The Book of Mormon Clarifies the Bible Teaching

In the October 2017 General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, President Russell M. Nelson asked the church to ponder what life would be like without the Book of Mormon and how precious the Book of Mormon is. He repeated the last challenge the church received from President Thomas S. Monson before his passing that “each of us prayerfully study and ponder the Book of Mormon each day.” More recently in the October 2018 general conference of the Church he asked the women of the church to read the entire book of Mormon before the New Year. It was a wonderful experience to read the Book of Mormon again, but to be challenged to read it so quickly meant that I spent far more time each day in scripture study then I usually do and the discernible impact on my spiritual strength was profound. My testimony of the power of the Book of Mormon to draw us to Christ increased.

In President Nelson's 2017 address he gave this prophetic promise:

"I promise that as you prayerfully study the Book of Mormon every day, you will make better decisions—every day. I promise that as you ponder what you study, the windows of heaven will open, and you will receive answers to your own questions and direction for your own life. I promise that as you daily immerse yourself in the Book of Mormon, you can be immunized against the evils of the day, even the gripping plague of pornography and other mind-numbing addictions."

One year later President Nelson gave us a specific challenge that would result in our immersion in the Book of Mormon and I was able to see more clearly the truth of his words. I could feel the windows of heaven open to me and I received answers to prayers and struggles that have long perplexed me. I felt greater power against the temptations that so easily beset me (2 Nephi 4:18). There was less time in my day for meaningless entertainment and as a result I felt an increase of the Lord's spirit.

It's been almost a year since I began a special study of the Book of Mormon patterned after President Nelson's study that he shared with the church in October of 2017. I have completed the first portion of that study which was to research and write about the religious Myths the Book of Mormon refutes. At the beginning of this plan I intended to complete the entire study in one year. I've not even scratched the surface, but that's no reason to give up. I chose to do this study in hopes that it would help increase my desire and commitment to "never want to live even one day without" studying the Book of Mormon. My desire and commitment has increased and my understanding of the atonement is increasing as well, but the study is not complete.

Just a reminder as I begin to work through the second section of this study, President Nelson choose to do this study as he answered President Monson's challenge. He said that he "made lists of what the Book of Mormon is, what it affirms, what it refutes, what it fulfills, what it clarifies, and what it reveals." In the coming days and probably months, but I hope it won't take another year, I will focus my study on what teachings of the Bible that the Book of Mormon clarifies.

Clarify means to make less confused, more clearly comprehensible; to illuminate, shed light on, make plain, and simplify. One of the great blessings of the Book of Mormon is the way that it sheds light on the teachings of the Bible and how beautifully it compliments Bible study. Not too long ago I was talking with a friend who was interested in learning more about the teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but felt that he should do a more meaningful study the Bible before reading the Book of Mormon. I encouraged him to do them together and told him that the Book of Mormon would only add to his study of the Bible. The reason this is true is because of this clarity that the Book of Mormon brings. In these next posts I will do my best to identify teachings in the Bible that are made more clear when studied in partnership with the teachings of the Book of Mormon.