Why do members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints consider the Book of Mormon scripture?
Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints consider the Book of Mormon to be holy scripture because they believe it is a divinely inspired record revealed to and translated by their founder, Joseph Smith.1
According to the faith's tradition, the book’s contents were originally engraved on gold plates by ancient prophets, including Mormon and his son Moroni. Followers believe that Moroni, appearing as a resurrected being, delivered these plates to Joseph Smith, who then translated the text under divine guidance using special stones known as "interpreters". Smith maintained that he did not author the work himself but acted as a translator of the ancient record, which recounts the history of a group of Hebrews who migrated to the Americas and received a visit from Jesus following his Ascension.1