Key Learnings

After a week at the MTC, and many wonderful experiences, I would like to share a little about what I have learned. One of my most profound observations is the importance of the Book of Mormon. In the introduction to the Book of Mormon, it states, “Concerning this record the Prophet Joseph Smith said: ‘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 by any other book.’”

In the church, we often speak about some of the plain and precious truths that are missing from the Bible, but that are contained in their entirety in the Book of Mormon. For example, if you do a search for the word “plan” for plan of salvation, the Bible search will result in “no occurrences of the word PLAN.” If the same search is conducted in the Book of Mormon, one finds the plan of redemption, the plan of salvation, the plan of mercy, the plan of happiness, all synonyms for God’s plan for us. If one tries to obtain an understanding of the concept of the atonement, the Old Testament mentions it, mostly, in reference to sacrifices performed by priests at the alter; the New Testament mentions it once in Romans. On the other hand, consider just a few of the references to the atonement in the Book of Mormon.

Alma 34: 9 For it is expedient that an atonement should be made; for according to the great plan of the Eternal God there must be an atonement made, or else all mankind must unavoidably perish; yea, all are hardened; yea, all are fallen and are lost, and must perish except it be through the atonement which it is expedient should be made.

Mosiah 3:19 For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father.

Alma 42: 15 And now, the plan of mercy could not be brought about except an atonement should be made; therefore God himself atoneth for the sins of the world, to bring about the plan of mercy, to appease the demands of justice, that God might be a perfect, just God, and a merciful God also.

If one continues in Alma, a great explanation of the concepts of justice and mercy follow.

Once having read the Book of Mormon, the plan of salvation is more clearly revealed when reading the Bible. Both volumes contain the same message; the Book of Mormon is just clearer and easier to understand. The Book of Mormon is not a substitute for the Bible, it helps the earnest searcher for the truth understand some of the more obscure doctrine that is contained in the Bible. This is pretty important, since the great message of Christianity is the atonement or how it is possible to overcome sin and death through Jesus Christ.

Too often have I heard my friends say that the Bible is too difficult to understand, to archaic or outdated. If only they would read the Book of Mormon, they would see how important the Bible is and how relevant its message is in our day.