Book of Mormon Issue Fall 2024 by Ke Alaka'i News

THE LEADER

ADVISOR

Manhattan Ethington Prien MANAGING EDITOR

Lu ART DIRECTOR

TEAM

John Andrew Quizana COPY EDITOR

LeeAnn Lambert

Yichi

Ranitea Teihoarii EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Bella Chimedaatar MANAGING EDITOR

Moevai Tefan GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Guen Ramirez ILLUSTRATOR

Lan Xi Lin GRAPHIC DESIGNER

MEMBERS

DaraVutdy Si JOURNALIST

Scan to learn more about our team

Yui Leung PHOTOGRAPHER

CJ Shinihah Notarte JOURNALIST

Myco Chillian Marcaida JOURNALIST

Camille Jovenes PHOTOGRAPHER

Winslette Quiray-Santiago JOURNALIST

Linda Laulu JOURNALIST

Bilguun Enkhbaatar PHOTOGRAPHER

Ilustrations by Guen Ramirez.

Graphic desing by Ranitea Teihoarii and Yichi Lu.

NEWS CENTER:

Box 1920 BYUH Laie, HI 96762

Editorial, photo submissions & distribution inquiry: kealakai@byuh.edu

To view additional articles, go to kealakai.byuh.edu

CONTACT:

Email: kealakai@byuh.edu

Phone: (808) 675-3694

Office: BYU–Hawaii Aloha Center 134

ON THE COVER: An illustartion of the stripling warriors lead by Helaman. Illustration by Guen Ramirez. BACK COVER:An illustration of the valley after the war. Illustration by Guen Ramirez. INSERT: Scripture bookmarks illustrating the Liahona, Christ’s appearance to the Nephites in America, God touching the stones and Enos praying, all illustrated by Guen Ramirez. Graphics by Yichi Lu.

ABOUT

The Ke Alaka‘i began publishing the same year the University, then called Church College of Hawaii, opened. It has continued printing for more than 65 years. The name means “the leader” in Hawaiian. What began as a monthly newsletter, evolved into a weekly newspaper, then a weekly magazine and is now a monthly news magazine with a website and a social media presence. Today, a staff of more than 25 students work to provide information for BYU–Hawaii’s campus ohana and Laie’s community.

Letter from The Copy Editor

John Andrew Quizana

Aloha Readers,

During my mission, I was blessed with a mission president who continually encouraged us to read the Book of Mormon and develop daily sacred habits. These practices not only deepened our spirituality but also helped us grow as individuals.

One habit I adopted was carrying a new copy of the Book of Mormon with me whenever I was transferred to a new area. Our mission president provided us with colored pens to highlight references about Jesus Christ and His gospel. After reading the Book of Mormon in one area, I would leave it behind in the apartment and begin fresh with a new copy in the next area.

This practice opened my eyes to the countless miracles that come through reading this sacred book and deepened my understanding of Heavenly Father’s divine plan for His children. It guided me in setting inspired goals, creating thoughtful plans and extending Christlike love and compassion to others. I discovered that the way to follow the Savior’s example is to come to know Him personally, and the Book of Mormon is a powerful tool in that journey. If you seek to transform your life and draw nearer to God, begin reading it today, and let its teachings fill your heart with light and purpose.

In this issue, we’re thrilled to present insights from the Book of Mormon. Explore the blessings of holding fast to the iron rod on page 44, discover the many titles and names for Jesus Christ on page 8, and delve into the fascinating archaeological evidence and mysteries behind the book’s history on page 14. Learn various personal study methods shared by students and experts on page 24,and find some interesting facts about the book’s translation on page 20.

May your spirit be uplifted, your heart filled with joy and your love for Heavenly Father’s divine purpose for each of us as His children deepen as you read about the Book of Mormon in this magazine.

Best regards,

John Andrew Quizana Copy Editor

Another Testament of Jesus Christ

Jesus Christ, along with His various titles and pronouns, shows up in almost every verse in the Book of Mormon, says experts

BY RANITEA TEIHOARII

While the Bible records God’s interactions with people in the Eastern Hemisphere, the Book of Mormon details the journey of a group led by God from Jerusalem to the Western Hemisphere about 600 years before Christ’s birth, according to the Church of Jesus Christ’s website. It explains how God blessed them with prophets just as He did in the Old World. “Following His Crucifixion and Resurrection, Jesus Christ appeared to these people in the Western Hemisphere and taught them His gospel, contained in the Book of Mormon,” it continues.

“This book, more than any other ever published on this earth, bears witness of the life, the ministry, the teachings, the Atonement, and the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. … It will build and strengthen your faith in Jesus Christ.”

-Elder Gary E. Stevenson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

How many times is Christ mentioned in the Book of Mormon?

In the article, “Jesus Christ in the Book of Mormon,” John Hilton III and Madison Sinclair shared references to Jesus Christ in an article on the Church’s website. “Ultimately, the number of references to Jesus Christ is not the most important detail to learn from the Book of Mormon; however, each reference to Him can teach us about His divine nature and mission,” says the article. In 1978, Susan Ward Easton published an article that numerically demonstrated Jesus Christ as the central figure in the Book of Mormon. She found him mentioned 3,925 times by name or title, or once every 1.7 verses. In their thorough examination of the Book of Mormon, Hilton and Sinclair said they found 7,452 references to Christ, including titles and pronouns with an average of more than one reference per verse. Approximately 50 percent of these references are titles of Christ, while the rest are pronouns, they explained.•

Illustrations by Guen Ramirez. Graphics by Ranitea Tehihoarii.

Commemorating a century of faith and wisdom

Church members and world leaders celebrate President Nelson’s

100 years of life. He urges people to let God prevail in their lives

BY WINSLETTE QUIRAY-SANTIAGO

To honor the 100th birthday of the Prophet and Church President Russell M. Nelson on Sept. 9, leaders from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and other world leaders paid tribute and shared heartfelt messages. Included in the video brithday messages were BYU-Hawaii President John S.K. Kauwe and his wife, Monica, and some BYUH students. Joined by President Nelson’s family and friends, the event was held in the Conference Center Theater on Temple Square in Salt Lake City and broadcast worldwide.

“My dear brothers and sisters, the length of your life is not as important as the kind of life that you live,” said President Nelson. “For each of us, even for a 100-year-old man, life passes quickly. My prayer is that you will let God prevail in your life. Make covenants with Him. Stay on the covenant path. Prepare to return to live with Him again.”

In his message, President Nelson expressed his gratitude and appreciation to those who responded to his “99+1” invitation, where people were encouraged to “find the one” and reach out to those in need.

Reflecting on the miracles and blessings he has received, President Nelson emphasized the importance of being faithful, having an eternal perspective, and remembering the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

Since becoming Church President in 2018, President Nelson has announced 168 new temples worldwide. In increasing the number of temples, President Henry B. Eyring said, “[President Nelson said], ‘It’s the ordinances that make the difference. Let’s not be extravagant. Let’s make the buildings lovely.” He said temples are important because of the ordinances available there.

The global journey of the Book of Mormon

People around the world have access to the Book of Mormon in 113 languages

BY DARAVUTDY SI

Since the restoration of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by the Prophet Joseph Smith in 1830, the Book of Mormon has been translated into 113 languages, according to churchofjesuschrist.org. There are 92 full translations of the scriptural volume and 21 translations from selections of the book, the website says. The Book Of Mormon was first translated into English in 1830 and the latest translation was to Macedonian in 2023. •

Western Hemisphere

Guarani

Tagalog Full edition in 1998

Oceania

Ilokan Full edition in 1995

Cebuano Full edition in 1995

Bislama Full edition in 2004

Marshallese Full edition in 2003

Hiligaynon Full edition in 2005

Pampango Waray

Pohnpeian Chuukese Full edition in 2015

Palauan Kiribati Full edition in 2001

Niuean

Rarotongan Fijian

Maori Samoan

Tahitian

Tongan

Chamorro

Kosraean

Tok Pisin

Yapese

Malagasy

edition in 2000

Fante Full edition in 2003

Zulu

edition in 2003

Asia (except the Philippines)

edition in 2004

Shona

edition in 1999

Igbo

Amharic

Xhosa

edition in 1986

edition in 1982

Chinese, simplified

edition in 2000 Hmong

edition in 2000 Afrikaans

Arabic Full edition in 1986

Yoruba

UNEARTHING FAITH

Discover how archaeological evidence validates the historical claims of the Book of Mormon, the cornerstone of Latter-day Saint belief

BY JOHN ANDREW QUIZANA

Despite ongoing criticism and attempts to undermine its credibility, the Book of Mormon has stood the test of time, said John Clark, an archaeology professor at BYU in Provo. Scholars and church leaders have provided both compelling archaeological evidence and spiritual inspiration, he added. “The Book of Mormon is unique in world scripture because its claimed divine origins can be evaluated by checking for concrete evidence in the real world,” he added.

While critics of the Book of Mormon have claimed that archaeology is on their side, decades of archaeological investigation in Mesoamerica and in the Old World has shown a pattern of increasing convergence that favors the Book of Mormon’s authenticity, Clark said.

Metal records in stone boxes

According to Joseph Smith’s personal account, he received the gold plates from the Angel Moroni at Hill Cumorah in Manchester, New York, on Sept. 22, 1827. Smith said he found the gold plates in a stone box. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints website said these plates were later translated into the Book of Mormon, which professed to contain the gospel of Jesus Christ. Initially dismissed, the notion of concealing metal records in stone boxes now finds support in documented ancient practices, said Clark.

“Today we know that the stone boxes were used by ancient Native Americans

to preserve sacred objects, particularly in Mesoamerica, which most scholars believe is the only plausible location for the New World Book of Mormon events,” Clark said. He added there are multiple examples of sacred stone boxes in the National Archaeological Museum in Mexico and that writing sacred records on metal plates was a known practice in the ancient Middle East.

Clark concluded, “We know that there were advanced writing systems in ancient Mesoamerica. Things that were laughable among the general public and unknown ... in 1830 have become more established today.”

Archaeological researcher Christopher A. Pool pointed out that the stone offering boxes discovered in Mesoamerica parallel the narrative of the golden plates. “For instance, early stone boxes resembling those described have been found at the late Olmec site of Tres Zapotes in Veracruz, Mexico. Numerous offering boxes have emerged from excavations at Tenochtitlan, the Aztec capital [and modern Mexico City], particularly at the Templo Mayor site,” he said. These discoveries provide intriguing parallels with the Book of Mormon narrative, suggesting potential archaeological correlations that align with its descriptions of ancient practices in the Americas, he added.

Hebrew onomastics

Matthew Bowen, a BYU-Hawaii associate professor in Religious Education who has a

Biblical Studies Ph.D., presented a compelling argument for the ancient origins of the Book of Mormon through a detailed analysis of its onomasticon, or its collection of names. “These Hebrew names occur consistently throughout the Book of Mormon, from beginning to end, spanning over 1,000 years of recorded history. This continuous use of Hebrew names supports the book’s claim of originating from an ancient Hebrew-speaking people,” Bowen said.

Bowen referenced the use of the name “Nephi” in the Book of Mormon, noting its connection to Egyptian and Hebrew roots, where it can mean “good” or “beautiful.” He explained the phrase “Nephi, having been born of goodly parents” carries profound meaning, reflecting the deeper significance of names throughout the text.

In one of his journals in The Interpreter Foundation, Bowen said such an approach opens powerful interpretive possibilities for understanding the messages and teachings of the Book of Mormon. These names are far more than mere literary decorations; they serve as active elements that connect back to significant moments in biblical narrative history and emphasize key themes of the authors and narrators.

“Recognizing these moments enhances our appreciation of the Book of Mormon as a complex, rich, and often beautiful scripture, which stands as the product of ancient authors

and editors rather than a modern creation,” Bowen said.

According to his book “Ancient Names in the Book of Mormon: Toward a Deeper

Understanding of a Witness of Christ,” this analysis is particularly relevant in the context of archaeological evidence of the Book of Mormon. “The presence of Hebrew onomastics throughout the text aligns with the book’s narrative of an ancient Israelite origin. It suggests that the names and their intricate meanings were preserved through generations, supporting the historical and cultural claims of the Book of Mormon,” Bowen writes.

The art of war

One of the events chronicled in the Book of Mormon is the extensive warfare between the Nephites and the Lamanites. In Mormon 6 to 8, Moroni provided a detailed account of the Nephites’ final, cataclysmic battle against the Lamanites at the Hill Cumorah, resulting in the complete annihilation of the Nephites. Moroni recounted, “The Lamanites have hunt-

ed my people, the Nephites, down from city to city and from place to place, even until they are no more; and great has been their fall; yea, great and marvelous is the destruction of my people, the Nephites.”

Clark said the depiction of warfare in the Book of Mormon is distinct from anything Joseph Smith could have known or imagined. He pointed out, “In the book, one reads of fortified cities with trenches, walls and palisades. Mesoamerican cities dating to Nephite or earlier times have been found with all these features.” This observation underscores the historical and archaeological authenticity of the descriptions within the text, he added.

Clark’s study also says the Book of Mormon features various weapons and armaments aligning with items documented in Mesoamerican history. These include bows, arrows, swords, slings, clubs, spears, shields, breastplates, helmets, and cotton armor. This is reflected in Mosiah 9:16: “And it came to pass that I did arm them with bows, and with arrows, with swords, and with cimeters, and

with clubs, and with slings, and with all manner of weapons which we could invent.”

The final battle at Cumorah involved staggering numbers of troops, including Nephite battle units of 10,000, said Clark. He said Aztec documents describe armies of over 200,000 warriors divided into major divisions of 8,000 warriors plus 4,000 retainers each. “The convergence of these descriptions with archaeological findings and historical records supports the argument that the warfare depicted in the Book of Mormon is reflective of actual ancient American practices. This alignment lends credence to the text’s authenticity and its value as a historical document,” he said.

William J. Hamblin, a professor at BYU in Provo, highlighted the existence of wooden swords in Mesoamerican warfare in his article “Warfare in the Book of Mormon.” He said Aztec swords were often made of wood and sometimes edged with stone blades. Hamblin said, “There are indications of wooden swords in the Book of Mormon—how else could swords become stained with blood?”

Left: Robin Scott Jensen, co-editor of a new volume of the Joseph Smith Papers that focuses on the original manuscript of the Book of Mormon, looks at pages from the original manuscript in the Church History Library in Salt Lake City.

Photo and caption provided by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints website.

Right: An example of the gold plates found by Joseph Smith Jr. in a stone box, a practice which has historically been found in ancient Mesoamerica.

Photo provided by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints website.

Archaeological correlations in Mesoamerica

In Clark’s comprehensive analysis of Mesoamerican archaeology and its correlation with the Book of Mormon, he highlights several compelling points of convergence. Clark states: “Mesoamerica is a land of decomposing cities. Their pyramids, temples and palaces are all items mentioned in the Book of Mormon but foreign to the gossip along the Erie Canal. Cities show up in all the right places and date to time periods compatible with Book of Mormon chronology,” Clark said.

One of the more unusual and specific claims in the Book of Mormon is that houses and cities of cement were built by 49 B.C. in the Land Northward, a claim considered ridiculous in 1830, he added. “As it turns out, this claim receives remarkable confirmation at Teotihuacan, the largest pre-Columbian city ever built in the Americas. Teotihuacan is still covered with ancient cement that has lasted over 1,500 years,” he said.

According to Scripture Central website, all Book of Mormon peoples had kings who ruled cities and territories. “The last Jaredite king, Coriantumr, carved his history on a stone about 400 B.C., an event in line with Mesoamerican practices at that time. A particular gem in the book is that King Benjamin

‘labored’ with his ‘own hands’ [in Mosiah 2:14], an outrageous thing for Joseph Smith to have claimed for a king. It was not until the 1960s that anthropology caught up to the idea of working kings and validated it among world cultures,” the website shares.

Polynesian Lamanites

In a 1976 talk to Samoans, President Spencer W. Kimball claimed the Nephite explorer Hagoth is the common ancestor of all Polynesians, identifying them as descendants of Lehi. “I thought to read to you a sacred scripture which pertains especially to you, the islanders of the Pacific. It is in the sixty-third chapter of Alma [He then read the account of Hagoth.] And so, it seems to me rather clear that your ancestors moved northward and crossed a part of the South Pacific. You did not bring your records with you, but you brought a lot of food and provisions. And so, we have a great congregation of people in the South Seas who came from the Nephites, and who came from the land southward and went to the land northward, which could have been Hawaii,” he said.

And then the further settlement could have been a move southward again to all these islands and even to New Zealand, Kimball added. “The Lord knows what he is doing when he sends his people from one place

to another. That was the scattering of Israel. Some of them remained in America and went from Alaska to the southern point. And others of you came this direction,” he said.

President Joseph F. Smith declared: “I would like to say to you brethren and sisters from New Zealand, you are some of Hagoth’s people, and there is not perhaps about it!”

According to Mormon Stories website, DNA and other studies conclusively demonstrate that although Polynesians did come from early seafaring cultures, they originated from the West, not from Peru to the East. “Similarities in DNA to American Indians exist only because Polynesians came from a similar group of ancient ancestors in Asia many tens of thousands of years ago,” the website added.

In a journal entry by Robert E. Parsons of the Religious Education department at BYU, titled “Hagoth and the Polynesians,” Parsons stated The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has shown a deep interest in the Polynesian people since its organization in 1830. He said this interest is largely influenced by a brief account in the Book of Mormon about Hagoth, a Nephite shipbuilder who sailed away with others and was never heard from again (Alma 63:4–8).

“The story of Hagoth is recorded in just six verses of Alma 63. After the Nephite-

Lamanite wars, Hagoth built a large ship in 55 B.C. which sailed north with many people. The ship returned in 54 B.C., was provisioned and sailed north again never to be heard from thereafter. (Alma 63:7–8). An additional ship was launched that year, and it also was never heard from again,” Parsons explained.

Parsons also discussed several other theories, such as the belief that Hagoth’s ships may have reached Hawaii. This theory is supported by statements from Elder Matthew Cowley, an American apostle, who, during a speech in Laie in the 1950s, told the people: “Brothers and sisters, you are God’s children—you are Israel. You have in your veins the blood of Nephi.” Parson said Cowley’s statements have contributed to a lasting belief among some Church members about the connection between Polynesians and the peoples of the Book of Mormon.

Migrating through Mesoamerica

Multiple theories suggest the events described in the Book of Mormon took place in Mesoamerica. Mark Alan Wright, an assistant professor of ancient scripture at BYU in Provo, said many Nephites and Lamanites migrated and established settlements far northward of the core area, thus simply being outside the scope of the text. “In the Book of Mormon, massive migrations were due to

persistent Lamanite encroachment from the south, which caused Nephite populations to be perpetually driven northward, beginning with Mosiah’s flight from the city of Nephi to Zarahemla, [which is recorded in Omni 1:12–15,] and culminating centuries later at the Hill Cumorah,” Wright said. Wright also shared Alma 63 from the Book of Mormon describes significant northward migrations of Nephites around 55 B.C. “In this period, about 5,400 men, along with their families, left Zarahemla for the land northward. Hagoth, a shipbuilder, launched ships to carry more people northward, but some of these ships were never heard from again. The migrations continued, driven partly by Lamanite pressures from the south,” Wright said.

In Wright’s journal article “Heartland as Hinterland,” he said these Nephite migrations led to the establishment of settlements or outposts throughout the centuries in North America. “This theory aims to explain and accommodate historical statements by Joseph Smith and his contemporaries about Nephites and Lamanites in the region,” he said.

John Sorensen, an emeritus professor of

anthropology at BYU in Provo, explained the configuration of lands, seas, mountains, and other natural features in Mesoamerica tightly fits the internal requirements of the text. “It is important to stress that finding any sector in the Americas that fits Book of Mormon specifications requires dealing with hundreds of mutually dependent variables. So, rather than counting a credible geography as one correspondence, it counts for several hundred,” Sorensen said. •

Illustrations by Guen Ramirez. Graphics by Ranitea Teihoarii and Moevai Tefan.

Learning wisdom in thy youth

The Book of Mormon has the power to transform lives, say Seminary and Institute teachers

BY BELLA CHIMEDBAATAR

Teaching gospel principles can be challenging when people hope for immediate results, and sometimes, the seeds they plant take time to grow, said Peter Meyers, adjunct faculty member in the Faculty of Religious Education and a Seminary and nstitute coordinator in Laie.

When a student finally allows the principles into their heart, he said, “it’s incredible to see the transformation.” The Book of Mormon contains those principles that change and heal people, he added. “You can see a shift in how they talk, how they view the world and how they interact with others. They become more compassionate, more patient and more connected to God. It’s like watching a light turn on,” said Meyers.

In the long run, he added the most meaningful changes come when students build a relationship with Christ and let Him guide their lives. Meyers continued, “They start making choices that align with the gospel on their own, not just because their parents want them to or they’re supposed to.” Those moments make all the challenges of teaching worth it for Seminary and Institute teachers, he added.

Christ’s power

Meyers said his favorite thing about teaching Seminary and Institute is sharing Christ’s power to change lives as it has changed him. At 19 years old, Meyers said he

was far from the church and had resentment toward both his father and religion. After a heated argument with his father, Meyers said his father asked him how he could walk away from the church when he’s never read the book it is founded on.

Determined to prove the Book of Mormon wrong, Meyers said he began reading it but initially found it boring. However, Meyers said when he reached 2 Nephi 4 or Nephi’s Psalm, he connected deeply with Nephi’s words. “I was in so much pain, I was so lost, and [Nephi] was describing how I felt,” said Meyers with a shaky voice.

After reading verses 19 and 20 in the chapter, which read, “Nevertheless I know in whom I have trusted; my God has been my support,” Meyers said he felt that if Nephi could find support through his faith, perhaps he could too. This experience led him to meet with his bishop and prepare for a full-time mission, Meyers shared. “I have never stopped reading the Book of Mormon since then,” he added.

Odgerel Ochirjav, Seminary and Institute coordinator in Mongolia and a BYU–Hawaii facilitator in admissions, said the Book of Mormon contains the fundamental principles that change people’s nature because it touches their hearts through the power of Christ. He said principles like, “Learn wisdom in thy youth,” “By small means, great things can be brought to pass,” and “Inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments ye shall prosper in the land,” change lives. When people learn and live these principles, Ochirjav said, they experience true conversion. “Once you read just one verse, your destiny will shift, even if only by an inch,” he added.

The uniqueness of the Book of Mormon

Meyers said the Book of Mormon is not just for the ancient people of the Americas but also for people today. Referencing the words of Mormon and Moroni, he said they saw our day and knew our doings. Looking at thousands of years of history to choose from, Meyers said, “they compiled the best stories, the best people, both good and bad examples after looking to the future and what we’re dealing with” to help us navigate in the last days.

The Book of Mormon is different from other scriptures because it was translated by the power of God, Meyers explained. Although the Bible contains important doctrines and principles, he said some parts were lost during the translation process. Despite being a huge New Testament fan, Meyers said, “Some things in the way the New Testament is put together are incomplete ... but it’s so nice to know [we] have a book that has very few flaws and is so powerful.”

Father to teach them during that time, the scriptures become powerful. Like how Jesus Christ multiplied the two fish and five loaves, Meyers said God will amplify our efforts and help us receive His guidance even with limited time.

Maurice Mo’o, admissions manager and Seminary teacher for the Laie Hawaii North Stake, said he has enjoyed teaching early morning Seminary this year because the Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ and the keystone of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Mo’o added, “There is no other book that can bring you closer to God than the Book of Mormon, as Joseph Smith said.”

Quality over quantity

To help students improve their personal study of the Book of Mormon, Ochirjav advised, “How much you read doesn’t matter, but how you read it does.” When using the “Come, Follow Me” manual, he recommended identifying the gospel principle first, reading the assigned chapter or verse and then asking, “How does this verse teach the principle, and how can I apply it to my life today? Then go do something.” People often think reading the Book of Mormon is hard or complex, Ochirjav said, “but it is very simple. Just open it and start reading.”

Meyers said balancing a full-time schedule and finding time can be tough for students. However, he said if they dedicate whatever time they have and ask Heavenly

Sometimes people rush their reading and scripture studies, said Mo’o. He advised students to start and end their scripture studies with prayer. “Then listen to what the Spirit tells you and your feelings,” he added. Instead of a shopping list of requests, he said people should focus on sincere prayer with the intent to learn, serve and grow before reading the Book of Mormon.

Making Seminary a priority

In November 2008, Ochirjav said Mongolia Ulaanbaatar Mission President Allen Dee Andersen asked him why earlymorning Seminary classes weren’t held in Mongolia. Ochirjav responded, “President, this is Mongolia—cold, dark, dogs, and no public transportation.” A year later, when asked the same question, Ochirjav said he gave the same answer. Afterward, his friend Patrick Cheuk, a Church Educational System coordinator in Hong Kong advised him, “Odgerel, when your priesthood leader asks you to do something, you need to work on it.”

Later, while reading Doctrine and Covenants 85:8, the phrase “steady the ark” caught his attention, Ochirjav said. Concerned about losing the spirit, he said he met with other local church leaders and told them

about introducing early-morning Seminary to Mongolia. By September 2009, it launched with 205 students and reached 352 students by March 2010, despite Mongolia’s coldest winter in 30 years, he said. “Those early morning Seminary students are now leading the church in Mongolia,” he shared. •

Bottom right: Drawing of Peter Myers reading the Book of Mormon.

Top right: Drawing of Odgerel Ochirjav

Miracles and trials behind the Book of Mormon

Faith-promoting events from the book “The Saints” give insight into stories connected with the translation of the Book of Mormon

CJ SHINIHAH NOTARTE

Awoman who saw the gold plates, a miracle in the fields, and other experiences of faith, are several stories that helped bring about the translation of the Book of Mormon. The stories can be read in the book “Saints: The Standard of Truth.” A digital copy of the book can be found on the Church’s website and the gospel library app.

Learned linguists (1828)

Martin Harris visited New York City and met with a professor of Latin and Greek named Charles Anton. After examining the translation and the characters, Charles Anton gave Harris a certificate of authenticity, saying

it did contain ancient languages. But before Martin Harris left, Charles Anton asked him how Joseph acquired the plates.

Harris answered and said an angel of God revealed it to Joseph. Anton asked for the certificate back, which Harris handed it over to him. Anton ripped the certificate into pieces and said, “I cannot read a sealed book,” he continued.

Harris left and went to meet with another scholar named Samuel Mitchill. Mitchill listened to Martin and looked at the characters he brought along with the translations. Mitchill said although he could not understand them, it reminded him of

Egyptian hieroglyphics, which were writings of a nation that no longer exists.

Faith and humility (1828)

After the trouble Lucy Harris caused the Smiths over the translation of the Book of Mormon and her husband helping finance it, Martin Harris insisted on having Joseph allow him to show his wife the manuscripts they had been working on for a couple of months. Martin thought showing it to Lucy might convince her to believe what they were doing was truly the work of God.

Joseph, also wanting to please Harris, so he asked the Lord for guidance and the Lord answered no. Harris pleaded with Joseph again to ask the Lord, thinking it would really change the situation, to which the answer was still no. Harris asked Joseph to ask again for the third time, and this time, the Lord allowed it.

After two weeks, Emma, recovering from giving birth and losing a child, felt uneasy and asked Joseph to go see Martin to see how he was doing with the manuscripts. She said, “I cannot rest and shall not be at ease until I know something about what Mr. Harris is doing with [the manuscript].” Arriving at their home in Manchester, Joseph sent Martin an invitation to have breakfast with them. When 8 o’clock came by, the food was ready, yet there was still no sign of Martin. After waiting for over four hours, Martin appeared, walking slowly towards the Smith’s home.

Once inside the Smith’s home before he could even begin to eat, he dropped his utensils and said, “I have lost my soul!” Joseph asked him if he had lost the manuscript and Martin answered, “It is gone and I know not where.”

Trials of faith (1828-1829)

In 1828, Martin’s wife, Lucy, invited herself to come with Martin to Harmony. She had suspicions about the work Martin was doing with Joseph and wanted to see the plates. When in the Smith’s residence, because Lucy was losing her hearing, she could not understand what people were talking about, she thought they were criticizing her.

She asked Joseph to let her see the plates. When Joseph said no, she began looking for it around the house, going through chests, cupboards and trunks. Lucy then left the house and stayed in the neighbor’s house telling the neighbors Joseph was using Martin to get money from him. After causing chaos for several weeks, Lucy went back to Palmyra.

Later in 1829, Martin’s wife went to file a complaint against Joseph Smith in court, accusing him of fraud over the money. Expecting that Martin would be summoned to the court, he wanted to tell the truth and insisted Joseph should give evidence that the plates were real. He feared he could not testify of the plates because even though he had been Joseph’s scribe for two months, he never saw the plates himself.

Joseph asked the Lord about the situation and he did receive an answer. The Lord would not help Martin know what to say in court until Martin chose to be humble and have faith. A revelation from the Lord came saying, “If the people of this generation harden not their hearts, I will establish my church.”

When it was time for Martin to speak before the judge, he simply shared a simple and powerful testimony. Martin testified he

was telling the truth and stated he freely gave Joseph 50 dollars to do the Lord’s work. Without any evidence, Lucy’s claim was dismissed.

Miracle of the field (1829)

David Whitmer received a letter from Oliver Cowdery telling him it was God’s will for him to take his wagon to Harmony to help bring Joseph, Emma and himself to the Whitmer’s home in Fayette,New York. David wanted to go as soon as possible, but his father told him he needed to finish plowing 20 acres of land before he left. His father told him to pray about leaving early, and David did.

David received an answer telling him to finish his chores first before leaving. The following day, David explored the field and discovered six acres had already been plowed. David’s father was surprised. He said, “There must be an overruling hand in this, and I think you had better go down to Pennsylvania” as soon as possible.

Another witness (1829)

Having the Smiths in their home, Mary Whitmer, David Whitmer’s mother, had more things to do than she normally had. She had faith in the work Joseph was doing, but she was beginning to feel exhausted from all the work she had done, and she had so little time to rest. One day, while she was outside where

they milk their cows, she saw a gray-haired man carrying a knapsack around his shoulder. The man approached her in a kind voice and told her his name was Moroni. Moroni said to her, “You have become pretty tired with all the extra work you have to do.” He untied the knapsack, saying Mary had been faithful and diligent in her labors. He said it was right for Mary to receive a witness so her faith may be strengthened.

Moroni opened the bag, took the gold plates and showed them to Mary. He turned its pages for Mary to see the writings on them and told her to be patient and faithful as she continued to carry the extra burden for a little longer. Moroni promised that she would be blessed. •

Where the saints

Students from Oceania and Asia learn first-hand about early Saints

BY MYCO MARCAIDA

More than 20 students from 13 different countries visited selected historical sites for the Church History Travel Study Program this June 2024. According to the BYU-Hawaii website under the Academics category written by Elise Mitchell, the program’s goal is to visit historical church sites and is all-expense paid.

The website said to participate, students need to take three classes: Religion 390R, History 333 and English 315. Additionally, Jared Marcum, a professor and a faculty member accompanying the students, shared how the coursework will help students have a deeper understanding of the early Latter-day Saints. “Telling stories of the restoration where it happened adds power to the event. It also deepens one’s testimony of the restoration,” he added.

Faith builds testimony

Tommy Laurel, a senior majoring in intercultural peacebuilding from the Philippines, quoted Marcum saying, “The system chooses who will qualify for the trip. And one way to think about it is, whoever gets picked to come is the will of God.” Laurel said he was grateful for being one of the participants for the trip.

“Visiting Carthage Jail was significant to me,” said Laurel. He said the Prophet Joseph Smith could have just denied his testimony to be spared from death but he chose not to. “ To me, it was a sacrifice that helped a lot of saints become firmer with their faith,” he added.

“A general rule that we all had to follow during the trip was to minimize our phone usage and actively listen to missionaries and fellow students speaking at the sites,” Laurel

said. Additionally, he said he understood why because it was a time to reflect and learn deeply from what is in front of them.

“Before going on the trip, I thought I had a pretty strong testimony of the gospel but there are moments when my faith wavers,” shared Laurel. He said the experience of stepping on the historical grounds and seeing the sites firsthand, truly helped him develop his testimony of the gospel even more.

A unique experience

“My situation was nothing like anyone else during the trip,” said Rosalind Pedron, a senior majoring in political sciences from New Zealand. “I was pregnant at the time. I was in my third trimester so it was a bit physically demanding.” She said she also prepared herself spiritually before going on the trip.

have walked

Pedron recalled what a typical day looks like on the trip. “I’d be up at 6 or 7 in the morning and get breakfast. At 8:30 a.m., before we travel by bus to the first historic site, we have a morning devotional to start the day. At every single site, each student was in charge of doing research prior and given the chance to introduce it, almost like a tour guide, to the group,” she added.

The Kirtland Temple was a personal favorite, she said. “The church and its members during the early years faced persecutions and trials that we read about in church history. When we got there, I felt a sense of relief. For me, it was special being in a place where the saints have gotten a break amidst all of the trials they faced,” she added.

Experiences worth taking home

Emmaline Furgurson, a junior majoring in human resources from Fiji, said she was the first Fijian to participate in the trip. “I am proud and grateful to have gone on the trip,” she added.

She said the hardest part of the preparation was getting a sense of background of the places they were visiting. She added, “Most of theparticipants in the trip were from the Oceania and Asian rim. We didn’t have much knowledge on the early saints or the sites we were going to visit.” She said they had to read the entire first volume of “The Saints.” “Brother Marcum made sure we couldn’t skip through chapters. We did learn a lot from it in the end,” she added.

Furguson emphasized how students being from different places could take the knowledge they gained on the trip to share it when they return home. ”The diversity, evident in the group, is already a surety that all of us who were there will surely take the experiences and stories from the trip and share them with other people back home,” she added. •

From left to right:

Emma Ferguson and Bruna Yu posing in pioneer attires. Emma posing in front of the Kansas City Missouri Temple.

Emma with her friends visiting the liberty jail, Nauvoo Illinois Temple, and posing with the Nauvoo Performing Missionaries.

Graphics by Yichi Lu.

Immersing oneself in the Book of Mormon

Church leaders and BYU–Hawaii students share their study methods and techniques in reading the Book of Mormon

BY WINSLETTE QUIRAY-SANTIAGO

“When I think of the Book of Mormon, I think of the word power. The truths of the Book of Mormon have the power to heal, comfort, restore, succor, strengthen, console, and cheer our souls.”

- President Russell M. Nelson

As another Testament of Jesus Christ, the Book of Mormon is a divine witness of God’s love for His children and holds eternal truths about the Savior’s Atonement and His Gospel. Apostles from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and BYU–Hawaii students have shared how they elevated their learning and testimonies in their personal studies of the book.

Focusing on the Savior

To read the Book of Mormon, one must find the Savior from its first chapter to the last, said President Russell M. Nelson in one of his conference talks. He said, “When you read the Book of Mormon, concentrate on the principal figure in the book – the Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God.”

Accalia Stancliffe, a senior majoring in visual arts from Texas, said about studying the Book of Mormon, “I try to imagine Christ preaching to the reader as much as He was

during the Book of Mormon time period.” She said opening random sections in the Book of Mormon helps her understand different sections that aren’t discussed often.

When reading, Stancliffe said she makes sure she also learns the full context of what is happening in the chapter. “This method has helped me see different ways that Christ is mentioned in the Book of Mormon,” said Stancliffe. “I try to let the Spirit guide me while reading it,” she added.

What would Jesus want me to learn?

Another student, Joseph Ajon, a freshman from the Philippines majoring in business management, said whenever he reads the book, “I would look for at least one principle in the chapter, then ask myself the question, ‘What would Jesus Christ want me to learn?’” He said he learned this method from his mission president. Ajon said this method is simple. He said after answering what Christ

would want him to learn, he reflects on that principle and how he applies it in his life. Each week Ajon said he evaluates his spiritual progress, and if he stumbled, he would try not to be discouraged and work on that principle again.

Having his journal by his side while reading the Book of Mormon, Ajon said, helps him recognize the promptings and inspirations he receives. By writing them down, “I was able to focus on the principles and how I apply them in my life,” said Ajon. “I also learned to set specific goals for myself, like worshipping in the temple every week,” he added.

Setting a regular time

Elder Howard W. Hunter, a former member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, gave counsel on when and how long to study the scriptures. He said, “It is better to have a set amount of time to give scriptural study each day than to have a set amount of chapters to read.”

Hunter said some people find the best time to study is in the morning when the mind has been cleared by a night’s rest. Others, Hunter said, may prefer ending the day with the scriptures in the quiet hours after the work and worries of the day. “Perhaps what is more important than the hour of the day is that a regular time be set aside for study,” he said. He said an ideal length of study is an hour a day, but if it’s not possible, a half hour on a regular basis would also result in substantial accomplishment. He also noted how much knowledge and enlightenment a person can acquire in just a quarter of an hour. “The important thing is to allow nothing else to ever interfere with our study,” he said.

Consistency over quantity

Not missing a single day reading the Book of Mormon in five years now, Moevai Tefan, a senior majoring in graphic design from Tahiti, said she was able to continue reading every day for so many years because she emphasizes being more consistent rather than how much she reads. “I set a personal rule where I would read the Book of Mormon first thing in the morning before I touched my phone,” she said. Tefan said she reads a page or two every day. However, there are days where she can only read one verse. “Overall, it doesn’t matter how much or how little I read, as long as I read it,”she said.

Left: Close shot of the Book of Mormon held by Moevai Tefan. Top: Joseph Ajon posing for a photo with his Book of Mormon open. Bottom: Ho Yin Ching smiling.

She also shared the importance of setting up her room to make her study time more effective. “I think where you put the Book of Mormon is important,” said Tefan. “I put my Book of Mormon next to my bed, and then next to it are my highlighters that I use during my reading,” she said. The goal is to make it as easy and accessible as it can be, she said. She said her study methods made her appreciate reading the Book of Mormon. “Reading it first thing in the morning really set my mind and eyes in Christ,” said Tefan. “Even though I don’t receive big revelations every single morning, it doesn’t mean they won’t come,” she continued. “Putting out my faith every single morning is the way that I show God that I am faithful and puts me in a place where He can show me miracles,” she said.

Marking and highlighting

In his October 2022 General Conference talk, Elder Ronald Rasband, from the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, shared counsel he learned as a young missionary from Elder Marion D. Hanks, who visited his Eastern States Mission. He recalled, “He challenged us to read an unmarked copy of the Book of Mormon at least two times.” Taking on the challenge, he said the first time he read the book , “I was to mark or underline everything that pointed to or testified of Jesus Christ. I used a red pencil, and underlined many passages.”

Rasband continued, “The second time, Elder Hanks said to highlight principles and doctrine of the gospel, and this time I used blue to mark the scriptures.” As suggested, he said he continued to read the book twice and marked scripture passages using other colors like yellow and black. Rasband said there was much more to his reading than just marking his scriptures. With each reading of the book from front to back, he said he was filled with a profound love for the Lord. “I felt a deeply rooted witness of the truth of His teachings and how they apply to this day,” he added.

Reading it in another language

Po Nien Chou, a BYUH professor from the Faculty of Religious Education, said for the last 35 years he had read the Book of Mormon 174 times already. He said his goal is to read it 200 times on the 200th anniversary of the Book of Mormon translation in 2030.

Chou said he had tried reading the Book of Mormon in various ways. He said if a person is non-English speaking, they should try to study it in English. Originally written in reformed Egyptian and translated into English by the Prophet Joseph Smith, Chou said, “English is the language of restoration and it is the closest to the original.”

He added English-speaking persons should also try to read it in another language. Chou said,“I served in a Spanish-speaking mission. My mission president promised us that if we read the Book of Mormon in our mission language, then our language will improve.” He said it is true for English and for many other languages. In doing this, Chou said he has read the Book of Mormon in about eight languages. “In every language, you can learn something new and different,” he added.

Ho Ying Chan (Rainbow) from Hong Kong, a sophomore majoring in TESOL, said she prays before reading the Book of Mormon. Inspired by the leaders of the Church, she said she learned “praying before reading will help welcome the Spirit to be with us.” She said prayers help her become more sensitive to receiving inspiration.

As a non-native English speaker, Chan said she needed to learn specific vocabularies used in the gospel setting. “I am thankful for the LDS translation. I treat this as an English-learning tool.” She said she is also thankful for the efforts and dedication of those who translated because it empowers her to learn more.

Cross-referencing and understanding contexts

In the 1985 Churchwide satellite fireside, Thomas S. Monson, then a counselor of the First Presidency, stressed the value of the Topical Guide and cross-references. He said these can be a blessing to each Latter-day Saint in their gospel study. Monson shared an experience by President Harold B. Lee, wherein an author speculated the meaning of a passage quoted from the New Testament.

President Lee said, “If only the author had known his Doctrine and Covenants, he would have known what the Lord had to say at a later time to clarify the biblical account.” Referring to the story, Monson said now there is no need for such confusion because the crossreferences in the Topical Guide are designed to solve such problems. “Certainty has replaced doubt. Knowledge has overcome speculation,” he said. •

The remarkable women in the Book of Mormon

The

women in the Book of Mormon were active participants in living the gospel, with unwavering faith and wisdom, say BYUH religion professors

BY WINSLETTE QUIRAY-SANTIAGO

Three BYU–Hawaii religion professors described the women in the Book of Mormon as women of faith who have lasting influence and are active participants in living the gospel. Though a lot of these women are unnamed, the professors said as people study every chapter of the Book of Mormon, they shouldn’t overlook the legacy of faith and significant roles these women hold in their families and communities.

Po Nien (Felipe) Chou, a professor from the Fculty of Religious Education, said the Book of Mormon is a word of God and its stories are preserved so people can learn from them. He said these stories of faith come from both men and women. “If we only focus on the prophets and the story of the men, we miss half of the story. We need to make sure we also study the other half.”

He said people were given two eyes to look into the scriptures. “We need to have an eye that looks towards the prophets and the eye that looks for the women of faith,” he said. Together, Chou said, people can see the entire picture.

Understanding why women are scarcely mentioned

In a chart entitled “Women in the Book of Mormon” published by John W. Welch and Greg Welch, the abstract says, “Although women do not receive prominent attention in all parts of the Book of Mormon, they are referred to more often than most readers realize.”

Uploaded in the Scripture Central website, the chart states six women who are mentioned by name (Eve, Sarah, Mary, Sariah, Isabel, Abish); others are known by titles such as Ishmael’s daughters and King Lamoni’s wife, and many women are recognized collectively as mothers, daughters and widows.

Jennifer Lane, professor emerita at BYUH, said in the ancient world, women typically didn’t have a public role. “The fact that we know any names of women or that they are mentioned at all is fortunate, because that is not common in ancient texts,” she said.

Chou shared the main reason why the Book of Mormon are mainly stories of men and prophets is they are the ones assigned

to keep the records. Due to this prophetic responsibility, he said, “they tend to write more from their perspective, which is a men’s perspective.”

Rebekah Kay Strain, professor from the Faculty of Religious Education, also noted the importance of understanding the context of Nephite culture. “It was heavily patriarchal,” she said. “This happens in a lot of histories wherein we look to the political leaders such as the heads of the state. A lot of these stories are centered around men and their experiences like the war,” she explained.

Lane said it is important to remember the often-repeated principle that “the past is a foreign country. They do things differently there.” She said being upset that there is not equal representation or more information about women is expecting another society and culture to be like the culture now. She said focusing on that is not helpful.

“The spiritual truths of the Book of Mormon are for everyone and what we learn from both the women and men in the Book of Mormon is for everyone,” said Lane. “It helps

Mary Eve

to accept texts from the past on their own terms and to appreciate what we do get,” she said.

Strain encouraged people “to hear the stories of women, look at their experiences as different from men’s and see what they can teach us.”

Seeing women as central figures

As in other parts of history, people often see women in the Book of Mormon as objects to be acted on or sideshows, said Strain. “We need to see women as central figures in the story – in performing miracles and in living the gospel,” she said.

She said the Lamanite servant woman, Abish, is a powerful woman figure to her. “Abish is one of the few women who were named [in the Book of Mormon],” she said. The story of Abish started when Ammon, the Nephite son of King Mosiah, visited the Lamanite people in the land of Ishmael, as seen in Alma 17. However, Abish had already “been converted unto the Lord for many years, on account of a remarkable vision of her father”

(Alma 19:16), long before the missionary Ammon arrived.

Lane noted Abish’s desire to share her knowledge of God with others after her conversion. When Abish saw the king, queen, and Ammon “[laying] prostrate upon the earth,” Lane said, “ … she ran forth from house to house, making it known unto people” because “she knew it was the power of God,” (Alma 19:17).

Strain said although Abish was a servant, she had the faith to take the queen by hand and raise her up from her symbolic death state. That same faith, she said, was also seen when the queen, after being raised, was also able to raise her husband, King Lamoni.

“We have heard stories where miracles are performed by men and they are doing the blessing,” said Strain. “However, in these instances, two women were the ones pulling and [raising] somebody else from a death-like state,” she said.

In these events, Strain said she learned from Abish and King Lamoni’s queen what it was like to be an active participant in living the

gospel. “They had the faith to lift and perform miracles,” she said. “This isn’t a situation where women just sit back and watch what men do. They were also able to perform miracles,” said Strain. “From that, I learned that I can have visions and revelations too. I can perform miracles and I can lift people,” she said.

Women’s lasting influence as wives and mothers

Chou said there are a lot of nameless women in the Book of Mormon but their influences are powerful. “This influence manifests into their spouses who are prophet, and it also manifests to their children and their society,” he said.

Sariah, Nephi’s wife, Ishmael’s wife and King Lamoni’s queen, Chou said, “all these spouses are significant and instrumental in helping and preparing their husbands.” He said, “These women held onto their faith. It’ll be rare for a prophet to be able to do what he does without the help of his wife.”

Sariah

Strain said Nephi’s wife only had a few parts, but she demonstrates the quality of patience. “She deals with a lot – with her brother-in-laws and with her husband, Nephi, too,” she said. Nephi’s wife went into the wilderness with her family based on faith, had difficult experiences, had children in nonideal circumstances, and separated from her family when their lives were in danger because of Nephi’s brethren, said Strain. “The fact that she is still there by Nephi’s side; that is a lot of patience and devotion,” she said.

Lane also shared how the story of the mothers of the stripling warriors displays what a difference it can make in other people’s lives when one helps them have faith. She said, “These young men had strength from the witness of their mothers and their lives of faithfulness.” As recorded in Alma 56, “...they had been taught by their mothers that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them. And they rehearsed the words of their mothers, saying: ‘We do not doubt our mothers knew it.’”

Chou also highlighted the sacrifice of the mothers sending out their sons to battle. “Some of those mothers might have been

The mothers of the stripling warriors

widows,” he said. “What kind of faith does it take for them to send their children off to war not knowing if they would come back?,” he added. Chou said the mother’s willingness to let their sons go resulted in a miracle – the stripling warriors were wounded but not one lost their life.

Strain noted the mothers of the stripling warriors have gone through a lot of pain, but their story demonstrates endurance and perseverance in difficult situations. “These mothers are Lamanites and are widowed. They’ve also been marginalized by their Lamanite community as they have come in with the Nephites,” she explained.

“In the Church, we always emphasize the nuclear family as the ideal, but we realize it was not always an option,” said Strain. She said this story is a great inspiration about single mothers and their powerful influences on their children.

Abish

of Mormon, Strain said, “We need to read between the lines a lot.” She said, “Sariah has been a big factor in Nephi’s life.”

She said she used to think, “Oh Sariah! You need more faith. You are doubting,” when reading the part where Sariah murmurs to her husband, Lehi, about their sons going back to Jerusalem for the brass plates. “I have come to reread that and learned to admire Sariah,” she said.

“I see it now as positive. She is taking an active parental role of care, love, trust, nurture and safety,” expressed Strain. She said she now sees it as Sariah being heavily invested in her children, really cared for her children, and was comfortable openly talking about her frustrations and concerns to her husband. “She was not a silent wife who just passively goes along, but she was an active, vocal participant as they journeyed to the promised land,” she said.•

She added the fact that the first sentence in the Book of Mormon states that Nephi was “born of goodly parents” says something about how Nephi acknowledges both his father and mother as a source of who he is. When understanding women in the Book

Illustrations by Guen. Graphics by Moevai Tefan.

Meet our new Ke Alaka‘i team members and their favorite Book of Mormon scriptures:

Ann Goebel JOURNALIST

JOURNALIST

ILLUSTRATOR

“Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.”

–– 1 Nephi 21:16

“And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father: I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them.”

–– 1 Nephi 3:7

“And I will also be your light in the wilderness; and I will prepare the way before you, if it so be that ye shall keep my commandments; wherefore, inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments ye shall be led towards the promised land; and ye shall know that it is by me that ye are led.”

–– 1 Nephi 17:13

“And now, O my son Helaman, behold, thou art in thy youth, and therefore, I beseech of thee that thou wilt hear my words and learn of me; for I do know that whosoever shall put their trust in God shall be supported in their trials, and their troubles, and their afflictions, and shall be lifted up at the last day.”

“And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions.”

–– Mosiah 24:14

Pimwara Hootini

Guen Ramirez

Where seeking takes us

Reading the Book of Mor mon helps students find comfort strength, and unity through Christ

BY MYCO MARCAIDA

President Ezra Taft Benson, a past president of the church, said the purpose of the Book of Mormon is to know more about Christ and to “draw closer to Him.”

In the teachings of President Benson found on the Church’s website about the book, it says, “The Book of Mormon … was written for our day. The Nephites never had the book; neither did the Lamanites of ancient times. It was meant for us. Mormon wrote near the end of the Nephite civilization. Under the inspiration of God, who sees all things from the beginning, he abridged centuries of records, choosing the

stories, speeches, and events that would be most helpful to us.”

Learning from Ammon’s example

“The Book of Mormon answered all my questions about life,” said Pim Hootini, a junior majoring in political science from Thailand. “I brought all my questions and worries to Heavenly Father in prayer and He would answer me through scripture verses in the Book of Mormon,” she added. She recalled trials in her life such as her parent’s divorce. “My parents divorced when I was 10, and I was raised together with my sister by my mom all on her own. When I was in my teenage years, I had to go to school far away from home, and I had to figure out life by myself.”

The Book of Mormon is how God communicates with me, said Hootini. “Through all the trials life brings, I didn’t feel alone,” she said.

Being a new member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints and serving a mission, Hootini said, the story of Ammon and King Lamoni in the Book of Mormon impacted her.

“I doubted my ability to teach well in the mission due to my lack of scriptural knowledge. Ammon’s example showed me that the Spirit of God teaches, and I just needed to be a worthy instrument.”

Spirit testifies of Book of Mormon’s truth

Ralph Martinez, a junior majoring in finance from the Philippines, said his mom was a member of the church, but she became less-active when she was younger. “When she got married to my dad and had me, I vividly remember my mom telling me that I should join the church when I get older,” he added. Martinez said he did not understand why his mom encouraged him to join the church until he entered high school.

Martinez recalled an important person he met in high school who eventually led him to the church. He said he had a classmate who was the only member of the church in his class. “ I eventually had a conversation with her and she helped me get acquainted with the missionaries and the church.”

He said during the missionary lessons, he immediately believed in the Book of Mormon. “I knelt down one night asking God if the book was true and sure enough, I could recognize the Spirit and knew that it was all true,” Martinez said.

BYU–Hawaii is a culture-filled university, said Martinez. “Reading the Book of Mormon daily has helped me remember that despite all the differences in our cultures, we are part of one culture, and that is the gospel culture or the culture of Christ,”‘ he added.

Worth more than diamonds

President Russell M. Nelson, the prophet of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, asked members of the Church during

the October 2017 General Conference, which is of more worth to them: Diamonds, rubies or the Book of Mormon? President Nelson encouraged members to prioritize reading the Book of Mormon daily. He quoted former president of the church, Thomas S. Monson, saying, “Each of us must study and ponder the Book of Mormon everyday.”

During President Nelson’s talk, a picture of a young missionary running to give a copy of the Book of Mormon was shown on the screen. He encouraged everyone to be like the missionary and act in urgency. “The Book of Mormon is unequivocally the word of God. We must feel it so deeply that we would never want to live even one day without it,” he added.

Sister Ronda Wadman, a senior missionary in Laie, said reading the Book of Mormon daily brought her closer to Jesus Christ. She compared herself to Nephi’s brother, Sam, “I have been blessed with a believing heart and because of that, I know the Savior heals,comforts and strengthens us through the gospel.”

The Book of Mormon is a guiding compass and always makes the day better, said Wadman. She reminded everyone to continue reading the Book of Mormon daily. “You don’t have to read it in one go. But it is easier to finish if you just take the time to start.” •

Illustrations by Guen Ramirez. Graphics by Lan Xi (Nancy) Lin and Yichi Liu.

BYUH students share the influence of their favorite Book of Mormon characters

in their lives

CJ SHINIHAH NOTARTE

BGideon Becoming conquerors

YU-Hawaii students said their favorite Book of Mormon characters taught them valuable lessons and attributes to overcome trials and challenges in their lives. Their examples, they said, have help them to finish difficult task, have the determination to change for the better and to serve with love.

Gideon

Dallin Orr, a sophomore from Sorsogon, Philippines, majoring in fine arts, said Gideon is his favorite Book of Mormon character. He said Gideon’s example helped him focus on how to become an effective, humble and submissive missionary during his mission and even after. He said Gideon has both initiative and deference. “You have to have both. [These qualities] help you to know when to act and understand where to draw the line,” he continued.

“Gideon is a faithful Nephite leader and he became a very good friend and adviser to King Limhi, King Noah’s son, who was a very wicked king,” said Orr. King Limhi grew up following what he thought was right, but when he met the Nephites he realized they were leading their people the wrong way, Orr added. “At some point, King Limhi and his people were held captive by the Lamanites,” he continued.

When King Limhi and Gideon were trying to come up with a plan to escape bondage, in Mosiah 22:3-4,Orr said he loved the initiative Gideon took to present his suggestion and the deference to his leader, “even though Gideon himself was a mighty leader,” he added.

“Gideon’s example taught me to respect other people’s calling or position. It has brought me so much peace. I don’t have to deal with a lot of conflict and additional

stress,” said Orr. He said during his mission in the Philippines Olongapo Mission, he was called to be an assistant to the mission president. Remembering Gideon’s example and likening it to himself, he added, when his zone or district leader would speak, he would listen.

“If I were to give a suggestion, I’d make sure it’s a suggestion and not me trying to tell them what to do. I understand that if they reject my suggestions, it’s okay,” said Orr. He said the rejections didn’t mean they disliked him, they made him understand that his leaders were in the right position to provide judgment. “Gideon’s example taught me to listen and be okay with rejections from other people, especially those above me,” he said.

Nephi

Sumiya Munkhbaatar, a senior from Mongolia majoring in business management, said Nephi is a responsible servant of God. She said, “Nephi takes charge and he doesn’t sit back and wait for someone to save him from his situation.” She said the experiences of Nephi helped her make better choices and receive personal revelations.

Munkhbaatar said there are two reasons she loves Nephi. Aside from being the first book in the Book of Mormon, she said, Nephi’s story also contains many lessons she was able to relate to. “Nephi taught me that I need to act and show God that I am trying,” she said. Learning and knowing about the life of Nephi has helped her put God first, even though there are many uncertainties and a lot of things she doesn’t know yet, she added.

When Munkbaatar was about 12 years old, she said she memorized 1 Nephi 3:7 for her seminary class. “This scripture was always in my head,” she continued. One summer, her cousin’s family, who was also their neighbor, needed to shop for the coming school year, she shared. Because she was the only one home, they asked her to help babysit their 6-monthold baby, she continued.

“When I thought about babysitting, I thought about it being an act of service, one of God’s commandments,” said Munkbaatar. She said she had a hard time making the baby fall asleep. “The only thing I could do was hug him and sing him songs,” she said. Every time she tried to put the baby down he would’nt stop crying, she added. “He was heavy for me. It was so hard,” she continued.

Prayerful

Responsible

Proactive

Willing

Faithful

Nephi

Munkbaatar said she felt all alone and her arms were getting tired, but she remembered the verse from 1 Nephi. She said, “Because God commanded me to serve, He will provide a way for me to put the baby to sleep.” She said she began crying with the baby, but then talked to the baby as if he was a friend of hers. She explained what she was feeling and how hard it was for her, she said.

“All of a sudden, it seemed like the baby understood me. He calmed down and fell asleep. And when I put him down on his back, the baby did not wake up,” said Munkbaatar. She said she was happy she was able to accomplish a difficult task that was beyond her physical and emotional abilities. “I think it took 10 hours. The parents were gone for so long,” she continued.

Munkbaatar said Nephi is very intentional in his actions, and he is specific in what he asks for. “He can only be that specific because he did all that he could,” she continued. Once a person does everything they can do, she said, the things they ask God will be more specific. “Once you do your part, you will know where you need help,” she added.

Knowing what someone needs from God can also lead them to more sincere prayers Munkbbaatar said. “God listens to all of our prayers, but I think he answers us faster when our prayers are more sincere,” she added. Taking care of the baby was a cute and funny experience, she said, one of her many experiences she was able to liken herself to Nephi.

Ammon

“I’ve always had an admiration for Ammon. He has really been a light in my life and a perfect example of what it means to overcome adversity and change your life,” said David Aupiu, a key access supervisor in the Facilities Management Department and Bishop of the Laie 6th Ward. He said, like Ammon, just after receiving his testimony, he could not deny it. “You just serve and try your best to live better than you did before,” he continued.

Aupiu said after Ammon’s conversion, he was inspired to be a missionary to the Lamanites. “One of the first things Ammon felt inspired to do was to serve the best way he could,” he continued. Despite the danger Ammon was in, Apiu said he was able to convert and soften the hearts of many Lamanites and even King Lamoni. “All by

“However late you think you are, however many chances you think you have missed, however many mistakes you feel you have made or talents you think you don’t have, or however far from home and family and God you feel you have traveled, I testify that you have not traveled beyond the reach of divine love. It is not possible for you to sink lower than the infinite light of Christ’s Atonement shines.”

--Elder Jeffrey Holland

serving, loving and doing what he felt was best,” he continued. When he was called as a bishop, Aupiu said it was the most recent experience he had where he could liken himself to Ammon.

“Being a bishop has opened my eyes to serve in many different ways,” said Aupiu. It allowed him to see people the way Ammon and the Lord see them and serve them the best way he could, he added.

Although he does not always have the right answers, he said he knows the Lord will

be there to help and guide him in fulfilling his calling.

Aupiu said he strives to serve as faithfully as possible, the same way Ammon did in the Book of Mormon. He added, “I love Ammon’s determination because once he was converted, he changed completely. [He went] from someone who hated and attacked the church to somebody who wanted to build it up as best as he could.” Aupiu also said Ammon’s love for Jesus Christ allowed him to serve and love others. He said, “I feel like you can never really

serve somebody unless you really have love towards them.”

Aupiu said another attribute he loves about Ammon is his ability to heed and listen to the spirit and the word of the Lord. He said, “I feel that it’s repeated a lot in today’s world, where the prophet and the apostles are teaching us to connect ourselves with Heavenly Father through the Holy Ghost and being able to find how the Lord communicates to us,” he continued.

Aupiu said when people make themselves pure and clean, they can make their connections with the Lord more open. He added Ammon’s faith and willingness to live righteously allowed him to know what to do even in difficult and dangerous times and become an instrument of the Lord. “Only then are we allowed or able to really know what Heavenly Father wants us to do,” he continued.

“I kind of relate to when Ammon was away from the church. I didn’t want to destroy the church, but I was definitely away from it,” said Aupiu. He said he had been a member his whole life, but he became inactive for some time. “My parents were divorced, and as a youth, it weighed down heavily. It was hard for my mom to get five of her kids ready for church,” he continued.

Aupiu said as soon as he got converted, he continued to be steadfast in his faith. “I think that’s why I resonate a lot with Ammon, Alma the Younger and the four sons of Mosiah .They were off the path, but it is the beauty of this gospel and the atonement of Jesus Christ [that brought them back]. No matter how far away you are, you are never out of reach of the love of the Savior,” he continued.

Aupiu said no matter what circumstance one is going through or how far off a person has gone from the covenant path, it does not matter. “The Lord’s love will always be able to reach you,” he continued. “I’m so grateful for all the blessings that I was given and so I wanna give that back to others as well,” he added. •

Loving

Determined

Willing

Illustrations by Guen Ramirez. Graphics by Yichi Lu.

RECEIVING THE GIFT OF

TONGUES THROUGH THE BOOK OF MORMON

BYUH students and a bishop share their experience learning a language using the Book of Mormon

BY CJ SHINIHAH NOTARTE

Aconsistent effort, a desire to connect, and overcoming the fear of making mistakes is what it takes to learn a foreign language and more, said two BYU–Hawaii students and a bishop. They said the Book of Mormon helped them learn the language they spoke on their mission, which allowed them to fulfill their purpose, preach the gospel and serve those around them.

An acquired God-given skill

Jaime Aaron V. Acuña III, a freshman from Tagbilaran, Philippines, majoring in computer science, said he served his mission in the Tonga Nuku’alofa Mission. He said a big part of learning his mission language was cultivating the gift of tongues, listening to the Spirit and reading consistently Ko E Tohi ’A Molomona, or the Book of Mormon translation in the Tongan language.

When he applied for his mission, Acuña said there was a question asking if the applicant is willing to learn a new language. Acuña said, “I chose ‘very interested,’ and to be honest, I love my mission, but there was a time I thought it was a dense decision.” He said when he arrived on his mission, he learned instantly how hard it was going to be. “You have other responsibilities to attend to. Other than learning a new language, you also have to immerse yourself into the area you have been assigned to,” he explained.

Acuña said learning the language was difficult, and he tried and prayed a lot. He said seeing other foreign missionaries learn the language gave him hope. He added,“Eventually, my prayers turned from asking God to help me learn the language to asking God to help me get through the day because I know [the skill to speak the language] will eventually come.”

Acuña said he referred to a book written by former BYUH President Eric Shumway on learning the Tongan language when he was having a hard time. He planned to read the whole book once he arrived in his area, but once he met his American trainer, who was known to have a very good grasp of the language, “He encouraged me to use the Book of Mormon. ‘The only secret is the Book of Mormon. Just read it,’ my companion would say,” he said.

Reading the Book of Mormon alone is not an effective way to learn a different language, Acuña added. “I read a verse and tried to understand it as much as I could. Then I looked

“There are blessings the Lord is willing to give us, but those blessings come from our efforts.”

Jaime Aaron V. Acuña III

for the words I did not understand,” he said. He kept a mini booklet where he listed down the words he didn’t know and then compared them to the dictionary and the English Book of Mormon, he explained.

After understanding the words, Acuña said he read the verse again until he was able to understand it. From his studies of the Book of Mormon and words in his booklet, he added, “I tried to memorize all of them. My Missionary Training Center teacher calls it lau fakakolipoki, which means reading like Kolipoki, [Elder Johm Groberg] the missionary from the movie ‘The Other Side of Heaven’.”

“I really have a testimony of how the Book of Mormon helped me learn my mission language,” said Acuña. He said the Book of Mormon provided him a way to learn words and practice his pronunciation by reading out loud. He said he first learned the formal manner of the language rather than the casual words used for conversations. “I was able to speak the language fluently after six months. It was weird because outside of teaching, I could barely speak,” he continued.

Acuña said his mother tongue and his mission language both stem from Austronesian language. “I’ve noticed that counting in Bisaya, [a dialect in the Philippines], and Tongan is almost the same and a lot of words are very similar,” he said. He didn’t notice it being used before in his language until he saw it in other Austronesian languages, he said.

“The hardest was overcoming my introverted self,” said Acuña. He said his trainer forced him to speak a lot because he’s not really outgoing. When he got separated from his companion, he said he had to get out of his comfort zone.

“There are blessings the Lord is willing to give us, but those blessings come from our efforts,” said Acuña. He said he would not have been able to acquire the gift of tongues if he did not do his part. “I was surprised by my performance. I realized that the Lord will bless me if I strive,” he shared. Acuña said the grace of God helped him accomplish his purpose as God’s missionary.

More than just a language

Lehua Foma’i, a junior from Alaska majoring in biology, said the church began the Come Follow Me program when she was in her fourth year in Seminary. She said, “They changed my last year, which would have been the Old Testament, to Come Follow Me, and that year was focused on the Book of Mormon.”

Foma’i, who served a full-time mission in Bolivia Santa Cruz Mission, said her goal was to finish reading the Old Testament during her mission because she was not able to read it before.

She said, “I started realizing it was not very productive,” and felt like she should not read it in English. She said she talked with her mission president about her goal.

She said her mission president gave her advice and told her she should not focus on finishing the Old Testament, but instead, she should read the Book of Mormon every single day. “From that moment on, I started to read the Book of Mormon, maybe a few chapters for my personal study,” she said.

Reading the Book of Mormon helped her develop a better relationship with the book itself and her mission language, Foma’i said. “I was able to speak the language better and help the people more,” she added. She said she could bear her testimony better and express her feelings to those around her. “Through learning the language, I was able to invite the Spirit a lot more,” Foma’i explained.

She said, “There were nine stakes in Bolivia, and I served in two of them, Santa Cruz and Beni.” Beni is located on the borders of Brazil and they speak both Spanish and Portuguese, so she said she also learned Portuguese.

“Many people who were living [in Beni] were illiterate. They don’t know how to read, and they don’t know how to write,” said Foma’i. She said they had a difficult time extending invitations to read the Book of Mormon to the people they served given the circumstances. “We would teach them little by little, or we would help them watch the videos on the Gospel Library and that’s how they learned how to read,” she continued.

Foma’i said she met a lot of people who learned how to read and were able to gain their personal testimonies of Jesus Christ and His gospel by reading the Book of Mormon with the missionaries. The people they served in Beni were often the best people to teach because they are humble, she shared. She said the experience inspired her to really learn her mission language.

Foma’i said it took her about four months to learn Spanish. “I studied Spanish before my mission for six years. But it was never to the point where I could say I was fluent.” She said a lot of high schools offer second languages, but nothing compares to being immersed in the culture and the people. “It’s not the same. Even if I studied it before my mission, it didn’t mean I could speak the language,” she added.

“It was easier for me to read and understand than to speak and write,” said Foma’i. She said the Spanish and Portuguese structures, grammar, alphabet and accents are very different from those of English. Reading

the Book of Mormon from cover to cover and reading out loud helped her improve her language skills, she said. “It will help you to pronounce things better, and it will help you memorize certain phrases because if you’re using certain words, they always go with specific phrases,” she shared.

Foma’i said she stopped using English in both writing and in reading during her mission. “Don’t even read anything in your first language… I had companions who spoke English. I did not speak English with them. I strictly spoke Spanish and Portuguese,” she said.

Foma’i said she still does her personal studies, listens to conference talks and listens to music in Spanish. “I like speaking with people who also speak Spanish or Portuguese every chance I get,” she continued. She also said she keeps in contact with the converts she worked with, ward members, her mission president and his wife and all of her companions, she added.

Getting better by doing it

Michael Aldrich, bishop of the Laie 4th Ward who served in Germany and a BYUH reference librarian, said the missionaries used the Book of Mormon a lot for two things: learning vocabulary and proper pronunciation. “We would play games where we would take a verse in English and translate it into German. Then, we would translate it to English and compare it and see how good or, normally, how bad we did it,” he said.

“Through learning the language, I was able to invite the Spirit a lot more.”

Lehua Foma’i

“If you get to the point where you’re not translating in your head, it just flows and changes how you think.”

Michael Aldrich

Aldrich described a normal day on his mission. “We did language exercises and then we would go to the scriptures. We would start off having our personal study where you’d take 20 minutes to half an hour,” he shared. He said after their personal studies, they would get together and share what they learned in German.

When you speak another language, he said translating is not only about what a word means. The word must also make sense, Aldrich explained. He said, “A lot of it is learning how to think about those gospel principles and explain them in a second language in ways other people can understand.”

Aldrich said, “Right after we landed [in Germany], the mission president said, ‘Welcome to Germany. Put your stuff here, You’re gonna go out with these elders, and you’re gonna go talk to people.’ That was it. On our very first day.” He said there were 10 of them and they were split up into companionships. He recalled, “The experienced missionary said, ‘Hey, my friend has a message for you!’ Then the person looked at me, and I said something poorly in German.”

Reading the Book of Mormon in German helped Aldrich get the flow and learn the proper pronunciation of words, he said. “It helped with familiarizing ourselves with the language, especially with the church language that we used.” Aside from the Book of Mormon, he said they also used the Bible and a grammar book from the MTC. “We had six

missionary lessons way back then. We didn’t have the Preach My Gospel,” he said.

Missionaries used the Book of Mormon not only to learn the language but also to explain the gospel in German, he added. “About eight months in, I had a German companion who didn’t know much English. I would speak German all the time,” he said. It came to a point where he lost his American accent and people thought he was a local, said Aldrich.

Aldrich said breaking down something you have done naturally growing up and building it up to learn a second language was difficult for him. He said about speaking English, “You don’t think about grammar. You grow up with the grammar. I know how to say it, but I am not thinking about its form.” He said it was funny because he thought he knew English, but he only knew how to speak it.

When a person can speak a second or third language, he said they think differently. He said, “If you get to the point where you’re not translating in your head, it just flows and changes how you think.” After his mission, he said people would ask him questions, and he would translate the words in German in his head. “Especially if it was church-related because I had been teaching for two years,” he explained.

Aldrich said he can still remember the German grammar and the structure, “But my memory of the vocabulary has nose-dived because I don’t use it much.” He said it was seven years ago since he used it regularly when he was in Austria.

“It took a while for me to gain the courage to talk, engage and immerse myself in it. That’s why having the German Book of Mormon and the Bible was helpful,” said Aldrich. He said when a person is learning a language, they should not be afraid of messing up. “Don’t be embarrassed. You’ll say silly things or weird things and just laugh about it. You should have fun doing it.” He continued, “It’s cool! You’re learning, and you are growing. You only get better by speaking, writing, reading and listening.” •

Lehuai Foma’i holds her Book of Mormon and Jaime Aaron V. Acuña III smiles as they share about their experiences learning a new language on their missions.

Photos by Camille Jovenes. Graphics by Moevai Tefan.

A walk in their sandals

BYUH students and staff say filming a Book of Mormon video allowed them to appreciate the

scriptural event and characters more

BY WINSLETTE QUIRAY-SANTIAGO

Acting as Nephite and Lamanite warriors in the filming of the “Book of Mormon Videos” on Oahu last August 2022, BYU-Hawaii students and staff recalled their experience as a great testimony builder. They said portraying their characters and enacting the stripling warriors’ battle scene allowed them to walk in their shoes and value the scriptural event more.

The film is now uploaded on Youtube, entitled “Helaman’s Stripling Soldiers Fight for Freedom.” The students said the filming took four days from Aug. 24 to 27 at Gunstock Ranch in Kahuku. They encouraged everyone to utilize the video in their personal studies of the Book of Mormon.

Portraying the stripling warriors

Zach Stackhouse, a junior majoring in political science from Utah, said being casted as a stripling warrior scout deepened his understanding of what it was like to be in one of the stripling warrior’s shoes.

“We were given sandals and [animallike] skin clothes to wear,” he said, as they prepared to film for the battle scene between the stripling warriors and the Lamanites. “Honestly, it was not comfortable,” he said. “I remembered filming a marching and a running scene like 20 times. Those sandals weren’t comfortable to run in, and it was cutting up my feet,” he explained.

Stackhouse said he initially thought how terrible his experience was but shortly after he received an impression from the spirit. “I felt the spirit telling me, ‘Now imagine how much worse it was for them when they were actually running for their lives from the Lamanites’, “ he said.

Stackhouse said he was physically tired not from running for his life, but from filming. He said the exhaustion he felt helped him to understand the mind of the warriors.

BYUH Student Life Vice President Kala Kau said filming the scriptural event together with the students was memorable for him. “I knew what a difference it could make to be able to not just read the scriptures but also to visualize them and be engaged in those scenes,” he said.

Acting as a Lamanite warrior, Kau said this experience strengthened his testimony of the Book of Mormon and made him appreciate the stripling warriors. “Experiencing first hand these battle scenes, although just acting, made me think of their sacrifices,” he said.

“They were defenders of their faith, fighting for their families and their God, even in the face of opposition and mortal danger,” he said. Seeing that enacted and portrayed was powerful, he added.

Sirawit Kitwongpak, a BYUH alumni who majored in accounting, said being part of the film made him joyful even though he was

young and inexperienced for the role. As one of the stripling warriors, Kitwongpak said the role inspired him to be more faithful. Just like them, “I dare to be brave, obey the prophet and trust in God even when experiencing bad situations,” he said.

Obtaining new perspectives

Stackhouse said he was given a few lines in the scene where he told the character portraying Helaman that the Nephites were no longer being pursued by the Lamanites. “I remembered the directors explaining the scene to me about the Nephites kneeling in prayer and thanking God for being preserved,” he said.

He said the directors told him how the Nephites were preserved, thanks to the mothers and maybe sisters, who were praying for them to still be okay and not be killed. “That was something I have never given a lot of profound thought to, and it influenced me deeply,” he said.

“We put so much focus on the young men out of war, and we have no idea what was going through the mind of their mothers who had already lost their husbands to the Lamanites,” said Stackhouse. “Now they’re worried about the fact that they might lose their sons too,” he continued.

As one of the greatest scriptural events in the Book of Mormon, Stackhouse said people get used to hearing the miracle in the end when reading the story of the 2,060 stripling warriors. When filming the battle scene, he said the directors told them the stripling warriors, who were probably ranges around 12 to 16 years old at the time, were against fully grown Lamanite adults.

“We had another actor and nicknamed him ‘Smalls’. He was really young, like a 12-year-old kid,” said Stackhouse. He said they filmed a scene where the kid was fighting one of the biggest Polynesian boys they had on set.

“I realized as I was standing and preparing for these fake battle scenes, how much bigger and stronger all of the Lamanites have seemed. I remember looking at us and said, ‘We look like ants running to attack a giant’,” said Stackhouse.

He said the scene made him visualize and put into perspective how powerful the miracle of not a single one of the stripling warriors being slain really was.

A great resource for scripture study

Kau said, “The reason why [the Church] is making the [Book of Mormon videos] is to testify of Jesus Christ and help share the message of the book.”

“I really appreciate that the Church has gone to such lengths to produce the [Book of Mormon] video and make it more accessible,” he said. “These are great resources and are a quality production,” he added.

Kitwongpak shared he also has utilized the Book of Mormon videos in his personal studies and family home evenings. He said it is also more entertaining to watch something than reading.

“I felt that the videos sometimes allow people to [ponder] and feel more because of the background music,” he said.

Stackhouse said he wants fellow students to remember that these stories are not fiction. The Book of Mormon videos allow students to have a better mind picture of the event and put themselves into the situation, he said. “I think a blessing that would come from using it is the ability to make it personal.”

“We’re taught to liken the scriptures to ourselves,” said Stackhouse. “When we’re able to watch a movie and see the emotions on a character’s face, we’re able to put ourselves in their shoes and maybe think what would I do here, what would I have done differently, and think about all the help that the Lord gives,” he said.

Behind-the-scenes moments with the cast during filming at Gunstock Ranch, Kahuku. Photos by Kala Kau and Zach Stackhouse. Graphics by Yichi Liu.

Holding fast to the iron rod amidst challenges

Three BYUH students share how Lehi’s dream of the Tree of Life impacted their faith, academic journeys and personal growth

BY LINDA LAULU

From the comforting imagery of the iron rod to the pursuit of divine guidance, BYU–Hawaii students said during their college years, they hold fast to their faith while striving to uplift and support one another. They said they find inspiration in the timeless teachings of 1 Nephi 8 to 11, that discusses Lehi’s dream of the tree of life. Through their reflections, they revealed how the scriptures have shaped their spiritual journeys and helped them navigate academic challenges, personal trials and decisions about their future.

Noel Fulumu’a, a senior from Samoa majoring in Pacific Island Studies, said,

“Lehi’s desire to partake of the fruit of the tree of life inspired me to seek the Savior’s will and … draw closer to Him and maintain the companionship of the Holy Ghost.”

The impact of Lehi’s dream

Fulumu’a shared a personal connection to a verse from the Book of Mormon that she said deeply resonates with her both physically and spiritually. “One of my favorite verses is 1 Nephi 8:12, where Lehi partakes of the fruit and immediately desires his family to partake of it,” Fulumu’a said.

This verse in the Book of Mormon reads,

“And as I partook of the fruit thereof it filled my soul with exceedingly great joy; wherefore, I began to be desirous that my family should partake of it also; for I knew that it was desirable above all other fruit.”

Fulumu’a reflected on how this verse connects to her own experiences of living away from his family. “Sometimes when I experience things for the first time, I wish they could all be here and experience these things together,” she said. In increasing her desire to serve the Lord and partake of His goodness, Fulumu’a added, “I also hope each member of my family does their part so they can also enjoy the blessings that the Lord has in store for us.”

strengthened my faith, encouraging me to press forward even when the reasons behind my actions aren’t immediately clear.”

For Gendron, the teachings of Lehi’s vision are deeply intertwined with her hopes for her family. She expressed how Lehi’s emphasis on serving God first resonates with her desire for her family to be eternally blessed with unity and love. “I try, strive, and fail, but never give up,” she said, underscoring her belief that through hope and faith, everything will eventually work out for the best.

Repuya echoed this sentiment, recalling the prophet Lehi’s teaching about two types of faith: the faith to try, like Laman and Lemuel, and the faith to reap, like Nephi. He said he strives daily to follow Nephi’s example, aiming not only to try but also to persevere in his efforts to grow his faith.

A personal connection to the symbols

Teihani Gendron, a senior from French Polynesia majoring in hospitality and tourism management, reflected on the impact certain verses have had on her life. She shared how these scriptures provided her with faith and hope during moments of fear about the future. “These verses are very important teachings,” she said. Through God’s grace and mercy, Gendron explained she was able to survive difficult times when she feared for her family’s well-being and their future.

John Repuya, a junior from the Philippines majoring in finance, related the imagery in 1 Nephi when Lehi sees people in the great and spacious building mocking those at the tree of life. “This resonates with me,” Repuya said, drawing parallels between this scriptural scene and his own experiences of being teased as a member of the Church. He said the scene is relatable because it mirrors the challenges many members face in staying true to their faith amidst external judgment.

An influence on faith

Reflecting on the development of personal faith, Fulumu’a shared how 1 Nephi 9:5-6 has been a source of inspiration for her. She said she often finds herself in situations where she doesn’t fully understand the purpose behind certain tasks she’s asked to perform at home, in church callings or during school assignments and projects. Fulumu’a shared she has learned to trust in the Lord, believing “He knows all things and that one day it will make sense.” She shared,“This perspective has

When asked about how the symbols in the scriptures relate to her own life, Fulumu’a described the iron rod as a guiding force that keeps her on the straight and narrow path, especially during challenging times.

“The rod of iron has been something I’ve continued to hold on to as I navigate life [while] away from my family,” she said.

Fulumu’a said she also sees the tree of life as a symbolic beacon that stands as a constant reminder to keep the temple in sight physically and spiritually. Despite the exhaustion of working 40 hours a week during the summer, she said she finds peace in attending the temple regularly.

Gendron shared her interpretation of the symbols, noting the tree of life represents God’s mercy and love, guiding her and her family through life’s journey. The iron rod, she explained, symbolizes the scriptures, covenants, righteous people and the temple, all of which help keep her and her family on the covenant path. She also said she recognized the great and spacious building as a representation of worldly distractions that can lead one away from God’s eternal blessings.

Repuya summed up his thoughts by stating the scriptures serve as his iron rod.“They have the doctrine to lead me to eternal life,” he said, referring to the tree of life as the ultimate goal he strives toward by holding firmly to the teachings found in the scriptures.

Morals and daily applications

Fulumu’a also reflected on the timeless lessons found in the chapters. For her, the teachings are straightforward yet profound: “It’s continuing to put the Lord first in everything,” she said. Fulumu’a explained centering her life around the Savior influences all her actions and helps her to inspire others to do the same. She emphasized the importance of seeking the Savior intentionally, which, in turn, helps one draw closer to Him and maintain the companionship of the Holy Ghost.

Fulumu’a also shared a personal struggle she faced as a student. She said writing papers can be particularly challenging for her, especially when she feels stuck or lacks sufficient research to support her arguments. “There have been many times when I struggle in school, especially writing my papers. I run out of things to say and sometimes there isn’t enough research to back the points that I want to make when I write a paper,” said Fulumu’a.

Her mother’s advice to read the Book of Mormon initially seemed unrelated to her academic challenges, but she decided to give it a try. She shared, “My mum always encourages me to read the Book of Mormon. At first I thought it was a silly idea. In logic, the content of the scripture does not come close to the things I write about in my secular learning,” she said, but after giving it a try,

“The Book of Mormon has not only increased my ability to grasp new words I can use in my papers,” she said, “but has also enlightened my mind on other relevant issues with research sufficient to support what I want to write about in my scholarly papers.”

Gendron highlighted the significance of divine guidance in navigating life’s journeys. Reflecting on Lehi’s vision, Gendron noted how it came at a critical time when Lehi had just left Jerusalem, embarking on a journey with his family into the wilderness under God’s command. “When faced with important life choices, such as career opportunities after graduation, I often reflect on Lehi’s journey,” she said. Gendron said she draws inspiration from Lehi’s faith and reliance on divine instruction, which reminds her to seek spiritual clarity through prayer and scripture study.

Repuya shared the most crucial message he draws from these chapters is the importance of holding to the rod and enduring to the end. “By going to church every week and attending the temple, I endure to the end,” he said, underscoring the value of consistent religious practices in his life.

Strength and guidance amidst challenges

When discussing how these teachings have helped them overcome personal challenges, Fulumu’a shared,

“The story of Lehi’s dream and the tree of life mostly bring me comfort I search for, knowing that even prophets of ancient times had their share of the same trials and challenges I go through today.”

If the Lord provided for them with their faith, Fulumu’a said, “The Lord can provide for me too, the same way He has yesterday, today, and forever,” she said, expressing her trust in the Lord’s consistent care.

Gendron shared how Lehi’s vision of the tree of life instills a deep sense of faith and trust in divine guidance in her. When faced with difficulties, she finds reassurance in knowing that God is aware of her circumstances.

“This knowledge helps me to approach challenges with faith, knowing that I can seek and receive guidance through prayer and personal revelation,” Gendron said.

Repuya also spoke about a challenging time during his mission when his parents separated. He said the occurrence tested his faith, but he chose to hold to the rod and endure to the end of his mission, just as Nephi and Lehi did during their trials. “It really tested my faith, but I endured,” he said.

Growing spiritually at BYUH

Reflecting on how her time at BYUH has contributed to their spiritual growth, Fulumu’a acknowledged the spiritual maturity that comes from facing hardships as a student. She related this to the concept of the great and spacious building in 1 Nephi 8, which she said she often associates with the pressures and distractions she faces. “I’ve often felt like calling it quits because I’ve felt pressured by voices calling out from the great and spacious buildings,” said Fulumu’a.

She continued, “I have friends who seem to have it all together who never needed to leave home. I see the way they live their lives and I begin to wonder if I should just give all of this up and go home and enjoy life the way my friends do at home,” she said. However, over time Fulumu’a said she learned to block out the noise from that great and spacious building and press forward, holding on to the iron rod and trusting that one day she will reap the reward of this journey.

Fulumu’a also highlighted the supportive community at BYUH, where students help strengthen each other’s testimonies of the Savior.

“It is such a joy to go to the temple and see so many of my colleagues, classmates, and peers there too,” she said.

She said she believes despite the various trials students face, they are united in their efforts to grow closer to the Lord and help each other along the way.

Gendron noted how studying and pondering 1 Nephi 8 to 11 have deepened her understanding of the scriptures and strengthened her testimony of Lehi’s vision. She said she sees the stories as emphasizing the importance of a personal mission and purpose, encouraging students like her to seek personal revelation, make righteous choices and actively pursue academic, professional and spiritual goals.

Repuya shared his appreciation of the unique spiritual culture of the campus, particularly the weekly devotionals. “This university is very unique because of the devotional tradition,” he said. The regular reminders to hold to the rod and endure to the end are valuable to him, especially since he gains new insights each time he revisits the scriptures, he shared.

“Your conversion is never complete, so keep holding fast to the rod and endure to the end,” Repuya concluded. •

Illustrations of 1 Nephi 8 to 11 by Guen Ramirez. Graphics by Ranitea Teihoarii and Yichi Lu.

Book of Mormon Issue Fall 2024

THE LEADER

TEAM

MEMBERS

ABOUT

Letter from The Copy Editor

Another Testament of Jesus Christ

Commemorating a century of faith and wisdom

The global journey of the Book of Mormon

People around the world have access to the Book of Mormon in 113 languages

Western Hemisphere

Oceania

UNEARTHING FAITH

Discover how archaeological evidence validates the historical claims of the Book of Mormon, the cornerstone of Latter-day Saint belief

Metal records in stone boxes

Hebrew onomastics

The art of war

Archaeological correlations in Mesoamerica

Polynesian Lamanites

Migrating through Mesoamerica

Learning wisdom in thy youth

The Book of Mormon has the power to transform lives, say Seminary and Institute teachers

Christ’s power

The uniqueness of the Book of Mormon

Quality over quantity

Making Seminary a priority

Miracles and trials behind the Book of Mormon

Learned linguists (1828)

Faith and humility (1828)

Trials of faith (1828-1829)

Miracle of the field (1829)

Another witness (1829)

Where the saints

Students from Oceania and Asia learn first-hand about early Saints

Faith builds testimony

A unique experience

have walked

Experiences worth taking home

Immersing oneself in the Book of Mormon

Church leaders and BYU–Hawaii students share their study methods and techniques in reading the Book of Mormon

Focusing on the Savior

What would Jesus want me to learn?

Setting a regular time

Consistency over quantity

Marking and highlighting

Cross-referencing and understanding contexts

More ways to enjoy reading the scriptures

The remarkable women in the Book of Mormon

women in the Book of Mormon were active participants in living the gospel, with unwavering faith and wisdom, say BYUH religion professors

Mary Eve

Seeing women as central figures

Women’s lasting influence as wives and mothers

The mothers of the stripling warriors

Abish

Meet our new Ke Alaka‘i team members and their favorite Book of Mormon scriptures:

Where seeking takes us

BY MYCO MARCAIDA

Spirit testifies of Book of Mormon’s truth

Worth more than diamonds

in their lives

CJ SHINIHAH NOTARTE

BGideon Becoming conquerors

Nephi

Prayerful

Responsible

Proactive

Willing

Faithful

Nephi

Ammon

Loving

Determined

RECEIVING THE GIFT OF

TONGUES THROUGH THE BOOK OF MORMON

An acquired God-given skill

More than just a language

Getting better by doing it

A walk in their sandals

Portraying the stripling warriors

Holding fast to the iron rod amidst challenges