, we may at times find ourselves lost in the darkness, with seemingly no way of getting back. I testify though, that if we but have faith, and turn unto Him who can restore our vision, that we can know the way to true happiness. The Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is that way, and through Him and Him alone can we be made whole. His eternal power will open our eyes if we but ask. We need not be ashamed that we come to Him, for why would the opinions of other's matter when our eternal happiness can be secured through Him we approach?
I leave you with this message in the His holy name, Jesus Christ-- Amen

Since I was a little boy, I have read, and reread the Book of Mormon. When I was little, I had no idea that not everyone held this book in the same esteem as the Bible. They had always gone together for me. So much so that I remember watching a show on TV as a five-year-old, when one character mentioned the Bible. I remember thinking to myself,"...And the Book of Mormon." Even though I was taught to include everyone, and regularly had play-dates with non-Mormon friends, it wasn't until I was a little older that I realized not everyone on earth was a Mormon, or even Christian (and a little older to realize that not all Christians were Mormons). I was taught from an early age by my parents, that everyone, no matter the circumstances, deserved love, that we were all brothers and sisters. Though, being human, I could not do this every time. I have, however, always tried to some degree.
As the years went on, and my innocence began to fade somewhat, I slowly came to grips with the  fact that the world was not as sunny and bright as I thought it was. I also realized that not everybody thought that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormonism) was as wonderful as I did. I was shocked to learn that some even hated it. As I processed this information, I contented myself with the knowledge that everyone has their own viewpoint, and they had the right to choose that view. One of my best friends in grade school was not a member of the Church, and had had some bad experiences with it.  After a couple years of friendship, he told me about how the missionaries had visited his family and one of his sisters was considering baptism, but was turned off by the pushiness of the missionaries, who kept asking her to set a date. That experience, seemed to shape his opinion of the Book of Mormon, and the LDS Church as a whole. We stayed friends for many years and I we didn't really broach the subject much. When we did talk religion, we both did our best to be respectful, but I could tell he was a bit cynical of the whole thing, which I didn't mind too much. I mostly labeled the subject as a "sore spot", something we ought not get into. We eventually drifted slowly apart, our lives taking different detours and both of us finding different groups of friends. We hung out on and off, but it eventually tapered off. We still occasionally say hello every now and again, and reminisce about the "good old days", but those encounters are far and few between.
Throughout middle school and high school, I kept the Book of Mormon on my nightstand, reading a verse or two before going to sleep. In those days, I knew on some level that it was a special book, but the words seemed so stale. My teenage brain just couldn't concentrate on the "thees" and "thous" for longer than about a minute before putting it down. The thing was, I was a great reader from an early age, but I didn't have the patience for long, archaically written books. I couldn't relate. At the time I was only reading to form a habit of study.
Sadly, it wasn't until recently that I truly started to study the Book of Mormon. A few months ago, as I became a Missionary, I realized, that if I wanted to truly understand this book, I would have to read it more actively, not just skim a couple token verses and drift off to sleep. My study has become more in depth, I pray before each reading session, and sit at a desk, taking notes. Since I've incorporated this beautiful book (in conjunction with the Bible) I have noticed a difference in my life. I feel a deep love for my fellow man. I have more of a desire to share this beautiful Gospel with others. I wish I had discovered the Book of Mormon's real power sooner. I have always had a fondness for it on some level, even if I found it boring, but for the first time, I really understand the sweetness of its words and have more of an inclination to act upon its teachings. I hope in the future I can be more willing to share it with those who want it, those who need it.
I hope that, if you haven't, you can also experience what this book has to offer. I offer you these humble words in the name of our Savior Jesus Christ--Amen