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The following is written by a young refugee from Myanmar, K’Nyaw Say Paw. She is one of a group of refugees living in Utah who are currently participating in a stage production based on the Book of Mormon. 

“Mormon Speaks” will take place at the Murray High School auditorium June 7-9 at 7:30 pm. To get tickets, CLICK HERE. 

Long ago in the Karen culture (in Burma), the history has been told of three books that were lost. The three books are: the Silver Book, the Heavenly Book, and the Golden Book. Our elders teach us that the Silver Book represents knowledge (education) and the Heavenly Book represents the Bible, or the word of God. We believed the third book, a Golden Book, was lost – until we learned of the Book of Mormon.

Anciently, the Karen people traveled from Mongolian to Burma (Myanmar). The story that was passed down from my parents to me, before I was born, was hard to grasp. Their families were driven from their homes by the Burmese army. The village was turned into ashes. They ran from place to place – from Burma to Thailand. They were barefoot and did not have enough clothes to cover their skin. Without food and water, many lost family members, and many died. Then refugee camps were built in Thailand.

I was born in in Mon Ker, in Thailand. When I was five years old, we had to run from the armies. Our houses were burned and the bullets were shot. In despair, we had to move again and again. Then we moved to Umpieum refugee camp. Some might say living as refugees wasn’t the best, but for me it was an experience. In the camp, there was not much freedom. It felt like living in a prison. We couldn’t go out anywhere. Fences were built around the camp, so we couldn’t go out. The soldiers were rude – hurting people without reason. Every day was a challenge. We ate the same food every day: rice, fish paste, yellow beans, flours, etc., but we were glad to have something to eat.

Our houses were built of bamboo poles, and the roofs were covered with leaves. We didn’t have electricity, so we used the sunlight. At night we used candles. We traveled with our own two feet and we worked with our hands. We climbed the mountains or walked in the woods to the forest every day.

Then the United Nations called the refugees to move to different countries: America, Australia, Norway, Sweden, England and more. We, as children in my house, wanted to go to the third country (that is what we called it). We put our names on the paper and we got called to the United States. We were sent to Utah without knowing the language or the culture. Every morning I would just pray that I would have a good day. While feeling lost and alone at school, our parents were just trying to make ends meet in the house. They were without education, but they were still taking care of us.

We learned of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints a week after we came to Utah. A senior couple, Bob and Susan Roylance, came knocking on our door and asked us if we would like to go with them to church, and we did. We were Baptists and we loved to go to church. But it was a little bit different than we were used to. The Latter-day Saints took the sacrament every week, but the Baptists (Christians) only took the sacrament once a month, and only after you were baptized. The Latter-day Saints used both the Bible and the Book of Mormon, but we only used the Bible. A year later my younger brother got baptized in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and the rest of the family followed him a year after that.

I learned of the book of Mormon when I went to church, but I didn’t understand it until I went on a mission. I went on the Lord’s mission without reading the Book of Mormon. I learned to read and understand the Book of Mormon with the help of Heavenly Father and the Holy Ghost. While reading the Book of Mormon and putting myself in the story, I felt how hard it was for Lehi and his family.

I learned that the Book of Mormon was written on golden plates. And compared to the story of the Karen history that passed down, it was almost the same. The oldest sons didn’t want the book and the father gave it to the younger sons. The younger sons were faithful in keeping the book and passed it down from generation to generation until today. When you read the Book of Mormon, you will understand them, but pray in faith and ask in a sincere heart to know if it’s the truth. When I first heard of Jesus Christ coming to visit in America, I was astonished. I didn’t know that Jesus came to visit America. But after reading it, I know that Heavenly Father will never forget his children – wherever they will be.

I am grateful that we have the privilege to have a pageant of the Book of Mormon, called Mormon Speaks. While practicing the role of Sariah, as a mother, I felt the anguish of her heart because of her sons. The oldest two were complaining and telling their father that he was a visionary man and they had no respect for him. But, because he believed in his God, it took a great faith to follow what He wanted him to do.

The life of Lehi and his children were recorded in the Book of Mormon and passed down from generation to generation for them to also record their lives, and the wonder and great works of Heavenly Father. As human beings and spirit children of our Heavenly Father, he revealed his wonderous works to all of us to learn of the Book of Mormon and His words that passed down to all his children that believe in Him. Seeing many youth eager to participate, and trying their best, anxious to do the pageant, brings peace into my heart. They want their parents to know of the Book of Mormon because it isn’t available in the Karen language.

But I know that one day, we’ll have it in Karen Language.