The Book of Mormon is one of the central books of scripture we Latter-day Saints hold as the sacred word of God, testifying just as the Bible does that Jesus Christ is the Savior of all man. The Bible and Book of Mormon work in harmony to bring all men unto Christ. A personal analogy has helped me understand why these books of scripture are not just helpful but necessary to salvation of man:
I have an 18 month old son whose sole purpose in life it seems is to climb up every staircase he encounters. While he is quite deft at crawling up any staircase, he has recently found that walking up stairs is a far better challenge and far more fun. And far more nerve wracking for me. When he gets to a stair he can't ascend he sticks his chubby little hand up and out and waits expectantly for me to offer a hand of support. This one-handed approach works some of the time, but far too often he relies too much on that one hand and goes swinging off kilter like a fence on a hinge. But when I give him both my hands, he can climb any and every staircase with the greatest of ease.
The Bible and Book of Mormon are like those two hands. God's hands; outstretched and waiting for us to take hold of. While one of those books by itself will help us climb the staircase of life that leads back to God, in our spiritual weakness and adolescence we often swing to and fro in the temptations of the world, desperately clinging to the word of God. That is why God, our perfect Father who unimaginably loves me and my son more than I do myself, gives us an extra hand of support, another testament of Jesus Christ to help us along our way. No obstacle is too difficult, no staircase too steep when we rely on our Savior Jesus Christ. And just like my son, we, as God's sons and daughters, need to take hold of all His word in order to return back to Him.
I know the Book of Mormon is the word of God, just as the Bible. Both have helped me overcome my trials and personal obstacles and both have brought a light and joy in my life that is beyond worth. We invite all people to read the Book of Mormon for yourself and ask God whether or not it be true.
~ "Know ye not that there are more nations than one? Know ye not that I, the Lord your God, have created all men, and that I remember those who are upon the isles of the sea; and that I rule in the heavens above and in the earth beneath; and I bring forth my word unto the children of men, yea, even upon all the nations of the earth? Wherefore murmur ye, because that ye shall receive more of my word? Know ye not that the testimony of two nations is a witness unto you that I am God, that I remember one nation like unto another? Wherefore, I speak the same words unto one nation like unto another. And when the two nations shall run together the testimony of the two nations shall run together also." -2 Nephi 29:7-8
