Because My Father Read the Book of Mormon

My thoughts on Elder Aidukaitis’ talk “Because My Father Read the Book of Mormon”

First off, what a last name—I just barely got President Uchtdorft’s mane correctly spelled and now they throw another name at me. ~smile~. And better, what a family history! All those places, all those languages and what a blessing that was. Sometimes families take the long way in finding the gospel.

I don’t have anything so miraculous in my history, but we do have two stories on my mom’s side that stick out.
One great-great grandfather was a slave owner in Alabama. He joked that he could only own 99 of them because as soon as he got 100 one would run away. He was a fair and loving slave owner and never beat his slaves and treated them kindly. He needed them to run his huge plantations. He was also a drunk! He had four lovely southern belle daughters and a young adult son at the time he joined the church. His son was actually away from home on an errand when the missionaries found this family.

The story goes that one of the young missionaries was home sick and was nursing his heart in a tavern (remember back then that is was the only place in town to get food or drink). My grandfather Holladay was of course visiting the establishment when these three people met. This young missionary had left a wife at home—just married for days when he set off on his mission—and grandfather Holladay thought he could cheer him up by introducing him to his lovely girls at home. On the way to their plantation the missionaries did what missionaries were supposed to do and converted my drunk grandfather. After the missionaries met the family and had dinner with them they taught the rest of the family and planned the baptisms for the next day on their plantation.

The next day came and everyone of the family was baptized and a few of the house slaves were as well. As grandfather Holladay tells it, “That day I became the richest man in the world.” After he dried off he called his head slave and told him that he should round up all the slaves as he had an important announcement to tell them. He them gave each of them a slip of paper that freed them, every one of them. He didn’t sell them, he didn’t trade them, he freed them. A few more slaves were baptized after that as well. We have no record of these baptisms but the girls recorded them in their diaries.

He then sold his home and land at a great lost and went to Nauvoo to help build the temple. His son who was away when all this was happening went with the family to Nauvoo and as he was working on the temple realized that HE hadn’t been baptized and was baptized. We have contradictory records when it comes to recording this part of the history. He was either baptized or confirmed by one of the Smith brothers. The prophet Joseph and/or his brother Hyrum were both involved in his baptism but we don’t know how. We have authenticated records stating that Joseph baptized him and that Hyrum confirmed him, but we also have records that his father baptized him and that Joseph confirmed him. And then to complicate matters we have that they were just in attendance.

That son, John Daniel Holladay, Jr., was one of Brigham Young’s advanced party and spotted the Salt Lake Valley. Holladay, Utah is also named after the father.

I’m sure in there they read the Book of Mormon as their faith was extremely strong and the gospel rang true to them.

The other side of the family is just as wonderful. It was full of persecution and trial as it took them over a decade to get from Norway to Salt Lake one by one.

Of course there is more to each story but their faith and courage encourage me to continue on the path they have set for our family.

Elder Aidukaitis give us some great talking points for our children:
1. Read and ponder
How many of us forget the pondering part? But we all have to start somewhere. If we continue to read the words, thoughts, doctrines start to sink into our thoughts and then we are pondering. It is a magical and miraculous moment when that happens to you or a child.
2. Pray to receive a testimony
This is a natural step after the pondering process, but sometimes we think we already have testimony or are leaning on those who went before us and forget to get our own. We need to pray to find out if what we are reading is true—confirmation brings about more personal revelation.
3. Then pray with sincerity and real intent
meaning to act upon that testimony. OUCH! What do we do with the testimony we receive? Do we live our life with that conviction and determination to live the gospel? Can we be convicted in a court of being a believer and a follower of Christ?
It will all come from reading the Book of Mormon for ourselves and getting the testimony that MY family had when they first set the ball rolling for our family.