Did you know the Church recently released an updated introduction to the Book of Mormon? The new version is featured in The Book of Mormon app and uses inviting, clear language to support readers of all faiths and backgrounds.
Here’s the revised introduction:
“God is your Heavenly Father. He loves you, and there is so much He wants to teach you. He wants you to understand the purpose of your life. He wants to guide you back to His presence. Part of His plan for doing all that was to make this book available to you.
“Since the beginning of time, God has spoken to His children all over the world. Often they have recorded their experiences and God’s messages to inspire future generations to choose good instead of evil and come to know their Father in Heaven. Some of these records are lost to time. Others may yet be found. One such record was buried in a hillside in around A.D. 400 on the North American continent. Its location was revealed by an angel in 1823. It was translated into modern language by the gift and power of God. That record is the Book of Mormon.
“It’s called the Book of Mormon because an ancient prophet named Mormon compiled centuries of writings from other prophets into one book. It is subtitled ‘Another Testament of Jesus Christ’ because it bears powerful witness that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, who came to earth to suffer and die for the sins of the world—including yours. He wants to heal you of your sins, make you whole again, and prepare you for eternal life with your Heavenly Father.
“In this book, you will learn of faithful, courageous people who received light and knowledge from heaven. They believed in God. They had faith in Jesus Christ, even centuries before He was born. They made great sacrifices for their faith. They also made mistakes. But they obtained redemption from their sins. And they risked their lives to share the true doctrine of Jesus Christ with others and then preserve His teachings for future generations, including you.
“Read the Book of Mormon with an open mind and heart. As you pray to your Father in Heaven and diligently seek Him within the pages of the Book of Mormon, He will reveal the truth to you in His time and His way. He directed the creation and preservation of this record to fulfill His holy purpose, and you are an important part of that purpose. May you find God on these pages and discover His messages to you.”
Why an Updated Introduction?
The Church first published an introduction to the Book of Mormon in 1981, releasing minor updates in 2004 and 2006. This basic explanation shared background information for modern readers and was not featured in the original plates.
The revised version in The Book of Mormon app is 169 words shorter than the introduction that many members today are familiar with. It features more conversational phrases directed toward the reader, aligning closely with language and teaching principles from Preach My Gospel.
John Hilton III, professor of ancient scripture at Brigham Young University, believes this updated introduction will help more readers understand the purpose of the Book of Mormon and feel drawn to its message. He said:
“The whole point of reading the scriptures is to connect us to Jesus Christ. The reality is that for some people, the language of the Book of Mormon is going to be really hard to understand.
“I really believe that as we help people understand what the Book of Mormon is about, that just makes people more likely to want to read the Book of Mormon.”
The Book of Mormon app also features new contextual descriptions for the testimony of Joseph Smith and the witness statements. These write-ups include helpful links to resources from the Joseph Smith Papers Project and a reference to the New American Standard Bible.
Whether you’re looking to enhance your scripture study or share the Book of Mormon with a friend or family member, the app’s new study materials are a wonderful way to help build testimony.
You can explore the new introductory materials by downloading The Book of Mormon app, available for iOS and Android devices.
For more inspiring content about the Book of Mormon, check out the articles below.
▶ How to feel happier: 4 hints from the Book of Mormon
▶ What every battle in the ‘war chapters’ is really trying to teach you
▶ 3 ways we may misunderstand ‘Moroni’s promise’ (and how the truth helps build testimony)
