A new, broader way to provide copies of the Book of Mormon for non-members, replacing the Family-to-Family Book of Mormon Program, has been approved by the First Presidency.

In the new program, a General Book of Mormon Fund has been established, and contributions to the fund can be made on a revised Tithing and Other Offerings form.The new way is expected to improve the distribution of the Book of Mormon, of which 3.27 million copies were donated by members in 1990. Leaders hope that number will increase in 1991 through the General Book of Mormon fund.

In a letter to Church leaders and members to be read in sacrament meeting, the First Presidency thanked the generous efforts of those who have shared their testimonies and copies of the book.

"In order to make our efforts more effective, members who wish to provide copies of the Book of Mormon for missionary use should now make their contributions to the General Book of Mormon Fund," stated the letter.

"Copies of the Book of Mormon for use by full-time missionaries will be provided from this fund as needed."

The new donations form "will allow members to contribute directly to the General Missionary Fund, the Ward Missionary Fund (for the support of missionaries called from the ward), and the General Book of Mormon Fund.

"Those members who desire to use pictures and testimonies may place them in copies of the Book of Mormon they share personally with their friends and acquaintances.

"Pictures and testimonies should no longer be sent to Church headquarters or directly to missions. With the volume of books being donated, the Church can no longer supply the service of placing pictures and testimonies in the books."

According to Elder Robert L. Backman of the Presidency of the Seventy and executive director of the Missionary Department, copies of the Book of Mormon are needed in many more languages and distant locations than could be distributed under the previous method.

"We hope that delivering the books directly can more effectively follow President Ezra Taft Benson's desire to share the Book of Mormon with all the world," said Elder Backman.

"Missionaries are very dependent on donated copies of the Book of Mormon," he said. "Conversion to Christ through the Book of Mormon is the keystone of missionary work."

New guidelines issued by the Missionary Department ask missionaries to improve the effectiveness of their use of the books by placing them with non-members who agree to read and pray about selected passages.

Missionaries and members are encouraged to read selected passages of the book with non-members, share feelings about the passages, and bear testimony. Experience indicates that this, more than marking passages or inserting a list of questions, will make a dramatic difference in how non-members feel about the book, said Elder Backman.