“We believe the Bible to be the word of God, as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God” (Articles of Faith 1:8). These words were written by Joseph Smith, the first prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, sometimes mistakenly referred to as the Mormon Church. Joseph Smith wrote the Articles of Faith to clearly delineate what Mormons believed so as to dispel any misconceptions that people of other faiths might have.

“We believe the Bible to be the word of God.” As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ, I, and other Mormons, believe in, follow, and love the Bible just as followers of other Christian faiths. “We also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God.” The Book of Mormon is a book of ancient scripture written by prophets on the American continent and translated by Joseph Smith.  Since it contains revelation to prophets who were commanded to write scripture, the Book of Mormon is similar to and complimentary to the Bible.  The Book of Mormon is not intended to replace the Bible; rather, it supports the Bible. Reading the Book of Mormon has strengthened my testimony of the Bible; there are many passages in the Book of Mormon that speak of the Bible, its prophets, its prophecies, and its truthfulness. The Book of Mormon turns the reader to the Bible, and vice versa.

Another Testament of Christ

The title page of the Book of Mormon, written by Moroni, one of the Book of Mormon writers, explains the book’s purpose: “To the convincing the Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God, manifesting himself unto all nations.” As I read and study the Book of Mormon, my testimony of the Savior grows. Book of Mormon writers all testified of Christ; their words to the people then about the Savior and His Atonement are applicable to me, and to all of us, still today. The words “Christ,” “Jesus,” “Lord,” and other titles for the Savior appear on nearly every page of the book.

The Book of Mormon is evidence to me that God still cares about His people today. We still have the Bible, which is God’s word; however, with many translations through the centuries, some doctrines are confusing, as we can see by looking at the many different Christian churches on earth today. Heavenly Father has given us this sacred scripture, the Book of Mormon, to clarify the doctrine so we can plainly understand His words and commandments. He does not want us to be lost and confused, and wondering what our purpose is on earth. Heavenly Father loves us, and wants us to return to Him, and has given us the Book of Mormon to help us learn and understand what’s really important in life.

My Faith in God Because of the Book of Mormon

Reading the Book of Mormon has done more to increase my faith in Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ than almost anything else I can do or have done. Combined with prayer, reading the Book of Mormon brings me closer to Christ and strengthens my testimony of Him. The Book of Mormon teaches me what to do to feel the Savior’s love and forgiveness. It testifies that Jesus Christ lives, and that He loves all of Heavenly Father’s children.

The Book of Mormon also clearly teaches the doctrines and principles that Christ taught to his disciples while He was on the earth. These doctrines and principles of faith, repentance, forgiveness, baptism, and the Holy Ghost are taught throughout the Book of Mormon by many prophets. As I read about these important doctrines and principles, I can feel Heavenly Father’s love for His children, and my faith in Him grows.

“Nearer to God”

Joseph Smith, the man who translated the Book of Mormon by the gift and power of God, stated in the book’s introduction: “I told the brethren that the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book.” Reading the Book of Mormon is great. I feel the Spirit, and I learn more about the gospel of Jesus Christ. But reading the Book of Mormon doesn’t do me, or anyone, any good unless we apply what it says. When we “abide by its precepts,” doing what the writers instruct and applying the lessons taught, we truly come closer to God. One of the best ways for us to come to know our Savior is by reading and praying about the Book of Mormon.

In front of about two hundred young single adults gathered for worship service on a Sunday afternoon I suppressed the shyness I experience in front of crowds and shared the thought that “reading the Book of Mormon will bring a light and greater happiness into your life.” I was sharing some of the impressions I had distinctly felt after recently reading the book cover to cover in a short period of time.  The Book of Mormon is a volume of scripture and companion to the Bible for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (often inadvertently called The Mormon Church).

About a year ago, I had read The Book of Mormon with greater urgency and focus than I ever had before, and I had noticed a number of significant changes while I read. I picked up the book and just dove in, reading as much as 30 pages a day, and as I read and turned from page to page, I noticed a change within myself. I had been feeling very stagnant in life, at work and in personal relationships things did not seem to be moving forward at all, and I felt very weighed down by this. The burdens I was carrying were being lifted layer by layer, almost as I turned the pages.

At 19, I served a two year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in  Northeastern Brazil. I remember telling people often that the Book of Mormon was special and unique in how it “changes the lives of people.” I knew this was true, as I had read it prior to my mission and had experienced this change in my life from reading it. When I read it at 17 I felt more positive about what I could accomplish with my life and I felt more forgiving towards other people and people noticed this. But I had sort of assumed this was kind of a one-time event, during the first time you read it. Reading it with a renewed sense of urgency, at this very difficult time about 10 years after the first time I read it, opened my understanding to how the book can be useful at any period in life.

How does it change lives?

Some people may wonder why reading the book causes such significant changes. The full title of the book is “The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ.” Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believe the Bible to be a Testament or witness of Jesus Christ and The Book of Mormon to accompany The Bible as an additional or another Testament of Jesus Christ. Through reading the Book of Mormon you come to a better understanding of who Jesus Christ is, why He is all-important and the purpose of His atoning sacrifice. It is through coming to a greater understanding and belief in Jesus Christ whose “burden is light” that problems dissipate and lives are changed.

The core of my belief

Shortly after the publication of Book of Mormon in 1830, early church members were often asked what distinguished them from other churches, and it always boiled down to the unique nature of the Book of Mormon. Similarly, as I think about my faith in God or try to explain my belief to friends and why I choose to be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, it always returns to The Book of Mormon. This understanding stems mostly from my own quiet study of the book accompanied with prayer, which gives me confidence that other sincere readers can have a similar experience.

Joseph Smith, who translated the Book of Mormon, stated that it is “The most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book.” I know that statement is true, from reading the book and feeling the improved understanding about God and his love for each person. I cannot understate what this book has meant to me as an individual and member of The Church of Jesus Christ. Reading it has lifted burdens and added valuable dimensions and insights to life, for which I am thankful.

BYU (Brigham Young University) is operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, often mistakenly called the “Mormon Church.”  As part of their undergraduate coursework, BYU students take multiple semesters of spiritually uplifting, stimulating religion classes.

In this series (see below), students enrolled in scripture study classes have shared their thoughts, insights, and reflections on the Book of Mormon in the form of letters to someone they know. We invite you to take a look at their epiphanies and discoveries as they delve into the scriptures.

In publishing these, we fulfill their desire to speak to all of us of the relevance, power and beauty of the Book of Mormon, a second witness of Jesus Christ and complement to the Bible. The Book of Mormon includes the religious history of a group of Israelites who settled in ancient America.  (The names they use are those of prophets who taught the Book of Mormon peoples to look forward to the coming of Christ—Nephi, Lehi, Alma, Helaman, and other unfamiliar names.  We hope those names will become more familiar to you as you read their inspiring words and feel the relevance and divinity of their messages through these letters.)

Let us know if you’d like to receive your own copy of the Book of Mormon, and/or if these messages encourage and assist you spiritually as well.

Book of Mormon: Going Through Hard Things in Life

Let me share some things I learned from Book of Mormon class this week. In Ether 6, the Jaredites had gotten into the barges and “the Lord God caused that there should be a furious wind blow upon the face of the waters, towards the promised land.” Notice that the Lord didn’t cause a gentle breeze to blow them towards the promised land but He caused a furious wind to blow. Not only should we be concerned about where we are going, but also who we are becoming in the process. The Lord gives us trials during our journey here on Earth so that we may grow and gain experience that comes from going through hard times. In the next verse it says “they were many times buried in the depths of the sea,” and in our lives there are many times where we feel overwhelmed. In spite of that, the people “did sing praises unto the Lord” and they “did thank and praise the Lord all the day long.” We can still be cheerful and see the good in our trials as long as we trust in the Lord. These trials are making us the best people we can become and if we look at it with that perspective then it will be easier to have a good attitude.

In Ether 12, Moroni writes some dialogue he has with the Lord when he says that he not very good at writing these things. The Lord tells him that if we humble ourselves before Him and have faith in Him then will He make weak things become strong unto them. Sometimes we don’t see the weakness made into a strength but others do. To us Moroni’s writings seem just as good as the rest of the Book of Mormon, so the Lord did make his writing a strength to us, but maybe not necessarily to Moroni. Sometimes we may think we are a weak missionary but to that particular investigator we are a strength and help them feel the Spirit who converts them.

 BYU (Brigham Young University) is operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, often mistakenly called the “Mormon Church.”  As part of their undergraduate coursework, BYU students take multiple semesters of spiritually uplifting, stimulating religion classes.

In this series (see below), students enrolled in scripture study classes have shared their thoughts, insights, and reflections on the Book of Mormon. We invite you to take a look at their epiphanies and discoveries as they delve into the scriptures.

In publishing these, we fulfill their desire to speak to all of us of the relevance, power and beauty of the Book of Mormon, a second witness of Jesus Christ and complement to the Bible. The Book of Mormon includes the religious history of a group of Israelites who settled in ancient America.  (The names they use are those of prophets who taught the Book of Mormon peoples to look forward to the coming of Christ—Nephi, Lehi, Alma, Helaman, and other unfamiliar names.  We hope those names will become more familiar to you as you read their inspiring words and feel the relevance and divinity of their messages.)

Let us know if you’d like to receive your own copy of the Book of Mormon, and/or if these messages encourage and assist you spiritually as well.

Parallels Between Prophets

I’ve been pondering the Lord’s use of patterns and similitudes this week. It’s so interesting to match ancient prophets with modern day prophets, or trials of certain prophets with the trials of Christ. In particular this week we talked about the similarities between the prophet Mormon and the prophet Joseph Smith in countenance, stature, family history, and deed.

Both Mormon and Joseph were large in stature for their age and given to sobriety and thinking. Both were approached by a prophet (whether angelic or otherwise) to take care of records when they came of age. Both had to move as children, and both were called after the name of their father. Both had to become leaders of some sort and endure great wickedness and persecution throughout the people of their time. Both were able to see the Lord Jesus Christ at a young age and know of his goodness (see Mormon 1:15 and JSH 1:17). Because of this visit, both trod a lonely road. Also because of this, both were spiritual giants, and had strength and courage beyond most people in the history of the Earth.

It’s fascinating to me that these types of parallels between people exist, and I find them to be highly significant. The examples of these two men stand as a witness to the mercy and goodness of God and the love of our Savior, Jesus Christ. The testimony of these men stands and will stand through the ages and rings true in my heart – that we must all come unto repentance and look upon Christ and be saved; that Christ “hath brought to pass the redemption of the world”; and that He is the only name given under Heaven whereby man can be saved (Mormon 7:7). I’m grateful for divine patterns and am also grateful for the scriptures and the prophets both living and dead. I am eternally grateful for the atonement and for Jesus!

If you are reading this post and have any questions or comments, I would be happy to hear from you.

In this series (see below), students enrolled in scripture study classes have shared their thoughts, insights, and reflections on the Book of Mormon in the form of letters to someone they know. We invite you to take a look at their epiphanies and discoveries as they delve into the scriptures.

In publishing these, we fulfill their desire to speak to all of us of the relevance, power and beauty of the Book of Mormon, a second witness of Jesus Christ and complement to the Bible. The Book of Mormon includes the religious history of a group of Israelites who settled in ancient America.  (The names they use are those of prophets who taught the Book of Mormon peoples to look forward to the coming of Christ—Nephi, Lehi, Alma, Helaman, and other unfamiliar names.  We hope those names will become more familiar to you as you read their inspiring words and feel the relevance and divinity of their messages through these letters.)

Let us know if you’d like to receive your own digital copy of the Book of Mormon, and/or if these messages encourage and assist you spiritually as well.

Book of Mormon: Ordinances, Progression, and Becoming the Children of Christ

Dear Addison,

This might be a little scatterbrained, but I feel like I’m grasping trying to understand something both infinitely important and infinitely bigger than me. So perhaps it will, of necessity, be a little dazed. I have a question for you that I have been pondering for the past several months:

Do you feel like you understand why ordinances are critical for progression?

I don’t. And I am about to receive some of the most critical ordinances of my life in just two and a half weeks. I’m also about to embark on a mission to hopefully be an instrument in the hands in the Lord in persuading others to make and keep sacred covenants. And that necessarily involves ordinances.

In response to this ignorance of mine, this semester I have been endeavoring to understand the import of ordinances. I made that topic the theme of my Book of Mormon project. It is changing how I read the scriptures, both the New Testament and the Book of Mormon. Now my central focus has been: “What do the actions of this person/people teach me about ordinances?” And I’ve been studying The Holy Temple by Boyd K. Packer.

This is one of the scriptures that struck me as pertaining to ordinances and covenants as I was studying:

“And as many as have received me, to them have I given to become the sons of God… And ye shall offer for a sacrifice unto me a broken heart and a contrite spirit. And whoso cometh unto me with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, him will I baptize with fire and with the Holy Ghost” (3 Nephi 9:17, 20, emphasis added).

Reading this, especially within the context of ordinances and covenants, made me realize how critical this essential principle is. Yes, we are children of God. But are we worthy to be called by that name? Are we in the paths of progression, becoming the person the Savior wants us to be? Can we say we are becoming very much “one” with the Savior, so that His thoughts are our thoughts, and His desires for us are our desires, and His actions are ours? Are we His little children? Will we not only allow ourselves to be adopted by Him, but try to understand what that truly entails?

I know we’ve already been taught this principle, but I think it’s one principle that we recognize is so critical, and yet we truly know so little about. And while the connection to ordinances is not always explicit in the scriptures, I think it is very real in far more scriptural passages than we realize, this one included. The scheme of eternity and the role of ordinances in our progression is so much bigger than I initially and currently realize—I’m kind of like the blind man feeling a boundless, limitless elephant; you remember that story, right?

I promise you, if you make the topic of ordinances a pursuit in your scripture study, your historical analysis of scripture, your prayer and temple attendance (are you going regularly?), you will be blessed far more than you can realize. It’s such an incredibly rich, poignant, beautiful thing, and I still understand so very little about it.

To end, here is what C.S. Lewis has to say on progression:

“‘Make no mistake,’ He says, ‘if you let me, I will make you perfect. The moment you put yourself in My hands, that is what you are in for. Nothing less, or other, than that. You have free will, and if you choose, you can push Me away. But if you do not push Me away, understand that I am going to see this job through. Whatever suffering it may cost you in your earthly life, whatever inconceivable purification it may cost you after death, whatever it costs Me, I will never rest, nor let you rest, until you are literally perfect—until my Father can say without reservation that He is well pleased with you, as He said He was well pleased with me. This I can do and will do. But I will not do anything less.” ~C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

Perhaps we would do well to keep in mind that the Greek word for “perfect” in the New Testament can be better translated to mean “whole.”

I love you. May God ever be with you, not only because His Spirit will guide and protect you, but also because He will become so much a part of who you are that His face may be engraven in your countenance.

Morgan

Additional Resources:

Mormon Beliefs

In this series (see below), students enrolled in scripture study classes have shared their thoughts, insights, and reflections on the Book of Mormon in the form of letters to someone they know. We invite you to take a look at their epiphanies and discoveries as they delve into the scriptures.

In publishing these, we fulfill their desire to speak to all of us of the relevance, power and beauty of the Book of Mormon, a second witness of Jesus Christ and complement to the Bible. The Book of Mormon includes the religious history of a group of Israelites who settled in ancient America.  (The names they use are those of prophets who taught the Book of Mormon peoples to look forward to the coming of Christ—Nephi, Lehi, Alma, Helaman, and other unfamiliar names.  We hope those names will become more familiar to you as you read their inspiring words and feel the relevance and divinity of their messages through these letters.)

Let us know if you’d like to receive your own digital copy of the Book of Mormon, and/or if these messages encourage and assist you spiritually as well.

Book of Mormon: Nephi Typifies Christ

In the Book of Mormon there is a prophet named Samuel. He has a prophecy in which he says five years from now will be the sign of Jesus Christ’s birth. After approximately 5 years had passed, the enemies of the Church decided they had had enough of the Christians and their prophets. They decided that they would choose a day to put the Christians to death, unless the sign occurred. This ultimatum was troubling to the prophet Nephi; rather than be afraid, he turned to the Lord in faith and prayed for the safety of his people. The Lord heard his prayer and consoled him, explaining that the time was at hand and the signs would begin. The scriptures I am referring to can be found in 3 Nephi 1:9-11, and they read as follows:

Now it came to pass that there was a day set apart by the unbelievers, that all those who believed in those traditions should be put to death except the sign should come to pass, which had been given by Samuel the prophet. Now it came to pass that when Nephi, the son of Nephi, saw this wickedness of his people, his heart was exceedingly sorrowful. And it came to pass that he went out and bowed himself down upon the earth, and cried mightily to his God in behalf of his people, yea, those who were about to be destroyed because of their faith in the tradition of their fathers.

In my life I have never had to deal with such an extreme test of my faith. I have never been threatened with death, I have never feared for the safety of my family because of our beliefs, and I have never had to pour my heart out to the Lord in order to try and save what I believe in. I hope that if a similar circumstance arose in my life that I too would turn to the Lord in prayer, not only in hopes that He would save me, but for the welfare of all those in danger.

I like these scriptures because it teaches us how we should respond when faced with trials. Nephi typifies Christ in his concern for others even over his concern for himself. I have a testimony of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I know that it is true, and I know that I can become more like Christ as I follow the teachings and examples found in the Book of Mormon. These scriptures highlight just one example, but it is my hope and prayer that I will be able to follow Nephi’s example and live my life as the Savior lived His.

 Additional Resources:

Mormon Beliefs

In this series (see below), students enrolled in scripture study classes have shared their thoughts, insights, and reflections on the Book of Mormon in the form of letters to someone they know. We invite you to take a look at their epiphanies and discoveries as they delve into the scriptures.

In publishing these, we fulfill their desire to speak to all of us of the relevance, power and beauty of the Book of Mormon, a second witness of Jesus Christ and complement to the Bible. The Book of Mormon includes the religious history of a group of Israelites who settled in ancient America. (The names they use are those of prophets who taught the Book of Mormon peoples to look forward to the coming of Christ—Nephi, Lehi, Alma, Helaman, and other unfamiliar names. We hope those names will become more familiar to you as you read their inspiring words and feel the relevance and divinity of their messages through these letters.)

Let us know if you’d like to receive your own digital copy of the Book of Mormon, and/or if these messages encourage and assist you spiritually as well.

Book of Mormon: Arise and Come Forth

The story of Christ’s visit to the people of the Americas following His resurrection is so beautiful. In 3 Nephi 11:14, Christ stands before them, a resurrected being, and says “Arise and come forth unto me, that ye may thrust your hands into my side, and also that ye may feel the prints of the nails in my hands and in my feet, that ye may know that I am the God of Israel, and the God of the whole earth, and have been slain for the sins of the world.”

Though there is a very large group of people gathered, no one is denied the opportunity to spend a personal moment with their Savior. Verse 15 says, “And it came to pass that the multitude went forth, and thrust their hands into his side, and did feel the prints of the nails in his hands and in his feet; and this they did do, going forth one by one until they had all gone forth, and did see with their eyes and did feel with their hands, and did know of a surety and did bear record, that it was he, of whom it was written by the prophets, that should come” (emphasis added).

Just as Christ invited the people living in the Americas in ancient times to come to Him one by one, He invites us today to come to Him personally. Despite the extremely large amount of people on this earth, He makes time for each one of us and cares for us deeply. Christ’s Atonement is not only infinite, extending to every human being, but intimate, catering to our every need and circumstance. We may often feel misunderstood or forgotten, but Christ truly understands our deepest hopes, sorrows, weaknesses, and desires. He will not leave us alone and continues to call out to us, “Arise and come forth unto me.”

 Additional Resources:

Mormon Beliefs

In this series (see below), students enrolled in scripture study classes have shared their thoughts, insights, and reflections on the Book of Mormon in the form of letters to someone they know. We invite you to take a look at their epiphanies and discoveries as they delve into the scriptures.

In publishing these, we fulfill their desire to speak to all of us of the relevance, power and beauty of the Book of Mormon, a second witness of Jesus Christ and complement to the Bible. The Book of Mormon includes the religious history of a group of Israelites who settled in ancient America.  (The names they use are those of prophets who taught the Book of Mormon peoples to look forward to the coming of Christ—Nephi, Lehi, Alma, Helaman, and other unfamiliar names.  We hope those names will become more familiar to you as you read their inspiring words and feel the relevance and divinity of their messages through these letters.)

Let us know if you’d like to receive your own digital copy of the Book of Mormon, and/or if these messages encourage and assist you spiritually as well.

Book of Mormon: Having Security in a World of Uncertainty

I hope things have been good recently. I just wanted to share with you what I have been learning in my Book of Mormon class. We have been reading in Helaman and 3 Nephi. The topic I am going to focus on is trials of faith. There are two stories involved with this; one with Samuel the Lamanite (Helaman 13-16), the other about Nephi before Christ’s birth (3 Nephi 1).

Some interesting things about Samuel:

1) His prophecies were very specific, potentially the most specific of any prophet.

2) We don’t know anything about his past or future. To us, he is just Samuel, a Lamanite. This shows what God can do with ordinary people.

3) In 3 Nephi 23, Christ tells Nephi to include Samuel’s words in the record.

4) He was a very deep, great doctrinal theologian.

With that said, he is sent to Zarahemla to preach the gospel. After being rejected, he turns around, ready to head home. However, the Lord tells him to return. Samuel could have been thinking a lot of different things at that point – why didn’t He help me earlier? Why should I return, they don’t even care for the message? However, he still did as he was told and returned. At that point, he is rejected again. This doesn’t stop him, though. He then climbs onto the wall and proceeds to teach the people. And because he has the courage and exercises the obedience necessary, he brings about a lot of great things. I think this shows a lot about how we need to have faith in God’s timing and remember that He knows all. And He won’t leave us hanging if we choose to come to Him.

In 3 Nephi 1, the wicked pick a day for all those who believe that Christ will come to be killed. We know that Nephi prayed for everything to work out, but we don’t know when the prayer recorded happened. It could have happened the night before the day they would have been killed, or it could have happened weeks before. My teacher explained that we don’t know, but we can learn a lot from this story if this happened the day before (which is very probable). Nephi could have been praying for weeks, looking for an answer. However, he had to continue to hold out, not knowing what would happen. In this scenario, he would have gotten pretty nervous. He would have also been pretty confused because he had probably prayed repeatedly for quite some time without receiving an answer. But in the end, the Lord told him that everything was going to be fine and that Christ will be born on the morrow (3 Nephi 1:12-15). The lesson learned from this story is that we need to have faith to know that God knows everything, and we know nothing in comparison. He won’t always tell us what is going to happen or take us from trials, because from those hard things, we learn the most. Just before the probable breaking point for Nephi, the Lord answered his prayer. Our Heavenly Father loves us and is watching out for us. He knows what is best for us, and we need to remember that we can’t see our full plan, but He can.

Many things in life come unexpectedly, and lots of times those things make no sense at all. However, I know that if we remember that Christ is looking out for us, in this craziness of life we will find peace. I know that if we can remember this, we will find joy in the journey. It is so important for us to develop the “but if not” faith like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. They knew that God would help them, but if not, they would still not lose faith in Him. What would happen is what God knew would be best. I hope that you can find that happiness and peace in your life always

 Additional Resources:

Mormon Beliefs

In this series (see below), students enrolled in scripture study classes have shared their thoughts, insights, and reflections on the Book of Mormon in the form of letters to someone they know. We invite you to take a look at their epiphanies and discoveries as they delve into the scriptures.

In publishing these, we fulfill their desire to speak to all of us of the relevance, power and beauty of the Book of Mormon, a second witness of Jesus Christ and complement to the Bible. The Book of Mormon includes the religious history of a group of Israelites who settled in ancient America.  (The names they use are those of prophets who taught the Book of Mormon peoples to look forward to the coming of Christ—Nephi, Lehi, Alma, Helaman, and other unfamiliar names.  We hope those names will become more familiar to you as you read their inspiring words and feel the relevance and divinity of their messages through these letters.)

Let us know if you’d like to receive your own digital copy of the Book of Mormon, and/or if these messages encourage and assist you spiritually as well.

Book of Mormon: Darkest Night, Brightest Day

Today, I’m writing to those who are barely hanging on.

There is a saying that goes something along the lines of: “The darkest night always comes before the brightest day.” This holds the most true for the Nephite people in 3 Nephi 8-10, unfortunately. We are talking about a people who were once the most righteous people in the land. Then in these chapters and the ones preceding it, we see a dramatic change. They have become more and more prideful, focusing on their riches and their treasures instead of on God. The prophets strive their hardest to call them to repentance, but their words of wisdom fall on deaf ears. Then it finally happens. The prophecies that have been foretold for hundreds of years about the events preceding the Lord’s coming finally are fulfilled, and tragically many people are not prepared. We read that tempests strike, fires rage, whirlwinds blow and the entire earth quakes until everything was in absolute ruin. Thousands of people die, and those who lived “howl and weep” for the loss of their loved ones.

Then one of, if not, the most wonderful happenings in history occurs: the coming of Christ to the Americas. In Chapter 11, the Nephites see Jesus Christ descend from the heavens clothed in white. He declares to them who He is and shows them He has conquered death – both spiritual and physical – for them. They each remember the words of the prophets and begin to weep with joy, crying: “Hosanna! Blessed be the name of the Most High God!” They are filled with the purest of joys, for they know the truth of the gospel and they feel our Savior’s love.

We ourselves will go through tempests, storms, fires, earthquakes and whirlwinds of our own, but they will be in a spiritual sense, if not a physical one. Some who read this may be going through some stormy times now. Those storms can’t be avoided because they are key to our spiritual progress here on earth. What we can control, though, is how prepared we are and how we act through those storms. If we are faithful, we will not fear whatever Satan blows our way. If we are prepared, we will be able to endure by the power and grace of God. Know that there is a light at the end of the tunnel, and, thankfully for us, that light is Jesus Christ. He loves you and is not only hoping you stay righteous and endure to the end, He is also doing all that He can to help you. And if times just seem to get darker and darker for you, remember: “The future is as bright as your faith.”

Additional Resources:

Mormon Beliefs

In this series (see below), students enrolled in scripture study classes have shared their thoughts, insights, and reflections on the Book of Mormon in the form of letters to someone they know. We invite you to take a look at their epiphanies and discoveries as they delve into the scriptures.

In publishing these, we fulfill their desire to speak to all of us of the relevance, power and beauty of the Book of Mormon, a second witness of Jesus Christ and complement to the Bible. The Book of Mormon includes the religious history of a group of Israelites who settled in ancient America.  (The names they use are those of prophets who taught the Book of Mormon peoples to look forward to the coming of Christ—Nephi, Lehi, Alma, Helaman, and other unfamiliar names.  We hope those names will become more familiar to you as you read their inspiring words and feel the relevance and divinity of their messages through these letters.)

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Book of Mormon: Rise or Burn

I learned quite a few interesting things in Book of Mormon in the past week. We focused on 3 Nephi 6-10, which explains about the return of the Nephites to their pride and wickedness and the destruction of many Nephite cities as a result of their wickedness. It is disgusting to know how after all the blessings that the Nephites were given, all the times they were spared, they still returned to their wickedness, while the Lamanites became righteous. 3 Nephi 7:8 describes: “And thus six years had not passed away since the more part of the people had turned from their righteousness, like the dog to his vomit, or like the sow to her wallowing in the mire.” What we should ask ourselves about every lesson from the Book of Mormon is “so what?” Whenever we read these lessons from the Book of Mormon, we need to realize that what occurs during these events can be applied to our own lives. We need to understand the gospel principles that are taught, as they are meant for both us today and those who were living at the time. If we don’t obtain something out of what we are taught, then we are just wasting our time.

Another scary thing to note is the incredible destruction that occurred in 3 Nephi 8, which was mainly caused by volcanic eruptions. These eruptions caused lightning storms (the gases of volcanic ash can generate that electric force by collisions of molecules), earthquakes and fires. And they also caused the ash that caused the darkness to pervade the lands for 3 days. A fact that I researched is that with this volcanic ash, people would suffocate, be unable to see clearly, or be unable to light candles, as one of the gases commonly found in volcanic was sulfur dioxide, which would prevent flames from coming forth. This destruction is an example of what will happen at the Second Coming: fire and brimstone. When the destruction had ceased, the more wicked part of the people had been killed off. 3 Nephi 10:12 states: “And it was the more righteous part of the people who were saved, and it was they who received the prophets and stoned them not; and it was they who had not shed the blood of the saints, and they were spared.” What is important to take away from this lesson is that if you work hard to stay worthy, be a good person and keep the commandments, the Lord will bless you in the long run. I have no guarantees for the short run, but in the eternal perspective of things, the Lord will bless you if you choose to do what is right.

We all have a choice to follow the Lord and rise to glory, or follow Satan and burn, both internally and externally. It is our choice, regardless of how many trials or blessings we have had in our lives. We always need to keep this in mind.

Additional Resources:

Mormon Beliefs