Latest LDS news: A Book of Mormon in the ‘language of the angels’ (2024)

Also: What else Relief Society President Camille Johnson said in her motherhood speech; a deeper look at church growth; an interview with “Idol” alum David Archuleta; a historic church burns.

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A new translation

And it came to pass that millions of citizens in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where church membership is skyrocketing, now can read the Book of Mormon in their native tongue of Tshiluba.

It’s a primary Bantu language in the African nation. We’ll give you a taste so you can see why it is sometimes called the “language of the angels.”

Here is 1 Nephi 1:1 in English:

I, Nephi, having been born of goodly parents, therefore I was taught somewhat in all the learning of my father; and having seen many afflictions in the course of my days, nevertheless, having been highly favored of the Lord in all my days; yea, having had a great knowledge of the goodness and the mysteries of God, therefore I make a record of my proceedings in my days.

Sounds familiar, right?

Now read it, or try to, in Tshiluba:

Mema, Nefi, muikala muledibua kudi baledi bimpa, bua nanku mvua mulongeshibua kakesa mu dimanya dionsu dia tatuanyi; ne muikala mumona ntatu ya bungi mu matuku anyi, nansha nanku, muikala musuibua bikola kudi Mukalenga mu matuku anyi onsu; eyowa, muikala mupeta dimanya dikola dia buimpa ne dia malu masokoka a Nzambi, bua nanku ndi ngenza miandiku ya bienzedi bianyi mu matuku anyi.

Beautiful to your ear but foreign to your comprehension.

Go ahead and compare more of your favorite Book of Mormon verses by selecting from the contents page here. (You’ll note that the “adieu” in the last verse of Jacob 7 is the same in both languages. Of course, it’s a French word.)

What else the Relief Society president said

President Camille Johnson fired up long-smoldering debates within Latter-day Saint circles about women, careers, parenting and personal choice with her push to “prioritize motherhood.”

Here are samplings of what else the global head of the women’s Relief Society said in her May 3 speech at Brigham Young University:

• “I fear that sometimes we all look for answers from unreliable sources or fail to draw from the best sources — the prophet, the scriptures and the Spirit. We are accustomed to Google-search answers — quick and concise. We ask our question and get a prompt response, and if we don’t like the answer, we can scroll for an answer that suits us.”

• “What I have discovered in juggling my responsibilities is that establishing priorities is critical to success and happiness. Love of God and love of his children — first and second. My professional life as a lawyer was never in the top two. My work was a means to an end in blessing my family.”

• “What if I had stuck with my comfortable narrative [instead of accepting the assignment as Relief Society general president]? I would have enjoyed spending more time with my grandchildren, and I could have been assured the financial security I don’t presently enjoy. And I would have missed a soul-searching, stretching and faith-building experience. Uphill? Yes. Worth it? Oh, yes!”

• “If women cease to bear and nurture children, this mortal experience ends. It is vitally important, then, that women and men neither neglect nor dismiss the sacred responsibility of parenthood. … Children are vital to maintaining civilization. They are vital to the glorious plan of happiness.”

Read the full transcript of her 4,000-plus word address.

The latest ‘Mormon Land’ podcast: How and where the church is growing or shrinking

There is much to celebrate in the latest statistics in the global faith of 17.2 million members, but there also are areas of concern. We take a deep dive into where church membership is increasing and decreasing the most.

Listen to the podcast.

From The Tribune

• Singing a new tune, pop star and former Latter-day Saint David Archuleta tells The Tribune he’s “trying to free myself and give myself the power to love myself and feel good in my own skin.”

• A boarded-up yet historic Latter-day Saint meetinghouse burns down just days before a planned demolition.

• Thus saith the prophet vs. thus adviseth the governor. Latter-day Saint parents are bumping into conflicting guidance on social media use by teens.

• Utah boasts more than 630 diocese-like stakes. Now it has its first — and likely not last — Spanish-speaking one.

• The church-owned Deseret News has gained its first female editor-in-chief.

• Tribune columnist Gordon Monson’s sorts Latter-day Saints into three groups: the Automatics, the Contemplatives, the Suspicious.