What is "The Plates of Cardiff"?

The Plates of Cardiff is a collection of testimonies, through drawings and words, of 250 members age three and older, of the The Cardiff Ward, Del Mar Stake, of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I spearheaded the project with the support of my bishop and the assistance of several friends and family members. The idea occurred to me in the beginning of 2006 as I was touched by the many testimonies of members of the Cardiff Ward who had been blessed by taking President Hinckley’s challenge to read the Book of Mormon in 2005. I started collecting testimonies and drawings from members of the ward, intending to compile them into a book, but never completed the project.

In the fall of 2008 I rediscovered this file; the events of that year’s election season and the need to speak out and defend our faith greatly strengthened my personal testimony of the Book of Mormon and prompted me to pick up the project again. Most of the entries are from 2008-2009 but some are from 2006, and some are from ward members who have since moved. The drawings are from our primary children who were over age three in 2008.

I am so grateful for the faith and willingness of Cardiff Ward members of all ages to stand for truth and to put their testimonies on record. I am also grateful to those who interviewed some of our long-time members so that their stories could be included, and for friends who stepped in to help with production of the book. As people read the book, I hope they will feel how I felt putting it together, with the powerful spirit that our testimonies bring. As President Kimball said, “The angels may quote from it.”