“At the very outset of his ministry as prophet, seer, and revelator, President Benson said unequivocally, ‘The Book of Mormon must be reenthroned in the minds and hearts of our people. We must honor it by reading, by studying it, by taking its precepts into our lives and transforming them into lives required of the true followers of Christ’” (“A Strong and Mighty Man,” Ensign, July 1994, 42).
“The Book of Mormon brings men to Christ through two basic means. First, it tells in a plain manner of Christ and his gospel. It testifies of his divinity and of the necessity for a Redeemer and the need of putting trust in him. It bears witness of the Fall and the Atonement and the first principles of the gospel, including our need of a broken heart and a contrite spirit and a spiritual rebirth. It proclaims we must endure to the end in righteousness and live the moral life of a Saint.
“Second, the Book of Mormon exposes the enemies of Christ. It confounds false doctrines and lays down contention (2 Ne. 3:12). It fortifies the humble followers of Christ against the evil designs, strategies, and doctrines of the devil in our day. The type of apostates in the Book of Mormon are similar to the type we have today. God, with his infinite foreknowledge, so molded the Book of Mormon that we might see the error and know how to combat false educational, political, religious, and philosophical concepts of our time” (Conference Report, Apr. 1975, 94–95; Ensign, May 1975, 64).
General Conference – April 1986
At the close of the April 1986 General Conference, President Benson gave a prophet’s blessing about bringing the Mormon Church out of condemnation for not following The Holy Book of Mormon.
“In our day, the LORD HAS REVEALED THE NEED TO REEMPHASIZE THE BOOK OF MORMON to GET THE CHURCH AND ALL THE CHILDREN OF ZION OUT FROM UNDER THE CONDEMNATION—the SCOURGE and JUDGMENT (D&C 84:54–58). THIS MESSAGE MUST BE CARRIED TO THE MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.
“Now, in the authority of the sacred priesthood in me vested, I invoke my blessing upon the Latter-day Saints and upon good people everywhere.
- I bless you with increased discernment to judge between Christ and anti-Christ.
- I bless you with increased power to do good and to resist evil.
- I bless you with increased understanding of the Book of Mormon.
- I promise you that from this moment forward, if we will daily sup from its pages and abide by its precepts, God will pour out upon each child of Zion and the Church A BLESSING HITHERTO UNKNOWN—and we will plead to the Lord that He will BEGIN TO LIFT THE CONDEMNATION—the SCOURGE and JUDGMENT.
General Conference – October 1988
This sacred volume of scripture has brought more souls to Christ, both within and without the Church, than ever before.
A GENERATION TO REDEEM ZION
We commend you leaders and teachers of the various Church organizations for your inspired use of the Book of Mormon in helping TO REAR A GENERATION THAT CAN REDEEM ZION. In many cases a little child has led a parent to the Lord through the Book of Mormon reading program in the Primary.
- We commend those responsible for the excellent ARTICLES on the Book of Mormon which have appeared in our Church publications.
- We commend the personnel of RADIO stations who broadcast EXCERPTS from the Book of Mormon.
- We commend those who have sponsored and supported faith-building Book of Mormon LECTURES and SYMPOSIUMS.
- We commend many of you who in an edifying manner have taught CLASSES, given TALKS, authored ARTICLES, and written BOOKS on the Book of Mormon.
MORE CENTRAL
The Book of Mormon is the instrument that God designed to “sweep the earth as with a flood, to gather out [His] elect” (Moses 7:62). This sacred volume of scripture NEEDS TO BECOME MORE CENTRAL in our PREACHING, our TEACHING, and our MISSIONARY WORK.
At present, the Book of Mormon is studied in our Sunday School and seminary classes every fourth year. This four-year pattern, however, must not be followed by Church members in their personal and family study. We need to READ DAILY from the pages of the book that will get a man “nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book” (History of the Church, 4:461).
FLOOD THE EARTH
And when we are called upon to study or teach other scriptures, we need to strengthen that undertaking by frequent reference to the additional insights which the Book of Mormon may provide on the subject (see 1 Ne. 13:40, 2 Ne. 3:12).
The time is long overdue for a massive flooding of the earth with the Book of Mormon for the many reasons which the Lord has given. In this age of the electronic media and the mass distribution of the printed word, God will hold us accountable if we do not now move the Book of Mormon in a monumental way.
HARDLY FATHOM THE POWER OF THE BOOK OF MORMON
We have the Book of Mormon, we have the members, we have the missionaries, we have the resources, and the world has the need. The time is now! My beloved brothers and sisters, WE HARDLY FATHOM THE POWER OF THE BOOK OF MORMON, nor the divine role it must play, nor the extent to which it must be moved.
FEW MEN HAVE THE VISION
“Few men on earth,” said Elder Bruce R. McConkie, “either in or out of the Church, have caught the vision of what the Book of Mormon is all about. Few are they among men who know the part it has played and will yet play in preparing the way for the coming of Him of whom it is a new witness. … The Book of Mormon shall so affect men that the whole earth and all its peoples will have been influenced and governed by it. … THERE IS NO GREATER ISSUE EVER TO CONFRONT MANKIND IN MODERN TIMES THAN THIS: IS THE BOOK OF MORMON THE MIND AND WILL AND VOICE OF GOD TO ALL MEN?” (Millennial Messiah pp. 159, 170, 179.) We testify that it is.
OUT FROM CONDEMNATION
Now, my good Saints, we have a great work to perform in a very short time. WE MUST FLOOD THE EARTH with the Book of Mormon—and GET OUT FROM UNDER GOD’S CONDEMNATION FOR HAVING TREATED IT LIGHTLY (D&C 84:54–58).
CHALLENGES
- I challenge those who are in business and other professions to see that there are copies of the Book of Mormon in their reception rooms.
- I challenge owners of cassette players to play Book of Mormon cassettes from time to time and to listen to them at home and while walking, jogging, or driving.
- I challenge the homes of Israel to display on their walls great quotations and scenes from the Book of Mormon.
- I challenge all of us to prayerfully consider steps that we can personally take to bring this new witness for Christ more fully into our own lives and into a world that so desperately needs it.
VISION
- I have a vision of homes alerted, of classes alive, and of PULPITS AFLAME WITH THE SPIRIT OF BOOK OF MORMON MESSAGES.
- I have a vision of home teachers and visiting teachers, ward and branch officers, and stake and mission leaders counseling our people out of the most correct of any book on earth—the Book of Mormon.
- I have a vision of artists putting into film, drama, literature, music, and paintings great themes and great characters from the Book of Mormon.
- I have a vision of thousands of missionaries going into the mission field with hundreds of passages memorized from the Book of Mormon so that they might FEED THE NEEDS of a SPIRITUALLY FAMISHED world.
- I have a vision of the WHOLE CHURCH getting NEARER TO GOD by ABIDING BY the PRECEPTS of the Book of Mormon.
- Indeed, I have a vision of flooding the earth with the Book of Mormon.
ABSOLUTE NEED
I do not know fully why God has preserved my life to this age, but I do know this: That for the present hour HE HAS REVEALED TO ME THE ABSOLUTE NEED FOR US TO MOVE THE BOOK OF MORMON FORWARD now in a marvelous manner. YOU MUST HELP WITH THIS BURDEN and with this blessing which He has placed on the whole Church, even all the children of Zion.
LIFT THE CONDEMNATION
Moses never entered the promised land. Joseph Smith never saw Zion redeemed. Some of us may not live long enough to see the day when the Book of Mormon floods the earth and WHEN THE LORD LIFTS HIS CONDEMNATION (D&C 84:54–58). But, God willing, I INTEND TO SPEND ALL MY REMAINING DAYS IN THAT GLORIOUS EFFORT.
(Excerpts; full talk here: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/1988/10/flooding-the-earth-with-the-book-of-mormon?lang=eng&id=p34-p35)