The work is nothing less than a miracle and has touched the lives of millions of people all over the world. A modern-day Apostle, Elder Mark E. Petersen, in his October 1977 General Conference address titled “It Was A Miracle!” commented, “The Book of Mormon is a literary and a religious masterpiece, and is far beyond even the fondest hopes or abilities of any farm boy” (Ensign, November 1977, 11).  Nevertheless, for many years critics have done their best to discredit the Book of Mormon, and all but dismiss it as a book of fiction. The question that has caused considerable discussion and debate is, “Did Joseph Smith translate the Book of Mormon from gold plates as he claimed, and as witnesses testified, or did he write the narrative himself?”

The Book of Mormon – A Miraculous Book

There have been many instances when great works have faltered under the scrutiny of critics. However, despite all of the negativism concerning the Book of Mormon and its authenticity, it continues to be placed into the hands of people all over the world, and those who embrace its teachings have had their lives transformed and testify of its power. Here are a few reasons why the Book of Mormon is so miraculous.

Reason 1: There Have Been Minimal Changes to the Text

Critics have long claimed that the Book of Mormon cannot be authentic because they purport that 3,913 “changes” have been made to the text of the first edition. Their argument is refuted, however, when the short period of time that it took to translate the volume, and the fact that it required fewer changes as compared to other translated works is considered. That in itself makes the Book of Mormon a miraculous work.

The fact that changes were required is not unusual for any complex manuscript. Even Bible scholars such as Daniel B. Wallace, a professor of New Testament studies, affirms that the manuscript of the Bible “has undergone three revisions, incorporating more than 100,000 changes” (“Choosing a Bible Translation,” christianity.com).

Several other tidbits of information also deserve careful consideration. First, when Joseph Smith verbally dictated the Book of Mormon manuscript to scribes, he was a 23-year-old uneducated farm boy. With the help and guidance of the Holy Spirit in the translation work, the finished result was a 588-page manuscript which had as its central theme, the Lord Jesus Christ, and it contained thousands of original phrases, brilliant doctrinal speeches, and unique names.

Joseph Smith did not have the advantage of skilled editors to correct spelling, grammar, and punctuation mistakes. He relied heavily on his scribes and the typesetter to make such corrections. In fact, when the Book of Mormon was completed it was basically one continuous paragraph with little to no punctuation. John H. Gilbert, an employee of publisher E.B. Grandin, set the type and punctuated the first edition of the Book of Mormon.  The 3,913 “mistakes” which critics use to substantiate their claim that the Book of Mormon is not true, are indeed minor changes such as punctuation.  The fact that the Book of Mormon with its length and complexity of manuscript required so few corrections, is substantial evidence and proof that the book is of divine origin.

Reason 2: The Complexity of the Manuscript Nullifies that it is a Work of Fiction

Many critics claim that the Book of Mormon is nothing more than a book of fiction, and Joseph Smith, whom they further claim is a fraud, is its author.

According to a 27 January 2015 LDS Living.com article written by Randal A. Wright:

One internet critic paints Joseph Smith as an ignorant fraud and then says, “The Book of Mormon is no more complex than many other works of fiction, such as J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings.” He failed to point out that it took Tolkien, an internationally renowned Oxford English professor, 12 years to write his classic book. It is believed that this brilliant professor knew up to 30 different languages in various degrees. He also associated daily with other renowned fantasy writers, one of which was his good friend C.S. Lewis. Perhaps no one was better prepared to write The Lord of the Rings than Tolkien. Despite his experience, at the time he finished his book, Tolkien said: “There were some frightful mistakes in grammar, which from a Professor of English Language and Lit are rather shocking” (Dennis Gerolt, “Now Read On,” BBC Radio 4, January, 1971).

Contrast J.R. Tolkien’s life to that of Joseph Smith. Joseph was a farm boy. He had very little formal education. He was not afforded the opportunity to consult with professional writers and editors, or professional translators for that matter. He was only 24-years-old when the Book of Mormon was published. The entire manuscript of the Book of Mormon was produced in 63 days. And, it should also be duly noted that Joseph did not have any notes to refer to, but rather he verbally dictated the manuscript to his scribes. Furthermore, at times when the dictation of the manuscript was interrupted, he did not have bookmarks to remind him where he had left off, but yet when he returned to the work, he was able to continue as if there had been no interruption.

Wright further comments in his article, “If Joseph Smith wrote the Book of Mormon, he should be considered one of the great fiction writers of all time. If he translated it, he should be considered a great prophet. It is interesting that he receives no credit for being either from the world.” However, the substantiating evidence that an uneducated farm boy could not have written such a powerful book as the Book of Mormon, and that he was a true prophet of God, far outweighs any arguments presented by critics.

Reason 3: Joseph Smith is remembered for good and evil

On 21 September 1823, Moroni appeared to Joseph Smith and prophesied that Joseph’s name “should be had for good and evil among all nations, kindreds, and tongues” (Joseph Smith—History 1:33.) Most people who are able to obtain international fame or power in their lifetime are usually thought of as being good or evil, however, Joseph Smith is remembered as being both good and evil.

In his article, Wright further comments:

What horrific crimes did Joseph Smith commit to be viewed as evil? Perhaps his “crime” was similar to that of William Tyndale, who infuriated both the religious and political authorities of his day by translating the Bible into English. Because of his actions, Tyndale was condemned as a heretic and executed.

Joseph Smith, like Tyndale, also translated into English an ancient religious record that boldly testifies of Jesus Christ. Many political and religious leaders of his day also considered this heresy. As a result, they vehemently spoke against his character and his work, they unjustly persecuted him personally and legally, and some ultimately took his freedom and his life, fulfilling Moroni’s prophecy.

The Book of Mormon is exactly what its title proclaims it to be, Another Testament of Jesus Christ. The book was never intended to replace the Bible, but rather to complement the Bible in its doctrines and principles. Like the Holy Bible, the Book of Mormon is a powerful testimony that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the True and Living God, and the Savior of all mankind.

In the closing chapter of the Book of Mormon, the prophet Moroni gives this promise:

Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts. And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost (Moroni 10:3-4).

All who are willing to accept Moroni’s promise and diligently read the pages of the Book of Mormon with sincere intent will come to know for themselves that the book is true.

Mormonism accepts both the Bible and the Book of Mormon as scripture. Mormon is a nickname sometimes used to describe the people of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the correct name for their church.

The Bible and the mark of Cain

The Bible is very clear about the purpose of the mark of Cain. Cain killed his brother because he was jealous that God had accepted Abel’s offering but not his own, which had been offered incorrectly. Then, when God asked him about it, he lied. God mentions a curse for the first time in the story:

“And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother’s blood from thy hand; When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth (Genesis 4:11-12).

The curse, then, was related to his career, not his skin. Then God prophesied about his future, which would leave him struggling to farm and on the run from angry relatives. Cain was very upset, insisting the punishment was too harsh. In addition, those angry relatives made Cain very nervous. He was suddenly afraid that now that people knew murder was possible, they would decide to use it against him.

God loves all his children, even those who turn against him, as Cain had when he entered into an alliance with Satan. He loved Cain. He had already assured Cain he would be able to produce an offering that was acceptable if he would just try.

However, God’s heart was touched by Cain’s fears and here we learn the purpose of the mark:

And the Lord said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the Lord set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him (verse 15).

What is the curse of Cain?

It is easy to see, from this verse, that the mark was a gift of love that gave Cain great protection. Anyone harming Cain would have a punishment greater than if he killed someone else. This demonstrates just how much God really loved Cain and also proves the mark was not a curse. Somehow, people combined a few things in the story and failed to note the curse involved farming, not skin. In fact, the Bible does not actually say what the mark is and there is nothing canonized in Mormonism that says. If it is skin, however, then the first darkened skin was a gift. If not, the story has nothing to do with skin color.

Mormons have another book of ancient scripture called the Pearl of Great Price. This repeats the story of Cain and Abel. It is translated and uses essentially the same words as the Genesis translation, demonstrating Mormonism’s acceptance of Genesis’ report:

“And I the Lord said unto him: Whosoever slayeth thee, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And I the Lord set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him” (Moses 5:40).

The Pearl of Great Price is canonized scripture, and therefore, it is the official belief of Mormonism concerning Cain’s mark. It was a gift.

While many churches do not require the payment of tithing, God does. In Genesis 14, Abraham paid his tithing to Melchizedek. Malachi also taught tithing.

Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it (Malachi 3:8-10).

This verse leaves no room for doubt: refusing to pay a full tithe is to rob God. Therefore, a church has a responsibility to require tithing of its members in order to make certain they are not helping them rob God.

What is a tithe?

The word means a tenth. Tithing, then is a tenth. Mormons teach that your tithe is a tenth of your increase, but do not define what that means. It is left to each person to decide this for himself through prayer, since the scriptures don’t define it any further. It is a voluntary payment, meaning that no one will show up at your home and force you to turn over the money. However, no commandment is consequence—free. From the day Adam and Eve were issued the first commandment, they were warned that their choices would have consequences.

A Mormon must pay a full and honest tithe in order to enter the temple. However, they are on the honor system—no tax forms or other documentation are requested. They are merely asked if they pay a full tithe. God reserves the temple, which is not used for regular weekly worship, for those willing to live the commandments. This is the earthly consequence of tithe paying. As with all commandments, of course, there will be other penalties issued at judgment for non-payment.

Are there blessings for paying tithing?

There are also rewards for paying your tithing. Malachi promised that the payment of tithes would result in so great there is no room to hold them all. Some have mistakenly interpreted that to mean they will become wealthy. However, the scripture does not mention money. It mentions only blessings, and God has many ways to bless us that have nothing to do with money. Gordon B. Hinckley, a former Mormon prophet, warned:

Now, do not get me wrong. I am not here to say that if you pay an honest tithing you will realize your dream of a fine house, a Rolls Royce, and a condominium in Hawaii. The Lord will open the windows of heaven according to our need, and not according to our greed. If we are paying tithing to get rich, we are doing it for the wrong reason. The basic purpose for tithing is to provide the Church with the means needed to carry on His work. The blessing to the giver is an ancillary return, and that blessing may not be always in the form of financial or material benefit. In speaking of opening the windows of heaven, Malachi continues by saying:

And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field. …

And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the Lord of hosts. (Mal. 3:11–12.)

Tithing is used to carry out God’s work. Although Mormons do not receive salaries for their church positions, costs are incurred for buildings, teachings supplies, missionary work, and other church requirements. In addition, the Mormons, like most churches, carry out humanitarian work and this too costs money. There are strict rules about how tithing can be used and needs outside those rules are paid for from the Church’s for-profit businesses. Unlike most churches, the Mormons do not wrap their businesses into their ministry and maintain a small number of businesses which do not bring in enough funds to sustain the church for any significant length of time. However, they do allow funds to be paid out for things that cannot be covered by tithing. For instance, Mormon apostles and prophets, unlike other volunteers, must serve fulltime until death. While most have other sources of income, such as pensions, those who do not can receive a modest stipend to sustain them. These cannot be paid for out of tithing, so they come for businesses are that taxed.

It should be noted that Mormons believe tithing is a gift to them from God. It allows them to minimize the importance of money in their lives. While money is necessary to live, it should not be so important that we can’t give some of it back to God. Mormons remember that God gave them everything they have and to return just ten percent of it to Him for His work is a small price to pay for the blessings they have received. Many Mormons have experienced God’s concern for both their temporal and their spiritual needs and feel they cannot afford to not tithe—they want those blessings Malachi promised. However, the most important reason Mormons tithe, and all others should as well, is to demonstrate that we recognize the source of everything we have and are happy to share it with God and with others.

The purpose of scripture is to teach the word of God. Mormons (a nickname sometimes applied to members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) use four books of scripture: The Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Pearl of Great Price, and the Doctrine and Covenants. Each came to the world in different ways. To understand the impact and meaning of Joseph Smith’s statement, we need to look at how both the Bible and the Book of Mormon came to be.

How We Got the Bible

The Bible was written in ancient times by a variety of people. In fact, we don’t always know who actually wrote each section. It was not written as a single book, but was compiled from a large number of manuscripts by committee. There has never been just one canon for the Bible and various groups include different combinations of ancient books in their own canon. These canons were all compiled long after Jesus and the apostles were gone (approximately 200 A.D)—the Bible didn’t exist during the time the Bible events were happening and so no one with authority from Christ selected the books, although Mormons believe God did help to guide those making these choices.

Over the centuries, the original texts of the Bible were copied again and again by scribes, since no printing press existed. As they were copied, mistakes were made, as is natural. But sometimes changes came about intentionally as things were added or dropped to suit political or religious desires. For this reason, scholars today debate many of the books and passages in the Bible as being later additions. We do not have the original copy of even one book of Bible scripture and must rely entirely on copies of copies. Despite these errors, man-made decisions, and complications, Mormons revere the Bible as the word of God. They teach that as it was first written, it was perfect. Any mistakes and changes are the mistakes of mortals.

How We Got the Book of Mormon

The Book of Mormon came about a little differently. The first writer was a man named Lehi, who was a prophet. His son Nephi then added his own words, including copying over many of his father’s writings. Lehi’s records were lost, but we still have the ones Nephi copied. When Nephi died, the records were passed on to another person. This continued throughout the entire span of time the Book of Mormon was being written. Each new writer received the complete record that had come before.

When the records reached Mormon, for whom the book is named, God commanded him to go through the records and pull out just the most important parts to make a more manageable record. He died before this was completed, so his son Moroni finished the task, recording it on golden plates so they would last longer. Of course, this took a great deal of time and material, so he wrote them in what he referred to as reformed Egyptian, which was apparently more compact, but which was not his native language.

Both books, then, were written by mortals, and mortals are imperfect. In the Book of Mormon, Mormon himself noted:

And if there be faults they be the faults of a man. But behold, we know no fault; nevertheless God knoweth all things; therefore, he that condemneth, let him be aware lest he shall be in danger of hell fire (Mormon 8:17).

Is the Book of Mormon Perfect?

In other words, Mormon also agreed that man is imperfect. However, these imperfections in either the Bible or the Book of Mormon do not take away from the sacredness of the scriptures themselves and should not be used to judge the original intent of the books.

A recent in-depth study of the changes made to the Book of Mormon found that there were many changes, but none altered doctrine. They were largely errors in punctuation and spelling. Some were the result of the scribe mis-hearing what Joseph said. He did not do the writing himself. He translated orally and scribes wrote his words. Many of these mistakes were found by Joseph himself and corrected. Some were, however, inserted by printers. The few doctrinal types of errors, when corrected, restored the teachings the church offers today, rather than altering them. Joseph taught the doctrines correctly, even when very small word changes would seem to have altered them.

See Critical Text Project Evaluates Changes in the Book of Mormon.

Saying that it is the most correct book, then, is not saying is it a perfect book. It is not saying there are not man-made errors, inevitable in both the Bible and the Book of Mormon. What does it mean, then?

It means that the purpose of the Book has been fulfilled more completely than it has in any other book. Translation problems are minimal, since there is only one translation per language. The initial translation was carried about by a prophet and today’s translations into other languages are carefully monitored to be certain political or manipulative changes are not introduced.

The Book of Mormon was translated by a prophet. While there may be some limitations due to the imperfectness of our language, God guided the translation to make certain no important doctrine was changed in any way. The book was written and abridged by prophets. It outlines many essential saving doctrines more completely and more clearly than the Bible, with verses tending to be longer and sermons more completely recorded.

The purpose of the Book of Mormon was to bring people to Jesus Christ and its perfectness must be measured against its ability to do just that. It is the purpose that matters, not minor spelling or punctuation errors. (The original dictation did not even contain punctuation.) The book contains more references to Christ and his gospel than does even the Bible. It is estimated that this is mentioned on average in every 1.7 verses.

In 1984, Monte Nyman, who was an associate dean of religious education at Brigham Young University addressed this bold statement concerning the correctness of the Book of Mormon. He wrote:

“The most important principle, of course, is acceptance of Jesus Christ as the literal Son of God and the Savior of the world. To this principle, the Book of Mormon bears a second witness in dozens of instances. Its primary objective is to convince Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God. This correct second witness has become more and more valuable as the world has increasingly entertained various alternate opinions of Jesus. The Book of Mormon proclaims him to be more than a great teacher, or a great philosopher, or a great moral and ethical proclaimer. These opinions have replaced Isaiah’s prophetic designation of the Christ as “Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” (Isa. 9:6.) In making a substitution, splintered Christianity has assimilated fragments of philosophies and rituals that took the place of original Christian unity and the plan of salvation. For those with eyes to see and ears to hear, the Book of Mormon corrects the false doctrine and affirms the true….Man’s recognition of these teachings and his step-by-step growth and development are highlighted by the third part of the Prophet’s statement that “a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book.” (See Monte Nyman, The Most Correct Book, Ensign, June 1984)

Christ is part of the true name for the religion of Mormons.

Although Mormons tend to be referred to by the term “Mormon,” Mormon is actually only a nickname originally applied by people who disliked the early Mormons (in the same way the term Christian was initially used only by outsiders). The actual name of the Church is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This is important because it tells people several important things about the church.

In the Book of Mormon, a companion volume to the Bible, Jesus informs some of His followers that if you name your church after a person, it becomes that person’s church. This is similar to the way people will name their business after themselves. They were instructed to name their church after Jesus in order for it to be the Lord’s church. Today’s Mormons also honor that very logical request.

The term Latter-day Saints differentiates today’s Mormons (living in the last days) from the ancient Christians in terms of time. The Bible uses the term “saints” to refer to followers of Christ.

Jesus Christ personally launched the restoration that became the church of the Mormons

Fourteen-year-old Joseph Smith was puzzled by the many churches in his community, all of whom assured him they had the truth. He didn’t understand how anyone could identify which one was actually true, so he began reading the Bible cover to cover, looking for answers. When he reached the book of James, he found what he was looking for.

If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him (James 1:5).

He understood the brilliance of James’ advice. God knew which church was true. Since he lived in a very full house and he wanted to pray aloud for something so important, he went to the woods near his home to ask his critical question. He received a completely unexpected answer—both God and Jesus Christ appeared to him. God introduced Jesus and told Joseph to listen to Him. Jesus told Him not to join any of the churches because none were entirely correct. In time, when Joseph was grown, he would be guided through the process of becoming the first prophet of the restoration. In the Bible, we often see prophets receiving their first revelations at a very young age—Samuel was only ten.

Each Sunday, Mormons take the Sacrament (communion) to remember the atonement.

Mormons believe that Jesus took on Himself our sins and that this atonement makes it possible for us to be saved. He did for us what we could never have done for ourselves.

“The Atonement of Jesus Christ was an indispensable part of our Heavenly Father’s plan for His Son’s earthly mission and for our salvation. How grateful we should be that our Heavenly Father did not intercede but rather withheld His fatherly instinct to rescue His Beloved Son. Because of His eternal love for you and for me, He allowed Jesus to complete His foreordained mission to become our Redeemer. The gift of resurrection and immortality is given freely through the loving grace of Jesus Christ to all people of all ages, regardless of their good or evil acts. And to those who choose to love the Lord and who show their love and faith in Him by keeping His commandments and qualifying for the full blessings of the Atonement, He offers the additional promise of exaltation and eternal life, which is the blessing of living in the presence of God and His Beloved Son forever.” (M. Russell Ballard, “The Atonement and the Value of One Soul,” Ensign, May 2004, 84) Note: Elder Ballard is a Mormon apostle.

Mormons believe that through the atonement of Jesus Christ, we are all saved. We are all able to be resurrected and live forever. The Bible says we must keep the commandments to live with God, however:

21 Not every one that saith‍ unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth‍ the will‍ of my Father which is in heaven (Matthew 7:21).

16 ¶And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?

17 And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.

18 He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness,

19 Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

20 The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?

21 Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.

22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.

(Matthew 19)

15 If ye love me, keep my commandments (John 14:15).

This does not mean a person can keep the commandments strictly to earn a reward. This person would receive no reward. Loving God and Jesus Christ and doing these things out of love are part of the commandments. Our obedience, when done purely out of love, are an outward manifestation of our faith. After all, just saying we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior is meaningless if we then ignore everything He taught us. Mere words are meaningless without action. God gave us commandments for a reason and we are expected to obey them. There are rewards and consequences for our choices in this matter.

The Book of Mormon testifies of Jesus Christ.

In recent years, the Mormons added a subtitle to the Book of Mormon to help people understand what it is about. The new subtitle tells readers it is another witness of Jesus Christ. The Book of Mormon contains more references to Jesus Christ and His ministry than does the entire Bible, despite being a much smaller book. The highlight of the book is when Jesus Christ appeared to the people of this book and spent time preaching to them after His death and resurrection. His visit proves He was divine since He appeared after His death and also proves the Bible, since the people knew of Christ before His birth. People who read only the Bible can doubt the Savior’s divinity—and many do—but when coupled with the testimony of the Book of Mormon, there can be no room for doubt.

Christ is at the center of Mormonism

Every day, Mormons lead a Christ-centered life. They pray to God in Jesus’ name, they strive to follow His example as they lead their lives, and they spend extensive time studying about Him in the Bible and the Book of Mormon. They spend more time in service than any other segment of American population. They consider themselves Christians who are totally focused on keeping the covenant they made when they were baptized and took His name on themselves.

Thomas S. Monson, Mormon prophet on Jesus Christ:

All Will Live Again

“We laugh, we cry, we work, we play, we love, we live. And then we die. …

“And dead we would remain but for one Man and His mission, even Jesus of Nazareth. …

“With all my heart and the fervency of my soul, I lift up my voice in testimony as a special witness and declare that God does live. Jesus is His Son, the Only Begotten of the Father in the flesh. He is our Redeemer; He is our Mediator with the Father. He it was who died on the cross to atone for our sins. He became the firstfruits of the Resurrection. Because He died, all shall live again.”⁵

A Personal Witness

“I declare my personal witness that death has been conquered, victory over the tomb has been won. May the words made sacred by Him who fulfilled them become actual knowledge to all. Remember them. Cherish them. Honor them. He is risen.” (He Is Risen”: A Prophet’s Testimony By President Thomas S. Monson)

Jesus Christ will return to Earth.

“Four matters are indisputable to Latter-day Saints: (1) The Savior will return to the earth in power and great glory to reign personally during a millennium of righteousness and peace. (2) At the time of His coming there will be a destruction of the wicked and a resurrection of the righteous. (3) No one knows the time of His coming, but (4) the faithful are taught to study the signs of it and to be prepared for it. (See Dallin H. Oaks, “Preparation for the Second Coming,” Liahona, May 2004, 7–10)

Let’s look first at the first and second principles Elder Oaks mentioned. Mormons believe in the Second Coming. We can over cover what will happen briefly in this article. For a more detailed explanation, read the chapter on this subject in a book called Gospel Principles, chapter 44.

Mormon beliefs outline four things that will happen when Jesus returns:

1.     The earth will be cleansed. The wicked will be destroyed, wicked things will be burned, and the earth itself will be cleansed.

2.     The people will be judged. Matthew 25 in the New Testament outlines what will happen at this stage of the Second Coming, as the righteous are separated from those who did not make wise choices or care for those in need.

3.     The Millennium will be ushered in. This is a one thousand year period when Jesus will reign on earth over people who lived good lives. Not all will be members of God’s church—they will simply be those who have lived moral lives. Missionary work will continue. During this time, Satan will have no power.

4.     The first resurrection will be completed.

5.     Jesus Christ will take his place as the King of Heaven and Earth. The church will become part of his government. He will rule here for one thousand years.

Elder Oaks reminds us we don’t know when that day will be. Matthew 25:13 says: Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh. Mark 13 says:

32 But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.

33 Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.

34 For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch.

35 Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning:

36 Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping.

37 And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.

Mormons are watchful, but they believe that they should always be prepared when the time comes, so knowing the exact date is not particularly important to them. They live each day to its fullest. Willford Woodruff, a former Mormon prophet, said that he lived as if it could be tomorrow, but he was still planting cherry trees.

Mormons believe that those who are prepared have no need to fear the Second Coming. They also don’t need to do anything special to prepare because they should be living the principles of the gospel every day of their lives, not just when they think it is time. Mormons believe they should live those principles out of love for the Savior, not out of fear. So, they keep the commandments and work every day on increasing their love for Jesus Christ. When the Second Coming happens, they will be ready without any special need to wait, worry, or change their lives.

However, they are taught the signs of the Second Coming and are taught to be watchful. This does not mean quitting jobs or selling what they own. It simply means they should be alert to the things happening around them—watching, but continuing to plant cherry trees. In other words, they prepare for the long-term future even as they see the signs occurring.

Following are some of the signs of the Second Coming: See Gospel Principles, Lesson 43, for details on these signs.

1.     Wickedness, war, and turmoil: While these have been a part of nearly every time period, Daniel says it will be worse than anything the world has ever experienced.

2.     Restoration of the Gospel: Some signs of the Second Coming are happy ones. Revelations, chapter 14, tells of an angel restoring the gospel.

6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,

7  Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.

3.      The gospel will be preached to all the world. This was prophesied in Matthew 24:14.

4.      Elijah will come. This promise comes from Malachi 4:5-6. He said that in the last days Elijah would come to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the children to the fathers. This is a reference to work done in Mormon temples and helps to explain the world-wide interest in genealogy that has arisen in recent times.

There are many other signs of the last days, and they can be fascinating to study and to watch for. They are God’s way of calling people to repentance. However, Mormons focus more on daily preparation than on watching signs.

Jesus told a parable of ten virgins invited to a wedding. When the bridegroom didn’t come as soon as expected, some people were not prepared to wait a little longer. Half of them had to rush out for more oil and ended up missing the wedding. Once the wedding began, they were not allowed in. It was too late.

Preparation is always the key to proper Christian living. Mormons are taught to repent of their sins, build strong families, study the gospel, pray regularly, read the Bible and Book of Mormon, and to generally live good lives. They are taught not to delay doing these things. They are advised to put together a temporal supply of food and supplies for the difficulties of the times ahead—a teaching proven wise by catastrophic events in Japan and other places. Spiritual preparation, however, is even more important.

What if the day of His coming were tomorrow? If we knew that we would meet the Lord tomorrow—through our premature death or through His unexpected coming—what would we do today? What confessions would we make? What practices would we discontinue? What accounts would we settle? What forgivenesses would we extend? What testimonies would we bear?

If we would do those things then, why not now? Why not seek peace while peace can be obtained? If our lamps of preparation are drawn down, let us start immediately to replenish them. (See Dallin H. Oaks, “Preparation for the Second Coming,” Liahona, May 2004, 7–10)

29 Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God. 30 For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as .

In these verses, Jesus explains that angels-not the exalted beings, but the unworthy beings-will not be allowed to have eternal families because they will not be exalted. The Bible also mentions some who were angels without having been mortal previously. No angels have wings. Clearly, those who lived on earth aren’t going to sprout wings, since they are, as we are, in the image of their Father in Heaven. Wings are merely an earthly attempt to explain how angels are able to move around in the sky, but have no bearing in fact. With God’s power behind them, wings are unnecessary. Those who minister to those on earth are of particular interest to us today. We find them in nearly every important event in our spiritual history. One important example of the work angels do is shown in the birth of the Savior, Jesus Christ. It was an angel, Gabriel, who came to Elisabeth to tell her she would have a son named John, and then to Mary to tell her that she would be the mother of Jesus. An angel-possibly also Gabriel-came to Joseph to reassure him that Mary’s child really was the promised Savior. Angels also came to earth to announce the birth of the Savior:

8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. 10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. 12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. 15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.

Angels remained a presence from time to time during the life of the Savior, for instance, ministering to Him as He suffered the extraordinary pain of taking on our sins in the Garden of Gethsemane. In modern times, angels were the messengers who brought the restored gospel back to the earth. In the Book of Mormon, we read of Moroni, a prophet who was the last remaining righteous person in his personal world. He was a Nephite, as his people were known, and when his prophet father Mormon and the others of his people were killed, he inherited the records of his civilization. These records were sacred and would play a critical role in the restoration. They included details of the visit of Jesus Christ to the Americas after his crucifixion. Moroni abridged the records and buried them for safekeeping. After his death, he became an angel. When it was time to restore the Savior’s full gospel to the earth, it was Moroni, fittingly, who came to earth as an angel to tutor Joseph Smith. When he felt Joseph was sufficiently matured and educated, he allowed Joseph to take the records from the hill where they’d been kept for safekeeping all these years. Later, as Joseph and his friend Oliver Cowdery were working on the translation of these records, which would become known as the Book of Mormon, they read about baptism. They had questions about this ordinance and went to the banks of the Susquehanna River to pray. At this time, John the Baptist came to earth as an angel. He had baptized Jesus, and still held the keys (the authority) of the Aaronic Priesthood, which is mentioned in the Old Testament. This priesthood is required in order to perform a baptism. He bestowed those keys on Joseph and Oliver, who were then able to baptize each other. There is an additional, higher priesthood called the Melchizedek Priesthood, which also needed to be restored in order for the church to function as it did in the days of the Savior’s ministry. These keys had also been taken from the earth after the death of the apostles, and again, angels came to deliver them to Joseph. The keys are not literal, physical keys, but are the authority to act for God. Peter, James, and John, who had been Jesus’ apostles during his mortal ministries, had received the keys to the Melchizedek priesthood from Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration. They continued to hold them, since the world had been in apostasy, and so they came to bestow them on Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery. With all the keys now restored, the church itself could be restored. The work of angels is critical to God’s plan. They are frequently present when the most important events occur and are an important part of our lives on earth.