The Importance of Reading the Book of Mormon
Friend January 2020 “The Precious Book of Mormon” President Nelson compares the Book of Mormon to treasure and encourages us to read it. He promises that changes and miracles will occur in our lives if we do.
Friend May 2017 “Book of Mormon Power” President Monson implores us to read the Book of Mormon and lists the benefits of doing so. Also includes a bookmark.
Friend January 2020 “A Special Book” Pablo knows the Book of Mormon is special. It teaches him about Jesus. It helps him feel Heavenly Father’s love. It is more important than any treasure. He reads from it every day. Pablo loves the Book of Mormon!
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Friend April 2015 “The Book of Mormon Challenge” Blake had just finished reading the Book of Mormon when the stake president challenged everyone to read it again because of the many benefits it brings into the people’s lives.
Come Follow Me Kid Show the “Worth More Than its Weight in Gold” poster. Talk about why the Book of Mormon is more valuable than gold to us. Eat a treat wrapped in gold (Hershey’s
nuggets, gold coins, etc.).
Friend July 2024 “Older Kids’ Section”
It Helps Us Stay on Path to Eternal Life
Explain that because of Heavenly Father’s great love for us, he has given us a gift to help us achieve eternal life (the kind of life Heavenly Father has).
Friend February 2012 “The Book of Mormon: Our True Guide” President Henry B. Eyring teaches how the Book of Mormon is our guide to return home. The article includes a simple maze activity.
Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Book of Mormon 2020 “2 Nephi 26-30” Explain that because of Heavenly Father’s great love for us, he has given us a gift to help us achieve eternal life (the kind of life Heavenly Father has).Show the children a Book of Mormon wrapped as a gift, and tell them that something valuable is inside. Let them hold the gift, and give clues to help them guess what it is; for example, it’s something the Lord has given us, it helps us believe in Jesus Christ, and so on. Read from 2 Nephi 30:6: “It is a blessing unto them from the hand of God.” Let the children open the gift, and then explain that we must open the Book of Mormon and read it to receive the blessings it contains.
Come, Follow Me—For Home and Church: Book of Mormon 2024 “2 Nephi 26-30” Tell your children why the Book of Mormon is of great worth to you, and let them share their feelings too.
Friend May 2024 “Older Kids Section”
Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Book of Mormon 2020 “2 Nephi 26-30” Read 2 Nephi 28:2 to the children. Explain that Nephi saw that the Book of Mormon would “be of great worth” to us, which means that it will help and bless us. Tell the children why the Book of Mormon is of great worth to you. Share your favorite verse or story from the Book of Mormon, and invite the children to share theirs. Show pictures from the Gospel Art Book to give them ideas.
It Helps Us with Life’s Difficulties
Friend March 2020 “Eddy and the Book of Mormon” Some kids laugh at Eddy when he reads at school because he has a hard time with some words. It makes him nervous and not want to read out loud. But as his family read the Book of Mormon each day (first they figured out a way to remember to read each day), Eddy learns about Nephi and how his brothers made fun of him for building a boat. That didn’t stop Nephi. He trusted God, and God helped him do hard things. Next time some kids laughed at him while Eddy read in class, he thought of Nephi, and that helped him not to worry about what the kids would say.
Friend January 2024 “Forgiving Like Nephi” Josh called Aisea a mean name after Aisea’s team won the game. The rest of the day, Aisea felt like a heavy weight was pulling him down. He did not like Josh anymore. During family scripture study that night he read about a time when Nephi’s brothers were unkind to him. “And it came to pass that I did frankly forgive them,” the scripture said.” Aisea thought about Josh. He didn’t want to hold onto his bad feelings for Josh forever. Aisea wanted to be like Nephi. He could forgive Josh, just like Nephi forgave his brothers. And if Josh said something mean again, he would just ask him not to. He felt warm and peaceful inside, and the heavy weight from before was gone.
It Helps Us Avoid Satan’s Temptations
The Book of Mormon is a Blessing: 2 Nephi 26-30
The Book of Mormon Exposes Satan’s Lies
Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families: Book of Mormon 2020 “2 Nephi 26-30” “I prophesy unto you concerning the last days,” Nephi wrote (2 Nephi 26:14). In other words, he was writing about our day. And there’s reason to be concerned about what he saw: people denying the power and miracles of God, rampant envy and strife, the devil binding people with strong cords. [But he also spoke of] a book that speaks from the dust, that exposes Satan’s lies, and that gathers the righteous like a standard. That book is the Book of Mormon.
Satan Seeks to Deceive
Things Satan wants people to believe:
- You don’t need to strive to improve yourself because you are already good enough. (Verse 21)
- God will justify a little sin. He may punish you a little, but he will still allow you to be saved in His Kingdom. (Verse 8)
- There is no hell or devil. (Verse 22)
- God has already given all His words. You don’t need more. (Verse 29)
- Beware of those who say miracles still occur. Miracles don’t need to happen anymore. (Verse 6)
What could the personal consequences be for believing each of the above lies? (You could wrap some thread around someone’s wrists to represent “a flaxen cord” as the family members mention possible consequences. Then read the following: [Satan] leadeth them by the neck with a flaxen cord, until he bindeth them with his strong cords forever. 2 Nephi 26:22)
Object lesson: Ask for a volunteer. Have the volunteer put their hands together. Wrap one layer of the masking tape around their fingers and thumbs. Ask them if they can break free. Explain that when we first make a mistake or sin we are easily able to break free of its grasp and repent. But Satan knows that if he continue to gets us to sin, little by little, eventually the sin will become accepted and then we become bound in captivity to the sin because it becomes a habit or an addiction. (Wrap the tape around the child’s hands several times, layering one area around the fingers and thumbs.) Ask the child to try and break free from the bindings. They shouldn’t be able to. Satan wants us to be miserable like he is, and he knows that sin binds us in captivity and destroys lives.
It Helps Us Gain a Testimony
Friend June 2020 “Testimony and the Book of Mormon” President Eyring tells how reading the Book of Mormon helps strengthen his testimony.
Friend September 2015 “A New Feeling” – Child feels Holy Ghost while reading about Jesus in the scriptures
Friend February 2019 “Ingrid’s Birthday Surprise” Ingrid gets a special present for her seventh birthday from her mom—a Book of Mormon. It was a special gift to help her prepare for her baptism. Ingrid read the entire Book of Mormon that year and prayed for and received a testimony of its truthfulness.
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Friend January 2017 “The Book on the Shelf” When Walter reads the Book of Mormon he knows it’s words are true, and he learns that it contains answers to problems in life.
Friend June 2016 “Jason’s Study Buddy” Jason reads the entire Book of Mormon before his baptism. His testimony grows.
Moroni’s Promise
Friend December 2016 “Moroni’s Special Promise” Video can be found here.
Book of Mormon Stories “Chapter 54: The Promise of the Book of Mormon” Images and Video
Show the Book of Mormon, and read Moroni 10:4. Emphasize that we can ask God if the Book of Mormon is true, and He will send the Holy Ghost to testify to us. Help the children understand what a witness from the Spirit feels like. Tell about a time when the Holy Ghost bore witness to you about something. Describe how you felt and how you knew it was the Holy Ghost.
Friend April 2016 A family reads the Book of Mormon and then prays to get a testimony of its truth
Friend December 2020 “How I Know” Before bed, Damon’s father reads to the boys about Moroni’s promise and then he tells the boys how he prayed and gained his testimony of the Book of Mormon. Damon prays to know if the Book of Mormon is true and he feels warm and good inside.
Write on the board the words Read, Remember, Ponder, and Ask. Invite the children to find these words in Moroni 10:3–4. Sing a song about finding truth, such as “Search, Ponder, and Pray” (Children’s Songbook, 109). Ask the children to look for similarities between these verses and the song “Search, Ponder, and Pray” (Children’s Songbook, 109).
Friend December 2020 “Family Night Fun”
Latter Day Kids “Personal Revelation- Come Follow Me” This link has lesson ideas, videos, and discussion ideas about Moroni’s promise
Primary Manual 4: Book of Mormon “Lesson 44: Moroni and the Book of Mormon Promise” This lesson includes questions and lesson ideas about Moroni and his promise.
See more stories of gaining a testimony of the Book of Mormon here.
Reading the Book of Mormon
Primary 4 Book of Mormon Lesson 16 Show the children an umbrella (or pretend to have an umbrella) and a Book of Mormon. Ask how the two items might be similar. Help the children understand that an umbrella will not protect us from rain unless we open it and stand under it. Similarly, the Book of Mormon cannot increase our faith in Jesus Christ and help shield us from Satan’s temptations until we open it, prayerfully study it, and live its teachings.
Friend September 2024 “A Chat with Teancum about the Scriptures” Teancum tells about what he is learning from the Book of Mormon and how it helps him.
Liken the Scriptures
Friend October 2024 “Liken the Scriptures” I Can Play It!
I may not be asked to build a great big ship, Or sail my family ’cross the ocean blue, But if I had the faith and courage Nephi did, Imagine all the great things I could go and do!
Chorus: The Lord has a special message for me In every scripture story I read, And I can become who I’m striving to be When I liken the scriptures to me.
I won’t raise a tent to hear the prophet speak, But I can listen when he speaks today. And I don’t have a sword to bury ten feet deep, But I can cast my selfish words and deeds away. Chorus
Bridge: Like Enos I will fervently pray. Like the stripling warriors, I will obey. Like Abish I will share what I know, And like Ammon I’ll go where I’m called to go. Chorus
Read the Book of Mormon Daily
Goals to Read the Book of Mormon
Friend February 2022 “Goals for Baptism” After hearing about the Children and Youth program, Zoe set a goal to read the Book of Mormon before her baptism. As she read, she wanted to do more good things, so she joined the world wide fast about Covid, and she prayed and fasted for a testimony.
Friend January 2021 “Our Book of Mormon Goal” At Christmas, Mattea’s family all wrote down things that we were going to give Christ for the next year. Mattea’s grandma said she was going to read the Book of Mormon in four months. She had not gone to church since she was nine. All of Mattea’s aunts, uncles, and most of her cousins decided to read the Book of Mormon with her.
Friend January 2020 “Show and Tell: The Book of Mormon Edition” Real life experiences of children and families that set goals to read the Book of Mormon.
Friend January 2024 “Sami’s Scriptures” Sami’s family set the goal to read the Book of Mormon every day. Sami wondered how he would help because he didn’t know how to read. At first he followed along in a picture book, and during his turn he told the others what he saw in the pictures. Soon he was learning how to sound out words and he read the last word of every verse his family read. By the time they finished the Book of Mormon, two years from when they started, Sami had learned to read pretty well.
Liahona February 2024 “My Bishop’s Book of Mormon Challenge” When Travis was 11 years old, his bishop invited his class to read the entire Book of Mormon five times before serving their missions. That invitation started a habit of daily scripture reading and a love, knowledge, and testimony of the Book of Mormon. Each time he read it he understood it more and he came to know his Savior. He also learned that no matter the child’s ages, they can feel the Holy Spirit as they read or hear the Book of Mormon, even if they don’t understand its words.
Friend January 2024 “I Can Read the Scriptures”
Reading Charts
After you read, color part of the picture. You can read these scriptures that go along with each week’s reading from Come, Follow Me.
Book of Mormon Scripture Stickers
Come Follow Me: Book of Mormon
Friend January 2020 “What’s on Your Mind? Someone asks a question about how to do Come Follow Me at home when their family doesn’t do it? The Friend explains that they can do it themselves. They include a Book Mark to inspire them.
Friend January 2020 “I Can Read the Book of Mormon” You can use this coloring chart to follow along with the Come, Follow Me lessons. Read the verses on the reading chart each week. Then color in the matching spaces.
Ideas for Reading and Understanding the Book of Mormon
Friend March 2023 “My Book of Mormon Goal” Vebika set a goal to read the Book of Mormon before her baptism, but she struggled with reading and understanding the words in it. She decided to use the Gospel Library app on her mom’s phone to listen to the Book of Mormon. They slowed the voices down so she could read and follow along more easily. She also stopped along the way and watched the videos linked in the app. Every time she read, she marked it down on a chart. She also talked to her mom about what she was reading.
Friend January 2020 “8 Ideas for Reading the Book of Mormon”
Friend January 2024 “I Can Read the Scriptures”
Read with Friends and Family
Friend January 2020 “Gracie’s Goal” Gracie got a set of scriptures from her grandparents at her baptism. She set a goal to read the Book of Mormon by her next birthday, but she is struggling with the goal because some of the words and chapters are hard to understand. She told her grandma that she was having a problem keeping up with her goal. Her grandma suggested that they read the Book of Mormon together every night on the phone. Gracie was able to accomplish her goal and understand the Book of Mormon better with her grandma’s help.
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Friend June 2017 “Book of Mormon Club” Sydney starts a Book of Mormon club where she and her friends discuss what they have learned.
Friend January 2018 “Book of Mormon Reading Club” Includes children’s thoughts about reading the Book of Moron. February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December,
Read the Scripture Readers
Friend January 2020 “Batbayar and the Book with Pictures” Reading was hard for Batbayar, so he struggled with reading the Book of Mormon. The missionaries brought him Book of Mormon Stories instead. Every night he prayed after reading. His heart felt good when he read, and when he prayed he felt like the stories were true, so he asked to be baptized.[unitegallery Jan2020]
I can be a witness that the Book of Mormon is true.
Doctrine and Covenants 5:1–7, 11, 16, 23–24
Martin Harris was promised that he could be one of the witnesses of the gold plates if he was faithful [and humbled himself]. We won’t see the plates like Martin did, but we can receive a spiritual witness of the Book of Mormon.
- Write questions like the following on the board, and help the children find answers in Doctrine and Covenants 5:1–3, 7, 11: What did Martin Harris desire to know? Who could Joseph Smith show the gold plates to? Why would seeing the plates likely not be enough to convince someone that the Book of Mormon is true?
- Ask the children what a witness is and why a witness is important.
- What did Martin Harris need to do to be a witness of the gold plates? (see Doctrine and Covenants 5:23–24).
- Even though we haven’t seen the plates, what can we do to be witnesses of the Book of Mormon? (see Doctrine and Covenants 5:16; Moroni 10:3–5).
God will reveal truth to me by the power of the Holy Ghost.
Come, Follow Me—For Home and Church: Book of Mormon 2024 “1 Nephi 6-10” How could you help your children understand what Nephi taught in 1 Nephi 10:19? Perhaps you could fold a picture of the Savior or another special object inside a blanket and invite your children to unfold it. As you read 1 Nephi 10:19, they could raise their hands when they hear the words “unfolded” and “Holy Ghost.” Then you could share an experience when the Holy Ghost helped you discover truth.
“Fiction or Nonfiction?” (January 2012 Friend) When Jennifer learned the difference between fiction and nonfiction she wondered about the Book of Mormon. She spent a lot of time reading it but didn’t know how she would ever know it was true. During Sacrament she said a prayer. Then she remembered the warm, happy feelings she had when she was baptized. She realized she felt the same way when she thought of the Prophet Joseph Smithy and when she read the Book of Mormon. She knew that Heavenly Father was telling her through the Holy Ghost that the Book of Mormon was true.
Friend January 1988 “Juliano’s Testimony” Juliano seeks to gain a testimony for himself. He reads the Book of Mormon and then prays to know if it is true. He didn’t know how the Holy Ghost would visit him because he was just a boy. Then he remembered a story the missionaries told him about a boy his age learning that he was to be the future keeper of the gold plates. He looked up the story in the scriptures and found out that it was Mormon. He felt a peaceful feeling spread through him and he knew that the Book of Mormon was true.
Friend January 2024 “My Own Testimony” Chloe gained a testimony of the Book of Mormon when she felt the Holy Ghost witness it was true while reading the Book of Mormon.
Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Book of Mormon 2020 Invite the children to talk about ways they can find answers to a question. Encourage the children to read 1 Nephi 10:17–19 and 11:1. What would Nephi say if someone asked him how to find answers to a question about the gospel? How does God teach us through the Holy Ghost? (see Doctrine and Covenants 8:2).
Friend May 2018 “How You Can Know What’s True” What do you do when you feel an urgent need to know or understand something?
Come, Follow Me—For Home and Church: Book of Mormon 2024 “1 Nephi 6-10” Have your children ever felt that the Holy Ghost helped them know that something was true? Let them share their experience. What would we say to a friend who thinks that they can’t receive answers through the Holy Ghost? What do we find in 1 Nephi 10:17–19 and 11:1 that could help that friend? What could they share from 1 Nephi 10:17–19 and 11:1 to help that friend?
- Friend March 2020 “How Does Heavenly Father Speak to Us?”
Sing a song with the children about seeking truth, such as “Search, Ponder, and Pray” (Children’s Songbook, 109). Show pictures that illustrate words in the song to help the children remember how the Holy Ghost teaches us.
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