2 Nephi 27

“A Marvelous Work and a Wonder”

copies of the Book of Mormon in different languages

Think of events that you would consider marvelous and how these events have impacted you and those around you. Jesus Christ promised to perform the marvelous work of restoring His gospel, including the Book of Mormon, to the earth in the latter days. This lesson can help you feel greater appreciation for the Lord for restoring the Book of Mormon to the earth.

Teaching by the Spirit. No mortal teacher, no matter how skilled or experienced, can replace the Spirit. But we can be instruments in God’s hands to help His children learn by the Spirit. President Henry B. Eyring taught, “Our students cannot know of God, and so love as they must love, unless they are taught by the Holy Spirit” (“The Importance of the Holy Ghost,” Old Testament Seminary Teacher Material [2018], ChurchofJesusChrist.org).

Student preparation: Invite students to come prepared to share about a person who has done something marvelous for them or someone they know. For example, perhaps someone saved them from a dangerous situation or gave them a generous gift.

Possible Learning Activities

Something marvelous

To prepare students to share the following, consider sharing about a person who did something for you that you consider marvelous or significant.

Think of a person who has done something marvelous for you or for someone you know.

• What did this person do?

• How did you feel about the person who did this? Why?

In 2 Nephi 27, the Lord testified of something marvelous He would do to help us through the wickedness and apostasy of the last days. As you study, ponder how what you learn affects how you feel about the Lord.

Read 2 Nephi 27:25–26, looking for what the Lord promised He would do.

Invite the students to share what they think the “marvelous work and a wonder” is referring to. If needed, share the following explanation from President Russell M. Nelson.

President Russell M. Nelson stated that this “marvelous work would include the coming forth of the Book of Mormon and the Restoration of the gospel” (“Scriptural Witnesses,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2007, 46).

One truth we can learn from this prophecy is that the Lord performed a marvelous work and a wonder through the coming forth of the Book of Mormon and the Restoration of His gospel.

• What do you know about the Book of Mormon and the restored gospel that might cause you to refer to them as “marvelous”?

The Book of Mormon: A marvelous work and a wonder

Much of 2 Nephi 27 focuses on the coming forth of the Book of Mormon. Before studying more from this chapter, take a moment to reflect on your own feelings about the Book of Mormon. Is it marvelous to you personally? Why or why not? What questions do you have? As you study, look for teachings that can help you more clearly see the Book of Mormon as a “marvelous work and a wonder.”

It may be helpful to read the verses listed in the following summary together as a class.

Nephi prophesied that the Book of Mormon would come forth to help with the problems of the last days (see 2 Nephi 27:6). He also wrote that God would allow a few witnesses to behold the plates the Book of Mormon was translated from and to testify of the truthfulness of the book to the world (see 2 Nephi 27:12–14). Nephi then shared a prophecy about some of the details related to the translation of the Book of Mormon.

Consider providing students with or displaying the following chart. Students could study the verses and fill out the chart in pairs or small groups.

	Prophecy of what the man would do (2 Nephi 27:15–19)	The name of the man who fulfilled the prophecy (Joseph Smith—History 1:63–65)
First man (“not learned”)
Second man (“another”)
Third man (“learned”)

After students have had sufficient time to study, invite a few volunteers to share what they learned. Consider asking the following question as part of this discussion.

• Why do you think the Lord used Joseph Smith, who was an unlearned man, to bring forth the Book of Mormon?

Read 2 Nephi 27:20–23, looking for reasons why God chose someone who was not learned to translate the Book of Mormon.

• What did you learn about the Lord from these verses? How can knowing these things about Him impact you?

• How is the coming forth of the Book of Mormon evidence of the Lord’s statement “I am able to do mine own work”? (verse 21).

In addition to the following statement, consider sharing the statement by President Russell M. Nelson in the “Commentary and Background Information” section.

Emma Smith (1804–1879), the wife of the Prophet, testified of the divine assistance Joseph received in his translation of the Book of Mormon:

Emma Smith

Joseph Smith could neither write nor dictate a coherent and well-worded letter, let alone dictat[e] a book like the Book of Mormon. And, though I was an active participant in the scenes that transpired, … it is marvelous to me, “a marvel and a wonder.” …

My belief is that the Book of Mormon is of divine authenticity—I have not the slightest doubt of it. … It would have been improbable that a learned man could do this; and, for one so ignorant and unlearned as he was, it was simply impossible. (Emma Smith, in “Last Testimony of Sister Emma,” The Saints’ Herald, Oct. 1, 1879, 290)

• Based on what you have learned today, how is the coming forth of the Book of Mormon a “marvelous work and a wonder”?

• How does knowing that the Lord has provided us with this blessing affect how you feel about Him?

• What experiences have you or others had that illustrate how marvelous the Book of Mormon is?

Consider sharing a personal experience or one of the following videos as part of your discussion of the previous questions.

To see examples of how marvelous the Book of Mormon is, you could watch “Solving Life’s Problems with the Book of Mormon” (1:00) or “The Book of Mormon: What Would Your Life Be Like without It?” from time code 5:38 to 11:26. Both videos can be found on ChurchofJesusChrist.org.

Earlier in the lesson, you were asked to think about your feelings about the Book of Mormon. Consider whether any of the truths you have studied today have impacted your testimony of this sacred book. In your study journal, record any thoughts or impressions you have received, as well as future actions you have been prompted to take.

Consider inviting a few volunteers to share meaningful thoughts or insights they have had during the lesson. Testify of the truths you have discussed today.

Commentary and Background Information

How is the coming forth of the Book of Mormon a marvelous work and a wonder?

President Russell M. Nelson taught:

President Russell M. Nelson

Think of the short time Joseph took to translate the Book of Mormon. Working from April to June of 1828, Joseph translated the 116 pages that Martin Harris later lost. Joseph began translating again on Tuesday, April 7, 1829, with Oliver Cowdery as scribe. The manuscript was completed eighty-five days later, on June 30 of that year. Of course, not all of that time was spent working on the translation. The Prophet and his scribes also took time to eat, to sleep, to seek employment, to receive the Aaronic and Melchizedek priesthoods, to make at least one (and possibly two) trips to Colesville thirty miles away, to receive and record thirteen revelations that are now sections of the Doctrine and Covenants, to move from Harmony to Fayette, to acquire the Book of Mormon copyright, and to begin making arrangements for the publication of the Book of Mormon. Conservatively estimated, this left sixty-five or fewer working days on which the prophet and his scribes translated this book, which contains 531 pages in its current edition. (See John W. Welch, Ensign, Jan. 1988, pp. 46–47.) That calculates to an average of eight pages per day. Consider this when you translate a book, or as you schedule your own reading of the Book of Mormon. (Russell M. Nelson, “A Treasured Testament,” Ensign, July 1993, 61–62)

Elder Ulisses Soares of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles testified:

Elder Ulisses Soares

The translation process of the Book of Mormon was … a miracle. This sacred ancient record was not “translated” in the traditional way that scholars would translate ancient texts by learning an ancient language. We ought to look at the process more like a “revelation” with the aid of physical instruments provided by the Lord, as opposed to a “translation” by one with knowledge of languages. … The Lord’s help in the translation of the plates—or revelation, so to speak—is also evident when considering the miraculously short time Joseph Smith took to translate them. (Ulisses Soares, “The Coming Forth of the Book of Mormon,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2020, 33)

Watch “Compelling Witness” (7:46) to see additional examples of how the coming forth of the Book of Mormon was a marvelous work and a wonder.

What is marvelous about the Restoration of Christ’s Church and gospel?

Watch “A Bicentennial Proclamation to the World” from time code 2:41 to 9:13 or read “The Restoration of the Fulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ: A Bicentennial Proclamation to the World” (ChurchofJesusChrist.org), looking for what is marvelous about the Restoration of Christ’s Church and gospel.

Supplemental Learning Activities

Explaining activity

Consider inviting students to compare the conditions described in 2 Nephi 27:1–5 with the Lord’s promises in 2 Nephi 27:29–31, 35. To help the students think about the impact the Book of Mormon and restored gospel have had on the world, invite them to choose one or more of the following situations (adapted from 2 Nephi 27:1–5). For each situation they choose, they could find a truth taught in a Book of Mormon passage that they feel could help.

• Someone who is unsteady or has addictions

• Someone who needs a shelter from life’s storms

• Someone who needs to have their spiritual hunger or thirst satisfied

• Someone who needs to see more clearly

As an example, someone with addictions could be helped by the truth taught in Alma 7:11–13 that the Savior understands and can help with any temptation.

Invite students to share what they found.

2 Nephi 27:15–19. Fulfillment of the prophecy about the unlearned man

To help students learn more about the fulfillment of the prophecy found in 2 Nephi 27:15–19, consider showing “A Marvelous Work and a Wonder” (5:46). You could also read about it together in Saints: The Story of the Church of Jesus Christ in the Latter Days, vol. 1, The Standard of Truth, 1815–1846 (2018), 44–48.