LESSON PLAN FOR INTRODUCTORY PAGES OF BOOK OF MORMON

INTRODUCTION

Please don’t read the Book of Mormon this year. In fact, stop reading the scriptures altogether. I think it’s really unfortunate that so many people in the church are reading their scriptures. Me, I never read the scriptures. And why? I can’t think of any place in the scriptures where we are asked to read them. No, the scriptures use much better words to describe the way we are to interact with them. Rather than read them, we should

• study them

• meditate on them

• search them

• lay hold upon them

• ponder them

• liken them

• treasure them

• and feast on them.

But for heaven’s sakes, don’t read them. You read a novel, you read a magazine, you read the newspaper, but you study the scriptures. I’ve known many members of the church over the years that read their scriptures on a consistent basis. You know they read their chapter a night, and call it good. They quickly glide through each verse, never pausing to ponder or to ask themselves questions. Now that’s not a worthless pursuit and I believe that they’re blessed for it. But they could be getting so much more out of it. They need to start digging. Really putting forth some effort to dig deep into the meaning and application of the scriptures. Too many, just scratch the surface, or quickly breeze over the top layer of soil hoping to find a few arrowheads sticking out of the top, but the individuals who are willing to get their hands dirty, and put their backs into it, and let some beads of sweat start to form on their brow, they are the ones that really find the treasures, the gems of truth that our Heavenly Father has placed there for their benefit.

ICEBREAKER

What do the following objects all have in common?

A sword, a compass, a feast, a treasure, a keystone, and an iron rod?

The answer: They are all symbols for the scriptures or for our purposes The Book of Mormon. Each one is used as a comparison to God’s words.

• Sword: Doctrine and Covenants 12:2

• Compass: Alma 37

• Feast: 2 Nephi 32:3

• Treasure: Doctrine and Covenants 6:20

• Keystone: Introduction to the Book of Mormon

• Iron Rod: 1 Nephi 15:24-25

Q: Which is your favorite symbol for the Book of Mormon and how is it like that object?

It’s a sword, because it cuts through the lies of the world. You can use the Book of Mormon and the scriptures to defend yourself against temptation, like Jesus did, when tempted by Satan, he quoted a scripture every time the adversary came at him. You can use it for defense, as well as offense.

It’s a compass. Like the Liahona guided Nephi and Lehi and their families to the promised land, so too will the Book of Mormon and the scriptures lead us through the wilderness of life to our promised land, the Celestial Kingdom.

It’s a feast. God wants to feed you this year with his word. The Book of Mormon will nourish you, strengthen you, satisfy you, and it’s words will become delicious to you. Don’t approach the Book of Mormon like you’re dieting, approach it like you would Thanksgiving dinner on a Fast Sunday. Feast on it.

It’s a treasure. The scriptures are valuable. They have plain and precious things to teach us. If studied the right way, they will become priceless to you. I love what Joseph Smith once said “He who reads [them] oftenest, will like [them] best.”

It’s a keystone. The central supporting block of an archway. The Book of Mormon holds up the gospel structure for us and lends stability and sturdiness to our faith. It is tangible, concrete evidence of Joseph Smith’s prophetic calling.

And it’s an iron rod. The Book of Mormon will lead you down the straight and narrow path, right through the mists of darkness and to the tree of God’s eternal love.

I invite you to make a commitment this year to deeply study the Book of Mormon.

• Don’t go into the battle of life without your sword, you’ll be defeated.

• Don’t try to live your daily life without feasting, you'll starve.

• Don’t try to navigate the wilderness of this world without your compass, you’ll get lost.

• And don’t try to make your way through the mists of darkness without you’re iron rod, you'll be overcome.

TITLE PAGE

Where did the title page come from? Is it a modern day addition? No. Joseph Smith said:

“I wish to mention here that the title page of the Book of Mormon is a literal translation, taken from the very last leaf on the left hand side of the collection or book of plates, which contained the record which has been translated, the language of the whole running the same as all Hebrew writing in general; and that said title page is not by any means a modern composition, either of mine or of any other man who has lived or does live in this generation."

Joseph Smith Jr. (DHC 1:71)

So who wrote it? Moroni, apparently it was the last thing written before he buried the plates in the hillside of Cumorah.

And what kind of information would you expect to find on a title page? Probably things like who it was written for, how it came to be, and the reason for it’s creation.

Those are the three things that I would like you to look for on this page.

• For who?

• How?

• And Why?

I want you to read the Title page with these three questions in mind, and see what you find. I encourage you to mark them in three different colors.

Question #1. Who was it written for? It was written to the Lamanites, which is really interesting that Moroni mentions them first. Think about his experience with the Lamanites. They’ve been his enemy his entire life. He’s spent a lifetime doing battle with them or hiding from them. They killed his Father and all his kindred and people. And yet, he dedicates his life and record to the blessing of his “enemies” posterity. Moroni was not a man filled with hate, even for his enemy. A brilliant example of Jesus’s teaching from the sermon on the mount to love your enemy, bless them that curse you, to do good to them that hate you,

But the Lamanites are not the only people he’s addressing. Who else does he include? Jew and Gentile. So if you had to summarize that into one word. Who is the Book of Mormon for? Everybody. The Book of Mormon is for everyone. Not just for members of the church, not just for believers in Christ, not just for the righteous but for all people. Hopefully we keep that in mind in our missionary efforts.

Question #2. How was it written? By way of commandment, the spirit of prophecy, revelation, and by the gift and power of God.

In summary, this is not the work of men. It is the work of God through men blessed with his power and gifts. I think we should be careful about how we describe the authorship of the Book of Mormon. I’ve often heard members of the church innocently say that Joseph Smith wrote the Book of Mormon. No, he translated the Book of Mormon. But by the same token, I don’t think it was written by Mormon, Alma, Isaiah, or Nephi either. It was written by God, and Christ, through the spirit of prophecy and revelation given to men blessed with his authority and power. I know a lot has been said about the miraculous nature of the translation of the Book of Mormon by Joseph Smith and I won’t go into great detail on that. There are plenty of other sources for you out there for that. But In terms of how quickly it was produced, its literary and historical intricacies, its spiritual power, its doctrinal soundness. The fact that it was brought forth by a relatively uneducated, young, and inexperienced young man from frontier America, stands as a powerful witness to its divinity.

Like Jeffrey R. Holland said

"For 179 years this book has been examined and attacked, denied and deconstructed, targeted and torn apart like perhaps no other book in modern religious history—perhaps like no other book in any religious history. And still it stands. Failed theories about its origins have been born and parroted and have died—from Ethan Smith to Solomon Spaulding to deranged paranoid to cunning genius. None of these frankly pathetic answers for this book has ever withstood examination because there is no other answer than the one Joseph gave as its young unlearned translator. In this I stand with my own great-grandfather, who said simply enough, “No wicked man could write such a book as this; and no good man would write it, unless it were true and he were commanded of God to do so.”10”

Jeffrey R. Holland. (Conference Report, Oct. 2009, “Safety for the Soul”.

And Question #3. And to me, the most important question. Why was it written?

I see four reasons

1. To show unto the remnant of the House of Israel what great things the Lord hath done for their fathers.

1. Now why would God want us to know all the great things that He did for our fathers, ancestors, or progenitors? I think the implication is, that if he would do great things for them, than he will do great things for us as well.

2. If God can inspire and help a Nephi to build a boat, then he will help me to accomplish great things I have no experience with.

3. If he will answer the fervent prayer of an Enos, the he will answer my fervent prayers.

4. If he can forgive an Alma the Younger, then I can be forgiven.

5. If he can protect and preserve the stripling warriors from the enemy, then he can protect and preserve me also.

6. As you study the Book of Mormon this year, I invite you to look not only for the great things God did for the people in it, but the great things he does for you as well.

2. Reason #2, That they may know the covenants of the Lord

1. We have a book called the Doctrine and Covenants, Don’t forget that the Book of Mormon is a book of covenants as well. You’ll find many within it’s pages.

1. You’ll find the baptismal covenant taught by Alma

2. The sacramental covenant taught by Christ,

3. The covenant of the promised land taught by Lehi

4. The promise of discovering the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon taught by Moroni,

5. Priesthood promises, tithing, repentance, fasting, missionary work,

6. The Book of Mormon is filled with two way promises between God and man. Look for them, and then live them.

3. Reason #3, To help us to know that we are not cast off forever.

1. The Book of Mormon is a book of hope. God will not cast people off forever. Anybody that sincerely and diligently asks for forgiveness and mercy in the Book of Mormon, get it. It’s pages are full of stories like this.

1. He gives it to Enos, King Benjamin’s People, Zeezrom, Alma the Younger, Lamoni, Lamoni’s wife, Lamoni’s Father, the prison guards in the darkness with Nephi and Lehi, over and over again, the message is clear.

2. Everybody who asks for mercy in the Book of Mormon receives it. Keep that in mind as you study, especially those of you who are feeling unworthy or estranged from God at this time.

4. Reason #4, to convince Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God, manifesting himself unto all nations.

1. The Book of Mormon, perhaps above all else is another testament of Jesus Christ, like the subtitle says. It was written to testify of God’s Son, our Savior and Redeemer. You will find Him on every page of this Book. Look for Him. Do you remember those Where’s Waldo books? Play that same game in the Book of Mormon, but instead of looking for the bespectacled guy in the red and white hat, look for Christ. He’s there.

2. Even statistically speaking this is true. Some form of Jesus name is mentioned in the Book of Mormon 3925 times. Which means he is mentioned every 1.7. verses. Truly the Book of Mormon testifies of Christ. (Source: Names of Jesus Christ in the Book of Mormon, Susan Ward Easton, Ensign, July 1978)

3. But don’t forget the last phrase of that sentence. Jesus is the Christ, manifesting himself unto all nations. Jesus is not the Savior of the Old World, but the New World as well. He’s not just the Savior for Jews, but Gentiles as well, he’s not just the Savior for Americans, but South Africans, and Japanese, and Brazilians, and Tongans, and Italians, and Phillipinnos, and Australians, and Congolese, and Mexicans, and Chinese, and every nation under the sun. This is why we send young men and young women to all nations, all that will allow us, Book of Mormon in hand to testify of Christ. It is a book for all nations about a Savior for all nations.

So as you dig deep this year into the pages of the Book of Mormon, don’t lose sight of it’s purposes. It has purpose for all, and more importantly, purpose for you.

SEARCH ACTIVITY

As opposed to the Title page, the Introduction to the Book of Mormon is a modern addition. But it is helpful and inspiring, and certainly worth studying. For this, I’m going to give you a handout activity. I find this a good way to highlight some key principles about the Book of Mormon, especially if you’re teaching your family or youth. It’s a crossword puzzle, and I’ll make it available to you for download at my shop.

But here are the answers:

Across

1. Those that read, ponder, and ask will gain what of the Book of Mormon? TESTIMONY

4. Mormon was a prophet-___________ who abridged and quoted the words of many ancient prophets. HISTORIAN

5. The Book of Mormon is the ___________ of our religion. KEYSTONE

8. The Book of Mormon is comparable to what? BIBLE

10. Moroni appeared to Joseph Smith as this kind of glorified being. RESURRECTED

12. Those that gain a witness of the Book of Mormon will ______ know that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the World, Joseph Smith is a prophet, and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the Lord's Kingdom. ALSO

13. The crowning event of the Book of Mormon is the ______________ of Jesus Christ. MINISTRY

Down

2. If we abide by the precepts of the Book of Mormon it will help us to get _________ to God. NEARER

3. The Book of Mormon is the most _________ book. CORRECT

6. How many witnesses of the Gold Plates are mentioned in the introduction. TWELVE

7. The Book of Mormon will teach us how to gain THIS during life. PEACE

9. The Book of Mormon contains the ____________ of the gospel. FULNESS

11. The Book of Mormon gives an account of how many great civilizations. TWO

After you’ve gone through the answers, I would call on students to share their answer to that last open-ended question. What do you feel is the most important line in the introduction and why?

TESTIMONY OF WITNESSES

I’m not going to do much with the testimony of the witnesses other than to say that it fulfills Paul’s qualification of “In the mouths of two or three witnesses shall all my word be established. The stories of the witnesses and their commitment to their testimony of the Book of Mormon, even after many of them were excommunicated, is really a fascinating evidence, but we’ll focus more on their story next year when we study the Doctrine and Covenants.

ICEBREAKER

But I would start with this icebreaker. I would put up the following list of individuals and ask them if they know what each of them has in common:

• Howard Carter

• Johann Winckelmann

• Thomas Young

• Howard Bingham

• An Arab Shepherd Boy

• Joseph Smith

The answer is that they all made very significant archeological discoveries.

• Howard Carter-found the tomb of Tutankhaman

• Johann Winckelmann-The city of Pompeii

• Thomas Young-The Rosetta Stone (that made it possible for archeologists to interpret hieroglyphics)

• Heinreich Shleimann-Troy

• Howard Bingham-Machhu Pichhu in Peru

• An Arab Shepherd Boy-The Dead Sea Scrolls

• Joseph Smith- Well, I would argue that he made the most significant archeological discovery of all time. The Gold plates. Not only for their historical and literary value, but for their spiritual value.

TRANSITION

But, does anybody know how old Joseph Smith when he had the First Vision? 14

How old was he when he received the plates for translation? 22

Eight years in between. Why so long? Was God not ready for the Restoration yet?

No, Joseph wasn’t ready. He needed to be prepared first. So God leads him through a time of preparation. Before you ever play a football game, you prepare together as a team for months. Before you play at the concert, you prepare and play it over and over again. Before a soldier goes into battle, he goes to boot camp. Before a surgeon ever starts cutting, he goes to school for 50 years. Joseph was about to receive one of the greatest responsibilities of all time—bringing forth the Book of Mormon. What do you think God would do for Joseph before he ever broke out the Urim and Thummim. Right! Preparation.

SEARCH

So how did that process take place? A great study exercise would be to go through the testimony of the prophet Joseph Smith and mark everything God does to help Joseph to be prepared for the translation of the plates.

Let me show you some of the things that I found:

After his experience in the Sacred grove years before, Joseph already knows something that works when he’s needing wisdom. So what does he do In the 2nd paragraph beginning with the words “on the evening” to help him gain the wisdom he needs? He prays. So one thing God gives him is prayer and answers to prayer to help him to be prepared.

As Joseph prays, who does God send to him in the next few paragraphs? Moroni. And what was Moroni? A prophet. So the 2nd thing that Joseph was sent to help him to be prepared was the guidance of a prophet.

After telling him his name, what is the first thing Moroni tells Joseph in the 6th paragraph beginning with the phrase “He called me by name"?

He tells him about his future, that God has a great work for him to do and that his name would be known for good and evil throughout the world. Now that must have been an astonishing prophecy to an obscure (as Joseph says) 17 year old farm boy in upstate New York. But why would Moroni tell him that? I believe he’s giving Joseph a vision of his future. So that he knows what’s coming and what to expect and the magnitude of what he was to accomplish.

In the next couple of paragraphs, Moroni tells Joseph about the plates and shows him in vision the Hill Cumorah. There is another key preparation point that is not included in this vision of the story, but can be found in vs. 36-41 in Joseph Smith History in the Pearl of Great Price. In that version, Moroni quotes a number of ancient prophets that prophesied concerning the last days and that Joseph’s divine calling would be a fulfillment of those ancient prophesies.

So not only does he give Joseph a sense of his future, but also a sense of what? The past. That Joseph was part of the great story of God’s work here on the earth.

Next, I want to ask you, how many times did Moroni visit Joseph? 4. 3 at night, and once when he was making his way back home from work in the field. So another thing that helped to prepare Joseph was repeated messages. Once was not enough. Joseph needed to understand these key instructions in order to accomplish what God had in store for him. Plus, Joseph is a teenager. I teach teenagers, and I know that when I give instructions, I have to say the same thing at least 4 times before they get, and even then, some still ask later, so what are we supposed to do?

Another interesting thing. On the second page, 4th paragraph beginning with the words”By this time", what did Moroni add to his message in that particular visit? A caution, or a warning that Satan would try to tempt him to use the plates for money. The Smith family had experienced financial setback after setback and were in indigent circumstances. They were poor. And gold plates would be quite the windfall for the family. Moroni says that he must only use the plates for the glory of God and the building up of his kingdom. So another help: specific warnings.

During the visit while Joseph is lying by the fence, 3rd paragraph from the bottom of the second page beginning with the phrase “The first thing I can recollect". What does Moroni command Joseph to do this time. To tell his father. Now I ask you, why do you think he would want him to do that? I think because he know that they would support Joseph, and believe him, and stand by him. The first family of the Church is a shining example of what families should be. They do support him, from beginning to end. They are his biggest support. To me, that stands as a testament of the truthfulness of Joseph’s calling. If he was an imposter, he would have to deceive his own family first. If it were not true, wouldn’t the troubles and trials his calling would put his family through have stopped the charade? Right up to the death of his beloved brother Hyrum by his side? I don’t think so. So another thing God gave Joseph, was a supportive family.

Well, Joseph makes his way to the Hill Cumorah and pries up the stone covering the plates, and oh, wouldn’t that be the coolest thing ever?! I mean, if I got excited to find my little arrowhead, how would it have been for Joseph, a 17 year old boy to lift up the rock and see such amazing things. The plates, the Liahona, the sword of Laban, the Urim and Thummim, and Moroni’s breastplate. It must have been an incredible moment for him.

Joseph makes an attempt to take out the plates but it says he is forbidden, which is really quite a bit of an understatement, considering what actually happened, but we’ll come back to that in a minute.

But look for what Moroni provides for Joseph over the following years in the fourth paragraph down from the top of the 3rd page beginning with the word “Accordingly. It says that Joseph met Moroni there once a year to receive instruction and preparation. So, what else did God provide for him? A yearly interview with a priesthood leader.

What did God give Joseph to help him prepare for his great responsibilities?

• Prayer

• Guidance from a prophet

• A Vision of the Future

• A Sense of the Past

• Repeated Messages

• Specific Warnings

• A Supportive Family

• A Yearly Interview with a priesthood leader

Now here’s the really cool part, especially if you’re teaching the youth. Have them look up at that list of all the things God did to help Joseph be prepared for his great responsibility. You might even look at that and say, Wow! Joseph was really fortunate to have all of that. But of course, He was Joseph Smith, Of course God would do that for him. Here’s where I invite you to liken the scriptures. Now, do you have any great responsibilities in your future that you should be preparing for? What would be your gold plates. Responses that I often get.

• 
  

These are great responsibilities and key for the progress of God’s kingdom here on the earth. What has God given you to be prepared? Look at the list! All the same things!

God cares just as much about your progress and destiny as he did Joseph! You too have been given the power of prayer, guidance from prophets, a sense of your future (where can they get that? A patriarchal blessing of course, that will reveal the great things God has in store for you, should you remain faithful. He’s given you a sense of the past, scriptures, temple work for your ancestors, family history, and the legacy left by the pioneers and early members of the church. You are a part of the great story of God’s kingdom on the earth. You are given repeated messages, every day in scripture study, every week in church, every year in general conference, God wants you to understand his message, so he’s going to send it to you multiple times. He’s given specific warnings of things to be wary of and temptations they might face. The For the Strength of Youth pamphlet is full of them. I would imagine many of the people you are teaching have supportive families, but that may not be the case for all. But all of us have been blessed with a ward family that will support and help them. And yes, they too get a yearly interview with a priesthood leader.

Q: Which of those helps are you most grateful for and why?

See, your destiny in God’s kingdom is vital too! You are the future husbands and wives, and fathers and mothers of the church, the future missionaries, and church leaders, and responsible citizens of your nation. God needs you!

But don’t just take my word for it. Listen to the words of our living prophet speaking about you!

"Our Heavenly Father has reserved many of His most noble spirits—perhaps, I might say, His finest team—for this final phase. Those noble spirits—those finest players, those heroes—are you!

My beloved younger brothers and sisters, you are among the best the Lord has ever sent to this world. You have the capacity to be smarter and wiser and have more impact on the world than any previous generation!

You are the hope of Israel, “children of the promised day”!”

Russell M. Nelson ("Hope of Israel” President Russell M. Nelson and Sister Wendy W. Nelson

Worldwide Youth Devotional • June 3, 2018 • Conference Center, Salt Lake City, Utah)

So I invite all the youth of the church, and you know, this isn’t just true of the youth of the church, this doesn’t have to just be a lesson for youth, All of us have been sent to this earth at this time for a purpose. God has prepared all of us to do great things in his kingdom. Joseph’s job was to translate the Gold plates, but you’re callings, and the people’s lives that you can touch, and the service you can do, and the missionary work you can accomplish, and the families you can lead and bless are our job in God’s kingdom, and nobody can fulfill them but you! And so I encourage you to, like Joseph, rise to the occasion and fulfill your destiny in God’s kingdom.

Now, before we conclude, one final thought. Maybe some of you feel that you don’t measure up, that you’ve made too many mistakes, that you aren’t capable of fulfilling that destiny. Well, do you know what happened to Joseph that first day he went to see the plates? Oliver Cowdery tells us that while he made his way to the hill, his mind was in turmoil. What was the question. Should I use the plates for God’s kingdom, or to help my family in their poor circumstances. And you may be surprised to learn what his conclusion was by the time he got there. It was to use the plates for money. You can see that in this quote here.

"You will have wondered, perhaps, that the mind of our brother should be so occupied with the thoughts of the goods of this world, at the time of arriving at Cumorah, on the morning of the 22nd of September, 1823, after having been wrapt in the visions of heaven, during the night, and also seeing and hearing in open day; but the mind of man is easily turned if it is not held by the power of God through the prayer of faith, and you will remember that I have said that two invisible powers were operating upon his mind during his walk from his residence to Cumorah, and that the one urging the certainty of wealth and ease in this life, had so powerfully wrought upon him that the great object so carefully and impressively named by the angel, had entirely gone from his recollection that only a fixed determination to obtain now urged him forward.” (Messenger and Advocate, vol. 2 (October 1835-September 1836), Vol. 2 October, 1835 No. 13)

And so when Joseph goes to pick up the plates, he’s shocked. So he tries again, and he’s shocked even harder this time. Now remember he’s a teenager, they need more than one message for the point to get through, so he tries one more time and again is unable and is thrown back and loses all his strength. In frustration he shouts out, “Why can I not obtain this book?”

"Because you have not kept the commandments of the Lord," answered a voice, within a seeming short distance. He looked, and to his astonishment, there stood the angel who had previously given him the directions concerning this matter. In an instant, all the former instructions, the great intelligence concerning Israel and the last days, were brought to his mind: he thought of the time when his heart was fervently engaged in prayer to the Lord, when his spirit was contrite, and when his holy messenger from the skies unfolded the wonderful things connected with this record. He had come, to be sure, and found the word of the angel fulfilled concerning the reality of the record, but he had failed to remember the great end for which they had been kept, and in consequence could not have power to take them into his possession and bear them away.” (Messenger and Advocate, vol. 2 (October 1835-September 1836), Vol. 2 October, 1835 No. 13)

So he remembers all that had transpired the night before. Why do I tell you this? Because look at all that Joseph had going for him and he still made a mistake. He still messed up. But here’s the lesson. God didn’t give up on him. He kept working with him and teaching him and helping him to become the prophet he knew he could be. The same is true of you. You too have a lot going for you. However, you will probably make some mistakes as well. You’ll probably mess up a bit also. But don’t despair, don’t give up on yourself, because God certainly won’t give up on you.