The Book of Mormon — testimony & invitation
The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ is a compilation of several records written by peoples who were led by God out of the Middle East and to the Americas, many years before Jesus was born in Bethlehem. The book teaches the principles and doctrines of the Gospel of Jesus Christ — the truths that bring meaning and joy to this mortal existence and afterward.
As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, I believe that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. That is to say that — like the Bible — the Book of Mormon is a direct product of the revelations of God to prophets on the Earth. I also believe that the Book of Mormon was purposed for the present-day, to add light and direction to the pervasive darkness and confusion which are impossible to navigate alone.
The Book of Mormon’s relevance to current times is evidenced by the manner and time of its arrival to modernity. In 1820, God the Father and Jesus Christ commissioned Joseph Smith as the first prophet of our modern era (what we call the “latter-day”). By the gift and power of God, Joseph was able to translate an ancient text into English as the Book of Mormon. But, it is not only these circumstances which affirm the book’s pertinence.
Several of the ancient prophets whose writings the Book of Mormon contains were aware of its future significance. One of these prophets wrote that God “will keep and preserve [the record] for a wise purpose in him, that he may show forth his power unto future generations” (Alma 37:14).
The Book of Mormon is a beacon to every Christian to show them the way to Jesus Christ’s organized church, by adding another testament to the Old and New testaments of the Bible. “And if ye shall believe in Christ, ye shall believe in these words, for they are the words of Christ” (2 Nephi 33:10).
More than just to Christians, the Book of Mormon is a testament to the people of every nation that “all human beings are sons and daughters of a loving Father in Heaven, that He has a divine plan for our lives, and that His Son, Jesus Christ, speaks today as well as in days of old” ( The Restoration Proclamation, The First Presidency and Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints).
The Book of Mormon’s invitation to all: “come unto Christ, and lay hold upon every good gift” (Moroni 10:30).
If you are looking for truth, meaning, and evidence of God’s ongoing dealings with the people of the world, I invite you to read the Book of Mormon and consider its message seriously. I ask you to accept the invitation given in the final chapter: To ask God in faithful prayer if the book is what it purports to be. The Book of Mormon comes with the promise that God will witness its truth to your soul by the power of the Holy Ghost if you’ll read it and ask Him in sincerity if it is true.
Originally published at https://roughingit.substack.com.
