Consider the context of the Savior’s mortal ministry as presented in the Book of Mormon. We have in these sacred pages many details of these wondrous events, as confirmed in the following statement:
While the narrative of Christ’s birth is beautifully recorded by Luke, the Book of Mormon records additional prophecies revealed to the children of Lehi. We are indebted to Nephite prophets for the clearer image of Mary and her foreordained calling as the mother of the Son of God. After seeing the beginning of Christ’s mortal life in vision, Nephi tells us that Mary was “most beautiful and fair above all other virgins” (1 Nephi 11:15). Alma witnessed that she was a “precious and chosen vessel” (Alma 7:10), and King Benjamin testified that she would be called “Mary” nearly 125 years before she gave birth to Jesus (see Mosiah 3:8). Book of Mormon prophets testify of the transcendent and sacred nature of the conception and birth of Jesus Christ to this mortal woman and the Eternal Father (see 1 Nephi 11:13–21; Alma 7:10).
The Book of Mormon also expands our understanding that Christ’s birth was known in the Western Hemisphere. Samuel the Lamanite prophesied specific signs of the Savior’s birth (see Helaman 14:2–7), and five years later the prophecies were fulfilled and the people were overwhelmed with joy that the Messiah had come to the earth (see 3 Nephi 1:4–21). (Ray L. Huntington and Camille Fronk, “Latter-day Clarity on Christ’s Life and Teachings,” Ensign, Jan. 1999, 22)