19. Conversion

CHAPTER 19

CONVERSION

          “Ah, young Moriancom.”  Hantuman recognized their visitor.  He had a liking for this handsome young man.  “Welcome.  Come in, although I’m surprised to see you up at this hour.”

          Moriancom was thin, on the tall side for a boy his age and still growing.  He had fair skin and a small amount of acne on his face which was typical of youth his age.  His eyes were clear and dark.  They shone with inner light, curiosity, and intelligence.  

          Hantuman introduced the young man to Nephi.  “This is Moriancom.  He is the young man I told you about who came to me when Tyreantum was …, well shall I say not behaving himself.”

          “My thanks to you, Moriancom.  I’m Nephi.  That was courageous.  I’m grateful for your assistance.”  Nephi extended his hand in greeting.

          Moriancom hurriedly exchanged a hand clasp with Nephi.  He was shy; also nervous.  He glanced behind him to make sure nobody appeared.  It was dark and hard to see.  Moriancom seemed confused and worried about something.  Hantuman invited him into his small compartment and closed the door.  The compartment intended for one person now had three people in it.  They were close.

          “Is there something I can do for you?” asked Hantuman.  Moriancom’s eyes and expression indicated that there was.

          “Well, I’ve been wondering,” began Moriancom hesitantly.  “I’ve been thinking about what you said to Tyreantum.  Something about being smitten down by an avenging angel of God; something like that anyway.”  He stopped as if he didn’t wish to say anything more.

          Hantuman and Nephi wanted to hear more from Moriancom.  They said nothing but nodded encouragement and waited for Moriancom to open up and continue speaking.  Moriancom searched for the right way to explain why he had come.  Slowly, and thoughtfully, he asked, “Well, I don’t really know how to start, so I wonder if you could perhaps answer a question for me?”

          “Of course.  We’ll do our best.”  Hantuman spoke and Nephi nodded in agreement.

          Then without any difficulty in reciting words committed to memory, Moriancom referred to a scripture.  “What do the words mean that were written by the prophet Isaiah, saying: How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth! Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing: for they shall see eye to eye, when the LORD shall bring again Zion.  Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem: for the LORD hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem.  The LORD hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God?”

         

          Looks of surprise and amazement grew on the faces of both Hantuman and Nephi.

          Hantuman exclaimed, “My, I’m astonished!  Moriancom, are you a priest?  That is not exactly the question I was expecting!”

          “Well, I am a priest,” admitted Moriancom.  “But lately, not a very good one, I’m afraid.  I’m afraid I might be in danger of God’s justice myself.  I’m afraid that sooner or later I’ll be the one to be smitten by God because of my sins.  And I’ve even tried to pray a little after Tyreantum got put in his place.  I, … I felt the power of your words, Hantuman!  You might have only been speaking to Tyreantum, but I knew your words were for me.  I kept some of the writings that I used to read and am secretly studying them again.

“So, …anyway, I once learned that passage from Isaiah because the language is so beautiful, and I remember thinking that it probably had some special meaning for me.  Only Isaiah is really difficult for me to understand because I don’t follow all the symbolism, and … I --- I’m hearing talk that when we get to the land northward, they will slay anyone who believes in these words.”

          Nephi was impressed by the sincerity, the courage, and the faith expressed by the young man who came by night.  He spoke with authority, and said, “Listen to me, Moriancom.  I promise you as a servant of God that He will be your shield and your protection.  I anticipate some very difficult trials ahead for all of us when we arrive in the land northward.  But, if you put your trust in God, I promise you that you will prosper in the land and be the means of bringing salvation to many people.”

         

          “I have faith in you,” said Moriancom, meekly.

          “Don’t put your faith in me,” commanded Nephi.  “Put your faith in Christ!  He is the One who is mighty to save us all.  Now, can I tell you a simple secret about understanding the words of Isaiah?”

          “Please do,” said Moriancom eagerly.

          “Our first father Nephi, the one who came to this land of promise from the land of Jerusalem six hundred years ago, said that a key to understanding the scriptures, especially the words of Isaiah, was to liken them unto us.  The passage that you quoted talks about watchmen, does it not?  So, let’s apply Isaiah’s words to us and this ship.  What is the watchman stationed on the tallest mast of this ship supposed to do?”

          “He is to watch for land.  Among other things.”

          “That’s right,” Nephi continued to teach Moriancom.  “And when the watchman sees the land, what is he supposed to do?  And what is the reaction of others when he does it?”

          “Well, when the watchman sees land, he lifts up his voice and yells down to alert everyone else.  Then everyone rejoices.”

          “Correct, again!”   Nephi had one more question for Moriancom.  “And what are the watchmen in Isaiah looking for?”

          “Oh.  I never thought about it that way before!”  Moriancom’s eyes lit up.  “They are watching for the coming of the Lord, for the establishment of Zion.”

          “Yes!  You understand perfectly, my young friend.  No wonder there is to be rejoicing and singing and good tidings and peace.  Like finding land after being lost at sea, seeing the coming of the Lord means that we are saved.  I am a watchman looking for the coming of the Lord.   And I know that He shall soon be here in the flesh.  My heart will rejoice when I see Him.”

          “As will mine,” added Hantuman.  “Moriancom, you will make a great watchman.  What else can we help you with?”

          “Thanks.  Uhh, nothing else right now I guess.  You’ve helped me tremendously already.  I’d better get going before somebody notices I’m here.”

          “Wait a moment, Moriancom.”  Hantuman opened a box he kept in the corner of his compartment and pulled out a scroll.  “Here, take this.  When you have a chance, this will be something for you to read.  And if you have questions about it, come back any time.”

          “Thanks, I will.”  Moriancom took the scroll and hid it inside his robe.

          Hantuman checked to see if anybody would notice Moriancom leave from his private compartment.  Everything was quiet and peaceful.  All the other passengers had retired for the night.  He signaled that the way was clear, so Moriancom scurried off by himself.

Nephi and Hantuman noted after Moriancom’s first visit that he was the one most frequently stationed at the crow’s nest where the highest beam made a cross with the mast.  They were exceedingly pleased that Moriancom was their watchman.  Only by looking up closely to Moriancom on the cross could they discern that he had a scroll with him.

The watchman’s duty was usually assigned to someone who was young and strong, so Moriancom fit that requirement.  But the watchman’s job was a lonely job, a boring job, a hard job, and somewhat scary because of the height and the difficulty climbing up and down on the ropes and in the wind.  The watchman’s job was a job that most of the passengers tried to avoid.

          Moriancom met with Nephi and Hantuman two more times before the voyage ended.  Both times, like the first, were at night when he thought nobody else would notice.  Each time he came, he asked questions about something he had recently studied.  Nephi and Hantuman answered Moriancom’s questions, frequently referring to other passages in the scroll he was reading. They also gave Moriancom encouragement.  And they bore their testimonies to him.  Before Moriancom left, they made sure that no one noticed him go.

          Moriancom was so often the watchman that it came as no surprise that he was the one to finally yell out, “Land!  Land ahead!  There is land!”