how to understand the book of mormon

Near the end of my reading, I came across a verse that affirmed that if a church were Christ’s, it would bear His name (see 3 Nephi 27:8). In a First Presidency message in August 2005, President Gordon B. Hinckley challenged Church members to read the Book of Mormon before the end of the year. Together, the Book of Mormon and Bible contain thousands of years of inspiration, guidance, and instruction. The Book of Mormon is an incomparable treasure and the instrument of conversion that the Lord has designed and provided for our dispensation. If you've ever read the Book of Mormon and been frustrated because you didn't understand it, this podcast is for you. All sin is treason against our Holy God. Read the Book of Mormon free online. % of people told us that this article helped them. I assigned a color of ink to specific topics—for example, orange for faith, green for repentance, and so on. February 1996 Liahona, consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. In addition to online reading and listening, you can also download and use the audio, ePub, and PDF files offline. I noticed that most of the people that condemned the Book of Mormon the loudest, had never even read the book. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Amid the current public health and economic crises, when the world is shifting dramatically and we are all learning and adapting to changes in daily life, people need wikiHow more than ever. Once you’ve written that talk, pick another topic and write a talk on that. Download your free digital copy of the Book of Mormon and learn how to prepare for your visit with the missionaries. This book consists of 531 pages and reading one and a half page a day can let you fully read the Mormon in one year. I have an 8 and a 10 year old that I thought would hate something like this and complain the entire time and I didn't want to hire a babysitter or leave them home alone. But behold, Jesus Christ hath shown you unto me, and I know your doing” (Mormon 8:35). Third, the Book of Mormon helps us draw nearer to God. Other study aids in printed form include the Sunday School Class Member Study Guide, the Seminary Student Study Guide, and the Institute Student Manual. President Thomas S. Monson emphasized the importance of reading the Book of Mormon in his last general conference address before he passed away. It is another to know how these powers might be applied in our own lives. , "How can I apply this to my everyday life?" Scripture Languages and Formats (scriptures.lds.org). One way is by picking any topic and write a talk, like you are going to speak on it. Because you log in to My Study Notebook with your LDS account, your notebook revisions remain updated no matter how many different devices you use to access it. If you wish to use these, they're available for purchase in various LDS stores or websites, such as Deseret Book. There is a child's version of the Book of Mormon available free online. It is a series of 54 videos. Create an account and track your progress. These tools allow you to create your own unique topical archive for gospel study and teaching. In later readings I did the same, except that I added notes to the highlighted verses in the margins. It is not just that the Book of Mormon bears testimony of Christ, though it indeed does that, too. I recognize it as the foundation of my own testimony of Jesus Christ, of the prophetic calling of Joseph Smith, and of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as “the Lord’s kingdom once again established on the earth.”4 I am happy to join my testimony with Jesus Christ’s that “as your Lord and your God liveth it is true” (D&C 17:6). But generally it is best to focus on devoting adequate time each day to studying the book as opposed to reading some fixed number of verses or pages per day. We learn line upon line as we keep studying. If people want to read the Book of Mormon as fiction or as world scripture, I welcome that. Skip main navigation Believe Following Jesus The Book of Mormon The Bible Family ... Read online. . Ezra Taft Benson, “The Book of Mormon—Keystone of Our Religion,” Ensign, Nov. 1986, 5–7. Book of Mormon. "I, Nephi, having been born of goodly parents" to "I am Nephi and my parents were good", Imagine yourself as one of the characters in the book and ask yourself "What would I do in this situation?" This article has been viewed 16,325 times. The other way is to read the Book of Mormon from start to finish, and as you finish a few chapters, write a talk on what you’ve read. In Understanding the Book of Mormon, Hardy offers the first comprehensive analysis of the work's narrative structure in its 180 year history. “The Book of Mormon—Keystone of Our Religion,”. Second, the Book of Mormon was written for our day. This suggests that we study in a thoughtful, meditative fashion—pondering, praying, and perhaps making notes as we read. If you have additional questions, feel free to pray about them, or ask your bishop. Answer: When Mormon missionaries (properly called Latter Day Saints or simply "LDS") come to your door, they will often offer a free copy of the Book of Mormon and tell you about its author, Joseph Smith. To create this article, 16 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. Quoting President Benson once again: “It is not just that the Book of Mormon teaches us truth, though it indeed does that. By continually studying the Book of Mormon using these various methods, I have learned that one single reading of the Book of Mormon is not enough. Hardy takes readers through its characters, events, and ideas, as he explores the story and its messages. In addition, you can “tag” or categorize your notes and other content as it becomes available. Some are bound with our scriptures—the Topical Guide, Bible Dictionary, and index in the English scriptures and the Guide to the Scriptures in other languages. There are more and more sites dedicated to attempting to disprove or in any way discount the truthfulness of this great work. By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. I think the book is impressive from any perspective. Church Educational System employees can be great resources, but exercise caution when taking their statements as doctrine. Please consider making a contribution to wikiHow today. Sometimes it is helpful to read the entire Book of Mormon in a relatively brief period of time to grasp the sweep of its story and message. Reading the Book of Mormon for the Story. (See Moroni 10:3–5.) This was not just a historical compilation that anyone could write. Click on the Book of Mormon link at the left side of the screen and scroll down to 1 Nephi 3; there you’ll find the answer. Those who pursue this course and ask in faith will gain a testimony of its truth and divinity by the power of the Holy Ghost. Moroni included the book of Ether as a sort of appendix to his father's work. The Church’s latest online scriptures site also facilitates easy sharing of passages and personal notes with others via e-mail and social media tools. It’s a valid question; however, I know that I have been brought closer to Jesus by reading both books of scripture. And we have in Latter-day Saint editions of the scriptures numerous footnotes and cross-references on every page. The Book of Mormonis a sacred text that was published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr. The Bible The Bible teaches that all men have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Listen to the Book of Mormon in audio. How do you prepare to read not only for understanding, but for help in your personal life? wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. There are books and other aids out there to help you with a subject that you may not fully understand. We learn how disciples of Christ live in times of war, deal with persecution and apostasy, do missionary work, and respond to the dangers of materialism.2 As Nephi did, when we study, we should “liken” the scriptures to ourselves—that is, try to discover how to apply what we find in the Book of Mormon (see 1 Nephi 19:23). If you really can’t stand to see another ad again, then please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. (This page also includes the Bible and other scriptures used by Mormons.) wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. The Book of Mormon teaches that God has flesh and bones and that He has a wife with whom they produce spirit offspring in heaven that will inhabit human bodies on earth. How to Prepare for Your Voice or Video Call. The electronic text and audio recordings of the scriptures are now available at LDS.org and for mobile devices in many languages and are in process in many others. Studying the scriptures has drawn me nearer to Them. I knew the Book of Mormon was true, and I decided to be baptized. Focus on the storyline and get familiar with the people in the book. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 16,325 times. Some readers are simply curious or interested for academic reasons. This resource, produced in English by two Brigham Young University teachers, connects verses of scripture with statements from modern-day prophets and apostles. May your lifelong study of the Book of Mormon deepen your conversion and lead you in a direct course to eternal life. Twenty-five years ago, President Ezra Taft Benson (1899–1994) detailed “three great reasons why Latter-day Saints should make the study of the Book of Mormon a lifetime pursuit.”1 The reasons were these: First, the Book of Mormon is the keystone of our religion—the keystone of our witness of Jesus Christ, of our doctrine, and of our testimony. Challenges to read the Book of Mormon. Though the books were written a long time ago, … When I started looking around, it seemed like there were people everywhere saying that the Book of Mormon was a fraud. President Joseph Fielding Smith (1876–1972), in Conference Report, Oct. 1961, 18. Unlike virtually all other recent world scriptures, the Book of Mormon presents itself as an integrated narrative rather than a series of doctrinal expositions, moral injunctions, or devotional hymns. The Book of Mormon is this translation. But there is something more. There is a power in the book which will begin to flow into your lives the moment you begin a serious study of the book.”3. How to Read the Book of Mormon . Please consider making a contribution to wikiHow today. Most people watch TV a couple of hours a day, if you can give up some of your TV watching time to create a scripture study habit your spirituality will be greatly increased. In its more than 6,000 verses, the Book of Mormon refers to Jesus Christ almost 4,000 times and by 100 different names: “Jehovah,” “Immanuel,” “Holy Messiah,” “Lamb of God,” “Redeemer of Israel,” and so on. Towards the end of his talk, he echoed this same plea, encouraging us not only to read but also to “prayerfully study and ponder the Book of Mormon each day.”2 Praying, reading, studying, pondering—each one can be seen as an essential ingredient needed to truly “feast upon the words of Christ” (2 Nephi 32:3).3 We know ads can be annoying, but they’re what allow us to make all of wikiHow available for free. LDS Scripture Citation Index (scriptures.byu.edu). Learn more... Once you have read the Book of Mormon and you have had the confirmation of its truthfulness, how do you effectively study so that you gain the greatest benefit from your study time? Please help us continue to provide you with our trusted how-to guides and videos for free by whitelisting wikiHow on your ad blocker. Since I knew that “validity draws fire”, it made me want to read it more and dig deeper into the topic. At that moment tears coursed down my cheeks. Obviously, reading the Book of Mormon is a high priority in our lives. It is one thing to understand that the Savior has comforting and healing powers. According to the Church, “the Book of Mormon is a record of God’s dealings with the people who lived in the ancient America.”. General Conference Topics Index (conference.lds.org). Salvation. The Book of Mormon authors wrote with future generations in mind, specifically the latter days. The Prophet Joseph Smith: Translator of the Book of Mormon, What the Book of Mormon Teaches about the Love of God, The Book of Mormon: A Witness with the Bible, The Book of Mormon: Strengthening Our Faith in Jesus Christ, The Book of Mormon—Keystone of Our Religion, If You Really Want to Know, You Will Know, Common Questions about the Book of Mormon, “How to Study the Book of Mormon,” Ensign, Oct. 2011, 28–31. The Book of Mormon is in truth another testament of Jesus Christ.”Boyd K. Packer, “‘The Things of My Soul’,” Ensign, May 1986, 59 About Terrie Lynn Bittner The late Terrie Lynn Bittner—beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and friend—was the author of two homeschooling books and numerous articles, including several that appeared in Latter-day Saint magazines. For instance, if you are studying the Atonement in the scriptures, you can find five talks that discussed that topic in the April 2011 conference. More recently, prophets have encouraged members of the Church to read the Book of Mormon and study it for themselves. This time my study and marking were based on topic. If you wish to use these, they're available for purchase in various LDS stores or websites, such as Deseret Book. New to our time and age is the growing volume of electronic tools, described in the sidebar on page 31. The Sunday School curriculum is the Book of Mormon this year, and the primary kids are also learning about scriptures. This classic talk is reprinted in this issue on pages 52–58. S-L-O-W-L-Y I'm in New York to read the Book of Mormon: a single chapter, over and over again, for two weeks. The first time I read the Book of Mormon I was not a member. A dynamic, interactive, web-friendly presentation of the Book of Mormon. The next time I added references to related verses, whether from the Book of Mormon or the other standard works. There are books and other aids out there to help you with a subject that you may not fully understand. 2021 ‎If you've ever read the Book of Mormon and been frustrated because you didn't understand it, this podcast is for you. The Book of Mormon shares multiple ways in which this is accomplished. Their unique status and situation is the only thing remotely close to a paid minister in the LDS church and they therefore might have less-than-altruistic motives. The Prophet Joseph Smith once said, "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." Another resource to help you connect scripture study with the words of living prophets, conference.lds.org features topic-based lists for each general conference. Both volumes of scripture are a compilation of teachings as recorded by ancient prophets. It helps if you set aside the same time every day for study. Third, the Book of Mormon helps us draw nearer to God. Some have done this by obtaining a new, inexpensive copy of the Book of Mormon and marking all of the verses that refer to or teach about the Savior, His ministry, and His mission. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/f\/f1\/Effectively-Study-the-Book-of-Mormon-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Effectively-Study-the-Book-of-Mormon-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/f\/f1\/Effectively-Study-the-Book-of-Mormon-Step-1.jpg\/aid154500-v4-728px-Effectively-Study-the-Book-of-Mormon-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"