Lessons on the Temple
Lesson No. Fifty

The Book of Mormon Prepares Us for the Blessings of the Temple

Treating the Book of Mormon lightly brings condemnation – In April 1986 President Ezra Taft Benson gave his first conference sermon as President of the Church.  I was serving in the Holladay Stake presidency, and I vividly remember this sermon.  President Benson first quoted from D&C 84:54-58 where the Lord said the whole church and all of the children of Zion were under condemnation for treating the Book of Mormon lightly.  President Benson continued:  “Now, 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 condemnation – the scourge and judgment.”

Remembering The Book of Mormon Brings Blessings Hitherto Unknown  – President Benson concluded this sermon with a powerful blessing:  “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 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.  Of this I bear solemn witness.”

In the October 1988 conference President Benson commended members for remembering the Book of Mormon.  “This has been a landmark year in the history of the Church in the use of the keystone of our religion – the Book of Mormon.  This sacred volume of scripture has brought more souls to Christ, both within and without the Church, than ever before.

President Russell M. Nelson continues to emphasize the Book of Mormon and its importance in the greatest work on earth, that of gathering Israel on both sides of the veil – President Nelson promised:  “When I think of the Book of Mormon, I think of the word power. The truths of the Book of Mormon have the power to heal, comfort, restore, succor, strengthen, console, and cheer our souls. My dear brothers and sisters, I promise that as you prayerfully study the Book of Mormon every day, you will make better decisions—every day. I promise that as you ponder what you study, the windows of heaven will open, and you will receive answers to your own questions and direction for your own life.”

Remembering the Book of Mormon has brought the blessings of the temple – Two examples follow:

  • Temple building is accelerating  Eleven years after President Benson’s prophetic promise the Lord revealed to President Gordon B. Hinckley that smaller temples should be built world-wide to make temple blessing more accessible to the people.  In the first 170 years of the Church there were 50 temples.  In the year 2000 the Church achieved the goal of 100 temples.  The Lord is revealing to President Russell M. Nelson the continuing need to accelerate temple service and worship. In 2023 there are 300 temples that are operating, under construction, or in design.  This acceleration will continue.  

  • Family history is much easier and more accurate – My grandmother devoted much time and effort to family history so she could provide a few names for her grandchildren to do baptism for the dead once a year. Today we can go online anytime and print out family names to take to the temple.  I believe the Lord inspired the development of the computer for this very purpose.

Temple covenant people – As we make the Book of Mormon and its teachings central in our lives, the Lord will continue to pour out blessings on individuals, families, and the Church.  Nephi’s vision is being fulfilled: “And it came to pass that I, Nephi, beheld the power of the Lamb of God, that it descended upon the saints of the Church of the Lamb, and upon the covenant people of the Lord, who were scattered upon all the face of the earth; and they were armed with the power of God in great glory” (1 Nephi 14:14).  These are temple covenant people who study the Book of Mormon and live its teachings. 

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My greatest desire is for me and my family to be numbered among the Lord’s temple covenant people who love the Book of Mormon and abide by its precepts.