Introductory Pages: Another Testament of Jesus Christ (January 1-7)

What is the Book of Mormon?

• It is a record of God’s relationship with a group of people who immigrated from Jerusalem to the Americas about 600 years before the birth of Jesus Christ.
• Like the Bible, it contains various types of content, including history, sermons, and revelations (including visions).
• The content was organized and mostly written by Mormon, a prophet/historian who lived about 400 years after the birth of Jesus Christ. After Mormon’s death, his son Moroni completed the book.
• According to the Title Page (probably written by Moroni), the book has three purposes:
  1. To show us how God blessed earlier generations
  2. To assure us that we are connected with God by covenant
  3. To testify that Jesus is the Christ
• It was engraved on metal plates which Moroni buried in what is now upstate New York. In 1823, Joseph Smith retrieved those plates and translated them by the gift and power of God.
• Joseph Smith called it “the most correct of any book on earth” and testified that we “would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts than by any other book” (Introduction to the Book of Mormon).

This week, we’ll spend time with some introductory content, including the title page, an overview of the book, and several testimonies by people who saw the plates from which it was translated.

1. The Title Page of the Book of Mormon lays out the purposes of the book.
2. The Introduction provides some background information about the book and an invitation for all to read it and learn for themselves whether it is true.
3. The Testimony of Three Witnesses contains a declaration by three associates of Joseph Smith that the book was translated by His power. An angel also showed them the metal plates containing the text of the book, and they heard God’s voice affirming that the book is true.
4. The Testimony of Eight Witnesses, who were shown the plates by Joseph Smith and who were allowed to examine and touch the plates.
5. 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.
6. A Brief Explanation About the Book of Mormon describes the structure of the book and explains four different sets of plates which are referenced in the book.

1. God does not forget His children. We are the beneficiaries of promises He made to our ancestors.
2. A covenant is more than an agreement. It is an affirmation of an enduring relationship.
3. Jesus Christ is the Savior of the entire world. His ministry blesses all people in every culture.
4. God’s perfect work is carried out by imperfect people. We need to learn to see past any real or perceived imperfections in order to comprehend and absorb messages from God.

1. The Title Page references the Tower of Babel, which is described in Genesis 11.
2. The central message of the book of Joshua parallels Moroni’s statement of purpose on the Title Page of the Book of Mormon.
3. The testimonies of Three and Eight Witnesses are both addressed to “Every Nation, Kindred, Tongue, and People,” a phrase which appears prominently in the book of Revelation.

1. Think about the great things God has done for your ancestors and what that means for you.
2. Recommit to emulate God’s perfect adherence to His covenants by keeping the promises and commitments you have made.
3. Be receptive to other people’s testimonies. Recognize that God communicates with each of us in individual ways, and that our understanding of the gospel is enhanced by hearing from multiple witnesses.

• What Is the Book of Mormon? 
• Who Wrote the Title Page of the Book of Mormon?
• The Title Page and Moroni 10
• Why Is the Book of Mormon Written in King James English?
• How Did Joseph Smith Translate the Book of Mormon?

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