I love to read the holy scriptures,I love to read the holy scriptures,And, ev’ry time I do,And, ev’ry time I do,I feel the Spirit start to grow within my heart—I feel the Spirit start to grow within my heart—A testimony that they’re true.A testimony that they’re true.

So, prayerfully I’ll read the scripturesSo, prayerfully I’ll read the scripturesEach day my whole life through.Each day my whole life through.I’ll come to understand.I’ll come to understand.I’ll heed the Lord’s commandI’ll heed the Lord’s commandAnd live as he would have me do.And live as he would have me do.

Search, ponder, and praySearch, ponder, and prayAre the things that I must do.Are the things that I must do.The Spirit will guide, and, deep inside,The Spirit will guide, and, deep inside,I’ll know the scriptures are true.I’ll know the scriptures are true.

Words:Words: Jaclyn Thomas Milne, b. 1949. © 1986 IRI Jaclyn Thomas Milne, b. 1949. © 1986 IRI Music:Music: Carol Baker Black, b. 1951. © 1986 IRI Carol Baker Black, b. 1951. © 1986 IRI Enr. Act. 6

*Why do Why do we give we give

gifts? gifts?

*How do you feel when How do you feel when someone enjoys a gift someone enjoys a gift you have given? you have given?

*Heavenly Heavenly Father Father has a has a great love great love for us. for us.

*He has given us a gift He has given us a gift to help us achieve to help us achieve eternal life. eternal life.

*This gift This gift has an has an important important message message for each for each of us. of us.

*It teaches us about our It teaches us about our Savior, Jesus Christ, and Savior, Jesus Christ, and how to live so we can how to live so we can return to Heavenly return to Heavenly Father. Father.

*Ezra Taft Benson, the Ezra Taft Benson, the thirteenth President of the thirteenth President of the Church, said: Church, said: *““This is a gift of greater value This is a gift of greater value to mankind than even the to mankind than even the many wonderful advances we many wonderful advances we have seen in modern have seen in modern medicine. It is of greater medicine. It is of greater worth to mankind than the worth to mankind than the development of flight or space development of flight or space travel” travel” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1986, p. 3; or (in Conference Report, Oct. 1986, p. 3; or Ensign,Ensign, Nov. 1986, p. 4). Nov. 1986, p. 4).

*What do What do you think you think this gift this gift is? is?

*The Book of Mormon has The Book of Mormon has blessed my life and blessed my life and inspires me to become inspires me to become more like the Savior. more like the Savior.

““Lesson 1: The Book of Mormon, a Gift from a Loving Heavenly Lesson 1: The Book of Mormon, a Gift from a Loving Heavenly Father,” Father,” Primary 4: Book of Mormon, Primary 4: Book of Mormon, (1997),1(1997),1

*Joseph Smith Joseph Smith and his family and his family believed in believed in God. They God. They read the Bible read the Bible together. together.

*Joseph’s parents taught Joseph’s parents taught their children to be good.their children to be good.

*There were many churches There were many churches where Joseph lived. All the where Joseph lived. All the people disagreed on which people disagreed on which church was right. church was right.

*Joseph didn’t Joseph didn’t know which know which church to join. church to join. He wanted to He wanted to know which was know which was the true Church the true Church of Jesus Christ.of Jesus Christ.

*One day when Joseph was 14 One day when Joseph was 14 years old, he read in the Bible years old, he read in the Bible that we should ask God when that we should ask God when we want to know something. we want to know something.

*Joseph Joseph decided to decided to pray and ask pray and ask God which God which church to join.church to join.

*On a beautiful spring day, Joseph On a beautiful spring day, Joseph went to the woods near his went to the woods near his home. home.

*He knelt down and prayed out He knelt down and prayed out loud. He had faith that Heavenly loud. He had faith that Heavenly Father would answer his prayer.Father would answer his prayer.

*Satan did not want Satan did not want Joseph to pray. He Joseph to pray. He tried to stop Joseph tried to stop Joseph and made it dark and made it dark all around him. all around him.

*Joseph was Joseph was afraid and afraid and could not talk.could not talk.

*But Joseph did But Joseph did not stop not stop praying. Satan praying. Satan could not make could not make him stop.him stop.

*Then Joseph had a vision. Then Joseph had a vision. He saw a beautiful, bright He saw a beautiful, bright light all around him.light all around him.

*He saw He saw Heavenly Heavenly Father and Father and Jesus Christ Jesus Christ standing standing above him in above him in the air. the air.

*Heavenly Heavenly Father Father pointed to pointed to Jesus and Jesus and said, “This is said, “This is My Beloved My Beloved Son. Hear Son. Hear Him!”Him!”

*Joseph asked Jesus which Joseph asked Jesus which church he should join. Jesus church he should join. Jesus told Joseph not to join any of told Joseph not to join any of the churches because they the churches because they were all wrong.were all wrong.

*None of None of them was His them was His Church. He Church. He told Joseph told Joseph many other many other things. Then things. Then the vision the vision ended.ended.

*When Joseph When Joseph went home, his went home, his mother asked mother asked if he was all if he was all right. Joseph right. Joseph said he was. said he was.

*Then he told his mother he Then he told his mother he had seen a vision. He told had seen a vision. He told her what he learned in his her what he learned in his vision.vision.

*Joseph also Joseph also told some told some people in the people in the town about his town about his vision. The vision. The people did not people did not believe him. believe him.

*They said he was telling a They said he was telling a lie, and they became angry lie, and they became angry and were mean to him.and were mean to him.

*Joseph always told the truth Joseph always told the truth about his vision. about his vision.

*He knew he had seen Heavenly He knew he had seen Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. Father and Jesus Christ.

*He knew He knew that none of that none of the churches the churches on earth was on earth was true.true.

*Three years went by after Three years went by after Joseph’s first vision. When he Joseph’s first vision. When he was 17 years old, Joseph was 17 years old, Joseph wondered what God wanted him wondered what God wanted him to do. to do.

*One night One night Joseph prayed Joseph prayed about this. He about this. He had faith that had faith that God would tell God would tell him what to him what to do.do.

*Joseph saw a Joseph saw a bright light bright light in his room. in his room.

*An angel An angel was standing was standing in the light. in the light.

*The angel’s face was very The angel’s face was very bright. He wore a beautiful bright. He wore a beautiful white robe.white robe.

*The angel The angel said his said his name was name was Moroni. God Moroni. God had sent him had sent him to talk to to talk to Joseph. Joseph.

*Moroni said God had a Moroni said God had a work for Joseph to do.work for Joseph to do.

*The angel Moroni told Joseph The angel Moroni told Joseph about a book. The book was about a book. The book was about people who had lived in about people who had lived in the Americas long ago. the Americas long ago.

*Jesus Christ Jesus Christ had come to had come to these people these people and taught and taught them His them His gospel.gospel.

*Moroni said Moroni said the book was the book was written on written on gold pages gold pages called plates. called plates.

*It was written in a It was written in a language that is unknown language that is unknown to us today. to us today.

*God wanted Joseph to God wanted Joseph to translate the book into translate the book into English.English.

*The angel The angel Moroni said Moroni said the gold the gold plates were plates were buried in a hill buried in a hill near Joseph’s near Joseph’s home. home.

*Moroni said that two Moroni said that two stones, called the Urim and stones, called the Urim and Thummim, were hidden Thummim, were hidden with the plates. with the plates.

*The stones The stones would help would help Joseph Joseph translate the translate the book. book.

*While Moroni was talking, While Moroni was talking, Joseph saw a vision that Joseph saw a vision that showed him where the showed him where the plates were buried.plates were buried.

*Moroni also told Moroni also told Joseph about Joseph about Elijah, who was a Elijah, who was a great prophet who great prophet who lived long ago. lived long ago.

*Moroni said that Moroni said that Elijah would come Elijah would come and restore and restore special priesthood special priesthood power to the power to the earth. earth.

*This power would make it This power would make it possible for families to be possible for families to be sealed together in the temple sealed together in the temple so they could live together so they could live together forever.forever.

*The angel The angel Moroni went Moroni went away, then came away, then came back two more back two more times that night. times that night.

*He told Joseph many things He told Joseph many things each time, then left when it each time, then left when it was morning.was morning.

*Joseph got up and went to Joseph got up and went to work with his father on the work with his father on the farm.farm.

*Joseph was Joseph was too tired to too tired to work, so his work, so his father sent father sent him home. him home.

*As he started As he started home, he fell home, he fell to the ground. to the ground. *Moroni then appeared Moroni then appeared

again and repeated what he again and repeated what he had said during the night. had said during the night.

*When Moroni When Moroni left, Joseph told left, Joseph told his father the his father the things Moroni things Moroni had taught had taught him. him.

*Joseph’s father believed Joseph’s father believed him. He knew that God had him. He knew that God had sent Moroni, and he told sent Moroni, and he told Joseph to obey him.Joseph to obey him.

*Joseph went to the hill where Joseph went to the hill where the gold plates were buried. the gold plates were buried.

*He found He found the plates in the plates in a stone box a stone box that was that was underneath underneath a big rock. a big rock. *The Urim and Thummim The Urim and Thummim were also in the box. were also in the box.

*While Joseph was at the hill, While Joseph was at the hill, the angel Moroni came to him. the angel Moroni came to him.

*Moroni would not let Joseph Moroni would not let Joseph take the gold plates yet. take the gold plates yet.

*He told He told Joseph to Joseph to come to the come to the hill on the hill on the same day same day each year for each year for four years.four years.

*Joseph Joseph obeyed obeyed Moroni and Moroni and went to the went to the Hill Cumorah Hill Cumorah each year. each year. *There Moroni taught There Moroni taught Joseph about the Lord’s Joseph about the Lord’s kingdom on earth.kingdom on earth.

*Four years passed since Four years passed since Joseph had first seen the gold Joseph had first seen the gold plates. plates.

*This time Moroni let him take This time Moroni let him take them. them.

*Moroni told Moroni told Joseph to Joseph to take good take good care of the care of the plates.plates.

*What is the What is the Book of Book of Mormon? Mormon?

*Who wrote Who wrote it? it?

*See See Introduction, Introduction, paragraphs paragraphs 1–2.1–2.

*Why is it called Why is it called the Book the Book of Mormonof Mormon and not the and not the Book of MoroniBook of Moroni or the or the Book of Joseph SmithBook of Joseph Smith? ?

*See See Introduction, Introduction, paragraph 2. paragraph 2.

*What is the most important What is the most important event in the Book of Mormon? event in the Book of Mormon?

*See Introduction, paragraph 3. See Introduction, paragraph 3.

*Why is this the most important Why is this the most important event? event?

*What did Joseph Smith say What did Joseph Smith say about the Book of Mormon? about the Book of Mormon?

*See See Introduction, Introduction, paragraph 6.paragraph 6.

*How do you How do you think reading think reading and studying and studying

the Book of the Book of Mormon can Mormon can

help you? help you?

Enr. Act. 3

*I told the brethren that the I told the brethren that the Book of Mormon was the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, abiding by its precepts, than by any other book” than by any other book” (Introduction, paragraph 6).(Introduction, paragraph 6).

Joseph Joseph Smith said: Smith said:

*Many prophets Many prophets (Nephi, Mormon, (Nephi, Mormon, Moroni, Joseph Moroni, Joseph Smith) have gone Smith) have gone through great through great suffering and suffering and hardships so we can hardships so we can have the Book of have the Book of Mormon. Mormon.

*What are three things you What are three things you need to do to know that the need to do to know that the

Book of Mormon is true? Book of Mormon is true? *See Introduction, See Introduction, paragraph 8. paragraph 8.

*What else will we know What else will we know when we gain a testimony when we gain a testimony of the Book of Mormon?of the Book of Mormon?

* See Introduction, See Introduction, paragraph 9. paragraph 9.

*What was Joseph Smith What was Joseph Smith doing when the angel doing when the angel Moroni first appeared to Moroni first appeared to him? him? *Let’s read Let’s read Joseph SmithJoseph Smith

—History —History 1:29–301:29–30

*What did the angel Moroni What did the angel Moroni tell Joseph Smith? tell Joseph Smith?

*See Joseph See Joseph Smith—Smith—History History 1:34–35, 421:34–35, 42

*What happened to Joseph What happened to Joseph the next day as he was the next day as he was working with his father? working with his father?

*Let’s read Let’s read Joseph Smith—Joseph Smith—History 1:48–49History 1:48–49

*The angel Moroni called Joseph The angel Moroni called Joseph Smith by name when he visited Smith by name when he visited him. How do you feel knowing that him. How do you feel knowing that Heavenly Father knows your Heavenly Father knows your name?name?

*The angel The angel Moroni Moroni commanded commanded Joseph to tell Joseph to tell his father about his father about the vision. the vision. *Who would you tell if you Who would you tell if you

had an experience like had an experience like Joseph’s? Why? Joseph’s? Why?

*What did Joseph do after What did Joseph do after he told his father? he told his father?

*Let’s read Joseph Smith—Let’s read Joseph Smith—History 1:50–52History 1:50–52

*Why did it take Why did it take four years four years before Joseph before Joseph was able to get was able to get the gold plates? the gold plates? *Let’s read Joseph Smith—Let’s read Joseph Smith—History 1:54History 1:54

*What warning What warning did Joseph did Joseph receive after receive after he was given he was given the gold the gold plates? plates?

*Let’s read Joseph Smith—Let’s read Joseph Smith—History 1:59History 1:59

*Let’s read the title page of Let’s read the title page of the Book of Mormon. the Book of Mormon.

Enr. Act. 1

*Mark in your Mark in your Book of Book of Mormon the Mormon the purposes of purposes of the book the book stated on the stated on the title page and title page and in the in the Introduction. Introduction.

*Let’s memorize Moroni 10:4:Let’s memorize Moroni 10:4:

*And when ye shall receive And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.power of the Holy Ghost.

Enr. Act. 2

*Let’s discuss and memorize Let’s discuss and memorize the eighth article of faith: the eighth article of faith:

*WWe e bbelieve elieve tthe he BBible ible tto o bbe e tthe he wword ord oof f GGod od aas s ffar ar aas s iit t iis s ttranslated ranslated ccorrectly; orrectly; wwe e aalso lso bbelieve elieve tthe he BBook ook oof f MMormon ormon tto o bbe e tthe he wword ord oof f GGod.od.

*W B T B T B T W O G A F A I I T W B T B T B T W O G A F A I I T C W A B T B O M T B T W O GC W A B T B O M T B T W O G

Enr. Act. 4

*Let’s act Let’s act out some of out some of the events the events that led to that led to the coming the coming forth of the forth of the Book of Book of Mormon. Mormon.

Enr. Act. 5

““Heavenly Father wants Heavenly Father wants you to continue to learn you to continue to learn from the Book of Mormon from the Book of Mormon every day. It’s Heavenly every day. It’s Heavenly Father’s special gift to you. Father’s special gift to you. By following its teachings, By following its teachings, you will learn to do the will you will learn to do the will of our Father in Heaven.” of our Father in Heaven.”

-President Ezra Taft Benson -President Ezra Taft Benson

I bear my I bear my testimony testimony that Joseph that Joseph Smith was a Smith was a true true prophet prophet and that and that the Book of the Book of Mormon is Mormon is true. true.

*Images and clipart are from lds.org, Images and clipart are from lds.org, Microsoft Office, and other websites Microsoft Office, and other websites indicating the images were in the public indicating the images were in the public domain or permitted for church and home domain or permitted for church and home use. use. *The hymn, lesson and scripture story are The hymn, lesson and scripture story are from lds.org.from lds.org.*Please do not use this presentation for Please do not use this presentation for commercial use. Feel free to alter the commercial use. Feel free to alter the presentation for use in church or home to presentation for use in church or home to suit personal preference.suit personal preference.*This presentation is intended to This presentation is intended to supplement, not replace, the lesson supplement, not replace, the lesson manual and scriptures. Teachers should manual and scriptures. Teachers should refer to the manual, scriptures and other refer to the manual, scriptures and other resources when preparing and conducting resources when preparing and conducting the lesson.the lesson.