Not only is the Book of Mormon now called “Another Testament of Jesus Christ, it is also the “Book of the Restoration of the Covenant”, as we explain below. We will discuss how to understand the significance or the meaning of the word “Mormon.”
Unless we read and follow the Book of Mormon we will be reprimanded by the Lord. “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.” D&C 84:57
Origin of the Name MORMON
The origin of the name Mormon in the Book of Mormon, is interesting. “Now it was the custom of the people of Nephi to call their lands, and their cities, and their villages, yea, even all their small villages, after the name of him who first possessed them” Alma 8:7. Apparently a great leader named Mormon was in the land of Nephi before the time of Alma, for there was a place called the Waters of Mormon, and the Place of Mormon. Mosiah 18:7-8. Mormon, while abridging the Book of Mormon says, “And behold, I am called Mormon, being called after the land of Mormon, the land in which Alma did establish the church among this people: Yea, the first church which was established among them after their transgression.” 3 Nephi 5:12. Alma’s baptizing seems to be the first time in a few generations that covenants were established again among the Nephites. The name Mormon seems to have reminded the people of the restoration of the covenants and the establishment of Christ’s church at the Place of Mormon in 148 BC or earlier. Latter-day Saints associate with the name of the Book of Mormon as did the Nephites of old, with the restoring of covenants among the people. Also the 1986 addition to the Book of Mormon added a subtitle, “Another Testament of Jesus Christ,” which reinforces these covenants.
3 Nephi 5:12 I Am Called Mormon . . . after the Land of Mormon:
In 3 Nephi 5:12 Mormon tells us that he was not named after his father, but rather he was named after the land in which a great event took place — the restoration of Christ’s covenant people, Christ’s church. According to David Lamb, in Mormon 1:5 Mormon identifies his lineage. He states that he is a descendant of Nephi and that his father’s name was Mormon. However, he does not state that he was primarily named after his father and this should not be assumed. Mormon apparently had been taught about his heritage by his parents and understood the sacred significance associated with the name Mormon. Thus, in 3 Nephi 5:12 Mormon gives us a clear indication that the name Mormon is symbolically synonymous with the restoration of the covenant which took place in the land of Mormon by Alma and his people.
A study of the title page of the Book of Mormon tells us its main purpose is to restore a knowledge of the covenants to the house of Israel. This adds weight to the understanding that the name Mormon was always associated with the place of the restoration of the covenant to the Nephites. In fact, the name Mormon might have became synonymous with the concept of restoring the covenants.
In light of this understanding, symbolically the Book of Mormon bears the name “Book of the Restoration of the Covenant.” Is it any wonder that God used this book to spearhead the Restoration Movement? The purpose of the book as stated on the title page, “that they may know the covenants of the Lord,” is confirmed even in the title. [David Lamb, “The Meaning of the Name Mormon,” in Recent Book of Mormon Developments, Vol 2., p. 45] [Note* Readers should note also the 1986 addition to the Book of Mormon title, “Another Testament [Covenant] of Jesus Christ,” reinforces this idea.]
When was “Another Testament of Jesus Christ” added to the title of the Book of Mormon?
The subtitle ‘Another Testament of Jesus Christ’ was added in 1982. In General Conference 1986 President Ezra Taft Benson explained that it was added to aid in focusing the efforts of the church to more fully utilize the Book of Mormon in general, and specifically to utilize it in testifying of Christ.
Notes Mormonnewsroom.com
3 Nephi 5:12 I Am Called Mormon, Being Called after the Land of Mormon:
A group of Nephites who fled from persecution to the land of Mormon entered into covenant with the Lord and were baptized in the waters of Mormon (Mosiah 8:4-16). According to Raymond Treat, this was the first time in several generations that the covenant was established again among the Nephites. From that time forward, the name “Mormon” always reminded the people of the restoration of the covenant and the establishment of Christ’s church in the land of Mormon. Mormon, the chief editor of the Book of Mormon, tells us that he was not named after his father, but rather he was named after the land in which the restoration of Christ’s covenant and church took place:
And behold, I am called Mormon, being called after the land of Mormon, the land in which Alma did establish the church among this people: Yea, the first church which was established among them after their transgression. (3 Nephi 5:12) See Map Above
Today, we associate the name of the Book of Mormon as did the Nephites of old, with the restoring of the covenant among the people. The name of the book is a type for the purpose of the book: to restore a knowledge of the covenants to the remnant of the seed of Lehi. Therefore, the name, Book of Mormon, symbolically means the Book of the Restoration of the Covenants.
The purpose of the Book of Mormon is clearly stated in 2 Nephi 3:12. To paraphrase, the seed of Judah shall write (the Bible) and the seed of Joseph shall write (the Book of Mormon); the two writings together will confound false doctrine, stop contention, establish peace, restore a knowledge of the fathers and a knowledge of the covenants of the Lord. [Raymond C. Treat, “Covenants: Key to the Restoration of the House of Israel,” in Recent Book of Mormon Developments, Vol. 2, pp. 52-53]
3 Nephi 5:12 I Am Called Mormon . . . after the Land of Mormon:
Concerning the meaning of the name “Mormon,” Joseph Smith is quoted as saying the following:
“I may safely say that the word Mormon stands independent of the learning and wisdom of this generation. Before I give a definition, however, to the word, let me say that the Bible in its widest sense, means good; for the Savior says according to the gospel of John, “I am the good shepherd;” and it will not be beyond the common use of terms, to say that good is among the most important in use, and though known by various names in different languages, still its meaning is the same, and is ever in opposition to bad. We say from the Saxon, good; the Dane, god; the Goth; goda; the German, gut; the Dutch, goed; the Latin, bonus; the Greek, kalos; the Hebrew, tob; and the Egyptian, mon. Hence, with the addition of more, or the contraction, more, we have the word Mormon; which means, literally, more good.” [Joseph Smith, “To the Editor of Times and Seasons,” Times and Seasons 4 (May 15, 1843), p. 194]
3 Nephi 5:12 After Their Transgression:
In 3 Nephi 5:12 we find the following: “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.” (emphasis added)
According to Rodney Turner, the phrase “after their transgression” refers to the apostasy in the time of Mosiah I, which led to the destruction of the first Nephite nation (Jacob 3:4, Jarom 1:10; Omni 1:12), rather than that of King Noah and his supporters as described in Zeniff’s record (Mosiah 9-22). In any case, had there been a functioning church of Christ in the land of Zarahemla, there would have been no need for Alma to organize a second church, nor for Mosiah to grant Alma permission to set up branches throughout that land. In addressing the Nephites in Zarahemla, Alma said: “We were brought into this land, and here we began to establish the church of God throughout this land also.” (Alma 5:5; italics added) [Rodney Turner, “Two Prophets: Abinadi and Alma,” in Studies in Scripture: Book of Mormon, Part 1, p. 255, 259]
Note* It seems to me that the “transgression” was three-fold and progressive. In the land of Nephi, the Nephites were governed by a “Church-State” authority resting with the king. Apparently there became sufficient numbers of non-believers (“Lamanites” or “dissenters”) that brought the downfall of this type of government. Mosiah fled to the land of Zarahemla and established a righteous Nephite kingship, however the population continued to be predominantly Mulekite non-believers. Zeniff returned to the land of Nephi to re-establish a righteous Nephite kingship, yet from his over-zealous efforts sprang an “church-state” rule directed by an unrighteous king. Thus it seems that no matter which way they turned for relief, the Nephites couldn’t find a solution to re-establish the righteous Nephite kingship rule of both church and state that had been lost through the “transgression” of the Nephites in general, and the “Nephite” King Noah in particular. Could this “transgression” in some way be related to the words of Mosiah II found in Mosiah 29:25-27) that if ever non-believers numbered more than believers it would lead to destruction? And how could he say that with so many of the people of Zarahemla (Mulekites) among the crowd? “Now there were not so many of the children of Nephi . . . as there were of the people of Zarahemla, who was a descendant of Mulek” (Mosiah 25:2) [Alan C. Miner, Personal Notes]
3 Nephi 5:20 I Am Mormon, and a Pure Descendant of Lehi:
According to Hugh Nibley this is a very interesting note on race in 3 Nephi 5:20, “I am Mormon, and a pure descendant of Lehi.” Well, I thought everybody was a descendant of Lehi. Oh no, not by any means. It is something to boast about to be a pure descendant of Lehi. The blood of dozens of stocks is all mixed up by now. So when he says he’s a pure descendant of Lehi, there’s a reason for saying that. It’s a kind of boast; he is proud of that. [Hugh W. Nibley, Teachings of the Book of Mormon, Semester 3, p. 304]
Note* Mormon is of royal birth. His lineage makes him heir to the Nephite records (the record of Joseph). [Alan C. Miner, Personal Notes] [See the commentary on Mosiah 9:1]
Ironic: Manasseh and Ephraim Brought Together Again
The Gold Plates were buried by a direct descendant of Lehi/Manasseh (Moroni), and retrieved by a direct descendent of Ephraim (Joseph Smith). The two shall become one! Also consider this. There were possibly many Nephites who left on boats to England and other places before the last battle between the Lamanites and the Nephites at Cumorah. For example if I were Mormon and Moroni and I knew my family would be destroyed at Cumorah, i may have sent much of my family away from that land to preserve their seed. These Nephites would have developed a large family of Nephites in Europe. Among these Nephites could very well come many of the Puritans and Pilgrims that later came back to the United States in 1609. The Lamanites that remained in the United States greeted these same Pilgrims (Nephites) who came back to the USA. Thus we had a rejoining of the people of Manasseh and the people of Ephraim once again.
3 Nephi 5:20 He Brought Our Fathers Out of the Land of Jerusalem, and No One Knew It:
When Lehi and his colony left Jerusalem, their leaving was evidently kept secret from the other people in Jerusalem. Mormon tells us concerning Lehi’s departure that “no one knew it save it were himself and those whom he brought out of the land” (3 Nephi 5:20). Source
Mormon Should Mean “More Good” By President Gordon B. Hinckley Oct 1990
“…Many of our people are disturbed by the practice of the media, and of many others, to disregard totally the true name of the Church and to use the nickname “the Mormon Church.”
Six months ago in our conference Elder Russell M. Nelson delivered an excellent address on the correct name of the Church. He quoted the words of the Lord Himself:
“Thus shall my church be called in the last days, even The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.” (D&C 115:4.)
He then went on to discourse on the various elements of that name. I commend to you a rereading of his talk.
The Mormon church, of course, is a nickname. And nicknames have a way of becoming fixed. I think of the verse concerning a boy and his name:
Father calls me William,
Sister calls me Will,
Mother calls me Willie,
But the fellers call me Bill.
I suppose that regardless of our efforts, we may never convert the world to general use of the full and correct name of the Church. Because of the shortness of the word Mormon and the ease with which it is spoken and written, they will continue to call us the Mormons, the Mormon church, and so forth…
“Look,” he went on to say, “if there is any name that is totally honorable in its derivation, it is the name Mormon. And so, when someone asks me about it and what it means, I quietly say—‘Mormon means more good.’” (The Prophet Joseph Smith first said this in 1843; see Times and Seasons, 4:194; Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pp. 299–300.)
His statement intrigued me—Mormon means “more good.” I knew, of course, that “more good” was not a derivative of the word Mormon. I had studied both Latin and Greek, and I knew that English is derived in some measure from those two languages and that the words more good are not a cognate of the word Mormon. But his was a positive attitude based on an interesting perception. And, as we all know, our lives are guided in large measure by our perceptions. Ever since, when I have seen the word Mormon used in the media to describe us—in a newspaper or a magazine or book or whatever—there flashes into my mind his statement, which has become my motto: Mormon means “more good.”
We may not be able to change the nickname, but we can make it shine with added luster.
After all, it is the name of a man who was a great prophet who struggled to save his nation, and also the name of a book which is a mighty testament of eternal truth, a veritable witness of the divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ.” Mormon Should Mean “More Good” By President Gordon B. Hinckley Oct 1990
