BYUH students share the influence of their favorite people in the Book of Mormon in their lives
Learning how to be humble, finding the courage to finish a difficult task and having the determination to change for the better and to serve with love, BYUH students said their favorite Book of Mormon characters taught them valuable lessons and attributes to overcome trials and challenges in their lives.
Gideon
Dallin Orr, a sophomore from Sorsogon, Philippines, majoring in fine arts, said Gideon is his favorite Book of Mormon character. He said Gideon’s example helped him focus on how to become an effective, humble and submissive missionary when he was on his mission and even after going home. He said Gideon has both initiative and deference. “You have to have both. Having initiative and deference helps you know when to act and understand where to draw the line,” he continued.
“Gideon is a faithful Nephite leader and he became a very good friend and adviser to King Limhi, King Noah’s son, who was a very wicked king,” said Orr. King Limhi grew up following what he thought was right, but when he met the Nephites he learned they were leading their people the wrong way, Orr added. “At some point, King Limhi and his people were held captive by the Lamanites,” said Orr.
Orr said when King Limhi and Gideon were trying to come up with a plan to escape bondage, in Mosiah 22:3-4, he loved the initiative Gideon took to present his suggestion and the deference to respect his leader, “even though Gideon himself is a mighty leader,” he added.
“Gideon’s example teaches me to respect other people’s calling or position. It has brought me so much peace because I don’t have to deal with a lot of conflict and additional stress," said Orr. He said during his mission, he was called to be an assistant to the mission president. Remembering Gideon’s example and likening it to himself and his situation where his zone or district leader would speak, he said, he would listen.
“If I were to give a suggestion, I'd make sure it’s a suggestion and not me trying to tell them what to do. I understand that if they reject my suggestions, it’s okay,” said Orr. He said the rejections did not mean they disliked him, they made him understand that his leaders were in the right position to provide judgment. “Gideon’s example taught me to listen and be okay with rejections from other people, especially those above me,” he continued.
Favorite characteristics of Gideon:
- Bold
- Humble
- Smart
- Patient
- Loyal
- Faithful
- Proactive
Nephi
Sumiya Munkhbaatar, a senior from Mongolia majoring in business management, said Nephi is a responsible servant of God. She said, “Nephi takes charge and he doesn’t sit back and wait for someone to save him from his situation.” She said the experiences of Nephi helped her make better choices and receive personal revelations.
Munkhbaatar said there are two reasons she loves Nephi. Aside from being the first book in the Book of Mormon, she said, Nephi’s story also contains many lessons she was able to relate to. “Nephi taught me that I need to act and show God that I am trying,” she said. Learning and knowing about the life of Nephi has helped her put God first, even though there are many uncertainties and a lot of things she doesn’t know yet, she added.
When Munkbaatar was about 12 years old, she said she memorized 1 Nephi 3:7 for her seminary class. “It was always in my head,” she continued. She said one summer time, her cousin’s family, who was also their neighbor, needed to shop for the coming school year. Because she was the only one home, they asked her to help babysit their 6-month-old baby, she continued.
“When I thought about babysitting, I thought about it being an act of service. That is one of God’s commandments,” said Munkbaatar. She said she had a hard time making the baby fall asleep. “The only thing I could do was hug him and sing him songs,” she said. Every time she tried to put the baby down on his back, the baby cried. “He was heavy for me. He just kept crying and didn’t want to stop. It was so hard,” she continued.
Munkbaatar said she felt all alone and her arms were getting tired, but she remembered the verse from 1 Nephi. She said, “Because God commanded me to serve, He will provide me a way to put the baby to sleep.” She said she began crying with the baby, but then talked to the baby as if the baby were a friend of hers. She explained what she was feeling and how hard it was for her, she said.
“All of a sudden, it seemed like the baby understood me. He calmed down and fell asleep. And when I put him down on his back, the baby did not wake up,” said Munkbaatar. She said she was happy she was able to accomplish a difficult task that was beyond her physical and emotional abilities. “I think it took 10 hours. They were gone for so long,” she continued.
Munkbaatar said Nephi is very intentional in his actions, and he is specific in what he asks for. “He can only be that specific because he did all that he could,” she continued. She said once a person does everything they can do, the things they ask God will be more specific. “Once you do your part, you will know where you need help,” she added.
Munkbbaatar said knowing what we need from God can also lead us to more sincere prayers. “God listens to all of our prayers, but I think he answers us faster when our prayers are more sincere,” she added. It was a cute and funny experience, she siad, but it was one of her many experiences she was able to liken herself to Nephi.
Favorite characteristics of Nephi:
- Responsible
- Proactive
- Prayerful
- Intentional
- Willing
- Faithful
Ammon
“I’ve always had an admiration for Ammon. He has really been a light in my life and a perfect example of what it means to overcome adversity and change your life,” said David Aupiu, a key access supervisor in the Facilities Management Department and Bishop of the Laie 6th Ward. He said, like Ammon, just after receiving his testimony, he could not deny it. “You just serve and try your best to live better than you did before,” he continued.
Aupiu said after Ammon’s conversion, he was commanded to be a missionary to the Lamanites. “One of the first things Ammon felt inspired to do was to serve the best way he could,” he continued. Despite the danger Ammon was in, Apiu said he was able to convert and soften the hearts of many Lamanites and even King Lamoni. “All by serving, loving and doing what he felt was best,” he continued. When he was called a bishop, Aupiu said it was the most recent experience he had where he could liken himself to Ammon.
“Being a bishop has opened my eyes to serve in many different ways,” said Aupiu. It allowed him to see people the way Ammon and the Lord see them and serve them the best way he could, he added. Although he does not always have the right answers, he said he knows the Lord will be there to help and guide him in fulfilling his calling.
Aupiu said he strives to serve as faithfully as possible, the same way Ammon did in the Book of Mormon. He added, “I love Ammon’s determination because once he was converted, he changed completely. [He went] from someone who hated and attacked the church to somebody who wanted to build it up as best as he could.” Aupiu also said Ammon’s love for Jesus Christ allowed him to serve and love others. He said, “I feel like you can never really serve somebody unless you really have love towards them.”
Aupiu said another attribute he loves about Ammon is his ability to heed and listen to the spirit and the word of the Lord. He said, “I feel that it’s repeated a lot in today’s world, where the prophet and the apostles are teaching us as much as possible to connect ourselves with Heavenly Father through the Holy Ghost and being able to find how the Lord communicates to us,” he continued.
Aupiu said when we make ourselves pure and clean, we can make our connection with the Lord more open. He added Ammon’s faith and willingness to live righteously allowed him to know what to do even in difficult and dangerous times and become an instrument of the Lord. “Only then are we allowed or able to really know what Heavenly Father wants us to do,” he continued.
“I kind of relate to when Ammon was away from the church. I didn’t want to destroy the church, but I was definitely away from it,” said Aupiu. He said he had been a member his whole life, but they became inactive for some time. “My parents were divorced, and as a youth, it weighed down heavily. It was hard for my mom to get five of her kids ready for church,” he continued.
Aupiu said as soon as he got converted, he continued to be steadfast in his faith. “I think that’s why I resonate a lot with Ammon and Alma the Younger and the four sons of Mosiah because they were off the path, but it is the beauty of this gospel and the atonement of Jesus Christ. No matter how far away you are, you are never out of reach of the love of the Savior,” he continued.
Aupiu said no matter what circumstance one is going through or how far off a person has gone from the covenant path, it does not matter. “The Lord’s love will always be able to reach you,” he continued. “I’m so grateful for all the blessings that I was given and so I wanna give that back to others as well,” he added.
Favorite characteristics of Ammon:
- Determined
- Willing to serve
- Loving
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, the acting president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, shared, “However late you think you are, however many chances you think you have missed, however many mistakes you feel you have made or talents you think you don’t have, or however far from home and family and God you feel you have traveled, I testify that you have not traveled beyond the reach of divine love. It is not possible for you to sink lower than the infinite light of Christ’s Atonement shines.”