During the first week of 2020, we are studying the introductory pages of the Book of Mormon—all of the content which precedes 1 Nephi.
What is in these pages?
- The Title Page of the Book of Mormon lays out the purposes of the book.
- The Introduction provides some background information about the book and an invitation for all who read it.
- The Testimony of Three Witnesses, who heard the voice of God affirming that the book was translated by His power. They also saw an angel, who showed them the metal plates with engravings containing the original text of the book.
- The Testimony of Eight Witnesses, who were shown the plates by Joseph Smith, and who were allowed to examine and touch the plates.
- The Testimony of the Prophet Joseph Smith, in which he describes how he came into possession of the plates. This text also appears in Joseph Smith—History 1:29-35, 42-54, 59-60.
- A Brief Explanation About the Book of Mormon describes the structure of the book and explains four different sets of plates which contain content included in the book.
Some relevant blog posts:
- What Is the Book of Mormon?
- Who Wrote the Title Page of the Book of Mormon?
- The Title Page and Moroni 10
- Who Were the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon?
- How Did Joseph Smith Translate the Book of Mormon?
Blog Posts: January 2-5
Abiding by Its Precepts
precept — A general rule intended to regulate behavior or thought (Oxford English Dictionary) On Sunday, November 28, 1841, Joseph Smith spent the day with the apostles and with Joseph Fielding, who had recently returned from a four-year mission in England, at the home of Brigham Young in Nauvoo, Illinois. He made the following declaration to…
With Words of Soberness
Today, I’ve been pondering the Testimony of Three Witnesses and the Testimony of Eight Witnesses of the Book of Mormon. In both cases, I’m impressed with their earnestness and with their courage. Witnesses share what they know, not what other people want to hear. Witnesses are not entertainers, and they are not salespeople. Their objective…
Until the Time Should Come
Joseph Smith had to wait a long time to obtain the plates containing the original text of the Book of Mormon. When the angel Moroni appeared to him on the evening of Sunday, September 21, 1823, even before showing him in a vision the place where the plates were buried, he indicated that it was…
Witnesses
Today, I’ve been thinking about the people who saw the golden plates containing the original text of the Book of Mormon. Their experiences differed from one another dramatically, and I think we can learn a lot from those differences: The Three Witnesses—Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer, and Martin Harris—all participated in the translation of the Book…
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