The Daily World News Report of the 18th of February 2020

Africa

Nine years ago, I followed closely the Libyan revolution as Muammar Gaddafi was forcibly removed as colonel, and the European Union has agreed to begin a naval and air mission to reduce the violence and destruction between factions by restraining the trade of weapons to Libya.[1] Interestingly, the Libyan National Army destroyed a Turkish ship bearing weapons and ammunition at the port of Tripoli. The cargo was intended for the Government of National Accord, seeking control over the country of Libya, who are one of three entities. The third are faction of tribesman and other militias. The Government of National Accord is the second most powerful entity; however, their territory is mostly the Northwest coast.[2]

A violent militia in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo attacks the Beni village of Manzahalo, burning ten houses down, and killing ten people. The Allied Democratic Forces is the name of the militia. They originated in Uganda as a rebel group, opposing President Yoweri Museveni; however, they were pushed out of the country. The militia is slowly being dismantled as five of six of the six senior commanders have been killed, and forty ADF men were detained last Wednesday.[3]

In Niger, a refugee camp, a majority of whom may be from Nigeria due to the ten year insurgency of Boko Haram, gave into a stampede on arrival of food and goods at a distribution, killing about 20 people. The people who did not get supplies on Sunday stampeded during Monday’s delivery.[4]

Zimbabwe’s management of foreign and their currency required their reserve bank to “approve the payment of $1.2 billion of legacy debt. My understanding of legacy debt is that this will be on the books for a long time in order pay off many debts of “foreign entities, including airlines, and fuel and grain suppliers,” which will probably be paid off by taxes.[5]

America

Another woman was in the rise of femicide troubles Mexico City. The body of a 7 year old girl was found dead over the weekend “wrapped in a bag and abandoned in a rural area on Saturday” after she went missing, being picked up from school from an unknown person.[6]

Asia

A super-spreader of the Coronavirus in Singapore attended a church called the Grace Assembly of God infecting 21 people.[7]

China has long been resisting the Uighur population in Xinjiang. Documentation has been exposed that one man was sent to “re-education camp” as fifteen other family members were being monitored, since the man grew a long beard. The documents state that they are “infected with religious and extremist ideas.” Beards are not the only extreme idea. The internment camps’ documentation also found that they have too many children. Hundreds have been delivered to a camp called Karakax. The resistance against the Uighur Muslims claims that they are terrorists. The people have been known to be subjected to torture, medical experiments, and gang rape. Nearly 2 million have been held in internment camps since 2014.[8]

Today the South-North Unification Party in South Korea was launched by a group of North Korean refugees and defectors. They hope to represent about 33.5 thousand defectors. They are preparing for elections in April as the minority group is neglected, where a notable situation ended in the death of a family of three North Koreans, who were “denied government benefits”. One thousand people successfully defected from North Korea last year. The party opposes some of South Korea’s policies to resolve disputes with North Korea.

The day after the Thailand military transferred order to maintain safety of the area affected by the rogue soldier’s mall mass shooting, another mall shooting in Bangkok kills one, injuring another. This shooter did not hold hostages like the previous one; however, he fled. The shooter was not apprehended at the time of this report.[9] The shooting was not in relation with previous shooting. Jealousy inspired the murder of the woman at the conclusion of Valentine’s Day weekend.[10]

Europe

Five Ukrainian soldiers were injured, one of whom, suffering death in a fight with separatists backed by Russia. Russia denies the accusation of supporting separatists in Donbass by “Ukraine, West countries, and Nato.” The separatist group appears to have lines or territory protected by mines as the front was not claimed as aggression by either side.[11]

Middle East

Afghanistan released their presidential election result after four months from the voting date, announcing that Ashraf Ghani won his second six year term. He studied anthropology in Columbia University, obtaining a doctorate degree there, and he was an adviser to Afghanistan’s UN secretary-general, president Hamid Karzi, and the World Bank; but in a senior position.[12] He “played an important part in the economic upturn of the country after the fall of the Taliban government.”[13]

The poor province of Balochistan, Pakistan breeds extremism as they face “Islamist, separatist and sectarian insurgents.” A suicide explosion near the police vehicle in the province’s capital city of Quetta on Monday killed two of the police.[14]

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[1] Erianger, Steven. “With Libya Still at War, E.U. Agrees to Try Blocking Weapon Flow.” The New York Times, 17 Feb. 2020, www.nytimes.com/2020/02/17/world/europe/libya-eu-arms-blockade.html.

[2] Serrieh, Joanne, and Tommy Hilton. “Turkish Ship Carrying Weapons Targeted by LNA in Tripoli Port.” Al Arabiya English, 18 Feb. 2020, english.alarabiya.net/en/News/north-africa/2020/02/18/Libyan-Army-targets-Turkish-ship-carrying-weapons-in-Tripoli-port.html.

[3] “Ten Dead in Attack in Eastern DR Congo's Beni Region.” Yahoo!, AFP, 18 Feb. 2020, news.yahoo.com/ten-dead-attack-eastern-dr-congos-beni-region-001109425.html.

[4] Mamane, Dalatou. “At Least 20 Killed in Stampede for Food at Refugee Camp in Niger.” Independent, www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/niger-refugee-camp-stampede-death-toll-boko-haram-a9341681.html.

[5] Ndlovu, Ray. “Zimbabwe Central Bank to Settle $1.2 Billion of Legacy Debt.” Bloomberg, 17 Feb. 2020, www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-02-17/zimbabwe-central-bank-to-settle-1-2-billion-of-legacy-debt.

[6] “Killing of 7-Year-Old Stokes Anger in Mexico over Femicides.” Houston Chronicle, AP, 18 Feb. 2020, www.chron.com/news/crime/article/Killing-of-7-year-old-girl-stokes-anger-in-Mexico-15062430.php.

[7] Khalik, Salma. “Coronavirus: 4 New Cases Including 3 Linked to Grace Assembly of God Church; 21 Cases Now Linked to the Cluster.” The Straits Times, Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. Co. Regn., 18 Feb. 2020, www.straitstimes.com/singapore/health/coronavirus-4-new-cases-including-3-linked-to-grace-assembly-of-god-church-21-cases.

[8] Stubley, Peter. “China’s Uighur Muslims Detained for Growing Beards and Having Too Many Babies, Leaked Document Reveals.” Independent, www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/uighur-muslims-china-camps-beards-babies-xinjiang-karakax-a9341196.html.

[9] “Gunman Kills One Person at Bangkok Mall Days after Mass Shooting.” Al Jazeera, 18 Feb. 2020, www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/02/gunman-kills-person-bangkok-mall-days-mass-shooting-200218101754977.html.

[10] “Police Say 'Jealousy' between Ex-Lovers behind Latest Thai Mall Shooting .” The Star, 18 Feb. 2020, www.thestar.com.my/news/regional/2020/02/18/police-say-039jealousy039-between-ex-lovers-behind-latest-thai-mall-shooting.

[11] Zinets, Natalia, and Andrew Osborn. “Fighting Erupts in Eastern Ukraine, Kyiv and Russian-Backed Separatists Trade Blame.” The Globe and Mail, Reuters, 18 Feb. 2020, www.theglobeandmail.com/world/article-fighting-erupts-in-eastern-ukraine-kyiv-and-russian-backed.

[12] “Afghan President Ashraf Ghani Wins Second Term, Election Commission Confirms.” NBC News, Associated Press, 18 Feb. 2020, www.nbcnews.com/news/world/afghan-president-ashraf-ghani-wins-second-term-election-commission-confirms-n1137951.

[13] “Ashraf Ghani Biography.” TheFamousPeople.com, 31 Oct. 2017, www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/ashraf-ghani-6925.php.

[14] “Pakistan’s Quetta Rocked by Suicide Blast, Hours after PM Imran Khan Claims to Have Driven out Militants.” South China Morning Post, AFP, 17 Feb. 2020, www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3051044/pakistans-quetta-rocked-suicide-blast-hours-after-pm-imran.

A speech addressing anxiety, depression, and mental health

The following is a speech by Reyna I. Aburto, the second counselor in the Relief Society General Presidency in October 2019.

You can see the original publication of the speech at the following link: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2019/10/31aburto?lang=eng

"One of our beloved hymns expresses the plea “Thru cloud and sunshine, Lord, abide with me!”1 I was once on a plane as it approached a large storm. Looking out the window, I could see a dense blanket of clouds below us. The rays of the setting sun reflected off the clouds, causing them to shine with intense brightness. Soon, the plane descended through the heavy clouds, and we were suddenly enveloped in a thick darkness that completely blinded us to the intense light we had witnessed just moments earlier.

Black clouds may also form in our lives, which can blind us to God’s light and even cause us to question if that light exists for us anymore. Some of those clouds are of depression, anxiety, and other forms of mental and emotional affliction. They can distort the way we perceive ourselves, others, and even God. They affect women and men of all ages in all corners of the world.

Likewise damaging is the desensitizing cloud of skepticism that can affect others who have not experienced these challenges. Like any part of the body, the brain is subject to illnesses, trauma, and chemical imbalances. When our minds are suffering, it is appropriate to seek help from God, from those around us, and from medical and mental health professionals.

“All human beings—male and female—are created in the image of God. Each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents, and … each has a divine nature and destiny.” Like our Heavenly Parents and our Savior, we have a physical body and experience emotions.

My dear sisters, it is normal to feel sad or worried once in a while. Sadness and anxiety are natural human emotions. However, if we are constantly sad and if our pain blocks our ability to feel the love of our Heavenly Father and His Son and the influence of the Holy Ghost, then we may be suffering from depression, anxiety, or another emotional condition.

My daughter once wrote: “There was a time … [when] I was extremely sad all of the time. I always thought that sadness was something to be ashamed of, and that it was a sign of weakness. So I kept my sadness to myself. … I felt completely worthless.”

A friend described it this way: “Since my early childhood, I have faced a constant battle with feelings of hopelessness, darkness, loneliness, and fear and the sense that I am broken or defective. I did everything to hide my pain and to never give the impression that I was anything but thriving and strong.”

My dear friends, it can happen to any of us—especially when, as believers in the plan of happiness, we place unnecessary burdens on ourselves by thinking we need to be perfect now. Such thoughts can be overwhelming. Achieving perfection is a process that will take place throughout our mortal life and beyond—and only through the grace of Jesus Christ.

In contrast, when we open up about our emotional challenges, admitting we are not perfect, we give others permission to share their struggles. Together we realize there is hope and we do not have to suffer alone.

As disciples of Jesus Christ, we have made a covenant with God that we “are willing to bear one another’s burdens” and “to mourn with those that mourn.” This may include becoming informed about emotional illnesses, finding resources that can help address these struggles, and ultimately bringing ourselves and others to Christ, who is the Master Healer. Even if we do not know how to relate to what others are going through, validating that their pain is real can be an important first step in finding understanding and healing.

In some cases, the cause of depression or anxiety can be identified, while other times it may be harder to discern. Our brains may suffer because of stress or staggering fatigue, which can sometimes be improved through adjustments in diet, sleep, and exercise. Other times, therapy or medication under the direction of trained professionals may also be needed.

Untreated mental or emotional illness can lead to increased isolation, misunderstandings, broken relationships, self-harm, and even suicide. I know this firsthand, as my own father died by suicide many years ago. His death was shocking and heartbreaking for my family and me. It has taken me years to work through my grief, and it was only recently that I learned talking about suicide in appropriate ways actually helps to prevent it rather than encourage it. I have now openly discussed my father’s death with my children and witnessed the healing that the Savior can give on both sides of the veil.

Sadly, many who suffer from severe depression distance themselves from their fellow Saints because they feel they do not fit some imaginary mold. We can help them know and feel that they do indeed belong with us. It is important to recognize that depression is not the result of weakness, nor is it usually the result of sin. It “thrives in secrecy but shrinks in empathy.” Together, we can break through the clouds of isolation and stigma so the burden of shame is lifted and miracles of healing can occur.

During His mortal ministry, Jesus Christ healed the sick and the afflicted, but each person had to exercise faith in Him and act to receive His healing. Some walked for long distances, others extended their hand to touch His garment, and others had to be carried to Him in order to be healed. When it comes to healing, don’t we all need Him desperately? “Are we not all beggars?”

Let us follow the Savior’s path and increase our compassion, diminish our tendency to judge, and stop being the inspectors of the spirituality of others. Listening with love is one of the greatest gifts we can offer, and we may be able to help carry or lift the heavy clouds that suffocate our loved ones and friends so that, through our love, they can once again feel the Holy Ghost and perceive the light that emanates from Jesus Christ.

If you are constantly surrounded by a “mist of darkness,” turn to Heavenly Father. Nothing that you have experienced can change the eternal truth that you are His child and that He loves you. Remember that Christ is your Savior and Redeemer, and God is your Father. They understand. Picture Them close by you, listening and offering support. “[They] will console you in your afflictions.” Do all you can, and trust in the Lord’s atoning grace.

Your struggles do not define you, but they can refine you. Because of a “thorn in the flesh,” you may have the ability to feel more compassion toward others. As guided by the Holy Ghost, share your story in order to “succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees.”

For those of us currently struggling or supporting someone who is struggling, let us be willing to follow God’s commandments so we may always have His Spirit with us. Let us do the “small and simple things” that will give us spiritual strength. As President Russell M. Nelson said, “Nothing opens the heavens quite like the combination of increased purity, exact obedience, earnest seeking, daily feasting on the words of Christ in the Book of Mormon, and regular time committed to temple and family history work.”

Let us all remember that our Savior, Jesus Christ, “[has taken] upon him [our] infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know … how to succor [us] according to [our] infirmities.” He came “to bind up the brokenhearted, … to comfort all that mourn; … to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.”

I testify to you that “thru cloud and sunshine” the Lord will abide with us, our “afflictions [can be] swallowed up in the joy of Christ,” and “it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do.” I testify that Jesus Christ will return to the earth “with healing in his wings.” Ultimately, He “shall wipe away all tears from [our] eyes; and there shall be no more … sorrow.” For all who will “come unto Christ, and be perfected in him,” the “sun shall no more go down; … for the Lord shall be [our] everlasting light, and the days of [our] mourning shall be ended.” In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Testimony of Emma Smith

     One thing that is unique about the Maxwell Institute Study Edition of the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ is that the testimony of Emma Smith is held within it. It is interestingly an interview conducted by her son Joseph Smith III. The interview asks skeptical questions such as the following:

• "Had he not a book or manuscript from which he read, or dictated?”
• "Could he not have had? and you not know it?”
• "Are you sure that he had the plates at the time that you were writing for him?”
• "Could not father have dictated the Book of Mormon to you, Oliver Cowdery and the others who wrote for him, after having first written it, or having first read it out of some book?”
• "I should suppose that you would have uncovered the plates and examined them?
• "Did Mr. Smith forbid your examining the plates?” (A question from her second husband)

     Before I get into Emma Smith’s answers, I would like to quote a couple verses of scriptures that I was led to review with my wife from the “Come, follow me” program this morning. They are verses 2 Nephi 27:20-21, which is the following quotation:

“Then shall the Lord God say unto him: The learned shall not read them, for they have rejected them, and I am able to do mine own work; wherefore thou shalt read the words which I shall give unto thee. Touch not the things which are sealed, for I will bring them forth in mine own due time; for I will show unto the children of men that I am able to do mine own work.”

     These verses allude to the Prophet Joseph Smith. He was truly led by the gift and power of God to translate and preserve the golden plates. The work could not have been fulfilled without it.

Emma Smith describes Joseph as one, who “could not write nor dictate a coherent and well worded letter, let alone dictating a book like the Book of Mormon.” She does not recall Joseph Smith forbidding her from uncovering the golden plates.

     She described the gift and power of God, working through Joseph Smith, for he used a stone. A seer stone is a gift of God to prophets to see visions. It is alluded to and described in the Book of Mormon in the Book of Mosiah chapter 8 verse 13

“Now Ammon said unto him: I can assuredly tell thee, O king, of a man that can translate the records; for he has wherewith that he can look, and translate all records that are of ancient date; and it is a gift from God. And the things are called interpreters, and no man can look in them except he be commanded, lest he should look for that he ought not and he should perish. And whosoever is commanded to look in them, the same is called seer.”

It is also alluded to in the Bible, but I am not trying to persuade the sceptic. I am trying to be informative. Joseph Smith did not look through the stone on the golden plates to see it translate the ancient language. Emma described the translation process as “he sitting with his face buried in his hat, with the [seer] stone in it, and dictating hour after hour with nothing between us.” She expounded that he “would dictate to me hour after hour; and when returning after meals, or after interruptions, he would at once begin where he had left, without either seeing the manuscript or having any portion of it read to him.” The translation of the Book of Mormon came through the stone similar to how we read on our phones. Where does the information come from? The translation came from the gift and power of God. The testimony of Emma Smith was an interview of seemingly skeptical questions; however, I am not seeking to persuade the prideful. I am trying to inform the humble to help them understand the origin of the Book of Mormon and the implications thereof, for the introduction illustrated it beautifully as the following: 

"We invite all men everywhere to read the Book of Mormon, to ponder in their hearts the message it contains, and then to ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ if the book is true. Those who pursue this course and ask in faith will gain a testimony of its truth and divinity by the power of the Holy Ghost. (See Moroni 10:3–5.)
Those who gain this divine witness from the Holy Spirit will also come to know by the same power that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world, that Joseph Smith is His revelator and prophet in these last days, and that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the Lord's kingdom once again established on the earth, preparatory to the Second Coming of the Messiah." (Introduction of the Book of Mormon)

     Emma Smith’s testimony is that she “believe the Church to have been established by divine direction. I have complete faith in it.”

     I have faith in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as well. Faith comes by the word of God, and I have felt the Spirit of God to bring it into my heart as I have prayed to Heavenly Father in the name of Jesus Christ.

The Weekend World News Report of the 17th of February 2020

Coronavirus

The Diamond Princess Cruise ship has been evacuated, and the Americans have landed early this morning in Texas. More than 300 people are currently being quarantined at a military base, where 14 people tested positive for Coronavirus.[1] Russia’s first case came from the cruise ship,[2] and Israel reports 3 cases.[3] In UK 8 of 9 people, testing positive of Coronavirus, fully recovered, and they were released from a hospital.[4] Thailand’s Coronavirus cases rises to 35.[5] Over one hundred Germans, being held in quarantine for 2 week after evacuation from China, were released.[6] The death toll of the virus has raised to 1873.[7] Asian stock markets have diverse developments as China has reduced their loan interest rates, and Japan’s GDR shrinks by more than 6%.[8]

Europe

Bosnia has a camp for migrates is operating over capacity, leading to protests, as the people say that the cops mistreat them. The camp is occupied by almost 1.5 times more people than they should; 300 people overcapacity while 1000 people dwell, seeking immigration into Croatia, a wealthier country in the European Union.[9]

Berlin intelligence arrested 12 far-right terrorist, planning attacks on “politicians, asylum seekers, and Muslims.[10]

Russian citizen seek the release seven young men for their activities in an anti-fascism group, signing an open letter. Thousands people come from diverse background from writers, professors, artists, scientists, and phycologists. The evidence that may convict them to 6 to 18 years in prison is claimed to be fabricated, and the defendants say that “they were tortured into giving incriminating testimonies.”[11]

Africa

14 children and 10 more people were killed as there as a separatists seek a revolution in Cameroon. No parties have claimed the attack.[12]

An announcement by South Sudan’s President Kiir on Saturday to revert their 32 states back to 10 states, establishing three administrative areas, was rejected by Riek Machar, the rebel leader, continuing a 6 year long stalemate to resolve to a peaceful country. The rebellion has killed hundreds of thousands of people in impoverished nation.[13]

On Friday US has placed a travel ban on Sri Lanka’s army chief Shavendra Silva for war crimes and human right violations as he lead the 58^th army division against the Tamil Tiger rebels in the country’s civil war in 2009.[14]

A disagreement between herdsmen and village was a cause of a massacre by the herdsman in northern Nigeria, a Tsauwa village, killing 9 by gun and 21 burned to death.[15]

Middle East

US troops in a military base at Baghdad, Iraq were hit by rockets by an Iranian backed militia, injuring about 11 of them.[16]

The Syrian army has claimed a successful advance in their efforts to reduce the influence of the rebels in the Northwest as another 100,000 fled from what I reported on Saturday of 800,000.[17]

A car bombing by the YPG, a Kurdish militia of Syria, near the border of Turkey kills 2 people and injuring 5 as Kurds seek to regain their land in Turkey.[18]

After a weekend of missile attacks and airstrikes, Yeman and a coalition with Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates negotiate an exchange in an UN Mission, affecting more than 1400 prisoners, as confidence in each other may being peace.[19]

Israel attacks Hamas Saturday night at their compound in Gaza with two rockets and fighter jets and helicopters in retaliation to rockets fired from Gaza Strip at southern part of the county.[20]

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[1] Yamaguchi, Mari, et al. “American Cruise Passengers Quarantined at US Military Bases.” AP, 17 Feb. 2020, apnews.com/8296fc5a288587fe08a70fb72d4c433c.

[2] Robichon, Frank. “First Russian Citizen Infected With Coronavirus.” The Moscow Times, 17 Feb. 2020, www.themoscowtimes.com/2020/02/17/first-russian-citizen-infected-with-coronavirus-a69311.

[3] Efrati, Ido. “Three Israelis Test Positive for Coronavirus on Cruise Ship Off Japan .” Haaretz, Reuters, 16 Feb. 2020, www.haaretz.com/israel-news/three-israelis-infected-with-coronavirus-evacuated-from-cruise-ship-off-japan-1.8535307.

[4] Stieber, Zachary. “8 Of 9 Coronavirus Patients in UK Released From Hospital.” The Epoch Times, 15 Feb. 2020, www.theepochtimes.com/8-of-9-coronavirus-patients-in-uk-released-from-hospital_3239159.html.

[5] “Thailand's Covid-19 Cases Rise to 35 as Another Chinese Is Tested Positive.” The Star, Star Media Group Berhad, 17 Feb. 2020, www.thestar.com.my/news/regional/2020/02/17/thailand039s-covid-19-cases-rise-to-35-as-another-chinese-is-tested-positive.

[6] “China Coronavirus Outbreak: All the Latest Updates.” Al Jazeera, 16 Feb. 2020, www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/02/200215224437270.html.

[7] Berlinger, Joshua, et al. “February 17 Coronavirus News.” CNN, 17 Feb. 2020, edition.cnn.com/asia/live-news/coronavirus-outbreak-02-17-20-intl-hnk/h_5a269dd058fa5186e412b0d06feefcad.

[8] “Asian Markets Mixed: Japan Skids; China Helped by Rate Cut.” The Star, Star Media Group Berhad, 17 Feb. 2020, www.thestar.com.my/news/regional/2020/02/17/asian-markets-mixed-japan-skids-china-helped-by-rate-cut.

[9] “Bosnian Police Tussle with Migrants Protesting over Camp Conditions.” Reuters, 15 Feb. 2020, www.reuters.com/article/us-europe-migrants-bosnia-idUSKBN2090NY.

[10] Schuetze, Christopher. “Germany Says It’s Broken Up a Far-Right Terrorism Network.” The New York Times, The New York Times Company, 14 Feb. 2020, www.nytimes.com/2020/02/14/world/europe/germany-far-right-terrorism.html.

[11] Shcherbak, Alexander. “‘Terrorizing Our Own Citizens’: Russian Society Condemns Anti-Fascist Prosecutions.” The Moscow Times, 17 Feb. 2020, www.themoscowtimes.com/2020/02/17/terrorizing-our-own-citizens-russian-society-condemns-anti-fascist-prosecutions-a69307.

[12] “UN: 14 Children among at Least 22 Dead in Cameroon Massacre.” AlJazeera, 17 Feb. 2020, www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/02/14-children-22-dead-cameroon-massacre-200217051927689.html.

[13] “South Sudan's Machar Rejects President Kiir's Peace Offer.” Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera Media Network, 16 Feb. 2020, www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/02/south-sudan-machar-rejects-president-kiir-peace-offer-200216090638473.html.

[14] “Sri Lanka Calls on US to Reconsider barring Army Chief.” Yahoo!, AFP, 15 Feb. 2020, news.yahoo.com/sri-lanka-calls-us-reconsider-barring-army-chief-002147589.html.

[15] Alake, Tope. “Armed Herdsmen Kill 30 in Northern Nigeria’s Kastina State.” Daily Star, 16 Feb. 2020, www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-02-16/armed-herdsmen-kill-30-in-northern-nigeria-s-kastina-state.

[16] Tidman, Zoe. “US Embassy in Baghdad Attacked with Rockets.” The Independent, www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/us-embassy-iraq-baghdad-rocket-attack-a9338301.html.

[17] “Syria's Assad Vows to Continue Northwest Offensive Until 'Country Is Liberated'.” Haaretz, Haaretz Newspaper, 17 Feb. 2020, www.haaretz.com/middle-east-news/syria/syria-s-military-hails-record-time-advance-against-rebels-in-northwest-1.8537821.

[18] “Turkey Says Two Killed in Car Bomb Attack near Syria Border.” Daily Star, 17 Feb. 2020, www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/2020/Feb-17/501248-turkey-says-two-killed-in-car-bomb-attack-near-syria-border.ashx.

[19] “Yemen's Warring Sides Agree to 'Large-Scale' Prisoner Exchange.” Al Jazeera, 16 Feb. 2020, www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/02/yemen-warring-sides-agree-large-scale-prisoner-exchange-200216173319796.html.

[20] Zikri, Almog Ben, and Yaniv Kubovich. “Israel Strikes Gaza After Rockets Fired at South End Several Days of Calm.” Haaretz, 16 Feb. 2020, www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-two-gaza-rockets-fired-at-southern-israel-after-brief-calm-1.8534652.

The “Marvellous Work and a Wonder” (Isaiah. 29:14)

     At the beginning of the Maxwell Institute Study Edition of the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ, one of the first quotations in its introduction is a one from Neal A. Maxwell. It is the following quote:

“The coming forth of the Book of Mormon is a marvelous episode not only in Church history but also in human history. You and I owe many people for their roles in bringing us the Book of Mormon, a book filled with plain and precious salvational truths which came forth by “the gift and power of God” (Book of Mormon title page). Through the labors and sacrifices of many, the “marvellous work and a wonder” foreseen by Isaiah (Isa. 29:14) restored vital truths which had been lost to mankind for centuries! We can best express our gratitude by reading and applying the teachings of the Book of Mormon.”

     Neal A. Maxwell was an apostle of Jesus Christ in these latter-days, who died in 2004.

     This quotation impressed me, and the Book of Mormon is at least part of the “marvellous work and a wonder” that Isaiah saw in vision. The vital truths that was “lost to mankind for centuries” is an allusion to the great apostasy after the dispensation of Jesus Christ. The apostles and the saints, who lived during his restoration of his personal ministry of the gospel, were persecuted and many were killed. Jesus Christ is the leader of his church, and his authority to minister in his name was lost as the apostles were martyred. We endure the effects of the great apostasy today as many people believe that there is no truth to seek; however, the “marvellous work and a wonder” is happening today.

     I will expound on this. The Book of Mormon is such a wonder that a Broadway musical was composed to mock its origin. The world looks to every excuse imaginable to dismiss the Book of Mormon, yet it has the attention. The fact that there is so much resistance to consider reading the book is evidence that evil forces are seeking to diminish its influence, which was described by, the first prophet of the Latter-day dispensation, Joseph Smith Jr “would get [man] nearer to God by abiding its precepts, than by any other book.” Let us engage in the wonder rather than hearken to temptations of Satan to ignore this great gift of God to man.

     We ought to be grateful for Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, for they prepared the writings, preserving it for our day. The prophets, who wrote the book, literally were addressing people of our day. The Book of Mormon is special because the testimony of the House of Israel is not only contained in it, which joins the Bible in a marvelous testimony of Jesus Christ. Another nation’s testimony of Christ is contained in the Book of Mormon the nation were called the Jaredites. They are a nation of people, who were led to a promised land after God confounded the people, building the Tower of Babel. We have many people to be grateful for from all the prophets of the two nations to Oliver Cowdery and Martin Harris, who aided Joseph Smith in the translation and the publication of the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ with thousands of years of testimony that Jesus Christ can reveal the truth to mankind. I too have received revelation that the Book of Mormon is a true book. The Book of Mormon is available on the Book of Mormon app, and you can order a physical copy online at the following link: https://www.comeuntochrist.org/beliefs/book-of-mormon/book-of-mormon-request