“Remember the New Covenant, Even the Book of Mormon”
The coming forth of the Book of Mormon, foretold by ancient prophets, began with an angelic visitation in 1823 to 17-year-old Joseph Smith. Seven years later, in 1830, this scriptural canon of the Latter-day Saints was published for the world. “The Book of Mormon [is] the most correct of any book on earth,” Joseph Smith stated, “and the keystone of our religion.” These scriptures testify of Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God, His mission, and His ministry.
The Prophet Joseph received these ancient metal records written in “reformed Egyptian” from the heavenly messenger Moroni and translated them by “the gift and power of God” into the Book of Mormon. The sacred writings chronicle God’s dealings with his people in the western hemisphere centuries ago.
The prophetic work of Joseph Smith rapidly unfolded as the Book of Mormon went “before the world.” Joseph declared that “a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book.“
The Book of Mormon was written anciently for our day. It was prepared by the hand of the Lord over a period of more than a thousand years, by seers who were writing and speaking to future readers. They saw, understood, and spoke to us in the last days. “Behold I speak unto you as if you were present,” Mormon wrote. The records were preserved for another fifteen hundred years to come forth in their purity for our generation. Joseph Smith taught, “Take away the Book of Mormon and the revelations, and where is our religion? We have none” (History of the Church, 2:52).
Since its humble beginnings in this dispensation, the Book of Mormon has been a blessing in the lives of millions of people all over the world. This lesson discusses the miracle of the Book of Mormon and our responsibility to “flood the earth and [our] lives with the Book of Mormon” (Ezra Taft Benson, in Conference Report, Apr. 1989, 3; or Ensign, May 1989, 4).
Here is the handout for this lesson: D&C-Church History Lesson 4.
pax vobiscum
Filed under: Gospel Doctrine Tagged: | Book of Mormon, Christianity, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Gospel Doctrine, LDS, Modern Day Revelation, Mormon, Religion
