You’re not Mormon, but you have a Book of Mormon, either as a gift from someone or because you requested one. You may even have decided to read one free online. In the past two articles, we’ve been learning how to find out about the Mormons, and reading the Book of Mormon is part of that process. It is used as scripture by the Mormons along with the Bible.
There are two ways to read the Book of Mormon. I’ve read it both ways and both have value—but one way is more life changing than the other.
Reading the Book of Mormon for the Story
The first way is to simply read it as a book. Focus on the storyline and get familiar with the people in the book. I mentioned a few of them last week. You’ll find the book is full of people you’ll wish you could meet, people who make great heroes and villains, and who make you see the world in a whole new way.
Moroni prepares the Book of Mormon to be hidden.
One of my favorites is Moroni. In the last article, I mentioned that the book ends sadly. The two major groups focused on in the Book of Mormon are the Lamanites and the Nephites. The Lamanites, by that time, were wicked beyond anyone’s comfort level. They thrived on violence and cruelty. The Nephites had, at one time, been Christians. Their ancestors had received a visit from the resurrected Jesus Christ and had worked hard to live up to His teachings. Over time, though, their faith faded away. Moroni’s father was Mormon, the man the book is named after. He was the prophet and had done the best he could, but he knew they had lost God’s support due to the wickedness of the people. When war broke out, the Nephites lost. God had warned them this would happen if they turned their backs on Him. Those few who survived hid, but were systematically tracked down and killed.
Eventually, only Moroni was left of the Nephites. He was all alone, the only good person left in his personal world. Can you even begin to imagine how lonely and frightening that was? He was kept alive to finish his father’s final project, which involved streamlining the records kept by the prophets all the years they had been on the continent. Once that was done, Moroni buried the book and slipped away. He returned just once, still careful to avoid being captured, and added a bit more to the book. I always picture him digging it out of the ground and running his hands over it gently, remembering, perhaps taking a few minutes to find his favorite parts. He then left again, and we don’t know what happened to him until he became an angel after his death. As an angel, he came to show Joseph Smith, the first Mormon prophet, where he had hidden the book and undertook the complex process of training him to be a prophet.
Another person I love in the Book of Mormon is Abish. Abish was a servant in a Lamanite palace. She was a Christian, but had to keep her beliefs a secret because no one else was one, and it wasn’t approved of. One day, when a missionary named Ammon converted the king and queen, she helped to change her kingdom. The king fainted, overcome by the power of the Holy Ghost. His wife did the same thing a few days later, as did Ammon. Abish knew a miracle was about to occur and ran to call the people of the kingdom to the palace to witness it. She knew this could help others convert to Christianity. Things didn’t go as she planned at first. People thought Ammon had done something wicked to their royal couple and began to say horrible things about him, causing Abish to cry. However, she took the queen’s hand and the woman awoke and began to testify of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Soon her husband and the missionary did as well. Some left in anger, but others stayed and were converted. Abish was responsible for the conversions of many people due to her faith and courage.
You’ll find people like them throughout the book. You’ll also find a multitude of young men who bravely went off to defend their families and who credited their mothers for raising them so well. You’ll meet a king who insisted on holding a normal job in order to earn his living and who pleaded with his people to care for the poor. You’ll meet mothers who bravely left their homes for the wilderness and who cared for their families cheerfully when life was hard. You’ll meet people who met the Savior and who became faithful Christians, testifying of Him to their children and grandchildren. You’ll also meet terrible people, but nearly always, there will be good people who refuse to give up on them.
Reading the Book of Mormon as Scripture
That’s one way to read the book. The other way is to read it as scripture. The stories teach moral lessons, as do the stories of the Bible, and the book also contains many sermons. These sermons clarify beautiful teachings of God’s plan for us. You’ll learn what to do if your faith is weak. You’ll find out what happens to a child who dies without baptism or an opportunity to accept Jesus Christ as its Savior. You’ll find out why Mormons are almost the only people who think Eve, from the Bible, is a hero to be honored. You’ll learn how to care for the poor and what to do if you find that hard. You’ll discover that God intended us to live with joy—and how to find that joy in the very hardest of lives. You’ll learn about God, about Jesus, and about the Holy Ghost. You’ll strengthen your testimony of the Bible. It is impossible to believe in the Book of Mormon and to reject the Bible.
To read more of Terrie’s articles, click the picture.
This is why Mormons love the Book of Mormon. It isn’t always an easy read—when the prophets decide to teach Isaiah’s words to their people, even Mormons stumble a bit. But other times, it’s easier than the Bible because some of the writers gave more details to their stories and recorded their sermons more completely. The book changes lives. Why not read it yourself? Take a red pencil and mark every verse that in some way refers to Jesus Christ. Use another color to mark teachings that resonate with you and still another to note the Book of Mormon people you wish you’d known in person.
Before you start, while you read, and when you’re finished, pray with a truly open heart to learn God’s own feelings about this book. Be prepared to act on what He tells you.
It’s life-changing. Don’t just take the words of others. Try it out yourself.
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. She became a member of the Church at the age of 17 and began sharing her faith online in 1992.
The book does change lives. No matter how you read it, you will get something different out of it each time. Like Terrie suggested, give it a try!