Introductory Pages of the Book of Mormon: Keystone

Links:
Hilary Weeks’ website

Segment 1

Words of the General Authorities:
“The gospel of Jesus Christ is the plan by which we can become what children of God are supposed to become. This spotless and perfected state will result from a steady succession of covenants, ordinances, and actions, an accumulation of right choices, and from continuing repentance” (Dallin H. Oaks, “The Challenge to Become,” October 2000 General Conference).

Segment 2

Scriptures:
Title Page of the Book of Mormon

Segment 3

Scriptures:
Introduction to the Book of Mormon

Words of the General Authorities:
“God-given gifts make gifted people. Looking through a gospel lens, God endows His children with many spiritual gifts, making them spiritually gifted people. Covenant-keeping members of the Church are bestowed with gifts of the Spirit, which include the gift of a testimony of Jesus Christ as our Savior, the gift of the Holy Ghost, the gift of faith to heal and be healed, the gift of discernment, the gift of receiving miracles, and the gifts of wisdom and knowledge” (Gary E. Stevenson, “Promptings of the Spirit,” October 2023 General Conference).

“The Book of Mormon is a gift from God to all humankind” (Russell M. Nelson, “A Testimony of the Book of Mormon,” October 1999 General Conference).

“Thus the Book of Mormon will be with us ‘as long as the earth shall stand.’ We need all that time to explore it, for the book is like a vast mansion with gardens, towers, courtyards, and wings. There are rooms yet to be entered, with flaming fireplaces waiting to warm us. The rooms glimpsed so far contain further furnishings and rich detail yet to be savored, but decor dating from Eden is evident. There are panels inlaid with incredible insights, particularly insights about the great question. Yet we as Church members sometimes behave like hurried tourists, scarcely venturing beyond the entry hall” (Neal A. Maxwell, Not My Will But Thine, 33).

Segment 4

Scriptures:
Joshua 4:4–7 (A sign among you)

Title Page of the Book of Mormon:
“Which is to show unto the remnant of the house of Israel what great things the Lord hath done for their fathers; and that they may know the covenants of the Lord, that they are not cast off forever—And also to the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God, manifesting himself unto all nations.”

Segment 5

Scriptures:
2 Nephi 27:12–14 (Prophecy of the Witnesses)
The Testimony of the Three Witnesses (Translation by the power of God)
The Testimony of the Eight Witnesses (The plates were real)

Words of the General Authorities:
“Witnesses and witnessing are vital in God’s plan for the salvation of His children. In the Godhead, the function of the Holy Ghost is to bear witness of the Father and the Son. The Father has borne witness of the Son, and the Son has borne witness of the Father. The Lord has commanded His servants to testify of Him, and all of the prophets have borne witness of Jesus Christ.

“The scriptures state that ‘in the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.’ The most important ordinances of salvation—baptism, marriage, and other ordinances of the temple—are required to have witnesses” (Dallin H. Oaks, “The Witness: Martin Harris,” April 1999 General Conference).

Segment 6

Scriptures:
The Testimony of the Prophet Joseph Smith