THE FIRST BOOK OF SHI-TUGO

The Ammonites celebrate various occasions, including births, harvests, and the changing of seasons. These events involve feasting, singing, dancing, and community gatherings.

1Behold, I have labored to write the ceremonies, and ordinances of the Ammonite people, for, I believe them to be a good and righteous way and a good path. For all that they do, doth lead them to praise God and to respect and honor each other. But behold, this is not all. They did rejoice often as a community with much dancing and rejoicing. And they did all these things in a manner most sacred. And at each celebration, the Peli stood and sang and prayed in a sacred manner, even as has been described heretofore.

2The people of Ammon took every opportunity to honor the Lord and give gifts. And behold, one of the most favored celebrations took place on the day of a person’s birth. For, all the people gave gifts to the person whose birthday it was, and they did sing a song of thanksgiving together, and dance, and raise up their voices in much praising of God.

3Behold, they did also feast and celebrate the new year on the shortest day of the year. And then on the following day, even that day when the light of the day begins to increase in duration, they did celebrate with a great feast and much dancing and singing.

4And behold, in the high regions of the land where there was snow in the cold months, the people did celebrate during that season when the snow melted, and this they did with much singing and praising of God.

5But their principle celebration was in the spring when the fields and forests were in full blooming. For this is the time when the Savior is to be born. Wherefore, the people did array themselves in the Sacred Garments and did decorate their homes and their shops with beautiful decorations. And behold, they lit great fires at night so that the whole country was illuminated with them.

6Now, because the Savior is the Great Healer, and the people of Ammon also are great healers and try to emulate Him, behold, midway between the Celebration of the Savior’s Birth and the spring planting, the people of Ammon did hold a great celebration of healing. And they did rejoice and give thanks for the great blessings of healing that the Lord had given them on that day. And behold, all the people, both young and old, both women and men, did make the purification after their manner and they did all offer themselves as a sacrifice in the sacred manner.

7Soon after the Medicine Dance Ceremony, the people did celebrate the time for planting. And behold, they did sing a thanksgiving song and offered prayer and even they did dance and feast on that day.

8And on the day that is longest they did also celebrate with much singing, dancing and feasting. And they did offer up thanks to God Most High for the blessings of the season. And also during this time they did often celebrate when the day had come to an end and they did look up into the sky and count the stars. For all who do this do know that they are numerous. And the Ammonites also knew that their blessings were also exceedingly numerous. Wherefore, they did often come together as small groups or as large to celebrate the stars and offer thanks for their many blessings.

9Now, when the season of growing did draw to an end, the people did come together after the harvest to offer thanks and to rejoice and celebrate the bounty of the Lord. And all people did sing and give praise in this celebration, and the Clan Mothers did distribute the harvest to all the people, and there was no want amongst them and no contention because all received of the labors of the community.

10And when the days began to grow shorter and colder, the mothers and fathers would often bring their children together and tell them of the doings of the servants of God. Yea, they did tell the hero stories all during the cold season and the little ones learned of the history of their people and of all the good works of their grandfathers by the stories their parents told them.

11And then, behold, on the Sabbath before the shortest day of the year, the whole community met together to celebrate the heroes in a great celebration. Now, this was a solemn celebration and it was conducted by the principle Peli and the principle Clan Mother, they being the eldest of the people. And the story of the creation and all of God’s dealings with mankind was recounted during that day. And at the end of the day, the Peli lit a great fire and the people sang the praises of the Lord well into the night as the fire burned down.

12And all these celebrations were done in the name of the Lord and with much praise and honor of the goodness of the Lord. Wherefore, in all things did the Ammonites celebrate their relationship with the Lord and with all things.