Kevinhinckley.com

Had a tough week?

Question: why would any of us be anxious in 2010? Unless it is: Current world conditions Financial markets and US Debt Terrorist Threats and warnings Natural Disasters Shifting political policies Your job security Your retirement security Raising a family/Youth leader? Peer pressure Normalization of same-sex culture Pornography Texting Lady Gaga Personal: Your debt Your weight Your calling The car Your sins Your husband’s sins Your prodigal son Your high blood pressure And even more importantly: Who will replace Simon on American Idol? Team Edward or Team Jacob? Can Dr. House stay off the pills? Can the Cowboys win the Super Bowl? (mine) 9

It is not just that the Book of Mormon teaches us truth, though it indeed does that. It is not just that the Book of Mormon bears testimony of Christ, though it indeed does that, too. But there is something more. There is a power in the book which will begin to flow into your lives the moment you begin a serious study of the book. You will find greater power to resist temptation. You will find the power to avoid deception. You will find the power to stay on the strait and narrow path. The scriptures are called “the words of life”and nowhere is that more true than it is of the Book of Mormon. When you begin to hunger and thirst after those words, you will find life in greater and greater abundance. Nov Ensign, 1986

There are three possible explanations for the origin of the Book of Mormon. One is that it is a product of spontaneous generation. Another is that it came into existence in the way Joseph Smith said it did, by special messengers and gifts from God. The third is the hypothesis that Joseph Smith or some other party or parties simply made it all up. No experiments have ever been carried out for testing any of these theories. The first has not even been considered, the second has been dismissed with a contemptuous wave of the hand, and the third has been accepted without question or hesitation. And yet the third theory is quite as extravagant as the other two, demanding unlimited gullibility and the suspension of all critical judgment in any who would accept it. It is based on the simple proposition that since people have written books, somebody, namely Smith or a contemporary, wrote this one. But to make this thesis stick is to show not only that people have written big books, but that somebody has been able to produce a big book like this one. But no other such book exists.

Martin Harris, 1827 Visit to New York Visited Three Men: Luther Bradish Family Friend Directed him to two scholars Charles Anthon Visited Twice 2 nd time, “I cannot read a sealed book” But- He did not possess the knowledge in the first place! Samual Latham Mitchell Well Respected Scholar and Statesman Just returned from Middle East Compared the characters with samples in his office Declared them authentic Believed Americas were settled by three peoples with common dialect.

Why the Book of Mormon? Wouldn’t our message be easier to hear without the angels, the gold plates and new scriptures?

I Nephi 13:39,40 2 Nephi 25:21

“…also to the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that JESUS is the CHRIST, the ETERNAL GOD” Question: Doesn’t the Christian world believe that already?

The Book of Matthew The Book of Mark The Book of Luke The Book of John The Common Stories Are From Another Source The ‘Historical Jesus’ No Miracles No Magic Really nice guy

Nephi Jacob Isaiah Mormon Moroni Bro of Jared

JS History 1:36-39 What does Elijah and Malachi have to do with the Book of Mormon?

D&C 3:16-20

Until we gain a fuller understanding, We will worship a god of our own making Do we believe in a God of tender mercies Do we believe in a God that does Great Things? Do you believe in a God who will do Great Things for your life?