Introduction to the Book of Mormon

• Which of the following blessings do you feel would significantly influence your daily life? What would you be willing to do to receive them?

  • a greater ability to hear the Spirit’s voice

  • answers to questions and direction for your life

  • a greater ability to resist temptation and evil

These are some of the blessings that can come from studying the Book of Mormon.

Read and consider marking the statement by Joseph Smith in paragraph 6 of the introduction to the Book of Mormon.

• What stands out to you from Joseph Smith’s statement?

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Arch

• Why is the stone in the top center of the arch (the keystone) so important? What would happen to the arch if it were removed?

President Ezra Taft Benson (1899–1994) taught:

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President Ezra Taft Benson

The Book of Mormon is the keystone in our witness of Jesus Christ, who is Himself the cornerstone of everything we do. It bears witness of His reality with power and clarity. …

… The Book of Mormon is the keystone of testimony. Just as the arch crumbles if the keystone is removed, so does all the Church stand or fall with the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. (Ezra Taft Benson, “The Book of Mormon—Keystone of Our Religion,” Ensign, Nov. 1986, 5, 6)

• What do you think it means that the Book of Mormon is the keystone of our witness of Jesus Christ?

Writers in the Book of Mormon regularly testified of Jesus Christ. To see how various individuals found references to Jesus Christ in the book’s pages, watch the video “Book of Mormon Experiment Honolulu” (2:35). This video can be found on ChurchofJesusChrist.org.

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icon, record

1. Complete the following and answer the questions below.

   Select any page from the Book of Mormon, and look for every reference to the Savior on that page.

   • What did you find about the Savior?

   • What do the passages you found help you understand or feel about the Savior?

Think about how you would be blessed by having a stronger testimony of Jesus Christ. As you study the Book of Mormon, look for references to Jesus Christ and for what you learn about Him. As you do, your knowledge and testimony of the Savior will grow.

• Which of the following statements best describes your feelings about the Book of Mormon?

  • I trust others who have received their own personal testimony and have assured me that the Book of Mormon is true.

  • I am not sure if I know the Book of Mormon is true.

  • I have received a witness from the Holy Ghost that the Book of Mormon is true.

• Why do you think Heavenly Father might want you to know that the Book of Mormon is true?

Read the second-to-last paragraph in the introduction, as well as Moroni 10:3–5, looking for what you can do to know if the Book of Mormon is true.

• According to what you read, what does someone need to do to know if the Book of Mormon is true?

Elder Ulisses Soares of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles shared how his testimony of the Book of Mormon grew while he attended seminary. You may want to watch “The Coming Forth of the Book of Mormon,” available on ChurchofJesusChrist.org, from time code 12:03 to 14:12.

Read the last paragraph in the introduction to the Book of Mormon, looking for what other knowledge comes with a testimony of the Book of Mormon.

• How can having a testimony of the Book of Mormon impact your life?

President Russell M. Nelson extended promises to all of us if we study the Book of Mormon every day. Read the following statement, or watch the video “The Book of Mormon: What Would Your Life Be Like without It?” on ChurchofJesusChrist.org from time code 11:52 to 13:05.

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President Russell M. Nelson

I promise that as you prayerfully study the Book of Mormon every day, you will make better decisions—every day. I promise that as you ponder what you study, the windows of heaven will open, and you will receive answers to your own questions and direction for your own life. I promise that as you daily immerse yourself in the Book of Mormon, you can be immunized against the evils of the day, even the gripping plague of pornography and other mind-numbing addictions.

Whenever I hear anyone, including myself, say, “I know the Book of Mormon is true,” I want to exclaim, “That’s nice, but it is not enough!” We need to feel, deep in “the inmost part” of our hearts [Alma 13:27], that the Book of Mormon is unequivocally the word of God. We must feel it so deeply that we would never want to live even one day without it. (Russell M. Nelson, “The Book of Mormon: What Would Your Life Be Like without It?,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2017, 62–63)

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2. Answer the following questions:

   • What impresses you from this statement?

   • How do you feel about the invitation to read the Book of Mormon every day?

If you have not yet done so, make a plan to strengthen your testimony of Jesus Christ through a daily study of the Book of Mormon. For example, you could determine how many minutes a day you will study. You could plan how you may focus on what the Book of Mormon teaches about the Savior. Think about any obstacles you may face to your daily study and what you can do to overcome them.