THE FIRST BOOK OF SHI-TUGO

Ammonites operate under a communal system where surplus goods are shared to eliminate poverty. They work collectively to ensure all have sufficient provisions.

1And now I return to my record of the ways and customs of the Ammonites.

2Behold, the villages and cities of the people of Ammon were built after the manner of the Nephites, except that the homes and buildings thereof were not so large and spacious. Each man built a modest home for his wife and added to it as the family grew. When the children were all grown, the man and woman usually retired to live with the youngest of their married children.

3Both the men and the women, as also the children, labor to earn sufficient to the support of the whole family. Yea, the support of the family is not the sole duty of the men, but all give what labor they are able. And each person does something extra in order to produce an increase over that which is sufficient for the family living. This they gave unto the needy. Because of this practice, there were never any poor among them, and also no hunger, and no suffering for want of the necessities.

4But this is not all. Behold, because every person in the village strove with their might to make some little gain so that there was always something in the house to give to the needy, their labors and goods and property did not cause the people of Ammon to become puffed up in pride as the Nephites.

5Now, the people did labor to produce all the necessities of life in each village. Wherefore, when fish was wanted, the fishers of the village all went fishing. And when they were done, they brought them into the village and all the people gathered in the fish to clean it and dry it and pound it.

6Likewise, when the potters had fired their works, all the village came and took them up according to their wants. And so forth, the wool of the flocks, the fruit of the vine and the grain of the field. All the people labored diligently each day and the fruits of their labors, which surpassed their own needs, were considered the gain of the village and all things were had in common.

7Now behold, each family labored diligently as the Lord gave them stewardship and they did take joy in their sufficiency. But also they labored to produce an increase that they might always have that which must be passed on to others. And this they all did freely of their own will, for in this they consider that they did give honor to their God for the stewardship He had given them and for the sufficiency with which He did bless them.

8And the families met often together to take counsel one with another in order to decide what must be done. And in these meetings the father or the mother, as they together had previously decided, according to the needs of the family, did stand up in the midst of all the children and their wives and husbands, as many as lived and labored together, to lead and give order to the council. And after giving order to what ought to be discussed and who should speak when, the one governing – either mother or father, struck fire to sacred herbs and raised up the incense to the Sacred Directions, and sang a song of thanksgiving unto the Lord. And the leader of the council prayed for the presence and the guidance of the Holy Ghost. And behold, all the gathered family, great and small, old and young, did sing the thanksgiving song together.

9When they had done all this, they did proceed to discuss and debate the needs of the whole family. And behold, they did it with earnestness, but also in a spirit of unity and without contention. For, not one of them labored for themselves, but rather for the sake of all and so that they might as a family have that wherewith to provide for the wants of those less fortunate then they.

10Now, in this custom I judge that they did please the Lord very greatly, for they were exceedingly blessed in their families, and the people as a whole wanted for very little. Even insomuch that, as often as new families came in among their communities, there was always a place provided for them and they also did not want, but had sufficient for their needs.

11And behold, I do also judge that, had the Nephites but experimented upon these principles, they should not have been so easily caught up in the things of the world. Yea, they might have placed less importance upon costly and fine apparel had they labored to provide for the needs of their fellow man with as much purpose of heart as they did labor to get gain for themselves.

12And I say unto you, as a whole, They did prosper as a people and never knew want, except when, because of wickedness, the threat of war came near unto them. But hearken unto my words, all you who might receive them. For, I say unto you, Of all the people who ever inhabit this land of promise, none will ever know more contentment or happiness than they who do as the