The Most Correct Book on Earth

Precepts from The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ, 1 Nephi

“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 any other book,” (Joseph Smith, History of the Church, 4:461;)

So, there it is. The Prophet whom God chose to show the world His truth, Joseph Smith, is saying that if we live according to the principles in the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ, we will get nearer to God than through any other book.

This morning, I asked myself what precepts the Book of Mormon teaches. As I considered, a few points came to me about the first book of the Book of Mormon, 1 Nephi.

1. God can speak to us. There are numerous examples of God speaking to mortals in the first book of the Book of Mormon. The stage is set by a man (Lehi) hearing prophets--men who are delivering prophetic warnings to the people of Jerusalem. Lehi is so affected by their preaching that he seeks seclusion and begins speaking to God in behalf of his people. The result is a vision. He sees many things. Because of the things he sees, he declares, "Great and marvelous are thy works, O Lord God Almighty! Thy throne is high in the heavens, and thy power, and goodness, and mercy are over all the inhabitants of the earth; and, because thou art merciful, thou wilt not suffer those who come unto thee that they shall perish!" (1 Nephi 1:14) 

2. What we believe and what we share with them can affect them--positively--forever. Lehi shares his visions--the things he learns from God--with his family. One of his sons--Nephi--believes his father. Inspired by his father's experiences, he seeks God and begins to have visions and revelations of his own. (1 Nephi 2:16; could a believing parent hope for anything greater for his or her child?!)

3. You might catch some flak for what you believe and how you live your religion. Because of what he sees and knows, Lehi is compelled, if not commanded by God to warn the people of his city. The citizenry, however, does not take it well. God tells Lehi to leave Jerusalem. His life is in danger.

Lehi's son Nephi also suffers some abuse because of his beliefs. Two of Lehi's older sons are unbelieving. They react with complaining and anger to their father and their brother's faith. They would rather be left alone to simply live life in Jerusalem.

For more, dive into The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ. Or, click here to order a free copy.

Book of Mormon Daily: Coming to know the Creator; 1 Nephi 2:12-17

"And [Laman and Lemuel] did murmur because they knew not the dealings of that God who had created them," (1 Nephi 2:12, Book of Mormon).

Judging from the evidence in the text, we learn a few things about Lehi:

1. Because of the words of the prophets of his time Lehi cried to God for his people (see 1 Nephi 1:4-5). 
2. The result of Lehi's pleading to God was his reception of a vision, where, the record indicates, "he saw and heard much," (1 Nephi 1:6). 
3. Lehi learned how to communicate with God. He learned and felt compelled to share important truths that God taught him!
4. Lehi often taught these truths to his children.
5. Lehi possessed the spirit of prophecy.

Laman and Lemuel's younger brother, Nephi, observed that the reason his older brothers complained was because, "they knew not the dealings of that God who had created them,"  (1 Nephi 2:12, Book of Mormon). So, the question, why didn't they know the dealings of the God who had created them? In the text, it is clear that Nephi does know the dealings of the Creator. And, the text also gives us clues about how Nephi came to know the Creator:

1. As far as I can tell, the two major differences between Nephi and Laman and Lemuel are that Nephi desired to know God's mysteries, and, motivated by this desire, he "did cry unto the Lord," in sincere, heartfelt prayer, while Laman and Lemuel did not. Could it really be that simple? In 1 Nephi 2:16, Nephi states, 
1. "And it came to pass that I, Nephi, being exceedingly young, nevertheless being large in stature, and also having great desires to know of the mysteries of God, wherefore, I did cry unto the Lord; and behold he did visit me, and did soften my heart that I did believe all the words which had been spoken by my father;
2. Because Nephi had a deep desire to know God's mysteries, and because Nephi expressed this sincere desire in faith through prayer, God visited him and softened his heart! The text indicates that this softening is the reason that Nephi believed the words of his father. 

How do we come to know the "dealings of that God who created [us]"? What did Lehi and Nephi do?

1. Lehi acted on the words of the prophets of is day. The text says, "there came many prophets prophesying unto the people that they must repent, or the great city Jerusalem must be destroyed. Wherefore . . ." (1 Nephi 1:4-5, emphasis added). To me, this word, "wherefore," indicates that because of the words of the prophets, Lehi did what he did in verse 5 (that is, "he . . . prayed unto the Lord, yea even with all his heart, in behalf of his people"). Because of what the prophets did and said, Lehi acted.
2. Lehi was motivated by the testimony of prophets. As he acted on the prophets' words, he himself had his own miraculous visionary experience. He saw a pillar of fire (incidentally very consistent with other visions and manifestations of God; when the Israelites were freed from Bondage in Egypt, God went before them in a cloud by day and in a pillar of fire by night; Joseph Smith begins his 1838 description of his vision of God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ with the words, "I saw a pillar of light. . ." (Joseph Smith history 1:17, emphasis added); in the Book of Ether in the Book of Mormon, Jehovah went before the Jaredites in a cloud in a similar manner as he did the Israelites who were being freed from Egypt).  

General Conference

Twice a year, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints holds a World General Conference. Members of the Church gather to hear the words of living prophets and apostles of Jesus Christ.

My wife and I have chosen not to have a television in our home. And, so, at conference time, we actually gather around a radio! Wow. Is that old fashioned, or what? However, my children have come to appreciate this tradition. Our oldest is averse to watching the conference on television or on the internet. She prefers the old family tradition of conference on the radio.