THE BOOK OF MORMON

Joseph Smith Received The Golden Plates on the morning of 22 September 1827, 191 days from today!

FIRST THINGS FIRST:

Great playing on Saturday BYU...they won over Virginia 41 to 33!  Hurrah.  I heard from Elder Bushman's cousins that not only was it a hot game...but they got sunburned watching it.  We got way too many penalties that game...let's tone it down next game please...you are setting an example, remember!  Another cousin, Craig, posted this view of the game from the KSL Booth, Nice!  BYU's win made for a good weekend for many a fan...thank you BYU Football Team!  We look forward to the rival game with Utah State next.  Ryan & Sarah help prepare Mike and Heather for a BYU win!  Ha!

Sunday was a great day.  In our Sacrament Meeting we were counseled, again, to read the Book of Mormon.  We must be prepared to answer questions about the Broadway Play, "The Book of Mormon" that will be touring the New York area next month.  So Broadway has chosen October to bring this play into the area where the book was published!  Do you think the Script has been following The Book?   I think The Book of Moroni will negate the negativity of this play toward the gospel beliefs...what do you believe?  Also 2 Nephi:14 explains acting and being acted upon...interesting verse and awesome chapter.   May the actors portray their own beliefs in a true and faithful way!  God Bless America.

So with that pondering Elder Bushman and I went on to teach our Sunday School class.  I asked if I could take pictures to put on our blog...so here are the results of our teaching in the overflow of the chapel.  Elder Bushman is teaching from "the script".

 The youth are following along.

Some use paper scriptures, others media copies.

We are enjoying each of these students and their understanding of the scriptures.  They are very knowledgeable.  We have grown to love them like our own and have only been with them for three weeks.  Our prayer is that Moroni will surround them with Angels to protect them from that which would pull them from their understanding of their covenants. 

 May they be protected as they dwell in the "cradle of The Lord's vineyard ".  We left Cortland, NY after our Relief Society and Priesthood meetings.  We ate our crackers and apples on the way back to the Inn.  The apples were not very delicious, but were quite mushy.  I tossed mine out of the window, unfinished, along with Elder Bushman's core.  When we got home we napped for two hours!

At 7:00 PM, Eastern Standard Time, we borrowed a couple chairs from the Inn and drove to the top of the Hill Cumorah.   We, Missionaries, were there to Celebrate and Commemorate Joseph Smith finally receiving The Golden Plates!  Joseph first learned about the Plates from Moroni in 1823.  Moroni met with Joseph, each year on the same day, and tutored him as to what he needed to do before he could accomplish the task of translating The Book of Mormon.  I find it interesting that this week is also Autumnal Equinox.

 We all arrived at the base of the Moroni statue.  We were on the top of the Hill Cumorah as the sun was about to set in the west.  The hill looked spectacular 191 years after Joseph found the rock Moroni had led him to on the west side, at the top, of this grand edifice!

We all were dressed and ready with blankets and coats to keep out the chill once the sun set.

A new missionary couple, The Mortensen's,  arriving from Colorado were introduced.  They are here to serve in the temple for a year.

We sang "An Angel From On High" (p. 13) as Sister Nicholas led us all.  We sang all five verses and it was awesome to be singing this song, on the eve of when Joseph and Emma arrived at the base of this hill to obtain the plates.  We felt so at home here! 

 We filled both isles and up and beyond the steps down to the monument.

President & Sister Brighton joined us as we prepared to listen to this presentation and commemoration.

 Elder Bushman sat on one of the steps.

 Elder John Neeley was our speaker for the evening presentation.  He told us of his youth growing up, with a widowed mother, after his father passed away when John was three.  He said, "I learned to be sensitive to the spirit" because of my mother's teachings.  Then he proceeded to remind us, once again, of all that Joseph went through to obtain the plates, translate them, and publish The Book of Mormon.  Thank you, Elder & Sister Neeley for your great presentation and the wonderful spirit we felt as we renewed our dedication to Joseph Smith's faith and Moroni's instructions.  Hurrah for Israel!

From the Hebrew version :

to the translated English version.  

ANOTHER TESTAMENT OF JESUS CHRIST
The 22 September 1827, the very day Israel celebrated the Feast of Trumpets, ⁵Moroni gave the golden plates to the Prophet Joseph Smith. Since this feast was ripe with meaning for the theme of the regathering of Israel, it is unlikely this timing was accidental. (Ensign Jan. 2000 by Lenet Read)

The 21st of September, 2014 was a great day for the church as far as temples go also.  The Ogden Utah temple was "rededicated" by President Thomas S. Monson!  Isn't this edifice beautiful with the mountains in the background? As of the 22nd of September, 2014 the temple is open for operation! In June of 1843 Joseph told the saints: "I am a rough stone.  The sound of the hammer and chisel was never heard on me until the Lord took me in hand".  This beautiful stone temple is an example of how the rough stone has been chiseled.

We went and saw "The Giver" on Monday afternoon.  Did it follow the books?  We loved the sled.  We pondered Joseph and Moroni during this sequel.  It was the perfect day to watch this. I long for a reunion with my Grandparent's in their cabin in the woods!  Merry Christmas every one!

Family home evening was held at 6:00 PM Monday evening.   We met, once again, at the Hill Cumorah, in the visitor's center.   

Sister Read presented her lecture on "How the Golden Plates were received on an Israelite Holy Day and how that Holy Day bore many significant witnesses of the Restoration.  I loved hearing about the Jewish Holy Day's again.  I enjoyed knowing that The Feast of Trumpets and The Golden Plates intertwine in timing.  I look forward to The Feast of the Tabernacles and Jesus's Millenniual Reign.  (The Promised Messiah, P.432-35).  I also look forward to Wednesday, 25 September to Thursday, 26 September 2014 when The Feast of Trumpet's will commence and  then The Days of Awe display their splendors.  Sister Read concluded her remarks and announced that Bruce Nickell would sing the closing hymn, "An Angel from on High".  I listened to my cousin's voice and felt a warm hug from heaven.  I did not know Bruce sang so well.  Thank you, Bruce for accepting this assignment.  Your voice brought a great spirit to the close of this "Awe" inspiring meeting.  Thank you too, Sister Read for your wisdom and knowledge that you shared with us all.  She, of course, always looks like a beautiful angel with her snow white hair!

"And thus we see"...we can dwell in Paradise and still miss our family!  We have placed them in The Lord's care while we serve Him.  We just learned our little Brandt has crohn's disease.  We have not heard if his Biopsy confirms this yet.  This blanket is on the wall of our room.  I tell my grandchildren good morning, good night and I pray for them all day.  These photo's are over two years old now, but this gift, from our daughter Heather,  has brought so much joy into our lives.  We love and miss our family.  

Isn't our Brandt the cutest?  Oh, how we hate that he must suffer so.  

What is the purpose of life?  We think it is to watch our children learn and love through their own children's lives.  Thank you, to each of you, for letting us be the grandparents to such a great group of grandchildren.  We love each and every one of you!

May the Heaven's smile upon each and every one of us as we conclude the awesome days of September and move into the 184th Semiannual General Conference of October.

"An Angel from on High

The long, long silence broke;"

"Oh, What A Beautiful Morning...."

"Watch...your words....." Mosiah 4:30