Lessons from the Doctrine and Covenants 2021
Lesson No. Eight
The Law of Witnesses Blesses Those Who Give and Those Who Receive - D&C 17
In the mouth of two or three individuals shall every word be established (See Deuteronomy 19:15; 2 Corinthians 13:1; 1 Timothy 5:19) – This law applies to members of the Godhead who bear witness of one another. (See John 5:31-37; 3 Nephi 11:32) The law of witnesses has always been an important part of God’s dealing with His children on the earth. “Whenever the Lord has established a dispensation by revealing his gospel and by conferring priesthood and keys upon men, he has acted in accordance with the law of witnesses which he himself ordained” (Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, p. 436).
Three Witness to the Book of Mormon – During the translation of the Book of Mormon plates Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer, and Martin Harris became aware that the Lord would provide three witness to the Book of Mormon. (See Ether 5:2-4; 2 Nephi 11:3;27:12) These three men “were moved upon by an inspired desire to be the three special witness. The Prophet inquired of the Lord, and this revelation was given in answer” (D&C 17, Headnote).
Nephi prophesied about The Testimony of Three Witnesses found in the introduction pages of the Book of Mormon – Nephi wrote, “the book (meaning the plates) shall be hid from the eyes of the world, that the eyes of none shall behold it save it be that three witnesses shall behold it, by the power of God, besides him to whom the book shall be delivered; and they shall testify to the truth of the book and the things therein” (2 Nephi 27:12).
Nephi also prophesied about The Testimony of Eight Witnesses found in the introduction pages of the Book of Mormon– “And there is none other which shall view it, save it be a few according to the will of God, to bear testimony of his word unto the children of men; for the Lord God hath said that the words of the faithful should speak as if it were form the dead” (2 Nephi 27:13). “A few” refers to the Eight Witness to the Book of Mormon. Like the Three Witnesses, the Eight Witnesses remained faithful to their testimony of the Book of Mormon all their lives.
We can be among the witness to the Book of Mormon the Lord will raise up – Nephi continued: “Wherefore, the Lord God will proceed to bring forth the words of the book; and in the mouth of as many witnesses as seemeth him good will he establish his word…” (2 Nephi 27:14). A testimony received or delivered by the power of the Holy Ghost cannot be refuted. People question the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon, and it is usually less effective to debate those questions. But a simple testimony given by the power of the Holy Ghost puts the question beyond debate.
The family-to-family Book of Mormon program – We, as a family, desired to be among those many witnesses to the Book of Mormon the that Lord will raise up. For many years we participated in the family-to-family Book of Mormon program. In this effort we sent thousands of copies of the Book of Mormon, translated into many different languages, around the world. This program was described by President Ezra Taft Benson: “We commend the members of the Church who have participated in the family-to-family Book of Mormon program, placing their pictures and testimonies inside copies of the Book of Mormon. These testimonies have been translated into many languages, and the books have been given away by our missionaries around the world. This is helping to bring in tens of thousands of converts each year” (Flooding the Earth with the Book of Mormon, Oct 1988 General conference).
Bearing witness of the Book of Mormon and the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ brings blessings to those who give and to those who receive – We invited the people who received a Book of Mormon to write back, and we received hundreds of responses. Some were from people who had joined the Church thanking us for our involvement in their conversion. Others were from people who did not joined the Church, but they thanked us for our gift. And some responses were from missionaries who shared conversion stories involving one of the books we sent. This strengthened our testimony of the Book of Mormon. Bearing witness to the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon and the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ will bring eternal blessings to those who remain faithful to its teachings.