The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ is a sacred book of scripture that teaches of Jesus Christ and tells of His visit to the ancient Americas over 2,000 years ago. It is comparable to the Bible in that it chronicles the stories and struggles of faithful men and women in ancient times, teaches religious doctrine, contains the predictions and counsel of prophets, and testifies of the Savior Jesus Christ. Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints revere both the Bible and the Book of Mormon (in addition to other revealed scripture) as sources of inspiration and guidance.
The Book of Mormon tells the story of a prophet and his family who leave Jerusalem soon before its conquest by Babylon in the sixth century BCE. They travel to the sea, where they build ships and are led to the ancient Americas. They grow into a populous civilization, and in the Book of Mormon we read of their governments, wars, and general history. Most prominent in the book, however, are the teachings of prophets and inspired leaders who share their testimonies of Jesus Christ as they counsel us to follow Him in order to gain happiness and eternal life. The focal point of the narrative is when Jesus Christ Himself visits the people of the ancient Americas after His death and resurrection in the Old World.
Written on golden plates and hidden away around 400 CE by its last writer, the Book of Mormon was recovered by Joseph Smith in the early 1800s. He was led by the Lord to find and translate the book, giving us the volume of scripture we have today.
Joseph Smith referred to the Book of Mormon as “the keystone of our religion.” Latter-day Saints believe that in order to know whether the Book of Mormon is a true account and is inspired by God, one must read it, ponder its message, and pray sincerely to ask whether it is true. Those who do will receive an answer from the Holy Ghost (Moroni 10:4-5). Knowing that the Book of Mormon is true also gives us a witness that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God and that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which he restored, is also true. Most importantly, it offers a witness that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world and that we can find eternal happiness by following His teachings.
The following devotionals discuss the significance and mission of the Book of Mormon, as well as its role in our conversion to the gospel of Jesus Christ. They testify of its verity and counsel readers and listeners to seek out their own testimonies of it. We hope that these addresses offer greater insight into a book which has changed the lives of millions of people.
