Super Fascinating Facts About the Book of Mormon.

A Case For the Book of Mormon

What is “The Book of Mormon Another Testament of Jesus Christ”, and who wrote such an amazing book that has become the 2nd most read and cherished self-help book and 6th most read book of any kind in the history of the world with over 193 million copies in print? My wife and I, along with millions of other Bible believing Christians, testify that a sincere and serious study of the Book of Mormon, will bring you the same wonderful blessings of increased real love, joy, inner-peace, gentleness, goodness, faith, etc. in your life as the Bible does, and as promised in Galatians 5: 22 when we follow the teachings of Jesus Christ.

In short, The Book of Mormon is a record of a people who were led away from Jerusalem by God 600 years before the birth of Jesus Christ. God called prophets from among these people. The Book of Mormon contains some of their writings. There are literally many millions of faithful Bible believing Christians who have prayerfully read it and testify in all sincerity that it is the Word of God along with the Bible, and that it has strengthened their testimonies of the Bible and of Jesus Christ as their Savior. And there are also many millions of Bible believing Christians, who ignorantly believe it is evil, even though they have never read it, and have no idea at all about the beautiful truths that it teaches. They are simply trusting in almost 200 years of negative false slander and lies started by the devil and his team to try to scare people away from reading and being strengthened by the Word of God that is so beautifully taught in the Book of Mormon. If you are trying to decide whether to read the Book of Mormon or not, would it be wiser to trust the words of those who have never read it, and have no idea what it teaches, or of the Millions of Bible believing Christians, who have prayerfully studied it – – such as my dear wife and me?

The devil and his team have tried scare tactics and slander tactics throughout history to try to keep people from reading the Word of God in the Bible and in the Book of Mormon. Some examples are below:

1. In 100 B.C., Antiochus IV (King of the Seleucid Empire who brutally persecuted the Jews) burned all the scriptures he could find and decreed death to all owners. 
2. In 64 AD, Nero made Christians scapegoats for the fire of Rome
3. In 303 AD, the Roman Emperor Diocletian ordered that the Christian Scriptures be confiscated and burned, and that every home should be burned where a Bible was found in it. 
4. During the Dark Ages (A.D. 500-1500), Rome burned Bibles along with their owners. 
5. William Tyndale 6 October 1536 was imprisoned and killed for translating the bible into English. Many were burned at the stake for owning any parts of the Bible in English during that period. 
6. The Council of Trent (1545-63 A.D.) also prohibited its use and pronounced a curse upon anyone who would dare oppose this decree. Many popes have issued decrees forbidding Bible reading in the common language of the people, condemning Bible societies and banning its possession and translation under penalty of mortal sin and death.

When my brother’s pre-teen daughter gave a cherished gift of a Book of Mormon to her girlfriend on her birthday. When she opened the gift wrapping, she immediately dopped it, and said that their Christian Pastor, had taught them that the Book of Mormon was so evil, that you should not even touch it. Sadly, many good and well-meaning Christians have been ignorantly helping the devil spread those slanderous lies against the Book of Mormon and our people, that have been spread by the devil and his team for almost 200 years, since the Book of Mormon was first published in 1830. If someone tells you that the Book of Mormon is evil, one thing you can know for certain, is that they have definitely never read it, or at least not the whole book with an open mind and in sincere prayer, or they could never come up with such an obviously false conclusion. 

Why would God allow the devil and his team to slander against the Bible and the Book of Mormon, and persecute those who read them? In short, because all of us children of God need to be given the God-given gift of free agency during our earth-school and testing period, in order to progress and find real joy. No one could be happy if we were all “forced” to do kind deeds, and to do everything good and loving, and in God’s way. 

A Bible scholar and living apostle of Jesus Christ, Jeffrey R. Holland, wrote: “My own great-grandfather, said simply enough, ‘No wicked man could write such a book as this (the Book of Mormon); and no good man would write it unless it were true and he were commanded of God to do so.”

There is a brilliant and very knowledgeable Bible scholar named Tad R. Callister, who wrote a very convincing book called, “A Case For the Book of Mormon”. On page 183, Tad tells the true story of a member of his congregation whose life had been transformed by the Book of Mormon. He wrote: “ Not only does the Book of Mormon teach us about Christ, it brings us to Christ. A member of our congregation who had been less active in the Church for some time shared his testimony of how the Book of Mormon transformed his life. With his permission, I share excerpts from an address he gave: ‘Just a year ago, I would not have been able to imagine being here and speaking in church. But last October something happened. I started to read the Book of Mormon. As I did so, it became delicious to me. … I would read for hours at a time. On an airplane, in a motel room, at home, I didn’t want to put it down. By January, I had finished the book. By April, I had read it again. 

During this time, I changed. My world changed. A heart that had become hardened was softened. Faith that had long been extinguished was found again and began to grow. I wanted to repent. I wanted to grow closer to the Savior. I wanted to become more like the Savior. . . . 

I stand before you today a new man because of this experience. A changed man. . . . Of course, it is the Savior that heals people and changes lives, but the Book of Mormon has the power to bring people to Christ.” 

Tad Callister quoted some of the wonderful promises that modern day prophets and apostles of God have given us regarding the Book of Mormon, such as the following: 

From President Ezra Taft Benson: “There is a power in the book (the Book of Mormon) 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.” 

From Marion G. Romney: “I feel certain that if, in our homes parents will read from the Book of Mormon prayerfully and regularly, both by themselves and with their children . . . the spirit of reverence will increase, mutual respect and consideration for each other will grow. The spirit of contention will depart. Parents will counsel their children in greater love and wisdom. Children will be more responsive and submissive to the counsel of their parents. Righteousness will increase.”

From President Russell M. Nelson: “I promise that as you daily immerse yourself in the Book of Mormon, you can be immunized against the evils of the day, even the gripping plague of pornography and other mind-numbing addictions.” 

I listened recently to a lady in a podcast, who was super addicted to heroin, alcohol, and some of the other most addictive and deadly drugs in the world. She did not believe she could become free of these horrible addictions. A friend told her that if she would read every single day in the Book of Mormon, that she would have the power to stay away from all of these addictive drugs. She decided to try it out, to see if it would work for her. With the power of the Book of Mormon in her life each day, she has been joyfully successful at never touching any drugs or alcohol since then, which has been about 10 years now, and her whole life has been amazingly transformed in super joyful ways. She is now married, and is raising her children in the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

I suggest that you don’t trust either side regarding whether or not the Book of Mormon has God’s Scripture Power in it or not for those who do a serious and prayerful study of it. Instead, follow the guidance from God Himself, through the last prophet, who wrote on the gold plates in about 421 A.D., that became the Book of Mormon, who was an amazing prophet, named Moroni. In his last chapter, he wrote the following promise regarding how anyone can know for themselves if the Book of Mormon is from God or not: 

“Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts. And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost. And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.” Moroni 10:3- 5. 

Why not do a prayerful study and experiment on the Book of Mormon for yourself, to find out from God Himself, if there is amazing Heavenly Scripture Power and increased gifts of the Spirit of increased real love, joy, and inner peace that comes into a person’s life when they do a prayerful and sincere open-minded study of it? You have nothing to lose, right? – – – and a whole lot to gain!

We, Charles Hunt, and Amparo Hunt, do hereby personally testify in all sincerity, as many millions of others can, that the Book of Mormon has changed our lives in wonderful, joyful, and positive ways; and has brought us to a much stronger testimony of the Bible, and of Jesus Christ as our Savior, and to feel more deeply of the gifts of the Spirit of increased love, joy, inner-peace, faith, goodness, more joyful and trusting relationships, etc. Have any of you Christians reading this book, or any of your family members or friends, ever experienced any faith crises, or doubting of the Bible and of Jesus Christ as your Savior. If you have or not, I encourage you to prayerfully read Tad Callister’s masterpiece book, “A Case for the Book of Mormon” along with “The Book of Mormon Another Testament of Jesus Christ”, and I promise you that you will be blessed with increased faith in the Bible and in Jesus Christ as your Savior, and increased motivation to follow His teachings.

The last prophet in the Book of Mormon, was Moroni, and He wrote the Title page of the Book of Mormon in about 421 A.D., part of which is quoted here: “Written . . to Jew and Gentile – – written by way of commandment, and also by the spirit of prophecy and of revelation – – Written and sealed up . . to come forth by the gift and power of God unto the interpretation thereof . . . and hid up unto the Lord, to come forth in due time . . . And also to the convincing of the Jew and the Gentile that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God, manifesting himself unto all nations.” 

You may be wondering by now, who wrote the Book of Mormon, that has positively changed so many millions of lives for the better. It is an ancient record from several different prophets of God, similar to the Bible, with the first prophets being Lehi and his son, Nephi, who were asked by God to leave Jerusalem in about 600 B.C. not long before Jerusalem was destroyed, and to build a boat and take their families to the American continent. Different prophets of God recorded their record on gold plates over about a 1,000 year history from about 600 B.C. to 421 A.D. Experts who study writing styles have found convincing evidence that the Book of Mormon was written by several different authors, and that none of them had the writing style of the young farm boy prophet, Joseph Smith, who had very limited education, and who translated and published the Book of Mormon in 1830 by the gift and power of God. If you prayerfully read the Book of Mormon as millions of us have, you will soon begin to sense that it could not have been written by a young farm boy with very limited education, or by anyone else without God’s help. 

Tad Callister, in his book “A Case for the Book of Mormon”, on page 35 – 36 tells of how “Professor Hugh Nibley who taught at BYU (Brigham Young University) challenged some of his students to write a book comparable to the Book of Mormon. I summarize the challenge as follows:

• Write a history of ancient Tibet covering a period from 600 BC to AD 450. Why ancient Tibet? Because you know no more about Tibet than Joseph Smith (or anyone else in the 1820’s) knew about ancient America. 
• There is to be no research of any kind.
• Your history must be 531 pages and more than 300,000 words in length.
• Other than some grammatical corrections, and a few other minor changes, you must make no modifications in the text. The first edition, as you dictate it to your secretary, must stand forever. 
• You must change your style of writing many times to represent various authors. 
• Subsequent archaeological discoveries must support the truth of the objects, events, and names you refer to. 
• You must invent about 280 new names of people and places that will stand up under scrutiny through the years as to their proper application and derivation. 
• Thousands of great men, intellectual giants, national and international personalities, and scholars must accept your history and its teachings as true. 
• Tens of thousands of salespersons (i.e., missionaries) must give eighteen months or more of their lives, paying their own expenses and bearing witness of the truth of this book. 
• You must finish writing this book in sixty-five working days or fewer.

With all the claims that Joseph Smith or someone else wrote the Book of Mormon, I have never seen anyone match it. Rather than spending an entire lifetime criticizing the Book of Mormon and arguing that Joseph Smith wrote it, why don’t the critics just find some brilliant person in his or her early twenties who, in sixty-five working days, can write a comparable work? Of course, in order to be comparable, it must be done without a computer or any research assistants and dictated without any notes in a single draft. In the end, this would be the critics/ best evidence that the Book of Mormon could be man-made. . . . But in the final analysis, this won’t happen. Why? Because the Book of Mormon is matchless – – – it is a work of God and therefore cannot be duplicated by man.” 

Tad Callister also wrote on page 8 and 9 of his book that B.H. Roberts, wrote that “the Holy Ghost must ever be the chief source of evidence for the truth of the Book of Mormon. All other evidence is secondary to this.” He also wrote that “President (apostle) Boyd K. Packer spoke of the need for both reason and revelation in our search for truth: ‘Each of us must accommodate the mixture of reason and revelation in our lives. The gospel not only permits but requires it.’ And Tad quoted, “Austin Farrer, an Anglican theologian, gave us this important insight: ‘Though argument does not create conviction, lack of it destroys belief. What seems to be proved may not be embraced; but what no one shows the ability to defend is quickly abandoned. Rational argument does not create belief, but it maintains a climate in which belief may flourish.’ Tad added, “In other words, reason does not necessarily bring about conviction, but a lack of it creates a climate for doubt, while the presence of it creates a climate for belief.” 

I believe you will love reading Tad Callister’s book, that teaches so many beautiful things about the Book of Mormon, with emphasis on each person gaining their own spiritual witness from God through personal study and prayer, as the last Book of Mormon prophet Moroni encouraged us to do. 

It was the same prophet/angel Moroni, who later visited the young farm boy, prophet Joseph Smith about 1,400 years after he buried the golden plates, when Joseph was just 17 years old, and made the following absolutely amazing prophecy about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon that has even more amazingly come to pass and proven to be true: 

“He called me by name, and said unto me that he was a messenger sent from the presence of God to me, and that his name was Moroni; that God had a work for me to do; and that my name should be had for good and evil among all nations, kindreds, and tongues, or that it should be both good and evil spoken of among all people. He said there was a book deposited, written upon gold plates, giving an account of the former inhabitants of this continent, and the source from whence they sprang. He also said that the fulness of the everlasting Gospel was contained in it, as delivered by the Savior to the ancient inhabitants;” Joseph Smith-History 1:33-34 

In short, either the angel prophet Moroni visited the young 17 year old prophet Joseph Smith, or he did not. If he did not, then please pause to consider, how in the world did this amazing prophecy come to pass, that the name of this young unknown farm boy, Joseph Smith, with very limited education, would be known for both “good and evil among all nations, kindreds, and tongues? I mean, what are the odds, that the name of Joseph Smith would be taught of more than anyone in history for both good and evil? – – – about one in ten billion right? Is that just incredibly amazing coincidence, that this angel prophet Moroni visitor got that prophecy right, or was God involved in that prophecy? How could the angel/prophet Moroni, get that amazing prophecy right, if God was not involved in it? If you prayerfully study the last book of the Book of Mormon, called Moroni, and written by him and his father, Mormon; you will learn to appreciate Moroni as a very wise and intelligent witness of Jesus Christ, as our Savior. And you will learn to trust Moroni’s words, and that he was a true prophet of God, including his amazing prophecy that he made about 1,400 years after his spirit left his body (death), when he visited the young 17 year old farm boy prophet, Joseph Smith. 

“But Charles, considering that this absolutely amazing prophesy has actually come to pass, don’t a lot of the Pastors and Bible colleges, start to wonder if just maybe, it may actually have been a true prophesy from God, Himself through his prophet, Moroni?”

I wish they would, but I am sure that they want to keep the fulfillment of this amazing prophesy as quiet as possible, just like they don’t want anyone to read the Book of Mormon, or to even talk with members of our church at all to learn the beautiful truths that are taught in the Book of Mormon and in our Church. 

Did anyone actually see the Golden Plates, that the young farm-boy, Joseph Smith, with limited education; said that he translated from the ancient records of prophets of God who lived from about 600 B.C. to 421 A.D.? Yes, God Himself, wanted there to be witnesses of that. There were three honest and reliable witnesses, who testified to the following in writing that is in the introduction of every copy of the Book of Mormon: 

“THE TESTIMONY OF THREE WITNESSES
Be it known unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, unto whom this work shall come: That we, through the grace of God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, have seen the plates which contain this record, which is a record of the people of Nephi, and also of the Lamanites, their brethren . . . . And we also know that they have been translated by the gift and power of God, for his voice hath declared it unto us; wherefore we know of a surety that the work is true. And we also testify that we have seen the engravings which are upon the plates; and they have been shown unto us by the power of God, and not of man. And we declare with words of soberness, that an angel of God came down from heaven, and he brought and laid before our eyes, that we beheld and saw the plates, and the engravings thereon; and we know that it is by the grace of God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, that we beheld and bear record that these things are true. And it is marvelous in our eyes. Nevertheless, the voice of the Lord commanded us that we should bear record of it; wherefore, to be obedient unto the commandments of God, we bear testimony of these things. And we know that if we are faithful in Christ, we shall rid our garments of the blood of all men, and be found spotless before the judgment-seat of Christ, and shall dwell with him eternally in the heavens. 


Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer, Martin Harris” 

And there were eight more witnesses, who testified in writing to the following that is also included in all 200 million copies of the Book of Mormon: 

 “THE TESTIMONY OF EIGHT WITNESSES 
Be it known unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, unto whom this work shall come: That Joseph Smith, Jun., the translator of this work, has shown unto us the plates of which hath been spoken, which have the appearance of gold; and as many of the leaves as the said Smith has translated we did handle with our hands; and we also saw the engravings thereon, all of which has the appearance of ancient work, and of curious workmanship. And this we bear record with words of soberness, that the said Smith has shown unto us, for we have seen and hefted, and know of a surety that the said Smith has got the plates of which we have spoken. And we give our names unto the world, to witness unto the world that which we have seen. And we lie not, God bearing witness of it.


Christian Whitmer,
Jacob Whitmer,
Peter Whitmer Jun.,
John Whitmer,
Hiram Page,
Joseph Smith Sen., 
Hyrum Smith,
Samuel H. Smith”

Did any of those eleven witnesses ever even once in their whole lives deny their testimonies? If you had seen what they saw and heard, and experienced what they experienced, would you ever deny it, – – – even if an angry mob threatened to kill you on the spot, if you would not deny it? Not one of the eleven witnesses ever denied it, even when they expected to be murdered for not denying it, as Tad Callister described in his masterpiece book, “A Case for the Book of Mormon”. Below are some quotes from Chapter 7 in his book about the three witnesses: 

“In 1833, mobs in Missouri were destroying property, driving Saints from their homes, and even taking lives. It was a dangerous time to be a Latter-day Saint. The mob had offered a cash reward for anyone who could deliver William McClellan or Oliver Cowdery to them. . . . Mc Clellan then told what happened: There in the lonely woods I met with David Whitmer and Oliver Cowdery. I said to them, ‘Brethren, I never have seen an open vision in my life, but you men say you have, and therefore you positively know. Now you know that our lives are in danger every hour, if the mob can only catch us. Tell me in the fear of God, is that Book of Mormon true?’ Cowdery looked at me with solemnity depicted in his face, and said, ‘Brother William, God sent his holy angel to declare the truth of the translation of it to us, and therefore we know. And though the mob kill us, yet we must die declaring its truth.’ David said, ‘Oliver has told you the solemn truth.’ . . . Said I, ‘boys I believe you. I can see no object for you to tell me falsehood now, when our lives are endangered.” (in Schaefer, “The Testimony of Men,” 109) 

“John P. Greene, a former Methodist minister who had joined the Church, recalled that David Whitmer and others were threatened with death unless they denied the Book of Mormon: ‘When the mob again assembled, they went to the houses of several of the leading Mormons; and taking Isaac Morley, David Whitmer, and others, they told them to bid their families farewell, for they would never see them again. Then driving them at the point of the bayonet to the public square, they stripped and tarred and feathered them, amidst menaces and insults. The commanding officer then called twelve of his men, and ordering them to cock their guns and present them at the prisoner’s breast, and to be ready to fire when he gave the word – – he addressed the prisoners, threatening them with instant death unless they denied the book of Mormon and confessed it to be a fraud; at the same time adding that if they did so, they might enjoy the privileges of citizens. David Whitmer, hereupon, lifted up his hands and bore witness that the Book of Mormon was the Word of God. The mob then let them go.” 

“It is recorded in the American Cyclopaedia and the Encyclopaedia Britannica, that I, David Whitmer, have denied my testimony as one of the three witnesses to the divinity of the Book of Mormon: and that the two other witnesses, Oliver Cowdery and Martin Harris, denied their testimony to that Book. I will say once more to all mankind, that I have never at any time denied that testimony or any part thereof. I also testify to the world, that neither Oliver Cowdery or Martin Harris ever at any time denied their testimony. They both died affirming the truth of the divine authenticity of the Book of Mormon. (David Whitmer, An address to All Believers in Christ). 

“Even during the time Oliver (Cowdery) was estranged from the Church (1838 – 1848), he was true to his testimony of the Book of Mormon. In fact, as proof of his ongoing testimony, he admitted the error of his ways and eventually rejoined the Church.”

David Whitmer was with Oliver Cowdery when he passed away. Of that experience, David wrote: ‘I was present at the deathbed of Oliver Cowdery, and his last words were, ‘Brother David, be true to your testimony to the Book of Mormon.’ 

“For fifty years following David’s excommunication from the Church, he lived in the non-Mormon community of Richmond, Missouri, yet he always held fast to his testimony. His friends and associates, while not believers in the Book of Mormon, grew to love and respect him, even to elect him as their mayor and to defend him when necessary.” 

A few hours before Martin Harris death, he said: ‘The Book of Mormon is no fake. I know what I know. I have seen what I have seen and I have heard what I have heard. I have seen the gold plates from which the Book of Mormon is written. An angel appeared to me and others and testified to the truthfulness of the record, and had I been willing to have perjured myself and sworn falsely to the testimony I now bear I could have been a rich man, but I could not have testified other than I have done and am now doing for these things are true. (Godfrey, ‘Testimony of Martin Harris’, from an unpublished manuscript copy in the possession of his daughter, Florence (Godfrey) Munson of Field, Utah). 

If you carefully read again the testimony of the Three Witnesses above, you will understand why they would never deny their testimonies of the Book of Mormon even when they expected to be killed for refusing to deny it. Please consider that as they testified “an angel of God came down from heaven . . . we beheld and saw the plates, and the engravings thereon . . . the voice of the Lord commanded us that we should bear record of it”. No wonder none of the three witness (or the 8 other witnesses) would ever deny their testimonies of what they experienced, even though some thought they would be murdered on the spot for refusing to deny it. 

We lovingly encourage every sincere seeker of truth and goodness, to prayerfully read the Book of Mormon, and to ask God if it is true and from Him through His prophets.