Mike Brown Testimony

My personal Book of Mormon story goes back to my childhood. As a boy that liked playing cowboys and Indians, the marvelous stories and mystery around the characters in the Book of Mormon were spellbinding. As I heard the stories of fighting brothers (that I could personally relate to) and sailing across the ocean, exploring unknown lands, all of the wars; it was everything a boy could ask for! The stories held a fascination with me throughout my youth.

My first actual encounter with possible Book of Mormon lands came many years later as a small group from the Buckner Congregation took a Zion's League group to several ruin sights in Mexico. We visited Teotihuacan, El Tajin, Monte Alban and others. We had a marvelous experience on a plaza in the Monte Alban complex. I felt the power of the Holy Spirit as we prayed together at that sight. In my mind's eye, I could see the people who lived and worshipped there. I could feel or sense their presence.

I have thought many times (day dreamed) that it would be good to recover the "plates." I have thought about what I would do if I found them. Who would I give them to? Who would I show them to? Boy, I would make sure that all those people that didn't believe the story would see!! I'd show them that the Book was true and the people did live; all for the wrong reasons. Four years ago, our congregation (Buckner) jumped on a bus and toured ruins in Mexico. Neil Steede was our guide (nothing like having a blind guy to guide you). Did we ever learn things! Once again, the stories came to life. Even in the overgrown and weatherworn conditions of Palenque and Cacaxtla, we could envision the beauty and majesty of a magnificent city with beautiful murals and architecture.

At our most distant point on our trip, we saw a startling protrusion of earth and stone that overlooked a green valley with a meandering river passing through. This was the mountain that Neil had visited some 30 times before as he searched the landscape to put pieces of the Book of Mormon story together. This appeared to fit the geography of the battle sight of two Book of Mormon peoples and the final resting-place of the records of those same peoples.

Five in the group got up the next morning at 3:00 AM and headed for the mountain to take a walk. We thought it would be good to scout it out. By 9:00 AM, my everything was hurting, the mosquitoes were attacking, my trail mix had lost its flavor and I was tired. I couldn't believe that we hadn't even reached half way to the cliff face; ouch. It was clearly going to be a long day.

We did find our way to the cliff face. We did manage to locate the place that Neil had remembered as being an important area. It did feel right. It's hard to get a perspective when you're in the thick of the jungle but as we have returned the next three successive years, it looks right, feels right, seems right and it is right. I have once again regained that sense of presence of peoples from days gone by that had a message to share with us today. I'm glad to be a part of this mission. I have matured to the point that it's not important that people know that we were right; that we had the story and it was true. What's important is that people know who they are. These records tell that story. It's important for the world to hear the good news in a new way and with new insights. It's important that they know that Christ came for all of us.