The Restored Covenant Edition
Book of Mormon
An Account Written By The Hand
of Mormon
Upon Plates Taken From
The Plates of Nephi
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The Book of Mormon is a volume of Holy Scripture given to us by the gift and power of God. It is a record of God’s dealings with some of the ancient inhabitants of North America and it contains the fullness of the everlasting gospel. The Book of Mormon as it is known to us today was written by many ancient prophets by the spirit of prophecy and revelation. Their words were quoted and abridged and laid down on metal plates that had the appearance of Gold by a prophet and historian named Mormon. The Book of Mormon gives us an account of two great civilisations. The first of these two great civilisations came from the time when the Lord confounded the tongues at the Tower of Babel. This group is known as the Jaredites. The later group came from Jerusalem in 600 B.C. and afterward separated into two nations, known as the Nephites and the Lamanites. After thousands of years, all were destroyed except the Lamanites, and they are the ancestors of the American Indians. The event that draws so much attention to the reader of the record is that of the personal ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ among the Nephites soon after His resurrection. This visitation of Christ confirms to us that the Lord loves all his brothers and sisters and that he wishes us all to know of the doctrines of the gospel, and of the plan of salvation, no matter were they may live or what their colour or creed. This visitation from the Saviour to the people in The Book of Mormon also tells men what they must do to gain
peace in this life and eternal salvation in the life to come. After Mormon completed his abridgment and had laid down his testimony upon the plates, he delivered the record to his son Moroni, who also added a few words of his own, and after the fall of his people while in hiding and in fear for his life because he would not deny the Christ finally hid the record in the Hill Cumorah in what is today upper New York Sate. On September 21, 1823, the same Moroni, then a glorified, resurrected being, appeared to the young Joseph Smith and proceeded to tell him that God had a work for him to do, and that his name should be had for good and evil, among all nations, kindred’s, and tongues.
The glorified, resurrected Moroni then told Joseph Smith that there was an ancient record deposited, giving an account of the former inhabitants of this the North American continent, and the source from whence they sprang. Moroni also told Joseph Smith that the record contained the fullness of the everlasting gospel, as delivered by the Saviour to the ancient inhabitants. Moroni then informed Joseph that deposited with the record was two stones in silver bows, and that these stones fastened to a breastplate is called the Urim and Thummim, and the possession and use of these stones was what constituted seers in ancient or former times, and that God had prepared them for the purpose of translating the book. Moroni then told Joseph where the ancient record was buried and its destined translation into English and that this work would fill the entire earth. At length the time arrived for obtaining the ancient record, the gifts that lay with them, the Urim and Thummim, and the breastplate. On the 22nd day of September, 1827, the young Joseph Smith went to the place where they were deposited and Angel Moroni delivered them unto him, with the charge that he should now be responsible for them. In the weeks that followed, Joseph Smith proceeded to translate the record by the gift and power of God.
The record called the Book of Mormon was first published in March 1830 and is now published in almost every language in the world. It stands today as an additional witness that Jesus is the Christ, that he is the Son of the living God. The Book of Mormon is an essential part of the standard scriptural works of The Restored Branch of Jesus Christ. For members of The Restored Branch of Jesus Christ the Book of Mormon stands today as a true witness of the ancient peoples of North America and it will continue to stand as one of our most important and cherished cannons of scripture, it not only stands as a witness of Christ but to the validity of the work and mission of the Prophet Joseph Smith.
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As a branch we have taken the decision to use the Restored Covenant Edition of The Book of Mormon printed and published by the Zarahemla Research Foundation in Independence Missouri in the United Sates. This edition gives us everything we want and need from a Book of Mormon. Its text is restored to its purity from the original and printers manuscripts. This edition also includes Christ's words in Red. We love this edition of the Book of Mormon and this is why we have decided to make it part of our standard works.
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To read the Restored Covenant Edition online follow this link: Online Edition
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You can now purchase a physical copy of the Restored Covenant Edition from the branch store: Online Store