Bound and Chained

In the Book of Mormon there is a story of a prophet named Abinadi. Abinadi brought the gospel of Christ to the people of King Noah. Instead of rejoicing at this message, the people rejected it. Abinadi was taken to the king and prosecuted. Standing in chains he was sentenced to death. However, through the power of God, he was not touched until he had finished his message.

The message I carry with me is the same as Abinadi. I took it with me when I went to Israel. Only, unlike any other time in my life, I was under contract to not speak a word about my religion. All throughout my life I had the freedom to talk about my religion, something I took for granted. Then suddenly, I was not free to do so at all. And all I wanted to do was to proclaim my truth to all those around me. So, bound, I did not speak a word about my religion.

But just because I did not open my mouth, does not mean I did not share my message. Throughout my time in the Holy Land, my class would sing hymns on our field trips. We sang at churches, in caves, out in the open, anywhere. Countless times we were requested to sing in the churches we visited. And many more times, strangers would gravitate to our songs or inquire who we were.

Basement of the church

A very tender moment of mine occurred in a church in the Christian Quarter of Jerusalem. The lady there spent her time telling us of God and of the church. Then, as she released us to the basement, she asked us to sing. She loved to hear the "Mormon students''" voices come up from the floor. She told us how it touched her deeply and it was something she looked forward to when we visited.
 
All throughout the city of Jerusalem, the students from the "Mormon University" are known. But they are known for good. We are among the most trusted of tourists and are known for the light in our eyes. I talked with many people who immediately knew I was from Utah because of the light in my eyes. Though my mouth was shut, I could not hide the truth that I have. I cannot hide this truth. It is who I am; it is in my actions. And now that I am home, I will never allow my mouth to be shut again. I will share my message wherever I go. Because once that ability has been given back after being taken, you never want to give it up.