There have been numerous changes made since the inception of the Book of Mormon, at last count there were over 4,000. Our focus isn’t on each and every one of those changes, but we will be taking a close look at a few of them.  Many other good people have written extensively on this subject and if you’re interested in researching all of the changes a good place to begin would be Utah Lighthouse Ministries in Salt Lake City.  There is a link on our website.

     Part of why I am writing this began while studying the book of Alma.  I began searching for the main theme of Alma from the original 1830 edition and comparing it to a newer version.  I own a Xeroxed copy of the 1830 edition, a hard copy of the 1908, 1920, and other newer editions as well.  I discovered that sometime after 1908 the church added 32 chapters to the book of Alma.  My 1908 version has 30 chapters, the 1920 has 62.  So I am left to ask:  how is this inspired?

     The other changes I want to point out won’t seem as damning as leaving out 32 chapters of a book but I challenge the Mormon to truly think about these changes that I’ve discovered and then ask themselves why it’s been changed.  If it is truly the word of God that cannot be altered then why change it?  In History of the Church 4:461 Joseph Smith said this about the Book of Mormon; “I told the brethren that the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book.”  If this were true then why would there be a need to correct it?

     The 3-in-1 that I have for my personal use was printed in 1976.  In 2 Nephi 9:9 it says; “And our spirits must have become like unto him, and we become devils, angels to a devil, to be shut out from the presence of our God, and to remain with the father of lies, in misery, like unto himself; yea, to that being who beguiled our first parents, who transformeth himself nigh unto an angel of light, and stirreth up the children of men unto secret combinations of murder and all manner of secret works of darkness.”

     When I turn to the introductory page of the D&C, third paragraph, it says; “…Joseph Smith received visitations from Moroni, an angel of light, who revealed the resting place of the ancient record from which The Book of Mormon was afterward translated”.

     Now the significance of this is two-fold. In the newer versions of the D&C, they have changed the story of how Joseph Smith received the plates.  My 1985 version says: “…he was taught by many angels…” completely changing the context of how Joseph received his visions and how he was to administer the translations.  I’m left asking the question why again. 

     The other dilemma of this context is obvious to any Christian.   Did they realize that Moroni could be one of Satan’s cohorts?  Not only does the Bible say that Satan can be transformed into an angel of light (2 Cor. 11:14), but here we have the Mormons in agreement with this statement!

     The next topic is on a personal basis.  It’s about the meaning of the words, white and pure.  For these two translations we only have an English Dictionary for reference purposes because they’ve never found a dictionary containing “Reformed Egyptian”.

     From www.dictionary.com  it says this for the meaning of white:  “Weakly colored, belonging to a racial group usually from Europe”. 

     For the definition of pure it says; “Having no faults, sinless.  Chaste or virgin.  Of unmixed blood or ancestry.”

     I see no similarities here for the reader between pure and white (unless of course you’re racist), yet this is what happened with the Book of 2 Nephi in my 1976 version;

     2 Nephi 30:6 says: “…and their scales of darkness shall begin to fall from their eyes; and many generations shall not pass away among them save they shall be a white and delightsome people.”

     In 2005 it says; “…and their scales of darkness shall begin to fall from their eyes; and many generations shall not pass away among them, save they shall be a pure and a delightsome people.”

     And in case you’re not aware of the context I’ve plucked this from, it was a prophecy from the ‘prophet’ Nephi talking about the Lamanites (aka, American Indians).

     So does pure mean white?  If the Mormon still insists that it does mean the same thing, please explain Mosiah 18:5 to me.  It says; “Now, there was in Mormon a fountain of pure water, and Alma resorted thither….”

     The Bible says in Deuteronomy 18:20-2 that if even one false prophecy comes to pass then we are to not fear that prophet and we are to disregard his testimony.  It looks as if they’ve changed the wording because that prophecy didn’t come to pass.  Just because they’ve changed it doesn’t mean they were right!

     Here is yet another example of how they’ve changed the context of a verse(s):  this time it’s Alma 37:21.  Also see verse 24.

     2005 Version says; “…yea, all their murders, and robbings, and their plunderings, and all their wickedness and abominations, may be made manifest unto this people; yea, and that ye preserve these interpreters.”  The 1830 Version does not say interpreters.  It says “directors”. 

     The website of www.dictionary.com says this about directors and interpreters:

directors:  one who supervises, controls or manages.  Interpreters:  one who translates orally from one language to another; an actor or also an interpreter for computer science.

     In my 1976 edition of Mosiah 21:28 it says; “And now Limhi was again filled with joy on learning from the mouth of Ammon that king Mosiah had a gift from God….”

     The 1830 edition of Mosiah 21:28 says; “And now Limhi was again filled with joy on learning from the mouth of Ammon that king Benjamin had a gift from God….”

     In Mosiah 6:5 Benjamin died so the 1830 edition is not just a “typo”.  The change had been made by 1920 because Mosiah 21:28 has the name of king Mosiah, not Benjamin.  And in case you’re wondering…the 1908 edition is the “original” translation of the Book of Mormon the Reformed LDS Church publishes.  Their headquarters are in Independence, MO and the book of Mosiah ends at chapter 13.

Again I have to ask why? 

Why is it that the Mormon people do not question these things? 

Why do they just go along with the agenda of the hierarchy and not ask questions? 

 If you are Mormon, do you even notice the changes that are made?

     My heart is broken for the Mormon people.  Every day I beg God to release the chains that bind.  He has been good to me and heard my cries for release but I know there is still a long way to go from here.  I thank Him for the work He is doing that I am able to witness and I’m grateful for the friendships I’ve made over the years in ministering to my people.