The Bible

One of the blessings of being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (a Mormon) is the ready access to the book of scripture known as the Book of Mormon.

The Book of Mormon is a companion volume to the Holy Bible. As Mormons, we revere both these books as scripture. I'm so grateful for them! And the Book of Mormon helps me to understand so much about the Lord and His purposes for me.

From the Book of Mormon, I learn how much the Lord really does love His children. In 2 Nephi 2:25 I learn that there was a purpose to Adam's fall and that the Lord intends for us to have joy - even here in mortality!

From the Book of Mormon, I learn that the Lord desires to bestow great blessings upon His children. In 1 Nephi 17:3 we read:

"And thus we see that the commandments of God must be fulfilled. And if it so be that the children of men keep the commandments of God he doth nourish them, and strengthen them, and provide means whereby they can accomplish the thing which he has commended them; ..."

And from the Book of Mormon, we read of the pending destructions for those amongst God's children who cause great harm to others. Regarding all unrepentant sinners, we learn this from the Book of Mormon:

"For behold, the Lord saw that his people began to work in darkness, yea, work secret murders and abominations; therefore the Lord said, if they did not repent they should be destroyed from off the face of the earth ...." (Alma 37:22).

Then speaking of interpreters created by the Lord to interpret ancient scriptural records, the Lord's prophet says:

"And now, my son, these interpreters were prepared that the word of God might be fulfilled, which he spake, saying:

"I will bring forth out of darkness unto light all their secret works and their abominations; and except they repent I will destroy them from off the face of the earth; and I will bring to light all their secrets and abominations, unto every nation that shall hereafter possess the land" (Alma 37:24-25).

The Book of Mormon prophet that recorded these words was none other than Alma. He was speaking both of individuals during his day AND of future inhabitants of the Americas. As he completes this portion of his testament, he shares these tender words to his son:

"O, remember, my son, and learn wisdom in thy youth; yea, learn in thy youth to keep the commandments of God" (Alma 37:35).

The Lord desires to bless all of His children. But He will stand by only so long if some of those children are bent and determined in hurting others. If the inhabitants of the world, especially here in the Americas, do not repent from such deeds, the day will come when the Lord will step in to stop the impenitent.

Oh, may we repent as a people of those things which are not appropriate in the sight of God! The Lord truly desires that we experience joy, as we read above in 2 Nephi 2:25. The Book of Mormon helps my understanding of the Bible's teachings in learning to have just that - joy that awaits for me from our God!

Oh, how important to listen to the warnings of God contained in the Holy scriptures, both in the Holy Bible and in the Book of Mormon. I invite you to explore both now. Simply click on these links:

• The Holy Bible (the Old and New Testaments)
• The Book of Mormon

One final question, though. How can you know all of this is true? Visit this link to find the answer.

Don't you just love the scriptures? I do, too! The word of God is amazing. I can think of no other balm more soothing for my heart when I am feeling disconsolate and discouraged than the Lord's words.

Truly I didn't understand this as well when I was younger, but I also was new to Mormonism. Being a Mormon felt full of promise to me, but I was still learning.

But now that I've been a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, my understanding for the scriptures has deepened; my appreciation for them has intensified.

For those who are new to the Church and just learning our basic beliefs, it might be unique to discover just how central the scriptures are to everything we as Mormons do. In fact, one of the reasons we gained our nickname of "Mormons" is precisely because of the volume of scripture called The Book of Mormon.

So first, a bit of history for this amazing book of scripture. The Book of Mormon acts as a companion to the Bible. In some ways it is similar; in some ways it is different.

Both the Bible and the Book of Mormon contain the word of God. Both the Bible and the Book of Mormon came about because of prophets. The Lord uses prophets to speak to His children. In Amos 3:7 we read:

"Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets."

And thus it is that we have the Bible and the Book of Mormon. The Bible came about through the efforts and work of prophets called by God in the "old world" or areas near Jerusalem. The Book of Mormon came about through the efforts and work of prophets called by God in the "new world" or the Americas.

Both volumes of scripture serve as a testament of Jesus Christ, the central figure of Mormon faith. In a world that begins to doubt more and more the authenticity of a Savior, the Book of Mormon stands as a companion witness of the Bible as to the immense nature of the Holy Son of God.

Just as there are two or three hinges to secure a door to a door jamb (can you imagine a door functioning well with just one hinge?), the Lord has given, in His wisdom, more than one witness to verify the truth as taught by Jesus of Nazareth ... that Jesus indeed was (and is) the Son of God. He does this for a world that struggles more and more to accept that truth. The Bible and the Book of Mormon both stand as sure testaments to the veracity that Jesus Christ was (and is) who He said he was. Studying them together enriches a life in eternally significant ways.

There are some that reject the idea that God is capable or willing of giving scripture to more than one continent. I ask why? And here is the Lord's response to the doubtful sentiment of some:

"Know ye not that there are more nations than one? Know ye not that I, the Lord your God, ... created all men, ... and that I rule in the heavens above and in the earth beneath; and I bring forth my word unto the children of men, yea, even upon all the nations of the earth?

"...Know ye not that the testimony of two nations is a witness unto you that I am God, that I remember one nation like unto another? Wherefore, I speak the same words unto one nation like unto another. And ... the testimony of the two nations shall run together also" (2 Nephi 29:7-8, John 10:16, 3 Nephi 16:1) .

This is something to rejoice in! The Lord loves all His children. Of course He would teach more than just a few as to the amazing gift His Son brought through His willing sacrifice and atonement.

I invite you today to begin to explore the Book of Mormon, another testament of Jesus Christ!

Nephi is the first prophet-historian we meet in the pages of the Book of Mormon. He was born into a culture that permeated life at Jerusalem. And within that culture, prophets were not foreign to the people during this time. In fact, many prophets had been sent by the Lord to warn His people as to their choices, their actions, their appalling behaviors.

These were some of the words the ancient Israelites were hearing - and ignoring:

"I have sent also unto you all my servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them, saying, Return ye now every man from his evil way, and amend your doings, and go not after other gods to serve them, and ye shall dwell in the land which I have given to you and to your fathers: but ye have not inclined your ear, nor hearkened unto me" (Jeremiah 35:15).

These were the words of the ancient Biblical prophet Jeremiah (found in the Old Testament). In fact, Jeremiah follows up verse 15 with a very bold pronouncement in verse 17 of that same chapter. Listen to this Old Testament prophet speak with great clarity:

"Therefore thus saith the Lord God of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring upon Judah and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem all the evil that I have pronounced against them; because I have spoken unto them, but they have not heard; and I have called unto them, but they have not answered" (vs 17).

Oh, how frightening. Eventually Jeremiah was imprisoned for his faithful testament of God's pending wrath.

We have a prophet today, President Gordon B. Hinckley. How imperative we hearken to his counsel, for he is every bit the Lord's spoke person now as Jeremiah was then.

But the ancient Israelites refused to hearken to their prophet Jeremiah. And this was the culture seen by the boy Nephi. In fact, Jeremiah wasn't the only ancient Biblical prophet trying to sound a warning call. There were others: Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah. Their words can also be read and studied in the Old Testament.

The political conditions also weren't great during Nephi's time. The Babylonians had crushed Egypt's hold over the Jewish nation. It is during this time that the weak king Zedekiah was appointed to the throne by Babylon's Nebuchadnezzar. Nephi speaks of Zedekiah in the first chapter, verse four, of his record (1 Nephi 1).

Soon Nephi tells us that his father too had seen and heard much from the Lord, and although trembling, began to go forth uttering his testament that Jerusalem would be destroyed if the Israelites did not repent.

Any guesses about the response? Jeremiah is in prison and yes, you guessed it - soon there came attempts at taking the life of Nephi's father. But Nephi bears a touching witness to us at the end of that very first chapter that, " ... the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance" (1 Nephi 1:20).

This is a message which Nephi repeatedly shares throughout his entire record in the Book of Mormon. I'm excited to invite you on this journey as we learn more and more about not just Nephi, but many of these faithful men and women within the pages of this sacred book, the Book of Mormon. Its purpose is to testify of Jesus Christ and of His goodness for all those who follow Him. And what a joyous experience it is to read. To get started, simply click on this link.

If you've not had a chance to read from the Book of Mormon, you are in for a treat. It is very similar to the Bible, in that it contains the holy words of God. Its purpose is much like that of the Holy Bible - to bring people to Christ, to discover His redeeming love, and to bring peace therein.

I love the Book of Mormon. What a privilege to have one and to be able to read it. If you don't yet own a Book of Mormon, did you know that you can read it online for free? Of course, I like having an actual one, so that I can cross reference it with the Bible, writing notes in the columns and corners of each page to remind myself of flashes of understanding and new feelings of peace.

But until you are able to receive your own copy, if you've not already, here is a link to the online version.

The Book of Mormon begins with an account written by an individual named Nephi. His family traveled away from Jerusalem a short time before its destruction. Both Nephi and his father, Lehi, were record-keepers of the events of their lives, in addition to being prophets.

Nephi begins his record with the following words:

"An account of Lehi and his wife Sariah and his four sons, being called, (beginning at the eldest) Laman, Lemuel, Sam, and Nephi. The Lord warns Lehi to depart out of the land of Jerusalem, because he prophesieth unto the people concerning their iniquity and they seek to destroy his life. He taketh three days’ journey into the wilderness with his family. Nephi taketh his brethren and returneth to the land of Jerusalem after the record of the Jews. The account of their sufferings. They take the daughters of Ishmael to wife. They take their families and depart into the wilderness. Their sufferings and afflictions in the wilderness. The course of their travels. They come to the large waters. Nephi’s brethren rebel against him. He confoundeth them, and buildeth a ship. They call the name of the place Bountiful. They cross the large waters into the promised land, and so forth. This is according to the account of Nephi; or in other words, I, Nephi, wrote this record."

There is much that is contained in Nephi's record. So much so that his writings comprise two individuals "books" within the entire Book of Mormon - 1 Nephi and 2 Nephi. But what I love most from Nephi is his certainty in his Savior and Redeemer.

In spite of all the hardships Nephi passed through, these were his words:

"Rejoice, O my heart, and cry unto the Lord, and say: O Lord, I will praise thee forever; yea, my soul will rejoice in thee, my God, and the rock of my salvation" (2 Nephi 4:30).

Yes, indeed, if this is the first opportunity you've had to read from the Book of Mormon, what a beautiful experience you have waiting for you. You will meet individuals every bit as valiant as Nephi in their testimony, witness, and love of the Lord. And every day you read their words is a day that can help you become stronger for the Lord yourself. Happy reading!

The structure of the Book of Mormon is simple. It is a composite record of sacred writings from ancient American prophets.

But before we explore the record known as the Book of Mormon, stop to think for just a moment. Can you imagine God only teaching one tiny group of his children? Apparently the Jews considered God would do this, because when the revelation came to take the gospel to all the world, this came as a stunning blow to some during that time.

But the Lord loves all His children - equally. Why then would He not share the gospel of Jesus Christ equally? The Book of Mormon illustrates this love beautifully. Within its pages we see that the Lord does indeed love His children, regardless of what continent they reside upon. Just as the Lord wanted those in the Old World to understand His teachings and precepts, He wanted those in the Americas to benefit also, as all through the world.

Indeed, is anything too hard for the Lord? Can He not speak equally as well with one people as with another? Why would He only teach some of His children? The Book of Mormon shows that He desires ALL to come unto Him - all. It is a companion volume to the Bible as a witness that God loves us and wants us home.

So within the Book of Mormon we have several ancient records abridged into one, by the ancient prophet-historian Mormon. He took the following records listed below and excerpted from them the most important pieces, transcribing them onto golden plates. Why golden plates? Because this particular kind of metal has been shown to stand the test of time.

What excerpts of records did Mormon select? From "A Brief Explanation About the Book of Mormon", contained in the front matter at the beginning of the Book of Mormon, we read Mormon chose for inclusion portions from:

* The Plates of Nephi

* The Plates of Mormon

* The Plates of Ether

* The Plates of Brass

In fact, the Book of Mormon includes fifteen main divisions from these four sets of plates. And when Mormon finished his laborious work transcribing these records, he then gave his work to his son Moroni. Soon after, Moroni saw his father with the rest of their people, destroyed by another civilization. Both he and his father knew that had his people turned to Christ, they could have been redeemed. (One of the main urgent messages in the Book of Mormon is that salvation can only be found through the Lord Himself.)

But Mormon and Moroni's people had refused the Lord's extended hand. And Moroni, one of the last few who refused to deny the Christ, wandered for years alone. Approximately in 421 A.D. we are told that Moroni sealed up his sacred record and buried it, trusting in the Lord that a future people would hold it sacred and value its teachings.

I pray that now that his and his father's record has been placed in our hands, that we choose wisely what we do with it.

For more information and to read "A Brief Explanation About the Book of Mormon," visit this link. To read from the Book of Mormon itself, visit here.

For some who are not familiar with the Bible, the concept of prophets might be foreign to them. But for those who read the Bible, they most likely have read this passage in the Old Testament, found in Amos 3:7:

"Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets."

Soon after Christ was crucified, the gospel began to be preached beyond the confines of the Jewish lineage. But eventually, due to persecution, the Lord's own appointed representatives were murdered, one by one. As a result, the direct line of the Lord's own anointed ended.

This is why you may have heard words such as "the apostasy." Those who had chosen Christianity were left to figure things out on their own. Eventually there was so much arguing and bickering amongst the church members and church member appointed leaders, that a forced council under the emperor Constantine was called and eventually the Nicene creed was established.

Over time, things continued to deteriorate. Eventually history saw brave individuals crying out that apostasy had occurred from the original church teachings and organization that Christ had established. Men such as Martin Luther, John Lathrop, and others, risked great bodily harm to proclaim such things.

Now flash forward historically to the early 1800s and a young man called Joseph Smith. He himself was laboring under great difficulty, seeking to know which of all the churches in his day were correct. There again was great conflict. For example, some claimed baptism was essential to return to the kingdom of God; others claimed only professed belief was sufficient. Joseph reasoned it couldn't be both.

Through sincere prayer, and the Lord's miraculous answer to that prayer, Joseph Smith ushered in what is now known as the restoration. Through Joseph Smith, the church of Jesus Christ now exists in its completeness once again on the earth. And through the prophet Joseph Smith, we have an additional testament of the Savior, known as the Book of Mormon.

An excellent summary of how this occurred is contained in a few short pages at the beginning of the Book of Mormon. This account comes after the Title Page, after the Introduction, and after the testimony page of those who actually saw and handled the ancient record that Joseph translated, again, known as the Book of Mormon.

In Joseph's summary, for those who are interested, he describes how he was taught where to find the ancient scriptural record and what the Lord intended for him to do with it. Great attempts were made by community members on Joseph's life in order to steal the record, once others knew he had it.

But due to the graces of God, the record was preserved, Joseph was allowed to finish its translation, and we now have a readable version of the ancient scriptural accounts of the inhabitants of the Americas. It is a companion volume to the Bible, and stands as an additional witness that Jesus is indeed the Christ. The Book of Mormon is a welcome addition to help today's peoples understand that the Bible indeed is a true book.

To understand more fully Joseph's experience, feel free to click here. Joseph freely shared his testimony and what he gained during the experience of the amazing responsibility given to him.

I've read the Book of Mormon. The peace that attends its teachings is supernal and strengthening. You can experience this too. Simply visit this link to quietly study it in your own home.

In Matthew 18:16, we read:

"But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established."

The scenario for this passage is the disciples had come unto the Savior asking, "who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" Jesus taught His beautiful lesson, by placing a little child in front of the disciples and teaching them they were to become as little children themselves.

Jesus then moved into speaking about offenses, both against children and otherwise. Eventually he then taught this great principle found in Matthew 18:16 and the need for witnesses when people will not believe or hear the truth.

As to the Book of Mormon, I often find it a bit laughable that 19th century contemporaries of Joseph Smith claimed that Joseph lied about having the Book of Mormon record, yet went to such great lengths to steal it from him. It was against such a societal backdrop, and precisely following the principle of witnesses stated in Matt. 18:16, that the Lord allowed others to actually view the golden plates from which Joseph translated this ancient scriptural record.

Placed after the Title Page, and immediately after the Introduction, we find a page with two short paragraphs accompanied by names of individuals who stated they handled the sacred record and knew "of a surety that the work is true."

These men were willing to put their names and reputations on the line, not an easy task to do during any time in the history of the world. But they knew the importance of the principle of witnesses - and they were willing to add their names to the list of those testifying of this ancient record's validity.

Read this somber statement from these men:

"Be it known unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, unto whom this work shall come: That Joseph Smith, Jun., the translator of this work, has shown unto us the plates of which hath been spoken, which have the appearance of gold; and as many of the leaves as the said Smith has translated we did handle with our hands; and we also saw the engravings thereon, all of which has the appearance of ancient work, and of curious workmanship. And this we bear record with words of soberness, that the said Smith has shown unto us, for we have seen and hefted, and know of a surety that the said Smith has got the plates of which we have spoken. And we give our names unto the world, to witness unto the world that which we have seen. And we lie not, God bearing witness of it."

The Lord used witnesses early on to act as testators of the Book of Mormon's presence and reality. But of course it is for every person to determine the worth of the Book of Mormon. To make it easy for you to do so, please feel free to visit this link to read from the actual Book of Mormon.

For those who are just learning about the Book of Mormon, there is much that awaits. One of the best way to get an overview of what is within the book is to read the actual Introduction, which is placed just after the Title Page of the Book of Mormon.

From the Introduction we learn that the Book of Mormon contains holy scripture similar to the Bible. But whereas the Bible contains scriptural accounts from the Old World (near and in Jerusalem), the Book of Mormon is full of scriptural accounts from the ancient inhabitants in the Americas.

Just as Biblical prophets were moved upon by the spirit to write the word of God, the ancient American prophets also were called to do the same thing. In fact, so many were their words and so many were their records, that the prophet-historian Mormon abridged those records into what we have today, called The Book of Mormon.

We learn from the Introduction that one main group highlighted in the Book of Mormon came from Jerusalem in the year 600 B.C. Now remember what was going on during this time in Jerusalem. The prophet Jeremiah had been imprisoned and much wickedness reigned in the hearts of the children of Israel near and in Jerusalem.

The first group of people mentioned in The Book of Mormon fled that rampant wickedness and were led here to the Americas. Their history, as recorded in the Book of Mormon, is full of rich verses teaching of the importance of hearkening to the Lord and seeking the Savior's ways.

Another civilization is mentioned in the pages of the Book of Mormon. This civilization also fled a difficult time in the Old World, but at a much earlier date. This group of people, eventually known as the Jaredites, were led to the Americas during the era when the Lord confused the languages of the people during the building of the Tower of Babel. Both civilizations teach well what happens when a people turn from God and destroy themselves with wicked choices.

One of the most important portions of the Book of Mormon is the account of the Savior's visit to the early American inhabitants after his resurrection. The Lord loves all his people; the Savior knew of these people and taught them many of the same truths He'd taught those in Jerusalem and in the surrounding areas.

We learn in the Introduction how we now have the Book of Mormon through a modern prophet called Joseph Smith, born at the beginning of the 19th century and only a few decades after the Revolutionary War. The Prophet Joseph Smith declared,

"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" ("Introduction," The Book of Mormon).

What a privilege it is to hold this book in my hands and to learn from its teachings about the Savior and the joy His gospel brings; it is the perfect companion volume to the Bible.

There is only one way to enjoy all that the Book of Mormon contains - by reading it! Here is a link so that you may view its contents and read from The Book of Mormon itself.

I love the Book of Mormon - not only for its beauty, but for its powerful potential to change the children of men into children of God.

President Marion G. Romney (a member of the First Presidency of the Church during the early 80s) said:

"If we would avoid adopting the evils of the world, we must pursue a course which will daily feed our minds with and call them back to the things of the spirit. I know of no better way to do this than by daily reading the Book of Mormon" (Ensign, May 1980, p 66).

What a powerful statement this is from a man who would arrive at work thirty minutes early - so that he could read from the Book of Mormon before beginning his work day.

There are other witnesses to the power of the Book of Mormon. President Gordon B. Hinckley, currently our Church's prophet and president, stated:

"I would like to urge every man and woman ... and every boy and girl who is old enough to read to again read the Book of Mormon during this coming year. This was written for the convincing of the Jew and the Gentile that Jesus is the Christ. There is nothing we could do of greater importance than to have fortified in our individual lives an unshakable conviction that Jesus is the Christ, the living Son of the living God. That is the purpose of the coming forth of this remarkable and wonderful book. May I suggest that you read it again and take a pencil, a red one if you have one, and put a little check mark every time there is a reference to Jesus Christ in that book. And there will come to you a very real conviction as you do so that this is in very deed another witness for the Lord Jesus Christ" (Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley [1997], p 44, emphasis added).

All the witnesses in the world, though, will not make as much a difference as your own personal witness. If you've not have the opportunity to read the Book of Mormon and to experience the power of its witness for the Redeemer of the world, even Jesus Christ, I invite you to do so. Follow this link to the online text. Feel free to bookmark the link in your own browser so you can easily return to more than once, daily even.

I also share my witness that this book is powerful. In fact, a verse contained within the Book of Mormon expresses it best. In the book of Helaman, chapter three, we read:

29 Yea, we see that whosoever will may lay hold upon the word of God, which is quick and powerful, which shall divide asunder all the cunning and the snares and the wiles of the devil, and lead the man of Christ in a strait and narrow course across that everlasting gulf of misery which is prepared to engulf the wicked—

30 And land their souls, yea, their immortal souls, at the right hand of God in the kingdom of heaven, to sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and with Jacob, and with all our holy fathers, to go no more out (Helaman 3:29-30).

Yes, indeed, I love the Book of Mormon - not only for its beautiful text, but for its powerful potential to change the children of men into children of God.

When one first handles the Book of Mormon, it can be an interesting experience. The text inside is similar to the Bible, in that the language feels somewhat ancient, yet the placement on the page might feel different than what you are used to.

But exploring the Book of Mormon need not feel difficult. In fact, the book is fairly similar to most books on the market today. Just as most books have a Title Page, so does the Book of Mormon. And it is on that title page that we can gain great knowledge as to the purpose of the Book of Mormon and what it contains.

From the Title Page, we learn that the Book of Mormon was an account written by an ancient prophet-historian named Mormon - thus the entire book is aptly called, The Book of Mormon.

We also learn that Mormon's efforts were to abridge records from an ancient people called the Nephites (so named after the original Nephi one reads about in the early pages of the Book of Mormon).

Now remember, an abridgement is rather like a Reader's Digest version of a lengthier record or book. And even Mormon states in a variety of places that what he is recording is only an infinitely small portion of the original records.

For example:

"Wherefore, I chose these things, to finish my record upon them, which remainder of my record I shall take from the plates of Nephi; and I cannot write the hundredth part of the things of my people" (Words of Mormon 1:5).

and:

"And there had many things transpired which, in the eyes of some, would be great and marvelous; nevertheless, they cannot all be written in this book; yea, this book cannot contain even a hundredth part of what was done among so many people . . . " (3 Nephi 5:8).

Doesn't it make you wonder what things weren't recorded? And if you only had limited space, what would you select to include? The Title Page to the Book of Mormon tells us Mormon's choices in this matter.

Mormon states that he chose what he did for his record because he wanted to "show unto the remnant of the House of Israel what great things the Lord hath done for their fathers." He also wanted to show those same Israelites that they would not be "cast off forever."

And then Mormon finalizes his Title Page record with a potent message. He states he wrote what he did to convince "the Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God, manifesting himself unto all nations."

The message of the Book of Mormon could not be clearer than this. And Mormon's final plea is poignant. He states:

"And now, if there are faults, they are the mistakes of men; wherefore, condemn not the things of God, that ye may be found spotless at the judgment-seat of Christ" ("Title Page," The Book of Mormon).

All this is contained in one short title page, along with more I've not had room to summarize here. What an introduction to a record that required such effort to make, keep, and pass on. I'm grateful for it.

Again, this is just a summary. There are actually additional pieces of information about Mormon's purpose in making this great record. If you've not had an opportunity to read it, here is a simple link to the title page.

Why study the Book of Mormon? Actually, one might indeed simply ask, "Why study the scriptures at all?" Life is crazy; adding one more activity to the mix could feel too much. But I have to tell you, nothing brings peace to my life as swiftly as does the study of the scriptures. And studying the Book of Mormon hand in hand with the Bible is equally the experience for me.

Here is why. President Ezra Taft Benson, now deceased but the prophet and leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints prior to his death, stated:

"The Book of Mormon, the record of Joseph, verifies and clarifies the Bible. It removes stumbling blocks, it restores many plain and precious things. We testify that when used together, the Bible and the Book of Mormon confound false doctrines, lay down contentions, and establish peace.

"We do not have to prove the Book of Mormon is true. The book is its own proof. All we need to do is read it and declare it! The Book of Mormon is not on trial - the people of the world, including the members of the Church, are on trial as to what they will do with this second witness for Christ.

"I testify that the Book of Mormon is the word of God; and therefore Jesus is the Christ, Joseph Smith is a prophet, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is true, with its authorized servants to perform the ordinances of salvation today" (Ensign, Nov 1984, 8).

In a previous blog I had mentioned the confusion which seems to reign in the minds of many in today's world about who Jesus Christ is and was. After all, it has been two thousand years since His birth. The Bible has gone through many translations. We all know what happens in the "Telephone Game," where in a long line of people a message is transmitted ear to ear down to the end of the line. By the end, even with great effort, the message is garbled or changed from the first.

We see this even in the Bible. Some portions record that no man can see God at any time and live; other portions record accounts of men seeing God in ancient Biblical times. Which is it?

This is why reading the Book of Mormon hand in hand with the Bible is such a clarifying and spirit-full event for me. If you've had the opportunity to approach the Book of Mormon and read it with humble mind, without preconceived notion, I daresay you will feel its sweet spirit. Nowhere does the book teach evil activities. Nowhere does the book teach to deny Christ. In fact, it is just the opposite. Here is just one sample verse from early on in the Book of Mormon:

"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)

This ancient record, the Book of Mormon, stands as a witness of Jesus Christ. It has blessed my life with its sweet teachings of the sacred Son of God. I study it alongside the Bible to understand better the word of God. May it bless your life equally as well.

Did you know you can study the scriptures online? Here is an easy link.

Perhaps you have wondered, "Why the Book of Mormon? Don't we already have a Bible?"

This perhaps is a common question for some. After all, the Bible has been around for centuries. People are well used to its purpose and message - that Jesus is the Christ, the Savior and Redeemer of mankind.

Yet there are many in the world that claim the historical Christ was only a teacher, nothing more. Additionally, while I was visiting in Tucson, Arizona a number of years ago, I read in the paper an article about a large meeting being held that very week in Tucson. Numerous Christian leaders were converging upon the city with one purpose - to determine once and for all whether Christ was who He said He was.

Some of the Christian leaders claimed He was a great teacher, but argued with other Christian clergy about some of the points the Bible records - that certain verses were too far-fetched to be real. This (an argument amongst Christian leaders whether or not the Bible was a valid record) astonished me, in addition to the fact that some of them were arguing Christ stretched the truth in order to teach a truth.

I marveled at this, that there could be this much dissension amongst those who love the Lord! So raising the first question again, "Why the Book of Mormon?"

You are free to disbelieve or believe, but as Mormons we believe that the Book of Mormon stands as a second witness of Jesus Christ. We believe that He was who He stated He was and - as the record states in the Bible - He is the divine Son of God with the express mission of offering redemption for mankind.

Imagine for a moment, if you will, a door hanging by one hinge in a doorway. Regardless of whether that hinge were affixed at the top, at the middle, or at the bottom, it still would be weakened by standing alone over time.

Now imagine you have affixed two hinges to the door in that same doorframe. The door swings much more surely and will weather time much more securely. The same holds true for this crazy and mixed up world we live in.

With films such as The Golden Compass being launched (written by a self-proclaimed atheist) and other such entities seeking to disprove the existence of God, The Book of Mormon stands as a support and witness to the Bible - declaring jointly that Jesus Christ is indeed the Son of God, that He did indeed come to redeem mankind, and that the word of God can be trusted.

If you've not had an opportunity to read the Book of Mormon, please feel free to visit this page to learn more about the Book of Mormon: http://scriptures.lds.org/

and here to learn more about the Mormons: http://www.mormon.org/mormonorg/eng/