Good morning Brothers and Sisters. Today I am going to talk about how the joy of the Book of Mormon is found through the hope that we receive from the truths that we read from its pages. I will show this by helping us understand why we have scriptures, showing how Joseph Smith and Hyrum Smith found comfort from it at their martyrdom, and showing how doctrines learned from the Book of Mormon can bring us consolation and restitution in our lives.
First, why do we have scriptures? What is the purpose of having them? Nephi, while he was speaking to his people, tells us that “[God] shall bring forth his words unto [us], which words shall judge [us] at the last day, for they shall be given [us] for the purpose of convincing [us] of the true Messiah, who was rejected”. We have the Book of Mormon and the Bible to teach and testify to us that Jesus is the Christ, who is the source of all peace and is rightfully named the Prince of Peace. These convincing words teach us not only who He is, but who He is to us and who he can become to us. The Book of Mormon testifies to us about the depth of his eternal and endless love and the kinship that he wants with us. It teaches us about the relationship that we can build and grow with Jesus Christ and God the Father, who love us beyond our comprehension, but Paul teaches us another vital reason for why we need scriptures, why we need the Bible, and why we need the Book of Mormon. While he wrote to the Romans, he teaches us that “whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, [and] that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.” That is a powerful message. It is powerful because we learn that through patience and comfort from the scriptures gives us hope, which is peace, which is lasting happiness, which is joy.
With that placed in our minds, let’s recall the martyrdom of Joseph Smith and Hyrum Smith. As they headed to Carthage, both of these brothers knew that they weren’t going to make it back for dinner. They knew that death was going to be imminent and that their wives and children would be fatherless. They knew that their family and friends would mourn their death. There was a church, that they created by the hand of God, that was about to be friendless and homeless, and many of those members would soon walk thousands of miles, leaving footprints of blood and mourning for many that perished, to arrive in a place where hopefully they could find solace from constant persecution. Having this heavy burden beating upon their hearts and their souls, Hyrum decides to read a few passages from the Book of Mormon to hopefully give them comfort, hope and joy. He read, to Joseph Smith,“ Thou hast been faithful; wherefore … thou shalt be made strong, even unto the sitting down in the place which I have prepared in the mansions of my Father. And now I, Moroni, bid farewell … until we shall meet before the judgment-seat of Christ.”
These passages gave them joy to endure and bear the troubles and persecutions of this mortal state. It gave enough comfort at least for Joseph Smith to bear his testimony of the things which he had seen and heard and of the truth and divinity that God had given him, to the prison guard and those around. The joy that this book brought changed the mind and heart of these two brothers and brought them solace when, if anyone, would have needed it most.
In addition to the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith, we learn of the army of Antipus in the Book of Mormon. After “toiling with their might to fortify the [cities]” of Manti, Zeezrom, Cumeni, Antiparsh, and Judea, we read that “they were depressed in body as well as in spirit, for they had fought valiantly by day and toiled by night to maintain their cities; and thus they had suffered great afflictions of every kind. And now they were determined to conquer in this place or die; therefore you may well suppose that this little force which I brought with me, yea, those sons of mine, gave them great hopes and much joy."
Brothers and Sisters, we too may feel like the army of Antipus and may be “depressed in body as well as in spirit” or we may have similar worries to Joseph Smith, but no matter the cause, the reinforcement of hope and joy that God has given to us is the Book of Mormon. We learn from this book how to deepen the love that we feel for God and our neighbors and how his love never falters for us. It opens our eyes to a plan of happiness that gives us hope in the life to come and the anticipation of seeing our deeply cared loved ones that have passed from this world. The Book articulates stories that can bring us comfort when life brings us trouble. These truths that we find deepen the connection that we have with our loving Heavenly Father, who comforts us in times of need. It gives us the blessing to know, as Ammon knew, that when we are in despair or when we may feel like our heart can't rejoice, we learn that there is Joy that will come, there is peace that will last, and there is a connection from God that "he will not leave us comfortless."
All in all, the Book of Mormon is a source of pure joy, comfort, and peace. We find joy when we understand why the scriptures are there, we receive joy as we learn of the stories of those who have found joy from the Book of Mormon, and we develop a deeper relationship with our Heavenly Father when we learn of the doctrines that he gives to us through the Book of Mormon. I know that this book is a source that we can turn to for lasting joy. I know that it is full of unique phrases that can give us restitution. I know that it was translated by the power of God for us. I know that God did it for us, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.