Lorlee Evans and I belong to the same writers group, and as such, I have the privilege of being able to listen to testimonies being born on a number of gospel principles.
I am a single mom with four children, and am a high school English teacher. I have written two books based on events in The Book of Mormon. One is called The King’s Heir, the other is called The Birthright. I am working on a third book, and have tentatively entitled it, The Shores of Bountiful. (Loralee Evans, 28 July 2008)
Today, I invited Loralee to sit down with me and discuss the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Candace: Loralee, as an author of Book of Mormon historical fiction, you have immersed yourself in the scriptures and then brought them to life through the medium of the modern written word. Please share with us why you chose the Book of Mormon and those particular stories to weave your tales around?
Loralee: I chose the Book of Mormon because there are so many possibilities for great stories within it. The scribes, Mormon and others, didn’t have much space on the plates, or time to dedicate to things other than what was absolutely necessary to write for our day, and therefore there are many things that happened, that are mentioned very briefly in the Book of Mormon, but not explored in depth. For example what kind of young lady was the girl who fled from Morianton and ran and told Captain Moroni all of his plans? I’ve often wondered what kind of person she was, because to do something like that, I think would take a lot of gumption and courage. Also, who was the servant of Teancum in Alma 51:33 who went with him when he went down into the camp of the Lamanites and killed Amalickiah in his sleep? Or who was the servant of Helaman in Helaman 2:6-9 who was out by night, and had learned “through disguise” about the plans of the Gadiantons? These had to be pretty gutsy, special people to do what they did, and I find it fascinating to explore what kinds of people they might have been.
Candace: What is your favorite scripture in the Book of Mormon and why? And then, adding all the scriptures in, is it still your favorite, and if not, which one is and why?
Loralee: I think the Psalm of Nephi, 2 Nephi 4:15-35 is my most favorite scripture in the Book of Mormon. Because it shows both that Nephi struggled with life, just like the rest of us, yet found strength when he put his trust in God. That scripture is very comforting to me when I am dealing with life’s struggles.
I think my favorite scripture out of all the scriptures is Isaiah 40:31. “For they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary; and they shall walk and not faint.” The reason why, is that I love the promises in that scripture that those who serve the Lord by obeying Him and doing what is right, will be rewarded for it. The natural consequences of their choices will come back to them in good ways.
Candace: Who is your favorite Book of Mormon prophet and why?
Loralee: My favorite Book of Mormon prophet is Abinadi. He did not see the results of his efforts before he died, but because of him, countless lives were changed for the better.
Candace: Will you please share with us your conversion? All of us, whether we are born into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or not, have a moment of conversion.
Loralee: My freshman year in high school, was the year we were studying the Book of Mormon, and my seminary teacher, Sister Bradshaw, challenged us to read the Book of Mormon and also to take Moroni’s challenge in Moroni 10:3-5 to find out for ourselves about the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. When I tested Moroni’s promise, I was able to find out for myself that the Book of Mormon is indeed true, and that it is everything Joseph Smith said it was.
Candace: Will you please share your personal testimony of our Savior, Jesus Christ?
Loralee: I am very grateful for the Atonement of Jesus Christ, and the hope that it gives us all, so that we can repent of our mistakes, and get back on track. Without Christ’s example for us to follow, and the Atonement, there wouldn’t be much purpose to life.
Candace: Christians across the globe face an ever-increasing battle against those who would destroy and erase all that our Savior has done for us. What would you say to them, iven the chance?
Loralee: I would say be more concerned about doing what is right, than what is popular. There are certain rights and wrongs in this world, and they do not change just because popular opinion changes.
Candace: Please share your testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the hope it brings to every human soul.
Loralee: The Gospel of Jesus Christ helps me understand my own worth, and the worth of other people. As people come to learn of the Gospel, they come to see their own great worth. We are not here by accident. We are children of God, and our worth is greater than we can realize. As people come to realize this, they see themselves and others the way God wants them to.
Candace: You stand, as it were, on a world stage. In that circumstance, what message do you have for this troubled world?
Loralee: I would say, don’t be afraid to do what’s right, no matter how tough it may seem at the time. Don’t forget that you are a son or daughter of God, and thus, have worth far greater than you may know. Follow the good examples you see around you, especially the one perfect example of Jesus Christ. Doing what is right, and having the courage to stand up and defend what is right may be difficult, but it is worth it.
Loralee, thank you for being willing to share your testimony and knowledge of Jesus Christ and His Gospel with the world.
