THE MYSTERIOUS BOOK OF MORMON

 

 

When Alma handed over the records of his people to his son Helaman, he told him that they should be handed down from one generation to another until they will go forth to every nation and every people to come to know of ‘the mysteries’ that they contain (Alma 37:4).

My favourite section of the Doctrine and Covenants is Section 76 which says that the hidden mysteries of God’s kingdom and even the wonders of eternity will be revealed to faithful saints (D&C 76:5-10). I have for a long time wanted to know the mysteries and I believe the Book of Mormon has been extremely influential in the realization of this desire.

What are mysteries? President Joseph Fielding Smith has said that ‘mysteries are those principles of the gospel necessary for our salvation that are not understood by the world’; the Book of Mormon Institute Manual says that ‘they are the saving principles of the Gospel of Jesus Christ as revealed because of faith and obedience’ but Elder Bruce R. McConkie gives the best explanation: “Any gospel truth, however easy and simple, that is not understood, or that is beyond present spiritual capacity of a given person to understand, is to him a mystery” (The Mortal Messiah 2, p 164).

I am often amazed by the critics of The Book of Mormon who discount what is contained therein. This book is so much easier to understand than the Bible into which certain errors had crept through ‘ignorant translators, careless transcribers, or designing and corrupt priests’ (Teachings of Joseph Smith, p 327). Don’t get me wrong, I love the Bible but every time a doctrinal principle becomes clearer to my understanding because of the Book of Mormon, I become more and more grateful for this sacred book. I guess you can say, the Book of Mormon reveals to me ‘my mysteries’.

Alma stressed the importance of scripture to Helaman in great detail but in the end he conceded that the real purpose of preserving the records is known to God who ‘counsels in wisdom over all his works’ and then he calls the records sacred because God will show forth his ‘power’ through them unto future generations (Alma 37:12, 14). Who are the future generations? I believe it is us of this dispensation of time and this is the power: “What then is the power of the Book of Mormon? It will proclaim the everlasting gospel; it will gather Israel; it will build the New Jerusalem; it will prepare a people for the Second Coming; it will usher in the Millenium – at least it will play such an important part in all of these that its value and power can scarcely be overstated” (The Millenial Messiah [1982], p 171).

These then are the mysteries which the world does not understand, the mysteries of this dispensation of time which will bring us to the Millenium. These are the mysteries which only the sheep of the Shepherd of Israel hear and understand and accept. These are the mysteries that enlarge the caverns of our hearts and which feed the soul of every Israelite in anticipation of every prophecy of the mysterious book we hold in our hands, the book which bears witness of our God, the King of Kings who will return with healing in His wings.

How much you must love those

Who have borne witness of Thy name!

Thy prophets of old, Thine everlasting friends,

Thine angels who herald

Thy gospel and Thy name;

To the ends of the earth they speak

And their words forever remain.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Moroni Burying the Plates by Katie Payne)