I volunteered for service in the United States Marine Corps
during the Vietnam War.
Soon after my arrival in Quantico, Virginia, for basic
training, I found myself standing at attention in front
of my barracks bunk, come along with 54 other Marine
Corps recruits.
I met my drill instructor, a battle-hardened veteran, when
he kicked open the door to the barracks entered while
screaming words laced with profanity.
After this terrifying introduction, he started at
one end of the barracks and confronted each
recruit with questions.
Without exception, the drill instructor methodically found
something about each recruit to ridicule with
loud, vulgar language.
Down the row he came, with each Marine shouting back, as
commanded, his answer--
yes or no, Sergeant Instructor.
I could not see exactly what he was doing, because we had
been ordered to stand at attention with our eyes
looking straight ahead.
When it was my turn, I could tell he grabbed my duffel back
and emptied the contents onto my mattress behind me.
He looked through my belongings, then walked back
to face me.
I braced myself for his attack.
In his hand was my Book of Mormon.
I expected that he would yell at me.
Instead, he moved close to me, and
whispered, are you a Mormon?
As commanded, I yelled, yes, Sergeant Instructor.
Again, I expected the worst.
Instead, he paused and raised his hand that
held my Book of Mormon.
And in a quiet voice, he said, do you believe in this book?
Again, I shouted, yes, Sergeant Instructor.
At this point, I was sure he would scream disparaging words
about Mormons and the Book of Mormon.
But he just stood there in silence.
And after a moment, he walked back to my bunk and carefully
laid down my Book of Mormon.
He then proceeded to walk by me without stopping and went
on to ridicule and disparage with profane language all
remaining recruits.
I have often wondered why that tough Marine Corps Sergeant
spared me that day.
But I am grateful I was able to say without hesitation,
yes, I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints, and yes, I know the Book
of Mormon is true.
This testimony is a precious gift given to me through the
Holy Ghost with the help of two missionaries and a priest
quorum advisor.
When I was 14 years old, two missionaries--
Lee Pearson and Boyd Camphuysen--
taught my family the gospel of Jesus
Christ, and I was baptized.
Two years later, my priest quorum adviser, Richard Boren,
challenged me to read the Book of Mormon.
I accepted that challenge and I read at least 10 pages every
night until I finished.
On the title page, I read that it is written to the
Lamanites, who are remnant of the House of Israel, and also
to Jew and Gentile.
In the introduction to the Book of Mormon, another
testament of Jesus Christ, it says that the Lamanites are
among the ancestors of the American Indians.
As I read the Book of Mormon, it seemed to me that it was
about my American Indian ancestors.
It tells the story of a people, a part of which were
later described as Lamanites, who migrated from Jerusalem to
a land of promise about 600 BC.
It is an account of God's dealings with these ancient
inhabitants located somewhere on the American continents.
It includes an account of the ministry of Jesus Christ among
them following his Resurrection.
Passages in the Book of Mormon suggest that over time, they
were dispersed throughout the American continents and
islands of the nearby sees.
Their prophets foretold that many multitudes of Gentiles
would eventually come to this land of promise and the wrath
of God would be upon the Lamanites and they would be
scattered, smitten, and nearly destroyed.
My great-grandfather, Echo Hawk, a Pawnee Indian, was
born in the mid-1800s in what is now called Nebraska.
When he was 19 years of age, the Pawnee people were forced
to give up their 23 million acre homeland to
make room for settlers.
In 1874, the Pawnee people were marched several miles
south to a small reservation located in the
Oklahoma Indian Territory.
The population of Pawnee had declined from over 12,000 to
less than 700 upon their arrival in Oklahoma.
The Pawnee, like other tribes, had been scattered, smitten,
and nearly destroyed.
The Book of Mormon has a special message for the
descendants of the Lamanites, a remnant of
the House of Israel.
Nephi expressed this message while interpreting his
father's vision of these latter days.
And at that day, shall the remnant of our seed know that
they are of the House of Israel, that they are the
covenant people of the Lord.
And then shall they know and come to the knowledge of their
forefathers and also to the knowledge of the gospel of
their Redeemer, which was ministered unto their fathers
by him, wherefore they shall come to the knowledge of their
Redeemer and the very points of his doctrine, that they may
know how to come unto Him and be saved.
The Book of Mormon is sacred scripture.
It contains the fullness of the everlasting gospel.
The Prophet Joseph Smith wrote that the Book of Mormon is the
most correct of any book on Earth, and the keystone of our
religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by
its precepts, than by any other book.
Thus, it has a message for all people of the world.
As a 17-year-old boy reading the Book of Mormon for the
first time, I focused on Moroni's promise.
"And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort
you that you would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the
name of Christ, if these things are not true.
And if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real
intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the
truth of it unto you by the power of the Holy Ghost."
As I knelt in prayer, I received a powerful spiritual
witness that the Book of Mormon is true.
That witness has helped me chart my course through life.
I exhort all people to read the Book of Mormon, another
testament of Jesus Christ.
I especially ask the remnant of the house of Israel, the
descendants of the people of the Book of Mormon, wherever
you may be to read and re-read the Book of Mormon.
Learn of the promises contained
in the Book of Mormon.
Follow the teachings and example of Jesus Christ.
Make and keep covenants with the Lord.
Seek for and follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
I close with the words spoken by Amaleki, another book of
Mormon prophet.
"and now, my beloved brethren, I would that you should come
unto Christ, who is the Holy One of Israel, and partake of
his salvation and the power of his redemption.
Yea, come unto him and offer your whole souls as an
offering unto him, and continue in fasting and
praying and endure to the end.
And as the Lord liveth, ye will be saved."
As we come unto our Savior Jesus Christ and purify our
hearts, we will all be instruments in fulfilling the
mighty promises of the Book of Mormon.
Of this, I testify in the sacred name of Jesus Christ.
Amen.