Book of Mormon 2020 - Introductory Pages

I love the Book of Mormon. As a young Seminary student, I received a strong, personal testimony of the sacred nature of the Book of Mormon. It has comforted me on many occasions, strengthened me when I needed strength, and challenged me to know my Saviour and Redeemer, Jesus Christ, on a more personal level. S. Michael Wilcox, in his Book of Mormon Gospel Study Companion, discussed a statement contained in the Title Page of the Book of Mormon, that is a major theme in the entire Book of Mormon, i.e. “…also to the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God, manifesting himself unto all nations…” He discussed this statement as the third doll in a set of Russian Petrushka nesting dolls. I will try to explain his meaning in my own words, referring to the scriptures he cited.

S. Michael Wilcox

Petrushka nesting dolls

He uses the six dolls to illustrate aspects of Heavenly Father’s creations for which He expresses concern, from the greatest to the smallest. He links these to verbs in scriptures that define the concern and how it is expressed by our Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ.

The first level, the greatest creation is “worlds without number” (Moses 1:35). However, Heavenly Father “numbereth” the worlds and knows them.

The second level in size is a single world. In the scriptures, we read the parable of the man with many servants who work in his fields. He promises each of them that they will spend an hour with their master to share the light of his countenance. “And thus they all received the light of the countenance of their lord, every man in his hour, and in his time, and in his season—Beginning at the first, and so on unto the last, and from the last unto the first, and from the first unto the last” (D&C 88: 54-55). The Lord visits each of His worlds, many times.

The third level is represented in the Title Page of the Book of Mormon, i.e. nations. In the Title Page we learn that the Book of Mormon is to show the House of Israel the great things that the Lord has done for their fathers and to help them know the covenants of the Lord. And, “also to the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God, manifesting himself unto all nations” (Title Page).

The fourth level is a single nation. He is “mindful of every people, whatsoever land they may be in; yea, he numbereth his people…” (Alma 26:37).

The fifth level is a single person. “He remembereth every creature of his creating…” (Mosiah 27:30).

And the last level is a child. When Jesus visited the American continent, He prayed for the children. “…and he took their little children, one by one, and blessed them, and prayed unto the Father for them” (3 Nephi 17:21).

This illustration summarises the parallel of the Petrushka nesting dolls. These concerns are expressed time and time again in the Book of Mormon.

We have powerful witnesses of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. We have The Testimony of Three Witnesses (Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer, and Martin Harris). We also have The Testimony of Eight Witnesses (Christian Whitmer, Jacob Whitmer, Peter Whitmer, Jun., John Whitmer, Hiram Page, Joseph Smith, Sen., Hyrum Smith, and Samuel H. Smith). I add my own testimony that the Book of Mormon is the Word of God. It is a sacred book. The stories and teachings are for us today. We can be directed by the Spirit. We can develop and strengthen our knowledge of our Saviour and we can understand what it means to hold on to the Iron Rod and obtain the blessings of eternal life.