The Title Page of the Book of Mormon, which was probably written by Moroni, explains what the book is, who it’s for, and how it was written and preserved. It also identifies three main purposes: (1) to show us what God has done for prior generations, (2) to teach us about God’s covenants, and (3) to testify that Jesus is the Christ.
Chapter Outline
- What is the Book of Mormon?
- Who is the audience?
- How was it written?
- How was it preserved?
- What are its purposes?
My Takeaways
- Remembering what God has done in the past can help us exercise faith today.
- Because of covenants God made with people centuries ago, we belong.
- Like the Bible, the Book of Mormon testifies of the divinity of the Savior.
Featured Blog Posts
Who Wrote the Title Page of the Book of Mormon?
In the History of the Church, Joseph Smith made an important clarification about the Title Page of the Book of Mormon: I wish also to mention here, that the Title Page of the Book of Mormon is a literal translation, taken from the very last leaf, on the left hand side of the collection or…
The Title Page and Nephi
Although Moroni wrote the Title Page of the Book of Mormon, he was heavily influenced by Nephi. In this post, I show many parallel phrases between the Title Page and Nephi’s words. From start to end, the Book of Mormon has a consistent message and purpose
The Title Page and Moroni 10
The Book of Mormon An Account Written by the Hand of Mormon upon Plates Taken from the Plates of Nephi 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…
❖ Audience
Moroni Wrote to the Lamanites
“I make not myself known to the Lamanites lest they should destroy me” (Moroni 1:1). “I write a few more things, that perhaps they may be of worth unto my brethren, the Lamanites, in some future day, according to the will of the Lord” (Moroni 1:4). Jesus said, “Love your enemies” (3 Nephi 12:44, Matthew 5:44). As…
❖ Purpose #1: Show Us What God has Done for Prior Generations
“What Great Things”
Knowing what the Lord has done for prior generations can help us in 3 ways: 1. It provides a foundation for our faith. 2. It helps us recognize that apparently small miracles may be larger than we realize. 3. It keeps us humble and grateful.
❖ Purpose #2: Teach Us About God’s Covenants
Belonging
One of the purposes of the Book of Mormon is to assure us that we belong, that because of “the covenants of the Lord,” we “are not cast off forever.” Jesus taught that we belong to the covenants God made with our ancestors, and that He will not forget us.
❖ Purpose #3: Testify that Jesus Is the Christ
Jesus Is the Christ
The Greek word Christos means “the Anointed One.” It is the equivalent of the Hebrew word Mashiach (Messiah). Lehi taught his children that the Messiah would be the Savior of the World. Nephi and Mormon testified that Jesus is the Christ.
Old Testament Foundations
“I Will Gather Them from Thence”
While serving in the palace of the king of Persia, Nehemiah was devastated to learn of the sorry state of the city of Jerusalem. The people who were left there were “in great affliction and reproach.” The walls of the city were broken, and the gate had been burned. As Nehemiah pleaded with God for…
A Tower to Get to Heaven
Sometime after the Great Flood, the descendants of Noah were gathered in a place called Shinar, which later became known as Babylonia. They collectively resolved to build “a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven.” They viewed this project as a way to avoid being “scattered abroad upon the face of the…
“My Covenant”
A covenant is an alliance, a formal relationship, with a promise that the relationship will endure. When David and Jonathan became close friends, “their souls were knit together,” and Jonathan loved David “as his own soul.” As an acknowledgement of that love and as a promise of continued friendship, they made a covenant with each…
New Testament Parallels
Testimony of Jesus = Spirit of Prophecy
An angel told John that the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. The only way we can be sure that Jesus is our Savior is by direct, personal revelation from God. Therefore, the people who have that testimony are the people who receive revelation.
Church History Connections
We Need Our Ancestors—and They Need Us
The word “fathers” appears 182 times in the Book of Mormon, usually meaning “ancestors.” For example: On the title page, we read that one of the purposes of the book is “to show unto the remnant of the House of Israel what great things the Lord hath done for their fathers.” Lehi was delighted to…
Three Covenants
One of the purposes of the Book of Mormon is for us to “know the covenants of the Lord” (Title Page). The Savior emphasized three of those covenants during His visit to the American continent, following His death and resurrection: Israel will be gathered: “Then will I gather them in from the four quarters of the earth;…
Bound
An important characteristic of God is that He is perfectly reliable. As we strive to become more like Him, He gives us opportunities to emulate that characteristic. “I, the Lord, am bound when ye do what I say,” He told a group of church leaders in 1832 (Doctrine and Covenants 82:10). Is His agency limited…
In Every Nation
The Restoration Proclamation begins by affirming “that God loves His children in every nation of the world.” One of the purposes of the Book of Mormon is to testify that Jesus Christ manifests himself unto all nations.” The Restoration is for everyone.
By the Gift and Power of God
Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon by the gift and power of God. A gift seems permanent, while power sounds more immediate. Both refer to capabilities received from God. Moroni said that when we do good, we work “by the power and gifts of God.”
All Posts Referencing the Title Page
- Climbing the Ladder (3/8/2026)
- Inheriting the Covenant, Part 3: Planted Promises and Turned Hearts (3/6/2026)
- Go, Look, Believe: Trusting God’s Promises (2/19/2026)
- “All Men [and Women] Everywhere” (3/1/2025)
- In Every Nation (12/31/2024)
- The Remnant Shall Return (3/5/2024)
- Jesus Is the Christ (1/7/2024)
- Belonging (1/6/2024)
- “What Great Things” (1/5/2024)
- The Title Page and Nephi (1/4/2024)
- A Hundredth Part: Mormon’s Editorial Decisions (1/3/2024)
- Testimony of Jesus = Spirit of Prophecy (12/30/2023)
- “I Will Gather Them from Thence” (7/20/2022)
- “There Failed Not Ought” (5/29/2022)
- A Tower to Get to Heaven (2/5/2022)
- “My Covenant” (2/3/2022)
- We Need Our Ancestors—and They Need Us (11/5/2021)
- Three Covenants (10/2/2021)
- Bound (7/23/2021)
- Moroni Wrote to the Lamanites (12/6/2020)
- “If There Was No Mistake” – 3 Nephi 8:1-2 (9/15/2020)
- The “Hundredth Part” – Mormon’s Prioritization of Events in the Book of Alma (6/7/2020)
- Like unto Moses – 1 Nephi 4:2 (1/11/2020)
- What Is the Book of Mormon? (12/27/2019)
- Why Do Quotes from the King James Version Appear in the Book of Mormon, Even Ones that Joseph Smith Later Altered in his Translation of the Bible ? (12/9/2019)
- What Are the Roles of Persuasion and Punishment in Motivating Good Behavior? (12/4/2019)
- What Is the Spirit of Prophecy? (8/17/2019)
- What Does the Book of Mormon Teach About Abraham? (7/20/2019)
- What Is a Covenant? (6/20/2019)
- Who Wrote the Title Page of the Book of Mormon? (1/21/2019)
- How Did Joseph Smith Translate the Book of Mormon? (1/14/2019)
- Turn, All Ye Gentiles – 3 Nephi 30:2 (9/15/2018)
- If There Are Faults – Title Page (9/3/2018)
- The Title Page and Moroni 10 (7/1/2017)
- Jesus Is the Christ – Title Page (11/28/2016)
- That They May Know the Covenants of the Lord – Title Page (5/29/2016)
- Title Page: That They May Know the Covenants of the Lord (1/1/2015)