A BELIEVING HEART

 

I recently wrote a post about the Nephite’s last battle on hill Cumorah, titled “O Ye Fair Ones”. One interesting comment came from a man who was not convinced one bit about the authenticity of such an event in American history because there is no archeological evidence of such a battle, therefore, he argued it’s a fictional story.

I know there is some archeological evidence of the Book of Mormon but I never pay much attention to it because it is irrelevant to me and my testimony of the origin of this book. In fact, I think unearthing such evidence is futile.  As much evidence as is discovered, there will always be some that won’t ever be found.

Those who seek authenticity of the origin of the Book of Mormon will therefore never be converted through it. There will always be some missing evidence that will support their argument that the Book of Mormon cannot be true. And even if the evidence they seek is ever found, I doubt very much that they would accept the Book as true and join the Church. Why? Because tangible evidence does not convert. Conversion comes through the spirit to a true seeker of truth.

Today, I read Moroni’s vision of us in chapter 8 of his father’s book and I thought….here is evidence! Even if Joseph wrote the Book of Mormon himself, he could not have detailed our day and age so well (Mormon 8:27-32). But Moroni could because he told us: “Behold, I speak unto you as if you were present, and yet ye are not. But behold, Jesus Christ hath shown you unto me, and I know your doing” (v 35).

I cannot help but believe Moroni when I read evidence that he saw my home land: "Yea, it shall come in a day when there shall be heard of fires, and tempests, and vapors of smoke in foreign lands" (Momon 8:29). Australia is renown for bush fires. They are a done deal every summer but in 2020 Australia was burning. The smoke reached New Zealand. 6,300,000 hectares of its land were scorched and burnt to the ground.  I wondered back then if Dorothea MacKellar's heart ached when she penned her famous poem "I love A Sunburnt Country" as much as Moroni's when he saw it burn. This is my evidence…..

The Book of Mormon is your book. It is a book you can recognise yourself in. It will prick your conscience when you need it; give you answers when you feel lost; give you understanding when you have none and equip you with knowledge to enable you to fight your every foe. You were before Mormon's eyes when he wrote it and before Moroni's when he preserved it. They knew you. They prayed for you. And they wished against all hope that you would read it. Their words are evidence enough….nothing more is needed.

The Book of Mormon was written for ‘the welfare of the ancient and long dispersed covenant people of the Lord’ of whom we are descendants (v 15). It was written for our gathering and for the adoption into the House of Israel of the honest and pure in heart.  

The greatest evidence of the authenticity of the Book of Mormon lies in this…..you will hear the Saviour’s voice and you will know that you are His sheep…..and because you will hear, you will follow Him…. (John 10:27).

Daily I stand in my holy place

As I feast upon Thy word,

Ever hopeful I will meet You there,

Thy Spirit to embrace

And the cares of this world to arrest.

I reach for You in darkness

And step up to heaven’s door;

I am bathed in light

And am granted entrance to Your heart.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: The Shepherd's Embrace by LDS Art)