A Mormon's VERY Basic Introduction To The Book Of Mormon

The Book of Mormon is one of the "four standard works" of scripture for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. It, in companionship with the bible, is a testimony of the divinity of Jesus Christ, thus it is referred to as "Another testament of Jesus Christ." By proclaiming His word again in the Book of Mormon, the Lord himself has fulfilled the law of witnesses, as proclaimed in the Book of Matthew, "that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established." Both books are studied together and are upheld by the Mormon Church to be the word of God, as far as they are translated correctly.

The actual book itself is an account translated by the "gift and power of God" from brass plates by the prophet Joseph Smith, into the record we have today. These plates were an abridgment, or process of condensing several records into one, of the record of the people who inhabited the American continent, known as the Nephites and Lamanites, made by the prophet Mormon, thus the title of the book. This type of "abridgement of records" could quite possibly be one way in which we received the account of the history of the world which is given in the Old Testament known as the Pentateuch or the first five books by Moses.

"Wherefore, it is an abridgment of the record of the people of Nephi, and also of the Lamanites-Written to the Lamanites, who are a remnant of the house of Israel; and also to Jew and Gentile-Written by way of commandment, and also by the spirit of prophecy and of revelation-Written and sealed up, and hid up unto the Lord, that they might not be destroyed-To come forth by the gift and power of God unto the interpretation thereof-Sealed by the hand of Moroni, and hid up unto the Lord, to come forth in due time by way of the Gentile-The interpretation thereof by the gift of God."

The record itself begins with the record of the prophet Lehi, a contemporary of the Old Testament prophets, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah. Lehi was instructed by the Lord to warn the people of the Southern Kingdom of Israel, known as the Kingdom of Judah of their impending destruction if they would not repent.

This is the same instruction that was given to the prophet Jeremiah, who when he warned the people of the destruction of the temple and the nation of Israel being led into captivity, was considered blasphemous and was imprisoned. This same fate or worse might have been the plight of Lehi had he not been warned by the Lord and been commanded to take his family and flee into the wilderness.

Obedient to the word of the Lord, Lehi departed into the wilderness bringing the family of Ishmael with him. These families were guided through the desert to the shore of great waters and were commanded to build a ship. This ship is then taken, and through the protection and guidance of the Lord himself, brought to a land of promise which is known today as the American continent. The record is then a history written by ancient prophets by the spirit of prophecy and revelation, who lived on the American continent.

The beginning of the record is approximately 600 B.C. and continues until, through the wickedness and pride of the nation itself, they are utterly destroyed. The last record keeper is called Moroni, who is the son of Mormon. Upon the death of Mormon, Moroni was given the charge of the record, which he completed and hid it up in the hill Cumorah, not to be discovered until it was to be brought forth by the hand of the Lord. It is this reason the angel Moroni was issued the charge to give the record to Joseph Smith to translate it in these "latter days."

The crowning event in the Book of Mormon is the account of the appearance of the Savior himself to these people in the American continent, after his death and resurrection. It was in fulfilling His own words when he expressed, "And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd."

It is through the personal ministry of Jesus Christ among the Nephites, that doctrines of his gospel are made clear. He teaches the plan of salvation, and explains to us what we must do to gain peace in this life and eternal salvation in the life to come. His words add clarity and support to those spoken in the records of the Old and New Testaments alike. It is a beautiful and moving account of the impact that the message of the gospel can bring.

The prophet Joseph Smith stated, "I told the brethren that the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book"

The keystone is the central stone on the top of an arch. With the description of the Book of Mormon as the "keystone" of our religion it is obviously very important.

Some of the reasons why the book is so important can be found, once again, in the title page of the book itself.

• The Book of Mormon is needed to show unto the remnant of the House of Israel what great things the Lord hath done for their fathers.

• The Book of Mormon reveals to the House of Israel the covenants of the Lord which were entered into by their fathers so that they may know they are not cast off forever.

• The Book of Mormon testifies to the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God, manifesting himself unto all nations.

• The Book of Mormon has come forth to prove that God inspires men and calls them to his holy work in this age and generation, and establishes the verity of the great truth of the gospel restoration in these latter days.

• The Book of Mormon is a witness of the divine mission of the Prophet Joseph Smith and the divinity of the Church set up under The Lords guidance.

• The Book of Mormon is a book with a message for our day.

  "The Book of Mormon was written for us today. God is the author of the book. It is a record of a fallen people, compiled by inspired men for our blessing today. Those people never had the book-it was meant for us. Mormon, the ancient prophet after whom the book is named, abridged centuries of records. God, who knows the end from the beginning, told him what to include in his abridgment that we would need for our day" Ezra Taft Benson

• The Book of Mormon contains the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and evidence to the world that the holy scriptures are true. It states that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. It contains the truth; it contains the word of God.

As a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, a Mormon, I testify that I have read the book several times and know of its truthfulness. I have studied it in correlation with the other standard works of the church, especially the Old and New Testaments and I find it to be exactly what it professes to be "Another Testament of Jesus Christ." But don't take my word for it, try and read it for yourself. When you do take the challenge put forth by the promise made by the prophet Moroni himself.

" And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.

And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things."