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Book of Mormon Title Page and Introduction | Scripture Study Insights with Tyler Griffin · Scripture Central

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  Hello there. I'm Tyler Griffin, and this is.
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  Scripture. Study insights by Scripture
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  central Welcome to a brand new. Year of study.
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  Now many of you may be wondering.
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  Do I? Really need to study the book
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  Mormon again? I've read it.
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  Dozens of times. Some of you.
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  Hundreds of times. Is there really anything else
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  that this book can say to me that I don't already know or
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  that I haven't already experienced?
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  I can answer that question with with an excited yes.
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  There is. So much more that God has to
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  give us this year as we dive into a deep study of this book
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  yet again. Just anecdotally speaking, I
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  have taught professionally in the Church Educational System
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  for over 28 years between seminary and institute and at
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  BYU, and I can say with authenticity that I am more
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  excited to jump into a study of the bookworm and now than I've
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  ever been before. Why?
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  Because. This book is so deep.
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  It is so profound. It is so powerful that it can.
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  It's a gift that just keeps on giving.
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  And we have more prophetic promises surrounding this book
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  than any other book I know. So I want.
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  To share a. Promise with you That was given
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  by President Henry B Eyring many years ago when he made a very
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  simple statement. The Book of Mormon will change
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  your life. I believe this.
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  I've experienced this. Again and again.
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  And the beauty of this book is its ability to continue to
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  change your life. So a little analogy.
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  That I love. Using with the scriptures is of
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  windows and mirrors if you consider that these.
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  Scripture pages are. Windows to the past every time
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  you open them up. They reveal.
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  Things you can. See people places.
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  Events far away, far in the past and you can understand their
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  world. And then, with the help of the
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  Holy Ghost and Deep Study, you can recognize that those very
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  same windows to the past become reflective.
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  Mirrors to your soul today, to your life, to your situation, to
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  your. Struggles and your questions.
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  So what I wanted to do is we begin this new.
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  Year of study. With the introduction, the title
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  page and all of that those segments at the beginning of the
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  Book of Mormon is, I wanted to take this.
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  Approach. Of how can we help this book to
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  actually change our? Life regardless.
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  Of how many times we've. Read it regardless.
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  Of how strong our testimony may or may not be.
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  Regardless of how. Well, we know these prophets and
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  their teachings, so let me begin before we dive into the title
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  page with a couple of promises. There are.
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  So many Apostolic and prophetic promises surrounding this book
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  and a. A great exercise that you could
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  go through this. Week would be.
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  To search for. Promises given for reading the
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  Book of Mormon. Let me give you a quick pass
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  through time in October 1986, President Ezra Taft Benson, who
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  we can thank for, for bringing the Book of Mormon to the
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  forefront and this idea of flooding the earth with the
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  bookwormon, he said. This there is a power.
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  In the book which will begin to flow into your lives the moment
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  you begin a serious. Study of the book, did you?
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  Catch that? He didn't say.
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  You need to read the book for days, weeks.
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  Months, even a year before, you're going to feel a
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  difference, he promised. That you'll feel that.
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  Power flow. Into your lives the very moment
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  you begin a serious study. And he didn't say this only
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  works for the first time, readers.
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  This works for everybody so. My first invitation for all of
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  us, me included, is to make this year different.
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  Where? We study it.
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  More meaningfully, more purposefully, more
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  intentionally. Here are the promises that he
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  then gives. You will find greater power to
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  resist temptation. You will find the power to avoid
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  deception. You'll find the power to stay on
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  the straight and narrow path. President Howard W Hunter said
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  this in 1989. Reading it will have a profound
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  effect on your life. It will expand your knowledge of
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  the way God deals with man and will give you a greater desire
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  to live in harmony with His gospel teachings.
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  It will also provide for you a powerful testimony of Jesus.
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  And our next. Prophet Gordon.
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  B Hinckley. Said there will.
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  Come into your heart an added measure.
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  Of the Spirit of the Lord. There will come a strengthened
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  resolution to walk in obedience to His commandments, and there
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  will come a stronger testimony of the living reality of the Son
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  of God. Then Thomas S Monson, President
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  wants in April 2017. We live in a time of great
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  trouble and wickedness. What will protect us from the
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  sin and evil so prevalent in the world today?
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  I maintain that a strong testimony of our Savior Jesus
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  Christ and of His gospel will help us through to safety.
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  If you're not reading the Book of Mormon each day, please do
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  so. If you'll read it prayerfully
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  and with a sincere desire to know the truth, the Holy Ghost
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  will manifest its truth to you. If you do not have a firm
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  testimony of these things, do that which is necessary to
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  obtain one. It's essential for you to have
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  our own testimony in these difficult times, for the
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  testimonies of others will carry you only so far.
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  However, once obtained, A testimony needs to be kept vital
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  and alive through continued obedience to the commandments of
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  God and through daily prayer and scripture study.
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  We live in a beautiful day. Brothers and sisters.
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  Where from my. View there are.
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  More people doing more to study. The Gospel at Deeper.
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  Levels than ever in the history. Of the world.
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  And it's beautiful. We have more temples, more
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  missionaries, more missions, more families progressing on the
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  covenant path than ever before. But amidst all of this amazing
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  progress and amazing these amazing blessings that God has
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  given us, we each individually need to dig.
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  A little deeper. And build a little more
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  conversion and a little more consecrated commitment.
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  To the Lord. Than ever before.
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  And we can't rely on other people to do that.
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  So in all of our efforts to understand the gospel by by
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  watching podcasts or listening to what other?
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  People have to. Say about it.
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  That's wonderful. But it creates.
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  Different jumping off points. They'll help get you.
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  So far but. Eventually there's a jumping off
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  point. You have to get off that train
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  that other people are providing and you have to move forward and
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  I love the beauty of these promises that as.
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  We do our. Best to make a serious.
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  Study of these scriptures. Especially the Book of Mormon
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  This. Year we will.
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  Find that. Greater power.
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  Flowing into our life and now finally, President Russell M
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  Nelson in October of 2017. This was his final talk given.
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  Before he was. Sustained.
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  As our prophet. The following April.
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  He said. Something powerful happens when
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  a child of God seeks to know more about him and his beloved
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  Son. Nowhere are those truths taught
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  more clearly and powerfully than in the Book of Mormon.
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  When I think of the Book of Mormon, I think of the word
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  power. The truths of the Book of Mormon
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  have the power to heal, comfort, restore, succour, strengthen
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  console, and cheer our souls. My dear brothers and sisters, I
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  promise that as you prayerfully study the Book of Mormon every
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  day, you will make better decisions every day.
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  I promise that as you ponder what you study, the windows of
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  heaven will open and you will receive answers to your own
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  questions and direction for your own life.
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  I promise that as you daily immerse yourself in the Book of
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  Mormon, you can be immunized against the evils of the day,
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  even the gripping plague of pornography and other mind
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  numbing addictions. So based on those promises and
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  countless others like them that you can find as you do your own
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  study, let's dive in for a moment into some of these these
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  beginning. Parts of the.
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  Book of Mormon and explore them. In greater depth.
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  So the title page. The title page is often seen as
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  front matter, something to just. Quickly get through.
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  Can I recommend to you that it's?
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  According to Joseph Smith, it was written on the last leaf of
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  the. Plates.
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  When he was translating them. So it seems that it's written by
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  the prophet Moroni. The very last.
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  Thing which is a. Perfect place.
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  For it being the title page because Moroni as he's finished
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  the record, he can explain exactly.
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  What the book? Is why it was written, how it
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  was written, and more importantly, what you and I can
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  gain from it. So I want you to notice two
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  things #1. The first paragraph we.
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  Could we could almost look at the title page as Maroni Chapter
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  11 that it's scripture, it's not front matter and if you look at.
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  It as Scripture. Notice the bottom of.
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  The first paragraph I'll. Call it verse one.
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  The very last phrase says. The interpretation thereof, by
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  the gift of God. Now he's talking about being
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  able to interpret. The plates.
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  That he's writing in the latter. Days the Prophet.
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  Joseph would translate them by the gift and.
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  Power of God. Not by the knowledge of.
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  The world's experts. Of the linguists.
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  So the thing I wanted to point out is.
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  The book was. Written as you.
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  See also. In that.
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  First paragraph. By way of commandment and also
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  by the. Spirit of prophecy.
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  And of Revelation. Think about this the the Army
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  of. Prophets who wrote this book.
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  Originally wrote it by way of commandment, by prophecy, and by
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  revelation, Joseph Smith receives it.
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  By. Revelation, he translates.
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  It by the. Gift and.
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  Power of God. The interpretation came by the
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  gift of God, and now you and I have the book in our hands, and
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  that process isn't going to change.
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  The real power. Of the Book of Mormon is going
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  to flow as it's given as a. Gift of God.
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  Which means when I go into this book, instead of treating our
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  study of the Book of Mormon as a task or a must do on our to do.
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  List where? We can put a check mark next to
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  it every day instead of having the book become a burden.
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  To our day. What if we changed our
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  perspective and said? Wow, what the prophets have
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  taught. US is true that this book is a
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  book of answers, not just answers to random questions or
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  to other people's questions. This book has answers to my
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  questions. That I have.
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  Right now, this book. Has direction.
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  From my life and the steps I'm taking on the covenant path
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  today, this book teaches me how to connect with Jesus Christ
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  better than any book I know. And I want to understand the
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  Heavenly Father and His great plan of happiness for me and for
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  my family. And this book is a book that is
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  filled every page I can find. Symbols, types, shadows,
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  teachings of attributes of. God.
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  And his son. Jesus Christ.
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  That I want to implement into my own life.
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  I can literally find the savior and myself on every page.
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  If I look for it. And if I.
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  Pray for it. And if I humbly seek it now the
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  second? Paragraph of the title.
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  Page is beautiful because it. Gives us all of the.
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  Reasons why we need a Book of Mormon.
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  In my mind, this was one of Moroni's most inspired moments
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  when he wrote. This.
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  He gives us the reasons it's to show unto the remnant of the
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  House of. Israel.
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  What? Great.
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  Things the Lord hath done. For their fathers.
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  If I immerse in this book every day, I'll get to.
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  See. Over and over again, the hand of
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  God through the history of time and as I see it in.
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  Their lives. Then those window panes of into
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  the past will more likely become mirrors reflecting my life,
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  where I can see God's hand working in my life in miraculous
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  ways today. And then he goes on to say.
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  That. They may know the covenants of
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  the. Lord.
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  That they are not. Cast off forever.
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  That's a powerful. Reminder that I need every day
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  that I'm not cast off forever, that I'm in a covenant
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  relationship with God, and also to the convincing of the Jew and
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  Gentile that. Jesus is the Christ.
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  The eternal God manifesting Himself unto all nations.
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  What a powerful. Way to start this book.
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  This next part, called the Introduction, was added in 1920
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  by the Scripture Committee, and it's got some beautiful
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  descriptions as well as some powerful statements and
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  invitations regarding the Book, Mormon, and.
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  There's a lot. To be gained by diving in and
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  reading that introduction next. We get the.
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  Testimony. Of the three.
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  Witnesses. The testimony of the 8 witnesses
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  and then the testimony of Joseph Smith.
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  Powerful witnesses that this book.
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  Is true. And that was translated by the
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  gift and. Power of God.
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  From plates that were written anciently.
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  By these prophets. And to me, the most beautiful
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  thing is to notice how. God uses the law of.
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  Witnesses both anciently as well as in modern times, as we've
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  seen multiple witnesses of the Book of Mormon in our day.
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  Prophetic witnesses and. Here you get.
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  The three and the eight and the one the power to.
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  Me. Is to to study these deeply and
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  look at how they're similar, look at what unique
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  contributions each set of those witnesses add.
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  And then to pause after doing that study and to ponder and
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  reflect on what is my testimony, what is my witness of the Book
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  of Mormon? Because these individuals, they
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  are sharing their testimony with us.
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  Not so that. We sit.
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  Back as spectators and watch them bear witness, but so that
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  we feel inspired to seek. The Lord.
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  In gaining our own witness today.
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  So my final invitation to us as we dive into this New year is
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  to. Start afresh, read.
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  This book anew with with a newfound meekness, a newfound
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  humility to say I've swam around in these pages hundreds of
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  times, but I want to jump in again and begin another serious
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  study of this book. This year.
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  And an invitation I would give is one that I heard from Elder
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  David A Bednar. A few.
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  Years ago in a training for CES when he invited.
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  Teachers. To, instead of giving all the
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  answers to their students, invited them to send their
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  students into. The scriptures.
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  Seeking very specifically for answers to questions, concerns
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  and troubles. That they were.
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  Facing so. There are a variety of ways.
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  You can do that. But perhaps it would be worth
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  your effort. As you embark on this.
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  Year to. Let go of what you.
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  What you thought you've? Already interpreted what you
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  thought you already knew. About these.
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  Stories and these people and what they have to say to us
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  today and to. Start afresh writing.
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  Down one or two or maybe three major questions you have or?
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  Concerns. That you're wrestling with or.
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  Doubts that you're. Facing or decisions you're
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  trying to make and you're seeking for direction.
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  You're seeking for. Connection with heaven.
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  Write those questions down and keep them on a sticky note or on
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  a on a thought journal near your your Book of Mormon as you study
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  and then dive in with those questions or that question or
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  that concern on the front of your mind and make.
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  A serious deep. Study of this book and my
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  experience has been that as you do that.
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  These stories. Come off of the page.
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  These characters. Become more real.
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  It's almost as if Nephi starts walking with you during the day
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  as he points you. To Jesus Christ as He.
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  Teaches you. Of Heavenly Father's love for
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  you. It's almost as if you can hear a
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  benedize testimony as he's teaching eternal truths and and
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  powerful doctrines. Brothers and sisters.
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  I want to begin this year with my witness added to the. 3.
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  The 8 and Josephs and the millions that have been given
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  since then, including the powerful prophetic witnesses
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  that the Book of Mormon is another testament.
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  Of Jesus Christ. The Book of Mormon is.
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  The Word of God. It was written by inspiration,
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  it was translated by inspiration, and it will be
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  unlocked by us by. Inspiration there is.
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  So much God wants to tell. Us there are.
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  So many answers God wants to give us.
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  But we have to let. Go of some of.
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  Those burdens we're. Carrying and drop them at his
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  feet as we seek his will to do. A court to live our lives
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  according. To to his plan for us as we walk
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  with him, so as we embark on this new year.
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  Hold to the rod. He's given us his.
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  Words here. I know they're true, and the
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  Book of Mormon will change your life as it brings you to Christ
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  and teaches you of Heavenly Father and His great plan for
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  our happiness. And I leave that with you in the
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  sacred name. Of Jesus Christ.
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  Amen. Know that you're.
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  Loved. As we conclude this week's
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  lesson, we'd like to introduce you to an innovative study tool
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  that we have created specifically with you in mind.
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  First, find the Gospel Learning app wherever you download your
• 21:15
  apps and create an account. There are many features
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  available on this app to help deepen your study, but we want
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  to show you a special section called the Gospel Explorer.
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  This section can enhance your come follow me study with one of
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  three doctrinal pathways. The first, on the left hand
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  side, is on the purpose of the Book of Mormon.
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  This branches into a study of truth with a fantastic video by
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  Jared Halvorson. We encourage you to watch it.
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  Another branch discusses how the Book of Mormon is another
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  Testament of Jesus Christ. You may also enjoy evidences of
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  the Book of Mormon in some videos off to the left.
• 21:51
  The Centre branch is all about witnesses and testimonies of the
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  Book of Mormon. Be sure to watch Tad R
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  Colister's talk on if the Book of Mormon was Man made or
• 21:59
  God-given, and the bottom video is entitled How the Book of
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  Mormon's Complexity Shows Its Authenticity.
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  The Pathway on the Right focuses on our responsibility to learn
• 22:08
  the Gospel individually and how to become better learners and
• 22:12
  teachers of the gospel. While there are so many great
• 22:14
  videos here, especially if you were a parent or have a teaching
• 22:17
  calling, we would encourage you to watch the Prophets video
• 22:21
  entitled What We Are Learning and we'll never forget.
• 22:24
  If you need help understanding how to use the New Gospel
• 22:27
  Explorer feature, watch the tutorial, which can be found in
• 22:30
  the description. We hope you become closer to
• 22:32
  your savior through a deeper and more thoughtful study of Come
• 22:35
  follow me.