Q&A:
Questions and Answers

Responses are intended for help and perspective, not as pronouncements of Church doctrine.

“What’s the best way to introduce the Book of Mormon to a friend who is a member of another faith?”

New Era

• Pray for inspiration to know how best to introduce the Book of Mormon to a friend.

• Prepare yourself by studying and praying about the Book of Mormon.

• Explain the Book of Mormon simply, suggest a few passages for your friend to start reading, and share your testimony of the book.

• If you don’t have a copy to share, your friend can get a free copy of the Book of Mormon through a pass-along card or www.mormon.org.

The best way to share the Book of Mormon is to pray for and follow the inspiration of the Spirit. That means you might share it differently with each friend.

To prepare yourself to share the Book of Mormon, you may want to read the Book of Mormon introduction. It gives a good overview of the book, in terms that you can use when explaining it to your friend.

If your friend doesn’t know what the Book of Mormon is, explain it briefly. Tell him or her that it’s another testament of Jesus Christ, that it is scripture written by prophets who lived on the American continent. You could explain that the Book of Mormon was written for our day and translated by the Prophet Joseph Smith. Then bear your testimony of the Book of Mormon.

After you share a copy of the Book of Mormon, encourage your friend to begin reading it. You could suggest a few passages to start with. Missionaries often invite people to read the introduction, 3 Nephi 11, and Moroni 10:3–5. You could even share some favorite verses and tell your friend what they mean to you.

If you don’t have a copy of the Book of Mormon to share, refer your friend to www.mormon.org or give him or her a pass-along card. Your friend can get a free copy of the book by requesting it on the Web site. The copy will be delivered by mail or by the missionaries, whichever way your friend prefers.

It’s important to share the Book of Mormon with people because it testifies of Christ and of the Restoration of the gospel. President Gordon B. Hinckley said recently: “The Book of Mormon has come forth by the gift and power of God. It speaks as a voice from the dust in testimony of the Son of God. It speaks of His birth, of His ministry, of His Crucifixion and Resurrection, and of His appearance to the righteous in the land Bountiful on the American continent.

“It is a tangible thing that can be handled, that can be read, that can be tested. It carries within its covers a promise of its divine origin. Millions now have put it to the test and found it to be a true and sacred record” (“The Great Things Which God Has Revealed,” Ensign, May 2005, 81–82).

Invite your friend to be one of the millions who have read and prayed about the Book of Mormon and have come to know of its truth.

“If we have the desire and we pray about it, we can receive inspiration on … how to share the Book of Mormon with a neighbor. … Let’s each find the best way according to our best possibilities.”
—Elder Charles Didier of the Presidency of the Seventy, in “Teaching from the Heart,” Ensign, June 2004, 13.

Readers

I always had the desire to share the Book of Mormon, but I never found an ideal way. In time, I gained confidence in the doctrines of the gospel and desired to share with everyone the same joy that I felt when following Jesus Christ. Only then did I discover that to present the Book of Mormon to another person I should bear my testimony of the changes that it brought in my life and in the lives of other people. If we are good friends, they will learn from our example that this testimony is true, and they will have the desire to acquire it.
Gisela M., 21, Mozambique

Once a friend of mine of another religion was celebrating her birthday. I resolved to present her with a copy of the Book of Mormon. I wrote in the dedication that this was the most precious thing I could give her and wrapped it. This aroused her curiosity, and she began to read it that same instant.
Marcus A., 16, Brazil

Sharing the Book of Mormon can be scary, but I know that if you pray for help and the guidance of the Spirit beforehand, things will go well. As for the last four copies I have given away, I have marked some of my favorite scriptures (including Moroni 10:3–6) with a red pencil, then placed a note card in the book to mark the page. That way the person I am giving it to will have a place to start. A 500-page book can be intimidating. I also usually explain that the people in the Book of Mormon are the “other sheep” Christ was referring to in John 10:16. Then I share my testimony with the person I am giving it to.
Rebecca C., 17, Illinois

First find common ground by telling your friend that we believe in Jesus Christ as our Savior and in the Bible as the word of God. Then tell him or her we believe in another book of scripture called the Book of Mormon and that it also testifies that Jesus is the Christ. You can share some Bible scriptures that talk about the Book of Mormon such as Ps. 85:11, Isa. 29:11–12, Ezek. 37:15–17, and John 10:16.
Christopher W., 16, California

The best way for me to share the Book of Mormon is to always carry my scriptures with me to school and on vacations. Reading the Book of Mormon gives me a great chance to share it with others because they want to know what I’m reading. This has worked very well for me, and I’ve had two of my friends ask me for a Book of Mormon. I help them understand that God doesn’t just remember one nation, but everyone.
Matilde C., 18, Peru

Present the Book of Mormon accompanied by the Bible. That way, you can explain that it is another testament of Christ and that these two books complement each other. You can also explain that Christ came to America and that the account of His visit in the Book of Mormon helps us better understand the life of Christ. I know this book is true and that it helps us in our lives and will help our friends.
Cathy U., 17, France

A good way to present the Book of Mormon is to say, “I would like to give you a book that contains the history of a people who lived in the Americas.” I would write in a dedication about my feelings and respect for the Book of Mormon. I would also ask the Lord to help my friend understand that the Book of Mormon is an inspired book.
Ana B., 15, Brazil

Photograph by John Luke, posed by models