by I think the hardest part with teaching the Book of Mormon is explaining why we need it. We can explain who wrote it and how it came to pass just fine but the most asked question that I got on the mission is, “the Bible is fine, why do we need the Book of Mormon?”
Here is what I would say when someone asks the question why do we need the Book of Mormon.
Mormon 3:21-22 – The point of the Book of Mormon is to convince the Jews that Jesus is the Christ and that all people must repent and be judged
3 Nephi 29:1-3 – when we receive the Book of Mormon we will know that the restoration of Israel is going to take place
Mormon 5:14-15 – the Book of Mormon is meant to persuade Jews that Jesus is the Christ and to bring about the restoration of Israel
2 Nephi 25:17-18 – the Lord will bring the Book of Mormon to the scattered Jews and the words will convince them of Jesus Christ
2 Nephi 25:21-23 – Book of Mormon is written to preserve the words of the family of Lehi and it’s words will condemn the people who have it
3 Nephi 21:1-3 – the sign of the Restoration of Israel is the coming forth of the Book of Mormon
Ether 4:17 – when we receive the Book of Mormon we know that the Restoration of Israel has started
2 Nephi 33:4-5 – the Book of Mormon speaketh of Jesus is persuades them to do good and to endure to the end
1 Nephi 13:40 – the last records is the Book of Mormon which will make known unto people that Jesus is the Christ
2 Nephi 33:10 – the Book of Mormon teaches people to be good
The Bible doesn’t describe what happens after life. The Book of Mormon explains the plan of salvation, it helps us understand where we are going, everyone will be resurrected, to be judged at the judgement day.
The Book of Mormon explains more profoundly why we need to be baptized.
The special thing about the Book of Mormon is that it connects the dots. You know the example think where you draw one dot, you can make infinite number of lines BUT if you have 2 dots you can make only ONE line so the two together makes one gospel. One dot makes many churches but the two dots makes one line or one true church.
When teaching the Book of Mormon, do it in the context of the Restoration. Give it context and explain what it is. Tons of people are turned off the Book of Mormon because they have wrong ideas about it or they think that it is meant to replace the Bible. Explaining what the Book of Mormon is and it’s role will help reassure people about it’s purpose. As a new missionary, my trainer taught me to explain the Book of Mormon as a story about a prophet named Lehi who traveled to American and then this and that. The best way to explain the Book of Mormon is conceptually and how studying the Book of Mormon can help them.
