The Coming Forth of the Book of Mormon

Concerning the translation, importance, and significance of the Book of Mormon, Joseph Smith, the first prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ, stated,

This messenger [Moroni] proclaimed himself to be an angel of God, sent to bring the joyful tidings that the covenant which God made with ancient Israel was at hand to be fulfilled, that the preparatory work for the second coming of the Messiah was speedily to commence; that the time was at hand for the Gospel in all its fullness to be preached in power, unto all nations that a people might be prepared for the Millennial reign. I was informed that I was chosen to be an instrument in the hands of God to bring about some of His purposes in this glorious dispensation (History of the Church, 4:536-537).

Joseph Smith later stated,

I translated the Book of Mormon from hieroglyphics, the knowledge of which was lost to the world, in which wonderful event I stood alone, an unlearned youth, to combat the worldly wisdom and multiplied ignorance of eighteen centuries, with new revelation, which (if they would receive the everlasting Gospel,) would open the eyes of more than eight hundred millions of people, and make “plain the old paths,” wherein if a man walk in all the ordinances of God blameless, he shall inherit eternal life (History of the Church, 6:74).

The First Publication of the Book of Mormon

Having completed the work of translation, Joseph Smith stated, “we went to Palmyra, Wayne County, New York, secured the copyright, and agreed with Mr. Egbert B. Grandin to print five thousand copies for the sum of three thousand dollars (History of the Church, 1:71).

Yet, initially, Mr. Grandin rejected the offer to print the surprisingly large order of 5,000 copies of the Book of Mormon, as he believed “this gold Bible business” to be a hoax and a gross imposition. In a brief time, however, he reconsidered, being assured that he would be linked to the printing of the book only in a business way. Before committing to a contract though, he asked his friend John H. Gilbert, an experienced printer who was “good at figures,” to help him determine what it would cost to produce the enormous number of books—an edition size rarely considered by large-city publishers let alone by country printers (Two Significant Sites of the Restoration, Ensign, Sept. 1998, 35–36.)

The Book of Mormon was subsequently printed in the Grandin Building located in downtown Palmyra, New York, starting in mid-August 1829, and the first copies were offered for sale in Grandin’s bookstore on 26 March 1830, as another witness of the divinity and mission of Jesus Christ. The total printing cost was in the amount of $3,000 which was financed by Martin Harris, a family friend, who mortgaged part of his farm. Joseph Smith was 23 years of age at the time.

Testimonies of the Book of Mormon

Since its publication, millions of people worldwide have read the Book of Mormon. After reading it, they have gained their own personal witness and testimony that the book is indeed the Word of God, They have also discovered that by reading, studying, and pondering the words of scripture contained therein, a person can draw closer to Jesus Christ.

The testimonies of two past Church leaders concerning the power of the Book of Mormon are cited below.

Gordon B. Hinckley, the 15^th President and Prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, stated,

Believe in the Book of Mormon as another witness of the Son of God. This book has come forth as an added testimony to the world of the great truths concerning the Master as set forth in the Bible. The Bible is the testament of the Old World. The Book of Mormon is the testament of the New World, and they go hand in hand in testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ.

I can’t understand why those of other faiths cannot accept the Book of Mormon. One would think that they would be looking for additional witnesses to the great and solemn truths of the Bible. We have that witness, my brothers and sisters, this marvelous book of inspiration which affirms the validity and the truth of the divine nature of the Son of God. God be thanked for this precious and wonderful testimony. Let us read it. Let us dwell upon its truths. Let us learn its message and be blessed accordingly (meeting, Baltimore, Maryland, 15 Nov. 1998; quoted in “Recurring Themes of President Hinckley,” Ensign, June 2000, 18–19).

James E. Faust, the Second Counselor in the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1995 until his death in 2007, stated:

A keystone keeps an arch in place; without a keystone the whole arch will collapse. Why is the Book of Mormon the keystone of our religion? Because it is central to our history and theology. It is the text for this dispensation. Nothing took priority over getting the Book of Mormon translated and published. Everything was held until that was accomplished. There were no Apostles until it came into being. Ten days after the book’s publication the Church was organized. Publication of the Book of Mormon preceded missionary work because Samuel Smith needed to have it in hand before he could go forward as the first missionary of the Church. Sections 17 and 20 of the Doctrine and Covenants indicate that the Brethren could not fully know the divinity of the latter-day work until the Book of Mormon was translated. …

… May our testimonies ring forth with power and authority and conviction concerning Joseph Smith, the greatest prophet who has ever lived, and concerning the Book of Mormon, which he brought forth (“Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon,” Ensign, January 1996, 7).

My Personal Witness of the Book of Mormon

After meeting with missionaries on a regular basis for about a year, and learning about the teachings and doctrines of The Church of Jesus Christ, I finally made the decision that I would not be baptized until I had read the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants (a collection of modern revelations), and the Pearl of Great Price (which contains the Book of Moses, the Book of Abraham, and Joseph Smith’s Story), each in their entirety. I was inspired to develop a 40-day reading calendar to accomplish the reading of all three volumes.

As I read the Book of Mormon, the Holy Spirit bore witness to me that what I was reading was indeed true – what I was reading was indeed the Word of God. I soon gained a personal testimony of the truthfulness of the book and came to the full realization that the book was exactly as Latter-day Saints testify of it being – Another Testament of Jesus Christ.

Before being baptized, I was studying to be a Baptist minister and I had already read the Bible in its entirety some nine times, but somehow I always felt that there should be more to the story. I testify that I discovered the rest of the story through the pages of the Book of Mormon. I have been a member of The Church of Jesus Christ since March of 1998, and in that time, I have read the Book of Mormon nine more times in its entirety. Each time I read the Book of Mormon I discover truths that have always been there, but perhaps I missed in previous readings.

I have found that, like the Bible, the Book of Mormon never grows old. Depending on my station in life at any particular moment, the truths contained within its pages take on new meaning, and as I learn more, I indeed draw closer to the Savior, and learn to love Him even more. I invite everyone to read the Book of Mormon and discover for themselves the power of the gospel that it contains, and as a person does so, I testify that he will draw closer to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Additional Resource:

The Book of Mormon – Another Testament of Jesus Christ

Sorenson is a professor emeritus of anthropology at Brigham Young University where he originated the program and headed it for fourteen years. Since his retirement he has researched and written about Mesoamerican archaeology.

In 1985 he published a book, “An Ancient American Setting for the Book of Mormon,” which first introduced the idea that the geography of the Book of Mormon was not in North America as many member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) had supposed.

As a capstone of his work, he is close to publishing a new volume, “Mormon Codex” which will explain his professional journey as he has studied the matter.
According to an article in the Deseret News, Sorenson recently described his findings at the annual conference of the Foundation for Apologetic Information and Research (FAIR). He told the group that he had identified 420 “correspondences” between the Book of Mormon and what is known about the early Mesoamerican civilizations. He explained the geographic area that most closely matched the land as depicted in the scriptures.

The Isthmus of Tehuantepec in southern Mexico is the narrow neck of land of the Nephites, the highlands of southern Guatemala contained the land of Nephi, the basin of the Grijalva River and adjacent areas in extreme southern Mexico is the land of Zarahemla and areas immediately north and west of the isthmus are the land northward. This, then, defines the area where it makes sense to look for correspondences between the Book of Mormon and the archaeological/cultural record.

In his conference address, Sorenson said that Book of Mormon societies were stressed by seeking “power and privilege” which is also true of the Mesoamerican cultures. He indicated that the mention of elephants in the record of the Jaredites is in line with paleontological findings of mastodons that survived in North America as late as 2000 BC.

He added that both cultures were ruled by kings who were divinely chosen and in some cases the kingdom was handed to a younger ruler while the older lived his remaining days in an emeritus position.

Sorenson also cited the following examples:

— “Many uses of written documents are known from Mesoamerica. At least 14 of those uses are represented or are referred to in the Nephite record: for example, records of contemporary events, letters of correspondence, adventures of individual heroes or villains, and genealogies.

— Sacred ‘towers’ were constructed by the Nephites that were similar to Mesoamerican ‘towers’ or pyramidal substructures, all such constructions having had a primarily religious purpose. Moreover the one instance, in the book of Helaman, when a private tower structure was used as a site for prayer and religious discourse has Mesoamerican parallels.

— The model for Nephite ‘temples’ was specifically the ‘temple of Solomon,’ which featured two non-structural pillars that stood at the sides of the door of the temple. Some Mesoamerican ‘temples’ display similar structurally unnecessary pillars.

—Warfare was of major significance in the culture history of both Mesoamerica and Book of Mormon peoples. Recognition of its significance represents a major change in archaeological thought in recent decades; that area’s war practices now align more directly with those described in Mormon’s book.

— A complex of 380 cultural patterns having to do with religion and ideology were present both in the civilization of the ancient Near East in the second and first millennia B.C. and in Mesoamerican civilization. The large number and arbitrary nature of those features is such that they can only be explained by calling upon transoceanic voyaging, plausibly including voyages reported in the Book of Mormon.”

Sorenson emphasized that so many similarities cannot be mere coincidence.

“The parallels are too striking and too sweeping to allow that casual explanation,” he concluded.

Article was written by Jan

Additional Resources:

The Book of Mormon (Another Testament of Jesus Christ)

The Lord Jesus Christ in Mormonism

The Bible in Mormonism

I’m a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and I believe in Jesus Christ.  There are so many wonderful passages from the Bible that teach us about His life and His teachings.  But I am especially grateful for the Christ-centered focus of the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ.

The Book of Mormon is filled with illuminating details that further illustrate and enhance the account of the Savior’s mission set forth in the Bible.  In fact, the principle writer himself, the ancient prophet Mormon, details in the introduction that the purpose of the book is to “the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God, manifesting himself unto all nations” (Title page, emphasis added).

The word nations is key, because the Book of Mormon teaches that after Christ’s life and sacrifice in Jerusalem, He appeared to several other groups of people and taught them the same principles He had instructed to his followers in the Holy Land.  The Book of Mormon is the story of one of them.

Even in the earliest pages of the book, there is an active devotion to and anticipation of the coming of the Messiah.  It begins with a small family, living at the time of King Zedekiah, who are told by revelation to flee Jerusalem before the infamous Babylonian siege.  As they travel into the desert and eventually to the Americas, their writings are full of prophesy of the Lord Jesus Christ.  Nephi, the younger son, writes, “And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins” (2 Nephi 25:26).

The Book of Mormon goes on to detail the account of the descendants of this family.  Nearly six hundred years are accounted for in the first three quarters of the book, culminating with the Savior’s appearance.  Throughout the book, there is a constant cyclical theme of faithful worship, peace and prosperity blessed through Jesus Christ, followed by downfalls into pride, war, and misery because of unbelief.

Those who read the pages of the Book of Mormon realize that nearly every verse and recorded account speaks about Jesus Christ.  The overall message within the text is drawing closer to the Lord.  “Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men” (2 Nephi 32:20).  The words are optimistic, full of hope and personal resolve to change for the better.

As a mother of young children, I have often opened my scriptures for inspiration to deal with questions and troubles.  Jesus Christ’s plan and teachings apply to all of us, even parents like me.  “Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good; yea, when thou liest down at night lie down unto the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou risest in the morning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God” (Alma 37:37).  Indeed, the various writers and prophets that speak through the Book of Mormon knew the power of Christ’s words.  They exhort all to “feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do” (2 Nephi 32:3).

When I was sixteen, I was attending a party with my high school swim team.  The movie that was agreed upon was one I knew my parents would not approve of, nor one that would be in line with the teachings of Jesus Christ.  Trying to make the right decision, I quickly left the party and went home.  The following day in school, I received several snide comments about how my leaving was rude and unfeeling.  Several peers thought I was being overly sensitive and even ridiculous.  Needless to say, I came home from school in tears.  My father listened patiently on the couch as I poured out my frustrations.  I was tired of my faith.  I was tired of being ‘different’.  I was sick of the restrictions and the weight of responsibility on my shoulders.  When I had finished my tirade, my father was silent.  He gathered me at his side and opened the Book of Mormon.  In a soft voice he read, “And now, my sons,” at this point he looked pointedly at me and said it was equally meant for a daughter,

“…remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall” (Helaman 5:12).

Everything suddenly felt better and did get better after that talk with my dad.

The conclusion of the Book of Mormon is tragic.  Nearly a thousand years had passed since the original family left Jerusalem and four hundred years had passed since Jesus Christ appeared to the people.  Now nearly all of them have rejected the Savior’s teachings and fallen away from their religion.  There have been tremendous wars and bloodshed between the two main opposing nations and Mormon’s own death is near at hand.  He is preparing to deliver his records into the hands of his son, Moroni – the last surviving follower of Christ.

Mormon’s conclusion is surprisingly optimistic for a situation that is dire.  He pleads with the loving compassion of a tender parent to all who would read his words to follow the Savior.  He concludes, “Hearken unto the words of the Lord and ask the Father in the name of Jesus for what things soever ye shall stand in need.  Doubt not, but be believing and begin as in times of old, and come unto the Lord with all your heart and work out your own salvation…”  (Mormon 9:27).

Rachael Carver McKinnon holds a BA in Humanities and an MBA from Brigham Young University. She currently lives in Draper, Utah with her husband, Greg. When she isn’t keeping up with one of her four children, she loves road biking and lap swimming.

Additional Resources:

Jesus Christ in Mormonism

The Bible in Mormonism

Mormon Doctrines

Most Christians are aware that the concept of grace and works are beautifully detailed in the writings of the Apostle Paul in the New Testament.  What is not as widely known is how much the Book of Mormon adds to these descriptions.  Within those pages is a wealth of knowledge and steps to salvation that further illuminate what Paul was trying to teach.

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints fervently believe in salvation through grace and works.  The Book of Mormon states, “For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do” (2 Nephi 25:23, emphasis added).

The main idea of the term, “grace,” is divine means of help or strength, given through the love of the Lord Jesus Christ (Bible Dictionary, Grace).  This assistance is available to all those who desire to pattern themselves after the Savior.  It is not a substitute for our own effort or conscientious obedience; rather it is an enabling power that allows us to continue to strive towards becoming like Him.

Traditional Christianity believes that everyone is saved by grace.  Latter-day Saints believe whole-heartedly in this same principle.  But we believe it goes much further than that. The Book of Mormon teaches us that grace is more than just being saved, it is also firmly connected with helping us become like the Savior (Moroni 7:48).  Grace helps us change ourselves, to be made better than we were before.  With this bestowed power and guidance, we are enabled to push forward and work towards “all we can do.”

An LDS scholar has illustrated the use of grace in the following story,

“Christ’s arrangement with us is similar to a mom providing music lessons for her child.  Mom pays the piano teacher… Because Mom pays the debt in full, she can turn to her child and ask for something.  What is it?  Practice!  Does the child’s practice pay the piano teacher?  No.  Does the child’s practice repay Mom for paying the piano teacher?  No.  Practicing is how the child shows appreciation for Mom’s incredible gift.  It is how he takes advantage of the amazing opportunity Mom is giving him to live his life at a higher level.  Mom’s joy is found not in getting repaid but in seeing her gift used – seeing her child improve.  And so she continues to call for practice, practice, practice.

 If the child sees Mom’s requirement of practice as being too overbearing… perhaps it is because he doesn’t yet see with mom’s eyes.  He doesn’t see how much better his life could be if he would choose to live on a higher plane.

In the same way, because Jesus has paid justice, He can now turn to us and say, “Follow me” (Matt 4:19), “Keep my commandments” (John 14:15).  If we see His requirements as being way too much to ask… maybe it is because we do not yet see through Christ’s eyes.  We have not yet comprehended what He is trying to make of us”  (Brad Wilcox, His Grace Is Sufficient, 2011).

Striving to keep the commandments and work towards perfection (spiritual wholeness) can be a challenge.  Repeated failure often leads to discouragement.  And discouragement can cause an individual to feel unworthy, weak, and undeserving of the blessings that come through obedience.  But LDS church members are taught through the Book of Mormon that practice to become like Jesus Christ – as mentioned above – is specifically designed to help us recognize our short-comings so that we can use His grace to become stronger.  The Book of Mormon states,

“And if men come unto me, I will show unto them their weakness.  I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them” (Ether 12:27).

Jacob, another prophet in the Book of Mormon, follows up on this same concept and says, “Nevertheless, the Lord God showeth us our weakness that we may know that it is by his grace, and his great condescension unto the children of men, that we have power to do these things”  (Jacob 4:7).

The process of practice in becoming like our Savior naturally highlights where we are struggling.  Just like the pianist.  We will immediately see where we are lacking.  But Wilcox goes on to say,

“When a young pianist hits a wrong note, we don’t say he is not worthy to keep practicing.  We don’t expect him to be flawless.  We just expect him to keep trying.  Perfection may be his ultimate goal, but for now we can be content with progress in the right direction.  Why is this perspective so easy to see in the context of learning piano but so hard to see in the context of learning heaven?”

Thankfully, members of the LDS faith know that works and grace are necessarily intertwined.  The force of grace does not come to our rescue after “all we can do.”  Instead, it’s “our constant energy source.  It is not the light at the end of the tunnel but the light that moves us through the tunnel.  Grace is not achieved somewhere down the road.  It is received right here and right now.  It is not a finishing touch; it is the Finisher’s touch” (Wilcox, emphasis added).

Elder Bruce C. Hafen has written, “The Savior’s gift of grace to us is not necessarily limited in time to ‘after’ all we can do.  We may receive his grace before, during and after the time when we expend our efforts” (The Broken Heart, 1989).

I am imperfect and flawed.  There is much to improve on before my own personal finish line.  So I am grateful for grace, overwhelmed by its concept, and speechless at its deliverance.  By grace through the Lord Jesus Christ, I can go home to my Father in Heaven.  And because of the nature of grace, I will feel at home when I get there.

Rachael Carver McKinnon holds a BA in Humanities and an MBA from Brigham Young University. She currently lives in Draper, Utah with her husband, Greg. When she isn’t keeping up with one of her four children, she loves road biking and lap swimming.

Additional Resources:

The Book of Mormon

Jesus.Christ.org

Mormon Scriptures

Zeniff 200-187 BC

The story of Zeniff in the Book of Mormon is filled with mystery, intrigue and faith. He was a peacemaker, a man of integrity who attempted to negotiate rather than use force. He learned from his mistakes and became wise in his judgments. For example, after his people suffered affliction, he recognized that they had been “slow to remember the Lord our God” and was faithful from that time forward. He not only fought battles alongside his people, he also helped to bury the dead of both sides. After he was deceived, he became wise and protective, safeguarding his people by continually preparing for an enemy attack.

Zeniff is first mentioned in Mosiah 7:9, but his record does not begin until Mosiah 9. He explained that he had knowledge of the land of Nephi–the land of “first inheritance”–and knew the language of all of the Nephites. As a soldier, he spied on the Lamanite force to find out how they could be defeated, but he discovered “what was good” in the land and the Lamanite culture and desired that it should not be destroyed.

When he returned to his expedition leader, an “an austere and a blood-thirsty man,” he suggested a treaty with the Lamanites. The leader responded by commanding that Zeniff be slain. He was rescued by the “shedding of much blood” in a great battle between these Nephites that destroyed most of the army. Those who survived returned to Zarahemla to tell the sorrowful news to the widows and children.

Despite this setback, Zeniff described himself as “over-zealous” to inherit the land of their fathers. He gathered a group of Nephites and journeyed into the wilderness, but they were soon besieged with many afflictions, because they were “slow” to remember the Lord. Eventually they camped in the area where the battle among the Nephites had been fought.

Together with four men, Zeniff, who had been appointed as king by his people, asked the Lamanite king, Laman, if they could peacefully settle in the land. The king not only agreed that they could take over the lands of Lehi-Nephi and Shilom, but he also made his own people leave the area to these returning Nephites.

The group of Nephites was industrious, repairing and rebuilding the city and producing crops for twelve years. But the deceitful king, whose own people were lazy and idolatrous, had intended from the start to overtake Zeniff’s people after they established a fruitful land. Seeing their strength, he became fearful that they could not be brought into bondage, so he stirred up his people to war.

Zeniff armed the Nephites with weapons, and they went to war with the Lamanites, trusting in God.

“Yea, in the strength of the Lord did we go forth to battle against the Lamanites; for I and my people did cry mightily to the Lord that he would deliver us out of the hands of our enemies, for we were awakened to a remembrance of the deliverance of our fathers.

And God did hear our cries and did answer our prayers; and we did go forth in his might; yea, we did go forth against the Lamanites, and in one day and a night we did slay three thousand and forty-three; we did slay them even until we had driven them out of our land.”

For twenty-two years there was an uneasy peace between the Nephites and Lamanites, but after King Laman died, his son stirred up his people in rebellion against the Nephites. Wisely, Zeniff had spies watching the Lamanites and was prepared for war. When conflict was inevitable, Zeniff hid the women and children in the wilderness and he and every man—young and old—fought, trusting in the Lord.

The Nephites defeated the Lamanites with a great slaughter and returned to prospering in their land. After a reign of close to forty years, Zeniff conferred his kingdom to his son Noah.

Sources:

Every Person in the Book of Mormon by Lynn F. Price

The Book of Mormon: Mosiah 9

Additional Resources:

Request a free copy of The Book of Mormon (Another Testament of Jesus Christ)

Find an LDS Meetinghouse near you

Read abot Noah in The Book of Mormon

Aaron (Son of Mosiah)*

Mosiah 27:8, 24, Mosiah 27:35, Alma 21, Alma 22, Alma 23, Alma 24, Alma 25, Alma 26, Alma 27, Alma 28, Alma 31, Alma 35

Aaron, the son of King Mosiah, was one of four brothers who persecuted Nephite Christian church members until an angel appeared, and called them to repentance. In The Book of Mormon, Aaron was a rebellious son, unbeliever, and friend to Alma the Younger, who caused much dissension in the church. After the angel’s visit and his conversion, Aaron tried to repair earlier damage, and became a great missionary after refusing to be king.

About 92 B.C., Aaron traveled as a Christian missionary to preach for 14 years to the Lamanites. Aaron preached unsuccessfully to the Lamanites (enemies to the Nephites) in the lands of Jerusalem, Ani-Anti, and Middoni. Many people contended with the missionaries, and asked Aaron why angels didn’t appear to them. The Lamanites did not listen to their teachings, cast Aaron and others into prison, and inflicted many sufferings upon them. Fortunately, God sent King Lamoni and his brother Ammon to deliver them from the Lamanite King Antiomno’s prison.

In the land of Nephi, Aaron taught King Lamoni’s father who was the king over all of the enemy Lamanite lands.

[Aaron] bowed himself before the king and said, “Behold, O king, we are the brethren of Ammon, whom thou hast delivered out of prison” [v. 2]. He then said if the king would spare their lives, they would be his servants. The king refused to allow them to be his servants but said he would like them to administer unto him because he had been somewhat troubled in his mind because of the generosity and the greatness of the words of Ammon. He asked Aaron why Ammon had not come up from Middoni. Aaron explained that the Lord had called him to go to Ishmael, to teach Lamoni’s people. Aaron then taught the king about God [or the Great Spirit, as the king referred to him] and about all things from the creation and about the plan of redemption.

The king believed and prostrated himself on the ground and was struck as if dead. When the queen saw her husband as if dead, she ordered her servants to slay Aaron. They declined out of fear. She ordered them to call the people so they could slay Aaron. Aaron stretched forth his hand and raised the king. The king then administered to all of his people as they assembled. The king ordered the people not to lay their hands on Ammon, Aaron, Omner and Himni nor on any of their brethren. [2]

Aaron’s persistence, faith, and endurance resulted in bringing thousands of Lamanites to the knowledge of the Lord. “[He] brought many to the knowledge of the truth”. [1] These converts never fell away from their faith and became a righteous people. The example of these converts led to over 1,005 wicked Lamanites’ conversions. However, no Amulonites (descendants and followers of the wicked men Amulon and King Noah’s priests) were converted, but one of the Amalekites (apostate Nephites) did convert. Many Lamanites later remembered Aaron’s teachings and perished by fire because of their refusal to deny their belief. (See Alma 25:5).

The Lamanite king wanted a name to distinguish the believers from their wicked brethren. After consulting with Aaron, the converts chose to be called Anti-Nephi-Lehies and “laid down their arms and vowed they would never fight again”. [2] The king (father of King Lamoni) named his son Anti-Nephi-Lehi as heir of the kingdom.

Hugh Nibley suggests that “anti” is from the root word that connotes “facing,” as in facing a mirror, and thus “Anti-Nephi-Lehi” may mean that the people “mirrored” the teachings of [the ancient prophets] Nephi and Lehi. (Greg Bishop, “Book of Mormon Gospel Doctrine Lesson 26,” 3).

Shortly after the king’s death, the Lamanites began a war against the converted Lamanites (Anti-Nephi-Lehies). However, these believers had sworn to never take up arms again, and buried their weapons “deep in the earth” rather than defend themselves. 1,005 righteous Anti-Nephi-Lehies died because they refused to fight or resist the attacking Lamanites.

One scholar has suggested that the Lamanite religion glorified warfare, bloodshed as a religious act, torture and human sacrifice. He suggests that the Lamanites came from a worldview that told them that it was essential to shed the blood of sacrificial victims. In the process of being converted, however, they learn that the only sacrifice needed would be that of a future Atoning Messiah. Thus, the reason why the people of Anti-Nephi-Lehi resolve never to touch arms again is not because they believed that self-defense was wrong or immoral, but because – like alcoholics – they must be constantly vigilant. Rather than risk a return to their former taste for sacrificial blood, they chose to avoid even the very first step along that path. (See Brant A. Gardner, Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon, Vol. 4, p. 355). (Greg Bishop, “Gospel Doctrine Lesson 26”, 3).

Aaron journeyed to the land of Zarahemla with the Anti-Nephi-Lehies and “the king was concerned that they would not be warmly welcomed because of their past murders.” Aaron met up with Ammon and rebuked him for boasting too much but Ammon had been rejoicing in the glory of God. On their way, they were joyful to find Alma the Younger, who advocated for them among the Nephites in Zarahemla. The Nephites gave the Anti-Nephi-Lehies the land of Jershon and called them “the people of Ammon.” About 76 B.C., commenced the biggest battle since the beginning of the Book of Mormon.

Aaron went with Alma and others to preach to the Zoramites (apostate Nephites) in Antionum. “After preaching among the Zoramites, the missionaries [including Aaron and Alma] returned to Jershon. When the Ammonites left Jershon and went to Melek so the Nephite armies could use Jershon as a base camp, Aaron, Alma and their brethren returned to Zarahemla.”

*This article was adapted from the LDS Guide to the Scriptures and Every Person in the Book of Mormon by Lynn F. Price (Horizon Publishers, 2004, 53-54).

Additional Resources:

Read your own free copy of The Book of Mormon

Mormon Beliefs about God’s Plan of Happiness

Read an article about Sam in the Book of Mormon

Sam is the third son of the prophet Lehi. When Lehi received his prophetic calling, Sam and Nephi were the two that believed and followed him. Not much is spoken about Sam in the Book of Mormon. He went with his father and family from Jerusalem into the Arabian desert around 600 B.C. and then by ship to the “land of promise” in the Americas.

From their first stopping point on the wilderness trek, Sam and his brothers were sent back to Jerusalem to obtain a sacred record of the prophets, made on brass plates. When the brothers failed twice, nearly losing their lives in the process, Laman and Lemuel beat Nephi and Sam with a rod, because the younger brothers wanted to fulfill the command to obtain the plates. They are rescued by an angel. Nephi then goes forward alone and obtains the plates with the Lord’s help.

Before his death, Lehi blessed his children one final time. Sam’s blessing was different than all the rest. In his, Lehi states, “Blessed art thou, and thy seed; for thou shall inherit the land like unto thy brother Nephi. And thy seed shall be numbered with his seed; and thou shalt be even like unto thy brother, and thy seed like unto his seed; and thou
shalt be blessed in all thy days” (2 Nephi 4:11).

In other words, Sam would not have his own tribal distinction, and in the Book of Mormon, we see this is so. Whenever, the specific tribes are mentioned, we see Laman, Lemuel, Nephi, Jacob, Joseph, Ishmael, and Zoram’s names, but no tribal specification for Sam.

It seems Sam must have had some form of physical or mental disability that made him unable to lead his own tribe. If Sam were, for example, mentally retarded, it would make sense for Lehi to basically say, “I’m dying and can no longer care for you, so Nephi will now be your adopted father.” In doing so, Sam’s family would have someone capable to watch over and help them. They would also benefit from the blessing of Nephi’s birthright and position as leader of the righteous tribes. However, it could also be so that Sam had few descendents, as with the tribe of Benjamin among the twelve Tribes of Israel. The tribe of Benjamin was so small, it was effectively absorbed by the Tribe of Judah.

Additional Resources:

Read the Book of Mormon online

Mormonism in the Bible

Joseph Smith: A Prophet of God

Pronounced: Lem yoo ell

Basic Bio

Lemuel is the second child of the prophet Lehi. He was close to his older brother, Laman, and tended to follow him in any decisions or actions taken. Lemuel joined Laman in beating their two younger brothers, Nephi and Sam, when after failing to obtain the sacred records on brass plates, the younger brothers insisted in trying again.

In leaving Jerusalem and traveling in the wilderness, Lemuel murmured and complained against Lehi and Nephi. Camping in a valley, his father would tell him, “O that thou mightest be like unto this valley, firm and steadfast, and immovable in keeping the commandments of the Lord!” (1 Nephi 1:10).

In his Vision of the Tree of Life, Lehi would see that Lemuel and Laman would refuse to follow him to the Tree of Life, but choose another path. This would help convince Lehi to give the family leadership and the birthright to Nephi, instead. Later, Lemuel would often conspire with Laman to kill Nephi, because they perceived the birthright and leadership of the family should rightfully be theirs.

After Lehi’s death, Laman and Lemuel conspired to slay Nephi to regain the power. Nephi, warned by God, fled with the righteous. From that point forward, Lemuel’s descendants would fall under Laman’s rule, being called Lamanites.

Additional Resources:

The Book of Mormon (Another Testament of Jesus Christ

Jesus Christ, Our Savior

Request a free copy of the Holy Bible

Pronounced: Lay mun

Basic Bio

Laman was the oldest son of Lehi, the first prophet and patriarch in the Book of Mormon. Living in or near Jerusalem in 600 BC as a young adult in a wealthy family, Laman had adopted the lifestyle of the city. When his father received his prophetic calling to warn Jerusalem of pending destruction and then announced to his family they were leaving into the wilderness and going to an unknown “land of promise”, Laman was critical.

Laman did not believe in his father’s visions and teachings. He had grown up in a Jerusalem where the teachings and practices of the Jews and their temple seemed orthodox and restrictive. To Laman, Lehi seemed to be out of step with what seemed normal. Laman sought to obey the law of Moses and honor his father, and so did follow him into the wilderness, but did so grudgingly.

After traveling three days toward the Red Sea, the family set up camp in a valley with a stream that emptied into the Red Sea. Lehi said to Laman, “O that thou mightest be like unto this river, continually running into the foundation of all righteousness” (1 Nephi 2:9). The statement shows Lehi’s concern that Laman would not be righteous, nor obedient.

Laman and his 3 younger brothers were sent back to Jerusalem to obtain brass plates containing the holy writings they would need on their journey. Laman went in to request the records from the owner, Laban. Laban cast him out and sought to kill him. Next, the brothers tried bribing Laban with their father’s riches still left in their home. Again Laban tried to have them killed. Laman was angry and beat his brothers Nephi and Sam with a rod, because they insisted on trying again. Only the appearance of an angel could stop Laman from continuing to whip them with a rod.

Nephi, Laman’s younger and more righteous brother, then obtained the brass plates with the help of the Lord. From this moment forward, a continual tension stayed between the two brothers. Laman always insisted he was the oldest and therefore should be leader. However, Lehi would proclaim that Nephi was the spiritual son, and would lead the family. Laman lost his birthright. To make things worse for him, in his Vision of the Tree of Life, Lehi sees himself sitting under the Tree of Life and invites his family to join him. Only Laman and his brother Lemuel refuse to join Lehi.

If Nephi is the protagonist in this story, Laman is the antagonist. Where possible in the Book of Mormon narrative, Laman seeks to stop Nephi, and even attempts to kill him on several occasions. He sees Nephi as a threat to his right to leadership and blessings in the family. In Lehi’s final blessings to his family, Nephi is promised the birthright, but Lehi promises the children of Laman that while their father may be disobedient and cast out of the Lord’s presence, the day would come when the descendants of Laman would be blessed with the gospel light.

When Lehi died, Laman planned again to slay Nephi. Nephi was warned by the Lord to move his people to a new area. Laman became head of the disbelievers, now known as the Lamanites. Through the centuries of Nephite existence, the Lamanites would be the thorn in their side to humble the Nephites and bring them back to repentance whenever they rebelled against God.

Today, Latter-day Saints believe that Laman is a literal ancestor of some modern day Native Americans, and a cultural ancestor to all native peoples throughout the Americas.. The day will come when these descendants of Laman will discover they are members of the House of Israel, and will retake their place among the covenant people of Israel. The conversion of millions of South Americans of native descent to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is evidence of this happening.

Additional Resources:

Request a free copy of the Book of Mormon

The Lord Jesus Christ, Savior and Redeemer

Mormonism in the Bible

Pronounced: Nee Fie

Basic Bio

Nephi is the fourth son of the prophet Lehi. He is the author of the first two books in the Book of Mormon. Nephi begins his story (around 600 B.C.) describing the holy calling of his father as a prophet of God. In preaching to the people of Jerusalem, where they live, Lehi is rejected, and the Lord commands him to flee into the wilderness with his family.

After three days’ travel into the wilderness toward the Red Sea, the family settles in an isolated valley with a running stream. Nephi and his older brothers are sent back to Jerusalem to obtain a set of scriptures engraved on brass plates. Only Nephi refrains from murmuring against his father or the Lord. Twice, the brothers fail at obtaining the sacred writings. On the third attempt, Nephi enters alone into Jerusalem at night. He encounters the keeper of the record, Laban, drunk in an alley. The Spirit of the Lord commands Nephi to slay him, and Nephi, although reticent, obeys. He then dresses himself as Laban, and is able to obtain the brass plates.

Later they are sent back to Jerusalem to invite the family of Ishmael to join them, wherein the brothers each find a wife among Ishmael’s daughters.

As with Joseph and his father Jacob in the Bible, Nephi is the obedient son and chosen to receive the birthright, even though he is not the oldest. His older brothers Laman and Lemuel often plot his death, but through the Lord’s protection, Nephi is delivered time and again from them.

The family travels along the ancient Spice Trail by the Red Sea, and then turns east. During their travels they often suffer hunger, thirst and danger. At one point, Nephi’s bow breaks, which is a challenge, as the other bows have lost their spring. As they cannot find food, hunger leads the family to murmur against God. Nephi shows himself to be the obedient servant of God. He makes a bow and arrow from wood, then asks his father to pray to God to see where he should go to obtain food. The Lord leads Nephi to obtain food for the family, and they humble themselves.

Arriving at the ocean, the Lord commands Nephi to build a ship to travel to the Promised Land. Nephi only asks where he can find ore, so that he can make tools to build the ship. His brothers laugh at him when Nephi asks them to assist. The Lord fills Nephi with power, and in touching his brethren, they receive a shock that knocks them to the ground. They see that God has empowered Nephi, and they begin helping him build the ship.

During the ocean crossing, Laman, Lemuel and others begin to party in a vulgar manner. Nephi objects and they bind him to the mast of the ship. Storms begin that throw the ship off course. For four days Laman and Lemuel try to command the ship, but it will not respond in the face of the storm. We are told that only in the face of certain destruction do they humble themselves and loosen Nephi’s bands. He prays to the Lord, who ends the storms and allows them to arrive safely to the Promised Land.

In the new land, Lehi instructs that Nephi shall be the ruler of the people. Soon after Lehi’s death, Laman, Lemuel and others in the group decide to overthrow Nephi. He is warned in a dream, and takes the believers with him to another location. Nephi builds a temple similar to Solomon’s temple.

He finishes his record sharing important gospel teachings, including writings from isaiah and his younger brother, Jacob, who was also a prophet.

Key spiritual concepts we learn from Nephi

1. In one grand vision, Nephi sees what is called the Vision of the Tree of Life. His father Lehi had a vision of the Tree of Life, and Nephi also desired to know the things his father had seen. While meditating and praying on it, he was caught up to a high mountain and saw his father’s vision. In the vision, the Holy Spirit guides him through a sequence of symbolic manifestations. He sees the lowly world, represented by a great and spacious building of the proud and rebellious, mocking the righteous. Other wicked were wandering off into mists of darkness, strange paths, and a river of filth. He sees (as did Jacob of old) a path or staircase with a banister of iron (the Iron Rod is the Word of God) leading upward to heaven. In this instance, heaven is symbolized by the Tree of Life, and the white fruit is the atonement of Christ, which is shed upon all who will receive it. The fruit of the Tree of Life symbolizes a holy supper for those willing to receive the covenant of Christ.

After seeing the Tree of Life, Nephi then sees the life of Christ, from His virgin birth to His death on the cross. He is told this is the condescension of God, as Christ descends below all things to save mankind. Nephi then sees the resurrected Christ.

His vision moves forward, showing him the future of the Nephite nation, with its periods of righteousness and wickedness. He sees that the resurrected Christ would visit his descendants, and they would become a holy people for several generations. Eventually, they would rebel against their witness of Jesus, and be destroyed for embracing evil. Nephi notes that he cannot share all things he has seen, as many of them would also be witnessed by the apostle John, who had the responsibility to write his Revelation to the world.

2. Nephi also taught important concepts regarding Christ and His atonement. He noted the importance of witnesses, and so writes the last portion of his second book in conjunction with three witnesses of Christ: his brother Jacob, Isaiah, and himself. He quotes both Jacob and Isaiah to demonstrate the covenant of Israel with Christ, and how it applied to his own people, the Nephites. Major studies have been done in conjunction with this, showing Nephi clearly had a deep understanding of how the covenant worked with Israel and God.

3. Nephi sets a symbolic pattern throughout his writings of Creation, Fall, Atonement, Covenant/Ordinance, and Returning to the Presence of the Lord. We see a major example of this as follows: 1) He shares the creation of his family; 2) Laman and Lemuel rebel and are “cast out of the presence of the Lord”; 3) Nephi shares the teachings of Jacob and Isaiah to demonstrate the Atonement of Christ for Israel, the Gentiles, and us as individuals; 4) He discusses the covenant we make at baptism; and 5) how all of this leads to us returning to God’s presence.

4. Nephi also teaches the “Doctrine of Christ.” He explains that the Father, Son and Holy Ghost are “one God”, and that we must be one with them. For us to be like God and Christ, we must follow through a continuous cycle of Faith in Christ, Repentance, Ordinance/Covenant (such as baptism), and the receiving of the Holy Ghost. As we go through this process, we gain greater faith, have more desire to repent, desire to renew our covenants through the ordinances (baptism, holy supper/Sacrament, temple ordinances), and then we receive a larger outpouring of the Holy Spirit, which brings us to a holier state. Through this process we are washed clean in the blood of Christ (justified) and made holy (sanctified) through the purifying power of the Holy Ghost. (Nephi’s record is contained in 1st Nephi and 2nd Nephi, and the Book of Jacob in the Book of Mormon.)

Additional Resources:

The Book of Mormon (Another Testament of Jesus Christ)

Mormonism in the Bible

God’s Plan of Happiness