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| Mormon Abridging Nephite Records on Plates of Gold -by Tom Lovell |
The prophet Mormon, in the above verses of the Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ, refers to the remnant of his people, whom both he and his son, Moroni, considered Lamanites because during the great wars that Mormon was involved in, according to those prophets' words, the Nephites were forced to become Lamanites, and deny the Christ, except for Moroni who was able to escape from their enemies.
Moroni eventually hid up the plates of gold on which was enscribed his and his father's writings, to be hidden until many centuries later when he, Moroni, as a resurrected man/angel appeared to the future young American prophet, Joseph Smith, to help him prepare to translate the precious record which had been engraven on plates of gold.
Within the Book of Mormon we learn of many Nephites who went by large ships northward to find places to live and prosper. Several of those ships never returned:
Alma 63:
7 And in the thirty and eighth year, this man, (Hagoth), built other ships. And the first ship did also return, and many more people did enter into it; and they also took much provisions, and set out again to the land northward.
8 And it came to pass that they were never heard of more. And we suppose that they were drowned in the depths of the sea. And it came to pass that one other ship also did sail forth; and whither she did go we know not. (clarification and emphasis added)Some, including myself, suppose that many Pacific Islanders may be descended from ancestors who sailed from their Nephite homelands in Central America ending up in places which are now known as Hawaii, Samoa, Tonga, etc.
George Q. Cannon among 10 first missionaries to Hawaii By Sharon HaddockThe 10 Mormon missionaries who opened up the "Sandwich Islands" included George Quayle Cannon, a former editor of the Deseret News. Cannon -- along with President Hiram Clark and Elders Henry Bigler, Hiram Blackwell, John Dixon, William Farrer, James Hawkins, James Keeler, Thomas Morris and Thomas Whittle -- arrived in Oahu on Dec. 12, 1850. Cannon was 22.
The next day, they climbed a hill that overlooked Honolulu, where they constructed a stone altar and dedicated the land.
The work was challenging. The Hawaiian governor refused to let them meet freely, and Protestant ministers preached loudly against the "Mormon sinners."
Cannon and the others were often ill and homesick. They ran out of money. The language barrier was frustrating.But citing inspiration to do so, he focused his energy on the native islanders rather than the few white men and slowly made progress.
His journal entries -- excerpted in Davis Bitton's biography of Cannon -- reflect his great love for the people.
When five of his disheartened companions decided to leave, he said, "This left me in this situation either to stay here and be blessed or to go home under condemnation."
He was determined to see to the Lord's work.
"In fact, every time I had prayed to the Lord that there might be a good work done here, I had felt my bosom warm and felt the spirit continually whispering to me if I should persevere, I should be blest."
When he could no longer pay the $10 demanded to rent a house, a woman by the name of Nalimanui offered him her hut and later her mat and blanket when he fell ill crossing the sea to Oahu.
Determined to get out among the people, Cannon visited Maui on foot, with the natives often carrying him on their backs across the island streams.
One day, crossing a swollen stream, he fell in the water, and a hospitable native and chief, Judge Jonathana Napela, took him in. Napela told him he'd had a vision of a minister of the gospel coming his way. He told Cannon, "My house, land and horses are all yours" and later painstakingly helped Cannon translate the Book of Mormon to "Ka Buke a Moramona." (emphasis added by blogger)
Elders Cannon and Keeler organized the first branch at Kealahou, the Pulehu Branch, in August 1851, in Kula on the island of Maui.
William Kauaiwiulaokalani Wallace III, a former director of BYU-Hawaii Hawaiian Studies, called Cannon one of the "great pioneer people" who brought light and truth to the islands.
After leaving the islands. Cannon started a weekly newspaper in San Francisco -- The Western Standard -- that served as a forum for defending the church. Later, he worked for the Deseret News and was editor from 1867 to 1874. Before serving in the islands, he worked for the Times and Seasons in Nauvoo, Ill.
Laie Hawaii TempleAt age 33, Cannon became an apostle. He served as a counselor to Presidents Brigham Young, John Taylor, Lorenzo Snow and Wilford Woodruff. He died on April 13, 1901.
Kona Hawaii Temple
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has flourished in the State of Hawaii. Two beautiful temples (Houses of the Lord) serve a large LDS population in the Islands of Hawaii. Many members there are possibly descendants of the Nephite-Lamanite population that may have ended up there by ship from Central America as we can suppose when reading The Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ:
Please read these two verses: Alma 63:7-8 and:
Mormon 7: 1 AND now, behold, I would speak somewhat unto the remnant of this people who are spared, if it so be that God may give unto them my words, that they may know of the things of their fathers; yea, I speak unto you, ye remnant of the house of Israel; and these are the words which I speak:
2 Know ye that ye are of the house of Israel.
3 Know ye that ye must come unto repentance, or ye cannot be saved.
4 Know ye that ye must lay down your weapons of war, and delight no more in the shedding of blood, and take them not again, save it be that God shall command you.
5 Know ye that ye must come to the knowledge of your fathers, and repent of all your sins and iniquities, and believe in Jesus Christ, that he is the Son of God, and that he was slain by the Jews, and by the power of the Father he hath risen again, whereby he hath gained the victory over the grave; and also in him is the sting of death swallowed up.
6 And he bringeth to pass the resurrection of the dead, whereby man must be raised to stand before his judgment-seat.
7 And he hath brought to pass the redemption of the world, whereby he that is found guiltless before him at the judgment day hath it given unto him to dwell in the presence of God in his kingdom, to sing ceaseless praises with the choirs above, unto the Father, and unto the Son, and unto the Holy Ghost, which are one God, in a state of happiness which hath no end.
8 Therefore repent, and be baptized in the name of Jesus, and layhold upon the gospel of Christ, which shall be set before you, not only in this record but also in the record which shall come unto the Gentiles from the Jews, which record (The Holy Bible) shall come from the Gentiles unto you.
9 For behold, this is written for the intent that ye may believe that; and if ye believe that ye will believe this also; and if ye believe this ye will know concerning your fathers, and also the marvelous works which were wrought by the power of God among them.
10 And ye will also know that ye are a remnant of the seed of Jacob; therefore ye are numbered among the people of the first covenant; and if it so be that ye believe in Christ, and are baptized, first with water, then with fire and with the Holy Ghost, following the example of our Savior, according to that which he hath commanded us, it shall be well with you in the day of judgment. Amen. (clarification and emphasis added)____________
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