The Banao Encampment: The Church's Gift to the Dominican Republic Saints

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The Banao Encampment: The Church's Gift to the Dominican Republic Saints"

 Darrel L. Hammon

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is doing some incredible things around the world, trying to create opportunities for those who don’t have anything. Just like young people in Utah and Idaho, young men and women and their parents in other countries can engage in similar experiences, perhaps a bit different, than their counterparts. Such is the case with young people living in the Dominican Republic (DR).

A bit north of Santo Domingo, the capital of the DR, sits an encampment on 220 acres of lush Dominican countryside, full of green trees, rolling hills, and richly green undergrowth. We traveled as senior missionaries in a very nice, air-conditioned guagua (a bus) on Monday as Hurricane Irene threatened the Caribbean.

We jostled our way through traffic to the countryside called the campo here. The Dominican freeway passed through several towns before we rolled off to the left and onto a country road that split up several fields of rice. One of the DR couples who is serving a temple mission told us the fields were experimental fields, own and operated by the government. They grow several varieties and did testing to develop different types of rice. Plus, they pointed out orange groves and other groves of fruits along the way.

 Soon, we entered a small village and turned left at a little building that had the sign: “Banca Gringo.” This banca sells lottery tickets. We cautiously crossed a gently flowing creek and struggled our way down a narrow road. On each side of the road was a living fence. Tall, thick poles had been planted as fences with wire strung between them. The poles were truly saplings, and small, green limbs spouted out of them—thus a living fence.

Soon, we turned off the road and rolled through a magnificent rock entryway with an iron fence. We had arrived at the Banao Encampment the Church owns near Banao. Elder and Sister Riggs, two senior missionaries from Arizona, greeted us. He didn’t dress like typical missionaries. Rather, a cowboy hat hung just slightly to right of his head. He wore an open checked shirt, Levis, and comfortable work shoes. His mission was not to preach and teach, per se, although he did a lot of that with the volunteers and the youth. Rather, his mission was to convert 220 acres into an encampment for the Church in the heart of the campo, all with volunteers and a few hired locals.  

On the property was an old hacienda, formerly owned by a government attorney who also raised prized, registered sheep. He had previously built beautiful sheds for them. Elder and Sister Riggs had converted these sheds into dormitories for those who came to the property to enjoy and participate in Church activities.

While most were preparing the meal of hotdogs and hamburgers, some of us trundled off to an enclosed “Hurl a Whirl,” a very unique Maypole-looking thing that Elder Riggs had designed and built. It had four extended seats, equally spaced around a pole. Someone pushes the seats in a counter-clock-wise position, basically “winding you up.” Then, they let go, and the “Hurly Whirly” begins to unwind at an alarmingly rapid rate. Now, the dangerous part of the whole process happens to the person who does the pushing. He or she needs to get out of the enclosed arena as fast as they can so he or she won’t get hit. In this case, there isn’t much room between the seats and the enclosed fence. Fortunately, our pushers cleared uneventfully. It unwinds and then begins rewinding by itself. It continues this wind and unwind process until it has run out of winding. Elder Riggs said that the young people can play for hours on this contraption. He had to build a small fence around it to protect the cheering crowds.

We had lunch in one of the small pavilions on the property. Over 27 of us fit nicely on newly-built sturdy picnic tables. Lunch was great! We had hot dogs and hamburgers.

Then Elder Riggs began talking about their last 18 months at the Encampment and all the work that had gone into it. It was a great talk. They have worked extremely hard in accomplishing their many tasks. They had built two pavilions, one of them where we ate and another one just down the path. When we all walked down there after lunch and between rain showers, I was aghast at the size of the second pavilion. It was monstrous. As my dad would have said had he seen it, “You could park a lot of hay here.” Elder Snow, another senior missionary, said the same thing. It had a room full of chairs and tables and its own kitchen. Just before you arrived at the pavilion, there was set of several bathrooms and showers.

We also walked with Elder Riggs over to where they had converted the sheep pens into adequate living quarters. Most of them had two bunk beds, each sporting a foam mattress. At the end of one of the living quarters were bathrooms and showers that the local contractors had built. They had tile floors and sinks. Elder Riggs said that recently they had had over 500 youth there on an outing, plus another 120 Relief Society sisters who just showed up to participate in training.

Soon, it was time to leave. It was actually quite sad to leave the gorgeous countryside with its rolling and foliage-covered hills and enter the big city with its rolling waves of people, cars, guaguas, and pollution. The Church made a wise decision by purchasing those 220 acres outside Banao for an encampment so the members of the Church can escape the hustle and bustle, much like we do in Utah and Idaho and other states where the Church has built camps.

The Banao Encampment is truly a place where people can provide service, become intertwined with nature and God’s green earth, feeling secure on dedicated property, with a wonderfully built hacienda on one of the rolling hills, surround by lush greenery, hearing the early morning crows from nearby roosters and the braying of the Brahma-like cattle that roam the countryside, and feeling the spirit the Lord envelop them like the beauty that resides there.

For pictures, please see http://hammondrmission.blogspot.com/2011/08/banao-encampment-churchs-gift-to.html.

Updates and Musings

Today's Musings
Darrel Hammon

Garage sale--We are done--finally! We finished on Saturday. Overall, we had two good weekends of selling our stuff. We met some wonderful people. Most were curious as why we were selling most of our things. When we told them about our mission, they all reacted surprised, yet favorably. We had opportunities to discuss senior couple missions for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We were able to give way a Book of Mormon to a young man who came a couple of times with his mother. He just purchased a bunch of bees to raise, and he is only 18. We cleaned up the rest of the stuff today.

Selling our stuff--Joanne and I have had discussion about this. Anna Rose has discussed this with us. We have come to this conclusion: We don't need all this stuff, and we wondered why we accumulated it in the first place.When we return from our mission, we believe we can live with fewer things. And, yes, we can do dishes after each meal to have enough clean dishes for the next meal. We took the clothes to the Habitat for Humanity. They were very appreciative and said if we had more, they would take it. The rest goes to the Cheyenne Regional Medical Center Hospital Foundation. We had previously taken clothing items to Needs, Inc. There are so many places to take your clothing and home items. My suggestion is that everyone takes a jaundiced look at your "things" and get rid of those you really don't need. There are so many people who have needs and would love your things. Spring cleaning could be truly a cleansing experience.

Mission preparation--We continue our mission preparations to the Caribbean and the Dominican Republic (La Republica Dominica). We finished Preach My Gospel (Predicad Mi Evangelio) as a couple for the first time. It was an exceptional text, and we know we learned just a fraction of what it contains. I would like to complete it in Spanish before we leave. Joanne is also continuing her Spanish studies. We have decided that Mondays will be a "viva su lengua" (live your language) day for us. We attempted to do it today. We did pretty well. On our walk, we practiced the verb "tener" and "estar" and learned new vocabulary. We still have lots to do.

Mother Boltz--Mother Boltz now lives with John and LaWane in Bountiful, Utah. We took her down on Easter Weekend. Many of the family members were there to attend a baby blessing. We felt this was a good time to take her.  It was sad to box up all of her stuff and put it in a 16-foot Budget rent-a-truck  and haul it to Bountiful on one of the windiest days of the year. What an experience that was! She is now safely ensconced in Bountiful, Utah. Our home seems empty without her, but we know John, LaWane, and Nicole will take very good care of her. For those who want to contact her, she has an email and a Facebook page.

We seem to be keeping busy, which we like. May you all experience a spectacular day!

The Cannery

The Cannery: Serving Our Neighbors
Darrel Hammon

Joanne and I went to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ( LDS) cannery, located in Aurora, Colorado, today. We participated in the noon to 4:00 p.m. shift. Our job was to can tomato soup. The impressive part of the experience was the majority of the work done in the Aurora cannery--and any other cannery throughout the world--was completed by volunteers.

About fifteen of us drove down in various vehicles. Joanne and I carpooled with two other members from our LDS ward (congregation). We had a great visit going down and coming back. It is nice to become better acquainted with people from your own ward.

One of the sisters who is serving a welfare mission with her husband in the cannery said a very profound thing: "We just canned enough tomato soup for 15,000 meals." Think of that: 15,000 meals! Instead of thinking about just putting tomato soup in cans, she thought of it as making meals.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints understands welfare needs. It understand humanitarian needs. It understands people's needs--throughout the entire world. I do not know of another organization that is so capable of helping their own while simultaneously so willing to help others.

Canneries are scattered through the world, canning tomato soup, chicken noodle soup, beans, peas, jams, peaches, turkey chunks, and a plethora of other commodities in order to help people in need, no matter where they live. Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and non-members alike volunteer thousands and thousands and thousands of hours preparing food stuffs for people in need.

When there is an earthquake (Japan, Haiti, Chile), when there are tornadoes (midwest and the south), when there are floods (New Orleans), when there calamities throughout the world--The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is there to help with food stuffs, vision care, clean water programs, hygiene training for families, wheel chairs, people ("Helping Hands"), emergency kits, and a host of other things (see www.lds.org).

The great King Benjamin said: "...when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God" (Mosiah 2:17). Christ said: "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these" (Mark 12:31). Part of loving your neighbor is serving him or her. And working in a cannery for a few hours helps us understand better our role in serving others.

We had a wonderful day in serving our neighbor, perhaps neighbors whom we may never know. Thank you for this experience. And we are sure there will be many, many more opportunities.

"Dear Grandpa and Grandma: I hope they call you on a Mission"

"Dear Grandpa and Grandma: I hope they call you on a Mission"
Darrel Hammon

Questionnaire: I am writing an article for Deseret Direct. Deseret Direct began in June 2010 and provides “unparalleled values-driven content for distribution through Deseret Media Companies – most notably Deseret News, KSL, Mormon Times and LDS Church News. Deseret Direct’s mission is ‘To be trusted voices of light and knowledge reaching hundreds of millions of people worldwide.’”

The topic I am writing about is senior couples going on missions for the Church. I have tentatively titled it: “Dear Grandpa and Grandma: I hope they call you on a mission.” Consequently, I have devised a few questions that will help me write the article. If you are willing to help with the article, please send me your e-mail address @ darrel.hammon@gmail.com. The following are questions from the questionnaire:

Names:
Mission:
Home Town:
Home State:
Home Ward:
Home Stake:

Currently serving: □ Yes □ No
Preparing to serve: □ Yes □ No
Home from our mission: □ Yes □ No

What helped you make a decision to serve a senior couple mission?

Describe the process of making the decision to go a mission.

Before you decided to go on a mission, what were some of the things you thought about that might prohibit you from going on a mission?

Was your family supportive of you going on a mission?

What are some specific things your family did or is doing to demonstrate their support of your mission?

Is there one thing that you worried about that you really didn’t need to worry about once you were on your mission?

What do you wish you knew before entering the MTC?

What do you wish you knew before entering the actual mission field?

Now that you are home, what are your thoughts about your missionary experience? Would you go again?

What is one thing/event that stood out on your mission?

What would you tell other senior couples who are contemplating going a mission?

Anything else that you think might be relevant to help senior couples decide to go on a mission and how to prepare?


May I quote you? □ Yes □ No

Do you have a picture from your mission you would be willing to share?
□ Yes □ No

Thank you for your time and your detailed answers. I appreciate it.

Darrel L. Hammon

LDS General Conference

General Conference Summary
Darrel Hammon

What a wonderful General Conference over the past couple of days. While the messages were many, the counsel deep, I have attempted to summarize each talk.

Thank you, President Monson, for the announcement of the three new temples:
o Fort Collins, Colorado
o Meridian, Idaho
o Winnipeg, Canada

Thank you, Elder Perry, for your counsel about the Sabbath day and counseling us to keep ourselves unspotted from the world, to go to the House of Prayer, to offer up our sacraments, and to rest from our labors. Plus, thank you for reminding us that the greatest joy is following the Savior.

Many thanks to Sister Jean Stevens for her incredible insight about children and how we need to be just like they are so that we can ultimately become more Christ-like.

Gracias, Elder Gonzalez, por sus consejos: followers of Christ are loving people and followers of Christ make and keep covenants, noting we are happier when we live the teachings of Jesus Christ.

Elder Richards, thank you for your insight that all pain can be soothed and in Him—the Lord Jesus Christ—we can find rest to our souls.

A huge reminder from Elder Quentin L. Cook helped us understand that much we accomplish in the church is the result of the dedication of the women in the church and reminding us the women are incredible because of the way they face the challenges of life. Plus, no woman should even need to apologize for nurturing children first, and we should all be careful not to be judgmental when sisters choose to work outside the home.

Thank you, President Eyring, for reminder to us to honor and celebrate what the Lord has done to serve the poor and the needy of His children on earth and sharing with us Elder Melvin J. Ballard’s comment that “you can give a crust to the Lord, and He will give a loaf in return.”

President Packer, your testimony about how we are followers of Christ is always spot on. Plus, your counsel: If you are looking for a church that requires very little, this isn’t the one, helps us understand how much we need to do. We know you always testify of truth.

The consummate doctor, Elder Russell M. Nelson, gave us prescriptions for spiritual success: One needs to keep all of the commandments and will strengthen that faith. Obedience allows the blessings to flow and will provide spiritual and physical protection. Plus your counsel to parents: You bear the primary responsibility to help your children learn faith. Let your faith focus on the Christ. Teach that faith with deep conviction.

Thank you, Elder Maynes, for the poem “Twas a sheep not a lamb…” It is one of my favorites, one I use all of the time. Also, thanks for reminding us that being the offspring of a loving Heavenly Father is a simple doctrine, that the family is fundamental to the order of Heaven, and that our eternal happiness in not Satan’s objective. He wants to deprive us of eternal happiness with our families. He does everything in his power to destroy the family.

Thank you, Elder Samuelson, for answering the question: Who is entitled to testimony? And your answer: Anyone who is willing to pay the price.

Elder Oaks, thank you for discussing the importance of desire and saying that desires dictate our priorities. When we capture the vision of what we can become, then our desires will change.

Many thanks to Elder Ballard for his wonderful counsel about serving, stating the most important attribute of Heavenly Father and His Beloved Son is the gift of charity, and from charity springs our capacity to love and serve.

At the Priesthood session, we learned from Elder Andersen a missionary’s mission is a great opportunity and responsibility linked to his or her eternal destiny. The Lord is generous to those who love Him. Plus, a missionary’s actions prior to the mission will determine the power his/she brings to the mission.

Elder Snow, thank you for discussing hope and helping us understand that hope alone does not mean we’ll be successful and reminding us the spiritual journeys we face today require no less effort today than they did in times past.

Thanks to Elder Gibson discussing the sacred keys of the priesthood and counseling us to go to the scriptures to find out what our duties are.

President Uchtdorf, your words of wisdom are from God. We know some of us are “living below our privilege.” We know now that we need to leave the “Do It” button on and turn off the “later” button. We also learned we shouldn’t allow a day to go by without listening and doing what the spirit suggests. Finally, you counseled us to become experts in the doctrine of the gospel and the priesthood.

President Eyring, thank you for your counseling regarding our “priesthood school” and how we need to sit in counsel with our fellow brethren in our quorums and groups and “lift” each other and to learn about God’s will and His mysteries and the keys to the kingdom.

Oh, dearly beloved President Monson, your prophetic counsel to not subject ourselves to the filth of the world comes at no better time. We know our strong testimonies are the surest way to protect us from evil and that we need to keep them vital. Your great wisdom regarding marriage and keeping our marriages alive will help all of us. Plus, the single brethren who have not married need to begin thinking seriously about being serious.

On Sunday morning, President Uchtdorf said it would be wise to turn down the volume control of noise of the world so we can hear the quiet promptings of the spirit. Plus, he mentioned the Lord expects His members to open up their mouths. The best way to preach the gospel is through example.

Elder Johnson, thank you for helping us under affliction is part of the mortal existence—to provide a trial of our faith and that personal growth should be an outcome of our afflictions.

Bishop Burton, thank you for your counsel regarding service: We honor those in our day those who reach out to the poor, feed the hungry, minister to the sick, visit the captive—this is the sacred work the Savior expects from his disciples.

Thanks to Sister Allred for her counsel that we must love and serve one another—the essence of discipleship.

Elder Bednar, your insight continually amazes me. Juxtaposing experiences with light, light from entering a room and turning on the light and the gradual light from the rising of the morning sun, was incredible and will require more pondering on all our parts. As we honor our covenants and keep the commandments, we can walk with confidence that God will bless our steps and inspire our utterances.

Again, President Monson, thank you for discussing temples and the importance of them. We know that no sacrifice is too great to make it to the temple and that temples are more than just stone and mortar. They are filled with trials and testimony; sanctified by the spirit. Thank you for reminding the young people—and all of us—to always have the temple in your sights. Never do anything that will compromise this goal

Elder Scott, we appreciated the tenderness with which you spoke this afternoon, for your love of your wife, reminding us to have faith in the promise of the Lord, especially regarding marriage and children and the eternal nature of these things.

Elder Christofferson, your message today was extremely poignant to me about the plan Heavenly Father has for each of us and that often we need to be willing to accept a correction, yes even a divine chastening. We need to truly become self-correcting, noting we all need to pray for His inspired corrections.

Elder Pratt, thank you for inspiring us to continue to pay our tithing and understanding the Lord’s richest blessings are our families and are spiritual.

Elder Robbins, we get the “to do” list vs. the “to be” list. Bottom line is this: we need to do the things we know we need to do while simultaneously “being” who we need to be.

Elder de Hoyos, will call the Church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for it is the name the Lord provided for us through revelation.

Thank you, Elder Grow, for your poignancy today about your brother and the miracle of the Atonement and how the Lord allows us to put behind us our past mistakes.

Elder Holland, thank you for your insight about us being the ensigns of the world and to reflect in the days ahead on the unique phenomenon General Conference is. We will also testify to everyone that God not only lives but HE speaks for our time in and the counsel we have heard is under the direction of the Holy Spirit. Your strong testimony of the President Monson is contagious! We love President Monson.

President Monson, your concluding remarks about our Heavenly Father being cognizant of each of us. We will strive to good citizens of the countries and communities where we live. We humbly thank the Savior for not turning back. Indeed, He taught us how to live; He taught how to die.

Thank you for a wonderfully joyous and spiritual conference.

The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Christ

The following is a talk I gave a few years ago about the Book of Mormon, my most favorite book of all time. It is a true book. If you have questions about this talk or about the Book of Mormon, please let me know.


For most of us who have grown up in the Church, the Book of Mormon has become a symbol for all of us–for our lives, the way we live, the things that we do in the real world. Joseph Smith was more succinct: “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 any other book” (Introduction to the Book of Mormon. History of the Church).

For some of us, the Book of Mormon lends itself to fascinating pages of wars and rumors of wars, techniques of building fortresses and other buildings; treks across the ocean to new lands; the intrigue of family relationships and kingdoms transferring from one son to the next; the names of animals that inhabited the American continent at the time Lehi’s family stepped onto this land blessed; the many poetic devises, including Chiasmus, used by the prophets in their writings and another testament that Joseph Smith did not write the Book of Mormon...But the most important truth–yes, even testimony–that we should capture from reading, studying, and pondering the Book of Mormon is this: That Jesus is the Christ (See Elder Russell M. Nelson, Ensign, “A Testimony of the Book of Mormon,” November 1999) and that the Book of Mormon is “Another Testament of Jesus Christ.”

President Benson said, “A second powerful testimony to the importance of the Book of Mormon is to note where the Lord placed its comings forth in the timetable of the unfolding Restoration. The only thing that preceded it was the First Vision. In that marvelous manifestation, the Prophet Joseph Smith learned the true nature of God and that God had a work for him to do. The coming forth of the Book of Mormon was the next thing to follow” (A Witness and a Warning, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1988, pp. 15–22).

What other spiritual concepts can we learn from reading the Book of Mormon. Let me discuss a mere few.

The Book of Mormon converts people. It changes lives. It propels people to do things differently than they had been doing them. It instills in them the feelings of peace and happiness. And most, importantly, it allows them to “come unto Christ.” One family whose life the Book of Mormon changed was the Portales family in La Unión, Chile. Sister Portales was a single mother with six children and housekeeper/nanny to the branch president. He asked us to teach her so we did. One of Sister Portales’ biggest challenges was that she could not read, and her children could barely read because they did not go to school often because they were poor. But read they did, slowly but surely. Often, we would stop by to read with them and to help them with certain passages of the Book of Mormon. Her young boys plodded along in the Book of Mormon, word by word, sentence by sentence, verse by verse, and concept by concept. Soon, the entire Portales family knew the gospel was true and testified of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. They had heard the words. The words had penetrated their hearts. They wanted to “come unto Christ.” Thus, they were baptized and confirmed members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. And happy were they.

With the consistent daily reading and studying the Book of Mormon, we as members of the Church will increase our spirituality and ultimately understand and accept Jesus as the Christ, the savior of the world, the God through whom we must come in order to inherit eternal life. The ancient Prophet Moroni came to understand this and issued an invigorating challenge to his posterity and to all who read his final poignant verses before he ended his work: “Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ....then are ye sanctified in Christ....that ye become holy, without spot” (Moroni 10:31-33).

Amulek of the Book of Mormon is a perfect example of one who would not hear and “come unto Christ” until an angel of the Lord appeared unto him and requested his help. Then he took the prophet Alma in and learned about the gospel of Jesus Christ. When speaking to the people of Ammonihah, Amulek told them that he was "a man of no small reputation... among them" (Alma 10:4). Then he confesses how he chose not to hear even though he had witnessed much of the mysteries of God:

"Nevertheless, after all this, I never have known much of the ways of the Lord, and his mysteries and marvelous power. I said I never had known much of these things; but behold, I mistake, for I have seen much of his mysteries and his marvelous power; yea, even in the preservation of the lives of this people.

"Nevertheless, I did harden my heart, for I was called many times and I would not hear; therefore I knew concerning these things, yet I would not know; therefore I went on rebelling against God, in the wickedness of my heart..." (Alma 10:5-6).

Through the Book of Mormon we become intimately acquainted with the Savior. Because of the prophet Nephi’s words, we are there when He visits the Nephites. Through Mormon, we see Jesus descend from Heaven. “...behold, they saw a Man descending out of heaven; and he was clothed in a white robe; and he came down and stood in the midst of them; and the eyes of the whole multitude were turned upon him, and they durst not open their mouths, even one to another, and wist not what it meant, for they thought it was an angel that had appeared unto them” (3 Nephi 11:8-11).

We hear His voice speak to the people of the Book of Mormon:

“And it came to pass that he stretched forth his hand and spake unto the people, saying:

“Behold, I am Jesus Christ, whom the prophets testified shall come into the world.

“And behold, I am the light and the life of the world; and I have drunk out of that bitter cup which the Father hath given me, and have glorified the Father in taking upon me the sins of the world, in the which I have suffered the will of the Father
in all things from the beginning. (3 Nephi 11:8-11)

“Arise and come forth unto me, that ye may thrust your hands into my side, and also that ye may feel the prints of the nails in my hands and in my feet, that ye may know that I am the God of Israel, and the God of the whole earth, and have been slain for the sins of the world.”

And we feel of the power and majesty of the Savior and the emotional connection the Nephites had with Him and ultimately a testimony that would last two centuries:

“And it came to pass that the multitude went forth, and thrust their hands into his side, and did feel the prints of the nails in his hands and in his feet; and this they did do, going forth one by one until they had all gone forth, and did see with their eyes and did feel with their hands, and did know of a surety and did bear record, that it was he, of whom it was written by the prophets, that should come.

“And when they had all gone forth and had witnessed for themselves, they did cry out with one accord, saying:

“Hosanna! Blessed be the name of the Most High God! And they did fall down at the feet of Jesus, and did worship him (3 Nephi 11:14-17).

We, too, can feel of His love for all of us, especially the little children. We, too, can feel the "prints of the nails in his hands and in his feet”—all through the Atonement of Christ.

We learn of the attributes of God—In 2 Nephi, chapter 9, Jacob, Nephi’s brother, discusses with us the attributes of God. We learn that God is wise. We also learn that he is just, merciful, and good. Additionally, we learn…”How great the holiness of our God! For he knoweth all things, and there is not anything save he knows it.

“And he cometh into the world that he may save all men if they will hearken unto his voice; for behold, he suffereth the pains of all men, yea, the pains of every living creature, both men, women, and children, who belong to the family of Adam” (2 Nephi 9:20-21).

We learn of the atonement of Christ: Because of His love for us, He provided a way for all of us to return to Him and the Father. We know that “Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy” 2 Nephi 2:25). Jacob teaches “And the Messiah cometh in the fulness of time, that he may redeem the children of men from the fall. And because that they are redeemed from the fall they have become free forever, knowing good from evil; to act for themselves and not to be acted upon, save it be by the punishment of the law at the great and last day, according to the commandments which God hath given” (2 Nephi 2:25-26).

We learn why we need to come unto Christ. At the very beginning of the Book of Mormon, Nephi is extremely succinct in telling us why he is writing on the plates: “For the fullness of mine intent is that I may persuade men to come unto the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, and be saved” (1 Nephi 6:4 (bold mine). Then at the end, in verse 32 of Chapter 10, the third to the last verse, Moroni reiterates the plea: “Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God” (Moroni 10:32).

I have always found intriguing to look at the last of what any of the prophets write. To me, they know of the limited space, and perhaps, the limited time they have to help us understand. Moroni uses his last words to plead with us, to help us understand that we must come unto Christ. His last words are as significant: “And now I bid unto all, farewell. I soon go to rest in the paradise of God, until my spirit and body shall again reunite, and I am brought forth triumphant through the air, to meet you before the pleasing bar of the great Jehovah, the Eternal Judge of both quick and dead. Amen” (Moroni 10:34). He wants to meet you and me at the “pleasing bar of the great Jehovah.” What an invitation he gives to us! I can see his genuine smile when he does see us.

We learn of the Plan of Happiness—This plan of happiness or the plan of salvation allows us—if we are obedient to the laws and commandments of God—to return to our Father in Heaven as families. But we also know that the path toward the Plan of Happiness is strewn with obstacles. Lehi’s dream shows us of the mists of darkness and the great and spacious building wherein people mock us at every turn. Yet, Nephi says, “And we heeded them not…” We also know that the path is narrow. Consider Jacob’s words: “Behold, the way for man is narrow, but it lieth in a straight course before him, and the keeper of the gate is the Holy One of Israel; and he employeth no servant there; and there is none other way save it be by the gate; for he cannot be deceived, for the Lord God is his name” (2 Nephi 9:41). The fact that the “Holy One of Israel” is the one at the gate is consoling. I know He loves me enough to be there to help me understand the true Plan of Happiness, but I must be obedient to His teachings.

We learn what kind of people we ought to be—It has been obvious from the beginning. When asked what manner of men ought you to be, the answer was very simple, yet profound: “Yea, even as I.” Throughout His ministry, He taught about being kind to the poor, helping those who need help, lifting the burdens of others, and willing to bear one another's burdens, that they may be light; “Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life—(Mosiah 18:8-9).

Part of the Plan of Happiness is our ability to know good from evil. In fact, Lehi in speaking to his son Jacob says “For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things” (2 Nephi 2:11).

Once again, trough divine inspiration, Mormon helps us understand the succinct differences between good and evil:

“Wherefore, all things which are good cometh of God; and that which is evil cometh of the devil; for the devil is an enemy unto God, and fighteth against him continually, and inviteth and enticeth to sin, and to do that which is evil continually.

“But behold, that which is of God inviteth and enticeth to do good continually; wherefore, every thing which inviteth and enticeth to do good, and to love God, and to serve him, is inspired of God”

“Wherefore, take heed, my beloved brethren, that ye do not judge that which is evil to be of God, or that which is good and of God to be of the devil” (Moroni 7:12-14).

“For behold, the Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil” (Moroni 7:16).

We learn of His love for us and of the blessings that come to us because of our obedience to the commandments of God. I know all of you have felt the love of our Heavenly Father and His Son, yes even their “tender mercies.” When we are obedient, happiness tends to extend to our very soul. It is when we do things not conducive to the spirit is when we feel overwhelmed or not worthy. This is the time when we need to repent and “come unto Christ” and bask in the spiritual awareness that will come. Moroni tells us that faith in the Lord Jesus Christ must be our foundation: “I would show unto the world that faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith” (Ether 12:6). Thus, we must be faithful and obedient. Then the blessings will come forth in great abundance.

All of the modern-day prophets, from the Prophet Joseph to our latter-day prophet, Gordon B. Hinckley have urged and challenged us to read the Book of Mormon. Just in the last couple of months, President Hinckley has given the entire Church a challenge: to read entire Book of Mormon by year’s end. I know you can do this task. Mormon and Moroni knew you could, too.

To me, Mormon is the great editor of this world. His compilation of 1000 years of history and prophecies ultimately became 531 pages. One of the Harry Potter books, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, has 652 pages, and many of you read it in less than 48 hours. The last volume of the Work and the Glory has 521 pages; and the Fire and the Covenant, 730 pages. So…if we take a 1000 years of information and compress it into 531 pages, then each page, each chapter, each verse, each word will have enormous significance. Thus, that is why prophets have urged—yes, even commanded us—to read the sacred pages—for that is what they are—sacred writings, sacred words, written by prophets of old to you and to me. Thus, I reiterate President Hinckley and the First Presidency’s challenge to all of us to read the Book of Mormon by the end of the year.

Like many prophets of old, and recently President Boyd K. Packer, I, too, bear witness that the Book of Mormon is the most correct book upon the face of the earth. Like you, I have read the Book of Mormon promise:

“Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts.

“And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.

“And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things” (Moroni 10:3- 6)….of this I testify….