Sunday, September 20, 2009

Plans for Book of Mormon anniversary

Tomorrow is September 21, the anniversary of Joseph Smith's visions of the angel Moroni and of the night he went to Cumorah to retrieve the plates. In an earlier post, I tried to imagine what form an annual celebration of this anniversary might take among the Saints. Tomorrow night I'm going to try my own personal way of marking the occasion. My plan is to get up at midnight—which by some accounts is the hour when Joseph and Emma drove out to Cumorah—sit atop the little hill next to my apartment building, and hold a little vigil for a few minutes. I'm not quite sure what I'll do yet—probably read a relevant passage of scripture, maybe sing "An Angel from on High" sotto voce, certainly talk to God about the significance of the Book of Mormon in my life.

I like the idea of the hilltop vigil on an autumn night, trying to replicate something of the feeling of what it may have been for Emma waiting for Joseph to come down from the hill, or Lucy sitting up at home waiting for the couple to return. The change in season, the chill, the darkness—I'll be interested to see exactly what associations or impressions they produce for me in the moment. (Some symbolism already presents itself, e.g., sitting in the darkness waiting for daybreak.)

I'll return and report, of course.

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