The Role of the Book of Mormon

"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.”

-Joseph Smith (History of the Church, 4:461.)

"Combined with the Spirit of the Lord, the Book of Mormon is the greatest single tool which God has given us to convert the world. If we are to have the harvest of souls that [the President of the Church] envisions, then we must use the instrument which God has designed for that task—the Book of Mormon.”

-Ezra Taft Benson

REFERENCES

• Introduction to the Book of Mormon
• 1 Nephi 1:20
• 1 Nephi 6:4-6
• 2 Nephi 25:26
• Jacob 4:1-6
• Mormon 8:35
• D&C 20:9
• D&C 33:16
• D&C 42:12
• "The Book of Mormon is the great standard we are to use in our missionary work. It shows that Joseph Smith was a prophet. It contains the words of Christ, and its great mission is to bring men to Christ. All other things are secondary." - Ezra Taft Benson
• "I cannot understand how any intelligent man could think that anyone without the help of the Lord could have produced the Book of Mormon, which has been before us now for more than a hundred years and has stood the test during all that period of time, notwithstanding the ridicule that has been brought against it, for one reason or another. " - Heber J. Grant

THE BOOK OF MORMON IS THE KEYSTONE OF OUR RELIGION

• Joseph Smith declared that the Book of Mormon is the keystone of our religion: either it is true, and Joseph Smith was a prophet who restored the church, or it is false, and he was not a prophet.
• Witness of Christ
• Fullness of the Gospel; Contains the Plan of Salvation, confirmation of Christ's ministry
• Foundation of a personal Testimony
• Testimony of Christ

THE BOOK OF MORMON TEACHES OF CHRIST

• Convince all people that Jesus is the Christ
• Teaches the role of Christ in the Plan of Salvation
• Teaches our relationship with the Savior

HOW SHOULD WE USE THE BOOK OF MORMON TO TEACH:

• Scripture Mastery: KNOW THE BOOK AND WHERE ANSWERS ARE
• Read with others
• Read with a PURPOSE:
• Specific topic for research
• Context of current life setting
• Historical study
• Share what you know (testimony, social media)
• Ezra Taft Benson 1975 Talk on How to Use the Book of Mormon