Lesson 9
Use the Power of the Book of Mormon
Preach My Gospel, Chapter 5
“The Book of Mormon, combined with the Spirit, is your most powerful resource in conversion” (Preach My Gospel: A Guide to Sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ [2023], 113). The Book of Mormon testifies of Jesus Christ and is the instrument God has prepared to gather Israel in the last days. As we study from the Book of Mormon and apply its teachings, we can come closer to God.
Review and Follow Up
Discussion leader: Invite learners to think about their recent efforts to apply what they are learning in this class. You could invite them to share some of their efforts with a partner or together as a class.
Learning Activity Options
Discussion leader: Prayerfully select the learning option(s) that would be most beneficial for your class. Be sure to leave plenty of time for practice and application.
Option A: Why is the Book of Mormon an important tool in sharing the gospel?
Study
Discussion leader: Ask learners to think of a tool they frequently use. You could discuss questions like the following:
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How does this tool make your life easier?
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What tools has God given us to do His work?
Discussion leader: Invite a class member to read aloud the first paragraph in chapter 5 of Preach My Gospel (page 113). Ask the learners to follow along and look for one of the tools God uses to help people come unto Him. You could also use the following statements as part of this discussion.
Elder David A. Bednar taught:
The Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ and the great tool of conversion in the latter days. (“With the Power of God in Great Glory,” Liahona, Nov. 2021, 28–30)
Elder Ulisses Soares testified:
The Book of Mormon is God’s instrument to bring about the gathering of Israel in our day and to help people come to know His Son, Jesus Christ. (“The Coming Forth of the Book of Mormon,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2020, 33)
Discussion leader: Consider writing the following incomplete sentence on the board: The Book of Mormon is one of the most important tools for sharing the Savior’s gospel because …
Invite learners to finish the sentence. Write their answers on the board. Then share the following instructions:
Choose a section from chapter 5 of Preach My Gospel (pages 113–22) to study. As you read it, look for additional reasons the Book of Mormon is an essential tool or instrument for sharing the Savior’s gospel.
Discussion leader: After learners have finished studying, invite them to share additional ways they could complete the sentence on the board. Learners could also discuss one or both of the questions below. If they mention specific verses from the Book of Mormon in their answers to either question, consider reading these verses together as a class.
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What experiences have you had sharing truths from the Book of Mormon with others?
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How have you seen the truths of the Book of Mormon help you or others come closer to Jesus Christ?
Discussion leader: Consider sharing your own answers to the previous questions. You could also show the video “Shaquille’s Story about the Book of Mormon” (1:28; ChurchofJesusChrist.org). Discuss how the Book of Mormon helped with his questions and conversion to Jesus Christ.
Practice
Discussion leader: Explain that one reason the Book of Mormon is an essential resource for sharing the gospel is that it contains answers to eternally significant questions. The following activity can help learners practice using the Book of Mormon to find and share answers to these questions. Display the following instructions:
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Find the section titled “The Book of Mormon Addresses Questions of the Soul” in chapter 5 of Preach My Gospel (pages 117–18).
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Select a question from that section you want to focus on.
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Read the associated scriptures and think about how those scriptures could help with the question you chose.
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Prepare to share one of the verses you studied and explain how it answers the question.
Discussion leader: Divide the class into pairs. Invite each class member to share what they prepared for step 4 with their partner. After partners finish teaching one another, you could consider assigning them different partners, so they can practice teaching another time.
For additional practice, you could use Skill Practice 1: “Introduce the Book of Mormon to People.”
Set a goal
Discussion leader: Give class members time to reflect on what they have learned and set a goal. One way you could do this is by sharing the following statement by Elder Ronald A. Rasband and the invitation below it:
I invite you, this day, to give a Book of Mormon to your friends and family, your associates at work, your soccer coach, or the produce man at your market. They need the words of the Lord found in this book. They need answers to the questions of everyday life and of eternal life to come. They need to know of the covenant path laid out before them and the Lord’s abiding love for them. It’s all here in the Book of Mormon.
When you hand them a Book of Mormon, you are opening their minds and hearts to the word of God. You do not need to carry printed copies of the book with you. You can easily share it from your mobile phone from the scriptures section of the Gospel Library app. (“This Day,” Liahona, Nov. 2022, 27)
Prayerfully consider who you could share the Book of Mormon with. Determine what you could teach them about the Book of Mormon and what else you might say. Record your plan.
My goal
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I will … (action you will take).
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I will accomplish my goal by … (a simple plan).
Discussion leader: If learners have a group of peers to share their goals with throughout the course, give them time to share how they will support or remind each other before the next class.
Option B: How can the Book of Mormon help me and others come closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ?
Study
Discussion leader: Invite a member of the class to read aloud the following statement by President Russell M. Nelson. Then give learners time to ponder how they would personally answer President Nelson’s questions.
My brothers and sisters, how precious is the Book of Mormon to you? If you were offered diamonds or rubies or the Book of Mormon, which would you choose? Honestly, which is of greater worth to you? (“The Book of Mormon: What Would Your Life Be Like without It?,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2017, 61)
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What makes the Book of Mormon more valuable than expensive things, such as diamonds or rubies?
Discussion leader: For the following study activity, you could invite half the class to study ”The Book of Mormon Testifies of Christ” and the other half to study ”The Book of Mormon Helps us Draw Nearer to God.”
Read the sections titled “The Book of Mormon Testifies of Christ” and “The Book of Mormon Helps Us Draw Nearer to God” in chapter 5 of Preach My Gospel (pages 115, 117). Look for and highlight at least three sentences that describe why the Book of Mormon is valuable.
Discussion leader: Divide the class into pairs. Be sure each class member studied a different section than their partner did. Invite the learners to share with their partner three sentences they underlined and explain why they felt those sentences were important.
After partners have finished teaching one another, you could read together a few of the verses from the “Scripture Study” box on page 116 (under the heading “The Book of Mormon Testifies of Christ”). You could also discuss together questions like the following:
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How has studying the Book of Mormon and applying its teachings helped you come closer to God?
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What have you learned about Jesus Christ from your study of the Book of Mormon?
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How has your testimony of Jesus Christ been influenced by reading the Book of Mormon?
Practice
Discussion leader: Give learners time to practice finding and sharing passages from the Book of Mormon that testify of Jesus Christ. You could introduce this practice activity by showing the video “Book of Mormon Experiment Honolulu” (2:35: ChurchofJesusChrist.org). Consider displaying the following instructions:
Find scriptures in the Book of Mormon that testify of Jesus Christ. You could find verses from the chapters listed in the “Personal or Companion Study” box in chapter 5 of Preach My Gospel (pages 116–17, under the heading “The Book of Mormon Testifies of Christ”). Or you can find other verses on your own.
For each scripture passage you find, record your answers to these questions:
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What does this scripture passage teach me about Jesus Christ?
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How can knowing this about Jesus Christ influence me and others?
Discussion leader: Divide learners into small groups. Invite each group member to share one or two of the scripture passages they found with the other members of their group. Also invite them to share their answers to the two questions above.
Set a goal
Discussion leader: Give class members time to reflect on what they have learned and set goals. You could display the following to help them:
Set a goal that relates to what you have studied. Use ideas like the following, or think of your own.
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Study the Book of Mormon every day. Pay special attention to what you learn about Jesus Christ.
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On social media or with someone you know, share a verse from the Book of Mormon that has been especially meaningful to you. Explain why you chose to share it.
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Explore the features in the Book of Mormon app (for example, audio, languages, connecting with missionaries). Share the Book of Mormon app with someone.
My goal
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I will … (action you will take).
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I will accomplish my goal by … (a simple plan).
Discussion leader: If learners have a group of peers to share their goals with throughout the course, give them time to share how they will support or remind each other before the next class.
Option C: How do the Book of Mormon and the Bible support each other?
Study
Discussion leader: Consider beginning this learning activity by sharing a scenario like the following:
Imagine you are having a conversation about your religious beliefs with a friend who is not a member of the Church. After learning that you believe in the Book of Mormon, your friend asks, “What is the point of the Book of Mormon when we already have the Bible?”
Discussion leader: Invite learners to think about how they might respond to their friend. You could also ask them to think about whether they have ever experienced a similar situation. Then share the following instructions:
Read the section in chapter 5 of Preach My Gospel titled “The Book of Mormon and the Bible Support Each Other” (pages 118–19). Look for teachings that could help the person who has been asked the question in the scenario.
Discussion leader: Invite learners to share what they found that could help their friend from the scenario. As part of this discussion, learners could study some of the verses listed in the section they studied, such as Ezekiel 37:16–17 and 1 Nephi 13:40. You could also ask questions like the following:
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Why is it helpful to have multiple witnesses of Jesus Christ?
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How has studying the Bible and the Book of Mormon together strengthened your belief in Jesus Christ?
Practice
Discussion leader: Give learners an opportunity to practice finding scriptures from the Bible and the Book of Mormon that support each other. Consider displaying the following instructions:
Find examples in the scriptures that demonstrate how the Bible and the Book of Mormon support each other. Choose one or more of the following options to help you do this:
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Study the examples listed in the “Personal or Companion Study” box at the end of “The Book of Mormon and the Bible Support Each Other” in chapter 5 of Preach My Gospel (page 119).
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Use the Topical Guide or Guide to the Scriptures to find a topic you are interested in. Find scriptures from both the Bible and the Book of Mormon that are listed for that topic.
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Locate some of your favorite verses in the Book of Mormon. Check the footnotes to see if there are Bible verses listed that enhance your understanding of these verses.
Discussion leader: Invite the class to share some of the examples they found with a partner or small group. You could also ask a few willing learners to share what they found with the class.
Set a goal
Discussion leader: Give class members time to reflect on what they have learned and set goals. You could display the following to help them:
Set a goal that relates to what you have studied. Use ideas like the following, or think of your own.
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As you study the Book of Mormon, look through the footnotes and find references to Bible scriptures that relate to what you are learning.
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Study one of the four Gospels in the New Testament (Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John). As you read, pay attention to what you learn and feel about Jesus Christ. Look through the footnotes and find references to Book of Mormon scriptures that relate to what you are learning.
My goal
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I will … (action you will take).
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I will accomplish my goal by … (a simple plan).
Discussion leader: If learners have a group of peers to share their goals with throughout the course, give them time to share how they will support or remind each other before the next class.
Next Time
Discussion leader: If you are ready to teach lesson 10 in the next class, consider inviting class members to study chapter 6 of Preach My Gospel in preparation. You may want to send them a reminder.