Why is The Book of Mormon called "The Book of Mormon"?
My experience is that this is the generally accepted answer. A brief exchange that might proceed this is:Because Mormon was the prophet who compiled and abridged the records.
Why are Mormon's called "Mormon"?
Seems simple enough...and oh how I enjoy simple things.Because we believe The Book of Mormon to be scripture and it is the keystone of our religion.
But as with most things relating to the kingdom, we see what we can when we can.
Perhaps there is another acceptable answer to these questions. Lets look at the title page of The Book of Mormon. The purpose of The Book of Mormon is recorded there.
There are at least three parts to this:...Which is to show unto the remnant of the house of Israel what great things the Lord hath done for their fathers; and that they may know the covenants of the Lord, that they are not cast off forever—And also to the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God...
- remnant of the house of Israel
- their fathers
- knowing the covenants
Who are the "remnant"?
What are the great things the Lord hath done for their fathers?
Who are their fathers?
What are the covenants?
Covenants must be important. It seems like this is one of the main objectives of The Book of Mormon, is to make them known. Now most of us have heard the phrase "Abrahamic Covenant".
Notice Abraham mentions "the fathers" and the first father who is Adam. What is one of the promises Adam received?Abraham 1:2-3 wrote:And, finding there was greater happiness and peace and rest for me, I sought for the blessings of the fathers, and the right whereunto I should be ordained to administer the same; having been myself a follower of righteousness, desiring also to be one who possessed great knowledge, and to be a greater follower of righteousness, and to possess a greater knowledge, and to be a father of many nations, a prince of peace, and desiring to receive instructions, and to keep the commandments of God, I became a rightful heir, a High Priest, holding the right belonging to the fathers. It was conferred upon me from the fathers; it came down from the fathers, from the beginning of time, yea, even from the beginning, or before the foundation of the earth, down to the present time, even the right of the firstborn, or the first man, who is Adam, or first father, through the fathers unto me.
Abraham "became a rightful heir" and these things are available to "all mankind, even as many as will".Moses 5:9 wrote:And in that day the Holy Ghost fell upon Adam, which beareth record of the Father and the Son, saying: I am the Only Begotten of the Father from the beginning, henceforth and forever, that as thou hast fallen thou mayest be redeemed, and all mankind, even as many as will.
Could these covenants be what The Book of Mormon is trying to show us, that we can be rightful heirs with the Fathers? I believe so and I believe it is a message hidden in its very title.
The prophet who abridged the records contained in The Book of Mormon is named Mormon. But that is not why the book carries that name. The individual named Mormon was named after a place.
Lets look at parts of the record containing the account of Alma establishing the church.3 Nephi 5:12 wrote:And behold, I am called Mormon, being called after the land of Mormon, the land in which Alma did establish the church among the people, yea, the first church which was established among them after their transgression.
In the land of Mormon there was a forest called Mormon and in that forest was waters called Mormon or "the waters of Mormon".
These waters were a "fountain of pure water" [Mosiah 18:5].Mosiah 18:30 wrote:And now it came to pass that all this was done in Mormon, yea, by the waters of Mormon, in the forest that was near the waters of Mormon; yea, the place of Mormon, the waters of Mormon, the forest of Mormon, how beautiful are they to the eyes of them who there came to the knowledge of their Redeemer; yea, and how blessed are they, for they shall sing to his praise forever.
"...all this was done in Mormon" What was done?
How does one receive the blessings pertaining to the "Abrahamic Covenant" without being a literal decedent? How does one become "a rightful heir"? Is it through an adoption of sorts? How does this process take place? Was Alma doing just that?Mosiah 18:16 wrote:And after this manner he did baptize every one that went forth to the place of Mormon; and they were in number about two hundred and four souls; yea, and they were baptized in the waters of Mormon, and were filled with the grace of God.
The Book of Mormon is synonymous with covenant. Mormon was named after a place where covenants where made. Read what some of those covenants are in Mosiah 18.
The Old Testament and The New Testament are covenants. The Book of Mormon is a covenant and brings the two together. The Old Covenant and the New Covenant become one in The Book of Covenant (Mormon). Recognizing this perhaps brings a bit more meaning to this scripture:
This also helps with the question of why are we called Mormon's. When we are refereed to as "Mormon" it should be because we are a people of covenant...not because an awesome guy name Mormon compiled holy writ which bears his name. No - this awesome guy was named after a place which contained a "fountain of pure water" where individuals were given the invitation to enter into a covenant to be rightful heirs with the fathers.D&C 84:54-57 wrote:And your minds in times past have been darkened because of unbelief, and because you have treated lightly the things you have received—
Which vanity and unbelief have brought the whole church under condemnation. And this condemnation resteth upon the children of Zion, even all. And they shall remain under this condemnation until they repent and remember the new covenant, even the Book of Mormon and the former commandments which I have given them, not only to say, but to do according to that which I have written
Are you a "Mormon"?