The Book of Mormon - a Gift From God - Lesson 1

* Why do we give gifts? Why do we give gifts?

*How do you feel when How do you feel when someone enjoys a gift someone enjoys a gift you have given? you have given?

*Heavenly Father has given Heavenly Father has given us a gift that has an us a gift that has an important message for important message for each of us. each of us.

*It teaches us about our It teaches us about our Savior, Jesus Christ, and Savior, Jesus Christ, and how to live so we can how to live so we can return to Heavenly Father. return to Heavenly Father.

Ezra Taft Benson, the Ezra Taft Benson, the thirteenththirteenth

President of the Church, said: President of the Church, said: *““This is a gift of greater This is a gift of greater value to mankind than even value to mankind than even the many wonderful the many wonderful advances we have seen in advances we have seen in modern medicine. It is of modern medicine. It is of greater worth to mankind greater worth to mankind than the development of than the development of flight or space travel” flight or space travel” (in Conference (in Conference

Report, Oct. 1986, p. 3; or Report, Oct. 1986, p. 3; or Ensign,Ensign, Nov. 1986, p. 4). Nov. 1986, p. 4).

““Lesson 1: The Book of Mormon, a Gift from a Loving Heavenly Lesson 1: The Book of Mormon, a Gift from a Loving Heavenly Father,” Father,” Primary 4: Book of Mormon, Primary 4: Book of Mormon, (1997),1(1997),1

*Joseph Smith Joseph Smith and his family and his family believed in believed in God. They God. They read the Bible read the Bible together. together.

*Joseph’s parents taught Joseph’s parents taught their children to be good.their children to be good.

*There were many churches There were many churches where Joseph lived. All the where Joseph lived. All the people disagreed on which people disagreed on which church was right. church was right.

*Joseph didn’t Joseph didn’t know which know which church to join. church to join. He wanted to He wanted to know which was know which was the true Church the true Church of Jesus Christ.of Jesus Christ.

*One day when Joseph was 14 One day when Joseph was 14 years old, he read in the Bible years old, he read in the Bible that we should that we should ask God when ask God when we want to know somethingwe want to know something. . James 1:5-6James 1:5-6

*Joseph decided to pray and ask Joseph decided to pray and ask God which church to join.God which church to join.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghYCqOWhIBM&feature=youtu.bev=ghYCqOWhIBM&feature=youtu.be&t=48s&t=48sEnding at 5:00Ending at 5:00

*Joseph knew he had seen Joseph knew he had seen Heavenly Father and Jesus Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. Christ.

(The Testimony of Joseph Smith) (The Testimony of Joseph Smith)

*Three years passed. Joseph prayed to Three years passed. Joseph prayed to know what God wanted him to do. He know what God wanted him to do. He was visited by an angel named _________. was visited by an angel named _________.

Joseph Smith—History 1:29–30Joseph Smith—History 1:29–30

*Moroni said God had a Moroni said God had a work for Joseph to do.work for Joseph to do.

*The angel Moroni told Joseph The angel Moroni told Joseph about a book. The book was about a book. The book was about people who had lived in about people who had lived in the Americas long ago. the Americas long ago.

*Jesus Christ Jesus Christ had come to had come to these people these people and taught and taught them His them His gospel.gospel.

*Moroni said Moroni said the book was the book was written on written on gold pages gold pages called plates. called plates.

*It was written in a It was written in a language that is unknown language that is unknown to us today. to us today.

*God wanted Joseph to God wanted Joseph to translate the book into translate the book into English.English.

*The angel The angel Moroni said Moroni said the gold the gold plates were plates were buried in a hill buried in a hill near Joseph’s near Joseph’s home. home.

*Moroni said that two Moroni said that two stones, called the Urim and stones, called the Urim and Thummim, were hidden Thummim, were hidden with the plates. with the plates.

*The stones The stones would help would help Joseph Joseph translate the translate the book. book.

*While Moroni was talking, While Moroni was talking, Joseph saw a vision that Joseph saw a vision that showed him where the showed him where the plates were buried.plates were buried.

*The angel The angel Moroni went Moroni went away, then came away, then came back two more back two more times that night. times that night.

*He told Joseph many things He told Joseph many things each time, then left when it each time, then left when it was morning.was morning.

*Joseph got up and went to Joseph got up and went to work with his father on the work with his father on the farm.farm.

*Joseph was Joseph was too tired to too tired to work, so his work, so his father sent father sent him home. him home.

*As he started As he started home, he fell home, he fell to the ground. to the ground. *Moroni then appeared Moroni then appeared

again and repeated what he again and repeated what he had said during the night. had said during the night.

*Joseph went to the hill where Joseph went to the hill where the gold plates were buried. the gold plates were buried.

*He found He found the plates in the plates in a stone box a stone box that was that was underneath underneath a big rock. a big rock. *The Urim and Thummim The Urim and Thummim were also in the box. were also in the box.

*While Joseph was at the hill, While Joseph was at the hill, the angel Moroni came to him. the angel Moroni came to him.

*Moroni would not let Joseph Moroni would not let Joseph take the gold plates yet. take the gold plates yet.

*He told He told Joseph to Joseph to come to the come to the hill on the hill on the same day same day each year for each year for four years.four years.

*Joseph Joseph obeyed obeyed Moroni and Moroni and went to the went to the Hill Cumorah Hill Cumorah each year. each year. *There Moroni taught There Moroni taught Joseph about the Lord’s Joseph about the Lord’s kingdom on earth.kingdom on earth.

*Four years passed since Four years passed since Joseph had first seen the gold Joseph had first seen the gold plates. plates.

*This time Moroni let him take This time Moroni let him take them. them.

*Moroni told Moroni told Joseph to Joseph to take good take good care of the care of the plates.plates.

*What warning What warning did Joseph did Joseph receive after receive after he was given he was given the gold the gold plates? plates?

*Joseph Smith—History 1:59Joseph Smith—History 1:59

*What is the What is the Book of Book of Mormon? Mormon?

*Who wrote Who wrote it? it? *See Introduction, See Introduction, paragraphs 1–2.paragraphs 1–2.

*Why is it called Why is it called the Book the Book of Mormonof Mormon and not the and not the Book of MoroniBook of Moroni or the or the Book of Joseph SmithBook of Joseph Smith? ? *See Introduction, See Introduction, paragraph 2. paragraph 2.

*What is the most important What is the most important event in the Book of Mormon? event in the Book of Mormon? *See Introduction, paragraph 3. See Introduction, paragraph 3.

*Why is this the most Why is this the most important event? important event?

*What did Joseph Smith say What did Joseph Smith say about the Book of Mormon? about the Book of Mormon?

See Introduction, See Introduction, paragraph 6.paragraph 6.

Enr. Act. 3

*I told the brethren that the I told the brethren that the Book of Mormon was the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, abiding by its precepts, than by any other book” than by any other book” (Introduction, paragraph 6).(Introduction, paragraph 6).

Joseph Joseph Smith said: Smith said:

How do you How do you think reading think reading and studying and studying the Book of the Book of Mormon can Mormon can help you? help you?

*Many prophets Many prophets (Nephi, Mormon, (Nephi, Mormon, Moroni, Joseph Moroni, Joseph Smith) have gone Smith) have gone through great through great suffering and suffering and hardships so we can hardships so we can have the Book of have the Book of Mormon. Mormon.

*What are three things you What are three things you need to do to know that the need to do to know that the Book of Mormon is true? Book of Mormon is true?

*See Introduction, paragraph See Introduction, paragraph 8. 8.

*What else will we know when What else will we know when we gain a testimony of the we gain a testimony of the Book of Mormon?Book of Mormon?

* See Introduction, paragraph 9. See Introduction, paragraph 9.

*Moroni 10:4:Moroni 10:4:

*And when ye shall receive And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.power of the Holy Ghost.

Enr. Act. 2

*Let’s discuss and memorize Let’s discuss and memorize the Eighth Article of Faith: the Eighth Article of Faith:

*WWe e bbelieve elieve tthe he BBible ible tto o bbe e tthe he wword ord oof f GGod od aas s ffar ar aas s iit t iis s ttranslated ranslated ccorrectly; orrectly; wwe e aalso lso bbelieve elieve tthe he BBook ook oof f MMormon ormon tto o bbe e tthe he wword ord oof f GGod.od.

*W B T B T B T W O G A F A I I T W B T B T B T W O G A F A I I T C W A B T B O M T B T W O GC W A B T B O M T B T W O G

Enr. Act. 4

““Heavenly Father wants Heavenly Father wants you to continue to learn you to continue to learn from the Book of Mormon from the Book of Mormon every day. It’s Heavenly every day. It’s Heavenly Father’s special gift to you. Father’s special gift to you. By following its teachings, By following its teachings, you will learn to do the will you will learn to do the will of our Father in Heaven.” of our Father in Heaven.”

-President Ezra Taft Benson -President Ezra Taft Benson

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* This presentation is intended to supplement, not replace, the This presentation is intended to supplement, not replace, the lesson manual and scriptures. Teachers should refer to the lesson manual and scriptures. Teachers should refer to the manual, scriptures and other resources when preparing and manual, scriptures and other resources when preparing and conducting the lesson.conducting the lesson.