Lesson 4: “Remember the New Covenant, Even the Book of Mormon”

Purpose
To help class members recognize the Lord’s hand in the coming forth of the Book of Mormon and to encourage them to study the Book of Mormon, follow its teachings, and share it with others.

Preparation

1. Prayerfully study the following scriptures and other materials:
   1. Joseph Smith—History 1:27–65; Doctrine and Covenants 3; 5; 10; 17; 20:5–15; 84:54–62.
   2. Our Heritage, pages 5–10.
2. Review the material for this lesson in the Class Member Study Guide.
3. To gain a greater understanding of historical events related to the doctrine in this lesson, consider reviewing the following:
   1. “Book of Mormon Translation.”
   2. “The Contributions of Martin Harris.”
   3. “The Experience of the Three Witnesses.”
   4. “Ministry of Joseph Smith: The Book of Mormon.”

Discussion and Application

1. Joseph Smith’s preparation to receive and translate the Book of Mormon

• In the three years after the First Vision, Joseph Smith suffered “severe persecution” but remained true to his testimony (Joseph Smith—History 1:27). 
  • How can we remain true to our testimonies even when we face persecution?
• When Joseph was 17 years old, he was visited by Moroni. (Moroni was the last prophet to write in the Book of Mormon and had buried the gold plates in about A.D. 421.) 
  • What was Joseph praying for on the night Moroni appeared to him? (See Joseph Smith—History 1:28–29.) 
  • What can we learn from Joseph’s example when we feel “condemned for [our] weakness and imperfections”?

Read Joseph Smith—History 1:30–59.

• When Joseph Smith was first shown the gold plates, he was not prepared to receive and translate them. 
  • How did the Lord prepare Joseph to receive and translate the plates? (See Joseph Smith—History 1:33–35, 42, 44–46, 53–54.) 
  • How has the Lord prepared you (or how is He preparing you now) to fulfill your responsibilities? 
  • How can you prepare yourself to fulfill future responsibilities?
• How did Joseph’s father respond when Joseph told him of Moroni’s visit? (See Joseph Smith—History 1:50.) 
  • What does this suggest about Joseph’s integrity and trustworthiness? 
  • Why is it important to support our family members in their efforts to follow the Lord? 
  • How can we better support family members and others as they follow the Lord?

2. The miracle of the Book of Mormon’s preservation

Satan tried to stop the coming forth of the Book of Mormon. He tempted men to try to steal the gold plates, and people continued to persecute Joseph Smith and his family (Joseph Smith—History 1:60–61.) However, the Lord thwarted all of Satan’s attempts to keep the Book of Mormon from coming forth.

One example of the miraculous preservation of the Book of Mormon occurred when one of Joseph Smith’s scribes, Martin Harris, lost 116 pages of the translated manuscript. (See D&C 3 and D&C 10, which the Lord revealed after the pages were lost).

• After the 116 pages of manuscript were lost, the Lord chastened Joseph for fearing man more than God (D&C 3:7.) Joseph lost his gift of translation for a time (D&C 3:14; 10:1–2.) 
  • In what way had Joseph feared man more than God? 
  • How might our actions sometimes show that we fear man more than God? (See D&C 30:1–2.) 
  • What can we do to overcome our fear of man? (For some answers to this question, see D&C 3:8; 10:5.)
• How was the Lord’s love for Joseph Smith evident after the 116 manuscript pages were lost? (See D&C 3:8–10; 10:1–3.) 
  • What experiences have shown you that if you are faithful, God will be “with you in every time of trouble”? (D&C 3:8.) 
  • What experiences have shown you that “God is merciful”? (D&C 3:10).
• What was the plan of those who had stolen the 116 manuscript pages? (See D&C 10:10–19, 29–33.)
• What had the Lord already done centuries earlier to defeat the plan of those who stole the manuscript pages? (See D&C 10:38–39; see also 1 Nephi 9:2–5; Words of Mormon 1:3–7.)
• What did the Lord instruct the Prophet to do to spoil the plan of those who had taken the manuscript? (See D&C 10:40–45.)
• What does the account of the lost manuscript pages teach about the Lord’s power? (See D&C 3:1–3; 10:14, 43; and 1 Nephi 9:6.) 
  • How can this knowledge help us when we experience setbacks and disappointments?
• Read D&C 3:16, 19–20 and D&C 10:46–52, 60–66. 
  • What can we learn from these verses about the purposes of the Book of Mormon? 
  • How are these purposes being fulfilled today?

3. Witnesses of the Book of Mormon

• As Joseph translated the Book of Mormon, he learned that the Lord would permit three witnesses and a few others to view the plates (see the references to these witnesses in 2 Nephi 27:12–14 and Ether 5:1–3.) 
  • Who were the Three Witnesses? (See “The Testimony of Three Witnesses,” Book of Mormon.) 
  • What were they commanded to do? (See D&C 5:11–15, 24–25; 17:3, 5.) 
  • Why was their testimony important? (See Ether 5:4; D&C 5:16–18; 17:4.)
• In addition to the Three Witnesses, eight others were shown the gold plates (“The Testimony of Eight Witnesses,” Book of Mormon). All of the Three Witnesses and three of the Eight Witnesses later left the Church. Only a few returned, but none ever denied his testimony of what he saw.
• In the last year of his life, David Whitmer published this testimony in response to false accusations:
  • “It is recorded in the American Encyclopaedia and the Encyclopaedia Britannica, that I, David Whitmer, have denied my testimony as one of the three witnesses to the divinity of the Book of Mormon, and that the other two witnesses, Oliver Cowdery and Martin Harris, denied their testimony to that book. I will say once more to all mankind, that I have never at any time denied that testimony or any part thereof. I also testify to the world, that neither Oliver Cowdery nor Martin Harris ever at any time denied their testimony. They both died reaffirming the truth of the divine authenticity of the Book of Mormon” (Address to All Believers in Christ [1887], 8; as quoted in B. H. Roberts, A Comprehensive History of the Church, 1:145).
• The Savior is also a witness of the Book of Mormon. Read D&C 17:6 and D&C 19:26.
  • In what ways can we be witnesses of the Book of Mormon? (See Moroni 10:3–5.)
• The Three Witnesses and the Eight Witnesses testified of things that they saw and heard. Today millions of members of the Church testify of the Book of Mormon because they feel the witness of the Holy Ghost. While serving in the Quorum of the Twelve, Elder Gordon B. Hinckley said:
  • “The strength of the Church is not in … its thousands of houses of worship across the world, nor in its universities. … The strength of this church lies in the hearts of its people, in the individual testimony and conviction of the truth of this work” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1973, 73–74; or Ensign, July 1973, 49).

4. Our duty to “remember the new covenant, even the Book of Mormon”

• In September 1832 the Prophet Joseph received a revelation in which the Lord said that “the whole church [was] under condemnation” (D&C 84:55.) 
  • Why was the Church under condemnation? (See D&C 84:54–56.) 
  • What did Church members need to do for the condemnation to be lifted? (See D&C 84:57–58, 60–62.)
    • President Ezra Taft Benson said:
      • “If the early Saints were rebuked for treating the Book of Mormon lightly, are we under any less condemnation if we do the same?” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1986, 4; or Ensign, Nov. 1986, 4–5).
    • “The Lord is not pleased with us in the manner of attention we’re giving the Book of Mormon, a new witness for Christ. We need it in our homes, we need it in our families. It was written for us today” (Church News, 9 Nov. 1986, 10).
  • What can we do to give more attention to the Book of Mormon in our personal lives, in our families, and in our Church assignments? 
  • What blessings come to us when we give proper attention to the Book of Mormon? 
  • How have you been blessed through your study of the Book of Mormon? 
    • President Ezra Taft Benson declared:
      • “There is a power in the book which will begin to flow into your lives the moment you begin a serious study of the book. You will find greater power to resist temptation. You will find the power to avoid deception. You will find the power to stay on the strait and narrow path. The scriptures are called ‘the words of life’ (D&C 84:85), and nowhere is that more true than it is of the Book of Mormon. When you begin to hunger and thirst after those words, you will find life in greater and greater abundance. … [You will also enjoy] increased love and harmony in the home, greater respect between parent and child, [and] increased spirituality and righteousness.”
      • “These promises,” President Benson assured, “are not idle promises, but exactly what the Prophet Joseph Smith meant when he said the Book of Mormon will help us draw nearer to God” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1986, 6; or Ensign, Nov. 1986, 7).
• The Savior has commanded us to bear testimony of the Book of Mormon across the earth (D&C 84:62.) 
  • What can each of us do to further this effort? 
    • President Benson said: 
      • “The time is long overdue for a massive flooding of the earth with the Book of Mormon. … In this age of the electronic media and the mass distribution of the printed word, God will hold us accountable if we do not now move the Book of Mormon in a monumental way. We have the Book of Mormon, we have the members, we have the missionaries, we have the resources, and the world has the need. The time is now!” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1988, 4; or Ensign, Nov. 1988, 4–5).
  • The Book of Mormon, translated by a young prophet in humble circumstances, is now indeed flooding the earth. The Book of Mormon or selections from it have been published in more than 90 languages. More than 100 million copies have been printed.