THE BOOK OF MANTI

1And now it is twenty and five years after the coming of Jesus unto the Nem of Mentina, and we have enjoyed continuous peace and thanksgiving in Mentina. And we do welcome people from all parts of the world, even from the far Isles of the Sea both to the westward and to the eastward. And even there have come unto us visitors from far places in the north, where one may walk across the oceans in the cold season of the year. Yea, we do welcome and learn from all people who come to us to read the books and to participate with us in the ordinances of the temple.

2And I would speak somewhat about these ordinances, for they are precious to me and of great import to my people. Behold, the ordinances of the temple do seal our work with that of the Lord. For, it is in the temple that we betoken the covenants that we have made with God. Yea, we go up unto the temple in order that our covenants may culminate in the tokens, which are given in holy ordinances. And these ordinances we do perform in the temple.

3And behold, every one of the Nem are taught the meanings of the covenants from their youth. Yea, from the time that a little child is able to understand a mother's words, the covenants and ordinances of the temple are taught. In this way, no person may say that they do not know whereof they speak or act when they bow their heads and receive the laws of God.

4These are the buildings of the Temple of Mentina and their purposes. As I said before, the temple is divided into seven buildings, each of which has a certain purpose. The first is the Place of Adam. In this building we are instructed in all ways concerning the Law of Obedience. It is here that we are instructed in the Everlasting Covenant and in the New and Everlasting Covenant. Yea, we learn of our descent, of the Father, the Son and of the Holy Ghost. We learn of the Mother and the Father and who they of a surety are, so that we may also know of a surety who we are. Because of this instruction, we more fully understand the words of the scriptures and the commandments of God. Yea, because of this instruction, we may covenant to keep the Law of Obedience, having received the knowledge of our pre-existent state.

5Now, the purification after the manner of the Ammonites, as also the ordinance of baptism and of prayer and of fasting, are all ordinances preparatory to going up to the Place of Adam and it is well that we all take care to be pure and clean and that our intentions are good before we go up to the temple.

6From the Place of Adam, one moves into the Place of the World. This building has no stairs leading to it, but is on the same level as the Place of Adam. In this building we are instructed of the creation of heaven and earth, and of the beautiful place wherein our first parents were placed. We learn of the decisions they had to make in order to provide for our existence. We also learn of the temptations of Satan and the consequences of following his counsel. We also learn of repentance. This is part of the Law of Obedience.

7From the Place of the World, we ascend to the Place of Sacrifice. In this place we learn of the choices and actions that our first parents made in order to become worthy to receive light and knowledge from heaven. We ascend into this building because it marks the first of the reparative footsteps of Adam and Eve, steps which we must also follow in order to return into the presence of God. In this place we are instructed in the meaning of the Law of Sacrifice and how we may also offer up a living sacrifice unto God for the sake of all living, and for the sake of the dead. It is in this place that the robes of the priesthood are placed upon the man and the woman. The woman wears the robes on both shoulders and the man on that shoulder fitting his development and his progress.

8From the Place of Sacrifice, we ascend to the Place of Virtue. In this place we learn of all the ways in which Satan does try to pervert the right ways of the Lord. We learn of the Law of Chastity, which is representative of all the virtues of heaven. We learn how, by committing to bind ourselves to Christ, we do also bind ourselves unto our wife or our husband. Yea, it is through the Holy Spirit of Promise, even the Holy Ghost and His power, that we are sealed unto Christ. Wherefore, all covenants that we make, when we are sealed up His, remain operative both in the time of our earthly existence as well as into eternity. It is in this building that we make a covenant to our spouse and to God, and this covenant becomes a token of our commitment to aspire to all virtues and all the gifts of the Spirit.

9From the Place of Virtue, we ascend to the Place of the Way. In this place, we learn of the Way which the Creator provided whereby we may be introduced into that world wherein we may have constant concourse with Angels and with our relations. It is in this place that we learn and grow in all good things by and through the power of the Holy Ghost unto revelation. Yea, we learn to walk upon the Way and receive abundantly of the grandfathers, and our hearts are turned unto them. And behold, when our hearts are turned unto the grandfathers, their hearts are also turned unto us. Yea, and we may receive such instruction there as cannot even be imagined here. Yea, insomuch that we may even be brought into the presence of the Christ, and be instructed directly by Him.

10From the Place of the Way we ascend to the Place of the Endowment. In this place we are instructed in all the ways and practices of the priesthood and how we may exercise it to the good of all people. But this is not all. It is also in this place that we receive the tokens of the covenants we have made. Wherefore, if our intentions remain pure, we may call upon the powers of heaven in times of need. And is this not an Endowment of Power? Yea, to walk upon the Way and to have the power of heaven is an endowment indeed.

11From the Place of the Endowment we ascend to the Place of Eve. In this place the man is found to be worthy to stand with the woman and the robes of authority and of sovereignty and of priesthood are placed upon the shoulders of the man and the woman together. In this place the woman and the man perform the Second Anointing and they wait upon the Lord. It is in this place that the Lord does visit them and they receive a sure and certain witness of their acceptance before Him. Yea, He does take them by the hand and introduce them into that world wherein the Father dwells.

12These are the seven buildings of the temple, and they are most sacred.