Week 15: The Book of Mormon

Song: The Golden Plates (CS.86)

Thought: But why is the Book of Mormon so essential if we already have the Bible to teach us about Jesus Christ? Have you ever wondered why there are so many Christian churches in the world today when they obtain their doctrines from essentially the same Bible? It is because they interpret the Bible differently. If they interpreted it the same, they would be the same church. This is not a condition the Lord desires, for the Apostle Paul declared that there is “one Lord, one faith, one baptism” (Ephesians 4:5). To help bring this oneness about, the Lord established a divine law of witnesses. Paul taught, “In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established” (2 Corinthians 13:1).
The Bible is one witness of Jesus Christ; the Book of Mormon is another. Why is this second witness so crucial? The following illustration may help: How many straight lines can you draw through a single point on a piece of paper? The answer is infinite. For a moment, suppose that single point represents the Bible and that hundreds of those straight lines drawn through that point represent different interpretations of the Bible and that each of those interpretations represents a different church.
What happens, however, if on that piece of paper there is a second point representing the Book of Mormon? How many straight lines could you draw between these two reference points: the Bible and the Book of Mormon? Only one. Only one interpretation of Christ’s doctrines survives the testimony of these two witnesses. (The Book of Mormon—a Book from God by Tad R. Callister)

Object Lesson:

“The Book of Mormon,” Friend, Sep 2002, 24
Three years after Joseph Smith saw Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, the angel Moroni appeared and told seventeen-year-old Joseph about a book that was written on gold plates. As directed by Moroni, the boy went to the Hill Cumorah and saw the plates and the Urim and Thummim (“seer” stones fastened to a breastplate), but he was not allowed to remove them. Four years later, on September 22, 1827, Moroni told him to take them. Joseph Smith used the Urim and Thummim to translate some of the plates. (See JS—H 1:29–35, 44–53, 59–62.)
The Book of Mormon contains information from five sets of plates: the brass plates, the large plates of Nephi, the small plates of Nephi, the plates of Ether, and the plates of Mormon (see “A Brief Explanation about the Book of Mormon” in the front part of the Book of Mormon). You can make an imitation of these plates to remind you what contributed to the Book of Mormon.

Follow this link to find printables to help your family with understanding what each of the sets of plates contained. Either have one set prepared before hand that your family can share or print out enough copies for each family member to make their own.

Video: Book of Mormon Introduction

Lesson Activity: Play the game of Book of Mormon Pictionary with your family. Make sure to divide your family up equally with readers and non-readers. If there is an odd amount of players consider having one person be the helper for the younger ones on either team.

This week's challenge: Challenge your family members to begin reading the Book of Mormon from the beginning this week. Print off a reading chart for each family member (there are tons of them out there, but here is a free one that is fun!) and then help each member set a goal for when they will complete the Book of Mormon. For an added challenge encourage older members of your family to keep a study journal as they read and be prepared to share things that they have learned in a future family home evening lesson.