First, this was originally done at a stake girl’s camp.  The stake prepared month’s in advance asking men from the stake to be a part of this.  The entire presentation was done in “the grove”, a nicely treed area that lent itself to a sacred feeling.  As you read down through this presentation you can see how it would make an impact on the girls to witness Joseph in the grove with the plates talking with them and passing the scriptures onto them to be the “Keepers of the Flame”.

In this setting the young women had already spent the better part of the week with “Joseph” at camp.  He spoke to them in first place. They grew to know him, love him and learn more of the kind of man he was and the life we lived as a Prophet of God.  He joked with them, taught them, played games with them and told them about what was happening to him, his family and the church at that time.

The night of the presentation the girls were assembled in the grove.  They came with their flashlights and sat in the darken grove.  The light came on in the front of the trees (I believe they had large spot lights) and Nephi began to speak.  They had the voices and the men pre-recorded with beautiful background music.  Nephi passed the plates and a torch to Jacob and on down to Moroni.  When it came to Moroni, he was on the top of a latter you couldn’t see because of the dark.  The spot lights shown on him speaking down to Joseph. 

At the end, when Joseph had the plates and as he was talking with the girls, you start to hear a mob is assembling from behind the girls.  As Joseph finishes his words and passes the plates and the torch to one of the girls, he is taken by the angry mob.  They do not see him again.

This has great impact on the girls, as you can imagine.

For Young Women In Excellence, I wanted to pull the year of celebrating the restoration together with the new theme of 2006 “Arise and Shine Forth…”  I did this program but on a smaller scale.  I had the fathers of the YW dress in the clothes of the characters they were representing (the girls did not know).  I found music to go with the presentation and asked that the fathers memorize their part.

The men came in and lined up in a semi-circle in the front of the girls.  The lights were low except for where they stood.  They started with Nephi, then on down to Joseph.  As he finished, he had one of the girls in front of him stand with the plates and torch as one of the other YW sang “Another Witness”.  

We did not have a mob, as I think the point I wanted to get across was made on a smaller scale as the girl’s camp presentation.  Although I think if I wanted to go the whole nine yards the girl’s camp presentation is a more powerful presentation.  I just wanted to do it on a smaller scale, more simplified.    I felt it was still a nice and a very spiritual presentation.

Before the evening I had placed a new soft back copy of the BOM at each of the YW’s place setting.  After the presentation I asked that they now take the responsibility to be a “Keeper of the Flame”.  I asked them that as they finish reading the BOM this year that take the promise of Moroni and they kneel and pray for a witness of the truthfulness of the BOM.  I asked that they pray for a missionary experience.   I also asked that they place their testimony in the front of the new BOM and give it to whomever they felt they should before New Beginnings in February.  I told them that if they would like to share their experience I would be video taping it for New Beginnings.

I truly believe that if they follow the words of the Prophet to read the BOM they will be blessed with a witness to the truthfulness of it.  If they then follow up with prayer to find a person to place the BOM with, they will have a great experience to share at NB.  More importantly, they will be a tool for our Father in Heaven in bringing a light and a standard to all the nations.

The pages that follow can be condensed.  I made them reader friendly.  Please excuse any errors in grammar and type…

Nephi #1

I Nephi, having been born of goodly parents, therefore I was taught somewhat in all the learning of my father; and having seen many afflictions in the course of my days, nevertheless, having been highly favored of the Lord in all my days; yea having had a great knowledge of the goodness and the mysteries of God, therefore I make a record of my proceedings in my days.

An angel told me that this last record would establish the truth of the first record from which many plain and precious things have been taken away.  These records shall make known to all kindred’s, tongues, and people, that the lamb of God is the Eternal Father, and the Savior of the world; and that all man must come unto him, or they cannot be saved.

And now, my beloved brethren, all those who are of the house of Israel, and all ye ends of the earth, I speak unto you as the voice of one crying from the dust: FAREWELL UNTIL THAT GREAT DAY SHALL COME.

As I soon come to the end of my days I pass these records to Jacob, who is a righteous man.  Jacob, my brother I pass them to you.

Jacob #2

I Jacob by commandment wrote upon these plates a few of the things which I considered to be most precious.  I know I must soon go down to my grave; wherefore, I say unto Enos: Take these sacred plates.  Enos, my son I pass them to you.

Enos #3

I Enos was taught by my father who was a just man.  One day I went to hunt beasts in the forest; and the words of my father sank into my heart.  I cried unto God all the day long.  And then came a voice unto me saying: Enos thy sins are forgiven thee and thou shalt be blessed.  I was told that my faith had made me whole.

I cried unto God that he will preserve these records and he covenanted with me that he would bring them forth unto the Lamanites in his own due time.  I know it will be according to this covenant which he has made—WHEREFORE MY SOUL DOES REST.

I soon go to a place prepared for me in the mansions of my Father.  Thus I pass these sacred records to Jarom.  Jarom, my son, I pass them to you.

Jarom #4

I, Jarom, write a few words according to the comment of my father.  But—what could I write more than my fathers have written?  For have they not revealed the plan of salvation?  I say unto you, yea, and this sufficeth me.

In my life I have seen the word of the Lord verified which he spake unto our fathers, saying that:  Inasmuch as ye will keep My commandments ye shall prosper in the land.

And now I deliver these plates into the hands of Omni that they may be kept according to the commandments of my fathers.  Omni, my son, I pass them to you.

Omni #5

I, Omni, have not kept the statues and the commandments of the Lord as I ought to have done.  However, I have kept these plates according to the commandments of my fathers and now I make an end and I confer them unto Amaron.  Amaron, my son, I pass them to you.

Amaron #6

The Lord did visit my people in great judgment; nevertheless he did spare the righteous that they should not perish.  I now deliver these sacred plates to Chemish.  Chemish, my bother I pass them to you.

Chemish #7

I Chemish have kept these plates and now I pass them to Abinadom.  Abinadom, my son, I pass them to you.

Abinadom #8

I Abinadom have preserved these sacred plates and now I pass them on to another. Amaleki, my son, I pass them to you.

Amaleki #9

Amaleki having no seed and know King Benjamin to be a just man before the Lord confer the plates to him.  King Benjamin, I pass these plates to you.

King Benjamin #10

I am a holy man and I do reign over my people in righteousness.  I have taught my people that when they are in the service of their fellow beings they are in the service of their God.  I now pass these plates down from generation to generation. 

Mormon #11

I was at the age of 10 when Ammaron came to me and told me where he had hidden up the engravings concerning the people on this continent.  At the age of 24 I was entrusted with these records.  I have mad an abridgement of these many sacred records and I have complied them into one record.

I have witnessed almost all of the destruction of my people and have watered my pillow by night over the wickedness of my people.  I, Mormon, pray to God that these records will be preserved from this time henceforth.  May they bring men to repent and lay hold upon the Gospel of Christ.

I soon go down to my grave so I pass these plates to Moroni.  Moroni, my son, I pass them to you.

Moroni #12

I am the son of Mormon, and my father was a descendant of Nephi.  Behold, I speak unto you as though I spake from the dead; for I know that ye shall have my words.

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 ask with a sincere heart, having real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.

And I exhort you to remember these things; for the time speedily cometh that ye shall know that I lie not, for ye shall see me at the bar of God; and the Lord God will say unto you: Did I not declare my words unto you, which were hidden by this man, like as one crying from the dust, yea, even as one speaking out of the dust?

I declare these things unto the fulfilling of the prophecies.  And behold, they shall proceed forth out of the mouth of the everlasting God; and His word shall hiss forth from generation to generation. 

And god shall show unto you, that that which I have written is true.

Behold, I, Moroni hideth this record unto God.

Joseph Smith #13

On the evening of 21 of September 1823… I betook myself to prayer and supplication to Almighty God…

“While I was thus in the act of calling upon God, I discovered a light appearing in my room, which continued to increase until the room was lighter than at noonday, when immediately a personage appeared at my bedside, standing in the air, for his feet did not touch the floor.

He had on a loose robe of the most exquisite white.  It was a whiteness beyond anything earthly I had ever seen; nor do I believe that any earthly thing could be made to appear so exceedingly white and brilliant.

He called me by name, and said unto me that he was a messenger sent from the presence of God to me, that his name was Moroni.  I was told that God had a work for me to do.

He said there was a book deposited, written upon gold plates, giving an account of the former inhabitants of this continent, and the source from whence they sprang.  He also said that the fullness of the everlasting Gospel was contained in it, as delivered by the Savior to the ancient in habitants;

In due course, the same heavenly messenger delivered these plates up to me with this charge:  that I should be responsible for them; that if I should let them go carelessly, or through any neglect of mine, I should be cut off; but that if I would use all my endeavors to preserve them, until he, the messenger, should call for them, they should be protected.

I soon found out the reason why I had received such a strict charge to keep them safe…for no sooner was it known that I had them, than the most strenuous exertions were used to get them from me… but by the wisdom of God they remained safe in my hands, until I had accomplished by them what was required by my hand.

This ancient record was thus brought forth from the earth as the voice of a people speaking from the dust, and translated into modern speech by the gift and power of God.  And I, Joseph Smith, was called of God to aid in this Marvelous Work.

I tell you that these plates have been preserved for you for this purpose: that you might know the promises of the Lord and that you may believe the gospel— and rely on the merits of Jesus Christ and be glorified through faith in His name— that through repentance you may be saved.  And now, remember these words of Him who is the Light of the World, your Redeemer, your Lord and your God.

OH—YOU ROYAL GENERATION—SAVED FOR THESE DAYS, BEFORE HE COMES AGAIN—I PASS THEM ONTO YOU!