Here is a brief synopsis and chronology of Jerry L. Ainsworth and how the remarkable book, THE LIVES AND TRAVELS OF MORMON AND MORONI, came to be.
As a fourth
generation Mormon, from Louisiana, Jerry Ainsworth was as precocious as they
come. When he wasn't bouncing of inner tubes turning flips, he was
turning cartwheels off the roof of his house. It was therefore little
wonder while in college, he became a nationally recognized
diver and gymnast and a world class trampoliner.
It is also little wonder that by the time he reached college he had broken most major bones in his body. Not to be outdone by his past, he succeed in breaking his neck while practicing for the world trampoline championships. It took him well over a year to over come the protracted paralysis that ensued.
Less than a year ago doctors gave him two weeks to live because of a staph infection he had picked up during an operation to remove a tumor from his head. It was a priesthood blessing and many prayers of loved ones that once again pulled him through this ordeal. He has once again had to learn to walk.
As a freshman in college, two months after breaking his jaw in five places in a diving accident, because of a dare, he rides his motorcycle off a high dive and does so much damage that he experiences what is commonly known as a "near death experience."
As the son of a Branch President who had served three missions for the church, Jerry Ainsworth seems to emerge as the consummate rebel. It wasn't until 1957, primarily as the result of a sweet Southern Baptist girl that Jerry Ainsworth ceased being a rebel, and became converted to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Much to everyone's surprise he was called to serve in the Canadian mission where he served as the Montreal District Leader and finally as Second Counselor to the Mission President. His mission president now serves as one of the general authorities.
During the summer of 1976, as a college professor, Jerry leads his first group of college students to the Yucatan area of Mexico. They have made no hotel reservations or arrangements for ground transportation and no one in the group speaks Spanish! In spite of that, they all survived and had some wonderful experiences.
Then it happened. Jerry and his students arrived at the ruins of Chichen Itza, at mid-morning. It was a beautiful clear day with full white clouds providing a backdrop against the blue sky for the towering ancient pyramids. Jerry himself describes what happened next.
"As I looked up from the grove of trees, my eyes fell upon the large pyramid called El Castillo, (the Castle). I stood frozen in front of this huge edifice, totally amazed at its stony grandeur, its eerie silence. I was unable to move or speak - I just stood there staring at it. Then my heart began to race. Chills spread over my whole body. Finally, I began to weep. I don't recall how long the tears rolled down my cheeks, but I do remember it was an unforgettable moment. For some inexplicable reason, I seemed connected to this place, to its ancient inhabitants and to their modern descendants. Then and there was born in me an overwhelming desire to learn something about the Maya and to visit other ancient sites."
From that moment on, Jerry was transformed. He began to read everything he could find about the Mayan people and their civilization. At the time, Jerry had no idea that these people and their civilization had anything to do with the Book of Mormon. He just fell in love with the place and the people.
On Jerry's third trip to the Yucatan, he meets a guide, Jose Davila, who offers to guide the tour. Jerry's says he is just as knowledgeable as the guide and doesn't see how the guide could offer the tour group anything he doesn't already know. Senor Davila offers to work for free, if the group doesn't learn anything new. Jose lectures the group for one hour and astounds Jerry and the group with his knowledge and insights into the Mayan civilization. Jerry pays Jose Davila twice his requested fee. Jerry realizes that the Mayan civilization is intricately connected to the Nephites and the Lamanites.
Jerry and Jose Davila become close friends. (Read the book, Chapters 4 & 5 to find out how Jerry and another friend, Esteban come into possession of gold plates with Reformed Egyptian on them.) Jerry becomes extremely knowledgeable about the Maya civilization and its links to the Book of Mormon. He also becomes aware of the relationship that Jose Davila had with Milton R, Hunter, the General Authority who set Jerry apart for his mission.
Jerry attends a ward where he is not given a calling for years. So he goes to the Lord in prayer and the Lord says, "come with me and I'll use you." He then begins to travel through mesoamerica in earnest, using all the exciting skills he learned in his youth. He went SCUBA diving to see ancient ruins buried under water during the earthquakes which attended the Savior's crucifixion. He uses his skill as a pilot to fly over remote areas of the jungles of Mexico and Guatemala. And he tries his skill as an adventurer, by going into jungle with but a machete, a canteen and a backpack.
Little did Jerry know that the Lord was willing to use his adventurous personality and skills to explore and discover many things he would later be called on to translate into a book. Jerry was having fun. The Lord had him on a mission.
After
a number of years it became clear to Jerry that he was to write a book on
what he had discovered. As this "calling" became clear, he began to
assimilate information, ideas and discoveries for such a book. It soon
became clear that the book would be about Mormon and Moroni.
Jerry reads the books of Mormon, Ether and Moroni every day for eight years. After the first four of those years he begins to understand a little about these two great men. Jerry sets forth on the task of writing the book assuming it would take him about six months. Six years later the manuscript was completed. Editing took an additional year.
With edited manuscript in had, Jerry went to most know LDS publishers and was turned down by them all. He therefore took the matter to the Lord and was told to publish the book himself. The year was 1998 and as a school teacher this was quit a challenge.
Jerry then creates his own publishing company, (PeaceMakers), and begins the task of raising the money needed to print and distribute the book. With promises of adequate funding from some associates he signs contracts with a printer, a publicist, a promoter and a distributor. The total costs of these contracts was between $ 375,000 and $ 400,000.
In the early part of 1999 it came time for Jerry to come up with the needed capital for the printer. His friends did not have the funds they promised, but with their assurances, Jerry began to borrow against all of his possessions, (home, car, insurance, etc.)
In the middle part of 1999, with half of the printing costs paid by Jerry and the book ready to run, it became apparent to Jerry that his friends would not come up with the funds they promised. He therefore goes to the Lord and asks what to do. He was told to continue and get the book published.
Jerry borrows from every conceivable source, and then began to solicit loans from all of his LDS friends. None would invest in the project. On Thanksgiving Day of 1999 Jerry spends the whole day in fasting and prayer about the funding of this project, and receives no help. The Lord's answer is simply, "Get it done."
Jerry tells his family, "It appears the Lord is going to wring every ounce of pride from me on this issue, and he continues to ask friends and associates for financial help with the project. All to no avail.
One of the things Jerry prays for, is to become closer to Moroni, to know more of how he felt and what it was like with the challenges he had. He feels very close to this great Seer. More so than his father Mormon.
On Christmas Day Jerry spends the whole day in fasting and prayer. He is now crying to the Lord in tears and pain, asking, "What am I doing wrong, where do I go to get the money?" And then with tears running down his face, beaten into submission and total dependence, he prays the following words, "my God, I feel so alone. I am without friends, and I don't know where to go for help and I don't know how long you will require that I suffer like this. I don't have the money and I don't know how to get it!" And then Jerry Ainsworth knew one of his prayers had been answered. He now had a small glimmer of how Moroni must have felt in Mormon 8:5. But he got no answer about the money.
On New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, Jerry Ainsworth once again went to the Lord with fasting and prayer, prepared to do so until he received an answer. At 2:30pm on New Year's Day, 2000, the Lord said, "it is enough my son. You will have the funds shortly."
Two weeks later a nonmember friend of 25 years calls out of the clear blue sky and said, "I have the last $ 35,000 that you need to get your book published. Jerry has now second and third mortgages his home, sold his new car, cashed in his life insurance and put close to $ 100,000 on credit cards. But the book was on book shelves by March of 2000.
Jerry travels to Utah and Idaho to begin promoting the book. He appears on several talk radio programs in Utah and Idaho. Deseret book stocks his book and they sell out in several locations as a result of the radio interviews.
With the
exception of one competing Book of Mormon author,
(a competing book), all other responses to his book appear to be very positive. He is overwhelmed with calls, requests for firesides and stacks of email.
So far Jerry has sold over 15,000 books and repaid the $ 400,000 he borrowed to publish and promote his book.
If you have already purchased a copy of the book for yourself, you may wish to purchase additional copies as gifts. If you order copies of books via the website, Jerry will cover the standard costs of shipping. If you order two or more copies of the book, Jerry will include one of his more recent Book of Mormon articles with the shipment.