We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly. We also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God.
This is one of my personal favorites. I love the scriptures, and the comfort they can give me.
So, the first part: The bible.
(In English) we use the King James version of the Bible. Throughout the book, there are footnotes with "JST" = Joseph Smith Translations.
i.e. In Exodus, when Moses is sending the plagues, it says "And the Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart". Wait a sec. Why would God do that? that just doesn't make sense. JST says "And Pharaoh hardened his heart against the Lord." That's better, isn't it?
JST also clarifies confusing passages; you know, when it seems everything is contradicting each other, and then a whole 'nother thing comes out?
Anyway, JST makes those things clearer.
Since we already have a bible, why doesn't that just work? Why do we need other scriptures?
There was an awesome talk given in General Conference that I'm going to post.....
jk. I've just spent 10 min trying to find it :S. Well, in the talk, it says to imagine one point. How many lines can you draw through that point? An infinite amount, right? Or at least a lot :). But now, take two points. How many lines can you draw connecting them? Just one.
(Side note-- This is one of my brother's favorite scriptures from the Book of Mormon:
2 Nephi 29:3 ... Many of the Gentiles shall say: A Bible! A Bible! We have got a Bible, and there cannot be any more Bible)
****** *****
The Book of Mormon is the second point. Historically, it was written by the early people of America. Geographically, it probably takes place in Central America, and ends up in the NE US area. Spiritually, it is the "journal" of the prophets of that place. The first prophet was Lehi/Nephi (there used to be a Book of Lehi, but it was stolen from Joseph Smith; so the first book is actually the 1st Book of Nephi). The last one was Moroni. He was probably the last living "Nephite." He sealed up the Book of Mormon in the "Hill Cumorah" (a place in NY, I believe). Then, Joseph Smith got them. He didn't write anymore in them, he just tranlated them. Here are some excerpts from his own record about the Book of Mormon. (When he refers to "the plates", it's talking about the Book of Mormon, which was written on Gold Plates)
JS--H 1:29-35, 50, 52-54, 59 "The Vision with Moroni; Joseph Smith finds the Gold Plates"
29 ...on the evening of the above-mentioned twenty-first of September, after I
had retired to my bed for the night, I betook myself to prayer ...
30 While I was thus in the act of calling upon God, I discovered a a appearing in my room, which continued to increase until the room was lighter than at noonday, when immediately a b appeared at my bedside, standing in the air, for his feet did not touch the floor.
31 He had on a loose robe of most exquisite a.
It was a whiteness beyond anything earthly I had ever seen; nor do I
believe that any earthly thing could be made to appear so exceedingly
white and brilliant. His hands were naked, and his arms also, a little
above the wrist; so, also, were his feet naked, as were his legs, a
little above the ankles. His head and neck were also bare. I could
discover that he had no other clothing on but this robe, as it was open,
so that I could see into his bosom.
32 Not only was his robe exceedingly white, but his whole person was a beyond description, and his countenance truly like b. The room was exceedingly light, but not so very bright as immediately around his person. When I first looked upon him, I was c; but the d soon left me.
33 He called me by a, and said unto me that he was a b sent from the presence of God to me, and that his name was Moroni; that God had a work for me to do...
34 He said there was a a
deposited, written upon gold plates, giving an account of the former
inhabitants of this continent, and the source from whence they sprang.
He also said that the b of the everlasting Gospel was contained in it, as delivered by the Savior to the ancient inhabitants;
35 Also, that there were two stones in silver bows—and these stones, fastened to a a, constituted what is called the b—deposited with the plates; and the possession and use of these stones were what constituted c in ancient or former times; and that God had prepared them for the purpose of translating the book.
50 I left ... and went to the place where the messenger had told me
the plates were deposited; and owing to the distinctness of the vision
which I had had concerning it, I knew the place the instant that I
arrived there.
52 Having
removed the earth, I obtained a lever, which I got fixed under the edge
of the stone, and with a little exertion raised it up. I looked in, and
there indeed did I behold the a, the b,
and the breastplate, as stated by the messenger. The box in which they
lay was formed by laying stones together in some kind of cement. In the
bottom of the box were laid two stones crossways of the box, and on
these stones lay the plates and the other things with them.
53 I
made an attempt to take them out, but was forbidden by the messenger,
and was again informed that the time for bringing them forth had not yet
arrived, neither would it, until four years from that time; but he told
me that I should come to that place precisely in one year from that
time, and that he would there meet with me, and that I should continue
to do so until the time should come for obtaining the plates.
54 Accordingly,
as I had been commanded, I went at the end of each year, and at each
time I found the same messenger there, and received instruction and
intelligence from him...
59 At
length the time arrived for obtaining the plates, the Urim and Thummim,
and the breastplate. On the twenty-second day of September, one
thousand eight hundred and twenty-seven, having gone as usual at the end
of another year to the place where they were deposited, the same
heavenly messenger delivered them up to a with this charge: that I should be b for them; that if I should let them go carelessly, or through any c of mine, I should be cut off; but that if I would use all my endeavors to d them, until he, the messenger, should call for them, they should be protected.
Here is an intersting story from Martin Harris, who helped fund the translation:
JS--H 1:64-65
64 “I
went to the city of New York, and presented the characters which had
been translated, with the translation thereof, to Professor Charles
Anthon, a gentleman celebrated for his literary attainments. Professor
Anthon stated that the translation was correct, more so than any he had
before seen translated from the Egyptian. I then showed him those which
were not yet translated, and he said that they were Egyptian, Chaldaic,
Assyriac, and Arabic; and he said they were true characters. He gave me a
certificate, certifying to the people of Palmyra that they were true
characters, and that the translation of such of them as had been
translated was also correct. I took the certificate and put it into my
pocket, and was just leaving the house, when Mr. Anthon called me back,
and asked me how the young man found out that there were gold plates in
the place where he found them. I answered that an angel of God had
revealed it unto him.
65 “He
then said to me, ‘Let me see that certificate.’ I accordingly took it
out of my pocket and gave it to him, when he took it and tore it to
pieces, saying that there was no such thing now as ministering of a, and that if I would bring the plates to him he would translate them. I informed him that part of the plates were b,
and that I was forbidden to bring them. He replied, ‘I cannot read a
sealed book.’ I left him and went to Dr. Mitchell, who sanctioned what
Professor Anthon had said respecting both the characters and the
translation.”
Another thing about the Book of Mormon. There are some people who give Mormons a hard time becuase they have another book of scripture, and there is a scriptures in Revelations that says: "22:18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book"
I have two things to say (but they both have the same effect).
1) There is a scripture in Deutronomy, also that says "4:2 Ye shall not add unto the word which I
command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep
the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you." Does that mean that the whole Bible after Deutronomy is forbidden? I doubt it. I think that it's just talking about not changing the scriptures, or adding to the book of Deutronomy.
2) Revelations (although it is placed at the end of the New Testament) was written before many of the other books of the Bible. At least the 3 books of John were written after it.
I'm going to finish up now, with my testimony (my feelings and beliefs) of the Book of Mormon.
I know that it's true. I can feel Heavenly Father speaking to me and answering my questions through the scriptures. Even if you do not believe in what the Mormons believe, I think that you should at least read the Book of Mormon. It might have something to help you. There is peace, there is war, there is inspiration, there is everything you need. I love my scriptures, and have them all marked up from my times reading them. I hope that you can also know that they are true.
