It Is Wisdom in the Lord That We Should Have the Book of Mormon
Mark L. Pace, Sunday School General President
President Pace emphasizes the importance of studying the Book of Mormon to strengthen faith and avoid personal apostasy.
Open talk in Gospel LibraryIdeas for Opening the Lesson
- Start the lesson by asking class members to share their favorite Book of Mormon scripture and why it's meaningful to them.
- Begin the lesson with a short personal story about a time when studying the Book of Mormon brought peace or clarity to your life.
- Invite a class member to share a recent experience where reading from the Book of Mormon helped them in their daily life.
Topics
The Role of Scriptures in Our Lives
President Pace emphasized the importance of regular scripture study in strengthening our faith and keeping us close to the Savior. He particularly highlighted the Book of Mormon as a tool to avoid personal apostasy.
Studying the Book of Mormon, as we are doing this year, always brings us closer to the Savior—and helps us stay close to Him.
- How has regular scripture study, particularly of the Book of Mormon, strengthened your faith?
- In what ways does the Book of Mormon help us to avoid personal apostasy?
- What are some of the challenges you face in maintaining regular scripture study, and how do you overcome them?
- How can we make our scripture study more meaningful and effective?
- Can you share an experience where studying the Book of Mormon brought you closer to the Savior?
The Importance of Personal Spiritual Growth
President Pace discussed the importance of personal spiritual growth and the role of the Holy Ghost in this process. He shared his personal experience of seeking a testimony of the gospel through reading the Book of Mormon and praying.
Heavenly Father wants you to know for yourself. But you must put in the effort. You need to read the Book of Mormon and pray to know by the Holy Ghost. Heavenly Father will answer your prayers.
- How has reading the Book of Mormon and praying helped you in your personal spiritual growth?
- Can you share an experience when you felt the Holy Ghost teaching you during your scripture study?
- How can we encourage others, particularly the youth, to seek their own testimonies of the gospel?
- What role does personal effort play in gaining a testimony of the gospel?
- How has your testimony of the Book of Mormon influenced your life?
The Pattern of Restoration and Apostasy
President Pace outlined the pattern of restoration and apostasy that has occurred throughout various gospel dispensations. He emphasized that our current dispensation will not end in apostasy and highlighted the Book of Mormon as a key tool in preventing personal apostasy.
In every dispensation, we have seen a familiar pattern. God restores or reveals the gospel of Jesus Christ through His prophets. The people follow the prophets and are greatly blessed. However, over time, some people stop heeding the words of the prophets and distance themselves from the Lord and His gospel. This is what we call apostasy.
- Why is it important to understand the pattern of restoration and apostasy?
- How does the Book of Mormon help us to avoid personal apostasy?
- What are some ways we can strengthen our commitment to follow the prophet?
- How does understanding the history of previous dispensations strengthen your faith in our current dispensation?
- How can we help others understand the importance of following the prophet to avoid personal apostasy?
The Value of Intentional Parenting in Gospel Teaching
President Pace shared the story of Lehi beckoning his family to partake of the fruit of the tree of life, and his own mother encouraging him to seek a personal testimony of the gospel. He emphasized the role of intentional parenting in guiding children towards personal gospel understanding.
I love Lehi’s example of intentional parenting. Sariah, Nephi, and Sam were living good, righteous lives. But the Lord had something better, something sweeter for them. They didn’t know where to find it, but Lehi did.
- How can we follow Lehi's example of intentional parenting in our own families?
- How has intentional parenting or mentoring influenced your personal gospel understanding?
- What are some ways we can guide our children towards gaining their own testimonies?
- How can we balance guiding our children in the gospel while respecting their agency?
- Can you share an experience where intentional parenting or mentoring helped someone you know come closer to the Savior?
The Unique Blessings of the Book of Mormon in Our Dispensation
President Pace stressed the unique blessings of having the Book of Mormon in our dispensation. He noted that it is the "keystone" that makes our dispensation different from all previous ones.
The Book of Mormon is the "keystone" that makes this dispensation different from all previous dispensations. As we study the Book of Mormon and follow the living prophet, there will be no personal apostasy in our lives.
- Why is the Book of Mormon referred to as the "keystone" of our religion?
- How does the Book of Mormon contribute to the uniqueness of our dispensation?
- What blessings have you personally experienced from studying the Book of Mormon?
- How does studying the Book of Mormon help us follow the living prophet?
- How can we better utilize the Book of Mormon in our daily lives to draw closer to the Savior?
Additional Discussion Questions
- How can we make the Book of Mormon a more central part of our daily lives?
- What is one thing you can do to improve your personal scripture study?
- How can we use the Book of Mormon to help others come unto Christ?
- How has the Book of Mormon helped you during a difficult time in your life?
- How can we help our families to value and utilize the Book of Mormon?
- What are some ways we can share the message of the Book of Mormon with others?
- How has your understanding of the Book of Mormon deepened as you have studied it over time?
- How can we use the Book of Mormon to strengthen our faith in times of doubt or difficulty?
- What role does the Book of Mormon play in your personal prayers and pondering?
- How does studying the Book of Mormon strengthen your testimony of Jesus Christ?
