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Conference tecrus::mormonism

Title:	The Glory of God is Intelligence.

Moderator:	BSS::RONEY

Created:	Thu Jan 28 1988
Last Modified:	Fri Apr 25 1997
Last Successful Update:	Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:	460
Total number of notes:	6198

28.0. "Lamanites to hear of Christ" by CACHE::LEIGH () Fri Feb 05 1988 12:00

As recorded in D & C 3:16-20, the Lord prophesied that the Lamanites
would come to a knowledge of Christ through the Book of Mormon.  This
prophecy is being fulfilled in our time and this fulfillment will continue
until Christ finishes his work.

It is exciting to live in a time when prophecy is being fulfilled, to see
events happen, and to realize that those events are "doing their share"
towards the eventual fulfillment of the prophecy.

Let's be looking for examples of how the prophecy in D & C 3:16-20 is being
fulfilled and post them to this note.  To provide a background for this, I
will briefly review the verses from Section 3.

    (V16) Nevertheless, my work shall go forth, for inasmuch as the
    knowledge of a Savior has come unto the world, through the testimony
    of the Jews, even so shall the knowledge of a Savior come unto my
    people--

    (V17) And to the Nephites, and the Jacobites, and the Josephites, and
    the Zoramites, through the testimony of their fathers--

    (V18) And this testimony shall come to the knowledge of the Lamanites, and
    the Lemuelites, and the Ishmaelites, who dwindled in unbelief
    because of the iniquity of their fathers, whom the Lord has suffered
    to destroy their brethren the Nephites, because of their iniquities
    and their abominations.

    (V19) And for this very purpose are these plates preserved, which contain
    these records--that the promises of the Lord might be fulfilled, which
    he made to his people;
    
    (V20) And that the Lamanites might come to the knowledge of their fathers,
    and that they might know the promises of the Lord, and that they may
    believe the gospel and rely upon the merits of Jesus Christ, and be
    glorified through faith in his name, and that through their repentance 
    they might be saved.  Amen

In verse 16, the Lord said that just as a knowledge of Christ came to the
world through the Bible, so would a knowledge of Christ come to his people
in America.

In verses 17 and 18, the Lord listed some of the peoples who lived during
Book of Mormon times.

In verse 19, the Lord said that the plates from which the Book of Mormon was
translated were preserved so that his promises to the peoples listed in
verses 17 and 18 would be fulfilled.

In verse 20, the Lord clarified what he meant in verse 19 by his promises:
that the Lamanites might learn of their ancestors, that they might know of the
promises of the Lord to those ancestors, and that the Lamanites might believe
the gospel and be converted to Jesus Christ.

In other words, the Lord is saying that he preserved the Book of Mormon that
the remnants of the ancient Book of Mormon people might learn of their
ancestors and come to know Christ.  Please note that these verses do not
imply that the remnants will not also come to know Christ through the Bible.

It is important to notice that the verses do not say nor imply that all of
the Lamanites would be converted through the Book of Mormon.  In fact, the
verses do not say or imply that any Lamanites would be converted through the
Book of Mormon.  The verses only say that the Book of Mormon was preserved so
the Lamanites might learn of their ancestors and the promises made to those
ancestors and through that knowledge come to know Christ.  Since the Lamanites
have free agency to choose, some of them might become converted and some of
them might not.

T.R	Title	User	Date	Lines
28.1	1987 Miss Indian USA Pageant	CACHE::LEIGH	`Fri Feb 05 1988 12:01`	47
	The following article is from The Church News, December 5, 1987, p. 7 WASHINGTON, D.C. Latter-day Saints made several contributions in the 1987 Miss Indian USA Pageant Nov. 16-20 as contestants, judges and instructors, said Sandy L. Tevis, assistant director of the pageant. The highest LDS finisher was the current Miss Indian BYU, Lynn Lee Hall, 23, a Warm Springs Indian from Klamath, Ore. She was named fourth runner-up and received the pageant's "Miss Congeniality" award. "I noticed what an impact Lynn had on each of the other contestants and how helpful she was," said Sister Tevis, first counselor in the Tucson North Stake Young Women presidency. "One of the contestants didn't have a gown for the pageant night, and Lynn loaned her one. "On the night of the pageant", Sister Tevis continued, "all the contestants got in a circle for a prayer, and one of the directors asked Lynn to say it." Another LDS contestant, Carla Ann Chee, 20, a Navajo from Crownpoint, N.M., placed third in the talent competition with a clogging dance routine and the telling of a Navajo basket story. Also competing was Miss Indian Montana, Karmelita Plains Bull, a 24-year old Latter-day Saint from Pryor, Mont. In all, the pageant featured 30 contestants from throughout the United States. Sister Tevis said two Latter-day Saints served as pageant judges, Joy Sundberg, a Yurok Indian from Trinidad, Calif., and Hazel Edmonds, a Chippewa/Yacqui from Boston, Mass. Sister Sundberg, chairwoman of the Rancheria tribe for 25 years, was converted in 1961 and has been active in Scouting. Sister Edmonds of the Hingham, Mass., Ward is a model, educator and traditional Indian fancy dancer. One of the chaperones for the pageant was Ida Berg, a Church member from Gallop, N.M. The highlight for Sister Tevis was the opportunity to teach a one-hour workshop. She talked about the true beauty of a person coming from a beautiful spirit within. "At the end of the workshop, I shared my testimony," she said. "All of us in the workshop had tears streaming down our faces. We hugged one another and had a prayer together. It was a beautiful experience. "The president of the pageant walked in and said, 'I can tell something good is happening here.'"
28.2	Arizona indians go to Temple	CACHE::LEIGH	`Fri Feb 05 1988 12:02`	39
	The following article is from The Church News for November 7, 1987 Navajos succeed Obstacles seemed to arise every step of the way last summer as the Clement brothers of Lukachukai, Ariz.--in the heart of the Navajo Reservation--prepared to go to the Arizona Temple to be sealed to their families. Two of the brothers, Wilford and William, had been to the temple once as new missionaries. The other two brothers, Wilson and Walter, had previously wanted to go to the temple but difficulties had always prevented them. The brothers and their wives and children make up 80 percent of the active members of the Round Rock Branch of the Blanding Utah Stake, said Pres. Kenion Harvey. Despite the fact that each of the families had been planning a temple trip for some time, high unemployment and poor economic conditions among the Navajos made raising money difficult for each of the families. Wilson and his wife, Elaine, had their car break down. However, they were able to find ways to get the car fixed. William and his family didn't have enough money, so he took his family to the country and chopped two big loads of fire wood. They were able to sell the fire wood and, at the same time, an old car they had. What they earned was enough to make the trip. The Round Rock Branch temple excursion was a tremendous success. The Clements were accompanied by the Robert Bia family, high councilor Leo Platero, Navajos; and by Pres. and Sister Harvey and stake Pres. Francis Lyman. Even the temple presidency was on hand to welcome the Clement families. "Not often do we have such a large group of closely linked family members," said Temple Pres. LeRoy Layton. "The humility and pride of these brothers and sisters in coming to the temple was a thrilling experience." William expressed his feelings this way, "We wanted to go down to the temple for many years and be sealed to our family. I personally experienced many things with my own family in the temple. I didn't realize how much I love my wife and family....We cherish our temple experience."
28.3	Nivacle Indians	CACHE::LEIGH	`Mon Feb 08 1988 18:35`	12
	MISTOLAR, PARAGUAY -- The colony of Nivacle Indians who were converted to the Church some years ago (See 'Church News', Nov. 27, 1983) has continued in the remote forested area of this country, said Elder Paul Chambers, Bountiful Utah, serving in the Paraguay Asuncion Mission. Of the 215 people in the colony, 200 are members and attend Church regularly, as do the 15 who are not yet baptized. The branch members study from a gospel principles manual translated into Nivacle, and sing hymns that have been translated. Mission Pres. John J. Whetten visited the branch at Christmas time to present diplomas to those who have graduated from seminary [religion classes for high school students]. ('Church News', December 26, 1987, p. 11)
28.4	Mayans attend temple	CACHE::LEIGH	`Mon Feb 22 1988 19:30`	9
	Guatemala City, Guatemala -- A group of Mayan descendants from remote Momostenango, near Quetzaltenango, recently visited the temple. The group was well-prepared in family research, and after the ordinance work was done, which included the sealing of 15 couples, the group performed temple ordinances for 71 of their ancestors. The group also made an impression on temple workers for their humility, obedience, and for their reverence for the temple. (Church News, September 26, 1987, p. 12)
28.5	Quechua temple session conducted	CACHE::LEIGH	`Tue Mar 22 1988 07:06`	12
	Quechua session conducted (Church News, March 12, 1988) LIMA, PERU -- The first-ever temple session in the Quechua language, the ancient language of the Incas, was conducted here Feb. 24. Temple Pres. Glen V. Holley reported that five Quechua-speaking members had the Spanish-language presentation translated for them simultaneously by bilingual temple workers. "I think everything was well understood," said Pres. Holley. "I saw tears streaming down their cheeks after the session was over." Quechua is the sole language spoken by more than 2 million Peruvians, most living in the Andean mountain highlands.