As host I felt it would be the best to get the ball rolling on our Book of Mormon Challenge. While I told part of the story in our second episode there is more to the story that I wanted to share here on our blog. First of all, for those that haven’t listened to the episode yet (shame on you), I gave a Book of Mormon to my neighbor who is from Iraq. In the podcast I left out the part where he told me he already had a Book of Mormon in Arabic. However, I insisted that he take this one as it was a gift from me and that I hoped he would still read it. I also included a little note with the book. It has become somewhat customary, although not required, to insert your testimony when you give out a Book of Mormon.
I wanted to share what I wrote in the note that I placed inside the book just to give a little bit more depth to the story. So here it is in both English, and the translation into Arabic that I had done by Brandon Dupuis from the Church’s Arabic Language team.
My testimony/note in English:
To my friend and neighbor,
I want to give you this special book as a token of our friendship. It tells of great men who were committed to their family, and to God. You remind me of one of the characters, Zoram, who was blessed for following the prophet of God by taking his family to a new and promised land.
I would be honored if you would read the book. Lessons taught in its pages have been a blessing to me and to my family. I hope they can be a blessing to yours as well.
In Arabic (read right to left):
لصديقي وجيراني،
أريد أن أعطيك هذا الكتاب الخاص كرمز لصداقتنا. يروي عن رجال عظماء كانوا ملتزمون بعوائلهم، وبالله. تذكّرني بأحد ow، زورام، الذي بَرَكَه الله لأنه قد تبع نبياً بقيادة عائلته إلى أرض موعود جديد.
يشرّفني إذا قرأت هذا الكتاب. الدروس الموجودة في صفحاته قد باركتنا أنا وعائلتي. أتمنى أنها ستبارككم أنت وعائلتك كذلك.
Book of Mormon in Arabic (this is the front cover. Arabic is read from right to left.)