Book of Mormon Study: Introduction

The Book of Mormon was written and prepared for future generations of Gentiles and Jews and Lamanites and all other Israelites. It was created by command of God, through the spirit of prophecy and revelation. A means of protection was prepared for this record–to be sealed up and buried in the Hill Cumorah by an ancient prophet. It would come forth at some future time through the Gentiles, by means of interpreters that had also been prepared for the work of translation. We can see throughout history that the Gentiles had been prepared since the Great Apostasy, through the Reformation, until Joseph Smith’s first prayer, he having been raised in a very religious home, that reopened the windows of heaven and bringing continuing revelation back to the world in an unbroken line to today.

The Book of Mormon shows “the remnant of the house of Israel what great things the Lord hath done for their fathers; and that they may know the covenants of the Lord, that they are not cast off forever-” (introduction to the Book of Mormon, emphasis added)

That is such a beautiful promise. When we accept and make covenants with God, and we keep those covenants, surely we are led to a joy that can be everlasting. And to know that we have a Savior, that we don’t have to be cast off forever! That we can live with God again! What a treasure.

The Book of Mormon tells us what to do to have peace in this life and eternal salvation to come. Both of those promised blessings can bring joy into our lives, if we are willing to accept them and do what needs to be done to gain peace and eternal life. The Book of Mormon helps us to prepare for eternal life and helps us find peace.

The crowning event, the visit of the resurrected Savior to the people on the American continent, is one full of joy following great sorrow and suffering.

The introduction to the Book of Mormon closes with an invitation, with three steps. We are invited to:

1. Read the Book of Mormon
2. Ponder its message in our hearts
3. Ask God in the name of Christ if this book is true

With the proper preparation, by following these three steps, we–you–can gain a testimony of its truthfulness by the power of the Holy Ghost.

 

To request your own copy of the Book of Mormon, you can visit here. Or you could find an electronic copy online or in your device’s app store.

1 Nephi 1:1 – Recognize the Good

I love how every time I read the Book of Mormon, there’s always something else to learn, or rediscover. This time, I’m looking for things on joy and being prepared. And right off, what do we have?

“I, Nephi, having been born of goodly parents, therefore I was taught somewhat in all the learning of my father; and having seen many afflictions in the course of my days, nevertheless, having been highly favored of the Lord in all my days; yea, having had a great knowledge of the goodness and the mysteries of God, therefore I make a record of my proceedings in my days.” ~ 1 Nephi 1:1

Despite every trial he faced—and there were a lot—Nephi chose to keep his focus on the Lord, and on the blessings his family had been given. His life was not easy. Just look at what he had to go through:

• He and his family had to flee from Jerusalem because the Jews were angry with his father for preaching against their wickedness and prophesying about the Messiah (1 Ne. 1:18-2:5).
• Five separate murder attempts on his own life (four by his brothers, one by Laban) (1 Ne. 3:25; 7:16; 16:37-39; 17:48; 2 Ne. 5:3).
• eight years wandering in the wilderness on a near-starvation diet and other hardships (1 Ne. 16-17)
• the death of his father-in-law, Ishmael (1 Ne. 16:34)
• nearly perishing on the boat ride toward the Promised Land (1 Ne. 18)
• and other things that are likely not recorded

With all of that, what does he choose to do? He could have chosen to become as hard-hearted and bitter as Laman and Lemuel. But he didn’t. He recognized the good in his life, and he made a record of it. After they leave Jerusalem, Nephi seeks his own testimony of the things his father has been teaching, “having great desires to know of the mysteries of God” (1 Ne. 2:16).

I’m reminded of something that President Henry B. Eyring, first counselor in the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, shared in General Conference several years ago:

“When our children were very small, I started to write down a few things about what happened every day. Let me tell you how that got started. I came home late from a Church assignment. It was after dark. My father-in-law, who lived near us, surprised me as I walked toward the front door of my house. He was carrying a load of pipes over his shoulder, walking very fast and dressed in his work clothes. I knew that he had been building a system to pump water from a stream below us up to our property.

“He smiled, spoke softly, and then rushed past me into the darkness to go on with his work. I took a few steps toward the house, thinking of what he was doing for us, and just as I got to the door, I heard in my mind—not in my own voice—these words: ‘I’m not giving you these experiences for yourself. Write them down.’

“I went inside. I didn’t go to bed. Although I was tired, I took out some paper and began to write. And as I did, I understood the message I had heard in my mind. I was supposed to record for my children to read, someday in the future, how I had seen the hand of God blessing our family. Grandpa didn’t have to do what he was doing for us. He could have had someone else do it or not have done it at all. But he was serving us, his family, in the way covenant disciples of Jesus Christ always do. I knew that was true. And so I wrote it down, so that my children could have the memory someday when they would need it.

“I wrote down a few lines every day for years. I never missed a day no matter how tired I was or how early I would have to start the next day. Before I would write, I would ponder this question: ‘Have I seen the hand of God reaching out to touch us or our children or our family today?’ As I kept at it, something began to happen. As I would cast my mind over the day, I would see evidence of what God had done for one of us that I had not recognized in the busy moments of the day. As that happened, and it happened often, I realized that trying to remember had allowed God to show me what He had done.”

What a wonderful reminder of where to keep our focus. It can be so easy to get discouraged and see only the bad in life. But President Eyring encourages us to do the same, to look back through our days and search for God’s hand in our lives. To find joy.

“More than gratitude began to grow in my heart. Testimony grew. I became ever more certain that our Heavenly Father hears and answers prayers. I felt more gratitude for the softening and refining that come because of the Atonement of the Savior Jesus Christ. And I grew more confident that the Holy Ghost can bring all things to our remembrance—even things we did not notice or pay attention to when they happened.”

What a wonderful blessing: a stronger testimony, more gratitude, a greater knowledge of Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, the Atonement, and so much more!

What good have you seen in your life today? How has God shown His hand today? Write it down.

The Book of Mormon – A Blessing to the World

I was surfing Facebook just now and saw an image announcing that the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ was published in Palmyra, New York, 185 years ago TODAY! Wow!

185 years ago the world was blessed with an amazing book, written by prophets of God in the Ancient Americas, whose words would come forth “as the voice of one crying from the dust” (2 Nephi 33:13) to Jew and Gentile. Working together with the Holy Bible, it testifies to the whole world that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, “who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world” (1 Peter 1:20), to atone for each child of God, to become, in great love and mercy, as the intercessor in satisfying the demands of justice on the sins of the world.

I love this book. I read it again and again. I have several copies scattered throughout my bedroom and my school locker.

At the end of the book, the final author, Moroni, extends a challenge to his readers:

Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how ^amerciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ^bponder it in your ^chearts.

And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ^aask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not ^btrue; and if ye shall ask with a ^csincere heart, with ^dreal intent, having ^efaith in Christ, he will ^fmanifest the ^gtruth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.

And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may ^aknow the^btruth of all things. (Moroni 10:3-5)

I’ve taken this challenge and have learned for myself that these things are true. But you don’t have to believe my words. Find out for yourself.

To request a free copy for yourself, head this-a-way. Or read it online here. Or find a copy for your device.

A Lesson from Nephi and King Lamoni’s Father

As I read in 1 Nephi 3 last Friday, I had a surprising revelation.

Nephi and his brothers have failed in their first attempt to retrieve the brass plates, and now Nephi has made what was probably a shocking suggestion to his brothers (in verses 16, 22-24):

Wherefore, let us be faithful in keeping the commandments of the Lord; therefore let us go down to the land of our father’s inheritance, for behold he left gold and silver, and all manner of riches. And all this he hath done because of the commandments of the Lord. …

And it came to pass that we went down to the land of our inheritance, and we did gather together our gold, and our silver, and our precious things. And after we had gathered these things together, we went up again unto the house of Laban.

And it came to pass that we went in unto Laban, and desired of him that he would give unto us the records which were engraven upon the plates of brass, for which we would give unto him our gold, and our silver, and all our precious things.

Keep in mind what was on the brass plates – a genealogy of Lehi’s family, the five books of Moses, “a record of the Jews from the beginning” to the reign of Zedekiah, and all the prophecies from Adam to Jeremiah.

They were willing to give up all their wealth for the word of God.

That reminded me of King Lamoni’s father, who was willing to give up all he possessed – his sins, even his kingdom – to have the promised joy and companionship of the Spirit.

And it came to pass that after Aaron had expounded these things unto him, the king said: What shall I do that I may have this eternal life of which thou hast spoken? Yea, what shall I do that I may be born of God, having this wicked spirit rooted out of my breast, and receive his Spirit, that I may be filled with joy, that I may not be cast off at the last day? Behold, said he, I will give up all that I possess, yea, I will forsake my kingdom, that I may receive this great joy.

But Aaron said unto him: If thou desirest this thing, if thou wilt bow down before God, yea, if thou wilt repent of all thy sins, and will bow down before God, and call on his name in faith, believing that ye shall receive, then shalt thou receive the hope which thou desirest.

And it came to pass that when Aaron had said these words, the king did bow down before the Lord, upon his knees; yea, even he did prostrate himself upon the earth, and cried mightily, saying:

O God, Aaron hath told me that there is a God; and if there is a God, and if thou art God, wilt thou make thyself known unto me, and I will give away all my sins to know thee, and that I may be raised from the dead, and be saved at the last day.

That got me thinking. What are we willing to give up for the word of God? I mentioned this to my mother, and she helped me discover more. I’ve been blessed to have the word of God in my life. So, what am I willing to give up for a greater spiritual connection to Heavenly Father? To improve my relationship with Him?

As a beginning, our family has gotten back into the habit of daily family scripture and prayer. We’ve started over in the Book of Mormon, and have managed to do it for three days. We also pray every day for my youngest brother as he studies Spanish and… whatever it is that missionaries learn in the MTC. We pray that he’ll be protected and strengthened as he serves Heavenly Father, that he can be an instrument in bringing more of our Father’s children to the light of the gospel of Christ.

Do you have something you’d like to give up in order to have a stronger relationship with God?

Edited later: After some thought, I’ve come to realize that one of the things I would like to give up is procrastination. I keep putting off so many things – scripture study, planning my Sunday School lessons, homework for school. I’m going to improve on that during 2015.