Have you ever stayed in a Marriot hotel??
If so, I would imagine that you have run across a little blue book in your night stand drawer.
Today I want to talk about something I am very passionate about.
That little blue book titled "The Book of Mormon."
Maybe a missionary, a friend or a co-worker has once offered you a copy.
So, what is The Book of Mormon?
I normally break it down in this way...
The Bible is the communication between God and man as recorded in the Eastern Hemisphere.
& simply all that The Book of Mormon is, is the communication between the people in the
Ancient American continent and God.
It is a history of their experiences with prophets and Jesus Christ.
The Bible || The Book of Mormon
We read of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ in the Bible.
Peter, John and Mary Magdalene find the empty tomb,
and Jesus Christ himself appears to Mary saying:
15 ...Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.
which is to say, Master.
17 Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father;
and to my God, and your God. (John 20: 15-17)
He later appeared to his apostles.
After his resurrection, The Book of Mormon provides a very unique account of his ministry among the people in the Ancient Americas.
8 ...they saw a Man descending out of heaven; and he was clothed in a white robe; and he came down and stood in the midst of them; and the eyes of the whole multitude were turned upon him, and they durst not open their mouths, even one to another, and wist not what it meant, for they thought it was an angel that had appeared unto them.
11 And behold, I am the light and the life of the world; and I have drunk out of that bitter cup which the Father hath given me, and have glorified the Father in taking upon me the sins of the world, in the which I have suffered the will of the Father in all things from the beginning.
The purpose of The Bible and The Book of Mormon is the same.
To convince all men that Jesus is the Christ.
“I bear solemn witness that we are true and full believers in the Lord Jesus Christ and in His revealed word through the Holy Bible. We not only believe the Bible—we strive to follow its precepts and to teach its message.”
—M. Russell Ballard
"The Old Testament does not lose its value in our eyes when we are introduced to the New Testament, and the New Testament is only enhanced when we read The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ. In considering the additional scripture accepted by Latter-day Saints, we might ask: Were those early Christians who for decades had access only to the primitive Gospel of Mark (generally considered the first of the New Testament Gospels to be written)—were they offended to receive the more detailed accounts set forth later by Matthew and Luke, to say nothing of the unprecedented passages and revelatory emphasis offered later yet by John? Surely they must have rejoiced that ever more convincing evidence of the divinity of Christ kept coming. And so do we rejoice."
—Jeffery R. Holland ("My Words...Never Cease")
^^fantastic talk--by the way.
If you have interest in learning more about why Latter-Day Saints believe in an open canon,
I would highly recommend "My words...Never Cease" by Elder Jeffery R. Holland.
In the past year I've shared more copies of this book than I can count.
In gas stations, in the produce section next to the bananas (bleh bananas),
on doorsteps and best of all, in your member-friends home.
And I do it, because I know that it is true.
If you, like many of my dear friends here in the south, have a difficult time accepting more scripture, I invite you to ponder in your hearts this scripture.
7 Know ye not that there are more nations than one? Know ye not that I, the Lord your God, have created all men, and that I remember those who are upon the isles of the sea; and that I rule in the heavens above and in the earth beneath; and I bring forth my word unto the children of men, yea, even upon all the nations of the earth?
8 Wherefore murmur ye, because that ye shall receive more of my word? Know ye not that the testimony of two nations is a witness unto you that I am God, that I remember one nation like unto another? Wherefore, I speak the same words unto one nation like unto another. And when the two nations shall run together the testimony of the two nations shall run together also.
So, if you happen to be a little skeptical about the idea of more scripture... consider The Savior's words "wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them." (Matthew 7:20)
And I would add to that, you are the only Book of Mormon some people may ever read.
FAQ's:
(Fun fact: there is a copy of The Book of Mormon in every night stand in every room in every Marriot hotel.)
