Write at the Heart

A couple years ago I witnessed the sweetest elderly couple be sealed to their deceased parents, he to his parents, and she to hers. I’ll never forget it! As I sat there, the thought occurred to me: nobody could ever pay me any amount of money to say that nothing was happening in that room. I couldn’t do it. Something happened in there, something incredible. Something that reached beyond this earthly experience & sent me reeling at the power of it all, reminding me that temples are SO much more than beautiful buildings. We read in Mormon 8:14, “The plates thereof are of no worth... but the record thereof is of great worth” Joseph Smith’s life was in danger many times as his enemies tried to steal the plates. What they saw was RICHES. Gold! Definitely worth something! But if only they knew!! If only they knew the gold was nothing compared to what was written on it! If only they knew “the truths of the Book of Mormon have the power to heal, comfort, restore, succor, strengthen, consol...

I need to add something to my last post about how Mormon could go on despite everything. PURPOSE. He knew his purpose: Help others come to Christ. On the outside looking in, boy, does it look like he failed! On the contrary! While he could not help his own people, He has helped millions of us. The Book of Mormon has helped millions of us! As I read Mormon and Moroni's words,  I FEEL GOOSEBUMPS! "Therefore I write unto you, Gentiles...   that ye may believe the gospel of Jesus Christ, which ye shall have among you; (Morm 3:17, 21) And Moroni's-"Behold, I speak unto you as if ye were present, and yet ye are not. But behold, Jesus Christ hath shown you unto me, and I know your doing." (8:35) They write to ME. They speak to US. They warn US. They bear testimony to US. Their last days of loneliness & sorrow were spent writing &  abridging records for US. They buried them, unburied them, and buried them again FOR US. "...having been commanded of the Lord t...

HOW did Mormon continue on? His “heart did begin to rejoice within” for them” (Mormon 2:12) only to have “sorrow...return unto me again.” (2:15)  He saw “willful” (1:16) and “open rebellion.” (2:25)  He saw “blood and carnage spread throughout... the land.” (2:8) He saw them “curse God,” “boast in their own strength,” and “swear before the heavens.” (3:9-10)  He saw “they delighted in the shedding of blood continually” (4:11) He saw them “struggle for their lives without calling upon that Being who created them.” (5:2) He “was without hope” for them. (5:2) Oh, my heart just aches for Mormon! What more could he do for them? To know “they were once a delightsome people, and they had Christ for their shepherd” (5:17) no wonder his soul was “rent with anguish,” crying, “O ye fair ones, how could ye have rejected that Jesus, who stood with open arms to receive you!” (6:16-17) How could he continue on? How could he move forward amidst so much sorrow? How do WE do this, too? If ...

Why a 10-year-old? Ammaron tells 10-year-old Mormon, the same age as my 5th grader, to prepare to be a keeper of the plates! He tells him when and where to get them, to watch the people over the next few years, and to write down his observations.  What great faith to have in a child! But Ammaron knew exactly what he was doing! He knew Mormon was a good kid, a “sober” kid (or as the footnote suggests, “trustworthy”) and “quick to observe,” (or as Elder Bednar said, “prompt to watch and to obey”). And Mormon “remembered the things which Ammaron commanded [him]” (Mormon 1:5) and followed through with everything asked of him, despite horrible circumstances. He “tasted and knew of the goodness of Jesus,” (Mormon 1:15) and continued faithful for years while his people self-destructed all around him! We have the Book of Mormon because of many, but Mormon’s part was VITAL. And it all started as a child. It’s hard to wrap my head around until I start thinking of my own children. They’re not...

The Princess Bride movie is one of my favorites to quote! Near the climax when Westley wakes up from being “mostly dead,” he asks, “Who are you? Are we enemies? Why am I on this wall? Where is Buttercup?” Inigo says, “Let me explain. No. There is too much. Let me sum up. Buttercup is marrying Humperdink in a little less than half an hour. So all we have to do is get in, break up the wedding, steal the princess, make our escape, after I kill Count Rugen.” Westley responds, “That doesn’t leave much time for dilly-dallying.” 😆 Can you imagine the task Mormon had with multiple records of two great civilizations laid out before him? How could he possibly decide which parts to include and which parts to leave out? His abridgment would be for US, the last days, the climax! There was too much to explain! He had to sum up. “And now there cannot be written in this book even a hundredth part of the things which Jesus did truly teach the people.” (3 Ne. 26:6) Luckily he had God to tell him what t...

My husband and I visited some church history sites a few years ago and have been wanting to take the kids. So when we heard that you’re now able to walk the grounds of some sites even though tours and visitor’s centers are still closed, we made it happen! We visited the Sacred Grove at dawn today, walking the paths as the sun poked through the trees, and then stopping to pray and think. I loved sharing this holy, peaceful place with my kids! So much of who I am hinges on what happened here 200 years ago, as God the Father and His Son appeared to an earnest 14-year-old. And now that I have a 14-year-old, it really puts it into perspective. We also visited the Hill Cumorah where I had a really beautiful experience. I felt so close to God, and had the thought to read some of Moroni’s last words before sealing up the plates. I felt such a connection to him, sitting on the very hill he buried the plates he had abridged and preserved. The very hill where ALL but 24 of the Nephites, Moroni’s ...